Content Marketing Platform or Project Management Software− which is the best fit for you?

Creating a sense of organization within your company is what helps to hold it together while also providing a clear vision for future growth. Without this organization, however, the mission, the drive, and the day-to-day work can easily become cloudy and invisible. 

When it comes to your marketing needs – especially your content – remaining organized is incredibly important. In order to succeed in your efforts, you need a well-structured content planning that makes it easy for you to keep track of the multiple production steps, who is in charge of each of them, and when you should expect to have them and the final piece completed in order to manage your distribution and meet your deadlines.  Keeping all these parts organized and flowing smoothly is key for the functionality of the whole process. In fact, missing a part or taking the wrong action can destroy months of marketing campaign efforts.

Most marketing leaders are aware that these needs are there. Sadly, however, the majority of them still struggle for not having found the best solution to manage their entire projects. Those who have tried to take the next step in this direction often use a combination of tools, like spreadsheets and a calendar, manually managed or end up relying on some form of project management software. While these options work, neither of them allow you to have a really streamlined process as a Content Marketing Platform would.

Choosing the right option will help you effectively create a solid workflow, a well-formed and integrated team, step-by-step organization, and everything else that can take your content marketing woes and turn them into wows. Now, what’s the difference between a project management tool and a CMP, and which one is the best fit for your needs? Come with us and we’ll show you!

What does your content planning currently look like?

It is undeniable that you can’t do content marketing without any plan, not unless you want to obtain tangible results from it. However, you may still often find yourself lost among your several spreadsheets, glueing sticky notes on the wall to remind you of important actions, or noticing your calendar reminder just poped-up to remind you that you are unable to meet a preset deadline. 

If any of this sounds familiar to you, then perhaps you need to take some time to focus on how you handle your content planning. Having different items in various locations for your marketing efforts, it is easy to get yourself into a bind. For instance, you may lose your notes, forget to follow up on an important step, or even overlook your posting deadline. Not only it can be a frustrating headache for you – it is not good for your content marketing success, either. 

In an ideal world, you may see yourself with a streamlined content marketing process that would allow you to clearly define and delegate tasks, view every step of your process from brainstorming to production, to distribution, and to analyze the effectiveness of your campaign. Your work would flow from step to step. But, again, that is just a daydream. Or, is it? 

What is project management software? Can it really cover all you need? 

Project management software is a type of generically designed program to help teams work together on any type of project. In general, they allow you to create stages for your project and to create a timeline for its completion, though the details of the software program will depend on the one you choose. And, they are wonderful tools to assist your team members in their communication efforts. 

Whether you are currently using a project management software or you are now considering it, keep in mind that they are not designed specifically for content marketing. And – while they do have some perks for other types of projects – when it comes to fulfilling your content planning, you may want to focus on a platform designed specifically for it. 

What is a content marketing platform – and what does it do for you? 

Let’s take a moment to look at the following example: 

You just signed up for your first half-marathon and have just calendared a rigorous training program. But, before you can start, you must buy some shoes. Now, you know that not just any shoe will meet your running needs. You will have to forego the flip flops, the heels, and even your old faithful Converse. What you need is a pair of running shoes. Finding the right pair of running shoes will keep your feet healthy and happy as you start running. 

A content marketing platform is like the perfect pair of running shoes. It is the platform that will allow you to have a seamless content management process because it was designed to do just that. 

Unlike project management tools, a content marketing platform is designed for the sole purpose of bringing your team and your content directly in front of your ideal persona as effectively and efficiently as possible. As you work to develop a content strategy that will give you the results you are looking for, this platform will help you keep your planning on track so you are able to meet your desired outcome and get the greatest ROI from your marketing efforts.

To dive a bit deeper into a content marketing platform, here are a few features you will find: 

• Personalized workflow allowing you to assign roles to team members who will have a flowing pipeline to keep the process moving. 
• A publishing calendar to control your editorial chronogram. This means that you will be able to easily maintain a consistent publishing schedule without ever missing another deadline. 
• Team connection and collaboration. This platform will provide the perfect place to come together and keep ideas and tools for a transparent, streamlined service.
• Integrations with main outlets. Not only does this make content marketing easier, but it is also an essential part of streamlining. With the click of a button on the platform, your content can go right where you need it to. 

How to know if you need a Content Marketing Platform? 

If you are ready for something more specific for your content marketing needs, then a content marketing platform is what you need. To put it bluntly, project management software is equivalent to running your half-marathon in flip flops – it will get you to the finish line, but it won’t be the smoothest race. 

You are ready to take your business to the next level which means you need to develop a solid content strategy. And, no strategy will bring you results unless it becomes an ongoing plan. For that, you need to take actionable steps that will get you there, such as:

• Having a place where you and your team can come together to share ideas, brainstorm topics, and put together a clear and solid foundation for your latest content marketing campaign. 
• Approving, scheduling, and monitoring content as it flows through the pipeline. 
• Loading up all your social media and blog content in advance so you don’t have to worry about getting sidetracked or having any time of no activity. 
• Measuring the results of your campaigns. Did you reach the intended audience? Did you get the clicks or response you were seeking? Having clear access to your analytics is crucial to reaching the right audience and initiating the right response.

These steps – and more – can give you an easy and effective way to manage your content. All you need to get started is a well-designed content marketing platform.  

Invite a content marketing program into your life today. 

The time is now. Contentools has developed a content marketing platform with many perks for your business. 

• Regain control over your marketing team. 
• Create a visual experience for your content strategy and clearly view it all on an easy-to-use dashboard. 
• Maintain your editorial calendar in one place. See what is ready to be published, as well as when and where it will be. 
• Make smart decisions based on the measurable results you will receive. 
• Connect with thousands of available tools that integrate seamlessly to help you automate all sides of your marketing and go even further.

If you are ready to discover how you can reach better content planning, it’s time to get started with Contentools. Request your free demo today and let our specialists help you find the version of our CMP that best fits your needs.