Gartner defines content marketing platforms (CMPs) as software solutions that support the end-to-end content production process. These solutions facilitate creating and curating text, video, images, graphics, audio, e-books, white papers and interactive content assets that are distributed through paid and owned channels. These assets are used to tell connected stories that help brands engage with and nurture multiple audiences with content that drives awareness, demand, purchases and loyalty. CMPs enable the fundamentals of content marketing — specifically, content strategy, editorial planning, creative workflow, distribution and performance measurement — to drive a coordinated approach and standardized production process at scale. CMPs collect and analyze data to inform content creation and reuse, streamline operations and iterate on content to improve marketing effectiveness. These platforms can also generate branded iterations of content for different audiences using artificial intelligence and human creators. They enable internal teams, external contributors and agencies involved in content creation to coordinate efforts across projects and campaigns.
Gartner defines marketing work management (MWM) platforms as a self-service system of record for marketing projects and productivity. MWM platforms provide a holistic view into past, current and planned work and enable the optimization of resources applied to marketing initiatives. MWM platforms offer intake management, resource allocation, project orchestration, operational performance measurement and workflow automation, and more. Native or integrated tools may enable varying degrees of strategic, financial and talent planning.