Articles - Page 52

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

matt-garrepy

Well, 2021 is almost at an end. The holidays are upon us, and merrymaking is in full swing (at least as far as Omicron will let us swing). Before we wrap things up and officially start the festivities, there's one last piece of business to attend to...
NOMINATIONS!
That's right: it's time to kick off our annual CMS Critic Awards – and it all starts with our 2021 People's Choice Nominations! Starting today, you can submit your favorite platform in a variety of categories such as Best DXP, Best Headless CMS, and more. Based on your input, we choose the top three contenders in each category – and let you vote for the best of the best. 
The 2021 People's Choice Nominations will be open until January 15th, 2022. Once we've tallied your submissions, we'll open voting on the top three platforms in each category.
Here's some exciting news: this year, we've added Best Composable System and Best Headless Commerce Platform to the nomination list. We covered the rise of both categories throughout the year – now you can tell us which platforms are doing it best!
To learn more about the CMS Critic Awards, keep reading. Ready to submit your nominations? <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/2021-cms-critic-awards-nominations/">Click here!</a>
<h2>What are the CMS Critic Awards?</h2>
OK... so maybe our program is a little less visible than the Oscars, but it fills an important gap in our industry by celebrating the contributions of CMS, DXP, and the related ecosystem of vendors.
Since 2012, the CMS Critic Awards have been something of an institution. Not only do they give our panel of thought leaders an opportunity to "chime in" on the general direction of the industry, but they also give individuals a chance to vote for their favorite platform. It's a fun way to engage with our communities and create more visibility around the importance of this technology sector.
To provide a fair shot to all vendors, we offer two unique programs:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/12/criticschoice_logo-1024x173.jpg" alt="CMS Critic's Choice Awards Logo" />
Critic's Choice Awards
Hand-selected by our CMS Critic editorial staff, vendors receive the coveted Critic's Choice Award for each category based on our internal research and criteria.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/12/peoplechoice_logo-1024x173.jpg" alt="CMS People's Choice Awards Logo" />
People’s Choice Awards 
As previously mentioned, these community-based awards are designed to engage with readers through an open forum. The top three vendors with the most nominations will be featured on our website for voting, and the platform with the most votes in each category is declared the winner. The rules are simple, and focus on fairness and integrity: participants may nominate or vote only once, and companies that offer incentives of any kind will be disqualified.
<h2>2021 People's Choice categories for nominations</h2>
This year's categories include:
<ul>
<li>Best Enterprise CMS</li>
<li>Best DXP</li>
<li>Best Free CMS</li>
<li>Best Flat File CMS</li>
<li>Best Open Source CMS</li>
<li>Best ECM (Enterprise Content Management)</li>
<li>Best E-Commerce Solution</li>
<li>Best Headless CMS</li>
<li>Best Headless Commerce Platform</li>
<li>Best Website Builder</li>
<li>Best Static Site Generator</li>
<li>Best Composable System</li>
</ul>
Both the Critic's Choice and People's Choice Award results will be announced at the same time in mid to late February of 2022.
<h2>Submit your nominations!</h2>
Go on... tell us what platforms you love! Fill out the form below and submit your nominations. You can only vote once and a valid email address is required with each entry. Companies that offer incentives of any kind will be disqualified.
We can't wait to see your nominations. Cheers – and happy holidays!

