Download the PDF: https://www.demandmetric.com/content/content-marketing-solution-study
Our Content Marketing Solution Study presents the insights, landscape and vendors within the content marketing space. Demand Metric defines content marketing as the strategies, processes and software technology that enable marketing departments to automate, measure and improve the performance of marketing strategies, activities and workflows.
These strategies and activities include: Email Marketing, Multi-channel Campaign Management, Inbound/Search Marketing, Landing Pages, Lead Generation, Lead Management, Lead Scoring, Lead Nurturing, Social Marketing, Marketing Resource Management, Event Management, Engagement Marketing and Marketing Analytics.
The three foundation functions of marketing automation systems are – email marketing, campaign management and lead management. While the most advanced and sophisticated marketing automation systems have extending capabilities far beyond this base, these functions are core to a Marketing Automation system.
4. 4CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYEXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Solution Study covers:
Benefits of Content Marketing
It has been said that “All Marketing is Digital Marketing,” and with good
reason! In the last decade, marketing has been transformed.
Marketing has moved from an environment in which traditional marketing,
brick and mortar storefronts, and Digital Marketing options all competed
for the time, attention, and resources of the marketing department to one
in which Digital Marketing reigns supreme (with an occasional nod in the
direction of the storefront or traditional marketing channels, such as direct
mail and print advertising).
InourDigitalMarketingSolutionStudySeries,weexaminefivecomponents
of Digital Marketing.
In this report, we will focus on the growing practice area of Content
Marketing and cover the following sections.
Content Marketing
Deployment Lifecycle
Vendor Selection Criteria
What is Content Marketing?
Executive Summary
Action Plan
The Content Marketing
Solutions Landscape
5. 5CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYTHE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING
What is Content Marketing?
CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
6. 6CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYWHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?
Demand Metric defines Content Marketing as:Content is King. Its reign as the premier marketing focus for Digital
Marketing shows no signs of abating. Rather, the content is becoming
stronger, richer, and more integrated as the ways and means to deploy
content for marketing rapidly expands.
It’s tempting to push as much content out as possible and hope that some
of it hits the right person at the right time. However, that approach is akin
to the old “broadcast” media approach.
More content is not the answer; it needs to be the right content.
Context is critical. As important as content is, it is equally true that the
world is awash in content. Few of us can keep up with our main inter-
ests, let alone other subjects pertaining to our careers and lives. This
makes context as valuable as content, more so if you truly want to get a
response to your content marketing.
Our Content Marketing Solution Study looks at the range of content plat-
forms. We will examine the landscape, vendors, and solutions for the three
foundation platforms – Web Content Management Platforms, Content
Marketing Platforms, and Content Distribution Platforms.
These platforms and toolsets provide the structure that content marketers
need to create relevant, personalized content for each of their individual
audiences.
The strategies, processes, and technologies
that support the development, deployment,
management, and measurement of content
used for marketing and advertising. Content
Marketing involves relevant, personalized
content that creates or changes the users’
experience, attitudes, or preferences.
What is Content Marketing?
Role in Digital Marketing
Demand Metric considers Content Marketing to be an integral part of
Digital Marketing, as illustrated by our Digital Marketing Roles Matrix on
the next page.
Driven by the Content Marketing Manager, processes, technologies, and
WCM (Web Content Management) platforms are used by Senior Manage-
ment, Strategic Comm, Community & Social Media Managers, PR, and
Product Marketing. The common metrics for Content Marketing include
content views, links earned, content conversion, and content published.
7. 7WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?
