CONTENT

MARKETING
Solution Study

Insights, Landscape, & Vendor Analysis

 CONTENT MARKETING
Solution Study

Table of Contents

1 Executive Summary 03

2 What is Content Marketing? 05

3 Content Marketing Maturity Model 08

4 Benefits of Content Marketing 11

5 Content Marketing Deployment Lifecycle 13

6 Vendor Selection Criteria 16

7 Content Marketing Solutions Landscape 20

8 Analyst Bottom Line 25

Action Plan 26

Our Solution Study Methodology 37

About 38
 CONTENT MARKETING
Solution Study

Executive Summary
 CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 4

Executive Summary
It has been said that “All Marketing is Digital Marketing,” and with good
reason! In the last decade, marketing has been transformed.
This Solution Study covers:
Marketing has moved from an environment in which traditional marketing,
brick and mortar storefronts, and Digital Marketing options all competed What is Content Marketing?
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).
Benefits of Content Marketing

In our Digital Marketing Solution Study Series, we examine five

components of Digital Marketing. Content Marketing
In this report, we will focus on the growing practice area of Content Deployment Lifecycle
Marketing and cover the following sections.

Vendor Selection Criteria

The Content Marketing

Solutions Landscape

Action Plan
THE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 5

CONTENT MARKETING
Solution Study

What is Content Marketing?

 CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 6

What is Content Marketing?

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.
Demand Metric defines Content Marketing as:
The strategies, processes, and technologies that
support the development, deployment, manage-
ment, and measurement of content used for
marketing and advertising.

More content is not the answer; it needs to be the right content. Content Marketing involves relevant, personalized
content that creates or changes the users’ experi-
Context is critical. As important as content is, it is equally true that the ence, attitudes, or preferences.
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.
Role in Digital Marketing
Our Content Marketing Solution Study looks at the range of content
Demand Metric considers Content Marketing to be an integral part of
platforms. We will examine the landscape, vendors, and solutions for
Digital Marketing, as illustrated by our Digital Marketing Roles Matrix on
the three foundation platforms – Web Content Management Platforms,
the next page.
Content Marketing Platforms, and Content Distribution Platforms.
Driven by the Content Marketing Manager, processes, technologies, and
These platforms and toolsets provide the structure that content marketers
WCM (Web Content Management) platforms are used by Senior Manage-
need to create relevant, personalized content for each of their individual
ment, Strategic Comm, Community & Social Media Managers, PR, and
audiences.
Product Marketing. The common metrics for Content Marketing include
content views, links earned, content conversion, and content published.
 DIGITAL MARKETING
ROLES RESPONSIBILITIES
Revenue Accountability
Senior
Staffing & Channel Management
Management
Reporting to CEO/Board
Brand Strategy Digital
Strategic
Marketing Strategy Social
Communications
Mobile Marketing Strategy
Lead Generation & Events
Demand
Inbound/Outbound Marketing
Generation
Sales Opportunity Management
Web Content Management
Content
Content Marketing
Marketing Content Distribution
Online Community Management
Community &
Social Listening
Social Media
Social Engagement
External Communications
Public Relations Media Relations
Analyst Relations
New Product Development Product Launch
Product
Mobile App Development Product Positioning
Marketing Video Production/Development Competitive Analysis
Interactive Experience
Customer
Customer Satisfaction
Experience Customer Advocacy
Roles Matrix
PROCESSES TECHNOLOGY CONTENT METRICS
Budgeting & Planning WCM Thought Leadership Blog Revenue by Channel
Reviews & Coaching Marketing Automation Webinar Presentations Customer Lifetime Value, NPS
Conference Keynotes Return on Customer (ROC)
Recruitment & Retention CRM
Marketing Budget WCM Data Sheets, Whitepapers Market Share, Profitability
Agency Management Content Marketing Platforms Case Studies/Testimonials Brand Equity
Communications Management Social Media Platforms Competitive Analysis Content Usage
Advertising/Sponsorship Marketing Automation/Email Advertising/SEO Campaign ROI, Email Metrics
Lead Generation Digital Asset Management Email Campaigns Marketing Qualified Leads
Event/Survey Management Contribution to Pipeline
Tradeshows Webinars
Content Creation WCM, Blogging Platforms, MA Website and Blogs Content Views, Links Earned
Campaign Analysis Content Mktg & Distribution eBooks, Articles Content Conversion
Video Marketing Platforms Content Published
Content Scoring Videos
Community Development WCM Posts, Tweets, Photos User Engagement
Social Channel Management Social Media Platforms Forums, Chats, Comments Sentiment Analysis
Social Reputation Management Social Channels & Networks
Articles, Community News Campaign ROI
Influencer Identification Media Contact Database News Content/Press Releases Mentions/Impressions
Relationship Cultivation News Distribution & Monitoring Thought Leadership Content Audience Growth & Engagement
Content Creation/Distribution Analytics & Reporting Rich Social Media Content Sentiment Analysis
WCM New Features/Ideas for R&D Avg. Revenue Per User
Mobile Development Platforms Gamification Avg. Order Value
Video Production Platforms Competitive Analysis Conversion Rate, Renewal Rate
Customer Experience Customer Profile Management Buyer Personas Customer Satisfaction Index
Customer Journey Mapping Customer Support, Twitter Customer Journey Map Customer Lifetime Value
Customer Persona Creation Survey & Social Channels Proposals, Presentations Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Content Marketing Maturity Model
As our Content Marketing Maturity Model (next page) illustrates, organi-
zations 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.
CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 8
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:
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.
Demand Metric’s Content Marketing Maturity Model can be used in
combination with the vendor landscape analysis and charts detailed in
the Content Marketing Solutions Landscape section of this report.
 CONTENT MARKETING
Maturity Model

