Magic Quadrant for Account-Based Marketing Platforms
Gartner defines account-based marketing (ABM) platforms as software that enables B2B marketing and sales teams to run ABM programs at scale, including account discovery and selection, planning, engagement, and reporting. Platforms enable the creation of target account lists by unifying first- and third-party data. In addition, platforms may engage audiences by activating channels such as display advertising, social advertising, email and sales engagement using a mix of native capabilities and integrations. ABM platforms help B2B marketers and sellers to create a set of target accounts and engage buying team members with relevant outreach and content to help buyers explore and evaluate their solutions.
No strategic planning assumptions provided.
Vendors must, among other requirements:
A: This research evaluates eight vendors offering stand-alone account-based marketing (ABM) platforms that enable B2B marketing and sales teams to run ABM programs at scale. It covers platforms that provide capabilities including account discovery and selection, planning, engagement across multiple channels (display advertising, social, email, personalized webpages, sales engagement), and reporting. The research focuses exclusively on purpose-built, stand-alone ABM solutions and does not include vendors that offer ABM capabilities as part of B2B marketing automation or CRM lead management platforms. It analyzes vendors based on their Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision across criteria including product capabilities, viability, sales execution, customer experience, market understanding, strategy, and innovation.
A: This research should be used by B2B marketers responsible for leading ABM initiatives, particularly demand generation leaders who need to evaluate ABM platforms. It helps marketers: (1) understand the evaluation criteria for determining vendors' Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision, (2) assess vendors' specific strengths and cautions, (3) evaluate vendors across all four quadrants (Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries, Niche Players) based on alignment with their requirements and goals, (4) build business cases and requests for proposals considering integration complexity with existing martech systems, and (5) develop comprehensive plans for upskilling end users and maximizing time to value. The research should be used in conjunction with the companion Critical Capabilities for Account-Based Marketing Platforms research and other ABM best practices publications.
A: Vendors must provide: (1) Discovery, creation and management of target account lists and audiences by unifying first- and third-party data; (2) Account-level intent data with at least one native intent data source included with the platform license; (3) Native user experience for orchestrating and managing display advertising campaigns; (4) Journey orchestration and campaign activation across multiple channels to drive engagement and progression in the buyer's journey; and (5) Account measurement and analytics to quantify performance across channels, campaigns and programs.
A:
A: Ability to Execute focuses on a vendor's current operational capabilities, including product quality, financial health, sales effectiveness, market responsiveness, marketing execution, customer support, and operational efficiency. It evaluates how well vendors can deliver on their promises today. Completeness of Vision assesses a vendor's strategic direction and future-oriented thinking, including market understanding, marketing and sales strategy, product roadmap, business model soundness, vertical/industry focus, innovation investments, and geographic expansion plans. It evaluates how well vendors understand market trends and position themselves for future success.