ROLES RESPONSIBILITIES PROCESSES TECHNOLOGY CONTENT METRICS
Senior
Management
Revenue Accountability
Staffing & Channel Management
Reporting to CEO/Board
Budgeting & Planning
Reviews & Coaching
Recruitment & Retention
WCM
Marketing Automation
CRM
Thought Leadership Blog
Webinar Presentations
Conference Keynotes
Revenue by Channel
Customer Lifetime Value, NPS
Return on Customer (ROC)
Strategic
Communications
Brand Strategy
Digital Marketing Strategy
Social/Mobile Marketing Strategy
Marketing Budget
Agency Management
Communications Management
WCM
Content Marketing Platforms
Social Media Platforms
Data Sheets, Whitepapers
Case Studies/Testimonials
Competitive Analysis
Market Share, Profitability
Brand Equity
Content Usage
Demand
Generation
Lead Generation & Events
Inbound/Outbound Marketing
Sales Opportunity Management
Advertising/Sponsorship
Lead Generation
Tradeshows
Marketing Automation/Email
Digital Asset Management
Event/Survey Management
Advertising/SEO
Email Campaigns
Webinars
Campaign ROI, Email Metrics
Marketing Qualified Leads
Contribution to Pipeline
Content
Marketing
Web Content Management
Content Marketing
Content Distribution
Content Creation
Campaign Analysis
Content Scoring
WCM, Blogging Platforms, MA
Content Marketing & Distribution
Video Marketing Platforms
Website and Blogs
eBooks, Articles
Videos
Content Views, Links Earned
Content Conversion
Content Published
Community &
Social Media
Online Community Management
Social Listening
Social Engagement
Community Development
Social Channel Management
Social Reputation Management
WCM
Social Media Platforms
Social Channels & Networks
Posts, Tweets, Photos
Forums, Chats, Comments
Articles, Community News
User Engagement
Sentiment Analysis
Campaign ROI
Public Relations
External Communications
Media Relations
Analyst Relations
Influencer Identification
Relationship Cultivation
Content Creation/Distribution
Media Contact Database
News Distribution & Monitoring
Analytics & Reporting
News Content/Press Releases
Thought Leadership Content
Rich & Social Media Content
Mentions/Impressions
Audience Growth & Engagement
Sentiment Analysis
Product
Marketing
New Product Development
Mobile App Development
Video Production/Development
Product Launch
Product Positioning
Competitive Analysis
WCM
Mobile Development Platforms
Video Production Platforms
New Features/Ideas for R&D
Gamification
Competitive Analysis
Avg. Revenue Per User
Avg. Order Value
Conversion Rate, Renewal Rate
Customer
Experience
Interactive Experience
Customer Satisfaction
Customer Advocacy
Customer Experience
Customer Journey Mapping
Customer Persona Creation
Customer Profile Management
Customer Support, Twitter
Survey & Social Channels
Buyer Personas
Customer Journey Map
Proposals, Presentations
Customer Satisfaction Index
Customer Lifetime Value
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
8. Demand Metric’s Content Marketing Maturity Model can be used in combi-
nation with the vendor landscape analysis and charts detailed in the
Content Marketing Solutions Landscape section of this report.
8
Content Marketing Maturity Model
CONTENT MARKETING MATURITY MODEL CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
Level of Commitment
The strength of the commitment and the focus on excellence in Con-
tent Marketing initiatives and campaigns drives other best practices.
Planning
Content Marketers create strategies, goals, and KPIs for every
point of their Content Marketing effort.
Processes
Content Marketers develop measurable processes for each
phase to ensure progress and success.
Resources
World Class Organizations ensure that sufficient resources (time, talent,
tools, money) exist for each initiative, campaign, and phase of their plan.
Management
World Class companies effectively manage the change, progress,
and results of Content Marketing efforts.
As our Content Marketing Maturity Model (pages 9-10) illustrates, organizations
moving from a lack of experience with Content Marketing to those which fully
embrace it must consider eight key components. These are:
Orientation: The posture the organization takes toward the disci-
pline of Content Marketing and its importance to the organization for
marketing, sales, and revenue generation.
Leadership: The view of executive/senior management toward the
role Content Marketing plays in driving sales, revenue, and profits; its
inherent value to the company.
Budget & Staff: How well Content Marketing is resourced with time,
talent, tools, money, and authority.
Tools & Platforms: The tools and platforms used to create, deploy,
manage, and measure Content Marketing initiatives.
Lead Generation: How well the organization performs at Lead
Generation.
Email Marketing: How well the organization performs at Email
Marketing.
Cross-Channel Marketing: How well content is distributed and lever-
aged across multiple channels in your Content Marketing strategy.
Metrics: How Content Marketing initiatives and campaigns are tracked,
measured, managed, and reported.