STAGE 4 - World-Class
STAGE 3 - Mature
STAGE 2 - Progressive
Content STAGE 1 - Undefined
Defined, integrated strategy for
Marketing Content Marketing exists across the
Defined, integrated strategy and
Enterprise; Campaigns are tracked &
Defined strategy and processes exist processes exist for Content Marketing
measured by level of engagement &
No defined strategy or process for for Content Marketing in uncoordinated across the Enterprise
revenue impact
Orientation Content Marketing pockets

Views content as primary lead-gen

Sees need for rich content; Experi- Long-term commitment to rich content;
One-dimensional view of Content tool; Supports and resources for rich
Leadership Marketing as Web and Email Marketing
menting, testing & evaluating apps & Integrated platforms for WCM and CMS/
content, cross-channel marketing and
tools; Uses outsourced agency CDS; Internal staff and resources
content marketing apps

Budget allocated; Defined roles and Budget with business case to justify Budget connected to marketing goals;
Budgets for web & email marketing; Staff
Budget & responsibilities for Content Marketing; spend; Dedicated marketing roles for Aligned maximum Digital Marketing
is contracted or coordinator role; Budget
Staff spend for content is 15% or less
Budget spend is 25% or more for Content Marketing; Budget spend for impact; Budget spend for content more
content content up to 50% than 50%

Complete, end-to-end system

Ad hoc development; Point tools for
Tools & email, content & social media;
Platforms No mobile or video apps
Platforms connected to each
Platforms that perform specific integration of WCM and CMS/CDS
(i.e. WCM to CMS/CDS to Social
functions with coordinated tools, apps platforms with tight integration to
and workflows
Listening API integration to
Enterprise CRM, MA and other legacy
Enterprise CRM and MA systems)
ERP systems
 CONTENT MARKETING
Maturity Model
Content
Marketing STAGE 1 - Undefined STAGE 2 - Progressive STAGE 3 - Mature STAGE 4 - World-Class