Submit Your Nominations for the CMS Critic 2021 People's Choice Awards

cms-critic-staff

CMS Critic 2021 People's Choice Award logo

<a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.marketo.com%2F&amp;esheet=50894625&amp;newsitemid=20140625006457&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=Marketo&amp;index=2&amp;md5=a1b3eed4ef364000f06d7a3f9f625a23">Marketo</a>, the world renowned engagement marketing software vendor, has partnered with <a href="http://www.vibes.com/">Vibes</a>, a mobile marketing solution.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/marketo-vibes.png" alt="marketo vibes" />
The partnership will enable marketers to seamlessly integrate text messaging (SMS/MMS) and mobile wallet marketing (Apple Wallet &amp; Android Pay) into their Marketo campaigns.
<h2>Tapping into Mobile Moments</h2>
According to recent Forrester Research, there are over <a href="http://www.vibes.com/resources/mobileautomation/">30 billion mobile moments</a> each day in the United States alone. 
To tap into those moments in a profitable way, Marketers need automated solutions that deliver both speed and personalization in order to meet consumer demands in real time. That's what this partnership is all about.
Mike Stocker, Marketo's Senior Director of Product Solutions &amp; Innovation, agrees:
<blockquote>
“Marketo clients are hungry to amplify their mobile marketing in order to build stronger relationships with their customers.
By integrating Marketo’s best-in-class marketing automation platform with Vibes’ best-in-class mobile marketing, we’ve created a solution that empowers marketers to reach consumers on their device of choice with both speed and personalization.”
</blockquote>
With this integration, marketers can work with existing marketing channels to make the following happen:
<ul>
<li>Incorporate <a href="http://www.vibes.com/technology/text-messaging/">text messaging</a> (SMS/MMS) into Marketo-driven marketing campaigns.</li>
<li>Add <a href="http://www.vibes.com/technology/mobile-wallet/">mobile wallet</a> content to their email marketing campaigns to enable customers to instantly save offers and loyalty cards to Apple Wallet or Android Pay.</li>
<li>Utilize mobile wallet as the post-click destination for digital advertising campaigns in Marketo, powered by Vibes’ <a href="http://www.vibes.com/technology/mobile-wallet-advertising/">WalletAds</a> solution. </li>
</ul>
Additionally, thanks to the power of marketing automation technology from both parties, marketers can also now offer consumers the ability to determine how they would like to receive personalized messages. 
If a consumer prefers receiving sale notifications via text, marketers can send these messages via mobile, instead of relying on email.
Vibes' Co-founder and CEO, Jack Philbin, also chimed in about the importance of this new alliance.
<blockquote>
“In many ways, communication on mobile devices is all about speed, convenience and ease of use, so it’s only natural that mobile is coming to marketing automation.
The most effective marketing is tailored to meet the needs of the end recipient, and more and more frequently we’re seeing that consumers prefer mobile. Combining the power of mobile with the automation technology of Marketo will unlock a solution that benefits both consumers and marketers alike.”
</blockquote>
<h2>Marketo &amp; Vibes: Marketing Mates</h2>
To help kick-start this partnership, Vibes will be on-site at <a href="https://events.marketo.com/summit/2016/">Marketo’s Marketing Nation® Summit</a> in Las Vegas between the 9th and 12th of May 2016. The event is expected to draw around 6,000 marketers from around the globe. 
This isn't the first time these two marketing heavyweights have teamed up. Vibes was already part of Marketo’s LaunchPoint ecosystem, and I'd be interested to see if they have any plans to team up again soon on a new project. 
Time will tell, but until then, you can check out
And as always, you can explore more through our <a href="/marketo/">Marketo Hub on our Marketing Directory</a>.

