Articles - Page 20

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

matt-garrepy

It’s an AI Agent world. Is ‘Agent Experience’ the secret weapon for controlling the chaos?

<hr /> Whenever I hear Aerosmith’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i_qRmWUdpQ">Livin’ on the Edge</a>, I’m obliged to provide a little headbanging. This iconic, heart-pounding anthem from the early ’90s requires me to push the decibel limit in my HOA's compact. It might not be good for the ears (or neighborhood tranquility), but it's great for the soul. Maybe you can relate.These days, it feels like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a> might be doing a little of its own headbanging. After completing the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-just-acquired-lytics-a-real-time-customer-data-platform-heres-why-it-matters">acquisition of Lytics in January</a> (an industry-leading CDP), the headless-CMS-turned-composable-DXP scored a Visionary position on Gartner’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.contentstack.com/resources/report/gartner-magic-quadrant-dxp?utm_campaign=fy26q1_glb_pmm_cs-edge-announcement&amp;utm_medium=press-link&amp;utm_source=globenewswire">2025 Magic Quadrant for Digital Experience Platforms</a>.The hits keep coming. So what’s next on the playlist? How about a stadium rocker that takes us right to the edge – and beyond?Dream on.With its newly-pressed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/02/26/3033112/0/en/Introducing-Contentstack-EDGE-the-World-s-First-Adaptive-Digital-Experience-Platform.html">Contentstack EDGE</a>, the company might have another gold record on its hands. Billed as the world’s first adaptive digital experience platform built for the AI era, EDGE is being positioned as a next-generation DXP that effectively unifies Contentstack’s advanced ecosystem of features.The whole band has assembled for this show, and it’s a promising lineup featuring Contentstack’s pioneering headless CMS, newly acquired CDP capabilities, personalization, automation, AI, and frontend hosting capabilities. What does EDGE deliver? A fresh interpretation of a tune called adaptive experiences. The name is intuitive enough, but if you’re not familiar, it’s a topic we’ve been discussing over the last few years – specifically as AI has evolved in its ability to automate with greater agency. The concept also has its roots in <a target="_blank" href="https://medium.com/@goodrebels/adaptive-design-creating-personalised-digital-experiences-46eecf9e406d">adaptive design</a> and supporting personalized digital experiences, which goes back over a decade.Adaptive experiences adapt. With Contentstack EDGE, this manifests in the platform’s ability to react in real time to every customer interaction while staying authentically on-brand through AI and data-driven decision-making. These are essential attributes for modern marketers and brands that rely on their DXP tools to be fast, elegant, and designed for AI.“We’re in a new era of marketing when simply having a digital presence isn’t enough to drive consumers to opt-in to the brand experience,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gurdeepd/">Gurdeep Dhillon</a>, Chief Marketing Officer of Contentstack. “Brands need adaptive experiences that create a dynamic, always-relevant, always-personal connection with their audiences. Contentstack EDGE is the platform to give brands the experience edge they need.” <h3 id="evolving-the-dxp-playlist">Evolving the DXP playlist</h3>Contentstack EDGE isn’t just a shiny new product name – it’s a statement. For years, the DXP space has been dominated by a predictable “rank and file” that is only now beginning to shift to a more composable posture. While there are benefits and efficiencies within some of these legacy tools, brands that have implemented all-in-one solutions often find themselves locked into rigid ecosystems that lack the flexibility needed for modern marketing.This year’s Gartner MQ for DXPs brought quite a few surprises to the grid, especially at the top end of the ladder. But Contentstack’s continued innovation and investment in its composable, future-ready technology has given it a disruptive edge in the crowd. With its shoring up of customer data through the acquisition of a real-time CDP, Contentstack expanded its vision and cemented its position as a game changer in the traditional grid – further signaling a shift from traditional platforms. <figure class="image image_resized" style="width:58.56%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1740603215935.jpeg" alt="A diagram of a company's company's company

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Source: Gartner  Along with its fully integrated, fully automated MACH-compliant frontend hosting capabilities – as well as its breadth of personalization features – the company is effectively redefining the composition of the DXP category. Along those MACH lines, Contentstack EDGE is built on the same composable architecture that has powered its solutions, combining its headless CMS and real-time CDP into an easy-to-use solution backed by the company's prolific <a target="_blank" href="https://www.contentstack.com/customer-care">“Care Without Compromise”</a> support program and what it calls a “no-fail AI guarantee.”I’ve spoken previously to <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-raises-57-5-million-in-series-b-round-qa-with-ceo-neha-sampat">Neha Sampat</a>, Contentstack’s founder and CEO, about the growing “brand relevancy crisis” impacting the market. This was a hot-button topic <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-fires-up-brand-relevant-ai-powered-personalization-at-contentcon-2024">at last year’s ContentCon</a>, and it continues to be a central mandate for companies as they look to grow in a noisy, fragmented ecosystem of messages and choices. She believes Contentstack is a catalyst for activating interest and conversions through scalable hyper-personalization – the kind only attainable through modern platforms like EDGE."To remain relevant in today's competitive markets, brands need customers to opt into the experiences they create. But it's a two-way street,” she said. “Brands must create experiences worth ‘opting in’ to, which means they must adapt to a data-first, AI-driven, hyper-personalized world. Retrofitting old technology won’t get them there. Contentstack EDGE will.”<h3 id="what-makes-edge-rock?">What makes EDGE rock?</h3>We’ve seen a lot of demos from vendors showcasing the breadth of their AI tooling, and some embracing <a target="_blank" href="https://aws.amazon.com/what-is/ai-agents/">the AI agent frontier</a>. There are impressive applications, but few have fully harnessed the potential. Contentstack consistently stood out as a pioneer during the generative AI “Gold Rush,” <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/a-closer-look-at-contentstacks-ai-features-with-christine-masters-senior-product-manager">focusing early on high-utility applications</a> that had a meaningful impact on productivity and governance. Now, with EDGE, they’re evolving what it means to be “AI-powered” by baking adaptability into the platform’s core.It's still early from an assessment perspective, but according to the company’s press release, the foundation sounds rock solid. At its core is Contentstack’s brand-aware generative AI and automated workflows – which create, manage, and distribute intelligent content at scale with breathtaking precision.The power of this intelligent content is reinforced by real-time, first-party customer data that’s unified across sources. This helps ensure the delivery of the right message to the right audience across channels – all with incredible accuracy.Advanced analytics also brings the promise of personalization to the next level, allowing brands to deliver content that feels customized for every user without the persistent latency of traditional systems. This includes content and journey analytics and predictive modeling, so brands can deliver highly dynamic and responsive experiences.<h3 id="what’s-next?">What’s next?</h3>Again, it’s early days, but the roadmap sounds promising. Given Contentstack’s past performance, we can anticipate that trusted customers are already in beta and providing feedback. The company plans to showcase EGDE's full capabilities at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.contentstack.com/contentcon">ContentCon 2025</a>, its annual cabal for digital teams and industry leaders, which will take place June 3-5 in Chicago. Expect to hear more from brands already leveraging the platform and deeper dives into how EDGE is being used to drive real results.<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>When it comes to the DXP marketscape, it feels like we’ve been hearing Walk This Way on repeat. This year’s Gartner MQ codified that change is upon us, and we continue to see that telegraphed across the market. Some of this was precipitated by headless CMSes and legacy DXPs settling on their own view of “composability” to best serve their customers. We initially called this a race to the middle, but it really turned out to be a race to relevance.  We don’t really need an analyst report to tell us that the digital experience topology is shifting. Customers expect more from brands, and we need tools that help us understand their preferences and react in real time – delivering content that’s always on target, always personalized, and always engaging. As I said before, Contentstack EDGE feels more like a statement. Is it indeed a new breed of DXP? Or is it assembling the core components that define our modern definition of a DXP? The acquisition of Lytics certainly satisfied a DXP-level need for customer data, but what makes this different from the other players on the board?The distinction lies in its promise to deliver adaptive experiences, buoyed by its core composability and AI-powered, data-driven decisioning. It’s an ambitious vision, and we need more validation through use cases. But if executed correctly, it could be exactly what brands need to break free from the old model and move toward truly real-time, intelligent engagement.For marketers, developers, and digital leaders who are constantly Livin' on the Edge, the implications could be huge. If EDGE delivers on its promise, it could usher in a future where digital experiences are as dynamic as the audiences they serve. And that’s a Sweet Emotion everyone can headbang to. <hr /><h4 style="text-align:center" id="looking-for-guidance-on-contentstack?-talk-to-an-expert.">Looking for guidance on Contentstack? <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contact">Talk to an expert.</a></h4><hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