Relies on website, landing pages with
Lead limited content targeting; Company
Generation profiles on social networks; Posting is
sporadic
Offers rich media content, social Personalized & localized content;
Convergence of content, social and
networks, blogs, Wikis (Web 2.0), etc.; Delivery to all devices in real-time
mobile content to drive leads from web,
Growing subscriber lists for Email
marketing campaigns and events
through custom content and marketing
Marketing apps; Native mobile optimized

Email Marketing integrated

Relies on no/low cost Email Marketing
Email platform with pre-designed templates
Marketing for newsletter and/or email promos
Advances use of email for online events,
Has regular Email Marketing campaign with CMS system from content
feedback & surveys; Uses landing pages,
with newsletters, drip system for eads,
auto-responders, Facebook promotions,
list to order entry; Enables list
list management and growth programs
coupons & social sharing; Mobile
segmentation & lead-
in place nurturing activities; Enterprise
campaign design & delivery
integration with CRM, MA, etc.

Focused on content strategy,

Generates and publishes content
Cross-Channel
for marketing, social sharing and/or
Marketing
advertising sporadically
Content Marketing for sales, marketing,
blogs, web traffic and social channels
with usage and response tracking
Enterprise-level CMS/CDS with multi-
organization of high volumes of
channel, multi-product needs; Focused
content, automated workflows,
on recommendation and amplification of
one-click distribution &
relevant, personalized content
aggregated metrics

Dashboard monitors content usage Enterprise–wide dashboard with

Analytics to monitor & track content
& conversion; Tracks opens, clicks, content scoring, user acquisition and
Metrics No formal measurements in place usage & response (content views,
forwards, registers, purchases, engagement by behavior, experience,
social share, links earned, etc.)
redeemed offers, etc. brand reach, etc.

Want to rate your organization’s Content Marketing maturity

with an interactive tool? Download our Content Marketing VIEW RESOURCE
Assessment and get started today!
THE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 11

CONTENT MARKETING
Solution Study

Benefits of
Content Marketing
 CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 12

Benefits of Content Marketing

The benefits of effective content marketing span most customerfacing parts The primary benefits of Content Marketing include:
of the organization, especially marketing, sales, and customer service.
1 Engage your audience with a relatable experience.
When visitors, buyers, and consumers interact with your content, they reveal
much about their preferences and interests. This information can be used to 2 Tell a story that creates a relationship.
provide them with a better experience that encourages them to purchase
your products and services. 3 Attract the best sales prospects for your product or service.

4 Provide a consistent customer experience in the buyer’s journey.

5 Lower the cost of marketing campaigns.

6 Increase website, blog traffic, and SEO.

7 Collect more relevant and accurate customer data.

8 Provide a personalized, local experience that can be processed.

9 Build a stronger, more targeted email list.

10 Nurture leads to become sales opportunities.

11 Improve the quality of social sharing, referrals, and engagement.

12 Ensure message consistency across all marketing channels.

THE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 13

CONTENT MARKETING
Solution Study

Content Marketing
Deployment Lifecycle
 CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 14

Content Marketing Deployment Lifecycle

Content Marketing platforms fall into two categories – Web Content FIGURE 1
Management (WCM) and Content Marketing & Distribution (CMS/ WCM Deployment Lifecycle
CDS), which will be discussed in detail in the Content Marketing Solu-
tions Landscape 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 6
implementing and deploying solutions from each category vary.
Enterprise
System 1
Create
Integration
In this section, we will discuss the separate lifecycles for WCM and CMS/ Content
CDS platforms.
5 WCM
WCM Stages of Deployment Manage &

We see six stages in the deployment of WCM platforms, beginning with

Measure Deployment
Lifecycle 2
Develop
content creation and circling to integration with other systems. Assets

Figure 1 illustrates a common deployment lifecycle for WCM platforms.

