Articles - Page 21

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

matt-garrepy

First Look: Cloudinary’s New AI Vision Brings Brand-Safe Gen AI Capabilities to its DAM

<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 

<hr /> Since 2018, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/hightouch">Hightouch</a> has been “high touch” when it comes to data. The pioneering composable customer data platform (CDP) and AI decisioning company has been on a tear recently, doubling its revenue<a target="_blank" href="https://getlatka.com/companies/Hightouch"> </a>and growing its team.Hightouch is finding success with enterprises that prefer flexible, composable alternatives to traditional CDPs, which are often plagued by rigid and costly infrastructures. By leveraging data and AI across their organization, Hightouch enables its users to deliver personalized customer experiences, optimize performance marketing, and move faster.This unique approach – turning data warehouses into marketing engines – has earned it a growing list of high-profile customers, including PetSmart, Warner Music Group, Calendly, Spotify, and GameStop.Now, Hightouch is tapping the human power of a seasoned analytics veteran and industry thought leader as it aims to drive more growth. Today, the company announced that it has hired <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgreco/">Adam Greco</a> as Product Evangelist, where he will focus on supporting Hightouch's mission to empower marketing and data teams.If you're “tuned in” to the data and analytics space, Adam's name needs little introduction. With more than two decades of experience driving innovation and strategy in the field, he's been shaping the roadmap at leading tech firms like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/salesforce">Salesforce</a> and Omniture – which was <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2009/09/15/breaking-adobe-to-acquire-omniture-for-approximately-1-8-billion/">acquired in 2009 by Adobe</a> for $1.8 billion. In the wake of that acquisition, Adam wrote the definitive book on Adobe Analytics. During his most recent tenure at <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/amplitude">Amplitude</a> – a leading product analytics platform provider – I spoke with Adam about the evolution of CDP, the value of data, and how critical these technologies are within the stack. "CDPs should be more insights and analytics-driven, capable of looking at problems in experiences," he said. “Every vendor will need a CDP of some kind because they want to collect data from every touchpoint: mobile apps, OTT, web, etc. Pulling it all together and creating action is key.”<h3 id="doubling-down-on-growth-and-disruption">Doubling down on growth and disruption</h3>At its core, Hightouch is a data activation platform that specializes in synchronizing customer data from data warehouses into a variety of high-utility tools. These include CRMs, email and marketing automation platforms, and advertising networks (to name a few). Founded in 2018 by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshcurl/">Josh Curl</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/guptakashish/">Kashish Gupta</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejasmanohar/">Tejas Manohar</a>, Hightouch started life outside the CDP boundaries as a travel booking Slackbot. The company pivoted during COVID-19 circa 2020, after developing reverse ETL technology to sync data from warehouses to SaaS tools. The move to the CDP space has certainly proven lucrative: the space is projected to grow to $15.3 billion by 2026.Since the transition, Hightouch has been enabling organizations to transform high-value data assets into actionable insights and strategies without the need for extensive engineering. This is accomplished through an elegant suite of no-code features – making data activation easier, so almost anyone can build audiences, orchestrate customer journeys, and uncover customer insights.As of 2024, Hightouch has <a target="_blank" href="https://sacra.com/c/hightouch/">raised over $92 million</a> across its Series A and B. Powered by this funding, the company has invested heavily in advanced AI and machine learning capabilities, unlocking even more opportunities for marketers to activate their data and drive measurable results. Hightouch positions itself as an alternative to more traditional CDPs like Twilio's <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/twilio-acquires-segment-for-3-2b-adds-market-leading-cdp-for-building-data-driven-apps">Segment</a>, which typically require data to be stored in their proprietary systems. This approach of leveraging existing data warehouses as the central data repository has resonated with companies looking to avoid data duplication and maintain control over their data infrastructure. For this reason, large enterprises like Warner Music Group have chosen Hightouch over a traditional CDP, even after performing a three-year evaluation process.As a CDP, Hightouch has been focusing on AI for quite some time, exploring more efficient ways to automate processes and scale its capabilities across large pools of data. In August of last year, the company announced the launch of <a target="_blank" href="https://hightouch.com/blog/introducing-ai-decisioning">AI Decisioning</a> – its new AI marketing product – which is also available as a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.snowflake.com/en/data-cloud/workloads/applications/native-apps/">Snowflake Native App.