Marketo & Vibes Team Up to Power Mobile Marketing Automation Solution

mike-johnston

The <a href="http://www.intelliants.com/">Intelliants development team</a>, who are responsible for the highly successful Subrion CMS platform, have recently launched the latest version of their flagship product – Subrion CMS 3.1.1.
Not too long ago, we also covered the launch of Subrion CMS 3, the last major release for the platform. There were a long list of updates which accompanied Subrion CMS 3, but now, Subrion users can enjoy the benefits of even more improvements, thanks to version 3.1.1.
So, let's take a little look at the basics of Subrion's popular content management system, along with some of its recently introduced features.
<h2>An Overview of Subrion CMS</h2>
<a href="http://www.subrion.com/">Subrion CMS</a> is an open-source PHP content management system with comprehensive functionality, active development, and a reputation for reacting quickly to the wants and needs of their users.
One of the most useful features of Subrion's content management system is the responsive admin dashboard, which can be viewed via tablets and smartphones, allowing you can manage your content wherever you may be.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/subrion1.png" alt="Subrion CMS" />
As well as being responsive, Subrion's admin panel is sleek, modern and uncomplicated, so you can publish, manage and modify your content quickly, and in style.
Yet, the true strength of Subrion lies within its detailed field management system, where you can easily manage any field for almost any item you may have – without leaving the admin panel.
Speaking of managing content, Subrion CMS makes that supremely simple. Pages, widgets, menus and more are all easy to create and place within your website, thanks to the drag-and-drop visual mode.
Subrion CMS doesn't hold back on functionality either. It successfully combines the functionality of articles script, auto classifieds script, realty classifieds script, web directory script, and yellow pages script all in one, manageable package.
Plus, with a healthy range of plugins and templates, Subrion CMS can also help your and your website exercise some flexibility.
<h2>Remote Template Installations, Colour Schemes &amp; More</h2>
So, what's new with Subrion CMS 3.1.1?
First and foremost is the user-friendly remote template installation system. All users now have to do in order to install a new template, is navigate over to the “Extensions / Templates” tab within the admin panel, and choose from a host of free, professional templates for your website.
Subrion have a range of templates readily available, all of which can be inspected and tested via the <a href="http://demos.subrion.com/templates/" target="_blank">Subrion Template Demo page</a>– which is updated on a weekly basis.
Another notable update brought about by Subrion CMS 3.1.1, is the brand new admin dashboard colour scheme – Radiant Orchid.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/subrion2.png" alt="Subrion CMS" /> 
The new Radiant Orchid colour scheme joins a host of other colour schemes already available to Subrion users. It's the small personalization features like these which sets Subrion CMS apart from its competitors.
For a full list of updates and improvements brought about Subrion CMS 3.1.1, check out the <a href="http://dev.subrion.com/versions/86" target="_blank">official release notes</a>.
If you want to know more about Subrion CMS, take a moment to visit their <a href="http://www.subrion.com/" target="_blank">official website</a>. Additionally, you can find out more about <a href="/products/subrion-cms/">Subrion via our CMS Directory</a>.

Feature Roundup: A Look at Subrion CMS 3.1.1

Enonic XP Review

<a href="http://www.pikock.com/" target="_blank">Pikock</a>, a website builder which makes user of a <a href="/the-first-of-its-kind-pikock-launch-layout-slider-to-simplify-website-building/" target="_blank">rather interesting “Layout Slider”</a>, has released a new update.
Pikock was founded in Paris in 2012. The user friendly drag-and-drop website building platform, is designed to make website creation as easy as possible.  
Here's what's new with Pikock.
<h2>Smart Blocks, Beautiful Backgrounds &amp; More</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/size_3_new-system-blocs700x0.jpg" />
<ul>
<li>Smart Blocks Editor: Build your page in minutes thanks to our 100 pre-designed with structured content blocks based on your essential needs. </li>
<li>New image uploader: Import your images twice faster and sublime them when you want with our in house Photo editor.</li>
<li>Beautiful background images: Create beautiful pages with our designer selection of background images.</li>
</ul>
Furthermore, Pikock's new update brings about a cleaner interface, favicons, archived versions, Google and Pinterest site verification, and more.
You can find out more about the latest version of Pikock <a href="http://www.pikock.com/30/new-pikock-a-radical-new-way-to-build-websites" target="_blank">right here</a>.

Pikock Releases New Smart Blocks Editor

Throughout this month, we're giving away tons of awesome prizes to our lucky readers, You! We're calling it The Great #CMS Giveaway.
To participate, simply follow the instructions below and get in on the action. Free is awesome and so are the awesome companies that are participating this year.
To kick off the Great #CMS Giveaway, we're starting with an awesome giveaway from <a href="http://www.setseed.com">SetSeed CMS</a>.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/setseed8logo.jpg" />
Our first prize includes the following:
<ul>
<li>1 SetSeed Website License worth $120 USD (approximately)</li>
<li>1 Month of their ‘pro seller’ plan worth $160 USD (approximately). This includes (for the duration of the month):</li>
<ul>
<li>44% discount on any further license fees. (Per site cost of £42.00 ($65 Approx.))</li>
<li>HTML/CSS/jQuery theme building advice</li>
<li>30 Day Demo Licenses</li>
<li>Licensing API access</li>
<li>Pre-Sale advice (help to win new jobs by consulting on SetSeed's suitability for a project)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Total value would be £175 ($280 USD Approx.)
Check out this great video showcasing SetSeed:
https://vimeo.com/81022582
<h2>Enter to Win!</h2>
[[cmsgiveaway1]]