Livin’ on the EDGE? Contentstack’s new ‘Adaptive DXP’ might just rock your world

Vev’s Time Has Come: Interactive Content Builder Acquires TIME Sites, Adds Marc Benioff to its Cap Table 

<a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/tom-cranstoun">Tom Cranstoun</a>, “The AEM Guy,” is the principal consultant at Digital Domain Technologies Limited and a CMS Critic contributor. <hr /> I have a confession to make: Recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://medium.com/data-science-in-your-pocket/dont-use-deepseek-v3-895be7b853b0">I read an article</a> about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.deepseek.com/">DeepSeek's</a> "scary" terms of service and immediately shared it with my colleagues. I was enjoying my coffee and browsing Medium when I came across this alarming headline, warning against using <a target="_blank" href="https://www.deepseek.com/">DeepSeek-v3</a>. The assertions were based on the "fine print" in the terms and conditions.“Have you seen this?” I implored. “DeepSeek's terms are TERRIFYING!”Everyone knows DeepSeek, the latest darling in the AI war. The Chinese startup has created quite a stir, offering open source models that are competitive with OpenAI. DeepSeek is also cheaper to use, raising questions about the billions being invested in data centers by leading tech companies. It wasn't until someone said, "Have you actually read their terms of service?" that I felt a twinge of embarrassment. No, I hadn't. I had only read a convincing headline and a well-written Medium article, then helped amplify it without checking the source material. Oops. I trusted, but didn't verify – and became part of the problem, spreading misinformation through the viral grapevine of tech gossip. Having fumbled in my homework, I was determined to thoroughly review DeepSeek's terms and see for myself what made them so scary.As an AI practitioner and avid researcher, I have a personal stake in this. I use DeepSeek because it's significantly more affordable than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.anthropic.com/">Anthropic</a>, a competing model that's been around for some time and is considered one of the best. Anthropic has also received quite a bit of investment <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/amazon-anthropic-ai-investment">from AWS</a> ($4 billion to be exact).How much less expensive is DeepSeek? Here's an example: I spent $500 on Anthropic in December but only $20 on Deepseek in January. You can see why this is so disruptive.Several hours and four lengthy legal documents later, I had an enlightening realization: Things aren't always what they seem on the internet (shocking, I know!)Let's break down what I found with a handy comparison:  <figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/tom-diagram.jpg" alt="" /></figure><h2 id="the-reality-check">The Reality Check</h2>The Medium article painted DeepSeek's terms as uniquely threatening, but here's the thing – when you actually read all these terms side by side, they're remarkably similar. It's like they're all following the same cookbook but adding their own special sauce.<h2 id="the-plot-twist">The Plot Twist</h2>What's really interesting is that DeepSeek, the supposed “villain” in our story, actually has some of the most permissive terms. They explicitly allow you to use their outputs for training other models (through distillation) – something others either prohibit or stay quiet about.<h2 id="the-lessons-learned">The Lessons Learned</h2><ol><li>Headlines can be deceiving: That scary-sounding article? Sure, it got engagement. But it missed the bigger picture, and I helped spread it without checking.</li><li>Context is everything: What sounds alarming in isolation ("You're responsible for outputs!") turns out to be standard practice across the industry. If I'd known this context earlier, I wouldn't have said what I said.</li><li>Read the “boring stuff” too: Yes, terms of service are about as exciting as watching paint dry, but they tell the real story. So don't skip anything.</li></ol><h2 id="the-happy-ending">The Happy Ending</h2>Here's the warming part: These AI companies are actually pretty straightforward about what they're doing. They're not trying to trick you; they're just trying to run their businesses while protecting themselves legally. Standard stuff, really.Sure, the terms are complex (hello, lawyer-speak!), but they're generally upfront about:<ul><li>What rights you have to the outputs</li><li>How they can use your data</li><li>What you can and can't do with their services</li></ul><h2 id="the-trust-but-verify-takeaway">The Trust-But-Verify Takeaway</h2>In this warp-speed era of AI, we're all moving faster than we should. For CMS vendors, that's been evident in the widespread adoption of generative AI across their content management features and workflows. In the wake of my dramatic “mishap,” this feels like an opportune moment to pause and reflect on the topic of trust, and how vital it is to our customers – and ourselves. Can you trust these AI services? Generally speaking, yes. Should you verify claims about them? Absolutely! When you do, you'll often find that reality is less dramatic and more reasonable than social media would have you believe.Remember folks, trust is great, but verification is better. And sometimes, when you verify, you find out things are actually better than the scary headlines suggest. Now isn't that a nice plot twist?P.S. Always read the terms of service. Or at least find someone who has read them and isn't trying to scare you with clickbait. And please, don't be like me, spreading tech gossip before verifying it. Just saying… 😉Want to use AI services confidently? Do your homework, understand the terms, and don't let scary headlines (or well-meaning but uninformed colleagues like me) drive your decisions. These platforms are generally trustworthy – but always, always verify.After all, in the words of a wise person (probably): "Trust is good, verification is better, and actually reading the terms of service makes you a rare superhero in the age of clickbait." <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

Trust and Verify: When Internet Drama Meets AI Reality

tom-cranstoun

<hr /> When acclaimed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/">New York Times</a> columnist <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/david-brooks">David Brooks</a> spoke at a college commencement in 2019, he observed two key emotions at play during the event. One was happiness. The other was joy.As he explained <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/07/opinion/happiness-joy-emotion.html">in an article</a> recapping his experience, “happiness” usually involves a victory for one's self, usually around personal accomplishments. “Joy,” on the other hand, is the transcendence of self—or as he put it, “the present life gives you as you give away your gifts to others.”Once upon a time, the web was a joyful place to explore. It felt new and undiscovered, a world where almost anything was possible. There were fewer walls and more open spaces, and building experiences felt creatively ambitious.My, how things have changed. In today's world of <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">content management,</a> practitioners might struggle to say they’re happy when creating experiences—and even less happy with the CMS tools they use.But are they experiencing joy? When was the last time you felt joyful about managing content? It’s not a trick question. I think most of us in the CMS industry never really stop to think about this distinction. As it turns out, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/storyblok">Storyblok</a> has been focusing on that lack of joy—and working to bring it back. That effort has been crystallized by the launch of its new <a target="_blank" href="https://storyblok.com/lp/labs">Storyblok Labs</a>, a place for marketers and developers to get early access to the platform’s latest headless content management innovations. The goal is simple: Help Storyblok users explore and adopt its latest innovations with greater speed, intelligence, and confidence—so they can stay ahead of market trends and learn new ways to outperform competitors. These benefits are delivered in the form of new features that aren't generally available but are free to use and easy to turn on and off.Most importantly, Storyblok has thoughtfully infused joy into its Labs experience, so customers feel a sense of uninhibited wonder as they experiment with new ideas.“Creating content is supposed to be fun and full of possibilities,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/storyblok-is-writing-its-next-chapter-with-an-80m-series-c-heres-why-it-matters">Dominik Angerer</a>, CEO of Storyblok. “But for users of legacy CMS platforms, it’s become a slow and frustrating chore filled with restrictions. We believe working with a CMS should be a joyful experience that makes it easy for brands to use content to make a bigger, faster market impact. Storyblok Labs is a natural next step in driving that vision forward.” <h3 id="a-lab-that’s-purpose-built-for-exploration">A lab that’s purpose-built for exploration</h3>I’ve commented in the past on Storyblok’s clean, intuitive, super-sharp interface, which makes using its headless CMS that much more inviting. Thanks to user feedback, its UI has a lot of differentiated value baked into it, and the evolution of Labs was no exception. This is a reflection of the company’s approach to serving the needs of both marketers and developers across its ecosystem."By speaking to our customers, we were able to uncover one result our customers experience when working with Storyblok: how much easier it makes their lives,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/julius-hemingway/">Julius Hemingway</a>, Product Marketing Team Manager at Storyblok. “For many, the payoff in how we remove the barriers between developers and marketers has led to much greater productivity, which has been rewarding."On the theme of “ease of use,” Storyblok Labs establishes that in abundance. When first entering the environment, you’re greeted by a suite of tools that prioritize speed, agility, and control – all designed to help users stay ahead of what’s next and pioneer new ways of working with their teams.<figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:89.54%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1740007620258.png" alt="A screenshot of a computer

