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News about Awards

<hr /> The Oscars might have <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conclave_(film)">Conclave</a>, but we have content. And Demi Moore can have <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Substance">The Substance</a> – because we've got the schema. Sure, it would be great for Conan O'Brien to host the 13th edition of our world-famous <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/cms-critic-awards">CMS Critic Awards</a>, but we've got something even better than the Academy: You.That's right. YOU.You activated your communities and rallied the vote. You brought enthusiasm for these platforms, showing up to support your favorite tools. You inspire us – and for that, our cup runneth over. While our little awards program has a streak of competitiveness, it's all about celebrating our industry and the continued innovation we see from all corners. From the vendor's perspective, it's an opportunity to highlight the power of your users – from marketers to developers – and let their voices sing. Most of all, the CMS Critic Awards is a chance to have some fun in our fast-paced, nose-to-the-grindstone world. It reminds us that people, not platforms, are at the heart of this content game. From all of us at CMS Critic, thank you for participating. Keep carrying a torch for the tools you love. <h3 id="the-envelope,-please…">The Envelope, Please…</h3> <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/QVcEwG_3Vw8"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QVcEwG_3Vw8" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> Dramatic pause: Before we break the seal, we have a few notes on this year's list of champions:As you'll see, a couple of vendors showed up in a big way, owning more than one category. Still, several newcomers popped up in our nominations wave – no one we would call <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Complete_Unknown">A Complete Unknown</a>, but some smaller solutions that managed to make the cutoff. Congrats to all of you, and bring the thunder again next year. Because you never know what can happen.Here are your winners in the 13th Annual CMS Critic Awards: <hr /> - Best Enterprise CMS: Umbraco  - Best DXP: Sitecore  - Best Free CMS: Umbraco  - Best Headless CMS: Umbraco  - Best Open Source CMS: Joomla  - Best ECM: Microsoft SharePoint  - Best Flat File CMS: Statamic  - Best Website Builder: uSkinned  - Best Static Site Generator: Statamic  - Best DAM: Sitecore  - Best PIM: Pimcore  - Best e-Commerce Solution: Shopify  - Best Headless Commerce Solution: Shopify  - Best Composable Solution: Umbraco  - Best AI Solution in a CMS or DXP: Umbraco  - Best Development/Hosting Platform: Azure <h3 id="congratulations-to-this-year's-winners!">Congratulations to this year's winners!</h3>What can we say? We’re thrilled to have such a passionate community of readers, and we’re already looking forward to next year’s Awards. Given the shifting landscape of categories, we'll be making some changes for our 14th annual program, and even expanding a few things (don't worry, CMS is still closest to our heart). Remember to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/signup">sign up for alerts</a> about additional events this year, and check below for some upcoming conferences that we'll be attending and speaking at.       Vendor Marketing Departments: Looking to promote the good news? Email us at <a href="mailto:info@cmscritic.com">info@cmscritic.com</a> to request your exclusive badges and claim your 30 day Product Directory upgrade.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

The Envelope, Please: We Proudly Present the Winners of the 13th Annual CMS Critic Awards

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<hr /> AI might be stealing the spotlight these days, but CMS is still the star on our stage – and you nominated some amazing platforms for our 13th Annual CMS Critic "People's Choice" Awards!Once again, your performance wowed us. We had some heavy hitters make the cut, but a few challengers really brought the rain – from <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wagtail">Wagtail</a> to <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/hamstercms">HamsterCMS</a>.We received a metric ton of individual suggestions across all 16 of our categories – from CMS to DXP, e-Commerce to DAM – and now YOU get to pick the winners! Like last year, we had a huge turnout, so we’re including the top 6 nominees in each category! Winners will receive exclusive badging and a free listing upgrade in our Product Directory for one month.Who will take home the trophy? You have until February 24th, 2025 to vote! So get out there and share the good word! Engage and enroll your communities like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sitecore">Sitecore</a> did. Shout it from the mountaintops and make some noise. Most of all, have fun celebrating the innovation coming from all corners of our industry. Keep reading for the nominee list, or start picking your winners at <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/vote">www.cmscritic.com/vote </a> <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/gkZOXlyEPDk"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gkZOXlyEPDk" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> <h3 id="the-nominees">The Nominees</h3>Drum roll, please…. <h4 id="best-free-cms">Best Free CMS</h4><ul><li>Grav</li><li>Joomla</li><li>Statamic</li><li>TYPO3</li><li>Umbraco</li><li>Wagtail</li></ul> <h4 id="best-enterprise-cms">Best Enterprise CMS</h4><ul><li>Joomla</li><li>Optimizely</li><li>Statamic</li><li>TYPO3</li><li>Umbraco</li><li>Wagtail</li></ul> <h4 id="best-headless-cms">Best Headless CMS</h4><ul><li>Agility</li><li>Directus</li><li>Optimizely</li><li>TYPO3</li><li>Umbraco</li><li>Wagtail</li></ul> <h4 id="best-flat-file-cms">Best Flat File CMS</h4><ul><li>Bludit</li><li>Grav</li><li>HamsterCMS</li><li>Kirby</li><li>Statamic</li><li>Typemill</li></ul> <h4 id="best-open-source-cms">Best Open Source CMS</h4><ul><li>Grav</li><li>Joomla</li><li>Statamic</li><li>TYPO3</li><li>Umbraco</li><li>Wagtail</li></ul> <h4 id="best-dxp">Best DXP</h4><ul><li>Adobe Experience Manager</li><li>Contentstack</li><li>Kentico</li><li>Optimizely</li><li>Sitecore</li><li>Umbraco</li></ul> <h4 id="best-static-site-generator">Best Static Site Generator</h4><ul><li>Astro</li><li>Eleventy</li><li>Grav</li><li>Hugo</li><li>Jekyll</li><li>Statamic</li></ul> <h4 id="best-website-builder">Best Website Builder</h4><ul><li>Optimizely</li><li>Squarespace</li><li>uSkinned</li><li>Webflow</li><li>Wix</li><li>YOOtheme</li></ul> <h4 id="best-dam-(digital-asset-management)">Best DAM (Digital Asset Management)</h4><ul><li>Bynder</li><li>Canto</li><li>Cloudinary</li><li>Directus</li><li>Optimizely</li><li>Sitecore</li></ul> <h4 id="best-pim-(product-information-management)">Best PIM (Product Information Management)</h4><ul><li>Akeneo</li><li>Directus</li><li>DynamicWeb</li><li>inriver</li><li>Pimcore</li><li>Struct</li></ul> <h4 id="best-ecm-(enterprise-content-management)">Best ECM (Enterprise Content Management)</h4><ul><li>Alfresco</li><li>Dokmee</li><li>Laserfiche</li><li>Notion</li><li>OpenText</li><li>SharePoint</li></ul> <h4 id="best-e-commerce-solution">Best e-Commerce Solution</h4><ul><li>DynamicWeb</li><li>HikaShop</li><li>Optimizely</li><li>Shopify</li><li>Umbraco</li><li>VirtueMart</li></ul> <h4 id="best-headless-commerce-solution">Best Headless Commerce Solution</h4><ul><li>commercetools</li><li>Directus</li><li>DynamicWeb</li><li>Optimizely</li><li>Shopify</li><li>Umbraco</li></ul> <h4 id="best-development/hosting-platform">Best Development/Hosting Platform</h4><ul><li>AWS</li><li>Azure</li><li>Hetzner</li><li>Hostinger</li><li>Laravel Forge</li><li>Vercel</li></ul> <h4 id="best-composable-solution">Best Composable Solution</h4><ul><li>Agility</li><li>Directus</li><li>DynamicWeb</li><li>Statamic</li><li>Umbraco</li><li>Uniform</li></ul> <h4 id="best-ai-solution-in-a-cms-or-dxp">Best AI Solution in a CMS or DXP</h4><ul><li>Kajoo</li><li>Kontent.ai</li><li>Optimizely</li><li>Sitecore</li><li>Statamic</li><li>Umbraco</li></ul><h3 id="ready-to-rock-the-vote?-">Ready to rock the vote? </h3>Get the word out and rally your community! Tell us which platforms you really love – and who should take home the prize. Remember, you have until February 24th!Rock the vote today at <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/vote">www.cmscritic.com/vote </a> <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

Ready to vote? Here are the nominees for the 13th Annual CMS Critic Awards

<hr /> There's no denying that 2024's Wicked is an Oscar-worthy flick. In fact, it's already been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2024/12/17/oscars-shortlists-announced-emilia-prez-and-wicked-lead/">shortlisted for multiple categories.</a>But hey, we think CMS is pretty wicked, too. And there are a few platforms that might be spellbinding enough for a trophy or two. Of course, it’s not up to us – at least not during the annual <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/cms-critic-awards">CMS Critic Awards</a>. During this contest, we put you in the judge’s seat, so you can tell us what CMS and related DX tools really defied gravity in 2024.Keep scrolling for more background and the house rules, but here's how it works: Make your nominations at <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/nominate">www.cmscritic.com/nominate.</a> We take the top five contenders across a range of categories, open that up to general voting, and announce the victors in late February.Hollywood can have its glam and glitz, but it doesn’t hold a candle to schema and workflows. Content is the real star of this musical, and the CMS Critic Awards is an opportunity for you to sing the praises of the platforms that power your digital experiences. <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew02JL1FcZg"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ew02JL1FcZg" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure><h3 id="it's-all-about-community">It's all about community</h3>If you’re not familiar, the CMS Critic Awards is an institution in the content management industry. It unites rabid fans across the globe to rally around the tools