The Great #CMS Giveaway - Prize #1

In today's market, there is certainly no shortage of cloud-based content management systems. In fact, offering a cloud-hosted service is becoming something of a necessity for all platforms across the board.
But of course, some products do it better than others. <a href="/the-winner-of-the-2014-peoples-choice-cms-award-for-best-cloud-cms-for-smb/" target="_blank">LightCMS were crowned the winners by the people</a> — and also qualified for in-depth coverage over at <a href="https://www.websitebuilderscritic.com/website_builders/reviews/lightcms/" target="_blank">Website Builders Critic</a>, but now it's the turn of the judges.
<img style="max-width:376px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/bestcloudcmsforsmb-1.png" />
And the winner is…
<img style="max-width:250px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/dotcms-250h.jpg" />
<a href="http://dotcms.com/" target="_blank">dotCMS</a> is a Java, open-source, content management system with a giant reputation. It has been in the running for a number of awards this year, and with the successful (and recent)<a href="/dotcms-3.0-brings-in-enhancements-tailored-for-java-web-developers/" target="_blank"> release of DotCMS 3.0</a>, it's not difficult to see why they've managed to bag this one.
Congratulations to everybody at <a href="http://dotcms.com/" target="_blank">dotCMS</a>!

2014 Critics' Choice Award Winner - Best Cloud CMS for SMB

Talk about welcome news.
Earlier in December, <a href="https://www.optimizely.com/" target="_blank">Optimizely</a> – a leading digital experience platform (DXP) – announced a definitive agreement to purchase <a href="https://welcomesoftware.com/" target="_blank">Welcome</a>, a content marketing (CMP), marketing resource management (MRM), and digital asset management (DAM) platform.
Yes, that's a lot of three-lettered acronyms for one sentence...
While the DXP juggernaut is no stranger to acquisitions (they were, in fact, <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/episerver-rebrands-as-optimizely-following-acquisition/">purchased by Episerver in 2020</a> but rebranded under the Optimizely name), this one provides a glimpse of the company's ambition to win the minds and hearts of internal marketers.
According to Welcome's press release, the combination will empower marketing teams at brands across the globe to drive real business value through better customer experiences.
“We believe a world-class customer experience starts with an outstanding marketer experience,” said Alex Atzberger, CEO of Optimizely. “By combining Welcome’s campaign planning, content production, and asset management capabilities with Optimizely’s existing breadth of digital experience solutions, we empower marketers to rapidly launch campaigns and control the optimization of every digital touchpoint which results in growth for the business.”
As the deal is set to close before the New Year, it's clear that Optimizely is making a 2022 resolution to focus more on the discrete needs of marketers, who are chiefly responsible for driving customer experience. With the rise of digital tools and hybrid work environments, marketers are becoming the "engines" of business growth by shaping consumer engagement. At the same time, they are being forced to adapt and respond to a fluid digital landscape, where a fragmented stack is arresting their ability to deliver personalized, relevant content and experiences at scale.
Bottom line: Optimizely aims to improve the marketer experience by adding Welcome's CMP, MRM, and DAM capabilities to their expanding ecosystem.
<h2>Combining marketing, content management, digital commerce, and personalization</h2>
As a four-time <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210325005585/en/Welcome-a-NewsCred-Brand-Named-a-Leader-Now-4-Years-Running-in-the-2021-Gartner-Magic-Quadrant-for-Content-Marketing-Platforms" target="_blank">Leader on the Gartner Magic Quadrant</a>, Welcome has carved a strong niche in the small but growing cadre of Content Marketing Platforms (CMP).
As Gartner noted in their most recent report, "Welcome’s vision as a marketing orchestration software, combining the capabilities of a CMP, MWM, DAM, offers promise." This positioning certainly made the platform a more attractive target for Optimizely.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/12/gartner_mq_cmp-971x1024.png" alt="Gartner Magic Quadrant, 2021 for CMP" />