4
Deliver to
Channels 3
Manage
Workflow
CONTENT MARKETING DEPLOYMENT LIFECYCLE CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 15

CMS/CDS Stages of Deployment FIGURE 2

Content Marketing & Distribution Deployment Lifecycle
For CMS/CDS platforms, we see seven stages in the deployment life-
cycle, beginning with developing a content strategy and progressing
through to measurement.

Figure 2 illustrates a common deployment cycle for CMS/CDS platforms. 7 1

Measure
Develop
Content Strategy

6
Publish &
Distribute
CMS/CDS
Deployment
2
Create
Lifecycle Content

5
Manage
Assets
3
4 Discover &
Curate
Manage
Workflow
THE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 16

CONTENT MARKETING
Solution Study

Vendor Selection Criteria

 CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 17

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 Web Content Management Vendor

Evaluation or our Content Marketing & Distribution Vendor Eval-
VIEW RESOURCE
uation to assess several vendors at one time to see which may
work best for your organization.
VENDOR SELECTION CRITERIA CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 18

FIGURE 3
WCM Vendor Selection Criteria by Functionality Tier

CUTTING-EDGE Mobile Marketing, Visualization Tools, Advanced Analytics

Editing & Publishing Tools, Workflow Management, Mobile Content & Social Media Channel Management,
COMPREHENSIVE Content Analytics & Lifecycle Workflow Integration, Social & Mobile Tool Integration, Enterprise System Integration

Content Creation; Delivery and Optimization, Editing Tools for Creation, Automation, & Collaboration;
STANDARD Content Delivery Across Platforms, Channels, & Devices

BASIC Plug-ins & Add-ons, Open Source Content Management Platform, Third-party Developer Support
VENDOR SELECTION CRITERIA CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 19

FIGURE 4
CMS/CDS Vendor Selection Criteria by Functionality Tier

Content Strategy, High Content Volume Organization, Rich Media Campaigns, Automated Workflows,
CUTTING-EDGE One-Click Distribution, Aggregated Performance Metrics

Universal Data Collection & Curation, Integrated with Creation & Distribution; Content Location & Scoring for
COMPREHENSIVE Relevance; Digital Asset, Social Media, & Content Trend Analytics

Content Sharing & Measurement Features, Recommendation Engine, Personalization of Content

STANDARD
(down to the street level)

BASIC Content Creation, Curation, Discovery, & Publishing Features

NICHE SOLUTION FEATURES 3D Product Visualization Tools, Advanced Analytics

THE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 20

CONTENT MARKETING
Solution Study

Content Marketing
Solutions Landscape
 CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 21

Content Marketing Solutions Landscape

Overview
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.
Vendor Playing Fields
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.

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, manage-

ment, distribution, and measurement of content across all
device types and channels.

Key features include content creation, discovery, customiza-

tion, recommendation, publishing, promoting & amplifying,
content workflow & asset management, and analytics.
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
CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 22
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.
CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTIONS LANDSCAPE CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 23

Content Marketing and Distribution Systems

Vendors in the Content Marketing and Distribution System (CMS or CDS) Vendors fall into the following levels based on the above criteria:
landscape fall into five areas based on the functionality of their content
Basic – At the Basic level, Content Marketing and Distribution platforms
marketing and distribution platform, and their ability to support or enhance
generate, discover, curate, and publish content for marketing, social
the customer experience.
sharing, and/or advertising.
What separates the WCM vendors from CMS/CDS vendors is that WCM
Standard – At the Standard level, Content Marketing and Distribution
vendors focus on content flow, organizational use, and management. CMS/
platforms focus on creating, discovering, publishing, sharing, and
CDS vendors focus on the sales, marketing, user experience, and user
measuring content. These platforms can include recommendation
engagement aspects of the content. Although the flow of content across
engines for the amplification of relevant, personalized content down to
the three types of platforms may be similar, the end goals are different. We
the user level.
ranked vendors in this category on the following criteria:
Support for Content Marketing Strategy and Process Comprehensive – At this level, platforms support universal data collection
and curation integrated with content creation and distribution through
Platform Support, Scalability, and Flexibility
web, social, and mobile channels. Platforms offer analytics on the use
Creation Capabilities
of digital assets, social media, and content trends. Curation capabilities
Content Organization (i.e. editorial calendars, repositories, digital locate and score content for relevance.
asset management, dashboard views)
Cutting-Edge – At this level, platforms focus on content strategy,
Content Workflow Management (collaboration, workflow
management, notifications) organization of high volumes of content assets, rich media campaigns,
automated content workflow, centralized asset management, one-click
Discovery & Curation
distribution to digital channels (social, CMS, CRM, MA), and aggregated
Distribution & Publishing
performance metrics.
Enterprise System Integration
Niche – These vendors do not have the full functionality of the standard
Analytics
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 SOLUTIONS LANDSCAPE CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 24

