Marketing technology has become a fact of life, as new data from digital agency Squiz attests. Roughly two-thirds of senior marketers surveyed in Australia, the UK and the US have invested heavily in marketing technology over the past year, the study shows.

Another third of respondents said they have either invested a little to add to their existing marketing technology stack, or have taken their first steps in marketing technology.

Most senior marketers surveyed (62%) said they’re leveraging marketing technology to better understand customers and prospects. Over half of respondents said they’re doing so to automate processes and reduce time on administration, and almost as many said they’re using marketing technology because they want to take a data-driven approach to marketing.

Interestingly, nearly 40% said they’re using marketing technology to remain relevant against competitors.

Marketing technology has become a standard part of managing a business. Many companies have become comfortable enough with the concept to shift away from their initial focus on platforms, and to focus instead on data.

The number of marketing technologies used varies by company, but a November 2016 survey from Conductor, a web presence management and search engine optimization company, revealed that many US marketing executives—more than six in 10—use between six and 20 marketing technologies.

—Rimma Kats