By combining Welcome's capabilities with Optimizely's suite of content management and digital commerce solutions, marketers will now have enhanced tools for a wide range of applications – all in a unified platform. This includes the "Holy Grail" of experimentation, personalization, and recommendations that have often remained elusive for marketing professionals and teams.
Under the Optimizely banner, marketers will be able to leverage Welcome's features on an evolutionary scale, allowing them to accelerate the end-to-end marketing lifecycle from concept to execution. This will allow users and teams to plan, create, and collaborate on campaigns and publish across multiple channels to reach the right audiences. They will also have unprecedented control and transparency to manage content delivery without relying on the support of IT or development.
The combined set of capabilities should be a force multiplier for Optimizely, enabling marketers to grow revenue by scaling best-in-class data-driven tools such as A/B testing and content recommendations, augmented by Welcome's content marketing processes. Marketers will also be able to easily share results across their organization, providing greater insight into the impact of their marketing investment.
“We could not be more excited to be joining the Optimizely family,” said Shafqat Islam, CEO and co-founder of Welcome. “We’ve made it our mission to transform the way marketers work, by delivering a purpose-built solution to orchestrate all of marketing. Now, together with Optimizely, we believe we are unifying two category-leading solutions to see that mission through.”
<h2>A string of strategic acquisitions</h2>
As the DXP category becomes more crowded, enterprise vendors are clawing their way to the top of the mountain. In Gartner's <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3995917/magic-quadrant-for-digital-experience-platforms" target="_blank">2021 Magic Quadrant for Digital Experience Platforms</a>, Optimizely found itself chasing the heels of both <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/acquia-upgrades-open-dxp-capabilities-to-expand-composable-enterprise-features/">Acquia</a> and <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/adobe-acquires-video-collaboration-platform-frame-io/">Adobe</a> in pursuit of the crown.
To enhance their DXP completeness of vision and gain competitive ground, all three platforms have been scooping up strategic technologies – including Optimizely's 2021 <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/optimizely-acquires-customer-data-platform-zaius/">purchase of Zauis</a>, a leading customer data platform (CDP).
Adding this all-important data layer gave Optimizely a needed edge, but the purchase of Welcome is key. Not only does it signal a renewed focus on the role of the marketer, but it repositions the power of the platform on the marketer's experience. Providing an integrated, end-to-end lifecycle solution for managing content, assets, and resources – and amplifying it with the commerce and optimization features of a proven DXP – could be a real gamechanger for Optimizely. We'll be watching as the next steps unfold.
<h2>About Optimizely</h2>
Optimizely is a leading digital experience platform (DXP), equipping teams with the tools and insights they need to create and optimize in new and novel ways. Now, companies can operate with data-driven confidence to create hyper-personalized experiences. Building sophisticated solutions has never been simpler. Optimizely’s 900+ partners and 1100+ employees in offices around the globe are proud to help more than 9,000 brands, including Toyota, Santander, eBay, KLM and Mazda, enrich their customer lifetime value, increase revenue and grow their brands.
<h2>About Welcome</h2>
Welcome transforms how marketers run marketing. It is the leading marketing orchestration platform used by the world’s most successful brands to strategically align teams, take the friction out of execution, and demonstrate meaningful results. Only Welcome offers a platform purpose-built for the complexities of modern marketing that can scale to support the largest teams in the world. It is a new layer of the marketing technology stack where marketers can work better together, connect other martech tools, and measure performance. Welcome unleashes the potential of marketing.

