Only 28 per cent of marketers expect to be GDPR compliant by deadline

  • Wednesday, December 13th, 2017
  • Author: Tim Maytom
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With less than six months until 25 May, when GDPR will come into effect, just 28 per cent of marketers expect their websites to be compliant with the new regulations in time for the deadline.

According to new research from omnichannel services firm Ensighten, 48 per cent of brands think their teams are unaware of the impact that the GDPR legislation will have when it comes into force, and 46 per cent still dont understand that they will be reponsible for all data across all their digital properties.

These figures, based on a survey of 100 marketers, show that while two thirds of UK marketers seek the General Data Protection Regulation as a strategic opportunity, most are also worried that their companies are not ready to deal with the complexities of compliance. When it came to identifying the main roadblocks to preparing for GDPR, managing multiple suppliers, the complexity of marketing and understanding vendor compliance issues were all popular responses.

“The combination of growing digital marketing complexity and sweeping regulatory change makes for a challenging landscape for marketers,” said Ian Woolley, chief revenue officer for EMEA at Ensighten. “Yet by employing tools that simplify GDPR compliance and governance, marketers can focus resources on future-proofing their strategies and providing flawless digital experiences to customers.”

76 per cent of marketers surveyed consider GDPR a challenge, citing a variety of fears. 64 per cent were concerned it would stifle creativity, while 59 per cent were worried about the costly replacement of existing technologies and services. Other fears included unclear legislation (50 per cent), lack of clarity around the responsibilty for internal enforcement (50 per cent). Surprisingly, only 46 per cent were concerned that GDPR will have a detrimental impact on advertising revenues.

UK brands work with an average of five digital marketing suppliers, but less than half have had conversations about GDPR with suppliers and discussed the implications for online marketing. 22 per cent of companies have hired dedicated specialists to cover GDPR responsibilities, while 24 per cent have decided to upskill current employees.

Despite these gaps in preparation and confusion over responisibilty, Woolley still believes that GDPR represents more of an opportunity for marketers than a challenge.

“As GDPR forces brands to re-approach how they interact with consumers, it will create a whole new meaning to the idea of the value exchange, ushering in an era of transparency that will change our industry for the better,” said Woolley.