they love – no small feat in today’s fleeting technology landscape. But CMS is its own sort of bewitching ecosystem. With well-established enterprise vendors and a plethora of open source platforms, CMS enjoys some of the most loyal user communities in the tech pantheon. That’s why we’ve had such incredible participation over the past 12 years, making ours one of the longest-running awards programs in our industry (you can check out<a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/cms-critic-awards"> all the previous winners here</a>).While CMS is our Emerald City, we also make space for the expanded ecosystem of products. Over the last decade, we've seen the tornadic rise of digital experience technologies, from pure-play to fully integrated. To that end, we include categories for e-commerce, digital asset management, and even product information management. If it's a system that manages content, we want to celebrate it.In a land where technology can feel like it’s riding a broomstick, the CMS Critic Awards is proof that loyalty still lives – and people make all the difference.<h3 id="what-to-expect-with-this-year’s-categories">What to expect with this year’s categories</h3>2024. Man, what a whirlwind. This was the year <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/wp-engine-wins-an-injunction-against-automattic-is-the-wordpress-scorched-earth-campaign-over">WordPress turned open source upside down</a>. The drama surrounding Matt Mullenweg’s contentious and public battle with <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wp-engine">WP Engine</a> took the tech world by storm, and the future feels decidedly unsettled. That said, WordPress still represents a crucial part of the market, and we want to know what your favorite tools are in this category, from <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/drupal">Drupal</a> to proprietary platforms with free and open source versions of their software.This was also the year that many platforms “moved to the middle.” Traditionally headless players like Contentstack <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/seeing-in-a-headless-world-contentstack-introduces-new-visual-building-capabilities-for-marketers">introduced visual builders</a> and preview capabilities, evolving into composable CMSes and DXPs. Meanwhile, pre-composed DXPs continued adding <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/optimizely-introduces-new-saas-cms-with-visual-builder-for-marketers">headless capabilities and SaaS options</a> to become… well, more composable. From a category perspective, 2024 was a critical tipping point – and one that created more features and greater flexibility for buyers and customers. What does this mean for this year’s Awards categories? When nominating, the spectrum for “Best Headless CMS” can certainly be applied to more than just the pure play platforms – and likewise, a DXP can be inclusive of previous headless players that have advanced their feature sets. Tell us what you think.There were also a lot of moves in the DAM world, with <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/canto-pim-unites-dam-and-product-information-management-streamlining-asset-and-data-workflows">Canto gobbling up Image Relay</a> and Cloudinary adding <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/cloudinary-assets-brings-new-ai-powered-features-to-its-api-first-intelligent-dam">more AI-powered capabilities</a>. Still, there are DXPs with built-in DAMs that can hold their own – and now with greater composable flexibility (think <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/acquia-widens-its-dxp-stack-with-widen-acquires-dam-and-pim-capabilities">Acquia’s acquisition of Widen</a>). To that end, you can nominate your favorite pure play or composed solution. And we’ve even made space for your top PIM picks, whether they’re part of a combined DAM/PIM solution or a standalone product. CMS and DXP platforms offer multiple features and capabilities. As always, if you feel a single vendor can live in more than one category, it’s your choice to nominate it. During last year's CMS Critic Awards, we had a huge showing in our “Best Composable Solution” and “Best AI Solution” categories. They're back again, so feel free to nominate any vendor in our space that delivered the most innovative composable or generative AI experience. <h3 id="a-note-about-integrity">A note about integrity</h3>The CMS Critic Awards are intended to be fun and friendly. But they do, at times, get a little fiery. Every year, we receive thousands of ballots. Users come together like wolfpacks, championing the platforms they love. We also intercept a number of, shall we say, “passionate” pleas, demanding to know why certain platforms were in a specific category, or why their tool wasn’t in the running. As always, we try to operate in a space of respect and integrity. Obviously, if a platform isn’t truly open source, it won’t be considered for “Best Open Source CMS.” But now more than ever, we're blurring the proverbial lines – and let’s face it, the analysts are also compounding the problem. So, our editorial team endeavors to stay out of the nominating