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Storyblok Labs provides an easy on/off capability for test driving new features. Source: Storyblok website. Each new feature in Labs offers a guided walk-through video and an interactive demo (both are high-quality assets). You can easily toggle the features on and off in your space, with higher-level admin controls to manage your team’s access—and important layer of governance that controls the guardrails around exploration.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:87.89%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1740007620515.png" alt="A screenshot of a video chat

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Storyblok Labs offers interactive videos, demos, and other feature components. Source: Storyblok website. Within Labs, you can also create a free demo space to test drive any of the new features. And as an early adopter, you get to help shape the product with Storyblok by providing your feedback at the bottom of each feature page. In this sense, it’s paving the roadmap and enhancing Storyblok’s feature set as it develops.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:86.83%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1740007620282.png" alt="A screenshot of a computer

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Storyblok Labs allows you to create your own space to explore features. Source: Storyblok website. Here’s a quick snapshot demo of Storyblok Labs:<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWy5V3XllkU"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eWy5V3XllkU" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> <h3 id="new-features-in-the-playground">New features in the playground</h3>While still relatively new, Storyblok Labs is already hosting a few new features that you can start playing with. According to the company, Storyblok Labs will be regularly updated with new features designed to enhance the entire content lifecycle—covering everything from ideation to creation, publishing, and maintenance.Here’s an overview of the features you can test drive today: <h4 id="ideation-room">Ideation Room</h4>Our “ideas” live in lots of different places. Drafts are often scattered across other applications, making it difficult to work together. Ideation Room is a slick workspace where you and your team can centralize everything within Storyblok and rally around the creation and optimization of content—all with the help of AI. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:85.21%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1740007619889.png" alt="A screenshot of a computer

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Ideation Room provides a familiar interface for collaborating on content. Source: Storyblok website. The first thing to note about Ideation Room is the layout. It feels instantly familiar, like a Word or Google Doc, providing users with a clean canvas for creating. You have a lot of direct domain over adding links, basic styles, and more to your content. You can also leave comments, putting the collaboration features front and center. You can also toggle to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.storyblok.com/docs/editor-guides/visual-editor">Storyblok’s handy Visual Editor</a> to preview how an article will present in its published format as a blog or other content type. This is a cool solution that helps streamline the content creation process.To get more up close and personal, here's a video tour of the tool:<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-hbLAUDB68"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6-hbLAUDB68" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> <h4 id="ai-translations">AI Translations</h4>Translating content into different languages has become an essential tool for many brands and content professionals. Translation and localization services are handled in a multitude of ways, and often with third-party services. With Storyblok’s new AI Translations, you can translate entire pages or individual text fields with just one click—making the entire process less cumbersome to manage. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:85.59%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1740007620371.png" alt="A screenshot of a computer

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Ideation Room provides a familiar interface for collaborating on content. Source: Storyblok website. AI-powered translation has become a trusted engine for handling multilingual sites, giving content professionals more accurate results when switching languages. Now, having a built-in feature will make the journey much easier for Storyblok users. <h4 id="concept-room-(preview)">Concept Room (Preview)</h4>Currently in preview, the Concept Room will enable users to map out their project structure and visually design their experiences with drag-and-drop tools. You’ll be able to link ideas directly to components in Storyblok’s Visual Editor and bring content to life faster and more efficiently. And like the other features in the Labs, you’ll be able to collaborate more fluidly on the structure of your entire project. You can sign up for launch notifications within Storyblok Labs.<h3 id="the-verdict">The Verdict</h3>“Joy” is fleeting, and any opportunity to capture more of it is a good thing. I think Storyblok’s commitment to delivering delight—through exceptional customer experiences—has served them exceedingly well. Heck, Dominik Angerer <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/storyblok-is-writing-its-next-chapter-with-an-80m-series-c-heres-why-it-matters">has personally told me</a> that he’s never had a customer leave because of his product, and that speaks volumes about Storyblok’s culture and customer intimacy.Said more simply: They understand their users. On its surface, Storyblok Labs is a kind of early-adopter skunkwork for rolling out new features. It’s an incubator for experimenting and optimizing its tools for prime time and developing an effective feedback loop within an exclusive channel. But Labs is more than this: It’s an investment in the value of partnerships, a vessel of trust for loyal and emphatic users who are on this journey together and contributing to the evolution of Storyblok’s CMS. It's also a reflection of the company's spirit, and how their people and products are delivering a missing quotient in what we do.As far as the actual features go, I really like the intention of the new Ideation Room. <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/copy-and-paste-makes-waste-not-with-pantheons-content-publisher-for-google-docs">I recently reviewed Pantheon’s Content Publisher</a> for Google Docs, and I love the idea that content creators have access to greater choice when it comes to familiar authoring tools. While not an apples-to-apples feature comparison, I dig how Storyblok is supplying a similar canvas for creating and connecting the loose parts of a content ecosystem—and driving it all back to its Visual Editor. In this sense, they’re improving the overall authoring and editing experience and attracting more users to work in its platform across the content lifecycle.Finally, the composable angle can't be overlooked. Storyblok continues to add the right kinds of features while reinforcing its value within composable architectures as the engine for powering digital experiences. Developers continue to have deep control while editors now have robust visual tools for doing their jobs more effectively. The Storyblok Labs “playground” is a great “proving ground” for nurturing these new attributes and gaining valuable insight around impact—particularly as brands build more ambitious solutions. We might not be happy with everything about our CMSes. However, some vendors are trying to think beyond the mundane and help content creators visualize a more joyful experience. As David Brooks observed, joy is all about the “present” life gives you as you give away your gifts to others.Is Storyblok Labs that “gift” to content management? I'd say it's worth exploring. <hr /><h4 style="text-align:center" id="looking-for-guidance-on-storyblok?-talk-to-an-expert.">Looking for guidance on Storyblok? <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contact">Talk to an expert.</a></h4><hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

Can content management be ‘joyful’ again? Storyblok Labs promises fun and possibility in its innovation playground  

