Articles - Page 116

The Top 10 AI Tools for Small Business: From Automation to a Coordinated Team of AI Agents

matt-garrepy

As I stepped into the entrance of <a href="https://www.prestashop.com/en/">PrestaShop’s</a> Paris headquarters,I was greeted by a long timeline of the company’s impressive history, which stretched across the hallway leading to the elevator.
[[__Presta__]]
It was a humbling reminder of PrestaShop’s deep roots in both the eCommerce and open source industries.
When I got to the lobby, Leah Anathan, PrestaShop’s Chief Marketing Officer, welcomed me warmly with tea and biscuits (they had heard about my love for English tea), and we thus kicked off a very casual – yet highly informative – meeting and office tour.
<h2>A Chat With PrestaShop’s CMO &amp; Director of Product Management</h2>
The first thing I did was sit down with Leah Anathan and Sebastien Levaillant, PrestaShop’s Director of Product Management.
As we sipped on some well-brewed tea, we got to talking about <a href="/prestashop-cloud-review/" target="_blank">PrestaShop Cloud</a>, and efforts are being made in order to improve it.
Scalability was the word being thrown around more than any other, and I was told that an announcement regarding PrestaShop Cloud was coming relatively soon. Personally, I’m very excited to see what PrestaShop has in store for us (pun intended).
I even got to share the story of my own father’s business, a UK based training course company called The Learning Station, which is powered by PrestaShop Cloud. Leah and Sebastien were excited to ask me about my father’s experiences, and I was only too happy to tell them about his PrestaShop-powered journey.
They also told me about how much closer the PrestaShop team now is to the PrestaShop community. Their move to GitHub has made it easier for their community to submit code, and they now have at least one volunteer from the community who has been granted record levels of access and authority to the PrestaShop project.
<h2>A Peek at PrestaShop 1.7</h2>
I also got to sit through some short but extremely informative presentations given by various members of the PrestaShop development team.
I was given sneak peeks at PrestaShop’s 1.7 user interface, which has been totally re-worked in line with the feedback received from PrestaShop 1.6 users.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ps3388x0-is.png" />
Their development team had spent time with actual users in order to extract their biggest gripes with the PrestaShop 1.6 interface – and they are now working on fixing everything that was flagged up.
And to be fair, they have their plate full, because despite <a href="/hands-on-with-prestashop-1.6/" target="_blank">my adoration of PrestaShop 1.6</a>, the user interface had lots of room for improvement.
But with that in mind, I couldn’t help but compliment the newest interface when it was demonstrated in front of me. It really does look good, and you can be sure that I’ll be writing about it in more detail sooner rather than later.
If you want to learn more about PrestaShop 1.7, check out the <a href="https://www.prestashop.com/en/1.7">PrestaShop website</a>.
<h2>The Office Tour</h2>
After getting to grips with PrestaShop 1.7, it was time to explore the rest of PrestaShop’s impressive European headquarters.
Before I talk about the offices though, let me relay something interesting that Leah Anathan told me about the building itself. As she spoke of the building’s rich history, she directed me to a picture printed on the wall of the lobby, which had a French description.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/img_65642467x1649-cropx0y472-is577x0-is.jpg" /> To cut a long story short, a century ago, PrestaShop’s Paris headquarters was actually a popular marketplace. Today, it houses one of the world’s most popular online marketplace builders. I found that to be pretty amazing.
As for the tour, we started off in one of the three office areas that are dotted around the building.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/img_65583264x1858-cropx0y430-is678x0-is.jpg" />
Desks were lined with computers and laptops in typical fashion, and sticky notes with ideas covered a board in what seemed like a snap-meeting area.
This central working space overlooks a picturesque Parisian square, which PrestaShop’s employees get to gaze at (during their breaks, of course).
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ps2481x0-is.png" />
As I walked around the building, I noticed that the walls were decorated with quirky PrestaShop-themed art, with a surprising touch of Star Wars. It was a slightly odd combination – but it worked.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/img_6542515x0-is.jpg" />
A subtle amount of tongue-in-cheek banter was present all over the office, actually. For example, PrestaShop’s mascot – Preston the Puffin – could be found around the building in teddy form, in wall murals, and as part of some meme-inspired images.

<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/img_6598314x0-is.jpg" />

Towards the end of the tour, I was then shown three rooms that were dedicated to the relaxation and recuperation of PrestaShop’s workforce.
The first room was a small, featureless one, with a large couch, some chairs, and a comfortable looking carpet. It’s intended for those who want some silence or some private time. I remember thinking to myself that – in such a busy working environment – this quiet room was a nice touch.
Opposite that room was another, this time with a bunk bed and shower area. Obviously, pulling all-nighters is part-and-parcel of working for PrestaShop.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ps1411x0-is.png" />
The third room, which can be found along the same corridor, is the designated relaxation room.
As the name suggests, this room was set aside for PrestaShop’s employees to simply chill in.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/relax_room_aka_bungalow5179x2765-cropx0y687-is723x0-is.jpeg" />
It was a spacious room with couches, bean bags, a wide-screen, and a foosetable. There was a beach theme going on too, with surfboards and sun lounges lined up on the left-hand side. The walls were once again full of color, but this time, the murals gave off a feeling of warmth and serenity – which is no coincidence, I’m sure.
All in all, the PrestaShop office felt incredibly homely and yet intensely energized. It was everything a modern software vendor HQ should be, and then some.
A big thank you goes out to Leah Anathan and the wider PrestaShop team for their fantastic hospitality!
Stick around for more PrestaShop coverage through this PrestaShop featured week.