</a><h3 id="a-modern-day-legend-in-the-data-world">A modern-day legend in the data world</h3>Adam's arrival comes at a pivotal moment as Hightouch continues to redefine what’s possible for enterprises in the customer data space. As Product Evangelist, he will support Hightouch’s continued expansion and help users unlock the full potential of their data. He will also focus on educating and empowering customers to lean into new data and AI technologies safely and scalably.Adam's career reads like a blueprint for success in the analytics and data industry. As one of Omniture’s first customers and employees, Adam has been at the forefront of digital transformation for decades. His skills include hands-on expertise in online marketing, website design, voice of customer (VOC), and CRM integration with digital analytics. His contributions to the field are vast, and he has helped thousands of marketers optimize their digital experiences. As such, he will likely elevate Hightouch's perception as a market-leading authority. Over the years, Adam has become a trusted voice, sharing his insights as a speaker and board member for several data technology organizations. His leadership roles at companies like Salesforce and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/amplitude">Amplitude</a> have further cemented his reputation as an innovator who understands the practical and strategic sides of data. To date, Adam has written over 200 blog posts related to Adobe Analytics. He also penned <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Adobe-SiteCatalyst-Handbook-Insiders-Guide/dp/032185991X">The Adobe SiteCatalyst Handbook: An Insider's Guide</a>, which has enjoyed positive reviews since its original publication over a decade ago. This followed his tenure at Omniture, where Adobe's acquisition revealed its focus on integrating management and metrics to drive its future strategy – and it appears that the deal is still paying off. "I've been through more than anyone on planet." That's how Adam described his 25 years in the Adobe Analytics world. As Adobe's reign over the digital experience space expanded, he consulted around the AEM product and continued to roadmap the critical role of analytics.Adam has also been active in supporting the broader industry. In 2019, he joined Further's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.apolloplatform.com/">Search Discovery</a> practice, where he supported digital analytics customers in doing more with data. He also played an instrumental role in the growth and development of Search Discovery's <a target="_blank" href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2638129-1&amp;h=2362026&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.searchdiscovery.com%2Fapollo%2F&amp;a=Apollo">Apollo</a><a target="_blank" href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=2638129-1&amp;h=1357526835&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.searchdiscovery.com%2Fapollo%2F&amp;a=%C2%A0solution"> solution</a> and its related service offerings.“Adam knows what it takes to do digital transformation at the world’s biggest companies, and we’re beyond excited to have his expertise at Hightouch,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankotlyar/">Brian Kotlyar</a>, VP of Marketing at Hightouch. “He uniquely pairs a big vision with pragmatic, hands-on knowledge of how to make it real for marketers in any company. His passion for helping organizations use data to drive growth aligns perfectly with our mission.”<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>Hightouch is challenging traditional CDPs and redefining how businesses think about data activation. As the world of marketing and data continues to evolve, the need for scalable, flexible solutions has never been greater. Hightouch’s vision of a composable, AI-driven future is no longer just an ambitious goal – it’s a reality. CDP has also been an incredibly lively sector in 2024, particularly as digital experience platforms (DXPs) have sought to leverage their own capabilities as part of their differentiated value. Most recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a> – a headless CMS turned composable DXP – <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 key player in the customer data landscape.Brass tacks: Adam is an unmatched commodity in the realm of data and analytics. His expertise and leadership will undoubtedly benefit Hightouch and likely lift its brand perception upon his hiring alone. But given his track record, the company can reasonably predict a greater long-term impact on its roadmap.With Greco’s guidance, customers can expect even more innovative solutions to help them stay ahead in an increasingly data-driven world. His deep knowledge and leadership can further solidify Hightouch as a go-to platform for enterprise marketing and data teams seeking to unlock the full potential of their data."I'm thrilled to join Hightouch and help drive the future of data activation," he exclaimed. "The potential to transform how organizations leverage their data is immense, and I'm excited to work alongside the talented Hightouch team to help customers navigate the complexities of modern data infrastructure."CDPs have proven essential to the enterprise stack. As competition and choice escalate, pure-play platforms certainly have their work cut out for them in a fragmented marketplace. But Hightouch continues to differentiate itself against key players like Segment with its composable offering – an asset that will serve them well as they look to further disrupt the competitive landscape. If they maintain those attributes and execute, they might want to consider a new tagline: “Can't touch this.” <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>

