Articles - Page 106

Bland Brands Beware: Optimizely’s New Identity Brings Human Creativity to its Agentic AI and AEO Ambitions

matt-garrepy

I was contacted recently by Increo, the makers of a new WCM called Wondercode to see if I could spend some time writing up a Wondercode Review, so here it is. (Keep in mind that all of my reviews are 100% unbiased and not influenced by the company). Wondercode is a product based out of Norway that offers a fully functional WCM with a number of modules such as eCommerce, newsletters, recruitment and more.
Let's dig into the review shall we?
<h2>The Good</h2>
The interface itself is clean, well designed and makes good use of tabs to switch between areas:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/modx-color_morv7n.png" alt="Wondercode Review" />
They appear to be using Google Analytics for their statistics module, which you can't really go wrong with and it's good to see some integration with this popular tool.
The history tab shows you all of the pages on the site including the status of each (archived, draft, published, etc). This is handy for a quick overview of what's been happening on the site.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/wondercode-cms-history-450x235.png" alt="Wondercode Review" />
Looking to include a gallery of pictures in one of your pages? The Gallery module is excellent with a myriad of options and a live preview of how it will look once embedded.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/selz_orjupl.png" alt="Wondercode Review" />
There is also a media rotator which allows you to build rotating slideshows of images for your pages. This works equally as well as the galleries module.
Wondercode offers a translations module as well which presents all of the words within the system and allows you to configure each available language and modify the wording as needed.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/selz-1_mrwrtq.png" alt="Wondercode Review" />
It's not apparent whether you can use third party translations services and import/export files to/from the system somehow. This would be a great feature to see here that would quickly extend the value of the software on the market.
Security is defined by roles and the included module does a great job of allowing you to build a very granular set of permissions for users / groups.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/wondercode-cms-permissions-450x390.png" alt="Wondercode Review" />
Adding articles and media uses a couple of very nice interfaces. The first, the editor, is pure WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) and includes tagging, scheduling of posts, categories and modification of the permalinks. The editor works as expected without issue.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/votenow_nyqiae.jpg" alt="Wondercode Review" />
Adding media is done through a nice dropdown menu which offers both image embedding and video embedding. For the video component, there are plenty of available options for embedding:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/votenow-1_tdruhs.jpg" alt="Wondercode Review" />
The Bad
One of the first things I noticed upon connecting to the system is that the English translated version is still missing a number of key translations. You can see this throughout the screenshots I've posted here and while one can still blunder through without too much issue, this is going to limit the amount of English adoption the product will see until it is corrected.
This is not unrecoverable and simply requires a bit of focus from the Wondercode team to ensure that the English translations are both correct and understandable. I expect that this will be corrected rather promptly.
The settings page is a bit barren with a number of editable strings that can be modified to adjust the system's configuration.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/wondercode-cms-wondercode-settings-450x305.png" alt="Wondercode Review" />
The problem here, however, is that the configuration strings don't all make sense and while there is an info option, clicking on it gives a half english popup that doesn't do much to clear up the confusion.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/awards-logo_ri1g3o.png" alt="Wondercode Review" />
From the Dashboard tab, I decided to try to add a web page and see what this functionality looks like. Unfortunately, after adding it and then clicking on it to begin editing, I was greeted with the following error message:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/awards-logo-1_g6hwfj.png" alt="Wondercode Review" />
Throughout my time testing out the system, these types of errors (above) came up every time I tried to edit a page, either in their current form or as below:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/wondercode-cms-wondercode2-450x278.png" alt="Wondercode Review" />
There is a recruitment module that works well for job postings as well. It allows you to add jobs and review applicants, it is also plagued with translation issues, however.. which make it difficult to understand.
I attempted to use the activities module as well but could not figure out what exactly it was for.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/votenow-1_nmklme.png" alt="Wondercode Review" />
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
Wondercode certainly looks like a promising system but until they are able to clear up the translations issues and ensure there are no server errors when attempting to edit pages, I cannot recommend this system for any kind of production use. It absolutely has tons of potential and they are on the right track with a number of features that we see in some of the more costly commercial offerings. It's also not clear what Wondercode costs at the moment.
There is mention on their website of an ecommerce component but it did not appear to be present in the version I was given for review. For those interested, there appears to be a video showcasing it here: http://wondercode.com/ecommerce
Items needing addressing before it can be recommended:
<ul>
<li>Corrected english language translations.</li>
<li>Improved english version of their website to make it more understandable and clear.</li>
<li>Correction of server errors that appear to crop up when editing pages.</li>
<li>Improved and understandable help system.</li>
</ul>
Certainly these are not issues that cannot be corrected and I'm excited to see what the system becomes once they are.
Interested in learning more about Wondercode? Visit their website: http://www.wondercode.com

Wondercode Review - A new CMS from Norway

mike-johnston

GOSS have now officially released the latest version of their content management system, the GOSS iCM (intelligent Content Management) v10.
Many high profile websites currently utilise GOSS' technology, including the BBC, the UK Met Office, and over 70 other UK public sector organisations. It goes without saying then, that GOSS has a solid history of success. A history they will hope to build upon with the launch of GOSS iCM v10.
The updated version of their CMS brings about a number of sweeping changes, including a brand new user interface, social media integration advancements, drag-and-drop editing and so forth.
GOSS have highlighted that many of their updates come in the face of restricted public sector budgets, and general belt tightening by most organisations. They aim to help cut costs by simplifying and streamlining a host of processes deemed vital to large corporations and governmental bodies. So, let's review the changes GOSS iCM v10 brings.
<h2>Integration on a Whole New Level</h2>
One way in which GOSS iCM v10 helps to minimize effort for users, is through some pretty extensive integration with other business tools, including social media, payment gateways, marketing applications and so on.
GOSS iCM v10 uses these media networks, SaaS (Software as a Service) systems and other platforms to help create a Single Customer View, which aggregates all of the data held on customers or individuals, by the company in question. 
The Single Customer View makes it easy to access this wide range of information within one, manageable interface. This information can include things like order statuses, service updates and more.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-3.png" alt="GOSS iCM v10" />
The integration of SaaS systems and social media, will help organisations build a seamless link between their website and other tools offering more flexibility and more information, but with less work.
<h2>Enhanced Form Capabilities</h2>
GOSS have also worked hard on streamlining the processes surrounding online data forms, making it easier for organisations to create forms, and to offer their customers a more user friendly experience.
This is all thanks to GOSS iCM v10's newly improved drag-and-drop script editor, which allows administrators to quickly and easily build, modify and customize online forms.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-1.png" alt="GOSS iCM v10" />
Additionally, improved non-technical editing in the form of WYSIWYG editor, makes it simple for website administrators to implement changes surrounding online forms, as well as across the entire website itself. 
These improvements mean that administrators need to know nothing about coding in order to successfully build forms and create content, which will inevitably save both time and money in the long run.
<h2>Interface Changes, Sub-Site Creation &amp; More</h2>
On top of these integration enhancements and online form improvements, GOSS iCM v10 also brings about a wide range of other updates.
For example, administrators will benefit from a revamped control panel interface, with larger, clearer icons and faster navigation. Quick links and shortcuts can also be created, giving users fast access to different areas of their website, admin panel, and even third party applications.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-2.png" alt="GOSS iCM v10" />
Another useful update, is the sub-site management feature. Many organisations create sub-sites to run events, promote products, and so forth. With GOSS iCM v10, administrators can create and manage sub-sites from their control panel, allowing their sub-sites to inherit the capabilities of their main site. This will make sub-site creation far easier, quicker and more manageable than ever before.
For full details on the points highlighted above, plus a long list of all updates and enhancements brought about by GOSS iCM v10, <a href="http://www.gossinteractive.com/v10-overview">check out GOSS' official overview of their v10 launch</a>.

