In my last post, I defined content marketing software and identified some of the visible players. Now we tackle the more difficult question: Is content marketing software something that your organization should consider adding to its ever-growing portfolio of marketing technologies?
These technologies arose from a market need to streamline internal content processes to deliver the high-quality content that audiences need, and to measure content assets’ abilities to meet buyers’ needs and help achieve lead generation objectives. SiriusDecisions estimates that up to 70 percent of the content that b-to-b organizations produce goes unused. The amount of money that many organizations invest in content creation creates a sense of urgency around solving the content problem. But is the answer to invest yet more money in content by purchasing content marketing software?
When considering buying a solution within this new technology category, ask yourself the following questions:
As IT leaders know, even the best technology cannot replace a poor strategy or fix a broken process. For improving the content process, we recommend implementing the SiriusDecisions Content Model, which depicts a best-in-class, enterprise-wide integrated workflow process supporting high quality content creation.
However, even many organizations with an advanced approach to the content process take what we call a “Frankentecture” approach, deploying technology tools piecemeal to support the process. In fact, this is the most common approach.
For example, tools supporting content ideation can include marketing automation platforms (MAPs), sales force automation systems, wikis, file servers, marketing resource management (MRM) systems, asset management systems and collaboration tools. Similarly, downstream content processes (activation and curation) are often supported by an oddball medley of 10 to 12 different technologies, each with a different ownership and administrative/user structure.
Content marketing software providers seek to provide an alternative approach by aggregating this functionality and providing a fluid workflow through one or more phases of the content process with a single access point. The functionality these solutions provide will increase in importance as the buyer's control over their own marketing experience continues to grow in prominence – the self-serve buyer drives content demand.
SiriusDecisions expects to see more cross-pollination of content functionality into other, more mature categories, like MAP, MRM and WCM, with continued acquisition of content marketing software vendors by larger marketing technology suites to support this trend.
It is possible to execute a successful content strategy using either the “Frankentecture” approach or content marketing software. Ultimately, every technology decision must take into account what is the best fit for the organization and its goals. It’s important to remember that having the right people and the right processes is necessary to maximize the benefit of any technology.
Jacques is a Research Director in the Technology and Services practice at SiriusDecisions. He brings over 15 years of technology research, application and implementation expertise and insight to SiriusDecisions. He has proven success in account management, research and analysis, content development and delivery and communications and collaboration. Follow Jacques on Twitter @JacquesBegin22.