In the frenzied world of modern marketing, the battle for consumer attention rages on, and the latest casualty in this ongoing war? Content management.

A freshly minted report, “The State of CMS 2024,” has laid bare the escalating struggle of marketers grappling with the relentless demands of omnichannel campaigns. Commissioned by industry heavyweight Storyblok and surveying 1,719 businesses across five nations, this eye-opening study shines a harsh light on the growing chaos within the realm of content management.

According to the findings, a staggering 27% of organizations are now juggling between four to five Content Management Systems (CMSs) to keep their marketing strategies afloat—a dramatic surge from a mere 11% reported in 2023. This uptick signifies a seismic shift in the approach to content management, with only a paltry 19% of companies sticking to a single CMS—a far cry from the 43% who embraced such simplicity back in 2022.

But why the sudden fragmentation in CMS usage? The answer lies in the relentless pursuit of omnichannel excellence. With consumers expecting seamless experiences across multiple touchpoints, a whopping 67% of organizations cite the need for omnichannel capabilities as the driving force behind their CMS proliferation. In a bid to stay ahead of the curve, more than half (53%) deem omnichannel as the paramount feature when selecting a CMS—a clear sign of the times.

Yet, even amidst this frantic scramble for content supremacy, a glaring issue persists: 43% of respondents still lament the lack of easier and improved content scaling from their CMS—a sobering reminder of the uphill battle marketers face in meeting the ever-evolving needs of the digital age.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. As the industry hurtles towards a future dominated by IoT technologies, respondents foresee a significant shift from traditional websites to emerging platforms like AR/VR, voice-activated speakers, and smartwatches. This seismic transition underscores the urgent need for a future-ready content approach—a sentiment that Storyblok CEO and Co-Founder Dominik Angerer echoed.

“A large CMS migration has been underway for years now, and our latest data confirms that it’s only going to accelerate,” remarked Angerer. “Companies are tired of being locked into CMSs that don’t offer the flexibility, productivity, and performance they need.”

Indeed, with 74% of non-headless users poised to make the switch to headless CMS in the next two years, the tide seems to be turning in favor of adaptability and innovation. And for those who’ve already taken the leap, the rewards are plentiful, with a staggering 99% reporting improvements, including increased ROI and productivity gains.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve at breakneck speed, one thing remains abundantly clear: in the relentless pursuit of consumer engagement, content chaos may be inevitable, but with the right tools and strategies, victory is within reach.