App modernization is empowering enterprises to make data-driven marketing decisions, and the MarTech ecosystem is growing exponentially as a result.

According to recent data compiled by ChiefMartec, there are now 9,932 solutions in the marketing technology landscape, a 6,521% growth rate from 2011. Marketing and customer experience practitioners have become big spenders on digital software tools, and this has created a thriving community of startups with innovative solutions to meet growing demand.

TheCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio, will examine the latest trends and technologies in the MarTech space in Season 2, Episode 3 of the AWS Startup Showcase “MarTech: Emerging Cloud-Scale Customer Experiences” on June 16 at 1 p.m. EDT. (* Disclosure below.)

AI and cloud-based search

There are a multitude of software solutions in the MarTech industry, focusing on advertising, direct marketing, content, the customer experience and analytics. The startup community has provided fertile ground for new approaches that leverage cloud-native technologies and app-driven strategies.

Blueshift Inc., one of the startup companies participating in theCUBE’s broadcast on June 16, has developed a SmartHub Customer Data Platform that integrates data feeds from a variety of sources and allows users to build full client profiles. Blueshift’s AI technology has helped customers develop marketing campaigns through closer evaluation of factors as basic as email subject lines.

Algolia Inc. will also be involved in the AWS Startup Showcase event. The company provides a cloud-based search engine that clients embed into websites and mobile apps through and application programming interface. Algolia’s technology allows for customized search bars with filtering capabilities for key factors such as price.

Today’s consumer expects a seamless shopping experience across all digital channels, and Algolia’s search-and-discovery tool is designed to meet this need. Drugstore giant Walgreens is one of Algolia’s major customers, and the technology can be used for localized search, incorporating recommendations generated through a mobile app, such as if there is a sudden spike in allergy remedies for a particular region.

Building customer engagement

A key area of interest to enterprises involves customer engagement. This is increasingly being facilitated by in-app chat platforms, and Sendbird Inc., one of the participating startup companies in the Showcase, recently launched its chat capability in AWS Marketplace.

Sendbird has benefitted from a tailwind generated by increased consumer reliance on applications for services, such as food delivery. Doordash Inc. is a Sendbird client and uses the startup’s chat technology to decrease the number of missed meal deliveries.

“If you ordered a meal or groceries and it didn’t show up, you can now quickly message your driver or delivery person in-app and get in touch with them to figure out what’s going on,” explained Bryan Bui, a product marketing manager at Sendbird, during a recent interview. “It really helps reduce the number of support tickets these businesses get.”

An important focus for many enterprises has been how to transform the consumer-facing application from a destination into a broader part of the customer experience. It is a factor associated in the MarTech space with “stickiness,” and Branch.io is a startup seeking to streamline user acquisition and measure engagement.

Branch, a participant in the upcoming Showcase, has expanded its business over the past year to power more than 3 billion user visits and over 65 billion link clicks. The firm provides deep linking and mobile attribution services to enhance user engagement. Adobe Inc., Buzzfeed and Yelp are customers.

“Brands grapple with engaging customers without reminding them to cancel a subscription or keeping costs in control with the right level of interaction, as more app usage can equal more cost,” said Mada Seghete, Branch co-founder and chief marketing officer, in a recent interview. “It’s important to create a relationship with the customer that is not simply transactional.”

Livestream of the ‘MarTech: Emerging Cloud-Scale Customer Experiences’ event

The AWS Startup Showcase “MarTech: Emerging Cloud-Scale Customer Experiences” event will feature exclusive interviews to be broadcast on theCUBE. Register now to watch the event live. Plus, you can watch theCUBE interviews here on demand after the live event.

How to watch theCUBE interviews

We offer you various ways to watch the AWS Startup Showcase “MarTech: Emerging Cloud-Scale Customer Experiences” event, including theCUBE’s dedicated website and YouTube channel. You can also get all the coverage from this year’s events on SiliconANGLE.

TheCUBE Insights podcast

SiliconANGLE also has podcasts available of archived interview sessions, available on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify, which you can enjoy while on the go.

Guests

During the AWS Startup Showcase “MarTech: Emerging Cloud-Scale Customer Experiences” event, theCUBE will talk with expert guests from mParticle, Branch, Blueshift, Algolia, SendBird, Heap and unitQ. Plus don’t miss the Opening Keynote with AWS’ Tim Barnes and the industry experts Power Panel.

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the AWS Startup Showcase “MarTech: Emerging Cloud-Scale Customer Experiences” event. Neither Amazon Web Services Inc., the sponsor for theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Image: SiliconANGLE