SlideShare uma empresa Scribd logo
1 de 18
Baixar para ler offline
The Content Marketing
Software Landscape:
Marketer Needs & Vendor Solutions
By Rebecca Lieb
with Jessica Groopman and Charlene Li
Includes input from 143 ecosystem contributors
A Technology Overview Report
May 13, 2014
Why Content Marketing Tool Selection Is So Hard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Tangled and Emerging Vendor Landscape Complicates the Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Content Stacks Will Emerge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Technology Decisions Must Begin With Use Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Content Tool Best Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Present and Future Vendor Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ecosystem Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
About Us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
4
6
8
11
13
16
16
16
16
18
Table of Contents
The content marketing tool landscape is crowded, rapidly changing, and
highly inconsistent. Evolution and change are rapid. Marketers struggle to
select the right tools not only for their own content marketing needs, but
also solutions that integrate with enterprise, process, and platform concerns.
This report helps marketers make informed buying choices by mapping eight
needs scenarios to the existing vendor landscape.
Executive Summary
Understanding what tools are available and, more importantly, what tools are
needed for content marketing efforts echoes the proverb of the blind men
describing an elephant. There are point systems, enterprise solutions, and
hybrids, yielding very few apples-to-apples comparisons in the marketplace.
Complicating an already complicated set of choices is the fact that marketers
still have a scattershot approach to content. Altimeter finds 70% of marketers
lack a consistent or integrated content strategy. Despite a growing awareness
(and acceptance) of the fact that content is the atomic particle of all marketing
— essential for fueling paid, owned, and earned media — organizations lack a
cohesive, coherent, strategic approach to content.
Other trends driving the complexity of the content marketing tools decision
include the following:
•	 Content creation pressure: Creating and publishing content is hard,
unrelenting work. As a result, marketers tend to focus on the tactics of
creation and just “getting content done.” Exacerbating this is a campaign
focus — if content strategy exists at all, it typically revolves around
individual campaigns.
•	 Lack of strategy begets tool proliferation: One national retailer divides
content and channel responsibilities between Marketing, PR, Brand,
HR, Community, Social Media, and Web, with no central coordination or
oversight. Ad hoc execution without goals, processes, communication,
and governance inevitably leads to ad hoc tools and random platform
purchasing. The result is overlapping workflows and a hodgepodge of
tools that are fragmented and often redundant.
The Content Marketing Software Landscape:
Marketer Needs & Vendor Solutions
3
70%
Percentage of
marketers who
say they lack
a consistent
or integrated
content strategy
Why Content Marketing Tool Selection Is So Hard
It used to be so simple. Content marketing consisted merely of writing content and putting it
on a website. It’s now evolved into a complex process involving multiple players throughout
the organization, outside agencies and vendors, multimedia, and a proliferation of channels.
Growing channel and media complexity, as well as increasing adoption of content marketing,
has given rise to a large, complex, and highly disparate content marketing software landscape.
4
•	 Lack of enterprise integration: When solutions are
acquired haphazardly, they often don’t integrate
or work with other enterprise systems. Only 10%
of marketers we surveyed say their content tools
are integrated into processes such as inbound
marketing platforms, business intelligence, or CRM.
Yet when pressed, marketers have long lists of
needed integrations from their content systems.
Beyond technology platform integration, digital
content workflows also exist, mainly on their own,
with little integration into organizational processes.
•	 Misaligned buyer needs versus planned
investments: Our research finds 67% of marketers
identify audience identification and targeting as a
top need — pointing to the trend of content aligning
with advertising and other marketing initiatives.
Yet only 25% are actively investing in this area in
2014 (see Figure 1). The need to scale up content
creation is a tactical distraction from deeper
strategic needs.
Interestingly, our research found that vendor
investment in product improvements correlate and
align with marketers’ stated needs rather than their
planned investments.
Figure 1 depicts needs and investments across the eight
primary content marketing use cases we identified in
our research of marketers, experts, and vendors. We
assess marketer needs and vendor solutions through the
lens of these eight use cases in order to facilitate proper
alignment between the two.
A Tangled and Emerging Vendor
Landscape Complicates the Picture
Because content marketing has so many permutations
across hundreds of platforms, the content marketing tool’s
landscape is a mishmash of vendors, categories, and
technology platforms that make it difficult, if not impossible,
to make apples-to-apples comparisons between solutions.
While some basic technology maps of content marketing
tools exist, they support neither vendors’ go-to-market
67% 67%
60%
53%
48%
46% 46%
35%
25%
21%
34%
26%
38%
29%
22% 24%25% 25%
Audience &
Target
Curation &
Aggregation
Analytics Creation Distribution Workflow Optimization Legal Integration
Base: Altimeter Group Content Marketing Survey 2014, n=80 marketers
Needs
Investments
Figure 1 Buyers’ Needs Don’t Match Planned Investments
Source: Altimeter Group
5
strategy nor marketers’ decision-making processes.1
Making this even more confusing are three trends:
Trend 1. Many solutions exist.
Tools to manage, create, measure, optimize, and
otherwise wrangle content marketing are rapidly
proliferating. Altimeter Group identified over 110
content marketing vendors, exclusive of certain
categories, including email, marketing automation,
content management systems (CMS), digital asset
management solutions (DAMs), and social media
management software (SMMS).2
The market is diverse
and multifaceted. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
activity is rapid. Just tracking the content vendor
ecosystem is a near full-time job.
Trend 2. The content vendor landscape is sharply
bifurcated.
The majority is small — only 6% of companies we
surveyed have over 100 employees and are not yet
profitable. A third offer is a freemium model within
which one-third of their customers pay nothing for the
service. Of course, a small handful of giants — namely,
Adobe, Oracle, and Salesforce.com — loom over the
landscape, all rapidly acquiring and consolidating
players. These giants serve the entire marketing
spectrum, brand themselves as “marketing clouds,” and
are beginning to use terms such as “content alignment”
and “converged media” in sales collateral and value
propositions.
Trend 3. Content marketing evolution is driving
consolidation.
We found that the movement of content marketing
toward converged media — organizations are developing
capabilities to make owned content more fluid so it can
be used, optimized, and deployed in shared (usually
social media) and paid (advertising) channels — creates
pressure for vendors to match this emerging need with
fuller offerings.
Paid
Media
Owned
Media
Converged
Media
Earned
Media
Analytics
Optimization
Audience
&
Target
Curation
&
Aggregation
CreationDistribution
Workflow
Legal
&
Compliance
Source: Altimeter Group
Figure 2 Media Convergence Drives Content Stack Evolution
6
Figure 2 illustrates the relationship between converged media and content
marketing use cases, which are often transmedia in nature. This convergence
of media development and deployment is contributing to the evolution of the
content “stack,” away from disparate point solutions serving limited needs.
In some cases, point solutions are being strung end-to-end to create
increasingly broader content marketing platforms. For example, Scripted,
Percolate, and Contently, which all began as written-word providers, all
recently added graphics capabilities into their toolsets.
The giant providers are also jumping in. Recent major moves include Adobe’s
announcement of its intention to integrate its Creative and Marketing Clouds;
Oracle’s acquisition of Eloqua, Responsys, and Compendium; and Salesforce.
com snapping up ExactTarget, Buddy Media, and Pardot. Most recently, IBM
made a tentative foray into the space by buying Silverpop.
Content Stacks Will Emerge
While fragmented today, Altimeter believes that the content marketing tool
landscape will begin to consolidate in earnest. By 2016, there will be “content
stack” offerings in the marketplace — end-to-end solutions akin to ad stacks.
Currently, no single vendor has an end-to-end solution. Eventually, a few will
partner, merge, acquire, and/or collaborate to create a total solution.
Content solutions will also soon absorb other software categories. For
example, the distinction between SMMS and content marketing tools is
blurring and will soon vanish as marketers and vendors demand content
capabilities in a growing number of platforms. Close to 85% of content
marketing tools publish on social platforms, a number not statistically
different than their ability to publish on websites. This will render most social-
only tools redundant. “The big marketing technologies like Social Publishing
and Marketing Automation don’t work without content. Content is the fuel;
you can’t have one without the other,” explains Doug Pepper, general partner
of Interwest Partners.
Figure 3 is Altimeter Group’s Content Tools Stack Hierarchy, which illustrates
how primary content marketing use cases align against the three common
pains content marketers face, as described in the next section.
By 2016,
there will be
“content stack”
offerings in the
marketplace
— end-to-end
solutions akin to
ad stacks.
7
Convergence
Legal & Compliance
Tools designed for review/approval and
compliance across all necessary stakeholders.
Workflow
Tools that aid in processes associated with content
strategy including creating governance documentation
(style, editing and brand guidelines), content audits,
production, review, approval and publishing processes, etc.
Distribution
Tools that help content publishers find audiences via,
for example, suggested headlines or stories across
publisher sites or social networks.
Audience & Targeting
Tools to help identify who the target audience(s) is/are, where they
are online, and the types of content that would attract them.
Analytics
Independent of basic web analytics packages, content tools often contain
their own specific analytics and dashboards.These can be wide ranging
and are, of course, closely aligned with tool functionality.
Optimization
Tools designed for ongoing optimization of content marketing results over time.
Curation & Aggregation
Tools or processes that aid in the discovery, compiling, organizing, presenting,
and publishing of existing content in a meaningful way
that is on-brand and relevant to campaign goals.
Creation
Tools that aid in developing, building, and deploying consistent content.
Source: Altimeter Group
Figure 3 Content Tool Stack Hierarchy
8
Technology Decisions Must Begin
With Use Cases
Altimeter Group approaches the content marketing
tools problem from the perspective of marketing
challenges and needs first, asking what challenges
face content marketers today and how can technology
help solve them? As marketer needs evolve over time,
so will solutions sets. The key is not more or better
point solutions but how they come together. Altimeter
recommends taking the following three steps to
determine your content marketing tool stack:
1) Determine your content marketing use cases.
2) Plan for integration and evolution.
3) Identify and prioritize vendors based on those use cases.
Step 1. Determine Content Marketing Use Cases
Altimeter Group has identified three content marketing
scenarios, laddering up from an immature “feed-the-
beast” tactical approach to a mature, process-driven,
strategic stage that closely mirrors our Content
Marketing Maturity Model (see Figure 2). Throughout
these scenarios, we found eight overarching content
marketing use cases, each with a complement of
subcategories. The eight use cases fall into roughly
three phases and escalate in complexity.3
Here’s a
quick overview of each of the scenarios and related
use cases.
1) Feed the Beast
In this initial phase, the organization struggles to keep
up with the unrelenting demands of regularly creating
quality content for one or more channels. They typically
lack a coherent strategy and have only a bare bones
organizational structure (often stemming out of social
media). They require a steady stream of ideas and
inspiration, as well as the basic tools of content creation.