Reflecting on My Visit to PrestaShop’s Paris HQ

mike-johnston

<a href="https://www.igloosoftware.com/?utm_source=cmscritic&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog" target="_blank">Igloo</a> is an intranet you’ll actually like ― according to its website anyway.
Companies and projects of all sizes need somewhere to keep all ideas, events and members organized. A place for everybody to congregate and collaborate digitally.
Usually, such software comes in the form of a fully featured professional intranet, like Igloo.
<a href="https://www.igloosoftware.com/?utm_source=cmscritic&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog" target="_blank"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/8279-2281482291.png" /></a> Igloo is a cloud-based intranet and extranet solution designed to promote communication and collaboration between colleagues and/or clients. It boasts a slew of apps and widgets, is compatible with MS Office, and can integrate with both Salesforce and Sharepoint.
Now without any further ado, let’s find out if Igloo really is an intranet that you’ll actually like.
Here’s a short video to get started with.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pO4QGqQyGnk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<h2>Initial Thoughts</h2>
If you are familiar with my reviews, you’ll know that I start my journey as any customer or client would; with the vendor’s website.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-8916x0-is.png" /> Igloo’s website is pleasant, but doesn't do an amazing job at getting its message across.
The front page is easy on the eyes for sure, but apart from the video half-way down the homepage, there’s little that actually tells you what Igloo does, or how it does it.
Clicking “Tour” on the menu didn’t make matters much better. There were more videos waiting for me, and although I’m a big fan of video content for when it comes to explaining softwares, I don’t see them as a substitute for good old short, simple core feature descriptions.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-12680x0-is.png" />Igloo’s website just wasn’t drawing me in. I didn’t feel like the software was going to be simple to use, simply because their website wasn’t telling (or showing) me so.
<h2>Getting Started</h2>
Igloo comes free, so it’s easy to get your hands on the platform before taking out your wallet. However, the free version will only get you 10 users, 3 team spaces, and 10 GB of storage.
To get myself started, I entered my email and signed up on the Igloo homepage. After that, I only needed to divulge my name and country of residence before clicking “Get Started”.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-2.png" /> Igloo then welcomed me to their platform by instructing me to wait for an email. There was an introductory video to give me a taste of what was to come, but the potential 30 minute wait for an email seemed far too long for me.
In the end it didn’t take quite 30 minutes, but I still had to wait longer than I would normally expect for an email to arrive.
But in any case, with the email now in my inbox, I was ready to dive in to my Igloo via the link they sent me.
When I got to my Igloo's homepage, a default logo stood adjacent to a menu containing; News, Files, Events, Policies and Staff. It was nice to have a foundation ready to build on.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-4767x0-is.png" />
Further down, a sidebar offered “Quick Links” to different default pages as well as an avenue into my profile where I could update my information.
A calendar widget was also active, as was a welcoming message from Igloo on my new activity feed, prompting me to visit the help page in needed, and also to check out some of their tips and tricks for getting started.
I was more interested in feeling my way around, though.
The top menu bar gave my access to different sections of Igloo which would help keep me and my team organised. This includes areas like To-dos, messages, bookmarks, subscriptions, communities and more.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-4-1.png" /> I was also able to set my status between online, offline, away and busy.
The real action though, was the small + button on the right side of the top menu bar. Here, as an administrator, I was able to quickly add pages, blog posts, calendar events, wiki articles, files and more.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-5-1.png" />This little + button was essentially the command center. One can only wonder as to why the + itself is so small and therefore so easily missed. A minor issue for sure, but one worth rectifying anyway.
<h2>Managing Pages &amp; Spaces</h2>
To hone your Igloo, you'll need to spend time managing the front page, and all the other spaces within your intranet or extranet. Here's some insight into that management experience.
To modify existing pages, you need to click on a small arrow on the right-hand side of the page. It's a very, very small arrow. A drop-down menu then appears with a few options to choose from.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-6-1.png" />
The “Edit” option is the one I'll be focusing on now, and I'll touch on the rest of the options later in the review.
Clicking Edit brings up a neat set of Igloo's widgets. Blogs, forums, wikis, polls, RSS feeds, slideshows and more widgets make up the library.
All I needed to do was drag and drop whichever app I wanted into place. I was also able to re-arrange the entire page via drag-and-drop interface. It was fluid and satisfying to use, just like any good drag-and-drop system should be.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-7-1727x0-is.png" /> So, just as the small + button is the key to adding new pages and content, the small arrow button is the key to modifying it once it's in place. My only issue is the actual size of these two very important buttons.
<h2>Apps</h2>
<a href="http://www.igloosoftware.com/apps">Igloo Apps</a> define the way in which you collaborate with other team members. Such Apps include blogs, calendars, file sharing, forums micro-blogs and more.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-8-1839x0-is.png" />
Apps like calendars, file sharing, wikis and forums on the other hand, are brilliant tools for scheduling tasks, streamlining workflows, asking questions and learning.
<h3>Blogging</h3>
Blogging and micro-blogging are features within Igloo which help team members give updates and spread news internally.
The blogging feature itself is as you would expect it to be. Users can make use of a WYSIWYG interface to type, insert images and format their content. Posts can then be published, saved for later, or submitted to a moderator to approve.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-11-1785x0-is.png" />
As for micro-blogging, it's a quick, easy and potentially playful way for colleagues to update each other. <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-12-1.png" />Inline images can be used, and replies are in context. Twitter fiends will be happy.
<h3>Files</h3>
With the Files app, Igloo can be used as an asset management system.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-13-1.png" />Files can be uploaded, downloaded, previewed, and locked. Plus, there's version control, update notifications and the ability to email files directly into Igloo. Not a bad little DAM solution at all.
<h3>Calendars</h3>
Events can be organized via the Calendar app. Members can receive invites from Outlook or Gmail, while the calendar itself can be updates with text and rich media.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-15638x0-is.png" />Events can be set to recur, while members can also choose to RSVP.
<h3>Forums</h3>
Igloo's forum app is there to ignite conversation. Ideas can be proposed, and problems can be solved.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-16557x0-is.png" />All posts can be upvoted or downvoted by members, and threads can even be concluded if a response receives enough praise. Threads can also be sorted and searched through in various ways.
<h3>Tasks &amp; Wikis</h3>
Tasks can be set with both due dates and priority labels at low, medium or high.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-9-1401x0-is.png" /> Tasks can also be given sub-tasks, and members can comment on them to keep everybody updated. Notifications will alert relevant members of any progress.
Igloo also lets users set up information and policy hubs in the form of Wikis.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-10-1673x0-is.png" /> Members can continuously update Wikis and Wiki articles, rate them, comment on them and link to related Wiki content.
<h2>Extras</h2>
Igloo has a few notable extras worth mentioning, which come together to round off the user experience somewhat.
<h3>View Site As</h3>
Another handy option for administrators, is the “View Site As” feature once again accessible from the top menu.
Although the feature is still in beta at the time of writing, I found it worked quite well. It allows you to quickly switch between all group types, seeing the community just as they would.
The loads are extremely fast, and the feature is very easy to manage.
<h3>Advanced, Activity &amp; Access</h3>
Clicking “Advanced” on the drop-down menu for page editing, will bring up SEO options.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-1-1739x0-is.png" />
This page can be used to populate page titles, meta descriptions, keywords and robot access. All handy stuff.
Another interesting administrative feature is “Activity”, also seen as an option when editing pages.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-3-1961x0-is.png" />It gives you an overview of the changes made to the page you're looking at, as well as who made the changes. This helps keep tabs on other administrators or moderators who may have perhaps made tweaks the a page's appearance or functionality.
Access is also found in the same way, and allows administrators to set permissions per page. So, if you only want moderators having access to forums, this is the way to configure such a setting.
<h3><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-2-1738x0-is.png" />
Site Manager</h3>
Within the admin panel is the Site Manager page. Here, Igloo displays the current setup in a tree, enabling administrators to add pages and re-structure the site.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-14515x0-is.png" />For example, a sub-page of a wiki can be dragged-and-dropped to become its own, standalone page. It's a neat way to view the entire site, and it works well as a page management tool.
<h2>Getting Help</h2>
Clicking the “Help” button (which appears on every page when you're browsing as an administrator), brings up a well-populated help page.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-13727x0-is.png" />
There's live chat, phone lines, and a community forum to help solve your issues. but most impressively, Igloo's searchable “Knowledge Base” is full of documentation as well as tutorial videos.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-10875x0-is.png" />
They also have premium support packages for companies requiring personalized assistance. The prices aren’t available, but the details of each package are:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-7711x0-is.png" />
Plenty of premium support too then. However, I'm not entirely sure why the prices need to be hidden, though. I understand that varying user counts will impact the price, but Igloo should be able to provide more guidance here, as these packages may well be the difference between a company using or bailing on Igloo.
<h2>Pricing </h2>
As previously mentioned, Igloo offers up a free version of itself, giving you access to every app and feature. However, there are limitations.
With the free version, you'll only be able to have 10 users, 3 team spaces, and 10 GB of storage.
To upgrade, you’ll need to pay up $3 per user for an extranet, and $12 per user for an intranet,
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-6588x0-is.png" />
Also, it’s worth noting that Igloo requires you to make a yearly agreement based on the above pricing.
Competitor Bitrix24 also has a free version, catering for up to 12 users, with support for another 12 for just $25 per month. However, they offer less storage and no extranet option at that level.
Yammer, another intranet providing rival, offers its services from $3 per month per user.
So all in all. Igloo have their pricing set out quite well.
<h2>The Verdict</h2>
Without a doubt, Igloo is a quality piece of software.
Unlike many other intranet solutions, Igloo is extremely quick and easy to set up. Plus, the average employee with limited tech skills will be able to learn the ropes pretty fast, and that’s essential in my opinion.
A company could quite easily sign up for Igloo on Monday, and have a fully organized and in-sync office by the end of the working week. Igloo is that simple.
However, there is room for improvement.
I feel that there is a lack of control when it comes to design in particular. Companies will want to brand and customize their intranet, and apart from interchangeable backgrounds, there isn’t much wriggle room, unless you delve into CSS coding.
Another gripe I have with Igloo, is that it doesn’t make the administrative experience as enjoyable as the user experience.
The top navigation bar gives the admin features to tinker with, but to really configure Igloo on a meaningful level, users will need to delve further into the back end, which just doesn’t serve up the same panache as the front end. The interface is cramped, dark and simply not as user friendly.
Igloo will be loved by employees and team members making use of the front-facing features like micro-blogging and file sharing, but I don’t think the fun extends behind the curtain.
<h3>Pros</h3>
<ul>
<li>Igloo comes free, albeit with some limitations.</li>
<li>The drag-and-drop interface allows you to design the ways apps are displayed.</li>
<li>Blogging, micro-blogging, forums, wikis, file management and calendars all come together to make an excellent intranet solution.</li>
<li>Extra widgets like polls, slideshows, member lists and RSS feeds provide handy functionality.</li>
<li>The sign up and set up process is quick, and apps come pre-installed.</li>
<li>Igloo is very fast and responsive.</li>
<li>For (free) support, there's live chat, a phone line, extensive documentation and a user community.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cons</h3>
<ul>
<li>The administrative user experience is lackluster. Igloo provides tidy options from the front end via the top navigation bar, but things get a little dark and dingey when you wander into the back end.</li>
<li>Statistics are there, but not in a particularly pretty or useful capacity.</li>
<li>Don’t like the way Igloo looks? Well apart from the background image, if you aren’t handy with CSS code, you can’t change anything.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Final Remarks</h2>
As previously mentioned, the administrative user experience feels somewhat incomplete. The backend of Igloo simply needs more polishing.
On the other hand, it can be argued that the back of Igloo will rarely be touched. An administrator could configure the general settings, and then join the rest of the company in enjoying the front-facing features. The more technical stuff will only need to be set up once, and can then be forgotten.
Although this may be true, I still feel the need to point out the lack of fluidity when it comes to the administrative experience. It’s something Igloo should see to.
Other than that, Igloo should think about implementing some templates and simple design options to give users more room to brand and personalise.
When it comes to the everyday Intranet features though, Igloo impressed me. There’s certainly nothing incomplete about this far more important side of the platform.
Each feature, from micro-blogging to file sharing, is very easy to get familiar with. Employees and team members will enjoy the easy going nature of Igloo, as well as the handy features it comes boxed with.
All in all, I’m a fan of the platform. It may be a little finicky behind the scenes, but I take nothing away from its speedy, sleek and feature-filled Intranet offering.

