Data Management & Analytics: How Do I Integrate Data from Multiple Marketing Systems?
Unify CRM, automation, web, ads, product usage, and finance into a governed marketing data layer that powers trusted reporting and activation—built for privacy, scale, and change.
Treat integration as a standards-first program, not a connector project. Start by defining identity keys (person/account/asset), data contracts (schemas, names, SLAs), and consent rules. Use the right patterns in combination—ELT to a warehouse for analytics, iPaaS for operational syncs, event streaming for real-time, and reverse ETL/CDP for activation. Add observability (QA, lineage, alerts) and semantic models so downstream teams trust and reuse the data.
Integration Building Blocks
The Marketing Data Integration Playbook
Implement this sequence to deliver trusted, activation-ready data without slowing teams down.
Discover → Contract → Ingest → Model → Resolve Identity → Govern Consent → Activate → Measure
- Discover sources & use cases: Map inputs (CRM, MAP, web/app, ads, product, billing) to questions (pipeline, CAC, LTV, attribution).
- Define contracts & taxonomy: Document schemas, field names, valid values, and freshness SLAs; publish naming standards.
- Ingest with ELT pipelines: Land raw data in a warehouse; schedule incremental loads; version schemas safely.
- Model for reuse: Build curated marts (contacts, accounts, campaigns, spend, touches, funnel) with automated tests.
- Resolve identities: Apply match/merge rules and crosswalks; stamp unified person/account IDs on every record.
- Enforce consent & privacy: Join consent states to audiences; mask or exclude restricted records at query time.
- Activate: Push modeled audiences and metrics to CRM/MAP/ad platforms via reverse ETL or CDP—track sync SLAs.
- Measure & observe: Instrument lineage, data tests, and alerts; monitor model freshness and activation success.
Integration Approaches Matrix
| Approach | Essential Capabilities | When It's Essential | Primary Owner | Health KPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELT → Warehouse | Scalable ingestion, raw→modeled layers, governed metrics | Cross-channel reporting, LTV/CAC, multi-source joins | Data/Analytics | Freshness SLA, model test pass rate |
| iPaaS / Workflow Syncs | Bi-directional syncs, routing, retries/monitoring | Operational handoffs CRM↔MAP↔Support | Marketing Ops/IT | Sync latency, failed job MTTR |
| Event Streaming | Real-time events, durable delivery, schema registry | Low-latency personalization & product signals | Data Platform | Event delivery success, end-to-end latency |
| Reverse ETL / CDP | Audience building, trait mapping, destination syncs | Targeted activation from modeled data | Marketing Ops/Analytics | Audience sync success, activation rate |
| Native Connectors | Built-in app integrations, light config | Simple use cases, quick wins | App Owners | Data completeness, duplication rate |
Client Snapshot: 9 Sources → One Trusted View
By standardizing UTM taxonomy, implementing ELT to a warehouse, resolving identities, and activating audiences via reverse ETL, a team moved from siloed reports to unified funnel and spend views—cutting campaign QA time and improving targeting precision. Explore results: Comcast Business · Broadridge
Govern your integration program with RM6™ and map signals to The Loop™ so every source fuels measurable growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We’ll blueprint identity, contracts, and pipelines—then deliver modeled data and activation paths your teams trust.
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