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<hr /> I have a confession: I’ve never been a fan of writing in my CMS. Any CMS, for that matter. And I've used a lot of them.Call me “old school,” but I entered the tech field at a time when computers were a lot more prone to crashing. You can only take so much of that dreaded “Blue Screen of Death” – or watching your work vaporize after an app fails – before developing a solid case of PTSD: Painfully Tragic System Deletion.Over time, things stabilized. Hardware was more reliable, machine-side applications less fidgety, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/word">Microsoft Word</a> became a de facto standard in the desktop stack. Heck, you could even auto-save your stuff… and that really brought down the blood pressure.But <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">content management systems</a>? Meh. They were still subject to the whims of a browser and a web connection. Sessions could be unruly, and it wasn’t uncommon to lose content while drafting a blog post or an article. As such, users like me held to a well-founded distrust of authoring directly in the tool.Of course, there’s more to it than a lack of operational integrity. For a long time, most CMSes treated the content creation experience as an afterthought. WYSIWYG editors provided a shallow proxy for what apps like Word delivered: an intuitive, page-like canvas with lots of freedom to write, comment, share, and collaborate. When <a target="_blank" href="https://docs.google.com/">Google Docs</a> emerged, it solved most of the persistent stability issues with web-based content creation. It also introduced the concept of real-time collaboration within a shared document – which was an all-out game changer. CMSes have certainly improved their editing experiences, stitching together more sophisticated tableaus. Every year, I see regular demos of CMS editors, and they’ve gotten remarkably better. That said, most content professionals don’t like being forced to use a specific tool when it comes to their elemental creative process. Governance notwithstanding, choice is a good thing. But for people like me who prefer a Google Doc, I’m still stuck copying and pasting into a CMS to publish. And that’s a tedious exercise replete with formatting issues that can throw wrenches in the machine.Things get more complicated for larger teams. Writing often happens in one place and design in another. Then, after going back and forth with developers, it all kind of gets “knit” together. Errors show up. Stuff gets siloed. What’s worse: If another team member has the CMS keys and is tasked with copying and pasting, you might need a string of emails or tickets to get a single typo fixed. If this all sounds disjointed, that’s because it is. And the real debt to be paid revolves around time, money, and control. This is where <a target="_blank" href="https://pantheon.io/blog/pantheon-vision-content-operations">Pantheon’s vision</a> plays in. The company – which provides an integrated operations, workflow, and governance platform for Drupal and WordPress – has been helping organizations build, host, and secure their digital experiences since 2010.Late last year, I spoke to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshkoenig/">Josh Koenig</a> – Pantheon’s co-founder and CSO – about the company’s consulting <a target="_blank" href="https://pantheon.io/blog/pantheon-and-tag1-support-drupal-7-websites">partnership with Tag1</a> to support Drupal 7 websites. Right on the heels of that, the company announced the launch of a new product called <a target="_blank" href="https://pantheon.io/blog/introducing-pantheon-content-publisher">Pantheon Content Publisher.</a> Content Publisher reimagines the flow for writing, editing, collaborating, and publishing to the web. In a nutshell, this add-on feature enables writers to create in a Google Doc and directly publish to their <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wordpress">WordPress</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/drupal">Drupal</a>, or <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/nextjs">Next.js</a> websites – and do it all safely and securely. As a CMS user, Content Publisher satisfies the urgent need for visualization. As you type and edit in your Doc, you’re served a live preview of how content will render on your website. When you’re ready to roll, a single click pushes it to final review and publishing. Pretty slick. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:79.62%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1738705229313.jpeg" alt="A person standing at a podium giving a presentation

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Roland Benedetti at Boye &amp; Company CMS Kickoff 25. Source:Marta Cukierman During the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25">Boye &amp; Company CMS Kickoff 25</a> in January, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rolandbenedetti/">Roland Benedetti</a>, Pantheon’s Senior Director of Product, showcased this nifty tool during our “CMS Idol” competition. I’ve known Roland since his days at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ez-systems/">eZ</a> (now <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/ibexa">Ibexa</a>), and he's always been one to push the envelope. Needless to say, what I saw was impressive, even at a beta stage – and seemed to address key pain points for many of us in the content ecosystem.What you’re reading right now was indeed copied and pasted from a Google Doc. But with Content Publisher, that rigmarole might be a thing of the past. Here’s a quick snapshot of what this promising new product could deliver for content creators. <h3 id="can-pantheon-fix-what’s-broken-with-web-publishing?">Can Pantheon fix what’s broken with web publishing?</h3>Hmm. Where to start? That would be my first question…Look, it's a big mountain, but Pantheon is trying to scale it. As Roland and co-founder <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharyrosen/">Zach Rosen</a> stated in their official Content Publisher announcement, “The web used to be simple and fun. It’s increasingly become tedious, flaky, and frustrating.” Hard to argue with that.Also true, as I’ve pointed out in my own case: Content creators aren’t sitting down and writing web content directly into WordPress or Drupal, and there's real data to back that up. According to Pantheon's own research, 90% of writers create, edit, and collaborate on content using (you guessed it) Google Docs and Microsoft Word. <hr /><h4 style="text-align:center" id="-"> </h4><h4 style="text-align:center" id="“the-web-used-to-be-simple-and-fun.-it’s-increasingly-become-tedious,-flaky,-and-frustrating.”">“The web used to be simple and fun. It’s increasingly become tedious, flaky, and frustrating.”</h4> <hr /> With such a significant shift towards Word and Docs for content authoring, little progress has been made in bridging the gap between these tools and the web layer. Given the complexity of modern CMSes, content originating from outside tools is often shifted to specific team members with CMS access and permissions. As Roland and Zach indicated, it’s possible that these human “copy-paste” stakeholders could miss some critical checks along the way – things like confirming mobile responsiveness, ensuring brand guidelines, and even validating digital accessibility. In effect, the disconnect between these entities amplifies liability.There’s also this notion of “democratizing the web” that Content Publisher is endeavoring to solve. As CMS systems become more complex and convoluted, only fully trained platform experts can facilitate the act of publishing. Further, waiting to clean up any formatting or governance issues at the publishing stage can lead to delays, version conflicts, and missed deadlines – all of which can slow down a marketing team or stymie a campaign.<h3 id="how-does-content-publisher-work?">How does Content Publisher work?</h3>I’ve already framed it, and simplicity is a key part of the appeal. First and foremost, Content Publisher has been architected with modern, API-first fundamentals. This composable posture provides the core integration with Google Docs, giving editors an augmented UI. Below decks is a scalable service operating on <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/google-cloud-platform">GCP (Google Cloud Platform)</a> that handles content discovery and publishing. This surface area exposes authoring and delivery through both REST and GraphQL APIs. Finally, Pantheon powers the core connections to leading web technologies and front-end frameworks via out-of-the-box integrations.From a deployment perspective, the setup is pretty seamless. After you enable Pantheon’s Content Publisher as an add-on in your <a target="_blank" href="https://workspace.google.com/">Google Workspace</a>, you can connect your Google Docs with any website running on Drupal, WordPress, or even Next.js.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:85.15%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image.png" alt="A diagram of a company

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Pantheon’s vision for a creation-production-delivery ecosystem. Source: Pantheon website. I quite like this workflow diagram that Roland presented during his “CMS Idol” intro, which crystallizes Pantheon’s WebOps workflow from creation through ingest to delivery. It elegantly details how they see the broader ecosystem of website and marketing technologies – and it’s clear that more innovation is on the roadmap to bring content, design, code, and teams together. <h3 id="core-capabilities">Core Capabilities</h3>Content Publisher offers some simple yet powerful features. The first is the intuitive direct publishing from Google Docs, where the add-on manifests as a tag-along sidebar while you edit your content.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:81.01%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1738705228530.jpeg" alt="A screenshot of a website

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Content Publisher provides access to key features within Google Docs. Source: Pantheon website. This handy panel gives users quick pathways to manage their page metadata, add components like images, and more. Translation: users can deliver structured website content without leaving Google Docs – and that’s good from both a governance and time-saving perspective.  I already mentioned the real-time preview, which delivers visual confidence. As you write, edit, add images, or assemble components, Content Publisher allows you to see how everything will render on your actual website. You can also preview for mobile responsiveness, control your zoom, or even share to collaborate with other team members. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:93.05%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1738705228453.jpeg" alt="A screenshot of a computer

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Content Publisher gives users a fully-rendered preview with ample control. Source: Pantheon website. One of the questions I immediately had was about governance. This is, after all, Google Docs – and if multiple users are collaborating, how do you control things like publishing permissions? Pantheon is addressing this with a robust editorial workflow that’s built directly into the software, which will ultimately provide a deeper layer of control while checking for things like brand, accessibility, and compliance issues. Powered by <a target="_blank" href="https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai">Google Vertex AI</a> – a fully-managed, unified AI development platform with access to <a target="_blank" href="https://gemini.google.com/">Gemini models</a> and more – Content Publisher also offers some dynamic features like content summaries, SEO-enhancing metadata suggestions, and advanced search, all guided by user inputs to ensure quality.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:87.2%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image.jpeg" alt="A screenshot of a computer