Optimizely's Acquisition of Welcome Signals Expanded Focus on Marketers

Semrush - Be an SEO hero

Be found everywhere search happens

#ffffff

eZ Systems has announced perhaps one of their biggest releases to date with an incredible suite of new offerings that turns their eZ Publish platform into an even stronger contender for publishers and producers of digital content. eZ Publish 4.7, or “Etna”, has begun the transformation of this web content management platform into a full customer experience management platform. Today, we take a look at this new product in our eZ Publish Review.
As part of this launch, they have also enabled the ability for customers to have eZ Publish served from the cloud with a new offering via their partner, Ixonos. This will enable the eZ Publish suite of applications to be served from a Red Hat Enterprise Stack.
<h2>What's new?</h2>
<h3>Smart Site Analytics with eZ odoscope</h3>
The first of their many offerings is the introduction of a new smart site analytics tool called eZ odoscope. This tool is essentially an analytics dashboard that highlights clickstreams of visitors pathways and journeys through a site and provides a filterable heatmap of their click behavior.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/imagescauzpt5i-1_2_chxbu2.jpg" alt="eZ Publish Review" />
With this new tool, customers now the ability to:
<ul>
<li>examine web behavior with visitor clickstream and pathways</li>
<li>apply filters to website visitors and create new user groups to monitor</li>
<li>analyze pathways across multiple media and different devices</li>
<li>design the dashboard for different users and functional views</li>
<li>build and distribute statistical reports for distinct stakeholders</li>
</ul>
Another part of the tool is the odosMap, which gives you a complete view as to how users are navigating their site with a representative flow.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/odosmap-620x437.png" alt="eZ Publish Review" />
Of course, everyone loves heat maps and they offer those too!
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/drupal_logo-blue-1_400x0_bi5pmp.png" alt="eZ Publish Review" />
A full breakdown of what eZ odoscope can do can be found here: <a href="http://ez.no/Products/eZ-Market/Explore-the-eZ-Market/eZ-odoscope" target="_blank">eZ odoscope</a>
<h3>Real Time Content Trending and Optimization with eZ LiveViewer</h3>
One of the coolest new tools in the suite is the new LiveViewer, which is effectively a dynamic infographic of how content on your site is being used.
It is described as follows:
<blockquote>
The realtime info-graphic analytics allows content managers to visualize usage trends of the complete content repository within a configurable recency time period. eZ Live Viewer allows immediate actions to take place as best suits business needs. Users can enter straight into editing mode, push content to another block on the page, add high trending stories to other websites in the network, act rapidly with push notifications like social media or email alerts to build more traffic and then watch for changes in consumer response.
</blockquote>
If, as a publisher, you are not drooling over this next picture, we'll be surprised. Check this out:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ez-liveviewer-620x322.png" alt="eZ Publish Review" />
See? We told you you'd love it.
Full features of the new eZ LiveViewer:
 
<ul>
<li>Real-time article-level visualization of website audience
<ul>
<li>Actual audience</li>
<li>Historical info</li>
<li>Trends</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>All this information on one screen</li>
<li>No clicking and scrolling</li>
<li>Easy-to-interpret</li>
<li>Customizable, color-coded categories</li>
</ul>
Additional information can be found here: <a href="http://ez.no/Products/eZ-Market/Explore-the-eZ-Market/eZ-Live-Viewer" target="_blank">eZ LiveViewer</a>
<h3>eZ Exceed- a new extension for faster and more efficient editorial workflow.</h3>
This new extension is described as follows:
<blockquote>
The user interface is built for speed, with a top toolbar that covers all actions. Simply browse around your site, editing from the toolbar or directly from the page.
A sheet slides in, ready for you to edit. When working with media and related content a new interface sheet fluidly slides on top, making it easy and faster to work with complex content.
</blockquote>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/logo_2-1_oyjywt.png" alt="eZ Publish Review" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/grow-and-expand_dtvki0.png" alt="eZ Publish Review" />This extension also improves the process of working with images on the site. When editing an image, a sheet slides into view to enable edits site-wide. Making an image crop? It can now be applied across the entire site, if needed. eZ Exceed can also be configured to store your media on a CDN.
<h4>Improved communication between team members.</h4>
Your editorial team can now communicate more effectively than ever. Users can send personal or group messages relating to content by clicking the chat icon from the toolbar, typing their message and hitting send. Collaborators will receive a notification, allowing them to open the applicable content item and start working instantly.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/collab-620x669.png" alt="eZ Publish Review" />As you can see, the eZ Systems team have put a lot of thought and work into this extension, simplifying the editorial process and making the experience more enjoyable.
Additional information about eZ Exceed can be found here: <a href="http://ez.no/Products/eZ-Market/Explore-the-eZ-Market/eZ-Exceed" target="_blank">eZ Exceed </a>
That's not all, however. Some additional features included in this release:
<ul>
<li>automated layout and design optimization with advanced multivariate testing.</li>
<li>enhanced auto-save, service dashboard, flexible content staging and delivery and team room functionality.</li>
<li>a new offering called the eZ App Factory that generates 3 app versions- iPhone, iPad, Android.</li>
<li>enhanced and improved adaptive technology solution for publishing content to mobile devices. Automatic rendering of content to small screens ensures that the reading experience on smartphones and tablets is optimized.</li>
<li>a connector integrating eZ Publish with the e-commerce engine from Magento.</li>
<li>geo-location of content delivery.</li>
</ul>
Needless to say, this is a big one. Check it all out on their website: <a href="http://ez.no/">eZ Publish</a>