Our Maturity Model shows the progression of an organization from Stage 1
(Undefined) to Stage 4 (World Class) that is characterized by the following best
practices:
9. Orientation
STAGE 1 - Undefined
STAGE 2 - Progressive
STAGE 3 - Mature
STAGE 4 - World-Class
Budget &
Staff
No defined strategy or process for
Content Marketing
Budgets for web & email marketing; Staff
is contracted or coordinator role; Budget
spend for content is 15% or less
Budget allocated; Defined roles and
responsibilities for Content Marketing;
Budget spend is 25% or more for
content
Budget with business case to justify
spend; Dedicated marketing roles for
Content Marketing; Budget spend for
content up to 50%
Budget connected to marketing goals;
Aligned maximum Digital Marketing
impact; Budget spend for content more
than 50%
Defined strategy and processes exist
for Content Marketing in uncoordinated
pockets
Defined, integrated strategy and
processes exist for Content Marketing
across the Enterprise
Defined, integrated strategy for
Content Marketing exists across the
Enterprise; Campaigns are tracked &
measured by level of engagement &
revenue impact
Leadership
One-dimensional view of Content
Marketing as Web and Email Marketing
Sees need for rich content; Experi-
menting, testing, & evaluating apps &
tools; Uses outsourced agency
Long term commitment to rich content;
Integrated platforms for WCM and CMS/
CDS; Internal staff and resources
Views content as primary lead gen tool;
Supports resources for rich content,
cross-channel marketing, and content
marketing apps
Tools &
Platforms
Complete, end-to-end system integra-
tion of WCM and CMS/CDS platforms
with tight integration to Enterprise
CRM, MA, and other legacy ERP
systems
Ad hoc development; Point tools for
email, content, & social media; No
mobile or video apps
Platforms that perform specific func-
tions with coordinated tools, apps, and
workflows
Platforms connected to each other (i.e.
WCM to CMS/CDS to Social Listening
API integration to Enterprise CRM and
MA systems)
Content
Marketing
CONTENT MARKETING
Maturity Model
10. Want to rate your organization’s Content Marketing maturity
with an interactive tool? Download our Content Marketing
Maturity Assessment and get started today!
Email
Marketing
Cross-Channel
Marketing
Metrics
Generates and publishes content
for marketing, social sharing, and/or
advertising sporadically
Relies on no/low cost Email Marketing
platform with pre-designed templates
for newsletter and/or email promos
No formal measurements in place
Analytics to monitor & track content
usage & response (content views,
social share, links earned, etc.)
Dashboard monitors content usage
& conversion; Tracks opens, clicks,
forwards, registers, purchases,
redeemed offers, etc.
Enterprise–wide dashboard with
content scoring, user acquisition, and
engagement by behavior, experience,
brand reach, etc.
Content Marketing for sales, marketing,
blogs, web traffic, and social channels
with usage and response tracking
Has regular Email Marketing campaign
with newsletters; drip system for
leads; list management and growth
programs in place
Enterprise-level CMS/CDS with multi-
channel, multi-product needs; Focused
on recommendation and amplification of
relevant, personalized content
Advances use of email for online events,
feedback, & surveys; Uses landing pages,
auto-responders, Facebook promo-
tions, coupons, & social sharing; Mobile
campaign design & delivery
Focused on content strategy, organiza-
tion of high volumes of content, auto-
mated workflows, one-click distribution,
& aggregated metrics
Email Marketing integrated with CMS
system from content list to order entry;
Enables list segmentation & lead
nurturing activities; Enterprise integra-
tion with CRM, MA, etc.
Content
Marketing STAGE 1 - Undefined STAGE 2 - Progressive STAGE 3 - Mature STAGE 4 - World-Class
Lead
Generation
Personalized & localized content;
Delivery to all devices in real-time
through custom content and marketing
apps; Native mobile optimized
Relies on website landing pages with
limited content targeting; Company
profiles on social networks; Posting is
sporadic
Offers rich media content, social
networks, blogs, Wikis (Web 2.0), etc.;
Growing subscriber lists for Email
Marketing
Convergence of content; social and
mobile content to drive leads from web;
marketing campaigns and events
CONTENT MARKETING
Maturity Model
V I E W R E S O U R C E
11. 11CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYTHE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING
Benefits of
Content Marketing
CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
12. 12CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYBENEFITS OF CONTENT MARKETING
The benefits of effective content marketing span most customerfacing parts
of the organization, especially marketing, sales, and customer service.
When visitors, buyers, and consumers interact with your content, they reveal
much about their preferences and interests. This information can be used to
provide them with a better experience that encourages them to purchase
your products and services.