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Collections allow for seamless structuring of your website’s sections. Source: Pantheon website. We know discoverability is a critical facet of web experience, and there’s some cool stuff happening in Content Publisher from a structural perspective. Using what it calls “Collections,” you can organize documents into sections and sub-sections (like Marketing), curate the order, and choose to hide or reveal them to enhance navigability. You can also define custom metadata schemas, allowing for greater control over your site’s information architecture.<h3 id="the-verdict">The Verdict</h3>While every individual content creator or team works differently, there are some, shall we say, “philosophical” fundamentals we all share. Over time, opinionated tools have guided pathways while driving many of the systemic flaws in modern content operations. In other words, all CMS roads have a common breakdown lane.I applaud Pantheon for taking a bold step towards repairing the cracks in the pavement. It won't be easy, and Content Publisher is addressing just one dimension of where the tooling needs improvement. But their composable approach is driven by choice, flexibility, and adaptability – solid principles for guiding their vision of WebOps and content operations.Let’s be clear: as novel and useful as Content Publisher might be, it’s not a replacement for CMS – it’s more like a companion app that extends the existing boundaries. You still need all the foundational CMS components for your WordPress or Drupal website to realize its benefits. For obvious reasons, Content Publisher isn’t a fit for every kind of content type. It’s perfect for articles, documentation, and other long-form content – stuff you would handily write in a Google Doc (and that might be a good litmus test). Pantheon also suggests test-driving it on your website’s “About” page, and once you’ve mastered the flow, move to more editorially driven content like blog posts or press releases.Personally, I like this tool. I think it will find rapid adoption within organizations, and if you’re someone like me who uses Google Docs, you should take it for a spin. The project is still in beta (<a target="_blank" href="https://pantheon.io/platform/content-publisher#beta">you can request access here</a>), and there are facets of governance that have yet to be fully fleshed out. But the potential is there. Further, if they can unify versioned content with design and code, there could be exciting enhancements on the horizon.At the same time, we’re not really addressing the root problem: that content management systems still haven’t delivered the kinds of rich, trustworthy editing experiences that entice all creators to start within the tool. I know: It’s hard to argue with the robust omnipresence of Word and Docs. So maybe we’ll never get there. Or maybe you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Either way, I’m sticking with my Docs. And if Pantheon can kill some of the tedious, time-consuming, error-prone copying and pasting, that’s not a waste – it’s a win.   <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

'Copy and Paste' Makes Waste? Not with Pantheon’s Content Publisher for Google Docs

<hr /> Content comes in all shapes and sizes. And while video is just one form, it’s arguably the most immersive (we’ll save AR/VR and the infamous “metaverse” for future analogies).Video delivers a lot – not just in terms of its storytelling value, but also around its brand impact. <a target="_blank" href="https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/video-marketing-statistics">According to Animoto</a>, 91% of businesses now leverage video as a key marketing tool, and 96% of marketers (the highest proportion in the past nine years) see it as a critical component of their overall digital strategy.Why is video marketing taking a front seat? Because that’s where the eyeballs are. In Q1 of 2024, <a href="In%20Q1%202024,%20it%20was%20reported%20that%20online%20videos%20had%20an">it was reported</a> that online videos had an audience reach of 92% worldwide – a staggering figure to say the least. Within that, almost 15% were Millennials, spending 10 to 20 hours a week devouring videos on YouTube and social platforms via their mobile devices.There’s no question about the scale and potential of video. But unlike other forms of content, it’s big and expensive – and performance is always an issue, particularly with streaming. Between buffering and quality degradation, consumers are often frustrated with their video experience, which can negatively impact brand sentiment. But wait… there’s a CDN for that.<a target="_blank" href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4347959-1&amp;h=976259762&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fuploadcare.com%2F%3Futm_source%3Dpr%26utm_medium%3Dpress_release%26utm_campaign%3Dvideo_cdn&amp;a=Uploadcare">Uploadcare</a>, a file management and content delivery platform, just unveiled a new product called <a target="_blank" href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4347959-1&amp;h=4191122585&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fuploadcare.com%2Fcdn%2Fvideo-cdn%2F%3Futm_source%3Dpr%26utm_medium%3Dpress_release%26utm_campaign%3Dvideo_cdn&amp;a=Uploadcare+Video+CDN">Uploadcare Video CDN</a>. Armed with this powerful layer, users and businesses can accelerate their time to market for on-demand video uploads and streaming – all without the complexity of managing multiple solutions. It's also available as a native CMS or DXP capability, helping users deliver high-quality video content with greater ease.Uploadcare’s Video CDN allows you to easily enable native video streaming for your website or app, empowering users with fast uploads and instant video playback. You can swiftly integrate its on-demand video-handling infrastructure in minutes and enable immediate playback for your users. With Video CDN, you can also eliminate “stuck” uploads and long processing times and do it all at an incredibly affordable price. "We're proud to launch the Uploadcare Video CDN at a time when businesses are seeking more efficient, cost-effective ways to manage video content at scale," said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/debatur/">Igor Debatur</a>, CEO of Uploadcare. “In turn, audiences get a seamless viewing experience on any device right after upload. It's never been easier to integrate video streaming into your website or application.”Let's take a closer look at Uploadcare – and why you should care about its Video CDN.<h3 id="playing-the-cdn-“long-game”">Playing the CDN “long game”</h3>If you’re not familiar with Uploadcare, the company has blazing trails in the content delivery space since 2011, providing a complete file management platform and a CDN for user-generated content. At its core, Uploadcare offers a robust file API and SaaS experience for uploading, managing, processing, rendering, optimizing, and delivering content.Uploadcare was conjured out of necessity. As the story goes, a pod of web developers with image processing creds ran into problems with uploading and file management – and decided to create an all-in-one solution that worked at scale. Since then, Uploadcare has grown rapidly, garnering clients like PandaDoc, Buffer, UserTesting, Zapier, and more. In terms of market growth and trajectory, the company received its last seed round in 2019, and was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiugotech.com/blog/tiugo-technologies-acquires-uploadcare/">acquired by Tiugo Technologies</a> in early 2024. We’ve covered some previous purchases by the tech goliath, which also picked up <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/tinymce-brings-advanced-ai-to-cms-text-editing-interview-with-fredrik-danielsson-elise-bentley">TinyMCE</a> – a rich-text WYSIWYG editor with built-in AI capabilities – and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/buttercms">ButterCMS</a>, an API-first headless <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">content management system</a>.It’s worth a nod to the importance of CDNs in a composable, API-first era. They significantly improve performance by distributing online content across a multitude of servers positioned across global geographies, allowing users to access data from the closest server. This translates into faster load times, reduced latency, and better overall UX. While CDNs can also be used to manage high traffic spikes, they also provide additional security features against nasty DDoS attacks by distributing traffic loads across its independent network. Uploadcare’s focus as a content delivery platform goes beyond the typical definition of a CDN. It also provides AI-powered smart storage, which includes object recognition and malicious content detection. The company’s product portfolio also features a plug-and-play <a target="_blank" href="https://uploadcare.com/products/file-uploader/">file uploader</a> as well as a URL API for <a target="_blank" href="https://uploadcare.com/cdn/image-cdn/">image optimization</a> and document and video conversion.CDNs have long been tethered to content management systems, and as such, Uploadcare has worked closely with CMS and DXP platforms to leverage SDKs and develop extensions for the likes of <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wordpress">WordPress</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentful">Contentful</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/decap-cms">Decap CMS</a>. Uploadcare even calls <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/webflow">Webflow</a> a customer.<h3 id="a-full-featured-video-cdn">A full-featured video CDN</h3>Uploadcare’s new Video CDN takes uploads and playback to the next level. With a plug-and-play widget or API, you can quickly integrate uploads for videos of any size – from devices, Google Drive, Dropbox, or other sources – and enable instant delivery through a multi-vendor global CDN without any additional processing.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:88.12%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1738795422660.png" alt="A screenshot of a video