Igloo Review - Intranet Software for Everyone

No matter what hemisphere you’re in, one of the main driving forces behind business is competition. 
 When the competition gets neck-and-neck, businesses look for whatever advantage they can find; and that’s exactly what’s happening in Latin America as a result of the strong and steady GDP growth. More and more companies want – and need – that competitive edge, and they’re finding it in ECM (Enterprise Content Management).
Surprisingly, a large amount of Latin American companies are still harboring outdated idea of what exactly ECM is. For them, it is the same as the EDM (Electronic Document Management) systems of the early 80s – nothing more than a digital filing cabinet.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/bigstock-ecm-diagram-21025610.jpg" />
<h2>Out With the Old</h2>
Some of these businesses still even do their internal management on paper. But many of these companies are abandoning these old-fashioned ideas when they see their competition take the lead by implementing a state-of-the-art ECM system.
 Not surprisingly, the leaders of this revolution are the countries with major and more mature markets. Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia – the usual suspects – are experiencing the most rapid integration of ECM, in some cases in the same field (or even surpassing) the economic powerhouses of other continents. 
 On its own, Brazil spent over $68 million on ECM solutions in 2013. By 2018, that amount is expected to nearly triple (estimates suggest $165 million).
It all started with big data analytics, which shone a light on the need to integrate all the information within their companies. In this difficult transition period, we see a trend of companies implementing ECM in some departments but not others, failing to achieve that total, company-wide integration for which ECM works best. But even this partial integration is being abandoned for the convenience of full-scale ECM.
<h2>Coming of Age</h2>
As a result, the companies that successfully use ECM have less paperwork, less redundancies, and more collaborative environments than to easier methods of file-sharing. We see them enjoying the benefits of organization and using their time more efficiently.
In general, Latin America is going through a phase of developing their digitization and IT infrastructure. 
Cloud computing is on the rise, as are implementations of CMS. The popularization of big data analytics, which spurred the movement towards ECM, is further evidence of Latin America’s “coming of age”.  
 These growing global economies are now adopting the techniques and tools that will allow them to compete with the rest of the world – which will no doubt be good for business!

Latin America Begins Looking Towards ECM

<a href="https://www.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Weebly</a> has introduced a brand new Blogging URL Structure, designed to improve your Weebly blog’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and user experience.
As one of the world's most popular website builders, Weebly offers a very user-friendly interface, hosting millions upon millions of websites.
In fact, more than 140M unique visitors are now going to over 20M Weebly sites every month. Weebly's integrated ecommerce and blogging features also make it a very solid option.
With this update, all of Weebly's blog post URLs now follow the following format:
Sitename/blog-name/post-name. 
<h2>A Much Needed SEO Boost</h2>
This new blog URL structure gives Weebly users something that many will have been waiting for – an SEO boost for their Weebly blog posts.
This new URL structure is far more friendly to search engines than the previous structure. Here's an example to highlight the differences:
Old URL Structure:  <a href="http://www.thewhiskeyball.com/1/post/2014/04/the-smoke-slinger.html" target="_blank"> http://www.thewhiskeyball.com/1/post/2014/04/the-smoke-slinger.html </a> 
New URL Structure:  <a href="http://www.thewhiskeyball.com/blog/the-smoke-slinger" target="_blank"> http://www.thewhiskeyball.com/blog/the-smoke-slinger </a>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/442857_orig.png" alt="Weebly Blogging URL Structure" />
Old Weebly blog post URLs will now automatically update to the new structure with an SEO-friendly redirect.
If you change the name of your blog in the future, the previous URLs will also update and automatically redirect, preserving your SEO and any linking or social sharing from previous blog visitors.
For more information on Weebly's new blog post URL structure, <a href="http://blog.weebly.com/post/enjoy-better-seo-with-the-new-blogging-url-structure" target="_blank"> 
</a>
Also, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/weebly/" target="_blank">Weebly via our CMS Directory</a>.