eZ Publish Review - A Look at the New Features for Publishers

If you go to Ford’s website, <a href="https://www.ford.com/" target="_blank">https://www.ford.com/</a>, to buy a new car you can do it in one of two ways; you can buy a car from stock, or order one to your own specs.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/picture1.png" />
Building your own opens all kinds of possibilities, from custom paint jobs to unique wheel trims, tinted glass, and 24-speaker stereo systems. However, once your new car is out on the streets, nobody will know it was custom-built, unless you have tiger stripes or an orange car bra added.
Building a website is the same. You can use a website builder, or you can use a CMS such as WordPress to create your site. The crucial point is that customers can’t tell the difference and don’t even care as long as you can help them with their problems.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/picture21446x0-is.png" />
<h2>Using a Website Builder</h2>
Some web hosting companies <a href="https://www.lcn.com/instantsite" target="_blank">had begun providing simple website builders</a>, which allow for a quick website setup in a few minutes, but that simplicity is also their downfall because it means your site can’t be scaled easily. Most business owners know they need a website, but they lack the time to learn about WordPress themes, plugins and updates: They want everything simple. And they need it yesterday. Website builders are aimed at people who need a good-looking e-commerce site today. They are designed to be attractive to anyone who wants a website but doesn’t want the hassle of <a href="http://www.tgdaily.com/web/audience/starting-a-blogsite-here-are-5-tips-in-picking-the-right-hosting-service" target="_blank">finding a good hosting plan</a> along with the perfect web host.
<h2>Website Builders Are Simple</h2>
Users get a ‘Website in a box’ deal for less than $10 per month. The site does the job. It accepts credit cards, has beautiful pictures and appears in Google. That’s all that is required of it. There is no hosting to sort out, no thousands of themes to choose from, no endless pages of plugins that perform all manner of tasks you never knew you needed, and no designer necessary. The monthly price includes hosting, and may even include the domain name. Yes, it works out more expensive, especially if you want two or three sites, but for a business that requires a web presence, site builders work perfectly.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/picture31036x0-is.png" />
<h2>Using WordPress</h2>
WordPress is a V12, 12 litre, cross-country truck that you can pull levers and turn into a 45-foot RV with wings, complete with four bikes and a boat. WordPress can build anything, from a single-page author’s site to a 92,000-page authority site on the Solar System. And if you intend to create a gigantic and ever-growing authority site with multiple authors, a membership area, and an auction site, then you are probably better using a CMS rather than an instant site builder.
<h2>WordPress Is Complicated</h2>
Building a site with WordPress is the equivalent of building your car by choosing from 7,641 options in 97 different categories. You can do it, but it takes longer than just selecting a vehicle from a dealer’s stock. WordPress isn’t the perfect CMS that fans would have you believe. WordPress sites are customizable, but you need to know what you are doing. WordPress CMS enthusiasts would have you believe it is easy to build a website using the free WordPress software. It is easier than building a site using HTML, PHP and Java code, and you can have a website of sorts live in a few minutes, but it won’t look good, and it won’t be customized with your images, colors, and logo. Sites built using a non-proprietary CMS like WordPress or Drupal can be ported to another hosting service. Websites built on one host’s site builder are impossible to switch to another host: You have to throw them away and start again if you change web hosting companies.
<h2>The Short Version</h2>
There are two common ways to build a website; using site building software or using a content management system (CMS) like WordPress. If all you need is a simple site, and you need it quickly, a free website building program is a great way to get it. If you are prepared to wait for your site, or you have someone in-house who is expert at using WordPress and weighing up the pros and cons of different hosting services, then WordPress is the way to go.