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Video CDN enables seamless uploads and instant delivery with no additional processing. Source: Uploadcare website. Uploaded videos are immediately available on Uploadcare's CDN, accelerating your time to market for video content. You can also save precious developer time and effort with Uploadcare’s streamlined approach to file upload and delivery integration.<h4 id="-"> </h4><h4 id="reduce-costs-and-optimize-resources">Reduce costs and optimize resources</h4>Video CDN can also dramatically impact your data transfer costs by eliminating manual formatting via adaptive bitrate streaming and intelligent, bandwidth-optimized delivery. This means you can automatically serve optimal video resolution based on bandwidth conditions and device – and drive down your costs.<figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:89.2%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1738795422584.png" alt="A screenshot of a computer

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Uploadcare can reduce the costs for high-volume video streams. Source: Uploadcare website. Not only can you minimize the financial impact of high-volume streaming for large, unoptimized files, but you can stop wasting resources on manual video encoding with on-the-fly formatting and size conversion. These changes are also cached in their CDN instead of creating a new file for each conversion, reducing storage fees. And speaking of storage: along with Uploadcare’s default capacity, you can also connect your <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/aws">Amazon S3 bucket</a> for additional backup resources. <h4 id="improve-security-and-workflows">Improve security and workflows</h4>With Video CDN, Uploadcare has paid specific attention to the security implications of video content with a host of features. You can protect proprietary or sensitive content with signature tokens, giving you control over which users can upload files and how long that access is available. Uploadcare also automatically filters infected files with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.clamav.net/">ClamAV</a>, an open source antivirus engine, and provides granular controls for file validation.There are some key capabilities for streamlining workflows, leveraging Uploadcare’s all-in-one solution – allowing you to minimize the costs and overhead of efficiently managing multiple solutions for handling your videos, images, or documents. As a result, you can release content faster. A lot faster. <h4 id="enhance-ux">Enhance UX</h4>From a UX perspective, Uploadcare gives end users instant video playback through an elegant, integrated video player – all available right after upload with no buffering or quality degradation. With an enhanced experience, you can expand customer reach with videos that are accessible on any device and at any internet speed. You can also increase your viewership and reduce bounce rates by delivering consistently high-quality video content with a delightful experience. <h3 id="the-verdict">The Verdict</h3>As a CMS practitioner with product development experience, I can’t emphasize enough the value of CDNs in content delivery. They check multiple boxes and continue to prove their essential role in composable architectures. With the explosive rise of video marketing and consumption, Uploadcare’s new Video CDN is a performance booster that is sure to benefit website and app developers – and the brands they represent. Uploadcare <a target="_blank" href="https://uploadcare.com/cdn/video-cdn/">offers a free trial</a> for Video CDN, making it a little easier to test drive. They also offer a range of subscription plans, from basic to custom for enterprises.That said, if you’re new to adding CDNs, there are a few things to wrestle down with the setup (I inspected some of the npm packaging details for the plug-and-play player, the video processing operations, etc. and there’s some homework) – but it’s all well-documented and underscores the platform’s market maturity. You should also look at how the adaptive bitrate streaming is calculated and how resolution options are generated from the original source. I was able to connect with Uploadcare’s CEO, Igor Debatur, about the announcement and asked him to expand on its implications for content management systems and digital experience platforms. “Uploadcare Video CDN enables CMS and DXP platforms to offer seamless video uploading and streaming as a native capability without infrastructure or development overhead,” he explained. “This unlocks a powerful new use case for customers, helping them deliver high-quality video experiences effortlessly. By integrating video, CMS and DXP providers gain a competitive edge, attracting more users and expanding their value beyond traditional content management.”What I really like about Uploadcare is how they stand behind their products. With over a decade of operational excellence under their belts, they can confidently boast a battle-proven commitment to efficacy and 99.99% uptime performance. They also provide dedicated support and free migration services (a nice “bennie” you can inquire about), as well as SOC2 and HIPAA compliance. For Uploadcare, it all reinforces the delivery of great content – and a superior customer experience.It's also what puts the “care” in their name. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

Uploadcare Video CDN Adds Seamless Uploading and Streaming as a Native CMS Capability 