Weebly Rolls Out New Blogging URL Structure

<a href="https://plus.google.com/101942254766672606204/about" target="_blank"><img alt=" Google+ Profile Cover" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot024-620x329.png" /></a> click to view profile
If you have logged into Google+ recently and found your profile page has changed you are not alone. Google+ has just released a new way of managing your profile content on Google+ and since it is one of the most vital profiles you need you ought to get the most out of it. In the process of updating my information I realised that, although Google is not traditionally thought of as a content management system, really it is. I believe you should use your Google+ profile in much the same way you would use LinkedIn and the new features allow you to do this in even more detail. It should act as a professional overview of your abilities and online presence. Google+ is a great way to expand and manage your network, not just based on who you know, but it helps you easily find people and companies who match your interests. All you have to do is search. So if you want to sell yourself online and be noticed you need to make the most out of the latest Google+ profile update.
<h2>New Look</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot027-620x128.png" alt="Google+ Profile Cover Prompt" /> click to enlarge image
The very first thing you are asked when you go to your Google+ profile is to change your cover picture. I recommend changing this to one image that resonates with you and also matches your professional image. If you are a photographer pick one of your photos that you love. Every time you take another photograph you want to showcase then use it as your cover, collecting your best work overtime into your scrapbook.
If you're not a photographer or artist a good tip is to go through your photo albums on Google+, especially the “Photos from Posts” album, and just browse until you find an image that stands out. It is good etiquette to credit the original artist/photographer, after you set your cover, by going into your Photos &gt; Albums &gt; Scrapbook Photos. Then click on the photo you are using for your cover and add a caption with the image credit, edit the photo itself or tag people in. If you don't know the credit you can do a Google search on the image (click the camera next to the search box) and try and find it. This builds a good first impression with others on Google+ that can only benefit your network in the long run.
The cover you pick should also work in miniaturised form, because when you hover over someone's icon in your Google+ stream your cover image will now encompass your profile avatar. If you have any issues with the cover crop or scale then you can find <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/101942254766672606204/posts/UWPMCv5BKie" target="_blank">a work around here</a>. You should also check your avatar and make sure the image works in the circler space it has been given in your cover, since this used to be a rectangular image. When you scroll down your Google+ profile page the very bottom part of your cover, where your avatar is, will stay frozen at the top of the screen. Therefore make sure that your cover is not an image that looks odd cut off in this fashion.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot025-620x328.png" alt="Google+ Profile Mini" /> click to enlarge image
<h2>Profile Features</h2>
The various sub-sections of the Google+ profile have been altered as well. Instead of an ‘about' page you now have a ‘story'. I would recommend reviewing whatever content you currently have in your profile and updating it to keep it fresh. It is very easy to let profile information get out of date with all the different kinds of web accounts we have in this day and age, but Google+ is one of the places where you need to keep it current. Often it is the first place people will go to decide if you are worth circling and interacting with.
If you haven't added your story before I would use the “Tagline” to give a one sentence description of who you are and what you do. The “Information” field can be used as a space to do an application letter highlighting your personal qualities, interests and skills. “Bragging rights” are your achievements and what makes you stand out from the crowd.
The work section of your Google+ profile has been extended so you can now add descriptions of your job, responsibilities and achievements. This is also true for the education section as well. There is also a ‘skills' field under the employment section where you can list all the relevant keywords that people would use to search for someone with your talents. Basic information, contact details, links and places act in much the same way they used to, just using the new style.
There is also a new section called ‘<a href="https://support.google.com/plus/?hl=en&amp;p=plus_sign_in" target="_blank">apps</a>‘ that allows you to connect your profile to third party services with your Google+ account. Just as you might use your twitter account to sign into the app <a href="http://www.Twuffer.com" target="_blank">twuffer</a> to schedule your tweets, you can now use your Google+ account in the same way to connect to games, websites and mobile apps. Google also provides you with the option of viewing your profile as yourself or as the public would see it, so you can check if your permissions are right.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot026-620x315.png" alt=" Google+ Profile Mini" /> click to enlarge image
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
Your Google+ profile is an incredibly important part of your web presence, so the content you share there should reflect you in the best possible light. Trip Chowdhry, the Managing Director of Equity Research at Global Equities Research said in an article at <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/12/05/2546884/linkedin-vs-google" target="_blank">Benzinga </a>“if you look to the long-term, I think Google+ would be a very serious challenger to LinkedIn… I think Google+ will start challenging LinkedIn, not immediately, but probably 12 months to 18 months from now” and that was in May 2012. With the recent changes in the Google+ profile I can really see how this could be so, considering all the other services Google can integrate such as Google Authorship. So get ahead of the curve and start <a href="http://plus.google.com" target="_blank">pimping your profile</a> now.
<a href="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/TECH/social.media/07/15/google.plus.male.mashable/t1larg.jpg"><img title="+You Google+ Profile" alt="+You Google+ Profile" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/_you-620x348.jpg" /></a> click to enlarge image

How To Take Advantage Of The Latest Google+ Profile Update - March 2013

niam-brown

Many organisations invest heavily into their CRM software and they expect a return on that investment. However, this can take some time to achieve – especially if your employees aren’t completely on board with the new process.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/image.jpg" />
If you want to see positive results from your company's CRM, then you have to ensure that it’s being properly utilized. After working with and researching numerous CRMs over the years, I’ve identified these 10 ways for your business to make the most of your CRM.
<h2>1. Make Life Easier For Your Employees</h2>
This starts before you even purchase your CRM. You have to involve your teams in the process from Day 1.
Find out what they need from a CRM and how it can make their jobs easier. No-one wants to take on the hassle of something ‘new’ when they’re already managing a hectic workload, so unless you actually show them the value of the product – they’ll be slow to adapt.
By consulting with them first and identifying their needs, your team will be much more invested in the onboarding process from the get-go.
<h2>2. Provide Sufficient Training</h2>
Following on from the point above, it’s important to have proper training in place for employees when transitioning to a new CRM.
A 10 minute lunch-time session isn’t going to cut it – you really need to invest adequate time and preparation into training so that your teams can hit the ground running.
Otherwise, your employees will have no qualms about reverting back to their own spreadsheet systems, and you’ll find yourself forking out for a CRM every month that no-one is actually using properly.
<h2>3. Start Off Slowly</h2>
It’s usually best of implement the changes slowly so that everyone has time to catch up and get on board.
A useful way to get started is by getting your sales team to start entering in all of their contacts; they can then start tracking those prospects and generating reports in a step by step process.
Once they start adding in new elements like this on a daily basis, it’ll feel less like a chore and start to become a part of their routine.
<h2>4. Involve Everyone – Not Just Your Sales Team</h2>
A lot of companies look at a CRM as a sales automation system and they forget to include other departments in the process of onboarding. It’s important to integrate your CRM with other platforms – such as your service desk – to properly manage your customer accounts.
For example, how is a customer service rep going to answer a query sufficiently if they don’t have up-to-date details on the customer’s recent interactions with the sales team?
<h2>5. Be Consistent</h2>
It’s important to have protocols in place so that your data is consistent across all channels.
For example, in what format will names and address be entered? It can be tough to get your salespeople to type in all of the required data when they’re closing a sale, so you should have a system in place that makes it easy for them to do so.
Once you’ve done this ahead of time, it will streamline your data process so that it becomes far more efficient and effective. It’s also important to have regular data ‘hygiene’ checks to ensure that all of the contact details are correct.
<h2>6. Get Social</h2>
Most CRMs will offer social media integration and it’s essential to getting the most out of your CRM software.
By integrating customer accounts with their social media profiles, you can keep track of where they post frequently and reach out to them online.
It’s also a good idea to start using a social media listening tool such as <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttp://www.socialmention.com/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;usg%3DAFQjCNE71aFS_ahyRDutb7jUESZ2OChrhg&amp;sa=D&amp;ust=1450260398238000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH-UH_U16wZDglqJnhBAH9uAJC4FA">Social Mention</a>, to keep an eye out for brand mentions and react to conversations in real-time.
<h2>7. Don’t Forget About Marketing</h2>
Your CRM is a hive of customer data and this data should become an integral part of your marketing efforts, but many companies forget to actually utilize it.
Some CRMs will even allow you to automate your marketing campaigns/mailshots directly from the CRM system itself.
<h2>8. Be Mobile Friendly</h2>
A mobile friendly CRM is essential when you have reps out on the road. Your sales team need to be able to keep track of leads, opportunities, and proposals – from anywhere and at any time.
Once you have a CRM in place that can be easily accessed from any device, you’ll see a definite improvement in the effectiveness of your software.
<h2>9. Think Before You Migrate</h2>
If you’re switching CRM systems, then you have to put a streamlined process in place for transferring your data – or you’re in for a hell of a ride.
Make sure that your data can be migrated in an easy to use format, whether it’s via the standard ‘import and export via excel’ route or with the assistance of a CRM data migration tool.
<h2>10. Ask For Feedback</h2>
It’s important keep up to date with how your employees are adjusting to the new system, as it will allow you to identify and resolve any issues before they escalate.
An online survey can be a good way of keeping on top of this, or you can just keep discuss it in your monthly meetings.
<h2>Stay Ahead Of The Game</h2>
Ultimately, the best way to make the most of your CRM is to constantly stay ahead of the game.
This means keeping tabs on any issues that crop up and addressing them ASAP before the have time to fester. And by ‘fester’, I mean before they have time to irk your employees so much that they get fed up with the CRM and jump ship.
Every CRM system is different and each business will have specific needs, but your employees really are the people who are best equipped to tell you whether your chosen software is actually useful – so listen to them and you won’t go far wrong.