Ultimately, this phase is characterized by the need to
master the foundational use cases in content marketing:
efficiently creating and collecting content at scale.
2) Refine
In this scenario, process is applied to content creation
and production. This is the stage at which a team begins
to take shape and roles beyond content creation form,
e.g., analytics. Content is audited and assessed, often
with a formal scoring or grading process. Channels,
audience, and persona considerations play a greatly
expanded role in creation. Content is optimized for digital
and social distribution, and efforts are made to identify
repeatable, sustainable content practices. The leader
How can we create (more)
content faster?
Where can we find ideas
for content creation?
Feed the Beast
How can we operate in real-time
and ensure compliance?
How can we scale efforts
across the organization?
What are we tracking,
where, and why?
How can we get smarter
about content marketing?
Refine
Govern
Source: Altimeter Group
Figure 4 Three Content Marketing Scenarios Drive Tool Selection
9
of the content group makes a more concerted effort to
connect content development with the broader marketing
teams. The Refinement Phase in content marketing is
about getting smarter, optimizing processes, insights,
targeting, and program deployment.
3) Govern
In this scenario, there is a need for the content strategy
to be formalized and communicated throughout the
enterprise; for example, governance and processes are
firmly established to meet regulatory requirements.
Focus shifts toward expanding the team and its
ability to create experiential, engaging, multimedia
content rather than simpler stories and informational
pieces. Content is created with a view toward being
reusable and/or repurposed across paid and earned,
as well as owned, media channels. Legal and industry
compliance rules and regulations are understood, and
guardrails are in place to ensure compliance.
Gather Cross-Functional Requirements & Determine
Use Cases
To help identify use cases, take a look at the more
granular subcategories within each use case (Figure 5)
and assess those needs that apply to your organization.
As a best practice, be certain to solicit stakeholders and
end-users for requirements, input, and collaboration.
Forty-one percent say those responsible for content
have a voice in selecting the tools and technologies they
use to execute. Marriott International’s Senior Director
of Digital Strategy & Distribution Meg Walsh calls this
a critical part of the assessment: “We did a series of
workshops with the content creators and manipulators
and talked about what they needed to be able to do
from a technology perspective. So much came down
to workflow, particularly around transparency and the
ability to understand what’s happening with content at
any given point.”
Feed the Beast
Refine
Govern
Optimization Analytics Distribution
Workflow
Audience
& Targeting
Legal &
Compliance
Optimize search (SEO)
Editorial calendars Ensure compliance
Conduct multivariate
testing
Optimize content
conversion
Identify & target specific
customer segments
Disseminate content across
multiple channels
Engage influencers
Streamline approval process
across stakeholders
Source & manage
talent
Maintenance of outdated
content
Legal approvals
Integrated targeting
(via CRM, analytics)
Real-time reports
& notification
Deploy predictive
analytics
Correctly render content
across channels
Deploy paid media
strategically across
channels
Selectively compile content
from disparate sources
Analyze all content artefacts
(central dashboard)
Display aggregated content
Discovering the right
content
Creation Curation &
Aggregation
Generate digital content
Create standardized
formats
Expedite the publishing
process
Source: Altimeter Group
Figure 5 Content Marketing Use Cases
10
Step 2. Plan for Integration and Evolution
Integration considerations are essential because of the pending consolidation
driven by converged media, as well as the evolution of content stacks. Each
of the eight content marketing use cases come with a host of potential
integration issues, yet only 10% of marketers say their content marketing
technologies are “fully integrated across people, processes, and platforms.”
Identifying essential integrations can help refine a final list of prospective
vendors. Content marketing software integration is tripartite:
1.	 Integration with systems.
This includes legacy and often future platforms, such as data and
analytics, CRM, and inbound marketing. Petco’s Chief Content Officer
Greg Seremetis emphasizes his group’s voice is one of many at the table
when new tools are discussed and vetted inside the company.
2.	 Integration with the organization, such as internal communications,
corporate intelligence and internal networks.
“Why shouldn’t our call center agents have access to same information
that guests have?” asks Walsh at Marriott International.
3.	 Integration with processes, including workflow and organizational
structure.
This may include taking outside partners and/or agencies into account.
“You can’t retrofit activities to the tool; you have to align the tool with your
activities,” according to Kristina Halvorson, CEO  founder of Braintraffic.
Our research found that there are common integration points marketers
leverage across each use case (see Figure 6). While not universal
to all marketers’ scenarios, these integrations fall into eight primary
categories. The figure below charts how these common points of
integration typically map against use cases.
“You can’t retrofit
activities to the
tool; you have to
align the tool with
your activities.”
Kristina Halvorsen
Founder  CEO, Braintraffic
11
Creation
Ad
Exchange
Sharing
Platforms
Search
Engines
Data 
Analytics
Digital
Media
Marketing
Cloud
Storage
Platforms
Syndication
Tools
Curation 
Aggregation
Optimization
Audience 
Target
Analytics
Distribution
Workflow
Legal 
Compliance
Display
Inventory
Sources
Mobile
Ad Servers
Desktop
Ad Servers
Web Analytics
Business
Intelligence
CRM
Mobile Data
E-Commerce
Platforms
A/B Testing
Tools
Publisher/
News Outlets
Blogs
Video
Platforms
Audio
Platforms
Image
Platform
Other CM Tools
Marketing
Automation
SMMS
Publishing 
Embedding Tools
E-Mail
Marketing Tools
Influencer ID
Tools
Search Engine
Optimization
Social
Networks
Community
Platforms
Enterprise
Collaboration
Tools
Cloud Storage
CMS
DAM
Web Server
RSS Feeds
Syndication
Widgets
Source: Altimeter Group
Figure 6 Content Marketing Integration Needs
12
Marketer Needs Use Case Priority Integration(s)
o Generate digital content
o Create standardized content formats
o Expedite the publishing process
Creation o Sharing Platforms
o Data  Analytics
o Digital Media
o Marketing Cloud
o Storage Platforms
o Compile content from disparate sources
o Display aggregated content
o Discover the right content (for ideas, for sharing)
Curation 
Aggregation
o Sharing Platforms
o Search
o Digital Media
o Marketing Cloud
o Storage Platforms
o Syndication Platforms
o Optimize search (SEO)
o Conduct multivariate testing
o Optimize content conversion
Optimization o Sharing Platforms
o Ad Exchanges
o Search
o Data  Analytics
o Marketing Cloud
o Storage Platforms
o Identify  target specific customer segments
o Engage influencers
o Integrated targeting (via CRM, email marketing,
analytics, etc)
Audience 
Targeting
o Sharing Platforms
o Ad Exchanges
o Data  Analytics
o Marketing Cloud
o Storage Platforms
o Analyze all content artifacts (central dashboard)
o Real-time reporting  notification
o Deploy predictive analytics to drive content
marketing
Analytics o Sharing Platforms
o Data  Analytics
o Marketing Cloud
o Storage Platforms
o Disseminate content across multiple channels
o Display content correctly across channels (incl.
device types)
o Deploy paid media strategically across channels
Distribution o Sharing Platforms
o Ad Exchanges
o Search
o Data  Analytics
o Digital Media
o Marketing Cloud
o Storage Platforms
o Syndication Platforms
o Organize content cadence
o Streamline approval process across necessary
stakeholders
o Talent sourcing  management
Workflow o Sharing Platforms
o Marketing Cloud
o Storage Platforms
o Profile content for compliance
o Store  disposal of historical content
o Legal approvals
Legal 
Compliance
o Ad Exchanges
o Digital Media
o Marketing Cloud
o Syndication Platforms
Figure 7 Content Marketing Needs Checklist
Source: Altimeter Group
Step 3. Identify and Prioritize Vendors
Once a solid understanding of use cases and integration
needs is reached, marketers can employ the following
checklist to help prioritize those needs for vendor
selection. Rank use cases in order of priority, maintaining
focus on the top three to five most important use cases
(see Figure 7).
13
Having prioritized use cases and integration
requirements, the next step is to figure out which
vendors can satisfy the requirements of those use
cases. Altimeter requested information from 110 content
marketing vendors, and 53 provided responses to our
extensive survey. Each vendor was not only asked which
use cases they supported, but also asked to force rank
which use cases they supported best.
The results are summarized in the appendix. Take a
look at your own prioritized use cases developed in
Step 1 above, and see which vendors should be on your
short list because their priorities match your own. You
may also consider working with multiple small vendors
who provide point solutions, because they concentrate
on key use cases that are important to your content
marketing organization.
Content Tool Best Practices
Regardless of an organization’s specific software
needs or level of content marketing sophistication,
there are best practices around assessing, buying and
introducing new content marketing software that are
universally applicable.
•	 Train staff to use tools (and on content marketing/
strategy in general). Only 24% of the marketers we
surveyed say employees are formally trained and
empowered to publish on behalf of the brand.
•	 Avoid redundancies.There is considerable overlap
in content marketing software functionality, e.g.,
nearly all tools have some sort of built-in analytics
dashboard. Yet, marketers often invest in a tool for
its primary feature without realizing that there are
secondary or tertiary features that they then buy
elsewhere. Related to this is integration driving
“one version of the truth” vs. “multiple realities that
don’t align when viewed in aggregate.” This is an
important consideration for cost efficiencies as well:
40% of the content marketers we surveyed report
that the lack of inter-departmental coordination is
leading to disparate tools being used.
•	 Build for speed. How quickly and efficiently teams
can implement, set up, train, and use new tools
is paramount, as is how quickly tools can “deliver
relevant content in a timely fashion,” as Andrew
Milburn at American Express puts it. Foremost
among marketers’ planned investment in content
marketing software are tools to aid in the rapid
creation and deployment of content, particularly
for those utilizing various forms of real-time
marketing.4
Rapid personalization, delivery, and the
ability to build content based on buzz is a primary
consideration.
•	 Consider IT support (or lack thereof). Whether
a solution requires initial or ongoing support
from IT is a consideration for many marketing
organizations, particularly with an ever-increasing
“need for speed.” A growing trend is solutions
that enable marketing to bypass IT for day-to-day
publishing needs on owned media, such as design
changes to a website.
•	 Scale toward the future. Channels and tactics that
marketers may not be using today — e.g., mobile,
real-time marketing, native advertising, future
enterprise technology investments, or localization
for international markets — can rapidly become
urgent realities that will require urgent integration.
“Can it scale?” is a difficult, yet essential question
when considering content marketing software
investments. Internationalization and localization
are often overlooked when global enterprises invest
in tools. Language, local channels and platforms,
and other region/country specific considerations
can be critical criteria. Both LinkedIn’s Jason Miller
and Petco’s Greg Seremetis adopt an experimental
test-and-learn approach, trialing new solutions prior
to investing in them.
The Present and Future Vendor
Landscape
The content marketing vendor landscape is in a period of
hyper-growth and hyper-consolidation. The dust won’t
settle for several years. Some of the overarching trends
we’re seeing in the tumult include the following:
Bigger doesn’t mean better — and vice versa. Zoomforth,
a two-year-old startup with three employees, serves
14
enterprise clients, such as Deloitte, ATT, and Adidas.
The largest content enterprise players (Adobe, Oracle,
Salesforce.com) service small and medium-size
businesses alike, which they are striving to buy and
integrate their way into the sector, and their intentions
and long-term visions are far from realized.
Of the Goliaths, it’s Adobe’s battle to lose given its robust
and well-established Creative Cloud. However, that family of
products is geared more toward publishing than marketing,