<a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/mattmcqueeny">Matthew McQueeny</a> is a North American Peer Group Leader for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/boye-co/posts/?feedView=all">Boye &amp; Company</a>, Head of Relationships at <a target="_blank" href="https://konabos.com/">Konabos,</a> and a CMS Critic contributor. <hr /> Last week, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sitecore">Sitecore</a> unveiled its 2025 class of <a target="_blank" href="https://mvp.sitecore.com/">Most Valuable Professionals</a>, known across the industry as “Sitecore MVPs.” This hallowed tradition, now in its nineteenth year, celebrates individuals who display outstanding engagement and support of the Sitecore community worldwide.The latest cohort includes 241 Sitecore experts, featuring 61 Ambassadors, 34 Strategy members, 145 Technology members, and one Honorary member. Of these, 43 were welcomed as new Sitecore MVPs.Earning my third Sitecore MVP is an honor that carries deep meaning for me. When I joined <a target="_blank" href="https://konabos.com/">Konabos</a> nearly four years ago, Sitecore was already a platform this team was renowned for. Led by several multi-time MVPs, the company had a strong reputation in the digital experience space. My own history with Sitecore had been more distant. I knew it as a powerful <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">enterprise CMS (Content Management System)</a> and DXP (Digital Experience Platform), but my previous agency primarily worked with <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wordpress">WordPress</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/kentico">Kentico</a>. While that agency’s own website was built on Sitecore, there was little exposure to its customer base or the broader Sitecore community. Konabos, however, provided a gateway into an ecosystem I hadn’t fully explored. It’s funny to think back to how it all started—through Konabos co-founder <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/akshaysura/">Akshay Sura</a>, who I worked with at that previous agency many years ago when we originally launched that Sitecore site. It all makes sense now!<h3 id="starting-my-sitecore-mvp-journey">Starting my Sitecore MVP journey</h3>In my first year at Konabos, I gained more hands-on experience with Sitecore as many of our customers were deeply embedded in the platform. I took a shot at earning my first MVP title but quickly realized I hadn’t yet contributed enough to the community to warrant the distinction. The following year, I made a deliberate shift—not just in learning the technology, but in engaging with the Sitecore community at a deeper level. Through <a target="_blank" href="https://konaverse.konabos.com/ ">Konabos’ Konaverse podcast,</a> I interviewed executives, MVPs, and practitioners. I attended Sitecore events that felt as high-level and exclusive as major tech conferences. More importantly, I shared my insights through articles, webinars, social media posts, and podcasts, focusing on Sitecore’s value from a business perspective. That year, I earned my first MVP, and with it came access to an inner circle of thought leaders and innovators. Suddenly, I was having meaningful discussions—both recorded and unrecorded—with Sitecore leaders like CEO <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/big-shift-at-sitecore-dave-oflanagan-takes-the-helm-as-interim-ceo">Dave O’Flanagan</a> and Chief Product Officer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerconnolly/">Roger Connolly</a>, as well as agency leaders like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sureshdevanan/">Suresh Devanan</a>, Founder and CEO of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/nish-tech-inc./">Nishtech</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rolandvillemoes/">Roland Villemoes</a>, CTO of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-solutions-usa/">Alpha Solutions</a>, who, coincidentally, lives only 30 minutes away from me in New Jersey by way of Denmark.<h3 id="globetrotting-with-the-mvp-crew">Globetrotting with the MVP crew</h3>It's crazy to think that the Sitecore MVP program has been an institution for almost two decades, celebrating the efforts of amazing builders, architects, strategists, and visionaries from around the world. In fact, six MVPs are celebrating their ten-year anniversaries in 2025, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/baslijten/">Bas Lijten</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/robhabraken/">Rob Habraken</a> of the Netherlands, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmwilkerson/">Jason Wilkerson</a> of the USA, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammedsyam/">Mohammed Syam</a> of Jordan, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigopeplau/">Rodrigo Peplau</a> of Brazil, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyouttram/">Troy Outtram</a> of Australia.Becoming an MVP opened doors I hadn’t anticipated. It provided direct access to Sitecore’s roadmap through NDA-level discussions, private Slack channels, and MVP Summits. It also took me across the world—from reporting at <a target="_blank" href="https://community.sitecore.com/community?id=community_event&amp;sys_id=05403a571b74e19038a46421b24bcb37">SUGCON Europe 2023</a> from a rooftop overlooking the stunning Alboran Sea to pub-hopping along the River Thames with my newfound friend – and, of course, another Sitecore MVP—<a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-clisby-sitecore/">Peter Clisby</a>.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:75.94%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/matt-mcqueeny-sitecore-mvp-photo-2.jpg" alt="" /></figure>At SUGCON Europe 2023 on a rooftop in Malaga, Spain. Source: Matthew McQueeny There were so many memorable moments, like experiencing the awe-inspiring Croke Park in Dublin for <a target="_blank" href="https://community.sitecore.com/community?id=community_event&amp;sys_id=25403e571bbf791038a46421b24bcbec">SUGCON Europe 2024</a>, belting out songs at MVP karaoke nights, and collaborating from 4,000 miles away with Rodrigo Peplau on our own rendition of Pride (In The Name of Love) by U2, with me on guitar and bass and him on vocals. And, of course, all those nights along Broadway in Nashville and at Opryland for the impressive <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/sitecore-rocks-and-rolls-in-music-city-the-top-5-tracks-from-symposium-2024">Sitecore Symposium 2024.</a> <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:72.63%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/matt-mcqueeny-sitecore-mvp-photo-3.jpg" alt="" /></figure>At SUGCON Europe 2024 at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. Source: Matthew McQueeny It wasn’t just the destinations that made the journey meaningful—it was the people. The MVP badge comes with pride, but it’s the relationships built within this community that are the real reward. Whether it was devouring a Juicy Lucy burger on a food tour organized by Sitecore MVP <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chesterpotvin/">Chet Potvin</a> during Sitecore’s North American 2023 event in Minneapolis, exploring the massive Mall of America, or working alongside an extraordinary group of Sitecore MVPs at Konabos—who have collectively amassed over 60 MVP awards—I’ve felt deeply embedded in this ecosystem.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:72.52%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/matt-mcqueeny-sitecore-mvp-photo-1.jpg" alt="" /></figure>Sitecore North American event in Minneapolis, USA. Source: Matthew McQueeny Special mention goes to Konabos founder <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamruzjaman/">Kamruz Jaman</a>, who just notched his thirteenth MVP, and co-founder Akshay Sura, who has an incredible nine. Through their leadership and the camaraderie of this group, I’ve gained a global perspective on enterprise technology.Of course, none of this would be possible without the man behind the Sitecore MVP curtain, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vargat/">Tamas Varga</a>. He is a “lifer” who truly devotes himself to leading and advocating for this MVP community from within Sitecore. This program would not be what it is without him.<h3 id="standing-on-the-shoulders-of-giants">Standing on the shoulders of giants</h3>Even with three MVP titles to my name, I still sometimes feel like an impostor in a room full of brilliant technical minds. Yet, I remind myself that my value lies in my unique perspective—bringing visibility to the community and Sitecore’s positioning within the composable DXP landscape. As an Ambassador MVP, I use my strengths in storytelling, strategic insight, and relationship-building to highlight the platform’s evolution and foster connections within the industry. This program has given me opportunities beyond what I could have imagined—traveling, collaborating, and learning from some of the most talented professionals in the field. Through it all, one thing remains clear: this isn’t just about technology. It’s about community.And I’m grateful to be a part of it. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