The primary benefits of Content Marketing include:
Benefits of Content Marketing
Engage your audience with a relatable experience.
Tell a story that creates a relationship.
Attract the best sales prospects for your product or service.
Provide a consistent customer experience in the buyer’s journey.
Lower the cost of marketing campaigns.
Increase website, blog traffic, and SEO.
Collect more relevant and accurate customer data.
Provide a personalized, local experience that can be processed.
Build a stronger, more targeted email list.
Nurture leads to become sales opportunities.
Improve the quality of social sharing, referrals, and engagement.
Ensure message consistency across all marketing channels.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13. 13CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYTHE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING
Content Marketing
Deployment Lifecycle
CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
14. 14CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYCONTENT MARKETING DEPLOYMENT LIFECYCLE
Content Marketing Deployment Lifecycle
Content Marketing platforms fall into two categories – Web Content
Management (WCM) and Content Marketing & Distribution (CMS/CDS),
which will be discussed in detail in the Content Marketing Solutions Land-
scape portion of this report.
While both categories may include similar functionality and features, each
has a different end goal in mind. Consequently, the approach to imple-
menting and deploying solutions from each category vary.
In this section, we will discuss the separate lifecycles for WCM and CMS/
CDS platforms.
WCM Stages of Deployment
We see six stages in the deployment of WCM platforms, beginning with
content creation and circling to integration with other systems.
Figure 1 illustrates a common deployment lifecycle for WCM platforms.
WCM
Deployment
Lifecycle
Create
Content
Develop
Assets
Manage
Workflow
Manage &
Measure
Enterprise
System
Integration
Deliver to
Channels
1
2
3
4
5
6
FIGURE 1: WCM DEPLOYMENT LIFECYCLE
15. 15CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYCONTENT MARKETING DEPLOYMENT LIFECYCLE
CMS/CDS Stages of Deployment
For CMS/CDS platforms, we see seven stages in the deployment lifecycle,
beginning with developing a content strategy and progressing through to
measurement.
Figure 2 illustrates a common deployment cycle for CMS/CDS platforms.
CMS/CDS
Deployment
Lifecycle
Develop
Content Strategy
Create
Content
Discover &
Curate
Manage
Assets
Publish &
Distribute
Measure
Manage
Workflow
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
FIGURE 2: CONTENT MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION
DEPLOYMENT LIFECYCLE
16. 16CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYTHE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING
Vendor Selection Criteria
CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
17. 17CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYVENDOR SELECTION CRITERIA
Vendor Selection Criteria
We recommend that organizations evaluate vendors in the Content
Marketing solution space based on the lifecycles reviewed in the
Content Marketing Deployment Lifecycle section of this report.
Web Content Management and Content Marketing and Distribution
platforms should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for each
organization.
Figure 3 (next page) highlights the key functionality of a WCM platform
according to the level of complexity from Basic to Cutting-Edge.
Figure 4 (Page 19) highlights the key functionality of CMS/CDS platforms
based on the same four tiers. Use these graphics to determine the
features that are right for your company.
Download and complete Demand Metric’s Web Content
Management Vendor Evaluation or our Content Marketing &
Distribution Vendor Evaluation to assess several vendors at
one time to see which may work best for your organization.
V I E W R E S O U R C E
18. 18VENDOR SELECTION CRITERIA
CUTTING-EDGE
COMPREHENSIVE
STANDARD
BASIC
Mobile Marketing, Visualization Tools, Advanced Analytics
Editing & Publishing Tools, Workflow Management, Mobile Content & Social Media Channel Management,
Content Analytics & Lifecycle Workflow Integration, Social & Mobile Tool Integration, Enterprise System Integration
Content Creation; Delivery and Optimization, Editing Tools for Creation, Automation, & Collaboration;
Content Delivery Across Platforms, Channels, & Devices
Plug-ins & Add-ons, Open Source Content Management Platform, Third-party Developer Support
CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
FIGURE 3: WCM VENDOR SELECTION CRITERIA BY FUNCTIONALITY TIER
19. 19
CUTTING-EDGE
NICHE SOLUTION FEATURES
COMPREHENSIVE
STANDARD
BASIC
Content Strategy, High Content Volume Organization, Rich Media Campaigns, Automated Workflows,
One-Click Distribution, Aggregated Performance Metrics
3D Product Visualization Tools, Advanced Analytics
Universal Data Collection & Curation, Integrated with Creation & Distribution; Content Location & Scoring for
Relevance; Digital Asset, Social Media, & Content Trend Analytics
Content Sharing & Measurement Features, Recommendation Engine, Personalization of Content
(down to the street level)
Content Creation, Curation, Discovery, & Publishing Features
VENDOR SELECTION CRITERIA CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
FIGURE 4: CMS/CDS VENDOR SELECTION CRITERIA BY FUNCTIONALITY TIER
20. 20CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYTHE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING
The Content Marketing
Solutions Landscape
CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
21. 21CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYTHE CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTIONS LANDSCAPE
The Content Marketing Solutions Landscape
Overview Vendor Playing Fields
As mentioned previously, Content Marketing solutions fall
into two main categories:
Web Content Management Platforms – These
platforms provide the structure and functionality for
content creation and delivery across digital channels,
and integrate with key internal CRM and MA systems.
