Web content management shakeout expected

If you're thinking of buying Web content management tools, choose carefully, because there is about to be a severe shakeout in the market.

This, and the fact that the market is likely to hit US$10 billion by the end of 2004 are key findings in a report produced by research and consulting firm META Group.

The METAspectrum report states that the market is ripe for consolidation and many of the enterprise content management providers will depart during the next year, leaving a small group of pure-play WCM providers and a significantly larger enterprise content management-oriented segment.

"Given the accelerating consolidation in the Web content management (WCM) market through 2003, users should aggressively evaluate a vendor's long-term viability and strategy," said Andrew Warzecha, senior vice president with META Group's Electronic Business Strategies service.

The report states: About 60 per cent of Global 2000 organisations had purchased a WCM package, with less than five per cent of those being used for more than one Web site or considered strategic. More than 95 per cent of Global 2000 organisations are expected to purchase a package by 2004.

More than 60 per cent of G2000 WCM deals are influenced by partners.

Gaps among vendor products have closed significantly.

Ease of business-user content creation via is become as important as pricing and vendor viability.

Organisational assets, strategy, differentiation, and customer base are important criteria in assessing vendors' long-term viability.

For B2C e-commerce sites, prebuilt integration with personalisation is key.

Portal integration is growing in importance as organisations recognise the need for a robust content infrastructure to support portal initiatives.