GOSS iCM v10 Launched

Yup. July officially marked the "dog days of summer" in the Northern Hemisphere. While many of us were melting under the malaise of record-breaking heat, the news has yet to cool off.
Seemingly, neither does <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/aug/02/no-ones-invincible-fresh-mask-mandates-and-rising-delta-cases-hit-california">Covid-19 and its latest wave of hyper-contagious Delta variant</a>. The entire month was mired by headlines about hotspots and breakthrough cases that are once again challenging our world. Delta is the new version that no one wanted an upgrade to, and we're hoping for better days ahead.
But what does a prolonged Covid pandemic mean for the content and digital experience sector?
As more businesses mull the option of <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22583285/companies-remote-work-home-office-tsedal-neeley-harvard">never returning to a physical office</a> – and consumers keep buying their drones and toilet paper online – it's clear that digital experience technologies, from CMS to DXP to eCommerce, will continue to drive transformation across the economy.
This was evidenced by <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/07/28/contenful-raises-175m-from/">Contentful's announcement last week</a> that it had raised $175 million in a round led by Tiger Global – valuing the company at $3 billion. After posting a banner 2020, the headless CMS player has a mighty wind in its sails with the confidence of a major investment firm. With 600 employees and room to grown, this news also led the Berlin-based firm to <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2021/08/03/contentful-takes-three-floors-molson-coors-former-headquarters/">secure three floors of a Denver high rise</a>, formerly occupied by Molson Coors.
If that makes you want to crack open a digital brew, you're not alone. So cheers - and enjoy the rest of our round-up.
 
<h2>Contentsquare Accelerates Machine and Deep Learning Capabilities with Acquisition of AI company Upstride</h2>
<h2><img style="max-width:768px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/contentsquare-upstride.png" /></h2>
It's hip to be square. And with this kind of investment capital, you can take almost anything in stride.
That must have been the sentiment at <a href="https://contentsquare.com/" target="_blank">Contentsquare</a>, a digital experience analytics platform, as they announced the acquisition of <a href="https://ww2.upstride.io/" target="_blank">Upstride</a> – a Paris-based deep-tech company. Upstride's engineers will join Contentsquare's data science and Clickhouse development team in their Paris product hub to accelerate the company's ambitious AI innovation roadmap. 
As far as we know, their offices are not located in the Eiffel Tower. Or are they...
The news isn't that surprising considering that in May, Contentsquare raised <a href="https://contentsquare.com/blog/contentsquare-500m-series-e-investment/" target="_blank">$500M in Series E funding – placing them at a $2.8B valuation</a>. At this time, Contentsquare revealed its plans to further invest in AI and accelerate innovation both organically and through acquisitions. 
"AI will fundamentally reshape our digital journeys towards better and more personalized experiences," said Gary Roth, Co-Founder, and CEO of Upstride. "With trillions of user interactions analyzed daily, Contentsquare is ideally placed to lead this transformation and become one of the world's top tech companies. We are very excited about joining such an amazing company and leveraging AI to its fullest potential!" 
As Contentsquare continues to transform the way teams use behavioral data to elevate the digital experience and transform their business, the company has also been investing in digital trust – and recently cemented its leadership on digital privacy with the launch of a cookieless version of its solution.
<h2>Salesforce Completes Acquisition of Slack</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/salesforce-slack.png" />
Unicorns unite! After one of the most anticipated and gut-wrenching battles in recent M&amp;A history, Salesforce just <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/news/press-releases/2021/07/21/salesforce-slack-deal-close/" target="_blank">announced</a> that it has completed its acquisition of Slack. 
So... what happens when the world's biggest CRM and most used business messaging platform join forces? You show everyone how to navigate a pandemic. 
With the persistence of Covid languishing over the economy, businesses are still adapting to an unpredictable "normal" and continuing to rely on digital technologies to maintain continuity and drive revenue. While much has changed in the latest Delta wave, what hasn't is the need to connect people across systems, apps, and devices – from sales to collaboration. 
This acquisition crystallizes that connection and paves the wave to a more meaningful and integrated future for Salesforce. 
"We've learned over the past year that the workplace isn't snapping back to the way it was," said Bret Taylor, President and Chief Operating Officer of Salesforce. "Together, Slack and Salesforce Customer 360 will give every company in the world a single source of truth for their business and a single platform for connecting employees, customers, and partners with each other and the apps they use every day."
With the acquisition, Slack will be integrated into every Salesforce Cloud. Together with Salesforce Customer 360, Slack will provide a single source of truth for businesses – and a single platform for connecting employees, customers, and partners in one ecosystem. 
<h2>Optimizely Named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™ for Digital Experience Platforms (DXPs)</h2>
<img style="max-width:715px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/optimizely-logo.png" />
In the DXP Game of Thrones, Optimizely <a href="https://www.optimizely.com/company/press/optimizely-named-a-leader-in-digital-experience-platforms-by-independent-research-firm/" target="_blank">announced</a> its crown as a Leader in The Forrester Wave™ for Digital Experience Platforms (DXPs), Q3 2021. 
While no dragons were involved (at least to our knowledge), Optimizely – <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/episerver-rebrands-as-optimizely-following-acquisition/" target="_blank">formerly Episerver</a> – has had a series of industry-conquering <a href="https://www.crunchbase.com/search/acquisitions/field/organizations/num_acquisitions/episerver" target="_blank">acquisitions</a> in its rise to DXP domination. Their latest snack: Zaius, a Customer Data Platform (CDP) with key AI and ML capabilities and a decent industry footprint. Like other leading enterprise DXPs, Optimizely saw this acquisition as a necessity for addressing its critical data gap and improving its competitive posture. 
In its vendor profile, the Forrester report noted that "Optimizely has a highly acquisitive strategy as it grows beyond its content roots as Episerver. Compared with other vendors we evaluated, Optimizely shows strength in testing and optimization, digital commerce, and platform operations. It also has strength in campaign management, customer journey management, and platform certifications." 
All solid points in Optimizely's favor as the competition at the top gets heavier. 
You might recall that Optimizely was also recognized as a Leader for the second consecutive year in the <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/key-takeaways-from-gartners-2021-magic-quadrant-for-digital-experience-platforms/" target="_blank">Gartner 2021 Magic Quadrant for Digital Experience Platforms</a>, trailing right behind Adobe and <a href="https://www.acquia.com/" target="_blank">Acquia</a>. But the Forrester report reorients the players on the chessboard, with Optimizely trailing just behind Adobe but outperforming the likes of Acquia, Sitecore, and Bloomreach.
Optimizely's platform received the highest possible scores in experience management and delivery, vision, delivery model, supporting services, and average deal size criteria. According to the Forrester report, "Reference customers told us that they like Optimizely's flexibility in their licensing model when expanding the set of sites… one reference said, 'Optimizely was very simple to get up and running — more so than other DXPs I've implemented.'"
Not a bad place to be as the race heats up.
<h2>WordPress Releases "Tatum" 5.8 </h2>
<img style="max-width:632px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/5x8-album-1.jpg" />
There's a moment in "Kind of Blue" where Mile Davis and John Coltrane start merging into one being, completing each other's scales and echoing one another's brassy calls. Like anything in jazz, it's the improvisation – and the unexpected composition – that makes your toes tap. 
And like jazz, the latest version of WordPress attempts to bring a little more poetic soul to its code. Whether it hits the right notes is entirely up to users now.
Speaking of... WordPress <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/07/tatum/" target="_blank">released its new 5.8</a> record last week. They're calling it "Tatum" in honor of Art Tatum, the prolific jazz pianist. It's now available for download or update in your WordPress dashboard. 
Last month, we talked about WordPress 5.8's Beta and the features that it was expected to deliver, such as more powerful blocks, enhanced editing capabilities, and other <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/updates/2021/01/21/big-picture-goals-2021/" target="_blank">big picture goals</a> like <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/updates-on-wordcamp-2021-wordpress-5-8-beta-details-and-gutenberg-enhancements/" target="_blank">Full Site Editing</a>. Here are just a few of the highlights:
Manage Widgets with Blocks: The power of blocks has come to both the Block Widgets Editor and the Customizer. Now you can add blocks both in widget areas across your site and with live preview through the Customizer.
Display Posts with New Blocks and Patterns: The Query Loop Block makes it possible to display posts based on specified parameters, like a PHP loop without the code. Easily display posts from a specific category to do things like creating a portfolio or a page full of your favorite recipes.
List View: As blocks increase, patterns emerge, and content creation gets easier. As a result, new solutions are needed to make complex content easy to navigate. List View is the best way to jump between layers of content and nested blocks. Since the List View gives you an overview of all the blocks in your content, you can now navigate quickly to the precise block you need.
Edit Templates Around Posts: You can also use the familiar block editor to edit templates that hold your content. Simply activate a block theme or a theme that has opted in for this feature. Switch from editing your posts to editing your pages and back again, all while using a familiar block editor.
Global Styles and Global Settings APIs: Control the editor settings, available customization tools, and style blocks using a theme.json file in the active theme. This configuration file enables or disables features and sets default styles for both a website and blocks. 
You can see the complete list of new features and updates <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/07/tatum/" target="_blank">here</a>. 
<h2>Agility CMS Announces GraphQL Support</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/agility-cms-graph-q.jpg" />
Agility CMS, an API-first headless CMS, has <a href="https://agilitycms.com/resources/posts/agility-cms-graphql" target="_blank">announced</a> the general availability of its GraphQL API, which provides users with a GraphQL Playground Interface – where they can query content from their Agility CMS Instance using a GraphQL schema based on defined content models.
"GraphQL powers modern e-commerce and digital transformation," said Jon Voigt, CEO at Agility CMS. "With this launch of GraphQL support, Agility CMS can help enterprises to build superior digital solutions with ease." 
Developed by Facebook, GraphQL has been the query language of choice for many CMSs, especially headless CMSs. GraphQL is designed to make APIs flexible, fast, precise, and developer-friendly, and it's rapidly becoming the standard for API-based data access.