Key features include content management, editing
& publishing tools, workflow management, mobile
content & social media management, and analytics.
Content Marketing and Distribution Platforms –
These platforms provide the creation, organization,
management, distribution, and measurement of content
across all device types and channels. Key features
include content creation, discovery, customization,
recommendation, publishing, promoting & amplifying,
content workflow & asset management, and analytics.
In this study, we focused on vendors that offered platforms
with a technology infrastructure that supports multiple
applications rather than one-off applications.
Vendors were placed in their category based on what we
believe is their primary application focus, although many
provide application and feature sets that blend from one
platform category to the other.
22. 22CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYTHE CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTIONS LANDSCAPE
Web Content Management Systems
Vendors in the Web Content Management (WCM) market fall into
one of five levels based on the depth and breadth of their content
platform and applications, and their ability to manage content
across multiple distribution points. We ranked vendors in this
study on the following criteria:
Content Management Platform Capability
Creating, Editing, & Publishing Functionality
Content Workflow and Lifecycle Management
Delivery and Distribution of Content
Level of Task Automation
Team and Collaboration Capabilities
Social and Mobile Content Capabilities
Enterprise Integration
Depth of Analytics Supported
Figure 5 (next page) shows the progression of the WCM platform
vendors and their offerings.
Vendors fall into the following levels based on the above criteria:
Basic – At the basic level, platforms offer an open source content
management platform with features and tools for development
and administration of the WCM. Plug-ins, add-ons, and third-party
developers provide application support for the basic platforms.
Standard – At this level, these platforms focus on the creation,
delivery, and optimization of content with editing tools to create,
automate, and collaborate on content. They support content
delivery across all platforms, channels, and devices.
Comprehensive – At this level, platforms include editing/
publishing tools, workflow management, mobile content &
social media channel management, and analytics. Integrations
for content lifecycle workflows, social and mobile tools, and
enterprise systems are also supported.
Cutting-Edge – At the Cutting-Edge level, Web Content
Management platforms provide the key functions of the
Comprehensive level, including editing/publishing tools, workflow
management, social and mobile tools, and enterprise system
integration. Advanced functionality in one or two areas, such as
mobile marketing, visualization or analytics, may be seen.
Niche – These vendors do not have the full functionality of the
Standard or Comprehensive solutions. Instead, they offer one or
more unique features that make them stand out in the market, or
they provide a specialized solution to a smaller market segment.
24. 24THE CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTIONS LANDSCAPE
Content Marketing and Distribution Systems
Vendors in the Content Marketing and Distribution System (CMS
or CDS) landscape fall into five areas based on the functionality of
their content marketing and distribution platform, and their ability
to support or enhance the customer experience.
What separates the WCM vendors from CMS/CDS vendors is
that WCM vendors focus on content flow, organizational use, and
management. CMS/CDS vendors focus on the sales, marketing,
user experience, and user engagement aspects of the content.
Although the flow of content across the three types of platforms
may be similar, the end goals are different. We ranked vendors in
this category on the following criteria:
Support for Content Marketing Strategy and Process
Platform Support, Scalability, and Flexibility
Creation Capabilities
Content Organization (i.e. editorial calendars, repositories,
digital asset management, dashboard views)
Content Workflow Management (collaboration, workflow
management, notifications)
Discovery & Curation
Distribution & Publishing
Enterprise System Integration
Analytics
Figure6(nextpage)showstheprogressionoftheContentMarketing
and Distribution vendors and their product/service offerings.
