The Power of Composability in MarTech

The Power of Composability in MarTech

Businesses always need tools that adapt to changing customer needs, but many marketers are averse to adding tools right now. Instead, there's a growing trend of integrating AI capabilities into existing marketing technology (MarTech) stacks through composable architectures, rather than treating AI as a separate, siloed process.

Composability in MarTech is a groundbreaking approach that prioritizes flexibility, efficiency, and innovation. This blog explores what composability is, what it means for your MarTech, and how leading organizations have harnessed its potential to drive results.

What does composability mean?

Composability is the ability to build complex systems by combining smaller, reusable components—like APIs, microservices, and integrations. The concept isn't new. Spreadsheets, for example, have long been a "no-code" way for business users to compose data analysis. Though not sophisticated by modern standards, the flexibility of tools like Excel and Google Sheets has been transformative—especially for marketers.

On the technical side, programmers have leveraged composability for decades by reusing libraries and APIs to build applications. Python alone boasts over 400,000 reusable packages. This modular approach, built on principles like encapsulation and reusability, has been foundational to software engineering.

Recent innovations have filled the gap between coding and spreadsheets. Low-code and no-code platforms offer safer, more accessible ways to compose solutions without deep technical skills. For example, no-code website builders allow marketers to create polished landing pages quickly using pre-built components, while customer data platforms (CDPs) enable data-savvy marketers to assemble operational datasets without diving into raw databases.

Unlike rigid all-in-one platforms, composable systems evolve as businesses grow and market demands change. Think of composability as LEGO® for your MarTech stack—it's about innovating, scaling, and customizing without reinventing the wheel.

Why composability matters for MarTech

Composability is a game-changer, unlocking new levels of flexibility and efficiency in modern business operations. Here's why it matters:

Flexibility Through Modularity
Composability enables businesses to adapt quickly to market trends by swapping or upgrading individual components without overhauling entire systems. This modularity is now supercharged by APIs, which allow applications to seamlessly integrate workflows across multiple tools.

→ Vitra, a high-end furniture manufacturer, showcased the power of modularity with Censhare’s platform. By consolidating seven disparate databases into a unified system, Vitra centralized content management and synchronized their multichannel marketing efforts. This integration allowed them to launch global campaigns with localized adjustments efficiently, delivering consistent branding across print, web, and social channels. Vitra’s streamlined system supports campaigns in seven languages and ensures agility in adapting to regional market demands, reducing delays and resource waste.

Innovation via API and Data Centralization
With more functionality exposed through APIs and growing volumes of data flowing into centralized cloud data warehouses (CDWs), businesses can create custom workflows and context-specific datasets. Tools like Workato and Zapier allow even non-technical users to orchestrate complex workflows.

Scott Brinker, VP of platform ecosystem at HubSpot, writes that "as the number of APIs grows, it becomes possible to not merely sequence integration tasks between apps, but to effectively craft your own custom apps with those API services used under the hood." He also highlights the growing innovation in creating better "contexts" for composability in marketing. One promising approach is multi-level composability, where an IT expert sets boundaries for composability, a marketing ops manager packages pre-defined bundles of data or functionality, and a non-technical marketer uses those ready-made components to assemble campaigns and programs. Each level provides a context that simplifies and empowers the next.

→At IHG Hotels & Resorts, this multi-level approach helped reduce property onboarding time by 30%. Their IT team established core integrations, marketing ops created standardized workflows, and regional marketing teams could then easily customize content within established guidelines.

The Future: AI-Powered Composability

The next wave of composability will be shaped by generative AI. These engines will bridge technical and non-technical gaps, translating natural language inputs into composed workflows and datasets. This democratizes access to advanced composability, empowering less technical users while providing enterprise-grade guardrails.

Modern composable platforms like Censhare already offer:

• Modular AI Components: Tools like ChatGPT Connector and translation widgets
• Seamless Integration: The ability to connect multiple AI services in automated workflows
• Workflow Automation: Features for quick process activation

See our recent ebook on Censhare's AI integrations to see how composability is transforming workflows.

Building a Future-Forward MarTech Stack

Composability is redefining MarTech by making it dynamic and adaptable. By incorporating composable principles, your business can:

• Deliver personalized customer experiences
• Respond to industry changes faster
• Streamline complex workflows with automated processes

Take inspiration from innovators like Grupo Anaya and IHG and consider implementing composability into your MarTech strategy. The rewards? Greater agility, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Are you ready to unlock the benefits of composability in MarTech? Explore how tools like censhare's DAM, PIM, and CMS solutions can streamline your operations and bring your business to the forefront of innovation