CMS Monthly Recap: Salesforce Completes Acquisition of Slack, Contentsquare Accelerates ML Capabilities, and More

cms-critic-staff

CMS Critic Monthly Recap image with piano background

PrestaShop may come with elegant default theme right out of the box, but that’s not all it offers in terms of design.
Via the <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/" target="_blank"> PrestaShop Theme Marketplace</a>, you can find thousands of free and premium PrestaShop themes. Some are created by the PrestaShop team, although most are a result of <a href="/a-closer-look-at-prestashops-global-community/"> PrestaShop’s busy community</a>.
It goes without saying that sifting through all of those themes to find one for you can be quite the task. So, I’ve compiled ten of what I consider to be the very best PrestaShop themes on offer. Here they all are.
<h2>1. Response</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-1700x0.png" /> If you’re looking for something to make your store stand out, the Response PrestaShop theme is for you.
It makes use of responsive, Retina-ready image tiles which display product images and information. You can configure colour gradients, sidebar positions and more.
Reponse also comes in three styles, with one allowing you to play a video in the background of the theme.
<a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/en/neutral/8803-01-response.html"> More Info </a> <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/demo/FO7338.html"> Demo </a>
<h2>2. Trendy</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-2700x0.png" />
The name Trendy is apt, since today’s web design trend sees many websites incorporating a one-page style design. The Trendy PrestaShop theme follows suit.
A full-width slider tops the page, followed by banners, neatly laid out featured products, more banners, a newsletter subscription are and a contact us section, which boasts a full-width map.
Of course, the Trendy theme does have other page types, all of which look excellent.
<a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/en/fashion/17556-trendy-luxure-prestashop-theme.html"> More Info </a> <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/demo/FO9493.html"> Demo </a>
<h2>3. HiTech</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-4700x0.png" />
Looking for a PrestaShop theme with some “Wow Factor”? You just found it.
HiTech is an obvious choice for merchants looking to sell tech-related goodies, and the slick design will no doubt help to refine the image of your online presence. It’s sleek, modern, and outright pretty.
The bold colours work perfectly with the full-width slider and banners, all of which are professionally presented.
<a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/en/high-tech/17787-vphitech-responsive-for-prestashop-16x.html"> More Info </a> <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/demo/FO9726.html"> Demo </a>
<h2>4. Flooring Store</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-7700x0.png" />
Don’t ignore this one because of the name. It may be perfect for flooring stores, but it’s also a pretty good fit for all other industries.
The black and white colour scheme is simple and elegant, and make the banner and sliders (which as you may now have guessed, are hallmarks of PrestaShop themes), stand out even more.
There’s a handy side-menu down the left too, which can help you showcase more of your stock. Definitely worth looking at, no matter what you’re selling.
<a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/en/interior-furniture/17782-flooring-store.html"> More Info </a> <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/demo/FO9721.html"> Demo </a>
<h2>5. Star Fashion</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-9700x0.png" /> Another visual powerhouse.
Star Fashion serves up large banners to capture the attention of shoppers, along with an elegant menu at the top of the page. Geared towards the fashion industry, the minimalist design works well.
If you have good imagery to show off, Star Fashion is definitely for you.
<a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/en/fashion/17488-star-fashion-responsive-template.html"> More Info </a> <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/demo/FO9422.html"> Demo </a>
<h2>6. Oslo</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-8700x0.png" />
Oslo has a big emphasis on visuals and general usability.
The homepage is dominated by giant banners, which, together, make up a product catalog. There’s also a slider in the middle of the page, whilst logos and menus take their place on the side bar.
It’s a unique look, and one which would suit a number of industries. Plus, it comes in two slightly different styles.
<a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/en/fashion/16958-01-oslo.html"> More Info </a> <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/demo/FO8871.html"> Demo </a>
<h2>7. Leo</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-5700x0.png" />
This PrestaShop theme is ideal for fashion and jewellery merchants.
The centered logo, large slider and neat design make it one of the most professional themes on the PrestaShop market.
It also boasts mega menus, displaying product thumbnails and standalone images and text alongside a list of pages.
<a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/en/fashion/11447-leo-fashion-store-prestashop.html"> More Info </a> <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/demo/FO7934.html"> Demo </a>
<h2>8. Gadget Shop</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-10700x0.png" />
The Gadget Shop theme is ideal for, well, gadgets.
With a snazzy, modern design, it’s a great fit for all things tech related. Yet, I wouldn’t rule it out for any other industry either. The design is neutral in that respect.
The menus can get detailed too, as the drop-down menus allow you to display pages, products, images and even videos.
<a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/en/high-tech/11449-new-gadgets-shop-responsive-html5-theme-16.html"> More Info </a> <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/demo/FO7936.html"> Demo </a>
<h2>9. Elation</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-6700x0.png" />
Sometimes, a theme can make you fall in love with it, just by scrolling down the home page. Elation is one such theme.
The full-width slider, call-to-action button, dainty fonts and beautiful use of banners, carousels and images makes Elation one of PrestaShop’s most attractive themes. It really is stunning.
Plus, with the right approach, Elation could be used in almost any industry.
<a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/en/neutral/16704-elation-advance-touch-theme.html"> More Info </a> <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/demo/FO8611.html"> Demo </a>
<h2>10. Travely</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-11700x0.png" />
Looking to dazzle? Look no further.
Travely greets visitors with a full-page slider, overlaid with a mega menu, text area, logo and cart area. It’s one of the most professional PrestaShop themes around.
As the name indicates, Travely is best suited for those selling holiday packages. However, I think all forms of service-based products can be sold using this classy theme.
<a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/en/travel/17643-travely-theme-shop-of-travel.html"> More Info </a> <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/demo/FO9582.html"> Demo </a>
So there you have it. ten PrestaShop themes that are certainly worth your consideration – and maybe even your investment.
Have I missed out your favourite PrestaShop theme? Let me know in the comments section below.