process. As a reminder, we only take the top five in each category by nomination count, so anything below that won’t be featured in the final voting. <h3 id="how-to-make-your-nominations-for-the-2024-cms-critic-awards-">How to make your nominations for the 2024 CMS Critic Awards </h3>Drum roll… nominations for the 2024 CMS Critic Awards are officially open! Here’s how you can participate:<ol><li>Visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cmscritic.com/nominate">www.cmscritic.com/nominate</a></li><li>Fill out the required fields and enter the names of your nominees in each category. You don't have to include a nomination for every category – only complete the fields that you care about, and your ballot will be counted. Remember that you can nominate the same vendor in multiple categories.</li><li>Once completed, click the “Submit” button at the bottom of the form. </li><li>You can only nominate once, and companies or brands that offer incentives of any kind will be disqualified.</li><li>Spread the word! Remember to share and encourage others to participate, especially across your social channels.</li></ol>Nominations close on January 24, 2025, so get out there and rally your communities! Once we tabulate the results, we’ll announce the top five for general voting in early February via email and social. Don’t be green with envy. Show us how wicked your communities really are – and make your nominations today! <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-2025"><a href=" https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25">CMS Kickoff 2025</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – St. Petersburg, FloridaJoin industry leaders at our third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global CMS event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">so secure your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a>

Your Voice, Your Choice: Nominations are Open for the 2024 CMS Critic Awards

<hr /> Shock and awe.Seems like a fitting phrase to describe the amount of passion and participation we saw in our 12th annual CMS Critic People’s Choice Awards. Yup. We’re a little shocked, and a whole lotta awe. And it’s all thanks to you. A lot has changed in the decade-plus that we’ve been conducting our annual shindig. In the beginning, there were no DXPs or headless CMSs – just a few APIs and a dream. We also had a smaller cohort of participants.Sure, some of the same players are still in the mix, and plenty of new ones, too. We’ve even seen a few mergers along the way. But brands aside, what’s really astounding is how content management continues to be relevant after all these years – and we’re still celebrating the innovation and community gravitas these platforms create. Speaking of community… if there’s one thing our People’s Choice Awards brings out, it’s the people who build with these amazing tools and technologies. Once again, you showed us how much love and loyalty exist in your own ecosystems, and how fierce that loyalty can be. You got the word out – to the tune of thousands of nominations and votes – and it’s inspiring. It's always bittersweet to see another Awards season come and go, but we have an exciting year ahead with lots of new innovation in the pipeline. So without further ado, here are the winners and the highlights from this year's amazing event.<h3 id="umbraco-sweeps-with-5-category-wins-">Umbraco sweeps with 5 category wins </h3>There's usually one big movie that sweeps at the Academy Awards, lurching victories in multiple categories. Things don't always play out that way with our own Awards program – but this year, there was one vendor that came out on top. It’s no surprise that many platforms fit into several of this season's 16 categories. Many DXPs offer products like a DAM that can be procured separately (and that’s just one example). To that end, we let you – our audience – nominate and vote for the tools you love in each solution space.This year, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/umbraco">Umbraco</a> brought the rain. They swept in five categories: Best Enterprise CMS, Best DXP, Best Headless CMS, Best Composable Solution, and Best AI Solution in a CMS or a DXP. With the launch of its Umbraco Heartcore headless CMS – as well as an array of AI plugins and integrations – it’s clear that Umbraco’s users are thrilled with its features and came out to support the platform in a big way. Congrats to the Umbraco team and its community for driving home these wins.<h3 id="joomla,-statamic,-and-shopify-score-gold-in-multiple-categories">Joomla, Statamic, and Shopify score gold in multiple categories</h3><a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/joomla">Joomla</a> also made a splash with two category wins for Best Free CMS and Best Open Source CMS. Every year, Joomla’s community gets activated around the CMS Critic Awards, tapping its vast global reach to muster support.