10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your CRM

grainne-logue

<a href="https://www.episerver.com/customer-hub/ektron" target="_blank">Ektron</a> has been enjoying the 2010s so far, as the past few years have been kind to this software company from Nashua, New Hampshire.
Founded in 1998, they got their start a browser-based HTML editor (eWebEditPro), but a few years later abandoned this format for the Microsoft .NET platform. This suited them better and they stayed with it up to today, which is fortunate because in the last few years they began to get some serious recognition.
In 2011, Gartner’s Magic Quadrant listed Ektron and its Web CMS as one of the WCM industry leaders, competing head-to-head with the likes of Adobe, Oracle, HP, and SDL. That same year they landed on EContent Magazine’s Top 100 Companies that Matter Most (no ranks, just a list).
<a href="http://www.ektron.com/" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:400px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ektron_logo_400x0.png" alt="Ektron CMS" /></a> 
The next year they were again listed as an industry leader by Gartner’s Magic Quadrant – not as a newcomer this time, but as a returning champion. Today, they proudly boast being the platform of choice for more than 3,800 companies worldwide.
<h2>Ektron Web CMS Features &amp; Future</h2>
At the front of the charge is the Ektron Web CMS, which released Version 9.0 last year. Ektron targets the enterprise-level heavily – almost exclusively – which leads to complaints that they are neglecting their mid-sized customer base.
The system also features a distinct multilingual functionality and site wireframes to retain global brand consistency, key traits for their strategy of expanding and sustaining dominance in the global market. Consider these two together, and you see that Ektron has no shortage of ambition.
The Ektron Web CMS includes what they call alternately “the world’s best” and “the world’s easiest-to-use” content editor. Their editor gives users the option of authoring in WYSIWYG environment and allows them to use Ektron Smart Forms for content creation.
In this visually-focused editor, website creators and editors can drag and drop images straight into content, compose pages more easily with a convenient interface, and easily manage lists, content, forms, and multimedia. This browser-based editor also updates directly on your site, reducing the time-to-web, and integrates third-party widgets (Twitter, Salesforce, etc.), which reduces time in general.
For mobile capabilities, its Responsive Web Design gives users’ sites an adaptive quality that lets them consolidate content across all their channels, namely smartphones and tablets. The media manager utilizes a built-in WURFL Device Description Repository that detects the device, screen size, and capacity before automatically adapting, resizing, and/or swapping images.
Extras include improved SEO, geolocation targeting, and optimum performance for videos using the Brightcove Video Cloud. It seems this CMS does well in preventing clunky, awkward, and flat-out broken mobile versions.
And then there are the enterprise-specific features, the ones that made the company a success. For starters, the multilingual services are top-notch, offering consistent translations, XLIFF support, and language solutions from partners such as Lionbridge and Globalization Partners Limited. With Ektron Search, site visitors find what they need more effectively (regardless of site size) using faceted searches and metadata-driven navigation.
<h2>The Bottom Line</h2>
Specialized for enterprise and international sites, Ektron Web CMS is not for every company, but like a tailored suit, if it happens to fit you, there’s nothing better.
Try the <a href="https://www.episerver.com/customer-hub/ektron">demo</a> to see how Ektron Web CMS fits you.

A Look at the Ambitious Future of Ektron Web CMS

<a href="http://redaxscript.com" target="_blank">Redaxscript</a> have announcd the release of version 2.1.0 of their powerful platform.
Initially started in 2008 as a fork of sNews CMS, Redaxscript is a free and open-source content management system based on PHP scripting language and MySQL database engine. It is almost entirely written using functional programming.
The last release of Redaxscript, <a href="/redaxscript-2.0.0-released/" target="_blank"> back in November 2013</a>, saw a number of enhancements to things like the admin panel, templates and more. With version 2.1.0 though, Redaxscript have taken those enhancements a step further.
<h2>Flat Template Style &amp; Vendor Prefixes</h2>
Redaxscript have followed up on their work with version 2.0.0 of their platform by continuing to flatten the admin and default templates.
For example, a couple of user interface elements like accordion, dialog and tab have experienced a colour revision. Most partials have also been extended with inline comments and divided into more files to improve readability and speed up workflow.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/redaxscript_flat_template700x0.jpg" alt="Redaxscript 2.1.0" />
Furthermore, Redaxscript have endeavoured to get rid of outdated vendor prefixes by parsing CSS files with the Postprocessor named  <a href="https://github.com/ai/autoprefixer"> Autoprefixer </a> , a mind blowing tool based on the popular  <a href="http://caniuse.com/"> caniuse.com </a>  database to determine needed browser support.
As a result, Redaxscript have reported that they have managed to saved around 500 CSS rules in their templates.
<h2>Fresh Modules &amp; Native Form Validation</h2>
New modules, such as Disqus comments have also been introduced. Once you have installed the new Disqus module, all native comments are automatically replaced where they were enabled.
So, you can now enjoy some enhanced social engagement and traffic to your website as well as improving your SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/redaxscript_disqus_service700x0.jpg" alt="Redaxscript 2.1.0" />
Additionally, a new Github module was written to display project milestones and issues on the Redaxscript website. Due to the limited time window for refactoring, the Redaxscript team have made the decision to discontinue their SEO tube module, removing the related download as a result.
Finally, the Redaxscript form validation system now uses the native “checkValidity()” method, which gives specific error messages to highlight required fields. Third party libraries like jQuery, QUnit and Zepto were also updates to their latest versions.
To dig deeper into what Redaxscript 2.1.0 brings, check out their <a href="http://redaxscript.com/blog/news-redaxscript-2-1-0" target="_blank"> official announcement</a>. You can also <a href="http://redaxscript.com/develop/changelog/changes-for-2-1-0" target="_blank"> read the full changelog here</a>.
Also, be sure to check out <a href="/products/redaxscript/" target="_blank"> Redaxscript via our CMS Directory</a>.

