OnFulfillment Blog | Marketing Asset Management (11)

If were playing a round of word association and I shouted out “Content!” you’d probably holler back, “Marketing!” Like Pavlov’s dogs, we’re just conditioned that way in 2015. Content’s importance as a marketing strategy is big and getting bigger.Late last year, according to IDC, CMOs at the largest tech companies said that “Building out content marketing as an organizational competency was the 2^nd most important initiative, only behind ROI.” As a result (or an indication, actually), tech companies have been pouring money, staff and energy into developing their content marketing efforts.

Do you sometimes wonder if there’s any other marketing besides content marketing? In 2008, Seth Godin said it’s the only marketing left. In 2014, a post on Forbes’ web site included a statement saying that “by 2013, use of content marketing had jumped across corporations from 60% a year or so before, to 93% as part of their overall marketing strategy.” And according to CMI’s 2013 benchmark study, 91% of B2B marketers are using content marketing.

Imagine you’ve searched for months to find the perfect nanny for your active kids. In walks a modern-day Mary Poppins, with a decade of experience, glowing recommendations, and the sweetest of personalities. Even your kids take a shine to her.

Would you hire her on the spot, no questions asked? Hardly. There are important questions every parent asks someone they’re considering leaving in charge of their precious offspring.

You’d grill her, we daresay, to make sure she’s 100% trustworthy and responsible.

Investing in a marketing portal isn’t the same as hiring a nanny, granted. But it’s a major commitment of time and resources. Once you’ve chosen a portal provider, you don’t want to find out after the fact that the company looked great on paper but turned out to be a disaster.