Majority of industry workers ‘lack digital competence’ claims new report
Most brands and media professionals lack sufficient knowledge in online advertising to make decisions around the subject, a survey by Digital Chameleon has claimed.
The Digital IQ Index of 625 professionals found 94 per cent of those working in brands, 93 per cent of agency staff and 89 per cent of media professionals fell below the threshold of digital competency and were deemed incapable of making decisions around online advertising.
Data and analytics was an even harder subject for media professionals, who made up 361 of the sample, as 96 per cent of them failed to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the area. Brand professionals, making up 131 people in the sample, also scored below the threshold with 89 per cent.
Participants completed a 32 question Digital Skills Assessment on the four major disciplines of digital marketing, planning and execution: online advertising, social media, content marketing, data and analytics, and they were ranked into four groups according to the level of knowledge displayed in each of the categories.
Those who fell into the first two groups were deemed as lacking sufficient knowledge to engage in digital marketing decision-making and or lacking the effective skills and knowledge to make effective decisions.
They fared best on the subject of social media where agencies had 57 per cent of respondents below the threshold, and brands 59 per cent. While content marketing had 67 per cent of both brands and agencies below the threshold of digital competency.
The sample included 361 respondents from media, including magazine and newspaper teams, as well as 131 brand respondents and 133 professionals from media agencies working in creative, media buying and full-service firms.
The 2014 Digital IQ Index is second survey by the digital media company following one in November 2012 that looked at 350 sales and marketing professionals to establish how digitally literate they considered themselves to be. Next year a follow-up survey will track actual increases in digital proficiency via a pre and post assessment methodology.
Digital Chameleon is an online training provider, and runs the courses for Mumbrella Digital School.
Megan Reynolds
Is there a list of the questions and a profile of the respondent sample somewhere that would provide additional insight for this story? I could only find broad sample information on their site and was curious to understand the experience level of respondents etc
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I’m not surprised at all, although I’d love to see the profile of respondents and questions as well. I’m not convinced the questions might even be right!
Every man and woman and their dog says today they either have digital experience, extensive digital experience or are digital experts.
But what ‘real’ digital experience do they have? Little to none.
Many of us have been saying that Australia & New Zealand is generally, even today, years behind the USA and Europe in all things digital and this study appears to highlight this sad fact once again.
And, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. The best ‘digital’ minds I know are over 30-35 years old and have multi-channel, cross industry, cross discipline experience and skills. That’s not to say there aren’t any great ‘digital’ minds under 35, but they are few and far between.
Agencies and media (and some companies) think being, or getting ‘digital’ is all about hiring young people who ‘know how to use the channels’. The problem is they have little to no experience or exposure to the fundamentals of consistently successful marketing, comms, brand which have never changed; intimately knowing your customer and that you are not your customers, planning and strategy.
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So what are the questions asked? this is a big test for Membrella. Because this is a PR story for a Mumbrella commercially associated service provider lets have more info and not just promo puff.
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PS Digital Chameleon aren’t that hip on digital themselves. Their website is not mobile friendly. Doh!
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It’s very hard to take research seriously when it’s purely a bus dev/PR mechanic.
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Agree with that Martin.
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It’d be nice to share this article, but the page lacks that functionality
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