Redaxscript 2.1.0 Released

Weglot - The easiest way to translate a website

The easiest way to translate a website

#18164c

Branded as their “biggest release in over a decade,” <a href="http://ez.no/" target="_blank">eZ Systems</a> has just unveiled new versions of both eZ Platform, their open-source product, and eZ Studio, their commercial product based on eZ Platform.
eZ software is trusted by the like of; The Financial Times, Harvard University, Elle, Hootsuite, and Orange.
<a href="http://ez.no/" target="_blank"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ez-logo-no-tagline_max600height250.png" /></a>
Back in September, eZ Systems’ Director of Product Marketing, <a href="/ez-systems-set-to-launch-ez-platform-and-ez-studio/" target="_blank">guest posted here on CMS Critic to give us a sneak peek at both of these updates</a>. He stated that they, “[signified] a leap forward” for eZ Systems as a company.
We also recently enjoyed a featured week with eZ Systems, where I personally got to <a href="/search/?q=ez+publish&amp;sort=-date" target="_blank">explore some of the core features of the company's flagship CMS, eZ Platform</a>, including <a href="/managing-multiple-sites-channels-languages-with-ez-publish/" target="_blank">multi-site management</a> and <a href="/ez-publish-platform-content-management-marketing-ecommerce-under-the-same-roof/" target="_blank">eCommerce</a>.
Here's an overview of what's new.
<h2>Right Content, Right Channel, Right Time</h2>
<a href="http://ezplatform.com/" target="_blank">eZ Platform</a> is the open-source core for developers, while <a href="http://ezstudio.com/" target="_blank">eZ Studio</a> is the fully integrated set of tools for editors and marketers.
According to the eZ team, their aim with this broad update is to ensure that brands get the right content flows into the right channels at the right times, whether on desktops, tablets, phones or the Internet of Things (IoT).
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ez_studio-schedulingcontent665x0-is.png" /> 
eZ’s software also allows organizations to manage multiple sites or apps from a single, secure platform, and deliver their content in different languages to engage local audiences.
<h2>eZ Platform: Content-centric Websites &amp; Applications</h2>
The core of eZ’s new solutions, eZ Platform is an open source software that provides developers a Web framework, rich APIs and a structured content repository for building websites and apps.
This update brings about a fully redesigned user interface to manage the repository. Like its predecessor eZ Platform 5.x, eZ Platform is based on the <a href="http://ez.no/Blog/Exploring-the-Symfony2-Full-Stack-Approach-of-eZ-Platform">Symfony full-stack framework</a>, the leading PHP framework today.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ez-online_editor.png" /> 
Roland Benedetti, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at eZ, had this to say upon the announcement:
<blockquote>
“With our fully featured REST API and content repository, eZ Platform allows developers to build, extend and scale sites and apps with more ease than ever before. We welcome developers to <a href="http://ezplatform.com/">download the software</a> today and start experimenting.”
</blockquote>
<h2>eZ Studio: Content Management Simplified</h2>
eZ Studio is the commercial solution based on eZ Platform.
This premium offering now serves up additional, fully integrated features that allow editors and marketers to better manage a website or app built with eZ Platform. Those features include; in-page preview and editing, easy-to-use tools for managing complex landing pages (such as drag-and-drop blocks), automated content scheduling and customizable workflows.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ez_studio_-_landing_page_creator614x0-is.png" /> 
According to Aleksander Farstad, eZ Systems' CEO and Co-Founder, brands making use of eZ Studio are about to experience vast improvements:
<blockquote>
“In eZ Studio, editors and marketers will see vast improvements in the user interface design and editorial tool.
This will lead to increased productivity, faster time-to-publish and a smoother editorial experience.”
</blockquote>
Both eZ Platform and eZ Studio are available as a fully integrated product through the eZ Enterprise subscription, which also provides support and maintenance services.
eZ Systems also offers <a href="http://ez.no/Products/Digital-Marketing">Cloud Services</a>, including eZ Personalization, eZ Smart Analytics and eZ Marketing Automation, which complement eZ Platform and eZ Studio.
To find out more about eZ’s content management systems, <a href="http://ez.no/Products/The-eZ-Publish-Platform" target="_blank">check out eZ Systems’ website</a>, or explore their offering <a href="/products/ibexa/" target="_blank">through our CMS Directory</a>.

eZ Launches New Content Management Solutions, eZ Platform & eZ Studio

Umbraco has a new release out with version 7.1.1. Most of the changes involve a slew of bug fixes but there are also some improvements made in this release such as:
<ul>
<li>The ability to see where compositions are used.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/compositions1_yjr7fw.png" /></li>
<li>The dictionary tree has been revamped and its functionality has now been converted to Angular.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/dictionary-tree_rsifuu.png" /></li>
<li>Administrators can now create multilingual tours for users.</li>
</ul>
Some of the bugfixes taken care of in this release include:
<ul>
<li>Checkboxes on content items are now nice looking toggle buttons</li>
<li>Hovering over the document type name in the Info tab shows the alias of the document type</li>
<li>The saving animation on the Save &amp; Publish button now works every time</li>
<li>When you can’t upload a media item, the upload button is disabled</li>
<li>When you have an event handler cancelling an Unpublish event, the notification now gets shown to the editor</li>
<li>The menu items for content in the recycle bin now don’t show unnecessary buttons any more</li>
</ul>
To get a full breakdown of the release, visit <a href="https://our.umbraco.org/download/releases/7110/">https://our.umbraco.org/download/releases/7110/</a>

Umbraco version 7.11 released

When it comes to building a website, it can be confusing trying to distinguish between all of the possible solutions and technologies that are laid out before us. As such, I wanted to write this article to help clear up the mistakes made by others who've written about this topic. I'll be reaching out and referencing a number of sources within this article in the hopes that it helps you, the reader, gain a better understanding of how Static Site Generators vs Flat File CMS.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/static_site_generator_or_flat_file_cms.jpg" alt="Static Site Generators vs Flat File CMS" />
<h2>Static Site Generators</h2>
<h3>How does a static website work?</h3>
Static websites do not generate content on the fly. This means that when a users visits the page, the content that is displayed is pulled directly from a file and does not require compilation or generation prior to showing up in the browser.
A great analogy that I read over on <a href="https://davidwalsh.name/introduction-static-site-generators" target="_blank">David Walsh's blog</a> is to consider a static website like a newspaper. Once it's printed, you simply open it and read it exactly as intended with no need to wait. The newspaper is already on your step, waiting to be read whenever you choose to pick it up.
This is essentially how a static site generator works. The content is usually stored in a flat file format as opposed to a database and uses templates to generate the structure of the page. This means you receive a pure HTML file when visiting the page as opposed to waiting for the database to generate it on the fly.
<h3>So what does a Static Site Generator do?</h3>
Static site generators expand on static websites to make them more appealing to developers and offer several benefits. In a nutshell, most static site generators offer the following features:
<h4>Templates</h4>
Most static site generators offer an easy means of templating a website by allowing it to be built more easily using layouts and templating engines. <a href="http://jekyllrb.com/" target="_blank">Jekyll</a>, for instance, uses the <a href="https://shopify.github.io/liquid/">Liquid</a> templating language to process templates.
<h4>Markdown Languange or reStructuredText (or alternatives)</h4>
Instead of having to write your content in HTML, most static site generators offer the ability to write it using <a href="https://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/" target="_blank">Markdown</a> or <a href="http://docutils.sourceforge.net/rst.html" target="_blank">reStructuredText</a>. Markdown is incredibly popular and tends to be used by the majority of the top <a href="https://www.staticgen.com/" target="_blank">static site generators</a> due to how easy it is to compose content with and has increasingly grown in popularity over the years.
The obvious advantage to Markdown is explained best in this excerpt from Daring Fireball (linked above):
<blockquote>
Markdown is a text-to-HTML conversion tool for web writers. Markdown allows you to write using an easy-to-read, easy-to-write plain text format, then convert it to structurally valid XHTML (or HTML).
</blockquote>
This basically means you are not changing from the plain text format but rather adding basic formatting which is translated quickly into HTML.
<h4>Other Functions</h4>
Static site generators also perform a host of other functions such as integrating meta data into content and often incorporating minification functionality and other capabilities.
<h3>How do you use a Static Site Generator?</h3>
Most static site generators that I am aware of use a command line user interface. There is always a possibility to add on a Headless CMS to the fray should you wish to use a more traditional style admin interface that you might be accustomed to if you are moving from WordPress or another similar CMS. The important thing to remember here is that a Static Site Generator is NOT a CMS. It offers you a command line interface to edit files and push them to your site.
There are plenty of ways to get started with a Static Site Generator. <a href="https://pages.github.com/" target="_blank">Github Pages</a>; for example; offers a relatively straight forward means to get a website up and running with Jekyll, one of the most popular Static Site Generators.
<h2>Flat File CMS</h2>
<h3>How does a Flat File CMS work?</h3>
<a href="/flat-file-cms/" target="_blank">Flat-File CMS</a>‘ do not require a database but rather, they save their data to a set of text files which are, in turn, organized into folders. You simply create Markdown files in the content folder and those files become your pages. (Note: not all flat file CMS use Markdown, some use other languages but Markdown is the most common).
<h3>So what does a Flat-File CMS do?</h3>
A Flat-File CMS provides you with an administrative interface that allows you to manage your data in a manner similar to what you'd come to expect from products like WordPress or other popular database driven CMS.
For example, here's a quick look at <a href="https://getgrav.org/" target="_blank">Grav's</a> interface, which is a flat file CMS:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/001-dashboard.png" alt="Static Site Generators vs Flat File CMS" />
You'll notice that the interfaces are quite similar to what you'd expect. The difference, however, is that these CMS do not require any connection to a database but rather just a set of folders on a host or on your local machine.
<h4>Admin Dashboards</h4>
Most Flat-File CMS provide a dashboard or administrative interface with which users can manage their websites. This means there is typically a configuration section which provides an interface to modify configuration files, amongst other things.
<h4>Writing and Editing Content</h4>
Another common function of a Flat-File CMS is to provide an interface for users to write and edit content within the CMS. Typically, a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor is provided to work in either Markdown or similar structured content.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/capture1143x0-is.png" alt="Static Site Generators vs Flat File CMS" />
To summarize, I think it's safe to say that they provide a means by which you can work with your flat file structure and content if you prefer not to edit files directly yourself using a text / code editor (whether that makes them better alternatives to editing directly is entirely based upon personal preference).
<h2>How do you use a Flat-File CMS?</h2>
You download them from the website and unzip and upload them to your web host just like you would a standard self hosted CMS (unless of course you are using a cloud based flat file CMS, in which case you would simply sign up on their website).
Here is a <a href="/flat-file-cms/">list of some popular Flat-File CMS</a>.