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:

1 Deeper insights and analytics to enable marketers to view and

respond to user engagement with relevant content.

2 Tighter integration between content marketing and enterprise

systems for a holistic customer view.

3 Richer content and media ads that increase user engagement.

4 More personalized experiences with rich media and relevant

content through the integration of user social profiles.

5 Increasing blend of owned, earned, and paid media to create

higher level of “trusted content.”

Most of the vendors mentioned in this study can be deeply reviewed

VIEW RESOURCE
in Content Marketing Vendors Matrix.
 CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 25

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.
THE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 26

CONTENT MARKETING
ACTION PLAN

Follow this simple, step-by-step, methodology to develop a Content Marketing plan that increases sales,
builds customer insights, and grows brand awareness.
ACTION PLAN CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 27

1 Evaluate

2 Review Evaluate Your Content Marketing Maturity

3 Develop Utilize our Content Marketing Maturity Assessment to eval-

uate your current systems and initiatives for Content Marketing.

4 Understand

5 Request VIEW RESOURCE

6 Identify

7 Select

8 Strategize

9 Train

10  Measure
ACTION PLAN CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 28

1 Evaluate

Understand The Roles Required For World

2 Review
Class Content Marketing
3 Develop
Evaluate the organizational impact of making the change from
your current systems and processes to a Content Marketing
4 Understand
platform.

Use our Digital Marketing Roles Matrix to review the company

5 Request roles, responsibilities, processes, and technology that may be
impacted by the change.

6 Identify

7 Select
VIEW RESOURCE

8 Strategize

9 Train

10  Measure
ACTION PLAN CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 29

1 Evaluate

2 Review Build a Content Marketing Plan You Can

Share With Stakeholders

3 Develop
Develop a solid 12-18 month plan for your Content Marketing
program with our Content Marketing Strategy Scorecard.
4 Understand

5 Request
VIEW RESOURCE

6 Identify

7 Select

8 Strategize

9 Train

10  Measure
ACTION PLAN CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 30

1 Evaluate

2 Review Discover and Research Key Content

Marketing Vendors
3 Develop
Review our Content Marketing Vendors Matrix to learn about

4 Understand the key vendors/platforms in the Content Marketing space, and

to understand which vendors may work best for your company.

5 Request

VIEW RESOURCE
6 Identify

7 Select

8 Strategize

9 Train

10  Measure
ACTION PLAN CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 31

1 Evaluate

2 Review Obtain Proposals From Your Short List of

Content Marketing Vendors
3 Develop
Send an RFP (request for proposal) to your short list of vendors:

4 Understand Web Content Management

Content Marketing & Distribution

5 Request

6 Identify VIEW RESOURCE

7 Select

8 Strategize

9 Train

10  Measure
ACTION PLAN CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 32

1 Evaluate

2 Review Learn More About Your Potential Vendors’

Product and/or Service
3 Develop
After receiving RFPs from potential vendors, schedule and attend
product/service demos with 3-4 vendors to get an up-close-and-
4 Understand
personal view of their solutions.