Top 10 Beautiful PrestaShop Themes

The Mac versus PC debate seems to have cooled off in recent years. Gone are the days of Apple computers being viewed as specialty machines for graphic designers and tech newbies, with Windows machines being the only way to get “real” work done.
Today, most software – whether it’s for games, accounting or design – is available for both platforms. Beyond that, much of the work we do is processed and stored in the cloud without relying on the inner workings of our operating systems at all.
So, does that mean operating system is no longer a consideration when choosing a content management system?
Not so fast.
While the majority of the work you do on your website through your CMS will take place inside your browser and not on your desktop, there are still a few key considerations to account for when choosing a CMS.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mt-operating-systems-and-cms-choice-1700x0.jpg" />
<h2>Source Code Language</h2>
Ideally, your CMS works as advertised day in and day out. In the best case scenario, you only interact with the user interface of your CMS and never have to make adjustments or go troubleshooting inside the source code of the application.
But what happens if something goes wrong? Does your team have the skillset and expertise to craft a solution?
While many content management systems offer similar functionality and features, the underlying bones can be very different. Consider Umbraco, which runs on the .NET application framework developed by Microsoft. The source language of .NET platforms is likely to be C# (as it is for Umbraco), which is a Windows language.
On the other hand, PHP-based platforms like Drupal and Joomla, along with Perl platforms like <a href="http://www.movabletype.com/" target="_blank">Movable Type</a>, are considerably easier to work with across different operating systems.
Again, on a day-to-day basis, you’ll likely be dealing with the user-facing side of your content management system, which is totally operating-system-independent. If, however, you’re doing your own work on customizing the source code of the CMS or fixing application issues, you’ll want to make sure you’re operating on a platform that’s compatible with your company’s machines.
<h2>Browser Inconsistencies</h2>
There are very few web browsers unavailable to either Mac or PC users. Regardless of your operating system, you’re free to use the likes of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera and more to surf the web and, more importantly, to make edits to content inside your CMS.
There are, however, some subtle differences between Chrome for Mac and Chrome for Windows. The same applies to Safari, Firefox and the rest of the bunch. A discerning eye will notice inconsistencies in pixel count, some font spacing issues and other CSS variables that differ between the two versions of a given browser.
These sorts of tiny hiccups, unaddressed, can completely compromise the integrity of your design and content.
The most important thing you can do is browser test your content. Using a tool like <a href="http://www.crossbrowsertesting.com/" target="_blank">Cross Browser Testing</a>, explore your content on many different browsers, operating systems and screen sizes.
To fix any discrepancies you discover, you may need to make edits directly to your CSS stylesheet such as setting default padding values or using absolute values for element height that aren’t relative to pixel spacing.
For this reason, you’ll want to adopt a CMS that makes it easy for you to make and implement stylesheet edits. Or better yet, a CMS that takes care of these cross-operating-system browser inconsistencies on its own.
In this scenario, wide adoption is a good thing. Platforms like WordPress, used by millions and millions of people across all devices and operating systems, are well equipped to handle browser inconsistencies.
<h2>Security Concerns</h2>
Wide adoption, while great for cross-platform content creation, can also have its drawbacks.
By now, we all know about the recent brute force WordPress attacks, where attackers targeted WordPress installs by trying to guess common usernames and passwords, even spreading login attempts between many machines around the globe to circumvent lock-out procedures. Some estimates show that as many as one in every six blogs on the Internet runs on WordPress – making these attacks quite frightening.
Not everyone knows, however, that Mac users were no less vulnerable to these hackers than their Windows counterparts.
For a long time, Macs have been considered to be safer, in general, from attackers and malware. But this outdated perception is beginning to do more harm than good. It’s been shown that Windows users are often more diligent about protection – both on their operating systems and their online properties. Some experts believe Mac users have been lulled into a false sense of security, and it’s leading to greater vulnerability.
It’s true that Macs have traditionally been safer than PCs – but only because they’ve been historically less targeted. That’s all changing. In 2012, a piece of malware called Flashback infected over half a million Apple machines.
To top it all off, these recent CMS attacks aren’t discriminating by operating system.
So how do you know for sure if your CMS is secure? The best way is to look for documentation. Choose a content management system that’s proactive about keeping users informed of fixes, potential threats and extra safety measures they can take.
Movable Type details the security features of its latest build <a href="https://movabletype.org/documentation/mt42/movable-type-42-and-security.html" target="_blank">here</a>, while Drupal keeps a running log of all issues as they’re resolved.
If you’re using a Mac, don’t assume that security isn’t important when choosing a CMS. Think like a Windows user and arm yourself with information to keep your data protected.
<h2>The Bottom Line</h2>
Your operating system should not be a major consideration when choosing a content management system for your organization. But it should be something you’re keenly aware of when scouting potential pitfalls and problem areas associated with your daily workflow.
As detailed above, it’s the little things – the subtle differences between Macs and PCs – that can make a world of difference, whether it’s the location of a pixel or a security loophole that puts your entire organization at risk.
Don’t get caught overlooking these critical details.

Should Your Operating System Affect CMS Choice?

<img title="textpattern" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/textpattern.png" />You heard it right, a new maintenance release fixing bugs and glitches has been released by Textpattern. You can read about the specific fixes at the <a href="http://textpattern.com/weblog/332/textpattern-cms-408-released" target="_blank">Textpattern</a> website.
Here are some additional resources for Textpattern enthusiasts:
<a href="http://textpattern.com/featured" target="_blank">Textpattern featured sites</a> – This area of their website highlights specific sites based on Textpattern that have done well.
<a href="http://welovetxp.com/" target="_blank">We Love TXP</a> – This is a community-driven site that also highlights some fan favourites.
<a href="http://txpq.com/" target="_blank">The Textpattern Magazine</a>
And the obligatory screenshot:
<img title="Textpattern CMS" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/textpattern-php-20301.png" alt="Textpattern CMS" />

Textpattern has released version 4.0.8

Best Video Experience

Give your audience the best video experience

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<a href="http://www.elcom.com.au/">Elcom</a> has announced version 7.5 of their content management system and with it, some new social functionality has been integrated.
As well as enhancements to key features within the system; Elcom are excited to be launching an enhanced layer of Social 
functionality across the system.
<img style="max-width:224px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elcom_7-5_social.jpg" />
The new social layer provides intuitive and easy to use Facebook like functionality, giving users the ability to publish status updates, share information, comment and invite colleagues or members. This builds on the elcomCMS’s existing social features which include blogs, forums and wikis.
Commenting on the development, Anthony Milner, Elcom’s Product Director said “Bringing FaceBook like functionality to the enterprise concerns some HR teams but in reality an effective and well managed social layer can significantly enhance productivity through improved communication and collaboration. It can also reduce the need for formal meetings, expose hidden expertise and improve communication across geographically dispersed teams. ”
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elcom_7-5_youtube.jpg" style="max-width:224px" />
In addition to the Facebook like Social features, Elcom have also introduced a framework to easily integrate external content such as YouTube. This allows authors to automatically extract and store video metadata as indexed objects without the need to actually store the video asset on their site. The content can then be integrated with the elcomCMS’s taxonomy engine, dynamic content widgets and search. This provides a quick and powerful way to enhance existing content with external content; and reduces the duplication and maintenance often associated with managing multiple content sources
For marketing and campaign managers, Elcom have also integrated in version 7.5, the outstanding email marketing software, Campaign Monitor. This is a third-party online email marketing tool that lets marketers send “professional and engaging email campaigns, track results and manage subscribers”, to provide powerful email campaign management.
Elcom’s Marketing Manager, Lee-Sia Yuen added “This is great release for marketing and communication professionals. The email marketing, rich media and social capability will help to remove noise and improve communication channels between clients, prospects, channels and even internally”