and many essential use cases reside in the company’s
Marketing Cloud. While Adobe recently announced its
intention to integrate the clouds, that’s easier — and much
more quickly — said than done. Adobe has also aligned
with start-ups, such as Thismoment, that offer needed
capabilities around legal, compliance, and UGC.
The above reasons account for the fact that when
vendors are questioned about their competitors,
Adobe’s name trails after more marketing-oriented
solutions. The other Goliaths, Oracle and Salesforce.
com are aggressively acquiring capabilities, while IBM
is a laggard.
Investment and acquisition have not yet peaked. New
vendors continue to emerge; existing ones are adding
capabilities (and enjoying significant new rounds of
funding). The marketing clouds are still on an acquisitive
tear. These are all signs of growth rather than maturity. It
will be a couple of years or more before the market shakes
out and normalizes and a few content stacks begin to
emerge. Content stacks will be similar in structure
and function to ad stacks, with which they will integrate.
Eventually, this will become the true meaning of the term
“marketing cloud.” Again, Adobe holds the most pieces of
this puzzle, but assembling them won’t be fast, or easy.
Vendors are listening to customers and integrating
according to their needs. Vendors are prioritizing
analytics and attributable cross-channel marketing by
employing a wide range of integrations. And while not
a primary use case today, one out of three vendors will
be deploying Audience  Targeting capabilities in the
next 12 months, matching marketers biggest “want” in
content capabilities.
Appendix: Individual Vendor Capabilities
The following table was compiled based on the research Altimeter conducted across content marketing vendors we
surveyed. Vendors were able to self-select which of the top eight use cases they supported and then rank the top three they
best support. This information is self-reported by the surveyed vendors who were asked to rank, in order, the top three use
cases they support (1-3), as well as to indicate which other use cases their solution addresses with a solid circle ( l ). If a
vendor does not report supporting a use case, it is designated with a hollow circle ( o ).
15
Source: Altimeter Group
Company Workflow Curation/
Aggregation Creation Distribution Audience 
Targeting Analytics Optimization Legal 
Compliance
Adobe l l 1 l l 2 3 l
Ahalogy 3 1 o o o l 2 l
BloomReach o 1 o o o 3 2 o
Brandle, Inc. 3 o l o l 1 o 2
BrightInfo o o o o 1 3 2 o
Contently 2 l 1 o o l o 3
Curata o 1 l 3 l l 2 l
DivvyHQ 2 o 1 o o o o 3
Ebyline 2 o 1 o o l o 3
Expion LLC. 2 l l 1 o l 3 l
Flite Inc. l 1 o l o 3 2 o
idio o l o o 1 2 3 o
InboundWriter o o 1 o l 3 2 o
inPowered o 1 o l l 3 2 o
Kapost 1 l 3 l l 2 l l
Kentico Software 2 l 1 o 3 l l o
Kontera o l o 3 2 1 l o
Linqia, inc 2 o l 3 1 l l o
Livefyre o 2 1 l o o 3 o
LookBookHQ o 1 2 o o 3 o o
Mass Relevance o 1 l l o 3 2 l
MovableMedia o o 3 2 1 l o o
NewsCred 1 3 2 l l l l l
nRelate o l o l l l l o
OneSpot X o o 1 3 l 2 o
Oracle 3 l 1 l 2 l l l
Outbrain o l o 1 o 2 3 o
PaperShare Inc o o l 1 l 3 2 o
Percolate 1 l 2 l 3 l l l
Percussion Software 2 o 1 o o o 3 l
Pixlee 1 3 o o 2 l
Rallyverse 3 1 2 l o l l o
ReadyPulse l 2 l l 1 l l 3
RebelMouse l 1 2 3 o l l l
Repost o 1 o 2 l 3 l o
Salesforce.com 3 l 1 l 2 o o o
Scoop.it o 1 o 2 o 3 o o
Scripted.com 2 o 1 3 o o o o
SimpleReach o l l 2 l 1 3 o
Skyword 2 o 1 l o l 3 l
SnapApp l o 1 2 o 3 l o
SocialFlow 3 l l 2 l l 1 o
SocialWhirled 2 l 1 o l 3 l o
Springpad o 1 2 3 o o o o
SqueezeCMM o 3 1 2 l
Stipple o 1 2 o 3 l l l
Storify (by Livefyre) l 1 2 o o o 3 o
Studio One o l 2 1 3 l l o
TapInfluence l l 1 2 l 3 l l
Thismoment 3 1 o o o 2 o l
Trapit, Inc. 3 1 o o o 2 o
TripleLift o 1 l 3 l l 2 o
Visually 3 o 1 2 o l o o
Endnotes
1
For example, the Content Lumascape, which can be
found at http://www.slideshare.net/tkawaja/content-
marketing-31091520.
2
Altimeter Group decided to exclude Content Management
Systems (CMS), Digital Asset Managements Systems
(DAMs), and Social Media Monitoring Solutions (SMMS) from
our vendor assessment in order to focus primarily on those
vendors specializing in the marketing of content assets.
3
Common content marketing scenarios align with content
maturity mapping developed in Altimeter Group Report
Content: The New Marketing Equation. This report is available
at http://www.slideshare.net/Altimeter/content-the-new-
marketing-equation.
4
Marketers are prioritizing agile deployment to drive real-time
marketing capabilities. The Altimeter Group Report Real-Time
Marketing: The Agility to Leverage Now is available at http://
www.slideshare.net/Altimeter/report-realtime-marketing-the-
agility-to-leverage-now-by-rebecca-lieb-jessica-groopman.
5
Altimeter Group published a report on the Social Media
Monitoring Solutions landscape in January 2012. That report
can be found at http://www.slideshare.net/jeremiah_owyang/
smms-report-010412finaldraft.
Methodology
Altimeter Group emailed a survey to 110 content marketing
software vendors. Roughly half the vendors (53) responded. To
qualify to receive the survey, each vendor was required to fit with at
least one of the eight use case criteria. Several vendor categories
were deemed ineligible for this survey, despite having strong
content capabilities. Additionally, we surveyed 80 marketers and
interviewed 10 experts from brands, agencies, and VC firms.
Excluded categories include social media marketing software
(SMMS5
), Marketing Automation, CMS, and Digital Asset
Management. Clearly, integration of these types of tools into
content solutions can, dependent on infrastructure and goals, be
essential to success (as referenced in Figure 7).
It should be obvious, but it’s equally essential to point out,
that not every qualified software vendor is represented in this
survey. The market is rapidly changing, new players emerge
constantly, and we continue to regularly conduct briefings
with vendors. Altimeter Group is working to develop an online
database of content vendors that we can keep current. We
hope to announce that component of this research soon.
Vendors are encouraged to request briefings via this form:
http://www.altimetergroup.com/research/briefings.
Ecosystem Input
This report includes input from market influencers and solution
vendors who were interviewed or briefed by Altimeter Group
during the course of this research. Input into this document
does not represent an endorsement of the report by the
individuals or companies listed below.
Altimeter fielded our content marketing vendor survey to 110
content marketing software vendors. The following 53 content
marketing vendors completed our survey and were included in
our research and analysis of the content marketing software
landscape.
Software Providers (51)
Brands  Agencies (6)
3M, Carlos Abler, Manager, Online Content Strategy
Brain Traffic, Kristina Halvorson, CEO  Founder
American Express, Andrew Milburn, Director Digital Content
Orchestration
Edelman, Steve Rubel, Chief Content Strategist
Petco, Greg Seremetis, VP/Chief Content Officer
Marriott International, Meg Walsh, Senior Director of Digital
Strategy  Distribution
Industry Experts (4)
HubSpot, Joe Chernov, VP Content
LinkedIn, Jason Miller, Sr. Content Marketing Manager
Emergence Capital, Santiago Subotovsky, Venture Capitalist
Interwest Partners, Doug West, General Partner
Altimeter Group also fielded a survey to Content Marketing
practitioners (end users), which received 80 responses from
content marketers across diverse company types.
16
PaperShare
Percolate
Percussion Software
Pixlee
Rallyverse
RebelMouse
Repost
Salesforce.com
Scoop.it
Scripted.com
SimpleReach
Skyword
SnapApp
SocialFlow
SocialWhirled
Springpad
SqueezeCMM
Stipple
Storify (by Livefyre)
Studio One
TapInfluence
Thismoment
Trapit, Inc.
TripleLift
Visually
Adobe
Ahalogy
Bloomreach
Brandle, Inc.
BrightInfo
Contently
DivvyHQ
Ebyline
Expion
Flite, Inc.
idio
InboundWriter
inPowered
Kapost
Kentico
Kontera
Linquia, Inc.
Livefyre
LookBookHQ
Mass Relevance
Moveable Media
NewsCred
nRelate
OneSpot
Oracle
Outbrain
Acknowledgements
This research could not have been conducted, much less
completed, without 143 people and/or organizations dropping
what they were doing to give generously of themselves. They
patiently answered our interview questions and responded to
in-depth surveys. The content vendors, in particular, responded
to in-depth, highly detailed questioning, and did so thoughtfully
and at great length.
Charlene Li’s always acute insights helped to guide and shape
this report from inception through execution. Special thanks
is owed to Jessica Groopman, an invaluable partner who is as
tireless as she is dedicated as a researcher. Altimeter Group
would also like to thank Christine Tran, Shannon Latta, Bill Freed,
Vladimir Mirkovic, Cheryl Knight, Alec Wagner, and Julie Viola.
Open Research
This independent research report was 100% funded by
Altimeter Group. This report is published under the principle
of Open Research and is intended to advance the industry at
no cost. This report is intended for you to read, utilize, and
share with others; if you do so, please provide attribution to
Altimeter Group.
Permissions
The Creative Commons License is Attribution-Noncommercial-
Share Alike 4.0 United States at http://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0.
Disclaimer
ALTHOUGH THE INFORMATION AND DATA USED IN THIS REPORT HAVE
BEEN PRODUCED AND PROCESSED FROM SOURCES BELIEVED TO BE
RELIABLE, NO WARRANTY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED IS MADE REGARDING
THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, ADEQUACY, OR USE OF THE INFORMATION.
THE AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTORS OF THE INFORMATION AND DATA SHALL
HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS CONTAINED HEREIN OR
FOR INTERPRETATIONS THEREOF. REFERENCE HEREIN TO ANY SPECIFIC
PRODUCT OR VENDOR BY TRADE NAME, TRADEMARK, OR OTHERWISE DOES
NOT CONSTITUTE OR IMPLY ITS ENDORSEMENT, RECOMMENDATION, OR
FAVORING BY THE AUTHORS OR CONTRIBUTORS AND SHALL NOT BE USED
FOR ADVERTISING OR PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT PURPOSES. THE OPINIONS
EXPRESSED HEREIN ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
17
Rebecca Lieb (@lieblink) is an analyst at Altimeter Group covering digital
advertising and media, encompassing brands, publishers, agencies
and technology vendors. In addition to her background as a marketing
executive, she was VP and editor-in-chief of the ClickZ Network for over
seven years. She’s written two books on digital marketing: The Truth
About Search Engine Optimization (2009) and Content Marketing (2011).
Rebecca blogs at http://www.rebeccalieb.com/blog.
Altimeter is a research and
consulting firm that helps
companies understand and
act on technology disruption.
We give business leaders the
insight and confidence to help
their companies thrive in the
face of disruption. In addition to
publishing research, Altimeter
Group analysts speak and
provide strategy consulting
on trends in leadership, digital
transformation, social business,
data disruption and content
marketing strategy.
Altimeter Group
1875 S Grant St #680
San Mateo, CA 94402
info@altimetergroup.com
www.altimetergroup.com
@altimetergroup
650.212.2272
Authors
Jessica Groopman (@jessgroopman) is a Senior Researcher
at Altimeter Group where she conducts research on disruptive
technologies. Jessica specializes in digital strategy, Internet of
Things, social data integration, content marketing, and customer
experience, with a focus on how data is shifting business
models and behaviors. She has experience conducting business,
technological, and anthropological research.
Charlene Li (@charleneli) is Founder of Altimeter Group and author
of the New York Times bestseller, Open Leadership. She is also the
co-author of the critically acclaimed bestselling book, Groundswell,
which was named one of the best business books in 2008. She is
one of the foremost experts on social media and technologies and a
consultant and independent thought leader on leadership, strategies,
social technology, interactive media, and marketing.
How to Work with Us
Content strategy establishes strategic, business-oriented goals for content and also enables repeatable processes
for the planning, creation, delivery, and governance of digital content that are both useful to and useable by an
organization’s constituencies. In conjunction with content marketing software research, there are several ways
Altimeter can help with your content strategy:
•	 Content strategy roadmap: Development of benchmarks for your organization’s content marketing maturity
and a roadmap for moving forward.
•	 Content audit: A qualitative and quantitative assessment of your organization’s content marketing
effectiveness, capabilities, and governance
•	 Content vendor selection: Based on existing capabilities, content strategy, and stated needs and
requirements, Altimeter Group will suggest a short list of vendors/solutions.
To learn more about Altimeter’s content offerings, contact Leslie Candy at leslie@altimetergroup.com or
617.448.4769.