Follow these best practices:

5 Request
prioritize your requirements and use cases

6
send your use cases to vendor in advance of demo
Identify
define meeting length (max 1 hour) up front
don’t let vendor control the demo
7 Select
rate each vendor using a scorecard
have vendor demo their solution to your top use cases
8 Strategize
make list of key items that vendor doesn’t have clear answers for
set clear expectations around follow-up and timeframes
9 Train

10  Measure
ACTION PLAN CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 33

1 Evaluate

2 Review Find the Best Fit by Evaluating Vendors Using

Selection Criteria
3 Develop
In order to help you make your selection for each type of tech-
nology, evaluate your top 3-4 vendors in each category with
4 Understand
Web Content Management Vendor Evaluation
Content Marketing & Distribution Vendor Evaluation.
5 Request

6 Identify
VIEW RESOURCE

7 Select

8 Strategize

9 Train

10  Measure
ACTION PLAN CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 34

1 Evaluate

2 Review Follow Proven Best Practices to Content

Marketing Success
3 Develop
Develop an implementation strategy and communication plan
to roll-out the initiative across the organization and through
4 Understand
your channels.

Use our Content Marketing Playbook to create your plan.

5 Request

6 Identify
VIEW RESOURCE

7 Select

8 Strategize

9 Train

10  Measure
ACTION PLAN CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 35

1 Evaluate

2 Review Train Your Team About Content Marketing

3 Develop Develop an education/training plan for all affected personnel:

marketing, product development, operations, and sales.

4 Understand

S TA R T L E A R N I N G
5 Request

6 Identify

7 Select

8 Strategize

9 Train

10  Measure
ACTION PLAN CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 36

1 Evaluate

2 Review Track Key Content Marketing Metrics

3 Develop Measure and track the progress of your Content Marketing

initiative with our Content Marketing Metrics Dashboard.

4 Understand

5 Request VIEW RESOURCE

6 Identify

7 Select

8 Strategize

9 Train

10  Measure
 CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 37

Our Solution Study Methodology

The Modern Marketing landscape is an ever changing, ever evolving Our Digital Marketing report series includes Solution Studies on:
environment in which new strategies, technologies, vendors, and
Content Marketing
products appear continually.
Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ)
Demand Metric Solution Studies provide marketers with a focus
on a specific technology solution set or focus area so that they are Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
armed with the knowledge, information, and tools they need to Email Marketing
develop effective strategies and action plans for their organizations.
Enablement Knowledge Management
Each Solution Study involves hours of analyst research, draws infor- Marketing Automation
mation from interviews with vendor executives and established
Mobile Marketing
vendor clients for a specific technology solution, and is usually
accompanied by a mini Tool-kit of practical resources. Public Relations

Solution Study Tool-kits are designed to provide marketers with the Sales Communication
tools & templates they need to plan for an initiative in a given focus Sales Intelligence
area, analyze the vendor landscape, and select the best vendor for
Social Media Marketing
their organization.
Video Marketing
 About ANA

The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) makes a difference for indi-

viduals, brands, and the industry by driving growth, advancing the interests
of marketers and promoting and protecting the well-being of the marketing
community.

Founded in 1910, the ANA provides leadership that advances marketing excel-
lence and shapes the future of the industry. The ANA’s membership includes
more than 1,000 companies with 15,000 brands that collectively spend or
support more than $400 billion in marketing and advertising annually. The
membership is comprised of more than 750 client-side marketers and 300
associate members, which include leading agencies, law firms, suppliers,
consultants, and vendors.

Further enriching the ecosystem is the work of the nonprofit ANA Educa-
tional Foundation (AEF), which has the mission of enhancing the under-
standing of advertising and marketing within the academic and marketing
communities.
 About Demand Metric

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training, and a simple, modern platform for managing work.

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THE EVOLUTION OF SHOPPER MARKETING CONTENT MARKETING SOLUTION STUDY 40

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