Reflections on a Third Sitecore MVP: A Community That Opens Doors

mattmcqueeny

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

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

cms-critic-staff

<hr /> Digital agencies are like the heroes in a Greek myth. Driven by a quest for creative glory, they partake in an often perilous business odyssey. Along the way, they acquire “supernatural” skills and knowledge to help them navigate the competitive sirens and conquer impossible feats of digital transformation. At the same time, growth requires a bit of Gorgon-slaying, and it ain’t always pretty. Servicing existing customers is hard enough, but finding new business can be an epic battle. And yet, when an amazing new website or experience launches – and a brand takes pride in the results – it can become the stuff of legends.It's no secret that agencies are under increasing pressure to perform. As such, they’re having to transform. But this isn’t new territory for these nimble Argonauts. They’ve faced change time and again (I should know, having owned a tech-focused digital agency for 17 years). That said, the latest character in this tale – <a target="_blank" href="https://research.ibm.com/blog/what-is-generative-AI">Gen AI </a>– is like a Minotaur in a maze. Agencies are getting flanked from all sides. Even as some brands strengthen their in-house resources, many organizations are mired in confusion and need an agency’s guidance. Traditional business models have been disrupted, and competition is on the rise. And on the other end of the spectrum, tech vendors are looking for agency partners to drive more opportunities. It's a lot.Still, innovation is activating real value across the sector, and M&amp;A is proving to be a rapid path for driving differentiation and competing for business. Ad tech is one reflection of this. Agencies and marketers rely on it heavily, and while 2024 was solid, the third quarter was worthy of a Golden Fleece. According to <a target="_blank" href="https://lumapartners.com/presentations/q3-2024-market-report/">Luma Partners</a>, M&amp;A deal volume was up 118% year-over-year, the highest since the first half of 2022.Agencies did a similar acquisition dance in 2024, with a slew of deals from small to large. In December, Omnicom Group, one of the world’s biggest agencies, announced that it was <a target="_blank" href="https://investor.omnicomgroup.com/news/news-details/2024/Omnicom-to-Acquire-Interpublic-Group-to-Create-Premier-Marketing-and-Sales-Company/default.aspx">acquiring Interpublic Group</a> to expand its offerings across CRM, data, digital commerce, precision marketing, and more. This comes just as marketing budgets are expected to stabilize or increase in 2025.Even firms with a tight focus on digital transformation bought big. Earlier in the year, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.valtech.com/en-us/">Valtech</a> – a reknowned agency that pitches itself as the “experience innovation company” – <a target="_blank" href="https://www.valtech.com/en-us/news/valtech-completes-acquisition-of-kin-carta/">completed its purchase</a> of Kin + Carta, a global digital consultancy. Now, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizstream.com/">BizStream</a> has joined the M&amp;A mythology. The Michigan-based digital agency – which specializes in strategy, design, and development – just announced its acquisition of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.refactoredmedia.com/">Refactored</a>, a Colorado-based agency known for its expertise in digital transformation and advanced user experience design. Refactored is also known for its proven experience as a U.S.-based <a target="_blank" href="https://www.storyblok.com/">Storyblok</a> partner, adding to BizStream’s long list of CMS technology specializations. This includes platforms like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/kentico">Kentico</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/kontentai">Kontent.ai</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/payload">Payload</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wordpress">WordPress</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/progress-sitefinity">Progress Sitefinity</a>. “We’re thrilled to have Refactored join BizStream, as their expertise in digital transformation and brand storytelling perfectly aligns with goals of expansion and growth,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/bmckeiver">Brian McKeiver,</a> BizStream Co-owner, Solution Architect. “This acquisition allows us to deliver an even broader range of modern, scalable, and engaging solutions to our clients. It also opens some doors into new areas of opportunity for BizStream. We look forward to continuing our tradition of exceptional results, now with an expanded team and enhanced capabilities.”It's worth mentioning that Brian McKeiver has also been a CMS Critic contributor, exploring the realm of artificial intelligence through the agency lens. You can read his article, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/responsible-ai-principles-for-digital-marketing-and-content-teams">“Responsible AI Principles for Digital Marketing and Content Teams,”</a> and I highly recommend downloading his <a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/Responsible-AI-Guidelines-For-Content-Teams"> AI Principle Worksheet</a>.<h3 id="expanded-capabilities-and-a-headless-cms-accelerator">Expanded capabilities and a headless CMS accelerator</h3>As noted, BizStream already boasts a strong aptitude for CMS as part of its core technology portfolio. And while both companies provide a similar range of services – from visual design to web development – Refactored’s proven success in creating digital strategy, data-driven digital experiences, and brand storytelling will complement BizStream’s existing expertise. Refactored has cultivated a track record for executing strategies based on deep industry understanding, audience insights, and key channels and technologies. By leveraging its expertise in digital transformation, advanced user experience design, and tailored brand and content development, the unified team aims to deliver substantive business results.BizStream’s customers will also have access to Refactored’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.refactoredmedia.com/web-accelerator/">Web Accelerator</a> solution, which simplifies the adoption of modern <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">headless content management </a>technology while reducing costs and mitigating risk. Web Accelerator provides a complete, pre-built website framework using the Storyblok methodology – which streamlines the transition to a headless CMS.Accelerators are certainly having their moment within the agency tapestry. These custom solutions are purpose-built to deliver a quick startup, easier onboarding, and better user adoption. Refactored’s Web Accelerator is designed with composable principles in mind, helping companies realize faster business value while future-proofing their stack with a centralized content model that makes migrations a thing of the past.Storyblok continues to blaze trails in the headless CMS landscape, making this particular accelerator even more attractive. With a killer UX and a strong commitment to exceptional customer experience and outcomes (CEO <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominikangerer/">Dominik Angerer</a> once told me “I’ve never had a customer leave because of our product”), Storyblok is building momentum as it eyes the larger addressable U.S. market. Last year, it sold investors on that vision, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/storyblok-is-writing-its-next-chapter-with-an-80m-series-c-heres-why-it-matters">closing on an $80 million Series C</a>. <h3 id="agencies-are-poised-for-growth,-even-as-pressure-mounts">Agencies are poised for growth, even as pressure mounts</h3>Given the growing trend of M&amp;A activity last year, the digital experience sector was already signaling some healthy activity heading into 2025. That prediction paid off at the beginning of January, when <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a> – a leading headless CMS – <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-just-acquired-lytics-a-real-time-customer-data-platform-heres-why-it-matters">purchased Lytics</a>, a respected customer data platform. Of course, there were numerous factors driving that acquisition.As I previously mentioned, agencies also had some wins. But the picture is far from clear. As always, it’s helpful to look at where we’ve been for a glimpse of what’s ahead, and I found a couple of sources that provide a modicum of consensus. Fair warning: these are both from services companies in the agency business, so I assume a bit of bias is baked in. Just a few weeks ago, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rswus.com/survey/rsw-us-2025-new-year-outlook-report/">RSW/US published some comprehensive research</a> on key trends across the agency landscape. The report is about 30 pages long, but worth a deeper dive – and it’s free to download.The sample included over 5,000 marketing services, advertising, and PR firms in the U.S. and Canada, with capitalized billings ranging from under $3 million to $75 million. In the mix were full-service, digital, PR, and marketing consultancies. While this represented a broad set of disciplines, many of these shops undoubtedly build websites and apps, implement CMS and other DX technologies, and manage content and marketing strategies.As I reflected in my <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/down-the-agency-rabbit-hole-a-post-opticon-chat-with-chris-kostakis-cto-at-hero-digital">Opticon follow-up</a> with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskostakis/">Chris Kostakis</a>, CTO at <a target="_blank" href="https://herodigital.com/">Hero Digital</a>, the outlook from agencies is mostly positive as brands and marketers increasingly rely on their expertise. According to RSW/US, 78% of agencies expect their business to improve in 2025. At the same time, there are headwinds. Over one-third of participants reported a decline in business from 2023 to 2024, likely driven by client demand and increased competition. AI is also disrupting the agency business model and could further drag down performance. This is precisely why the rapid development or acquisition of strategic services – including the expansion into new technologies – is critical.It's worth noting that <a target="_blank" href="https://sparktoro.com/blog/the-state-of-digital-agencies-in-2024-big-challenges-bigger-optimism-and-is-remote-work-here-to-stay/">Rand Fishkind and his Sparktoro team</a> recently published their own independent research on the same subject, trying to determine how shops have been fairing over the last 12 to 24 months. I covered some of their conclusions <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/down-the-agency-rabbit-hole-a-post-opticon-chat-with-chris-kostakis-cto-at-hero-digital">in a recent article</a>, and the assessment was decidedly less “glowing” around last year’s performance. I would encourage reviewing that data as well for some additional context. <h3 id="trust-in-digital-agency-partners-is-solid">Trust in digital agency partners is solid</h3>Despite the tectonic shifts, agencies are still perceived as high-value partners. According to the RSW/US research, 62% of marketers believe their agency partners are “ahead of the curve,” particularly when it comes to new trends and technologies. This positions agencies as a trusted source for guiding marketers and brands on a wide range of investments and considerations, which certainly includes the composition of a modern tech stack.Agencies, likewise, have greater confidence in their preparedness to meet their customers’ expectations regarding new trends and technologies (between a 6 and a 10) – a slight increase from previous years.On the subject of new technologies, here’s the big one: 73% of agencies cite AI-powered personalization as the top trend for 2025. Just as we heard from vendors, agencies, and customers at the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/reflections-on-cms-kickoff-25-from-the-aem-guy">Boye &amp; Company CMS Kickoff 25</a>, AI is no longer an emerging tool but a critical driver of automation, efficiency, and innovation. While the future is still a bit murky, what’s abundantly clear is that agencies are under increasing pressure to prove their value and expertise in areas like data-driven insights, cutting-edge creativity, and specialized tech solutions – positioning them as indispensable partners. They also need to deliver measurable impact around KPIs and ROI. These will be the defining factors that help agencies win business against both competitors and in-house resources.<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>There’s a reason why Jason dragged all those Argonauts with him: there’s strength in numbers. With 50 heroes sailing the Argo, he had a better shot of navigating rough seas and avoiding any siren calls. With BizStream’s acquisition of Refactored, they’re tapping that same mythology of combining forces to scale and succeed. While some mergers focus more on expanding an addressable market reach, technology pairings often zero in on specific IP or resources that bridge a missing gap. In this case, BizStream is benefiting from Refactored’s broader strategy and capabilities, as well as its Web Accelerator component. By reducing the hassle factor of migrating to a headless CMS, they will have another ace in their hand for powering growth.A big part of advising on any stack is choice, and BizStream is delivering that in spades. They provide expertise in multiple CMSes and DX solutions, necessitating an agile and objective mindset for choosing the right technology for each project. At the same time, having a broad menu requires knowledgeable teams across each platform – which can be challenging to maintain.Digital agencies continue to be resourceful in the age of AI, leading their customers from chaos to clarity. As brands double down on hyper-personalization and other advanced AI-powered capabilities, they will require knowledgeable partners to get there. My guess is that we’ll see more of these “unified fronts” via M&amp;A and strategic alliances, allowing agencies to compete more effectively in the AI theater and at the edge. That's good, but only if it remains tightly focused on a firm's core business. The track record for agencies becoming product companies is uneven at best and might deter from the mission.Despite any positive momentum in the aforementioned studies from RSW/US and SparkToro, 2025 might prove more challenging than anticipated, especially as the political and policy-making dynamics in the U.S. continue to evolve and players like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.deepseek.com/">DeepSeek</a> disrupt the status quo. This is where an agency’s expertise, wisdom, and trust can deliver real value – and transform a myth into legendary success. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

BizStream Acquires Refactored, Adds Strategic Digital Services and Headless CMS Accelerator 

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