Hightouch Taps Adam Greco as Product Evangelist, Strengthening Its Leadership in Composable CDPs

In a fast and furious tech world, CMS Kickoff 25 was a ‘love letter’ to slow down 

CMS Summit 26

Find out at Open Source CMS 26, October 20-21 in Utrecht, Netherlands

What's ahead for Open Source CMS?

#ffffff

As AI-generated search grows, Otterly is utterly awesome for marketers. Here’s why

Reflections on CMS Kickoff 25 from ‘The AEM Guy’

tom-cranstoun

As we enter our second featured week here at CMS Critic, our focus turns to the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sitefinity.com/">Progress Sitefinity platform</a>.Recently acquired by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.progress.com/">Progress</a>, Sitefinity is an ASP.NET web content management and marketing platform. The solution is trusted by some of the world’s biggest brands, including Toyota, Audi, Kraft Foods, and NASA.Mike Johnston recently traveled to Telerik's California headquarters while on the CMS Critic North American Tour, where he <a href="/cms-critic-interviews-robert-mattson-of-telerik-sitefinity/">interviewed Robert Mattson, Telerik's Director of Product Marketing</a>. Mike was also given a highly detailed product walkthrough before his visit was over.Crowned winner of the <a href="/2014-critics-choice-award-winner-best-enterprise-net-cms/">2014 Critics' Choice CMS Award for Best Enterprise .NET CMS</a>, Sitefinity is a platform to be reckoned with.To kickstart our featured coverage, let's begin with an overview of the powerful features of the Sitefinity platform for both enterprise-grade content management and digital marketing.<h2 id="simple,-even-when-complex">Simple, Even When Complex</h2>“There’s usually an ease of use to complexity curve. You can be easy to use, but can you still be easy to use when things get tough and complex? That’s something I think [Sitefinity CMS] excels at.” – Robert Mattson, Director of Product Marketing, Telerik.On top of crisp presentation across the platform, Sitefinity CMS maintains its simplicity by making use of drag-and-drop interfaces for when it comes to general content management such as in-line page editing.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/web-content.jpg" />Furthermore, approval workflows, versions histories and granular permissions help to keep both content and marketers in check.When it comes to gleaning information from customers and visitors, marketers can enjoy the Sitefinity CMS intuitive form building features, which can once again be managed through the drag-and-drop interface.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/forms.jpg" />Sitefinity CMS also employs powerful digital asset management, enabling marketers to manage assets from a central location, giving them organizational features such as  hierarchical libraries, categories and tags.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/digital-assets835x0.jpg" />The platform also provides ample SEO features to help push websites further up Google’s rankings.Learn more about <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sitefinity.com/content-management">Progress Sitefinity’s content management features</a>.<h2 id="a-digital-marketing-command-center">A Digital Marketing Command Center</h2>Since the latest release of Sitefinity back in March 2015, the platform now works in tandem with its standalone Sitefinity Digital Experience Cloud (DEC), serving up what the company calls a, “Digital Marketing Command Center”.By using Sitefinity CMS and Sitefinity DEC together, organizations can benefit in the following three ways.1. Gather Omni-channel Information: With data connectors pulling information from Sitefinity CMS, Salesforce.com, Marketo, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, mobile apps  or other sources of customer interaction, the customer journey repository in the Sitefinity DEC becomes a single source of truth.Having this extensive context enables marketers to see interactions between an anonymous site visitor, known prospect or existing customer, and all aspects of a company’s sales and marketing functions. Thus, the marketer can make far better informed decisions about how to hone the entire process.2. Enhanced Insight: The Sitefinity DEC uses machine learning to relate how groups of customers and prospects interact through all channels. Interestingly though, the platform then provides specific recommendations for how to move those customers toward their goals more effectively.3. Real-time, Actionable Data: The solution unveils trends that enable marketers to target their actions and run and adjust campaigns in near real time.The Sitefinity DEC provides predictions toward opportunity improvement, while the Sitefinity CMS enables marketers to personalize and optimize marketing programs, or restructure web properties on the fly, to guide people on a personalized customer journey.Hence, the two platforms working side by side help to streamline the job of monitoring and acting on incoming information.Additional Sitefinity DEC features include persona management, third party data source integration, advanced customer analytics, automated lead management, and more.Learn more about <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sitefinity.com/digital-experience-cloud">Sitefinity Digital Experience Cloud</a>.For more details on Sitefinity <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sitefinity.com/">visit their website</a>. You can also explore more of <a href="/products/sitefinity">Sitefinity via our CMS Directory</a>.

An Overview of The Sitefinity Platform's Content Management & Digital Experience Features

mike-johnston

Hungry for Composable? New Research Shows a Growing Appetite for MACH Technologies