<a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/statamic">Statamic</a> also scored in two categories: Best Flat File CMS and Best Static Site Generator. The platform has a tenacious following, and continues to be vocal in promoting the Awards across its user community.Despite a decent cohort of competitors, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/shopify">Shopify</a> won in the Best e-Commerce Solution and Best Headless Commerce Solution categories. Over the last two years, the platform has turned up the headless heat with its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.shopify.com/plus/solutions/headless-commerce">ShopifyPlus</a> back-office solution for powering storefronts, giving it a broader platform of offerings and embracing more composable strategies. <h3 id="optimizely-takes-the-dam-prize">Optimizely takes the DAM prize</h3>It was a heated battle in the DAM department, but <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/optimizely">Optimizely</a> won out with its digital asset management suite – designed to work with leading CMSs, but also with the company’s own content management platform. This includes customizable workflows for maintaining brand compliance across large ecosystems. In the Best ECM category – the specialized Enterprise Content Management vertical – we had a relative newcomer shake things up. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.notion.so/product">Notion</a> was nominated in the early round and went on to upset previous winners by taking the gold. This includes a few stalwarts that have an almost unshakable dominance in the field. For Best Website Builder, you loved <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/yootheme">YOOtheme</a>. A perennial favorite with CMS Critic Awards voters, YOOtheme provides page builder capabilities for both <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wordpress">WordPress</a> and Joomla, as well as hosting a marketplace of themes and templates. The enduring loyalty for the Hamburg-based provider is heartening, especially as choice and competition increase in this field. In the Best DXC (Digital Experience Composition) lane, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/netlify">Netlify</a> outpaced the competition – which has certainly grown over the last year. DXC has been an evolution, and a category that has only just emerged (relative to our established pools). We’ll be watching this space and the growth of orchestration tools as we look ahead to the 2024 Awards. Finally, you picked <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-offers-microsoft-azure-becomes-only-multi-cloud-saas-cms-qa-with-cto-nishant-patel">Azure</a> as the Best Development/Hosting Platform. While <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/microsoft-sharepoint">Microsoft</a> continues to expand its foray into search and AI, its cloud ecosystem is providing a solid foundation for building applications and scaling services to meet the growing demands of modern digital experiences. <h3 id="the-class-of-2023">The Class of 2023</h3>For a quick snapshot of the results, here’s the list of all the 2023 winners. You can also watch this video:<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/dap0L8bXGos"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dap0L8bXGos" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> <img style="width:14.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/02/umbraco-edited.png" alt="Umbraco Logo" />Best Enterprise CMS: UmbracoBest DXP: UmbracoBest Headless CMS: UmbracoBest AI Solution in a CMS or DXP: UmbracoBest Composable Solution: Umbraco <img style="width:30.71%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/02/joomla-edited.png" alt="Joomla! Logo" />Best Free CMS: JoomlaBest Open Source CMS: Joomla <img style="width:30.09%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/statamic-logo.jpg" alt="Statamic logo" />Best Flat File CMS: StatamicBest Static Site Generator: Statamic <img style="width:29.25%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/shopify-logo-white-bg.webp" alt="Shopify logo" />Best e-Commerce Solution: ShopifyBest Headless Commerce Solution: Shopify <img style="width:30.31%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/optimizely-logo-white-bg.webp" alt="Optimizely logo" />Best DAM (Digital Asset Management): Optimizely <img style="width:31.16%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/02/yootheme-edited.png" alt="YOOtheme Logo" />Best Website Builder: YOOtheme <img style="width:28.96%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/notion-logo.jpg" alt="" />Best ECM (Enterprise Content Management): Notion <img style="width:28.66%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/netlify_logo.png" alt="" />Best DXC (Digital Experience Composition): Netlify <img style="width:28.75%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/microsoft_azure_logo.png" alt="" />Best Development/Hosting Platform: Azure<h3 id="congratulations-to-all-our-2023-winners">Congratulations to all our 2023 Winners</h3>What more can we say? Once again, we’re thrilled to have such a passionate community of readers, and we’re already looking forward to next year’s Awards. At CMS Critic, a big part of our charter is to serve the CMS community. Like you, we’re an assemblage of developers and content professionals, and we want our industry to shine