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Destaque

Understanding Activation - Pirate Metrics and Growth Hacking
Understanding Activation - Pirate Metrics and Growth HackingUnderstanding Activation - Pirate Metrics and Growth Hacking
Understanding Activation - Pirate Metrics and Growth Hackingwillegan
 
5 surprisingly simple ways to show customers you care
5 surprisingly simple ways to show customers you care5 surprisingly simple ways to show customers you care
5 surprisingly simple ways to show customers you careGoSquared
 
Evolution of the Private Market - Motley Fool
Evolution of the Private Market - Motley FoolEvolution of the Private Market - Motley Fool
Evolution of the Private Market - Motley FoolPaul Singh
 
Growth Hackers Only Have One Metric of Power
Growth Hackers Only Have One Metric of PowerGrowth Hackers Only Have One Metric of Power
Growth Hackers Only Have One Metric of Powerbayesianwitch
 
Intro to Customer Engagement Marketing and "Behavior Shaping"
Intro to Customer Engagement Marketing and "Behavior Shaping"Intro to Customer Engagement Marketing and "Behavior Shaping"
Intro to Customer Engagement Marketing and "Behavior Shaping"Scott Dunlap
 
How To Contact Influencers
How To Contact Influencers How To Contact Influencers
How To Contact Influencers Roy Povarchik
 
Are You Using Outdated Social Media Strategies?
Are You Using Outdated Social Media Strategies?Are You Using Outdated Social Media Strategies?
Are You Using Outdated Social Media Strategies?Galaxy Weblinks Inc
 

Destaque (8)

Understanding Activation - Pirate Metrics and Growth Hacking
Understanding Activation - Pirate Metrics and Growth HackingUnderstanding Activation - Pirate Metrics and Growth Hacking
Understanding Activation - Pirate Metrics and Growth Hacking
 
5 surprisingly simple ways to show customers you care
5 surprisingly simple ways to show customers you care5 surprisingly simple ways to show customers you care
5 surprisingly simple ways to show customers you care
 
Evolution of the Private Market - Motley Fool
Evolution of the Private Market - Motley FoolEvolution of the Private Market - Motley Fool
Evolution of the Private Market - Motley Fool
 
Growth Hackers Only Have One Metric of Power
Growth Hackers Only Have One Metric of PowerGrowth Hackers Only Have One Metric of Power
Growth Hackers Only Have One Metric of Power
 
Intro to Customer Engagement Marketing and "Behavior Shaping"
Intro to Customer Engagement Marketing and "Behavior Shaping"Intro to Customer Engagement Marketing and "Behavior Shaping"
Intro to Customer Engagement Marketing and "Behavior Shaping"
 
Valida tu startup a $0 pesos
Valida tu startup a $0 pesosValida tu startup a $0 pesos
Valida tu startup a $0 pesos
 
How To Contact Influencers
How To Contact Influencers How To Contact Influencers
How To Contact Influencers
 
Are You Using Outdated Social Media Strategies?
Are You Using Outdated Social Media Strategies?Are You Using Outdated Social Media Strategies?
Are You Using Outdated Social Media Strategies?
 

Mais de Rebecca Lieb

Global Content Strategy: This Is Going to Be Big!
Global Content Strategy: This Is Going to Be Big!Global Content Strategy: This Is Going to Be Big!
Global Content Strategy: This Is Going to Be Big!Rebecca Lieb
 
Contextual Campaigns: Content, Context & Consumer Connections in a Post-Scree...
Contextual Campaigns: Content, Context & Consumer Connections in a Post-Scree...Contextual Campaigns: Content, Context & Consumer Connections in a Post-Scree...
Contextual Campaigns: Content, Context & Consumer Connections in a Post-Scree...Rebecca Lieb
 
Content Methodology: A New Model for Content Marketing
Content Methodology: A New Model for Content MarketingContent Methodology: A New Model for Content Marketing
Content Methodology: A New Model for Content MarketingRebecca Lieb
 
Content Strategy Workshop for Contently Finance Summit
Content Strategy Workshop for Contently Finance SummitContent Strategy Workshop for Contently Finance Summit
Content Strategy Workshop for Contently Finance SummitRebecca Lieb
 
The Eclipse of Online Ads
The Eclipse of Online AdsThe Eclipse of Online Ads
The Eclipse of Online AdsRebecca Lieb
 
From Web Traffic to Foot Traffic: How Brands & Retailers Can Leverage Digital...
From Web Traffic to Foot Traffic: How Brands & Retailers Can Leverage Digital...From Web Traffic to Foot Traffic: How Brands & Retailers Can Leverage Digital...
From Web Traffic to Foot Traffic: How Brands & Retailers Can Leverage Digital...Rebecca Lieb
 
Content, Connectivity & Convergence: Sorting Out Complexity
Content, Connectivity & Convergence: Sorting Out ComplexityContent, Connectivity & Convergence: Sorting Out Complexity
Content, Connectivity & Convergence: Sorting Out ComplexityRebecca Lieb
 
Content Marketing Performance: A Framework to Measure Real Business Impact
Content Marketing Performance: A Framework to Measure Real Business ImpactContent Marketing Performance: A Framework to Measure Real Business Impact
Content Marketing Performance: A Framework to Measure Real Business ImpactRebecca Lieb
 
How Connected Content Will Change Your (Marketing) World
How Connected Content Will Change Your (Marketing) WorldHow Connected Content Will Change Your (Marketing) World
How Connected Content Will Change Your (Marketing) WorldRebecca Lieb
 
Report content marketing performanceContent Marketing Performance: A Framewor...
Report content marketing performanceContent Marketing Performance: A Framewor...Report content marketing performanceContent Marketing Performance: A Framewor...
Report content marketing performanceContent Marketing Performance: A Framewor...Rebecca Lieb
 
Connected Experiences: From Websites to Wearables to Whatever
Connected Experiences: From Websites to Wearables to WhateverConnected Experiences: From Websites to Wearables to Whatever
Connected Experiences: From Websites to Wearables to WhateverRebecca Lieb
 
Culture of Content Webinar
Culture of Content WebinarCulture of Content Webinar
Culture of Content WebinarRebecca Lieb
 
Global Content Marketing
Global Content MarketingGlobal Content Marketing
Global Content MarketingRebecca Lieb
 
Content Marketing Software RFP: A Framework to Determine Marketer Needs & Sol...
Content Marketing Software RFP: A Framework to Determine Marketer Needs & Sol...Content Marketing Software RFP: A Framework to Determine Marketer Needs & Sol...
Content Marketing Software RFP: A Framework to Determine Marketer Needs & Sol...Rebecca Lieb
 
Content Marketing Software Landscape: Marketer Needs & Vendor Solutions
Content Marketing Software Landscape: Marketer Needs & Vendor SolutionsContent Marketing Software Landscape: Marketer Needs & Vendor Solutions
Content Marketing Software Landscape: Marketer Needs & Vendor SolutionsRebecca Lieb
 
Real-Time Marketing: The Ability to Leverage Now - Webinar
Real-Time Marketing: The Ability to Leverage Now - WebinarReal-Time Marketing: The Ability to Leverage Now - Webinar
Real-Time Marketing: The Ability to Leverage Now - WebinarRebecca Lieb
 
[Report] Real-Time Marketing: The Agility to Leverage 'Now' by Rebecca Lieb
[Report] Real-Time Marketing: The Agility to Leverage 'Now' by Rebecca Lieb [Report] Real-Time Marketing: The Agility to Leverage 'Now' by Rebecca Lieb
[Report] Real-Time Marketing: The Agility to Leverage 'Now' by Rebecca Lieb Rebecca Lieb
 
Optimizing the Customer Experience with Real-Time Marketing
Optimizing the Customer Experience with Real-Time MarketingOptimizing the Customer Experience with Real-Time Marketing
Optimizing the Customer Experience with Real-Time MarketingRebecca Lieb
 
Organizing for Content: Models to Incorporate Content Strategy and Content Ma...
Organizing for Content: Models to Incorporate Content Strategy and Content Ma...Organizing for Content: Models to Incorporate Content Strategy and Content Ma...
Organizing for Content: Models to Incorporate Content Strategy and Content Ma...Rebecca Lieb
 
Vertical Social Networks
Vertical Social NetworksVertical Social Networks
Vertical Social NetworksRebecca Lieb
 

Mais de Rebecca Lieb (20)

Global Content Strategy: This Is Going to Be Big!
Global Content Strategy: This Is Going to Be Big!Global Content Strategy: This Is Going to Be Big!
Global Content Strategy: This Is Going to Be Big!
 
Contextual Campaigns: Content, Context & Consumer Connections in a Post-Scree...
Contextual Campaigns: Content, Context & Consumer Connections in a Post-Scree...Contextual Campaigns: Content, Context & Consumer Connections in a Post-Scree...
Contextual Campaigns: Content, Context & Consumer Connections in a Post-Scree...
 
Content Methodology: A New Model for Content Marketing
Content Methodology: A New Model for Content MarketingContent Methodology: A New Model for Content Marketing
Content Methodology: A New Model for Content Marketing
 
Content Strategy Workshop for Contently Finance Summit
Content Strategy Workshop for Contently Finance SummitContent Strategy Workshop for Contently Finance Summit
Content Strategy Workshop for Contently Finance Summit
 
The Eclipse of Online Ads
The Eclipse of Online AdsThe Eclipse of Online Ads
The Eclipse of Online Ads
 
From Web Traffic to Foot Traffic: How Brands & Retailers Can Leverage Digital...
From Web Traffic to Foot Traffic: How Brands & Retailers Can Leverage Digital...From Web Traffic to Foot Traffic: How Brands & Retailers Can Leverage Digital...
From Web Traffic to Foot Traffic: How Brands & Retailers Can Leverage Digital...
 