<a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/michael-spenceley">Michael Spenceley</a> is Leader, Learning &amp; Content Standards - Innovative Medicine at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jnj.com/">Johnson &amp; Johnson</a> and a CMS Critic Contributor. <hr />If you're a content professional, you've likely spent much of your career focused on how to govern the accuracy and quality of content. As Generative AI (Gen AI) has entered our collective corporate consciousness, our content is now under a microscope. If you have outdated or inaccurate content, Gen AI will bring it into focus for all to see. On one hand, this will lead to uncomfortable conversations for those who are responsible for the accuracy of content, but this also presents a significant opportunity for content professionals. Here's a conversation I’ve had a few times lately: Business Leader: “We have all this content, if we put it in a Gen AI tool, won’t that make it easier for people to get answers, reduce call center volume and create a better experience for our employees and customers?”Technologist: "Yeah, we can do that. We can integrate your CMS or knowledgebase with our Gen AI platform."Business Leader: “Michael, what do you think?”Me: "Well, I think there are more questions we need to ask. Do we have quality content to feed into the Gen AI experience? Do we have the right level of governance to ensure accuracy? Do we have clear roles and responsibilities for those who own content feeding into Gen AI? Is the ROI sufficient to invest the time and money to do this right?”  Business leaders are now recognizing the importance of good content to enable an effective Gen AI experience for employees and customers. Getting content governance right, especially in large organizations, takes lots of people, rigorous processes, clear roles and responsibilities and accountability. Here are three things all content professionals should focus on as Gen AI initiatives take center stage: <h3 id="1.-keep-moving,-even-when-it's-not-perfect">1. Keep moving, even when it's not perfect</h3>Be agile and be okay with imperfection. If you wait to use Gen AI until you've solved all your content governance problems, you will never start. Come up with an approach that works for your organization.  I see it as a two-pronged approach. First, what steps do you take right now to keep Gen AI moving? At this stage, you don't know what will work so keep it simple. Second, while you're doing that, plan for the long-term. To scale your approach, what tech do you need, what integrations and what processes need to be in place? Here’s a real example of what I’ve tried in my organization:When we need content for a new Gen AI use case, we follow this process:<ul><li>Identify – Identify relevant content that already exists. </li><li>Validate – Analyze content to ensure we have the most current version and it’s the correct level of detail.</li><li>Remediate – Work with subject matter experts to update content that is out of date and create new content to fill any gaps.</li><li>Extract – Technical team extracts content from our source system to ingest into Gen AI. </li><li>Monitor &amp; Update – Leverage existing reporting and processes to determine when content needs to be updated in the Gen AI tool.</li></ul>This is a largely manual process, but it works for now and as we refine it, we're planning for how best to scale it in the future and reduce manual effort through integrations and automation. <h3 id="2.-get-the-right-people-involved-">2. Get the right people involved </h3>If you're a content professional or a SME who owns content, speak up and get involved in Gen AI initiatives. You know things that are important to this process that others may not know. If you're not a content professional and you're on the technical side of Gen AI, don't go it alone. While you can probably get your hands on some content to start, there is a chance that there's a lot you don't know about the content. When assessing content for accuracy and relevance, there can be many nuances, especially in large global organizations. Additionally, content teams already have processes in place to source and update content, and they have relationships with the subject matter experts who can validate content. Rely on content professionals and SMEs to tell you which content is ready for Gen AI and what steps need to be taken to prepare content. Here’s a real example of what I’ve tried in my organization:We established weekly touchpoints that include a combination of content, IT and business process owners. The content team drives the identify, validate, remediate, extract, and monitor process. The content team works with SMEs and content owners to validate content accuracy and remediate gaps. Our IT partners ingest content into the Gen AI tool and train the model. This ensures that this work is connected to our existing content governance process and isn't seen as additional work for content and process owners. We have one source of truth, one process and one governance model for content. Gen AI is just an additional channel where the content is being consumed. This could change in the future, but leveraging existing processes and infrastructure is an effective way to get things moving quickly.    <h3 id="3.-seize-the-opportunity-to-get-resources-and-support">3. Seize the opportunity to get resources and support</h3>In large organizations, content governance has often not gotten the time and attention it deserves, beyond a small group of content professionals. In the short time I've been working on this, I have learned that this connection between content and the success of Gen AI, is logical but isn't always obvious. It's on us, as content professionals, to speak up, get involved and make the case. Here’s a real example of what I’ve tried in my organization:We engaged with leaders and content owners to help them understand how our content will make or break our journey with Gen AI and are weaving Gen AI into our strategic vision for the future of content. We’re defining requirements for how our content needs to be structured and stored in the future to enable a good Gen AI experience.  Specifically, how to simplify and componentize content with component-level metadata. We’re also defining future-state content governance and what that takes from a resource standpoint. This includes how we drive greater accountability and create clearer roles and responsibilities for our content professionals and content owners to ensure content accuracy. <h3 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h3>As with anything new, there are still more questions than answers. Here are a few questions that content professionals should be thinking about:<ul><li>I’ve been on a mission to promote the idea that less content is more. Will a minimalist approach to content work in the age of Gen AI? </li><li>Many people challenge the accuracy of information coming from Gen AI. What role might content professionals play to change that perception? </li><li>Will content structure, metadata and governance still matter as Gen AI gets more advanced?</li></ul>I’m sure we’ll continue to debate these questions in the coming years. This space is evolving quickly, and I'm confident there will be advancements to make it easier in the future. Given the technology and resource constraints that all organizations are dealing with, these are some practical things to consider as you embark on your Gen AI journey. For now, it’s going to be messy, and that’s okay. Seize this opportunity to elevate your role as a content professional in your organization.    <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>

Generative AI is Making Content King Again

mike-spenceley

Call Tracking + AI 

Call Tracking + AI that Turns Calls into Leads

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What's ahead for Open Source CMS?

Call Tracking + AI that Turns Calls into Leads