Static Site Generators vs Flat File CMS - Is there a Difference?

<a href="https://mobirise.com/" target="_blank">Mobirise</a> is an offline website builder for Windows and Mac, meaning that it needs to be downloaded to your desktop.
The drag-and-drop based website builder was born out of the Netherlands, and is designed to construct small-medium sized websites, landing pages, portfolios, and other such low-functionality websites.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/1tawul94409x0-is.png" />
It's marketed as user friendly for non-techies, minimalist, and totally free (even for commercial use).
Website builders don't need to much of an introduction. Startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses use them to kickstart their online presence, and they usually want to achieve that as quickly and as easily as possible. Oh, and without touching a line of code, too.
Let's see if Mobirise can rise to the challenge. Here's a video to get us started.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vvwnQ7NUWNY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h2>Initial Thoughts</h2>
The Mobirise website is clean and simple, for the most part.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-1776x0-is.png" /> Download buttons dominate the homepage, and it looks like a very inviting piece of software right off the bat. Minimalist indeed.
Yet, further down the homepage, lies an array of review quotes and testimonials. And when I say there is an array, I mean there is an array.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-2752x0-is.png" /> It's a little overkill to say the least. Not a massive deal, but clutter on the homepage of a website builder that touts simplicity isn't a convincing quality.
<h2>Getting Started</h2>
What's that? A website builder that I can't use through my web browser? Perish the thought.
But hold on just one second.
You may have to download and install Mobirise before you can use it – but believe me when I tell you that it's quicker to set up than most hosted website builders that require no downloads.
With Mobirise, you don't need to sign up or divulge any information whatsoever to begin downloading. The downloadable file is relatively small, installation is lightning fast, and there's no forms to fill out at any stage.
It went from a .zip file on my desktop to a ready-to-roll website builder in a matter of seconds. Impressive.
<h2>Page Creation</h2>
The page creation capabilities of a website builder help to define it as a platform. Unsurprisingly, Mobirise stays true to its focus on minimalism when it comes to page building.
The platform starts you off with a generic homepage, with a customization menu that can activated via an orange button at the bottom-right of the interface.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-3794x0-is.png" /> There are no standalone templates as such. Instead, you can choose from a number of different page blocks, piecing them together in a mix-and-match fashion to build a one-pager style website.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-4169x0-is.png" /> This method ensures that users stays within a pre-defined boundary when it comes to design, with just enough wiggle room to make some customizations. Such customizations include; images, videos, text, background images, background colours, show/hide elements, content aligning, and more.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-5234x0-is.png" /> I think there's a healthy balance struck here. The customization options aren't going to allow you to build anything drastically unique, but there's just enough there to help put your own stamp on your website.
As previously mentioned, this pre-defined design boundary will, in a way, push users towards creating a website that looks good, rather than leaving them to their own, (often inexperienced) devices.
In other words, if you suck as web design, you'll love Mobirise's method of website building.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-9863x0-is.png" /> I say that particularly because Mobirise's page blocks are so well put together. They include a selection of full-page sliders, information blocks, maps, forms, a pricing table, and more.
Upon hovering, each block presents three buttons in the top-right; Drag Block, Block Parameters and Delete Block.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-15.png" /> The first option allows you to drag-and-drop the block above and below other blocks, essentially rearranging your website like Lego. The Delete Block button is pretty self explanatory.
As for the Block Parameters button, this brings up those customizations I mentioned earlier, allowing you to edit the block in question. Different block types comes with different parameters, too.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-10.png" /> For example, a navigation menu block will give you the option to make the menu sticky, meaning that it will scroll down the page with the visitor; remaining visible at all times.
Further customization can be done by simply pointing and clicking on page elements. Otherwise known as inline editing. For example, clicking on a “Download” button brings up options to change the buttons color, and edit the text right there and then.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-6.png" /> To add a new page to the existing homepage, you can go to the menu on the left, “Pages”, and then “Create New Page”. further page options enable you to clone pages, edit file names, set page titles, and add meta descriptions.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-11.png" />
I feel that now is a good time to highlight the speed of Mobirise. I tinkered with all of the above settings, re-arranged page blocks and edited page elements – and it was a piece of cake. Mobirise is supremely speedy and responsive, just as a website builder should be.
<h2>Multi-Site Management &amp; Publishing</h2>
Similarly, you can add a brand new website from the same side menu, by clicking “Sites” and “Create New Site”.
Mobirise presents a grid-list of your existing sites on that same menu, allowing you to quickly switch between projects. Ideal for a developer with multple clients, one might say.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-8.png" />
The site manager section also allows you to export a website, assign a favicon, and add a Google Analytics tracking code.
When it comes to actually publishing your website, Mobirise gives you a few options.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-12.png" /> You can publish it to a local drive, upload it via FTP or use Google Drive. All three options seem to work fine, and they're solid options to make use of, too.
<h2>Apps &amp; Extras</h2>
Mobirise has a couple of extra features which help round it off.
Firstly, there's the ability to preview your website in desktop view, tablet view and smartphone view. Just to ensure all those responsive pages are looking spcik and spam.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-13195x0-is.png" /> Plus, you can preview the website in your web browser.
You can also import and export Mobirise websites, which is cool if you're looking to share your work with somebody else, or move one website between two different accounts or devices.
There are only four extensions bundled. These are; Facebook Comments, Soundcloud, Code Editor &amp; Google Analytics. However, the Code Editor is very highly priced, at $69.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-14467x0-is.png" /> Mobirise is showing its youth here I think. Four extensions is certainly nothing to write home about, and I think this should be an area of focus for the Mobirise team. I also think that charging $69 for a website builder's Code Editor is a little bit too bold. The price needs adjusting, if you ask me.
Extensions like Google Maps, Instagram photos, Disqus comments, a form builder and other standard extensions would all be welcome.
<h2>Getting Help</h2>
As far as help and support is concerned, there's not much to go on.
In fact, apart from some social media handles and an email address, there's no other way to reach out for support from official channels. There isn't even any documentation, which isn't really acceptable.
I would have expected a simple “Help” option somewhere on the website builder, or perhaps a document that comes bundled with the download. But surprisingly, there's nothing to help guide website building newbies at all.
The only saving grace is that Mobirise truly is easy to use out of the box. But still, that's no excuse.
<h2>The Verdict</h2>
Mobirise is an extremely simple website builder, and because that's exactly what it aims to be, I'm a big fan.
The level of customization that a newbie can implement is of a good level. There's limits on what can be created, which means they won't get lost in any complex menus. More experienced users can delve further into customization via the Code Editor extension (if they want to cough up the cash).
I'm also impressed with the quality of the blocks which can be dragged-and-dropped into place. They're the foundations of Mobirise, and they're brilliantly designed, with each one looking highly professional out of the box.
I have a few gripes, though. There aren't enough extensions to play with, and I feel that the page blocks could be a little more diverse. A few more different styles will provide just enough choice to ensure that users aren't constantly building similar looking websites.
Also, documentation and support need to be worked on. A user manual would be nice, and so would some FAQs on the Mobirise website.
Other than that though, Mobirise has won me over with its simplicity and speed.
<h3>Pros</h3>
<ul>
<li>Mobirise is extremely quick and easy to download and install.</li>
<li>Lego-like page blocks can be dragged-and-dropped into place, helping users construct websites that already look great.</li>
<li>All the pre-designed blocks are sleek and professional looking.</li>
<li>Customization options are pretty good, allowing for some useful modifications. An optional (yet expensive) Code Editor extension also gives experienced users complete control.</li>
<li>In-line editing plays right into the hands of inexperienced web designers. Point, Click, Edit.</li>
<li>You can upload the finished website via FTP, Google Drive or to a local server.</li>
<li>Easy to manage multiple sites.</li>
<li>Browser, Tablet and smartphone previews are easily accessible.</li>
<li>Everything is quick, responsive and bug-free. Mobirise is genuinely pleasant to use.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cons</h3>
<ul>
<li>Not a hosted solution.</li>
<li>Not many extensions at all.</li>
<li>Documentation &amp; support options are lousy.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Final Remarks</h2>
If a website building novice asks me to point them in the direction of a totally free website builder, Mobirise will now be high on my list of recommendations. I'm that impressed.
I expected to find some bugs somewhere along the line. Perhaps an unresponsive button or a slowly reacting page element. But I found nothing of the sort. Mobirise is a dream to use.
Aside from the aforementioned documentation and support issues, the only problem I can see is that a newbie website builder will flinch at the idea of having to find a web hosting environment for his or her Mobirise website. They would much prefer a hosted solution to take care of those technicalities.
Maybe I'm being pedantic, but it seems to me that Mobirise has been built for the same people who wouldn't even know how to “Publish” their site using FTP or Google Drive.
However, if the idea of uploading and hosting your own website doesn't bother you, I'd strongly recommend giving Mobirise a whirl.
Besides, it's a free platform that takes under a minute to set up, can be used by anybody, and can be hosted anywhere. What more could you want?

