Insights on Marketing & Technology

First aid for your WCM shortlist: Gartner's Critical Capabilities

Gartner defines Web content management (WCM) as the process of controlling the content to be consumed over multiple digital channels through the use of specific management tools based on a core repository. These may be procured as commercial products, open-source tools or hosted service offerings. Product functions go beyond simply publishing Web content, to include:

• Content creation functions such as templating, workflow and change management
• WCM repositories that organize and provide metadata about the content
• Library services such as check-in/check-out, version control and security
• Content deployment functions that deliver prepackaged or on-demand content to Web server
• A high degree of interoperability with adjacent technologies, such as CRM, marketing resource management, digital asset management (DAM) and Web analytics
• Real-time adaptation to visitor interaction
• Good integration with delivery tiers, such as e-commerce, social media and portal software

Gartner's "Critical Capabilities for Web Content Management" report evaluates how 19 WCM systems meet leading-edge requirements in five use cases. It can help you clarify goals and objectives and narrow your WCM shortlist.