What to do before buying a martech platform with AI context
Your team already owns the hardest part of AI context: deciding what's approved, what's off-limits, and who gets the final say.
Contributor
Gene De Libero's latest articles
Adding AI or headcount won’t fix a marketing skills gap
AI can increase output while creating more work for your best people. Three practical checks can help you avoid that trap.
Martech category labels don’t mean anything anymore
Six years of DXP homepage snapshots show how quickly martech vendors change their labels — and how little those labels reveal about the product.
Here’s the first martech category replaced by AI
CI tools are losing ground to ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Here's why stale battlecards may be the bigger problem.
If your martech stack could talk, what would it say?
Good martech tools can't deliver value without ownership, governance, and the operational discipline to keep them working together.
The rip-and-replace pitch is out of step with today’s buyers
The default martech sales motion asks you to tear out your stack and bet 18 months on a rebuild. Buyers increasingly prefer a different path.
Your team has already voted on your martech stack
When marketing teams lose faith in enterprise platforms, unofficial tools and hidden workflows take over.
The martech investment nobody budgets for
Martech performance depends on more than tools. Training, process, and data discipline determine whether your stack delivers results.
The truth about martech in 2026
AI is exposing what your martech stack can’t hide. In 2026, teams without the skills and processes to support it won’t be able to prove ROI.
Why connected customer experiences keep failing
Your martech stack probably isn't the problem. Your operating model is. Here's what a panel of practitioners agreed needs to change.
Your AI is not helping if it makes me do the work
Execution that actually ships still happens manually. That gap between intent and outcome is why AI in martech keeps adding work.
Why approved web pages still don’t go live and how AI bridges the gap
AI removes the handoffs between design systems, CMS, data platforms and compliance that turn simple launches into months-long projects.
Marketing artificial intelligence (AI)
Is your martech evaluation process still stuck in a pre-AI world?
AI is everywhere in martech — but if your vendor evaluation process hasn’t changed, you’re not ready to tell the difference between hype and real capability.
Digital experience platform (DXP)
How AI could make your next DXP migration actually work
Your last migration crashed and burned. What if you could eliminate the technical bottlenecks that derailed it?
Digital experience platform (DXP)
You can’t automate brand voice, but you can train AI to respect it
AI won’t stay on brand unless you teach it how. Use DXPs and custom assistants to scale consistent, credible content without losing brand identity.
The martech refresh cycle is a myth
Vendors push unneeded upgrades, forcing marketing leaders into cycles of constant, costly replacements that solve nothing.
Why vendor agility often trumps analyst rankings
Enterprise platforms may offer strong features, but their scale and processes often lack the speed, customization or flexibility you need.
Why composable architecture demands more than vendor promises
Vendors sell composable architecture as plug-and-play. The reality? Success requires strategy, dedicated teams and ongoing investment.
An honest guide to smart martech modernization
Stop apologizing for your "outdated" stack. While competitors chase shiny new tools, you can build something lean, effective and profitable.
An outcome-driven framework for core martech selection
Make smarter martech choices with a four-point framework that connects marketing needs to business outcomes and technical realities.
Marketing artificial intelligence (AI)
Why AI-powered customer engagement projects fail before they start
AI for customer engagement sounds simple — until data gaps, team silos and missing talent derail it. Here’s what it really takes to succeed.
Integration isn’t a martech problem, it’s an organizational one
If your integration “works” but customers still suffer, the issue isn’t technical. It’s structural and solvable.
Digital experience platform (DXP)
3 critical truths about DXP platform selection
Most DXP investment failures stem not from missing features, but broken fundamentals. Consider these truths before inking the deal.
The truth about martech in 2025 and how to make it work for you
AI-powered everything might sound great, but if your martech stack isn’t delivering results, it’s time for a reality check.
The hidden costs of martech sprawl and how to overcome them
Martech sprawl is real: too many tools, too little impact. Cut through the noise and invest in martech that truly moves the needle.
Stop defending your marketing budget — start proving its value
Shrinking budgets aren't a crisis but an opportunity to reimagine marketing. See how smart CMOs cut bloat and drive revenue.
5 steps to ensure business goals lead your martech strategy
Cut through the noise of new martech trends. These insights will help you focus on solutions that create lasting business value.
Why your marketing team needs training, not just tech, in the age of AI
AI promises big wins, but tools alone won’t get you there. It’s your team’s skills and adaptability that truly unlock AI’s potential.
How to unlock the power of personalization through edge computing
Deliver hyper-personalized experiences by processing customer data instantly, creating seamless interactions right when they matter most.
How CX transforms marketing from cost center to revenue engine
Key strategies and real-world examples of how customer experience can turn marketing into a revenue powerhouse.
7 strategies for getting the most from your martech stack
20% of your tools drive 80% of your results, but how do you determine which tools they are?
How to leverage the 80/20 rule for martech efficiency and ROI
Unravel the complexities of your martech stack by identifying the tools driving most of your marketing success.
How martech vendors can navigate the slow death of net-new deals
The martech industry has reached saturation. Explore the challenges vendors face and strategies to adapt in an era of declining net-new deals.
3 more pointers to navigate the confusing martech marketplace
Strategic advice on AI implementation, data privacy and accessibility best practices and seamless martech integration.
The great debate: Activity vs. results
Effort or results — what really drives a business forward? Jump into a debate that’s sparking lively conversations across industries.
Unifying projects and products: The power of program management in martech
Explore the strategic role of programs in aligning product management, project management and MOps to drive sustainable growth.
Skills-based hiring for modern marketing teams
Modern CMOs must prioritize skills over degrees, building teams skilled in data, technology and creativity for today's dynamic digital landscape.
Aligning martech with your business strategy: Your blueprint for success
Practical insights for CMOs looking to effectively align martech with business strategy in their organizations.
How strategic martech integration drives business growth
Explore how integrating your martech platforms and tools can enhance your marketing strategy and drive meaningful business growth.
The CMO’s guide to aligning martech and business strategy
Learn how syncing your martech stack with overall business vision and goals can improve efficiency, customer satisfaction and growth.