Content, Connectivity & Convergence: Sorting Out Complexity
Content, Connectivity & Convergence: Sorting Out ComplexityContent, Connectivity & Convergence: Sorting Out Complexity
Content, Connectivity & Convergence: Sorting Out Complexity
 
Content Marketing Performance: A Framework to Measure Real Business Impact
Content Marketing Performance: A Framework to Measure Real Business ImpactContent Marketing Performance: A Framework to Measure Real Business Impact
Content Marketing Performance: A Framework to Measure Real Business Impact
 
How Connected Content Will Change Your (Marketing) World
How Connected Content Will Change Your (Marketing) WorldHow Connected Content Will Change Your (Marketing) World
How Connected Content Will Change Your (Marketing) World
 
Report content marketing performanceContent Marketing Performance: A Framewor...
Report content marketing performanceContent Marketing Performance: A Framewor...Report content marketing performanceContent Marketing Performance: A Framewor...
Report content marketing performanceContent Marketing Performance: A Framewor...
 
Connected Experiences: From Websites to Wearables to Whatever
Connected Experiences: From Websites to Wearables to WhateverConnected Experiences: From Websites to Wearables to Whatever
Connected Experiences: From Websites to Wearables to Whatever
 
Culture of Content Webinar
Culture of Content WebinarCulture of Content Webinar
Culture of Content Webinar
 
Global Content Marketing
Global Content MarketingGlobal Content Marketing
Global Content Marketing
 
Content Marketing Software RFP: A Framework to Determine Marketer Needs & Sol...
Content Marketing Software RFP: A Framework to Determine Marketer Needs & Sol...Content Marketing Software RFP: A Framework to Determine Marketer Needs & Sol...
Content Marketing Software RFP: A Framework to Determine Marketer Needs & Sol...
 
Content Marketing Software Landscape: Marketer Needs & Vendor Solutions
Content Marketing Software Landscape: Marketer Needs & Vendor SolutionsContent Marketing Software Landscape: Marketer Needs & Vendor Solutions
Content Marketing Software Landscape: Marketer Needs & Vendor Solutions
 
Real-Time Marketing: The Ability to Leverage Now - Webinar
Real-Time Marketing: The Ability to Leverage Now - WebinarReal-Time Marketing: The Ability to Leverage Now - Webinar
Real-Time Marketing: The Ability to Leverage Now - Webinar
 
[Report] Real-Time Marketing: The Agility to Leverage 'Now' by Rebecca Lieb
[Report] Real-Time Marketing: The Agility to Leverage 'Now' by Rebecca Lieb [Report] Real-Time Marketing: The Agility to Leverage 'Now' by Rebecca Lieb
[Report] Real-Time Marketing: The Agility to Leverage 'Now' by Rebecca Lieb
 
Optimizing the Customer Experience with Real-Time Marketing
Optimizing the Customer Experience with Real-Time MarketingOptimizing the Customer Experience with Real-Time Marketing
Optimizing the Customer Experience with Real-Time Marketing
 
Organizing for Content: Models to Incorporate Content Strategy and Content Ma...
Organizing for Content: Models to Incorporate Content Strategy and Content Ma...Organizing for Content: Models to Incorporate Content Strategy and Content Ma...
Organizing for Content: Models to Incorporate Content Strategy and Content Ma...
 
Vertical Social Networks
Vertical Social NetworksVertical Social Networks
Vertical Social Networks
 

Último

Scenario Library et REX Discover industry- and role- based scenarios
Scenario Library et REX Discover industry- and role- based scenariosScenario Library et REX Discover industry- and role- based scenarios
Scenario Library et REX Discover industry- and role- based scenariosErol GIRAUDY
 
Top 10 Squarespace Development Companies
Top 10 Squarespace Development CompaniesTop 10 Squarespace Development Companies
Top 10 Squarespace Development CompaniesTopCSSGallery
 
How to release an Open Source Dataweave Library
How to release an Open Source Dataweave LibraryHow to release an Open Source Dataweave Library
How to release an Open Source Dataweave Libraryshyamraj55
 
From the origin to the future of Open Source model and business
From the origin to the future of  Open Source model and businessFrom the origin to the future of  Open Source model and business
From the origin to the future of Open Source model and businessFrancesco Corti
 
Introduction - IPLOOK NETWORKS CO., LTD.
Introduction - IPLOOK NETWORKS CO., LTD.Introduction - IPLOOK NETWORKS CO., LTD.
Introduction - IPLOOK NETWORKS CO., LTD.IPLOOK Networks
 
My key hands-on projects in Quantum, and QAI
My key hands-on projects in Quantum, and QAIMy key hands-on projects in Quantum, and QAI
My key hands-on projects in Quantum, and QAIVijayananda Mohire
 
2024.03.12 Cost drivers of cultivated meat production.pdf
2024.03.12 Cost drivers of cultivated meat production.pdf2024.03.12 Cost drivers of cultivated meat production.pdf
2024.03.12 Cost drivers of cultivated meat production.pdfThe Good Food Institute
 
Graphene Quantum Dots-Based Composites for Biomedical Applications
Graphene Quantum Dots-Based Composites for  Biomedical ApplicationsGraphene Quantum Dots-Based Composites for  Biomedical Applications
Graphene Quantum Dots-Based Composites for Biomedical Applicationsnooralam814309
 
The Zero-ETL Approach: Enhancing Data Agility and Insight
The Zero-ETL Approach: Enhancing Data Agility and InsightThe Zero-ETL Approach: Enhancing Data Agility and Insight
The Zero-ETL Approach: Enhancing Data Agility and InsightSafe Software
 
Patch notes explaining DISARM Version 1.4 update
Patch notes explaining DISARM Version 1.4 updatePatch notes explaining DISARM Version 1.4 update
Patch notes explaining DISARM Version 1.4 updateadam112203
 
20140402 - Smart house demo kit
20140402 - Smart house demo kit20140402 - Smart house demo kit
20140402 - Smart house demo kitJamie (Taka) Wang
 
Webinar: The Art of Prioritizing Your Product Roadmap by AWS Sr PM - Tech
Webinar: The Art of Prioritizing Your Product Roadmap by AWS Sr PM - TechWebinar: The Art of Prioritizing Your Product Roadmap by AWS Sr PM - Tech
Webinar: The Art of Prioritizing Your Product Roadmap by AWS Sr PM - TechProduct School
 
LF Energy Webinar - Unveiling OpenEEMeter 4.0
LF Energy Webinar - Unveiling OpenEEMeter 4.0LF Energy Webinar - Unveiling OpenEEMeter 4.0
LF Energy Webinar - Unveiling OpenEEMeter 4.0DanBrown980551
 
How to become a GDSC Lead GDSC MI AOE.pptx
How to become a GDSC Lead GDSC MI AOE.pptxHow to become a GDSC Lead GDSC MI AOE.pptx
How to become a GDSC Lead GDSC MI AOE.pptxKaustubhBhavsar6
 
Oracle Database 23c Security New Features.pptx
Oracle Database 23c Security New Features.pptxOracle Database 23c Security New Features.pptx
Oracle Database 23c Security New Features.pptxSatishbabu Gunukula
 
Automation Ops Series: Session 2 - Governance for UiPath projects
Automation Ops Series: Session 2 - Governance for UiPath projectsAutomation Ops Series: Session 2 - Governance for UiPath projects
Automation Ops Series: Session 2 - Governance for UiPath projectsDianaGray10
 
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 1
UiPath Studio Web workshop series  - Day 1UiPath Studio Web workshop series  - Day 1
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 1DianaGray10
 
Q4 2023 Quarterly Investor Presentation - FINAL - v1.pdf
Q4 2023 Quarterly Investor Presentation - FINAL - v1.pdfQ4 2023 Quarterly Investor Presentation - FINAL - v1.pdf
Q4 2023 Quarterly Investor Presentation - FINAL - v1.pdfTejal81
 
Stobox 4: Revolutionizing Investment in Real-World Assets Through Tokenization
Stobox 4: Revolutionizing Investment in Real-World Assets Through TokenizationStobox 4: Revolutionizing Investment in Real-World Assets Through Tokenization
Stobox 4: Revolutionizing Investment in Real-World Assets Through TokenizationStobox
 
Introduction to RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) and its application
Introduction to RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) and its applicationIntroduction to RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) and its application
Introduction to RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) and its applicationKnoldus Inc.
 

Último (20)

Scenario Library et REX Discover industry- and role- based scenarios
Scenario Library et REX Discover industry- and role- based scenariosScenario Library et REX Discover industry- and role- based scenarios
Scenario Library et REX Discover industry- and role- based scenarios
 
Top 10 Squarespace Development Companies
Top 10 Squarespace Development CompaniesTop 10 Squarespace Development Companies
Top 10 Squarespace Development Companies
 
How to release an Open Source Dataweave Library
How to release an Open Source Dataweave LibraryHow to release an Open Source Dataweave Library
How to release an Open Source Dataweave Library
 
From the origin to the future of Open Source model and business
From the origin to the future of  Open Source model and businessFrom the origin to the future of  Open Source model and business
From the origin to the future of Open Source model and business
 
Introduction - IPLOOK NETWORKS CO., LTD.
Introduction - IPLOOK NETWORKS CO., LTD.Introduction - IPLOOK NETWORKS CO., LTD.
Introduction - IPLOOK NETWORKS CO., LTD.
 
My key hands-on projects in Quantum, and QAI
My key hands-on projects in Quantum, and QAIMy key hands-on projects in Quantum, and QAI
My key hands-on projects in Quantum, and QAI
 
2024.03.12 Cost drivers of cultivated meat production.pdf
2024.03.12 Cost drivers of cultivated meat production.pdf2024.03.12 Cost drivers of cultivated meat production.pdf
2024.03.12 Cost drivers of cultivated meat production.pdf
 
Graphene Quantum Dots-Based Composites for Biomedical Applications
Graphene Quantum Dots-Based Composites for  Biomedical ApplicationsGraphene Quantum Dots-Based Composites for  Biomedical Applications
Graphene Quantum Dots-Based Composites for Biomedical Applications
 
The Zero-ETL Approach: Enhancing Data Agility and Insight
The Zero-ETL Approach: Enhancing Data Agility and InsightThe Zero-ETL Approach: Enhancing Data Agility and Insight
The Zero-ETL Approach: Enhancing Data Agility and Insight
 
Patch notes explaining DISARM Version 1.4 update
Patch notes explaining DISARM Version 1.4 updatePatch notes explaining DISARM Version 1.4 update
Patch notes explaining DISARM Version 1.4 update
 
20140402 - Smart house demo kit
20140402 - Smart house demo kit20140402 - Smart house demo kit
20140402 - Smart house demo kit
 
Webinar: The Art of Prioritizing Your Product Roadmap by AWS Sr PM - Tech
Webinar: The Art of Prioritizing Your Product Roadmap by AWS Sr PM - TechWebinar: The Art of Prioritizing Your Product Roadmap by AWS Sr PM - Tech
Webinar: The Art of Prioritizing Your Product Roadmap by AWS Sr PM - Tech
 
LF Energy Webinar - Unveiling OpenEEMeter 4.0
LF Energy Webinar - Unveiling OpenEEMeter 4.0LF Energy Webinar - Unveiling OpenEEMeter 4.0
LF Energy Webinar - Unveiling OpenEEMeter 4.0
 
How to become a GDSC Lead GDSC MI AOE.pptx
How to become a GDSC Lead GDSC MI AOE.pptxHow to become a GDSC Lead GDSC MI AOE.pptx
How to become a GDSC Lead GDSC MI AOE.pptx
 
Oracle Database 23c Security New Features.pptx
Oracle Database 23c Security New Features.pptxOracle Database 23c Security New Features.pptx
Oracle Database 23c Security New Features.pptx
 