Mobirise Review

<a href="https://www.yammer.com" target="_blank">Yammer</a> is a private enterprise social network that makes collaboration easy for employees across departments, locations, apps and devices.
Over 200,000 companies around the world use Yammer as their internal networking platform, including the likes of Shell, DHL, eBay and many more. In fact, over 85% of Fortune 500 companies make use of the platform.  
 With Yammer, you can engage with colleagues by; posting on the company-wide social networking feed, sending instant messages, participating in groups, and so forth. All of which are private and cloud-based, away from public eyes. 
Since Yammer is one of the world's most trusted enterprise social networks, I decided to give it a whirl for myself.
<h2>The Yammer Homepage</h2>
After signing up with Yammer (which was in all honesty, a slightly drawn-out process), I was presented with my clean and simple Yammer homepage. 
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/y6700x0.png" alt="Yammer Homepage" />
 On it can be found the groups you currently are a part of, links to download Yammer for desktop and mobile, suggested groups, and more. The most important feature however, if the activity feed – which dominates the interface.
The activity feed works in a way which social networkers will be familiar with, Yammer lets you post text updates and links, whilst business-themed extras include colleague praising, polls and events. You can even upload files and attach them to your post for all to see and download. You can also tag users in your updates, which alerts them to the post.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/y7.png" alt="Yammer Updates" />
 Activity is presented in a neat list, and users can freely like, comment and share status updates with their selected groups. Also, you can bookmark updates, subscribe to them, email them to yourself, and so forth.
<h2>Personal User Profile</h2>
Yammer isn't just a digital chalk board for discussing tasks. It's a platform that gives you an identity to voice opinions and show some personality – both of which are vital to building relationships with colleagues.  
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mj700x0.png" alt="Yammer Profiles" />
 Your profile can be modified easily to display a profile picture, job titles, short bios, interests, websites, social networks and more. 
Visitors to your profile can also see your recent activity, groups you are a part of, and any bookmarked items you have. They can also send you a message and follow you for further updates.
 It's great to see Yammer offer this personal dimension, but I definitely think it can be improved. User profile pages look a little bland in the header section, and although this fits in well enough with the rest of the platform, it would be great to see users get more flexibility when it comes to the look and feel of their profile page. Optional header images for example, would be a simple yet effective way for users to show a little more personality.
<h2>Get Together in Groups</h2>
Yammer allows you to create and join groups within your company's internal network. So, the marketing team for example, can form a group specifically for collaborating on marketing projects and tasks.  
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/y9700x0.png" alt="Yammer Groups" />
 Groups work in a similar way to how the broader network functions, with the only exception being that group members alone are notified of updates and conversations. 
Yammer groups can be public or private, and can serve as a great solution to long, unproductive office meetings, as well as never-ending email chains. It's a great way for larger companies to segment workflows in ways that are helpful to different teams and departments.
<h2>Constant Collaboration</h2>
With Yammer, you can stay connected with all of your colleagues in a number of ways.
Groups, as previously mentioned, help split workforces into relevant sections, while the Yammer homepage acts as a meeting point for all workers to come together both socially and professionally.
And yet, Yammer still has room for more collaboration.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/message.png" alt="Yammer Instant Messaging" /> Instant messaging for example, is built right into the Yammer interface. It's private, quick, casual and perfect for a quiet word between co-workers. You can even see who's currently online and ready to chat.
For more information on how Yammer can keep you and the rest of your team connected, check out all the platform's key features in detail.
On another note, you can <a href="https://yammer.com" target="_blank">start your free Yammer network today</a>.

Yammer: Social Networking for the World of Enterprise

Shopify - The global commerce platform

Build your business with Shopify to sell online, offline, and everywhere in between.

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