Vendors fall into the following levels based on the above criteria:
Basic – At the Basic level, Content Marketing and Distribution
platforms generate, discover, curate, and publish content for
marketing, social sharing, and/or advertising.
Standard – At the Standard level, Content Marketing and
Distribution platforms focus on creating, discovering, publishing,
sharing, and measuring content. These platforms can include
recommendation engines for the amplification of relevant,
personalized content down to the user level.
Comprehensive – At this level, platforms support universal data
collection and curation integrated with content creation and
distribution through web, social, and mobile channels. Platforms
offer analytics on the use of digital assets, social media, and
content trends. Curation capabilities locate and score content
for relevance.
Cutting-Edge – At this level, platforms focus on content strategy,
organization of high volumes of content assets, rich media
campaigns, automated content workflow, centralized asset
management, one-click distribution to digital channels (social,
CMS, CRM, MA), and aggregated performance metrics.
Niche – These vendors do not have the full functionality of the
standard or comprehensive solutions. Instead, they offer one or
more unique features that make them stand out in the market, or
they provide a specialized solution to a smaller market segment.
CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
26. 26THE CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTIONS LANDSCAPE
Evolution of the Landscape
As the Content Marketing landscape evolves, Demand
Metric expects to see the following trends take shape
within the WCM and CMS/CDS platforms:
Deeper insights and analytics to enable marketers
to view and respond to user engagement with rele-
vant content.
Tighter integration between content marketing
and enterprise systems for a holistic customer view.
Richer content and media ads that increase user
engagement.
More personalized experiences with rich media
and relevant content through the integration of
user social profiles.
Increasing blend of owned, earned, and paid
media to create higher level of “trusted content.”
1
2
3
4
5
All of the vendors mentioned in this study can be deeply reviewed
in Demand Metric’s Content Marketing Vendors Matrix.
V I E W R E S O U R C E
CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
27. 27ANALYST BOTTOM LINEANALYST BOTTOM LINE
Analyst Bottom Line
Content Marketing is a critical component of Digital Marketing.
As noted in the beginning of this report, Content is King and
Context is Critical. That makes the choice of a Web Content
Management platform, and Content Marketing and Distribution
platform, vital to every marketing organization’s ability to create
a better customer experience.
As content marketing evolves, users and customers will become
less tolerant of content that is not directly relevant to their needs
and the stage of their buying journey.
The right content marketing strategy, combined with the right
platform and tools, will ensure that the modern marketing
organization uses its content for optimum marketing success.
CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
28. 28CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYTHE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING
C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G
A C T I O N P L A N
Follow this simple, step-by-step, methodology to develop a Content Marketing plan that increases sales,
builds customer insights, and grows brand awareness.
CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY
29. 29CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDY 29ACTION PLAN
Utilize our Content Marketing Maturity Assessment to eval-
uate your current systems and initiatives for Content Marketing.
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Review
Develop
Understand
Request
Identify
Select
Strategize
Train
Measure
1 Evaluate
Evaluate Your Content Marketing Maturity
V I E W R E S O U R C E
30. CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYACTION PLAN 30
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Review
1 Evaluate
Evaluate the organizational impact of making the change from
your current systems and processes to a Content Marketing
platform.
Use our Digital Marketing Roles Matrix to review the company
roles, responsibilities, processes, and technology that may be
impacted by the change.
Develop
Understand
Request
Identify
Select
Strategize
Train
Measure
Understand The Roles Required For World
Class Content Marketing
V I E W R E S O U R C E
31. CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYACTION PLAN 31
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Develop
1
Develop a solid 12-18 month plan for your Content Marketing
program with our Content Marketing Strategy Scorecard.
Build a Content Marketing Plan You Can
Share With Stakeholders
V I E W R E S O U R C E
Evaluate
Review
Understand
Request
Identify
Select
Strategize
Train
Measure
32. CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYACTION PLAN 32
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Understand
1
Review our Content Marketing Vendors Matrix to learn about
the key vendors/platforms in the Content Marketing space, and
to understand which vendors may work best for your company.
