SuccessFactors Powers Website Optimization with Demandbase

SuccessFactors provides the SuccessFactors HCM Suite, a leading cloud-based human capital management (HCM) solution. SuccessFactors helps HR drive business execution with solutions that optimize the workforce today and prepare it for tomorrow.

After SAP acquired SuccessFactors in early 2012, a top priority became revamping the SuccessFactors website to address a number of challenges, including:

• Delivering results against marketing objectives
• Targeting customers with SAP’s on-premise HR solution and moving them to the cloud
• Integrating the website with demand-generation activities

To oversee the effort, the company recruited Sean Browne, now senior director of web marketing for SuccessFactors. “Targeting is fundamental to the way we sell—for acquiring new customers and upselling,” explains Browne. “To support that I had the advantage of being able to revamp the entire site and put it on a new platform.”

The Solution

The Demandbase B2B Marketing Cloud Seamlessly Integrated with Partner Technologies

To meet SuccessFactors’ marketing challenges, Browne deployed the Adobe Experience Manager web content management platform, and shortly thereafter he discovered Demandbase, which integrates seamlessly with Adobe tools. Browne had never seen the capability that Demandbase provides to target anonymous visitors and it really impressed him. “I saw Demandbase in use at Adobe,” notes Browne. “So, when we first migrated to Adobe Experience Manager, I said, ‘We’ve got to get this,’ and we licensed analytics and content right away.”

SuccessFactors architected its new website with Demandbase in mind. “We were eager to launch the site with Demandbase,” Browne continues, “and have dynamic, targeted promotions.” The Demandbase B2B Marketing Cloud provided:

• Company-Targeted Advertising to drive target accounts to the SuccessFactors website. Promotions reach multiple industry segments and increase marketing pipeline opportunities.
• Insight into target industries and accounts. Demandbase with Adobe Analytics identifies companies visiting the SuccessFactors website by industry and segment, which enables the company to align its marketing and sales activities.
• The ability to serve targeted content. Content such as industry-specific videos increase engagement and time-on-site while improving the customer experience and boosting conversions. Demandbase ensures that visitors see the content most relevant to them.
• Improved accuracy and completeness of forms data. Demandbase Forms integrated with Marketo also streamlined the form-fill process for visitors. “Deployment was simple and straight forward,” says Browne. “We love the various ways it discerns who the user is, first by IP, then by e-mail domain or if that doesn’t match, just auto filling on company.”

The Results

Increased Web Leads and Greater Sales and Marketing Alignment

After deploying the Demandbase B2B Marketing Cloud, SuccessFactors was able to prove the value of account-based marketing supported by targeting and personalization. “Working with Demandbase absolutely helped us align marketing with sales,” Browne comments. “We can show the sales team which companies come to the site and work with them to create effective campaigns that run across the website.”

With the help of Demandbase, SuccessFactors achieved:

• 175% year-over-year growth in web leads
• Greater visitor engagement
• Increased conversions

Demandbase also impressed Browne with its increasing global reach, which presents greater opportunities to engage with sales on a worldwide basis. “I had someone in a sales meeting say, ‘Well, what about companies in the United Arab Emirates’,” recalls Browne. “Demandbase identified quite a few and that really captured their imagination.”

“I truly believe Demandbase can make marketing a hero to sales,” concludes Browne. “It’s great to see Demandbase credited in our quarterly business reports where a program has driven growth in our pipeline.”