and endure. We also want to attract new talent to our collective ranks, and having your participation helps stoke interest and drive awareness. YOU make this possible, and YOU matter to the movement. If you didn't get nominated or take home a win, that's OK – there's always next year. Keep an eye out for announcements for our 2024 Awards, so you can start promoting early in the nomination round. It's really anyone's game if you can rally your customers and communities. We’ll also be featuring some additional events throughout the year, so stay tuned and make sure you’re signed up to receive our emails. It's easy: visit <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/">www.cmscritic.com</a> and click “Sign Up” in the upper right corner. <h3 id="hey-winners…-ready-to-collect-your-prizes?">Hey winners… ready to collect your prizes?</h3>Calling all winning vendor marketing departments: looking to promote the good news and get the goods? Email us at <a href="mailto:info@cmscritic.com">info@cmscritic.com</a> to request your exclusive badges and claim your 30-day Product Directory upgrade. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Announcing the Winners of the 2023 CMS Critic People’s Choice Awards

<h4 id="snapshot">Snapshot</h4><ul><li>The 2023 CMS Critic Awards “People’s Choice” nominations are officially open</li><li>To nominate your favorite platforms, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cmscritic.com/nominate">www.cmscritic.com/nominate</a></li><li>Nominations close January 26th, 2024</li></ul><hr /> Feel that buzz in the air? That electrifying post-holiday tingle?That can only mean one thing: It’s Awards Season, baby! Ah yes… Awards Season. That early chapter of the year when the media landscape is aflutter with statue-seeking celebs basking in red-carpet hype, unsealed envelopes, and excessively long acceptance speeches. But oh, how we love the drama. The pomp. The play-by-play commentary of who’s wearing Vera Wang, or the host that crosses the comedic line. Who can forget Will Smith’s “slap heard ‘round the world” or Taylor Swift’s “knives out” glare at <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/jo-koy-says-taylor-swift-reaction-to-his-golden-globes-joke-was-cute-8423475">last night’s Golden Globes</a>?While the Swifties shake it off, it’s important to remember the real purpose of these events: celebrating excellence. But there’s more to it than that. When done right, an awards program can illuminate audiences, unite loyal fans, and give entire communities the chance to revel in the triumphs.In our own corner of the content management universe, we’ve been doing that for the last decade with our exclusive CMS Critic Awards. Now in its 12th year, the CMS Critic Awards – one of the longest-running programs in the industry – continues its steadfast tradition of making you a part of the academy (so to speak). As in previous contests, our “People’s Choice” program allows you to nominate your favorite tools from the previous year. We take the top five contenders across a range of categories, open that up to general voting, and announce the victors in late February. In a world where technology can feel increasingly cold and robotic (hello AI!), our little competition is proof that loyalty still means something in the software biz – and that humans still carry the day. Here's a short video that hits the highlights:<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/JSrjxhmDRMA"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JSrjxhmDRMA" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure><h3 id="what-to-expect-with-this-year’s-categories">What to expect with this year’s categories</h3>2023 was a big year for CMS, DXP, and the ecosystem of technologies we cover. A lot of change (hello again, AI!), and we’ll get to that in a minute. This year, we have 16 different categories for your consideration. As you know, the whole notion of categories is becoming a wiry morass – just ask your friendly neighborhood analyst. Despite a lack of clarity in some of the swim lanes, the established pillars of Best Enterprise CMS, Best DXP, Best DAM, and Best Headless CMS are still in play. That said, we saw headless CMSes like Contentstack achieve DXP status on the most recent <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/thoughts-on-the-forrester-dxp-wave-2023-dont-judge-an-analyst-report-by-its-infographic">Forrester Wave Report</a>. Many platforms now offer free options, while others have introduced their own visual builders or hosting solutions. To that end, if you feel a single vendor can live in more than one category, it’s your choice to nominate it. Composable was a big part of the story in 2023, so we’ve maintained the Best DXC category (which is continuing to evolve). We also added Best Composable Solution as a catchall, so you can nominate any vendor in our space that delivered the most innovative composable experience.  