Elcom 7.5 brings Social Functionality and More

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Customize your base template and RallyMind will automatically create individualized variants with unique images, content and URLs. Now you can create thousands of landing pages in about the same time it takes to build just one template. Because of RallyMind’s advanced multivariable technology you can update page-specific content, phone numbers, images and custom settings via spreadsheets/APIs. This means that any changes can now be done faster, easier and error-free.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/branded-landing-page-variations466x0-is.jpg" />
See what RallyMind can do for you. <a href="http://rallymind.com/contact/">Get a free demo today.</a>
What if you were told you could go to market in just seven days? Our experienced team of engineers offers full-service support during and after migration. We stand behind this claim: If we can’t get your campaign live in 15 days we’ll waive the setup cost.
Got integrations? RallyMind seamlessly integrates with dozens of add-on business applications so that you can easily sync and streamline your data. Need data? All landing pages are fully integrated with Google Analytics right out of the gate. Customized performance reporting is available at no charge.
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The only question is: How much can your company scale with RallyMind?
<a href="http://rallymind.com/contact/">Request a free demo today.</a>

How Companies are Increasing ROIs with RallyMind's Landing Page Management Technology

Whether you consider yourself an Internet entrepreneur, a content marketer or simply somebody who makes their living off the web, you'll have likely heard of <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/" target="_blank">CopyBlogger</a>.
The Internet marketing blog turned community has long been an authority when it comes to content that converts. Now, they have a new platform built from the ground up to convert visitors into customers, and browsers into community members. It's called the <a href="https://rainmakerplatform.com/" target="_blank">Rainmaker Platform</a>.
Although it's based off of WordPress, it isn't WordPress, nor is it a WordPress plugin or extension of any kind. It's a standalone CMS for Internet entrepreneurs.
Rainmaker offers a long list of specialised features, many of which Internet marketers will have come to know and rely on. Here they are at a glance:
<ul>
<li>Create powerful content-driven websites on your own domain.</li>
<li>Choose from 27 customizable Genesis themes &amp; additional landing page templates.</li>
<li>Build membership sites, forums and online training courses.</li>
<li>Upload, manage and sell digital products like software, ebooks, and more.</li>
<li>Built-in analytics &amp; reporting.</li>
<li>Built-in A/B Testing.</li>
<li>Training &amp; educational material included.</li>
<li>Avoid a patchwork of plugins, themes, and complicated code.</li>
<li>Cloud hosted, with upgrades, maintenance, security all taken care of.</li>
<li>Export content to WordPress at any time you choose.</li>
</ul>
Now, as a blogger with my own website, <a href="http://www.employtheinternet.com/" target="_blank">Employ the Internet</a>, Rainmaker doesn't just interest me – it suits me perfectly. A platform which makes it easy to create bespoke landing pages, build membership-driven communities, distribute eBooks, podcasts, and more? Well, that sounds awesome.
And indeed, it is pretty awesome.
But despite my admiration, I doubt I'll be migrating my blog from WordPress to Rainmaker just yet. My hands-on tinkering with the platform will explain why.
<h2>Hands-On With The Rainmaker Platform</h2>
Note: This is not a full review of the Rainmaker Platform, but rather a brief insight into some of its core features.
After quickly and easily signing up and logging in to Rainmaker, I was presented with a clean and sleek dashboard.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-3700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" />
The dashboard is populated with some nicely laid out stats, from membership signups to forum activity. It also lets you keep track of A/B testing results, and (after integrating with Google Analytics) site traffic too.
Before navigating away from the dashboard, I took the opportunity to test out some of the top menus and other options. I noticed that I had control over what displayed on my dashboard, via a WordPress-esque “Screen Options” menu.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-14700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" />
This was one of many examples of where the WordPress foundation was shining through, but if anything, this only serves to make the move easier for users coming from WordPress.
Across the top of the page, I noticed buttons allowing me to preview my site, add, edit and manage different areas and pages, as well as a help menu, which directed me to the Rainmaker knowledge base. Everything worked well, and as a regular WordPress user, I didn't feel completely alienated by the new interface.
<h2>Themes &amp; Design</h2>
Navigating to the “Design” section brings up a range of options to choose from in setting up and customizing your website. These include; Themes, Appearance, Menus, Content Areas, Slider, Dynamic Sidebars, Custom CSS, Forms, Maintenance Mode, and Social Sharing.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-4700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" /> 
Rainmaker currently has 27 Genesis themes, all of which can be customized if you know your way around CSS. They're all pre-installed, which means you only need to click “Activate” to switch between them all.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-5700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" /> 
When it comes to customization, WordPress' customization tool is used. This allows you to select and adjust Favicons, change colour schemes, background images, footer sections, content areas, page layouts and so forth.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-6700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" /> 
You can also use the “Design” section to set up sliders, apply custom CSS, and even put your site into maintenance mode.
Overall, Rainmaker's design options are solid. There may not be many themes available, but putting a personalised spin on things seems to be quite easily done.
<h2>Content Types</h2>
The most exciting part of Rainmaker is the content types it can manage and help you distribute.
Via the “Content” section, a number of different content types can be created. These include; Pages, Posts, Landing Pages, Portfolios, Podcasts, Media and Forums. Plus, this is the place where you organize categories, tags, forms and import/export content to and from WordPress.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-7700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" /> 
All types of content are created using an editor page which is highly similar to the WordPress editor page. WordPress users wont have any issues adjusting. When it comes to things like Podcasts and Portfolios, the page merely offers up additional fields below the text editor.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-8700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" />
For example, when creating a new Podcast page, you can upload the audio file, and configure things like player placement and episode duration.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-9700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" /> 
It's all rather straight forward. Far simpler than I expected it to be, actually.
<h2>Conversions &amp; Reporting</h2>
More notable features can be found in the “Conversions” section.
Here, you can set up membership pages, connect to email marketing tools like Mailchimp and Aweber, and set up your preferred payment gateway too. At the moment, the options are Stripe and PayPal.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-10700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" /> 
Further down the “Conversions” page, you will find options to create new products, begin A/B testing, view orders and configure your download manager.
The built-in A/B testing system will have many marketers up on their feet.
You can easily assign pages to be tested, by setting up one, two or three variations of the same page, to test which one converts best. You can set it to run up until a certain amount of traffic runs through, or by how many times the page is viewed.
You can also manually stop the test whenever you like, but you can't choose to end it on a particular date. Which I found strange.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-13700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" />
As far as reporting goes, Rainmaker goes into detail within the “Results” section.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-15700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" /> 
Here, you can check Google Analytics, conversion reports, A/B testing reports, affiliate reports and even form reports, which enables you to see how well your contact form is doing, for example.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-16700x0.png" alt="Rainmaker Platform" /> 
All in all, Rainmaker offers pretty much everything an Internet entrepreneur needs to accommodate his or her audience, and assess how best to move forward.
It's a simplified, refined and slightly more professional version of WordPress, with fewer moving parts, but a more robust marketing engine.
<h2>To Move, Or Not To Move</h2>
Internet Entrepreneurs everywhere (most of whom live on planet WordPress) are now asking themselves the same question. Should I move my site over to Rainmaker?
Typically, there's no straight forward answer to this question. But to help you decide, allow me to weigh up the pros and cons for you.
<h3>Why I'm Tempted to Move</h3>
Rainmaker streamlines the processes between you as an Internet marketer, and your audience.
You can focus less on plugins and coding, and more on your website's design and copy. Rainmaker gives the nitty gritty stuff a back seat, by supplying you with hosting, automatic updates, security, a dedicated support team and a knowledge base to keep your business afloat when things get tricky.
Plus, signing up to Rainmaker automatically gives you access to <a href="http://my.copyblogger.com/join-authority/" target="_blank">CopyBlogger Authority</a>, a renowned marketing education community.
I could imagine that moving from WordPress to Rainmaker would feel like moving from a modern super city to a scenic, tightly-knit village, where every resident is a marketing fiend. The removal of all that complexity will just make life easier.
However, the grass isn't always greener for everybody.
<h3>Why I'm Staying Put (For Now)</h3>
Although Rainmaker is a highly professional and functional platform, it doesn't quite negate the broad usefulness and flexibility of WordPress.
Rather ironically, a recent blog post of mine, <a href="http://www.employtheinternet.com/optimize-blog-posts/" target="_blank">7 WordPress Plugins to Optimize Blog Posts</a>, is something Rainmaker users will miss out on, and those are just the tip of the iceberg. Plugins like WooCommerce and frameworks like Thesis also go out the window. So sure, Rainmaker is simpler, but it's also more restrictive.
Rainmaker compensates with built-in SEO, Genesis themes and and its own native formatting options, but the fact of the matter is, WordPress allows for all of that and more – albeit with a little more elbow grease.
With no plugins, and only a small amount of themes on offer, Rainmaker users may even begin to see their competitors employing the exact same tactics as they are, perhaps even with similar designs. Naturally, this lack of flexibility could easily become a problem.
This, paired with a hefty price tag of $95 per month, is enough to make me sit tight. For me, and likely for many others, WordPress still does a solid job, and it allows me to continue experimenting with my online presence.
With that being said, if you know your audience is large enough, and your podcasts, eBooks and online courses are already flowing, Rainmaker is worth consideration. In fact, despite my preference to stick with WordPress for now, I certainly don't rule out a future with Rainmaker – especially if it matures and expands.

