Report forecasts significant web content management growth

WinterGreen Research is forecasting significant growth for web content management systems over the next seven years as companies shift to web 2.0 and XML technologies. The report predicts that much of this growth will be focused on marketing efforts to get more eyeballs on websites, and to keep them there with interesting and interactive experiences. As for numbers, WinteGreen says the current web content management market for this year is around $372 million and will grow to $2 billion by 2014 as more companies use web CM.

It's always difficult to know how seriously to take such projections, but it does seem clear that sites that engage visitors will be more successful and without a web content management system on the back end, driving the visitor experience, that will more difficult to achieve. As we move forward, it's entirely likely that the visitor will expect and demand content based on individual tastes, needs, history and other factors. It seems like a logical leap of faith that as this happens, more companies will invest in web content management systems and that will drive industry growth.

What's more, the report states quite rightly that as marketing departments spread out across wide geographical areas and seek to deliver a unified marketing message, web content management will help define a common look and feel for company websites across international markets enabling an organization to maintain a consistent brand, while still allowing local countries to customize the content based on local needs and norms.

Who knows if the numbers are pie in the sky or an accurate prediction of the market to come, but WinterGreen does give solid arguments to support its growth predictions and it seems entirely likely that web content management will see significant growth in the coming years.

For more information:
- see the report overview