Automation Ops Series: Session 2 - Governance for UiPath projects
Automation Ops Series: Session 2 - Governance for UiPath projectsAutomation Ops Series: Session 2 - Governance for UiPath projects
Automation Ops Series: Session 2 - Governance for UiPath projects
 
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 1
UiPath Studio Web workshop series  - Day 1UiPath Studio Web workshop series  - Day 1
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 1
 
Q4 2023 Quarterly Investor Presentation - FINAL - v1.pdf
Q4 2023 Quarterly Investor Presentation - FINAL - v1.pdfQ4 2023 Quarterly Investor Presentation - FINAL - v1.pdf
Q4 2023 Quarterly Investor Presentation - FINAL - v1.pdf
 
Stobox 4: Revolutionizing Investment in Real-World Assets Through Tokenization
Stobox 4: Revolutionizing Investment in Real-World Assets Through TokenizationStobox 4: Revolutionizing Investment in Real-World Assets Through Tokenization
Stobox 4: Revolutionizing Investment in Real-World Assets Through Tokenization
 
Introduction to RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) and its application
Introduction to RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) and its applicationIntroduction to RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) and its application
Introduction to RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) and its application
 

The Content Marketing Software Landscape: Marketer Needs & Vendor Solutions

  • 1. The Content Marketing Software Landscape: Marketer Needs & Vendor Solutions By Rebecca Lieb with Jessica Groopman and Charlene Li Includes input from 143 ecosystem contributors A Technology Overview Report May 13, 2014
  • 2. Why Content Marketing Tool Selection Is So Hard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Tangled and Emerging Vendor Landscape Complicates the Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Content Stacks Will Emerge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Technology Decisions Must Begin With Use Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Content Tool Best Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Present and Future Vendor Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ecosystem Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 6 8 11 13 16 16 16 16 18 Table of Contents The content marketing tool landscape is crowded, rapidly changing, and highly inconsistent. Evolution and change are rapid. Marketers struggle to select the right tools not only for their own content marketing needs, but also solutions that integrate with enterprise, process, and platform concerns. This report helps marketers make informed buying choices by mapping eight needs scenarios to the existing vendor landscape. Executive Summary
  • 3. Understanding what tools are available and, more importantly, what tools are needed for content marketing efforts echoes the proverb of the blind men describing an elephant. There are point systems, enterprise solutions, and hybrids, yielding very few apples-to-apples comparisons in the marketplace. Complicating an already complicated set of choices is the fact that marketers still have a scattershot approach to content. Altimeter finds 70% of marketers lack a consistent or integrated content strategy. Despite a growing awareness (and acceptance) of the fact that content is the atomic particle of all marketing — essential for fueling paid, owned, and earned media — organizations lack a cohesive, coherent, strategic approach to content. Other trends driving the complexity of the content marketing tools decision include the following: • Content creation pressure: Creating and publishing content is hard, unrelenting work. As a result, marketers tend to focus on the tactics of creation and just “getting content done.” Exacerbating this is a campaign focus — if content strategy exists at all, it typically revolves around individual campaigns. • Lack of strategy begets tool proliferation: One national retailer divides content and channel responsibilities between Marketing, PR, Brand, HR, Community, Social Media, and Web, with no central coordination or oversight. Ad hoc execution without goals, processes, communication, and governance inevitably leads to ad hoc tools and random platform purchasing. The result is overlapping workflows and a hodgepodge of tools that are fragmented and often redundant. The Content Marketing Software Landscape: Marketer Needs & Vendor Solutions 3 70% Percentage of marketers who say they lack a consistent or integrated content strategy Why Content Marketing Tool Selection Is So Hard It used to be so simple. Content marketing consisted merely of writing content and putting it on a website. It’s now evolved into a complex process involving multiple players throughout the organization, outside agencies and vendors, multimedia, and a proliferation of channels. Growing channel and media complexity, as well as increasing adoption of content marketing, has given rise to a large, complex, and highly disparate content marketing software landscape.
  • 4. 4 • Lack of enterprise integration: When solutions are acquired haphazardly, they often don’t integrate or work with other enterprise systems. Only 10% of marketers we surveyed say their content tools are integrated into processes such as inbound marketing platforms, business intelligence, or CRM. Yet when pressed, marketers have long lists of needed integrations from their content systems. Beyond technology platform integration, digital content workflows also exist, mainly on their own, with little integration into organizational processes. • Misaligned buyer needs versus planned investments: Our research finds 67% of marketers identify audience identification and targeting as a top need — pointing to the trend of content aligning with advertising and other marketing initiatives. Yet only 25% are actively investing in this area in 2014 (see Figure 1). The need to scale up content creation is a tactical distraction from deeper strategic needs. Interestingly, our research found that vendor investment in product improvements correlate and align with marketers’ stated needs rather than their planned investments. Figure 1 depicts needs and investments across the eight primary content marketing use cases we identified in our research of marketers, experts, and vendors. We assess marketer needs and vendor solutions through the lens of these eight use cases in order to facilitate proper alignment between the two. A Tangled and Emerging Vendor Landscape Complicates the Picture Because content marketing has so many permutations across hundreds of platforms, the content marketing tool’s landscape is a mishmash of vendors, categories, and technology platforms that make it difficult, if not impossible, to make apples-to-apples comparisons between solutions. While some basic technology maps of content marketing tools exist, they support neither vendors’ go-to-market 67% 67% 60% 53% 48% 46% 46% 35% 25% 21% 34% 26% 38% 29% 22% 24%25% 25% Audience & Target Curation & Aggregation Analytics Creation Distribution Workflow Optimization Legal Integration Base: Altimeter Group Content Marketing Survey 2014, n=80 marketers Needs Investments Figure 1 Buyers’ Needs Don’t Match Planned Investments Source: Altimeter Group
  • 5. 5 strategy nor marketers’ decision-making processes.1 Making this even more confusing are three trends: Trend 1. Many solutions exist. Tools to manage, create, measure, optimize, and otherwise wrangle content marketing are rapidly proliferating. Altimeter Group identified over 110 content marketing vendors, exclusive of certain categories, including email, marketing automation, content management systems (CMS), digital asset management solutions (DAMs), and social media management software (SMMS).2 The market is diverse and multifaceted. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity is rapid. Just tracking the content vendor ecosystem is a near full-time job. Trend 2. The content vendor landscape is sharply bifurcated. The majority is small — only 6% of companies we surveyed have over 100 employees and are not yet profitable. A third offer is a freemium model within which one-third of their customers pay nothing for the service. Of course, a small handful of giants — namely, Adobe, Oracle, and Salesforce.com — loom over the landscape, all rapidly acquiring and consolidating players. These giants serve the entire marketing spectrum, brand themselves as “marketing clouds,” and are beginning to use terms such as “content alignment” and “converged media” in sales collateral and value propositions. Trend 3. Content marketing evolution is driving consolidation. We found that the movement of content marketing toward converged media — organizations are developing capabilities to make owned content more fluid so it can be used, optimized, and deployed in shared (usually social media) and paid (advertising) channels — creates pressure for vendors to match this emerging need with fuller offerings. Paid Media Owned Media Converged Media Earned Media Analytics Optimization Audience & Target Curation & Aggregation CreationDistribution Workflow Legal & Compliance Source: Altimeter Group Figure 2 Media Convergence Drives Content Stack Evolution
  • 6. 6 Figure 2 illustrates the relationship between converged media and content marketing use cases, which are often transmedia in nature. This convergence of media development and deployment is contributing to the evolution of the content “stack,” away from disparate point solutions serving limited needs. In some cases, point solutions are being strung end-to-end to create increasingly broader content marketing platforms. For example, Scripted, Percolate, and Contently, which all began as written-word providers, all recently added graphics capabilities into their toolsets. The giant providers are also jumping in. Recent major moves include Adobe’s announcement of its intention to integrate its Creative and Marketing Clouds; Oracle’s acquisition of Eloqua, Responsys, and Compendium; and Salesforce. com snapping up ExactTarget, Buddy Media, and Pardot. Most recently, IBM made a tentative foray into the space by buying Silverpop. Content Stacks Will Emerge While fragmented today, Altimeter believes that the content marketing tool landscape will begin to consolidate in earnest. By 2016, there will be “content stack” offerings in the marketplace — end-to-end solutions akin to ad stacks. Currently, no single vendor has an end-to-end solution. Eventually, a few will partner, merge, acquire, and/or collaborate to create a total solution. Content solutions will also soon absorb other software categories. For example, the distinction between SMMS and content marketing tools is blurring and will soon vanish as marketers and vendors demand content capabilities in a growing number of platforms. Close to 85% of content marketing tools publish on social platforms, a number not statistically different than their ability to publish on websites. This will render most social- only tools redundant. “The big marketing technologies like Social Publishing and Marketing Automation don’t work without content. Content is the fuel; you can’t have one without the other,” explains Doug Pepper, general partner of Interwest Partners. Figure 3 is Altimeter Group’s Content Tools Stack Hierarchy, which illustrates how primary content marketing use cases align against the three common pains content marketers face, as described in the next section. By 2016, there will be “content stack” offerings in the marketplace — end-to-end solutions akin to ad stacks.
  • 7. 7 Convergence Legal & Compliance Tools designed for review/approval and compliance across all necessary stakeholders. Workflow Tools that aid in processes associated with content strategy including creating governance documentation (style, editing and brand guidelines), content audits, production, review, approval and publishing processes, etc. Distribution Tools that help content publishers find audiences via, for example, suggested headlines or stories across publisher sites or social networks. Audience & Targeting Tools to help identify who the target audience(s) is/are, where they are online, and the types of content that would attract them. Analytics Independent of basic web analytics packages, content tools often contain their own specific analytics and dashboards.These can be wide ranging and are, of course, closely aligned with tool functionality. Optimization Tools designed for ongoing optimization of content marketing results over time. Curation & Aggregation Tools or processes that aid in the discovery, compiling, organizing, presenting, and publishing of existing content in a meaningful way that is on-brand and relevant to campaign goals. Creation Tools that aid in developing, building, and deploying consistent content. Source: Altimeter Group Figure 3 Content Tool Stack Hierarchy