Hands-On With The Rainmaker Platform: The CMS for Internet Entrepreneurs

Today we're going to take you through our Vivvo CMS Review. Vivvo is a commercial offering from Spoonlabs and is a well priced article publishing CMS primarily used for News, magazine or other sites where you publish large amounts of articles with pictures and other media.
Vivvo has been around for a while and has a very solid community and excellent support. Let's examine the install process and look at a few key elements of this system. We're going to review the Professional edition which was graciously provided by Boris @ Spoonlabs for review purposes.
First off, I'm unsure if this is a software concern or my host but when I first accessed our test URL, I was not greeted with the installer page.. instead I had to append it with /installer to get the installation going. Not a major concern but just something I wanted to point out. It would be best if it auto redirected on it's own.
I was then greeted with:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/v1.gif" alt="Vivvo CMS Review" />
Once you've selected your language, you proceed to:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/v2.gif" alt="Vivvo CMS Review" />
Looks like everything passed inspection. If you have anything come up with a red X it would be a good idea to get ahold of your hosting provider before proceeding.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/v3.gif" alt="Vivvo CMS Review" />
Accept the license and continue:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/v41.gif" alt="Vivvo CMS Review" />
Fill in your database details here.. make sure you append a database table prefix if you are using the same database as something else. Make sure you input your license number as well (you can get this by logging into your account at vivvo.net and you will see the license listed).
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/v5.gif" alt="Vivvo CMS Review" />
Plug in the obvious information like your website name, admin info. One thing I thought was a nice touch here was that the system will not let you choose an admin password of less than 6 characters. This is a nice touch.. I think it would be even better if it enforced some rules to password conventions to help new users secure their installation a bit more.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/v6.gif" alt="Vivvo CMS Review" />
Now comes the fun part. Let's click on the View website link and see what our fresh install looks like:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/v7.gif" alt="Vivvo CMS Review" />
Looks pretty nice! We have a login section, some featured article examples and you can see there is a sidebar with some nice tabbed boxes. Vivvo also has a decent selection of themes which are available for purchase from their site as well as some free ones which are available at <a href="http://www.vivvo.net/resources/">http://www.vivvo.net/resources/</a>. There are some free layouts for content as well as plugins to incorporate some other features into the system.
Let's take a peek at the admin section:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/v8.gif" alt="Vivvo CMS Review" />
Well laid out, easy to find what you need and well labelled.. just the way I like it. I also like the embedded statistics to give you a quick overview of number of visitors.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/v9.gif" alt="Vivvo CMS Review" />
I wanted to point out the above screen has a very nice simple feature.. Meta description and Meta keywords. This is a nice feature to let you quickly edit these to help your SEO score without having to manually edit the template files directly.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/v10.gif" alt="Vivvo CMS Review" />
This screen is another nice feature, you can preset the image sizes directly! That's very handy and gives you a ton of flexibility, again, without having to edit files directly. Nice touch!
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/v11.gif" alt="Vivvo CMS Review" />
The above screen is the final one I wanted to show. This lets you easily edit SEO functions for each article. This is a really nice option and isn't often seen in a CMS where you can manually control your SEO options with ease. Good work Spoonlabs.
Overall, Vivvo is a really nice system. They've made it very easy to maintain a nice search engine optimized site with excellent content management and article publishing flexibility. The overall price of this system is very reasonable as well. Coming in at around two hundred dollars to start, which is very reasonable for this type of system. If you are a new startup looking to break into the world of article publishing or starting up a magazine or newspaper.. this system would be a very good selection.
There's an excellent community as well and support is prompt and efficient. What would help this system out a bit more is a wider variety of plugins and more free themes… personally, I'm not fond of buying themes for premium systems, as I think more free themes would make the investment a bit more appealing for some.. but some people may not have an issue with that. The cost of the average theme is on par with most other premium theme options for other systems (ie: wordpress and all).
Vivvo works well, has a nicely laid out and user friendly admin section and just seems to do the job well for the price tag they are asking.
Our ratings:
Community 9/10 (Solid community with prompt support.)
Expandability 7/10 (It needs more plugins and can't easily be used for much other than article publishing)
Themability 8/10 (Not bad. Some free themes and some paid ones but could use more free.)
Useability 9/10 (Very easy to use. 10 in my books due to the added functionality with SEO editing)
<h2>Overall Score: 8/10</h2>

