By David Greenberger, Vice President, Head of North America, CHEQ
Historically, marketing and security departments have often not seen eye to eye. This legacy dynamic stems from the belief that while marketing and brand acquisition must push boundaries, security’s role is to enforce those boundaries. Privacy standards, of course, are getting a lot of attention in today’s regulatory environment, and there are other vulnerabilities introduced by marketing’s use of technology and third-party tags on websites, which also pose significant risks to a company’s go-to-market (GTM) strategy. One might assume this tension would be at an all-time high—and in some organizations, it is. But it doesn’t have to be.
Companies’ marketing and security goals may align more than many business leaders realize. The forces driving the most radical shifts within both departments are actually pushing them in the same direction. These shifts encompass a broad range of risks across the entire go-to-market (GTM) strategy, starting with the growing threat of fake traffic, followed by privacy risks created by third-party technology and vulnerabilities in the digital supply chain, and culminating in the increasing regulation and potential for regulatory fines. Business leaders can promote greater alignment between marketing and security teams by examining these risks at various stages of the buying process.
Let’s explore why marketing and security are more connected than ever and how business leaders can foster greater cooperation between these departments.
Understanding the Conflict: It’s the Data
The tension between marketing and security seems simple: marketing teams are incentivized to pursue speed and reach in their efforts. They typically employ tools and tactics designed to maximize exposure and encourage engagement that leads to conversion.
In this pursuit, they can introduce vulnerabilities to company systems through various marketing strategies, tools, and third-party tags. Security teams, conversely, are laser-focused on risk management, which can prompt them to restrict marketing practices they deem too risky.
For this reason, specific marketing activities, such as launching campaigns or integrating new martech tools, are sometimes curtailed by security concerns like the risk of invalid traffic and ensuring third-party data compliance, leading to perceived missed opportunities. However, it’s worth taking a closer look at these departmental goals when considering whether marketing and security are, in reality, in opposition.
Today’s marketing organizations are more data-driven than ever. They make many decisions based on the analytics gathered from their websites, mobile apps, and various martech and ad tech tools. These decisions improve user engagement rates, extend audience reach, and optimize campaign efficiency and conversion rates.
However, bots and fake traffic can compromise the data marketing teams use today to make important decisions. While not all fake traffic leads to fraud, a significant portion can cause real issues for marketing campaigns. In fact, in 2023, 17.9 percent of all traffic was fake. This invalid traffic can lead to misallocated resources, such as ad spend being directed at bots instead of real buyers; fake form fills clogging the sales funnel and distracting sales teams, and ineffective targeting or personalization due to muddied data segments. Additionally, compounding privacy regulations around the globe further complicates data management, making it a critical concern for both marketing and security teams.
Data Security and Privacy is A Mounting Challenge
In seeking to improve marketing effectiveness, marketers must acknowledge the importance of secure, accurate, and anonymized data. This involves addressing the risks associated with martech, such as not having a complete view of where data is going and how third parties are processing it.
Additionally, understanding the risks introduced by traffic and mitigating them at the source is paramount—an area where security teams typically excel. This means aligning more closely with security and privacy teams is essential to enhance defenses and transparency on key marketing tools. These challenges are only mounting, making this alignment more critical than ever to safeguard assets and reputation alongside marketing ROI.
In 2023, fake traffic overall increased 58 percent year-over-year, and all bots increased 28 percent. This year, with the rise of generative AI technology, it could be even worse, given that generative AI democratizes bot creation. Add this to the fact that two-thirds of global consumers feel that tech companies have too much control over their data, and you have a perfect storm.
Strategies for Realigning Marketing and Security
To break down the legacy barriers between marketing and security, companies should focus on the following two areas:
- People: Business leaders should encourage alignment between marketing and security teams on MarTech infrastructure, data processing, go-to-market attack surfaces, and roadmap for these areas. Regularly reviewing the tools, processes, and how data is being processed at each stage of the customer journey will ensure both teams’ needs are addressed effectively. Early integration and strong cross-team collaboration have been regularly proven to reduce risk, maintain a friction-free experience for end users, and deliver higher marketing success rates.
- Technology: Investing in technology solutions that provide continual visibility into risks and safeguard marketing effectiveness and security/privacy compliance is critical. These solutions should focus on protecting and optimizing for actual human users rather than just impressions. Business leaders need to champion the integrity of the site and real human interactions, investing in technologies that offer transparency across the organization. This approach reduces friction and enhances collaboration by clearly identifying and mitigating risks.
Bridging the gap between marketing and security is possible and necessary in today’s digital landscape. Organizations can protect their digital assets from threats by fostering communication, aligning on MarTech infrastructure, and employing advanced cybersecurity measures while ensuring that marketing operations remain secure and effective. This approach mitigates risks while supporting the integrity and success of marketing initiatives.