Discover and Research Key Content
Marketing Vendors
V I E W R E S O U R C E
Evaluate
Review
Request
Identify
Select
Strategize
Train
Measure
3 Develop
33. CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYACTION PLAN 33
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Request
1
Request proposals from potential vendors by creating
templates for each category you require:
Web Content Management
Content Marketing & Distribution
Obtain Proposals From Your Favorite Content
Marketing Vendors
V I E W R E S O U R C E
Evaluate
Review
Identify
Select
Strategize
Train
Measure
Develop
Understand
34. CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYACTION PLAN 34
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Identify
1
After receiving RFPs from potential vendors, schedule and attend
product/service demos with 3-4 vendors to get an up-close-and-
personal view of their solutions.
Follow these best practices:
prioritize your requirements and use cases
send your use cases to vendor in advance of demo
define meeting length (max 1 hour) up front
don’t let vendor control the demo
rate each vendor using a scorecard
have vendor demo their solution to your top use cases
make list of key items that vendor doesn’t have clear answers for
set clear expectations around follow-up and timeframes
Learn More About Your Potential Vendors’
Product and/or Service
Evaluate
Review
Select
Strategize
Train
Measure
Develop
Understand
Request
35. CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYACTION PLAN 35
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Select
1
In order to help you make your selection for each type of tech-
nology, evaluate your top 3-4 vendors in each category with
Web Content Management Vendor Evaluation
Content Marketing & Distribution Vendor Evaluation.
Find the Best Fit by Evaluating Vendors Using
Selection Criteria
V I E W R E S O U R C E
Evaluate
Review
Strategize
Train
Measure
Develop
Understand
Request
Identify
36. CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYACTION PLAN
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Strategize
1
Use our Content Marketing Playbook to create your plan.
Develop an implementation strategy and communication plan
to roll-out the initiative across the organization and through
your channels.
36
Follow Proven Best Practices to Content
Marketing Success
CONTENT MARKETING PLAN
Playbook & Toolkit
Follow this simple step-by-step playbook to develop a content marketing plan
that supports your company’s goals & objectives.
V I E W R E S O U R C E
Evaluate
Review
Train
Measure
Develop
Understand
Request
Identify
Select
37. CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYACTION PLAN
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Train
1
Develop an education/training plan for all affected personnel:
marketing, product development, operations, and sales.
37
Train Your Team About Content Marketing
Evaluate
Review
Measure
Develop
Understand
Request
Identify
Select
Strategize
CONTENT
MARKETING
Training Course S TA R T L E A R N I N G
38. CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYACTION PLAN
V I E W R E S O U R C E
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 Measure
1
Measure and track the progress of your Content Marketing
initiative with our Content Marketing Metrics Dashboard.
38
Track Key Content Marketing Metrics
Evaluate
Review
Develop
Understand
Request
Identify
Select
Strategize
Train
39. 39CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYOUR SOLUTION STUDY METHODOLOGY
Our Solution Study Methodology
The Modern Marketing landscape is an ever changing, ever evolving
environment in which new strategies, technologies, vendors, and
products appear continually. Demand Metric Solution Studies provide
marketers with a focus on a specific technology solution set or focus
area so that they are armed with the knowledge, information, and
tools they need to develop effective strategies and action plans for
their organizations.
Each Solution Study involves hours of analyst research, draws
information from interviews with vendor executives and established
vendor clients for a specific technology solution, and is usually
accompanied by a mini Tool-kit of practical resources. Solution Study
Tool-kits are designed to provide marketers with the tools & templates
they need to plan for an initiative in a given focus area, analyze the
vendor landscape, and select the best vendor for their organization.
Our Digital Marketing report series includes Solution Studies on:
Social Media Marketing
Mobile Marketing
CRM
Video Marketing
Public Relations
40. 40CONTENT MARKETING: SOLUTION STUDYABOUT DEMAND METRIC
Demand Metric provides Agile Marketing software powered
by 1,000+ practical tools and resources to help our members
complete their work faster and with more confidence.
Our community of 125,000+ global members is composed of
CEOs and business owners, marketing consultants and agen-
cies, marketing executives and managers, and professionals
who specialize in: product management, marketing operations,
sales enablement, customer engagement, demand genera-
tion, content marketing, project management, account-based
marketing, and other disciplines.
To learn more about Demand Metric, sign up for a free member-
ship at: www.demandmetric.com
V I E W W E B S I T E
About Demand Metric