Vivvo CMS Review

<a href="http://www.en.flazio.com/" target="_blank">Flazio </a>is an Italian website builder created by Sicilian brother and sister team, Elisa and Flavio Fazio. Flazio (a portmanteau of Flavio and their last name Fazio) is one of many DIY website builders on the market at the moment.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-18_at_12_30_33.png" />
At first glance, Flazio have certainly set themselves an uphill battle. After all, in a market dominated by the likes of <a href="http://www.squarespace.com" target="_blank">Squarespace</a> and <a href="http://www.wix.com" target="_blank">Wix</a>, how is a small site set up in southern Italy going to compete?
I decided to check it out and see what Flazio has to offer.
<h2>Getting Started</h2>
Getting set up with Flazio is remarkably simple. The process takes just a few clicks and everything is crystal clear from the outset.
Everyone can sign up for free initially and the only information Flazio asks you to insert is your email and your chosen Flazio password. And that’s it.
From there, you go directly to a website template page – where you’ll find a selection of templates organized into various categories according to business type.
Whether you need a portfolio or a site for real estate, all you have to do is scroll and select.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-18_at_12_24_54.png" />
Once you’ve selected your theme (which you can easily change later) Flazio really kicks it up a notch with their excellent social media integration feature. Simply add your site title and description to start adding your content from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://plus.google.com/">Google+</a>, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a>.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-18_at_12_25_11.png" />
This feature is completely seamless and integrates with their templates perfectly. Flazio offers a beginner-friendly import feature, which allows users to pull entire swathes of photos, text content or video from their social media profiles with just one click.
Once you’ve completed this step, which is completely optional, you are taken to their powerful WYSIWYG editor where you can drag and drop dozens of elements into your chosen site template.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-18_at_12_25_25.png" />
I was really keen to really give this part of the site a good shakedown, as this is normally where DIY sites like this excel or fail miserably.
Flazio passed with flying colours. The interface is smooth, intuitive, and easy to navigate. Unlike a lot of other CMS in this genre, they have made sure to keep the widgets/site elements in front of you at all times (on the left of the screen); if you want to insert a text box, you can just scroll down through the list and drop it in. Adding Facebook and Twitter ‘like’ buttons and boxes is just as easy and the interface is completely lag-free.
All of the site settings are arranged in logical fashion to the right of the screen, and everything is arranged in a way that shows you what is available for free users and what is premium.
This is a very easy site to get set-up and working on.
<h2>Ease of Use</h2>
DIY sites can often be difficult to navigate and even more difficult to use, but the Flazio team have skillfully avoided these pitfalls by focusing on the important stuff.
With Flazio, you can go from signing up to editing your site in less than 2 minutes flat. The site itself has a very gradual learning curve and you’re unlikely to have any difficulties with it – whether you’re a novice or a website building pro.
<h2>Design</h2>
The very first thing you notice about Flazio is how nicely designed it is. From the log-in buttons to the main interface, everything is presented in a visually pleasing and ergonomic fashion.
The WYSIWYG editor is cleanly put together and is extremely user-friendly. Although, that doesn’t mean it’s basic or derivative – quite the opposite – it’s just very nicely set up to prevent any user confusion.
Front-end elements are to the left, back-end elements are to the right, and every element you see on your page can be moved to wherever you want it. You can also right click on some elements to lock them in place, bring them forward, or copy and paste.
If it falls down anywhere, it’s that some of the WYSIWYG elements of the editor (like adding pages, or the menu) are still in Italian, so that might confuse some users. Everything is well laid out, though, and it’s pretty obvious what’s what.
Another thing worth mentioning is that some of the themes are presented in full English and some aren’t; so looks a little messy at the moment.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-18_at_12_25_51.png" />
<h2>Features</h2>
Flazio really doesn’t skimp out when it comes to features, but the social media integration is the standout feature for me. The site allows you to import all your content from Google+, Facebook or LinkedIn, so users can transfer all their business content over from a business Facebook page or their LinkedIn profile. It’s a hugely powerful feature that will be standard practice everywhere in a few years.
<h3>Web Elements &amp; Widgets</h3>
Flazio has an impressive list of web elements and apps. You can insert whatever you like – <a href="http://www.skype.com/en/">Skype</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://www.linkedin.com">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://maps.google.com/">Google Maps</a>, <a href="https://www.spotify.com/">Spotify</a>, web icons, weather apps, <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a>, raw HTML script – you name it, it has almost everything you could ask for.
All the apps, web elements, and widgets are easily added and completely customizable.
<h3>Themes &amp; Templates</h3>
The site has a large selection of themes that are all mobile responsive as standard. The themes are all varied and have a sense of individuality that can be lacking in sites like this.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-18_at_12_26_02.png" />
All of the sites come with preinstalled stock photos, which I thought was a nice touch.
Each theme offers a 404 Page or Under Construction element which can be enabled by simply pressing a button on the ‘Pages’ section.
<h3>eCommerce</h3>
The eCommerce section is excellent and is packed with features. Flazio accept all credit cards, have a really great shopping cart, secure all payments, and allow you to monitor all sales. This feature is only available to premium members but it’s definitely worth the price.
<h3>Blogging</h3>
If you want to blog Flazio, it can be a little tricky. Some templates offer a blogging section and some don’t, so you’ll need a premium subscription to ensure that you’ll have blogging functionality. It’s a pretty good blogging platform with a good range of standard features; nothing hugely impressive, but nothing substandard either.
<h3>Customer Service</h3>
Flazio provide great customer support options and will offer to call you directly to go through any issues. They have a comprehensive FAQ section and a range of handy video guides. However, some of the FAQ are in Italian, which clearly isn’t ideal for the English speaking user.
<h2>Pricing</h2>
There are 2 pricing options including the Free basic plan or the Premium option at €9 a month (or €99 a year). To be honest, while the Free option is perfectly fine – it has two major drawbacks.
The URL layout is pretty ugly and practically unusable in a professional setting. Here’s the one that was generated for my test site – <a>http://www.user-info_1358021757.flazio.com</a>. Can you imagine that on a business card? I can’t.
Their free sites also have an irritating ‘Like this site? You can make your own here’ button that floats in the corner of the site. You can close it (as a user) but it makes it very clear that you’re using a free site. It also doesn’t offer an eCommerce option.
You get a lot of good features on the free site (including the ability to get paid via their ad revenue service) but the URL structure and intrusive ads make it a difficult to recommend for a professional service.
That being said, their <a href="http://www.en.flazio.com/website-pricing.php">Premium</a> option is fantastic value.
For €9 a month (or €99 for the year), you get all of their premium services like eCommerce, blogging, web stats, SEO, a custom .com domain, 5gb of email, unlimited server storage, and a lot more. It’s everything you could possibly ask for. They only offer a .com domain, which may be an issue for some business users, but that’s the only real fly in the ointment here.
This is a really good, affordable price and it renders the free version pointless to anyone who’s serious about creating a professional looking site.
<h2>Overall</h2>
If you can get over the little bits of random Italian sprinkled here and there, then Flazio is the DIY web builder for you – as long as you pay.
The Free service is perfectly fine but it falls down when it comes to the unusable URL structure, the lack of eCommerce options, and the Flazio ads on the site.
The Premium service is as good as any website building service on the market and stacks up well with the likes of <a href="http://www.squarespace.com/">Squarespace</a>, <a href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a> and <a href="http://www.wix.com/">Wix</a> – it’s that good. And for €99 a year, it’s very competitively priced.
Flazio’s strong range of apps, web elements, excellent editor, custom domains, wide range of visually interesting themes, and sophisticated design make it a top of the range option for any business looking to get online.
<h2>Pros</h2>
<ul>
<li>
Excellent and intuitive WYSIWYG editor
</li>
<li>
Great range of responsive-ready templates
</li>
<li>
Great value on the pro package and a very simple pay structure
</li>
<li>
Powerful eCommerce options
</li>
<li>
Ability to make money via advertising
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Cons</h2>
<ul>
<li>
Free site URL structure is unpleasant to look at
</li>
<li>
Some site content is listed in Italian by default, which might confuse some users
</li>
<li>
No stats, eCommerce, or blogging on free version
</li>
</ul>