Finally, 2023 was arguably “The Year of AI” as many platforms raced to incorporate ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence capabilities into their workflows. Of course, AI rippled up and down the stack, with DXPs adding image generators, headless CMSes weaving in content generators, and even widely-used editors like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/tinymce-brings-advanced-ai-to-cms-text-editing-interview-with-fredrik-danielsson-elise-bentley">TinyMCE</a> incorporating a host of AI features. With so much AI afoot, we had to include a Best AI Solution in a CMS or DXP category, so you can nominate any platform that wielded AI like a Jedi’s lightsaber and brought the Force to their solution. I saw dozens of AI demos this year (maybe “AI Critic” would be more apropos) and this is a tough one, my Padawans. All the more reason to let the people decide. One final note: The CMS Critic Awards are intended to be fun and friendly. But they do, at times, get a little fiery. Every year, we receive thousands of ballots, with whole communities of users coming together to champion the platforms they love. I also intercept several, shall we say, “passionate” pleas, demanding to know why certain platforms were in a specific category – or why their tool of choice wasn’t in the running. As always, we try to operate in a space of respect and integrity. Obviously, if a platform isn’t truly open source, it won’t be considered for Best Open Source CMS. That's a binary attribute. But many systems are blurring the proverbial lines – and let’s face it, the analysts are also compounding the problem. So, our editorial team endeavors to stay out of the nominating process. As a reminder, we only take the top five in each category by nomination count, so anything below that won’t be featured in the final voting. <h3 id="how-to-cast-your-nominations-">How to cast your nominations </h3>Without further ado, I’m happy to announce that the 2023 CMS Critic Awards “People’s Choice” nominations are officially open! Here’s how you can participate:<ol><li>Visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cmscritic.com/nominate">www.cmscritic.com/nominate</a></li><li>Fill out the required fields and enter the names of your nominees in each category. You don't have to include a nomination for every category – only complete the fields you care about, and your ballot will be counted. Remember that you can nominate the same vendor in multiple categories.</li><li>Once completed, click the Submit button at the bottom of the form. </li><li>You can only nominate once, and companies or brands that offer incentives of any kind will be disqualified.</li><li>Spread the word! Remember to share and encourage others to participate, especially across your social channels.</li></ol>Nominations close on January 26, 2024, so get out there and rally the troops! Once we tabulate the results, we’ll announce the top five in each category for general voting in early February (we'll blast it on email and social).She might have a lot of style, but Taylor Swift wouldn’t be anywhere without her fans. Now’s your chance to show some love for the platforms that rocked your world in 2023. <hr /><figure class="image"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/11/cms-kickoff-2024-banner.jpg" /></figure><h3 id="join-us-at-cms-kickoff-2024-next-week!">Join us at CMS Kickoff 2024 next week!</h3>CMS Critic is a proud conference partner at this second annual edition of the prestigious international Boye &amp; Co conference, dedicated to the global CMS community. This event will bring together top-notch speakers, Boye &amp; Company's renowned learning format, and engaging social events.Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move forward in 2024. Hear from leading voices across the industry on a wide range of topics, including:<ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/speakers/andrew-kumar">Andrew Kumar</a>, GVP at Uniform</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/speakers/becky-brown">Becky Brown</a>, Content Strategy Lead at Johnson &amp; Johnson</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/speakers/marli-mesibov">Marli Mesibov</a>, Content Strategy at Verily</li></ul><h4 id="-"> </h4><img style="width:39.13%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/11/don-cesar-hotel.jpg" /><h4 id="the-don-cesar:-a-world-class-venue">The Don CeSar: a world-class venue</h4>Is there a better location for a winter kickoff than Florida's beautiful, sugary sand beaches? CMS Kickoff 2024 will be held at the iconic Don CeSar, just steps from the Gulf of Mexico. Dubbed the “Pink Palace,” this majestic hotel and resort provides a stunning backdrop to the conference, along with access to the local food and culture of St. Petersburg Beach.  <h4 id="get-your-tickets-today">Get your tickets today</h4>CMS Kickoff offers an intimate, highly focused experience. Space is limited, and only a few seats remain. Don't miss this exclusive opportunity!<a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff24/tickets">Purchase tickets now &gt;</a>

Nominate Your Favorite Platforms for the 2023 CMS Critic Awards

matt-garrepy

Explore a wide range of informative articles on Awards, insights, and industry updates. Stay informed and ahead of the curve with our diverse collection of news and posts covering the latest trends and developments in the industry. 