  • 8. 8 Technology Decisions Must Begin With Use Cases Altimeter Group approaches the content marketing tools problem from the perspective of marketing challenges and needs first, asking what challenges face content marketers today and how can technology help solve them? As marketer needs evolve over time, so will solutions sets. The key is not more or better point solutions but how they come together. Altimeter recommends taking the following three steps to determine your content marketing tool stack: 1) Determine your content marketing use cases. 2) Plan for integration and evolution. 3) Identify and prioritize vendors based on those use cases. Step 1. Determine Content Marketing Use Cases Altimeter Group has identified three content marketing scenarios, laddering up from an immature “feed-the- beast” tactical approach to a mature, process-driven, strategic stage that closely mirrors our Content Marketing Maturity Model (see Figure 2). Throughout these scenarios, we found eight overarching content marketing use cases, each with a complement of subcategories. The eight use cases fall into roughly three phases and escalate in complexity.3 Here’s a quick overview of each of the scenarios and related use cases. 1) Feed the Beast In this initial phase, the organization struggles to keep up with the unrelenting demands of regularly creating quality content for one or more channels. They typically lack a coherent strategy and have only a bare bones organizational structure (often stemming out of social media). They require a steady stream of ideas and inspiration, as well as the basic tools of content creation. Ultimately, this phase is characterized by the need to master the foundational use cases in content marketing: efficiently creating and collecting content at scale. 2) Refine In this scenario, process is applied to content creation and production. This is the stage at which a team begins to take shape and roles beyond content creation form, e.g., analytics. Content is audited and assessed, often with a formal scoring or grading process. Channels, audience, and persona considerations play a greatly expanded role in creation. Content is optimized for digital and social distribution, and efforts are made to identify repeatable, sustainable content practices. The leader How can we create (more) content faster? Where can we find ideas for content creation? Feed the Beast How can we operate in real-time and ensure compliance? How can we scale efforts across the organization? What are we tracking, where, and why? How can we get smarter about content marketing? Refine Govern Source: Altimeter Group Figure 4 Three Content Marketing Scenarios Drive Tool Selection
  • 9. 9 of the content group makes a more concerted effort to connect content development with the broader marketing teams. The Refinement Phase in content marketing is about getting smarter, optimizing processes, insights, targeting, and program deployment. 3) Govern In this scenario, there is a need for the content strategy to be formalized and communicated throughout the enterprise; for example, governance and processes are firmly established to meet regulatory requirements. Focus shifts toward expanding the team and its ability to create experiential, engaging, multimedia content rather than simpler stories and informational pieces. Content is created with a view toward being reusable and/or repurposed across paid and earned, as well as owned, media channels. Legal and industry compliance rules and regulations are understood, and guardrails are in place to ensure compliance. Gather Cross-Functional Requirements & Determine Use Cases To help identify use cases, take a look at the more granular subcategories within each use case (Figure 5) and assess those needs that apply to your organization. As a best practice, be certain to solicit stakeholders and end-users for requirements, input, and collaboration. Forty-one percent say those responsible for content have a voice in selecting the tools and technologies they use to execute. Marriott International’s Senior Director of Digital Strategy & Distribution Meg Walsh calls this a critical part of the assessment: “We did a series of workshops with the content creators and manipulators and talked about what they needed to be able to do from a technology perspective. So much came down to workflow, particularly around transparency and the ability to understand what’s happening with content at any given point.” Feed the Beast Refine Govern Optimization Analytics Distribution Workflow Audience & Targeting Legal & Compliance Optimize search (SEO) Editorial calendars Ensure compliance Conduct multivariate testing Optimize content conversion Identify & target specific customer segments Disseminate content across multiple channels Engage influencers Streamline approval process across stakeholders Source & manage talent Maintenance of outdated content Legal approvals Integrated targeting (via CRM, analytics) Real-time reports & notification Deploy predictive analytics Correctly render content across channels Deploy paid media strategically across channels Selectively compile content from disparate sources Analyze all content artefacts (central dashboard) Display aggregated content Discovering the right content Creation Curation & Aggregation Generate digital content Create standardized formats Expedite the publishing process Source: Altimeter Group Figure 5 Content Marketing Use Cases
  • 10. 10 Step 2. Plan for Integration and Evolution Integration considerations are essential because of the pending consolidation driven by converged media, as well as the evolution of content stacks. Each of the eight content marketing use cases come with a host of potential integration issues, yet only 10% of marketers say their content marketing technologies are “fully integrated across people, processes, and platforms.” Identifying essential integrations can help refine a final list of prospective vendors. Content marketing software integration is tripartite: 1. Integration with systems. This includes legacy and often future platforms, such as data and analytics, CRM, and inbound marketing. Petco’s Chief Content Officer Greg Seremetis emphasizes his group’s voice is one of many at the table when new tools are discussed and vetted inside the company. 2. Integration with the organization, such as internal communications, corporate intelligence and internal networks. “Why shouldn’t our call center agents have access to same information that guests have?” asks Walsh at Marriott International. 3. Integration with processes, including workflow and organizational structure. This may include taking outside partners and/or agencies into account. “You can’t retrofit activities to the tool; you have to align the tool with your activities,” according to Kristina Halvorson, CEO founder of Braintraffic. Our research found that there are common integration points marketers leverage across each use case (see Figure 6). While not universal to all marketers’ scenarios, these integrations fall into eight primary categories. The figure below charts how these common points of integration typically map against use cases. “You can’t retrofit activities to the tool; you have to align the tool with your activities.” Kristina Halvorsen Founder CEO, Braintraffic
  • 11. 11 Creation Ad Exchange Sharing Platforms Search Engines Data Analytics Digital Media Marketing Cloud Storage Platforms Syndication Tools Curation Aggregation Optimization Audience Target Analytics Distribution Workflow Legal Compliance Display Inventory Sources Mobile Ad Servers Desktop Ad Servers Web Analytics Business Intelligence CRM Mobile Data E-Commerce Platforms A/B Testing Tools Publisher/ News Outlets Blogs Video Platforms Audio Platforms Image Platform Other CM Tools Marketing Automation SMMS Publishing Embedding Tools E-Mail Marketing Tools Influencer ID Tools Search Engine Optimization Social Networks Community Platforms Enterprise Collaboration Tools Cloud Storage CMS DAM Web Server RSS Feeds Syndication Widgets Source: Altimeter Group Figure 6 Content Marketing Integration Needs
  • 12. 12 Marketer Needs Use Case Priority Integration(s) o Generate digital content o Create standardized content formats o Expedite the publishing process Creation o Sharing Platforms o Data Analytics o Digital Media o Marketing Cloud o Storage Platforms o Compile content from disparate sources o Display aggregated content o Discover the right content (for ideas, for sharing) Curation Aggregation o Sharing Platforms o Search o Digital Media o Marketing Cloud o Storage Platforms o Syndication Platforms o Optimize search (SEO) o Conduct multivariate testing o Optimize content conversion Optimization o Sharing Platforms o Ad Exchanges o Search o Data Analytics o Marketing Cloud o Storage Platforms o Identify target specific customer segments o Engage influencers o Integrated targeting (via CRM, email marketing, analytics, etc) Audience Targeting o Sharing Platforms o Ad Exchanges o Data Analytics o Marketing Cloud o Storage Platforms o Analyze all content artifacts (central dashboard) o Real-time reporting notification o Deploy predictive analytics to drive content marketing Analytics o Sharing Platforms o Data Analytics o Marketing Cloud o Storage Platforms o Disseminate content across multiple channels o Display content correctly across channels (incl. device types) o Deploy paid media strategically across channels Distribution o Sharing Platforms o Ad Exchanges o Search o Data Analytics o Digital Media o Marketing Cloud o Storage Platforms o Syndication Platforms o Organize content cadence o Streamline approval process across necessary stakeholders o Talent sourcing management Workflow o Sharing Platforms o Marketing Cloud o Storage Platforms o Profile content for compliance o Store disposal of historical content o Legal approvals Legal Compliance o Ad Exchanges o Digital Media o Marketing Cloud o Syndication Platforms Figure 7 Content Marketing Needs Checklist Source: Altimeter Group Step 3. Identify and Prioritize Vendors Once a solid understanding of use cases and integration needs is reached, marketers can employ the following checklist to help prioritize those needs for vendor selection. Rank use cases in order of priority, maintaining focus on the top three to five most important use cases (see Figure 7).
  • 13. 13 Having prioritized use cases and integration requirements, the next step is to figure out which vendors can satisfy the requirements of those use cases. Altimeter requested information from 110 content marketing vendors, and 53 provided responses to our extensive survey. Each vendor was not only asked which use cases they supported, but also asked to force rank which use cases they supported best. The results are summarized in the appendix. Take a look at your own prioritized use cases developed in Step 1 above, and see which vendors should be on your short list because their priorities match your own. You may also consider working with multiple small vendors who provide point solutions, because they concentrate on key use cases that are important to your content marketing organization. Content Tool Best Practices Regardless of an organization’s specific software needs or level of content marketing sophistication, there are best practices around assessing, buying and introducing new content marketing software that are universally applicable. • Train staff to use tools (and on content marketing/ strategy in general). Only 24% of the marketers we surveyed say employees are formally trained and empowered to publish on behalf of the brand. • Avoid redundancies.There is considerable overlap in content marketing software functionality, e.g., nearly all tools have some sort of built-in analytics dashboard. Yet, marketers often invest in a tool for its primary feature without realizing that there are secondary or tertiary features that they then buy elsewhere. Related to this is integration driving “one version of the truth” vs. “multiple realities that don’t align when viewed in aggregate.” This is an important consideration for cost efficiencies as well: 40% of the content marketers we surveyed report that the lack of inter-departmental coordination is leading to disparate tools being used. • Build for speed. How quickly and efficiently teams can implement, set up, train, and use new tools is paramount, as is how quickly tools can “deliver relevant content in a timely fashion,” as Andrew Milburn at American Express puts it. Foremost among marketers’ planned investment in content marketing software are tools to aid in the rapid creation and deployment of content, particularly for those utilizing various forms of real-time marketing.4 Rapid personalization, delivery, and the ability to build content based on buzz is a primary consideration. • Consider IT support (or lack thereof). Whether a solution requires initial or ongoing support from IT is a consideration for many marketing organizations, particularly with an ever-increasing “need for speed.” A growing trend is solutions that enable marketing to bypass IT for day-to-day publishing needs on owned media, such as design changes to a website. • Scale toward the future. Channels and tactics that marketers may not be using today — e.g., mobile, real-time marketing, native advertising, future enterprise technology investments, or localization for international markets — can rapidly become urgent realities that will require urgent integration. “Can it scale?” is a difficult, yet essential question when considering content marketing software investments. Internationalization and localization are often overlooked when global enterprises invest in tools. Language, local channels and platforms, and other region/country specific considerations can be critical criteria. Both LinkedIn’s Jason Miller and Petco’s Greg Seremetis adopt an experimental test-and-learn approach, trialing new solutions prior to investing in them. The Present and Future Vendor Landscape The content marketing vendor landscape is in a period of hyper-growth and hyper-consolidation. The dust won’t settle for several years. Some of the overarching trends we’re seeing in the tumult include the following: Bigger doesn’t mean better — and vice versa. Zoomforth, a two-year-old startup with three employees, serves