Flazio Review

grainne-logue

To open an online store is not a tough thing. Yet, to make sure your new store generates sales at its max is going to take a good thought from you. Simply providing required products or services is not enough, a store owner must accompany them with an outstanding customer experience, both digital and real-life. At <a href="http://www.nopcommerce.com/?utm_source=makeyourstorevisitorsstay&amp;utm_medium=top-link&amp;utm_campaign=cmscritic" target="_blank">nopCommerce</a>, an open source eCommerce platform, we constantly monitor and analyze the latest eCommerce and design trends and well-doing shops’ experience, we brought together some tips that would help you to make shoppers out of random store wanderers.
<h3>First page</h3>
What do your customers see first on your site? Is it clear with just a quick glance what your store is all about and where they can find required information? Leaving a site with no action there is a matter of seconds, so it is extremely important to keep the homepage precise and informative at the same time.
<img alt="Homepage with a clear design" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/1450x0-is.jpg" />
The above screenshot of a homepage has no extensive text or irrelevant info. Simplicity is combined with a clear call to action. Further navigation made easy with the links to categories. Special offers and promotions are also highlighted.
Setting up your value proposition and making it clear how you’re different from others is also important, especially when you convey some rather more targeted values. Make your customers aware of what you stand for within first moments on your site. As shown on a homepage below, a company explicitly demonstrates its attitude towards sustainability:
<img alt="Homepage with a value proposition" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/2450x0-is.jpg" />
For some businesses, quick customer support is often required. If this is your case, place contacts or a live chat on the homepage too, and make it impossible to miss.
<h3>Product selection and comparison tools</h3>
For stores with large collections, product sorting and filtering are must, unless you are ready to let your customer go feeling lost in the abundance you offer. Let your visitors browse by color, size, materials, price category, etc.
<img alt="Product sorting and filtering" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/3450x0-is.jpg" />
Another good idea is to suggest your clients pairing options (for example, wine with ideal snacks) or DIY product design.
<img alt="DIY product design" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/4500x0-is.jpg" />
Comparison tables also make it easy for your customers, especially if you sell mid-range to expensive consumer goods, like electronics or cars. They help people to select among a set of alternatives comparing their advantages and disadvantages according to a number of criteria.
<img alt="Comparison tables" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/5450x0-is.jpg" />
<h3>Products ratings and reviews</h3>
According to BrightLocal, 74% of consumers trust business more if they read positive reviews. This tool is a great way to add credibility to your site and help your customers get the best item.
Try to organize the ratings in a way that they are as detailed as possible, for example, breakdown what previous customers liked and disliked about the product in three categories: customer support, tools &amp; features, and fees. Different customers might be more sensitive to some of these categories than to others, it helps customers see whether the product is likely to be a good fit for them.
<img alt="Detailed raiting" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/6197x162-cropx549y100-is.jpg" />
<h3>Checkout with no friction</h3>
The importance of a fast and convenient checkout is well-known and much discussed. Summing up all the great ideas, include all your costs upfront because no one likes finding out that after filling all required information and proceeding to payment a product is going to cost significantly more; provide guest checkout option for those who want to stay anonymous.
<img alt="Guest checkout" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/7880x402-cropx31y105-is450x0-is.jpg" />
Keep your checkout pages simple with no upselling, no testimonials, and no social sharing cues – fewer steps and faster process to finishing.
<img alt="Easy checkout" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/8450x0-is.jpg" />
Implement “Save for Later” button in your checkout, it gives users time to consider the purchases and at the same time makes it easy to complete next purchases.
<img alt="Save for Later" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/9393x221-cropx11y392-is250x0-is.jpg" />
<h3>A pleasant after purchase experience</h3>
Some companies pay less or no attention to an after purchase user experience, meanwhile, according to Monetate, returning visitors convert twice more likely than new visitors.
What can be done <a href="http://www.nopcommerce.com/blog/51-how-after-order-emails-can-drive-sales-and-improve-customer-experience.aspx?utm_source=makeyourstorevisitorsstay&amp;utm_medium=blog-link&amp;utm_campaign=cmscritic" target="_blank">after purchase</a>? Customize your “Thank you” page. A good idea could be placing some tips on the product usage. Alternatively, you can keep it minimalistic and leave the information for your confirmation letter. Fill the confirmation letter with detailed information on delivery, returns, and warranty, provide shoppers with links to contact your customer service representatives, offer some discounts for next purchases, outline how exactly the shoppers can get most out of your product and suggest some complementary goods.
Important, don’t forget about real life unboxing experience of your customers. Keep your brand voice in every detail.
<h3>Images</h3>
No matter what you sell, needless to explain why quality of your pictures matters. Ensure to provide high resolution appealing images, because they really can help you close the sensory gap between walking into a store and shopping online.
<img alt="Good product images" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/10450x0-is.jpg" />
<h3>Final note</h3>
There are basic tips, but every store is unique. You don’t have to rush to implement them all, test carefully different options to find out what works best for your business.

How to make your store visitors stay, buy and come back

<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/gutensite-responsive-website-design.jpg" />
If you’ve been around web designers much in the last year, you can’t have missed the buzzing excitement (and a few tears of joy) around the growing use of “responsive website design” (RWD) and the compelling case for <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2013/03/26/why-you-need-to-prioritize-responsive-design-right-now/">why having a responsive website is critical for your business</a>. The web is a wild and crazy place, with constantly evolving demands to support new technology and changing standards to meet those needs. We have known that mobile audiences were important, but until now there hasn’t been a simple solution for creating a “mobile version” of your website.
A beautifully designed, responsive website is the mobile friendly solution we’ve all been waiting for. Responsive design allows you to have one website which resizes it’s text and images and realigns it’s layout to fit any sized screen, be it phone, tablet or desktop computer, shaken, flipped, or stirred. It’s elegant, and it just works. Having one website that does it all makes it easy to edit in one place, which simplifies managing SEO as well. 
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/gutensite_-_compare_profiles_on_responsive932x0.jpg" alt="Compare the Responsive Gutensite Profiles on Desktop and Mobile" />
View one of the <a href="http://businessdemo.gutensite.com">Gutensite Demos</a> on your smartphone or open it up on your computer and resize your browser to make it the size of a phone screen and watch how it automagically “responds” to the new size. It's really fun!
Even many big CMS/website builders like Wix, haven’t converted to responsive design yet (it’s easier said than done for dynamic user generated content, particularly a WYSIWYG editor). For companies like Gutensite, which are known for cutting edge design, going 100% responsive was a major priority. This month, Gutensite finished a major platform upgrade to support native responsive design. Gutensite also released several brand <a href="http://www.gutensite.com/Free-Website-Designs">new free responsive templates</a> and redesigned nearly all of their existing free templates to be responsive. All the specialty content types were also redesigned. And of course all new custom designs are responsive. The response from our customers has been overwhelming!
If you browse through one of the <a href="http://churchdemo.gutensite.com/">demos</a> you’ll get to see a wide variety of pages in action, like this <a href="http://businessdemo.gutensite.com/About-Us/Calendar-Home">beautiful new calendar</a> which shifts to a list view when it gets to phone size. All this brand new design also looks beautiful on regular desktop computers too!
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/gutensite_-_compare_responsive_calendar_on_mobile932x0.jpg" alt="Compare the Responsive Gutensite Calendar on Desktop and Mobile" />
According to a <a href="http://mashable.com/2010/04/13/mobile-web-stats/">recent report by Morgan Stanley</a>, by 2015 more people will access the internet through mobile devices than desktop computers. And you’ve also probably heard that <a href="http://readwrite.com/2011/02/07/smartphones_outsell_pcs">smartphone sales have exceeded desktop computer sales</a>, with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-the-massive-growth-of-mobile-media-consumption-means-for-the-mobile-industry-2013-8">tablets growing 83% in 2013 while desktop shipments dropped 13%</a>. The desktop computer is still the preferred device for serious work (we love our big screens). But the convenience of smartphones is undeniable, whether you are browsing the latest news while you are waiting in line at the grocery store, or searching for information about a business you are visiting.
The importance of the mobile audience is no longer possible to ignore. And now that there are so many affordable platforms like Gutensite, which natively provide mobile friendly websites out of the box, there is no longer any excuse to have a website that isn’t mobile.
If your website hasn’t been updated in a few years and isn’t responsive yet, you should find a progressive CMS platform, and have them help you migrate all your existing content to create a brand new site. For most businesses, migration is easy. Aside from being mobile friendly, you’ll also probably appreciate the other <a href="http://www.gutensite.com/Popular-Website-Features">features</a> and great <a href="http://www.gutensite.com/Website-Support">support</a> you’ve been missing.

Gutensite Gets Fluid with Mobile Responsive Design

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