  • 14. 14 enterprise clients, such as Deloitte, ATT, and Adidas. The largest content enterprise players (Adobe, Oracle, Salesforce.com) service small and medium-size businesses alike, which they are striving to buy and integrate their way into the sector, and their intentions and long-term visions are far from realized. Of the Goliaths, it’s Adobe’s battle to lose given its robust and well-established Creative Cloud. However, that family of products is geared more toward publishing than marketing, and many essential use cases reside in the company’s Marketing Cloud. While Adobe recently announced its intention to integrate the clouds, that’s easier — and much more quickly — said than done. Adobe has also aligned with start-ups, such as Thismoment, that offer needed capabilities around legal, compliance, and UGC. The above reasons account for the fact that when vendors are questioned about their competitors, Adobe’s name trails after more marketing-oriented solutions. The other Goliaths, Oracle and Salesforce. com are aggressively acquiring capabilities, while IBM is a laggard. Investment and acquisition have not yet peaked. New vendors continue to emerge; existing ones are adding capabilities (and enjoying significant new rounds of funding). The marketing clouds are still on an acquisitive tear. These are all signs of growth rather than maturity. It will be a couple of years or more before the market shakes out and normalizes and a few content stacks begin to emerge. Content stacks will be similar in structure and function to ad stacks, with which they will integrate. Eventually, this will become the true meaning of the term “marketing cloud.” Again, Adobe holds the most pieces of this puzzle, but assembling them won’t be fast, or easy. Vendors are listening to customers and integrating according to their needs. Vendors are prioritizing analytics and attributable cross-channel marketing by employing a wide range of integrations. And while not a primary use case today, one out of three vendors will be deploying Audience Targeting capabilities in the next 12 months, matching marketers biggest “want” in content capabilities.
  • 15. Appendix: Individual Vendor Capabilities The following table was compiled based on the research Altimeter conducted across content marketing vendors we surveyed. Vendors were able to self-select which of the top eight use cases they supported and then rank the top three they best support. This information is self-reported by the surveyed vendors who were asked to rank, in order, the top three use cases they support (1-3), as well as to indicate which other use cases their solution addresses with a solid circle ( l ). If a vendor does not report supporting a use case, it is designated with a hollow circle ( o ). 15 Source: Altimeter Group Company Workflow Curation/ Aggregation Creation Distribution Audience Targeting Analytics Optimization Legal Compliance Adobe l l 1 l l 2 3 l Ahalogy 3 1 o o o l 2 l BloomReach o 1 o o o 3 2 o Brandle, Inc. 3 o l o l 1 o 2 BrightInfo o o o o 1 3 2 o Contently 2 l 1 o o l o 3 Curata o 1 l 3 l l 2 l DivvyHQ 2 o 1 o o o o 3 Ebyline 2 o 1 o o l o 3 Expion LLC. 2 l l 1 o l 3 l Flite Inc. l 1 o l o 3 2 o idio o l o o 1 2 3 o InboundWriter o o 1 o l 3 2 o inPowered o 1 o l l 3 2 o Kapost 1 l 3 l l 2 l l Kentico Software 2 l 1 o 3 l l o Kontera o l o 3 2 1 l o Linqia, inc 2 o l 3 1 l l o Livefyre o 2 1 l o o 3 o LookBookHQ o 1 2 o o 3 o o Mass Relevance o 1 l l o 3 2 l MovableMedia o o 3 2 1 l o o NewsCred 1 3 2 l l l l l nRelate o l o l l l l o OneSpot X o o 1 3 l 2 o Oracle 3 l 1 l 2 l l l Outbrain o l o 1 o 2 3 o PaperShare Inc o o l 1 l 3 2 o Percolate 1 l 2 l 3 l l l Percussion Software 2 o 1 o o o 3 l Pixlee 1 3 o o 2 l Rallyverse 3 1 2 l o l l o ReadyPulse l 2 l l 1 l l 3 RebelMouse l 1 2 3 o l l l Repost o 1 o 2 l 3 l o Salesforce.com 3 l 1 l 2 o o o Scoop.it o 1 o 2 o 3 o o Scripted.com 2 o 1 3 o o o o SimpleReach o l l 2 l 1 3 o Skyword 2 o 1 l o l 3 l SnapApp l o 1 2 o 3 l o SocialFlow 3 l l 2 l l 1 o SocialWhirled 2 l 1 o l 3 l o Springpad o 1 2 3 o o o o SqueezeCMM o 3 1 2 l Stipple o 1 2 o 3 l l l Storify (by Livefyre) l 1 2 o o o 3 o Studio One o l 2 1 3 l l o TapInfluence l l 1 2 l 3 l l Thismoment 3 1 o o o 2 o l Trapit, Inc. 3 1 o o o 2 o TripleLift o 1 l 3 l l 2 o Visually 3 o 1 2 o l o o
  • 16. Endnotes 1 For example, the Content Lumascape, which can be found at http://www.slideshare.net/tkawaja/content- marketing-31091520. 2 Altimeter Group decided to exclude Content Management Systems (CMS), Digital Asset Managements Systems (DAMs), and Social Media Monitoring Solutions (SMMS) from our vendor assessment in order to focus primarily on those vendors specializing in the marketing of content assets. 3 Common content marketing scenarios align with content maturity mapping developed in Altimeter Group Report Content: The New Marketing Equation. This report is available at http://www.slideshare.net/Altimeter/content-the-new- marketing-equation. 4 Marketers are prioritizing agile deployment to drive real-time marketing capabilities. The Altimeter Group Report Real-Time Marketing: The Agility to Leverage Now is available at http:// www.slideshare.net/Altimeter/report-realtime-marketing-the- agility-to-leverage-now-by-rebecca-lieb-jessica-groopman. 5 Altimeter Group published a report on the Social Media Monitoring Solutions landscape in January 2012. That report can be found at http://www.slideshare.net/jeremiah_owyang/ smms-report-010412finaldraft. Methodology Altimeter Group emailed a survey to 110 content marketing software vendors. Roughly half the vendors (53) responded. To qualify to receive the survey, each vendor was required to fit with at least one of the eight use case criteria. Several vendor categories were deemed ineligible for this survey, despite having strong content capabilities. Additionally, we surveyed 80 marketers and interviewed 10 experts from brands, agencies, and VC firms. Excluded categories include social media marketing software (SMMS5 ), Marketing Automation, CMS, and Digital Asset Management. Clearly, integration of these types of tools into content solutions can, dependent on infrastructure and goals, be essential to success (as referenced in Figure 7). It should be obvious, but it’s equally essential to point out, that not every qualified software vendor is represented in this survey. The market is rapidly changing, new players emerge constantly, and we continue to regularly conduct briefings with vendors. Altimeter Group is working to develop an online database of content vendors that we can keep current. We hope to announce that component of this research soon. Vendors are encouraged to request briefings via this form: http://www.altimetergroup.com/research/briefings. Ecosystem Input This report includes input from market influencers and solution vendors who were interviewed or briefed by Altimeter Group during the course of this research. Input into this document does not represent an endorsement of the report by the individuals or companies listed below. Altimeter fielded our content marketing vendor survey to 110 content marketing software vendors. The following 53 content marketing vendors completed our survey and were included in our research and analysis of the content marketing software landscape. Software Providers (51) Brands Agencies (6) 3M, Carlos Abler, Manager, Online Content Strategy Brain Traffic, Kristina Halvorson, CEO Founder American Express, Andrew Milburn, Director Digital Content Orchestration Edelman, Steve Rubel, Chief Content Strategist Petco, Greg Seremetis, VP/Chief Content Officer Marriott International, Meg Walsh, Senior Director of Digital Strategy Distribution Industry Experts (4) HubSpot, Joe Chernov, VP Content LinkedIn, Jason Miller, Sr. Content Marketing Manager Emergence Capital, Santiago Subotovsky, Venture Capitalist Interwest Partners, Doug West, General Partner Altimeter Group also fielded a survey to Content Marketing practitioners (end users), which received 80 responses from content marketers across diverse company types. 16 PaperShare Percolate Percussion Software Pixlee Rallyverse RebelMouse Repost Salesforce.com Scoop.it Scripted.com SimpleReach Skyword SnapApp SocialFlow SocialWhirled Springpad SqueezeCMM Stipple Storify (by Livefyre) Studio One TapInfluence Thismoment Trapit, Inc. TripleLift Visually Adobe Ahalogy Bloomreach Brandle, Inc. BrightInfo Contently DivvyHQ Ebyline Expion Flite, Inc. idio InboundWriter inPowered Kapost Kentico Kontera Linquia, Inc. Livefyre LookBookHQ Mass Relevance Moveable Media NewsCred nRelate OneSpot Oracle Outbrain
  • 17. Acknowledgements This research could not have been conducted, much less completed, without 143 people and/or organizations dropping what they were doing to give generously of themselves. They patiently answered our interview questions and responded to in-depth surveys. The content vendors, in particular, responded to in-depth, highly detailed questioning, and did so thoughtfully and at great length. Charlene Li’s always acute insights helped to guide and shape this report from inception through execution. Special thanks is owed to Jessica Groopman, an invaluable partner who is as tireless as she is dedicated as a researcher. Altimeter Group would also like to thank Christine Tran, Shannon Latta, Bill Freed, Vladimir Mirkovic, Cheryl Knight, Alec Wagner, and Julie Viola. Open Research This independent research report was 100% funded by Altimeter Group. This report is published under the principle of Open Research and is intended to advance the industry at no cost. This report is intended for you to read, utilize, and share with others; if you do so, please provide attribution to Altimeter Group. Permissions The Creative Commons License is Attribution-Noncommercial- Share Alike 4.0 United States at http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0. Disclaimer ALTHOUGH THE INFORMATION AND DATA USED IN THIS REPORT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED AND PROCESSED FROM SOURCES BELIEVED TO BE RELIABLE, NO WARRANTY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED IS MADE REGARDING THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, ADEQUACY, OR USE OF THE INFORMATION. THE AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTORS OF THE INFORMATION AND DATA SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS CONTAINED HEREIN OR FOR INTERPRETATIONS THEREOF. REFERENCE HEREIN TO ANY SPECIFIC PRODUCT OR VENDOR BY TRADE NAME, TRADEMARK, OR OTHERWISE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR IMPLY ITS ENDORSEMENT, RECOMMENDATION, OR FAVORING BY THE AUTHORS OR CONTRIBUTORS AND SHALL NOT BE USED FOR ADVERTISING OR PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT PURPOSES. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. 17
  • 18. Rebecca Lieb (@lieblink) is an analyst at Altimeter Group covering digital advertising and media, encompassing brands, publishers, agencies and technology vendors. In addition to her background as a marketing executive, she was VP and editor-in-chief of the ClickZ Network for over seven years. She’s written two books on digital marketing: The Truth About Search Engine Optimization (2009) and Content Marketing (2011). Rebecca blogs at http://www.rebeccalieb.com/blog. Altimeter is a research and consulting firm that helps companies understand and act on technology disruption. We give business leaders the insight and confidence to help their companies thrive in the face of disruption. In addition to publishing research, Altimeter Group analysts speak and provide strategy consulting on trends in leadership, digital transformation, social business, data disruption and content marketing strategy. Altimeter Group 1875 S Grant St #680 San Mateo, CA 94402 info@altimetergroup.com www.altimetergroup.com @altimetergroup 650.212.2272 Authors Jessica Groopman (@jessgroopman) is a Senior Researcher at Altimeter Group where she conducts research on disruptive technologies. Jessica specializes in digital strategy, Internet of Things, social data integration, content marketing, and customer experience, with a focus on how data is shifting business models and behaviors. She has experience conducting business, technological, and anthropological research. Charlene Li (@charleneli) is Founder of Altimeter Group and author of the New York Times bestseller, Open Leadership. She is also the co-author of the critically acclaimed bestselling book, Groundswell, which was named one of the best business books in 2008. She is one of the foremost experts on social media and technologies and a consultant and independent thought leader on leadership, strategies, social technology, interactive media, and marketing. How to Work with Us Content strategy establishes strategic, business-oriented goals for content and also enables repeatable processes for the planning, creation, delivery, and governance of digital content that are both useful to and useable by an organization’s constituencies. In conjunction with content marketing software research, there are several ways Altimeter can help with your content strategy: • Content strategy roadmap: Development of benchmarks for your organization’s content marketing maturity and a roadmap for moving forward. • Content audit: A qualitative and quantitative assessment of your organization’s content marketing effectiveness, capabilities, and governance • Content vendor selection: Based on existing capabilities, content strategy, and stated needs and requirements, Altimeter Group will suggest a short list of vendors/solutions. To learn more about Altimeter’s content offerings, contact Leslie Candy at leslie@altimetergroup.com or 617.448.4769.