Building a Website Is Like Buying a New Car

WordPress 3.8 has been released and with it, comes a new look for the interface that everyone has come to know and love. From brighter colors to better usability on all devices, this new release promises a ton of inspired changes to the popular open source CMS. Let's take a look at what has changed.
To kick things off, check out this introductory video showcasing some of the main features of this release:
http://youtu.be/c5sq4NqwhsI
Some of the changes in this release include a refreshed look to the dashboard where you work. With spruced up colors and a more elegant design, it's a welcome change for those who've become bored of the old look:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/overview991x0.jpg" alt="wordpress 3.8 dashboard" />
Gone is the old font and in with the new. Open Sans is now the default font for the dashboard which gives the interface a clean and elegant look that is more visually appealing to the eye. The developers have also created new vector based icons that scale well with all devices to give everything a better look and feel regardless of how you may view them.
Another new change is the introduction of custom colors to the dashboard. While not a game changer, it's still nice to have options:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/colors991x0.jpg" alt="wordpress 3.8 dashboard" />
These are just a few of the major changes in this release, to explore more of these changes, check out the <a href="http://wordpress.org/news/2013/12/parker/">WordPress 3.8 announcement</a>.

WordPress 3.8 brings Interface Overhaul and Better Mobile Experience

As usual, WordPress have named their latest release after yet another Jazz star. This time, it's <a href="http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinah_Washington">Dinah Washington</a>. Oh, and it's available for download via your WordPress dashboard, too.
I covered much of what's new when WordPress released their <a href="/first-beta-released-for-wordpress-4.1/" target="_blank">first beta for version 4.1</a>, but it won't hurt to recap, because there has been a couple of new features thrown in since that first beta.
<h2>Twenty Fifteen &amp; Distraction Free Writing</h2>
As mentioned in my previous coverage of WordPress 4.1, Twenty Fifteen, is perhaps the first default WordPress theme ever which doesn't make me want to immediately swap it out for a third party solution. It actually looks pretty darn good.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/2015-laptop-1024x533700x0.png" />
There's also a brand new (and productive) way to write.
When you turn on “distraction-free writing mode”, all distractions outside the editor will fade away as you begin typing. But don't worry, all your editing tools instantly return when you need them. I'm personally eager to try this out. 
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/dfw-screen-1024x614700x0.png" />
<h2>Vine Embedding, Plugin Recommendations &amp; More</h2>
On top of the two core features above, here's what else WordPress 4.1 has to offer:
<ul>
<li>Choose a language: Right now, WordPress 4.1 is already translated into over forty languages, with more always in progress. You can switch to any translation on the General Settings screen.</li>
<li>Log out everywhere: If you’ve ever worried you forgot to sign out from a shared computer, you can now go to your profile and log out everywhere.</li>
<li>Vine embedding: Embedding videos from Vine is as simple as pasting a URL onto its own line in a post. See the <a href="https://codex.wordpress.org/Embeds">full list</a> of supported embeds.</li>
<li>Plugin recommendations: The plugin installer suggests plugins for you to try. Recommendations are based on the plugins you and other users have installed.</li>
</ul>
Head over to your WordPress dashboard now to update, or check out the .

WordPress 4.1 “Dinah” Released

Within the CMS industry, we are very fortunate. Every year, thousands of developers work their fingers to the bone to deliver highly capable free CMS to the market. When it comes to selection, the CMS industry is definitely not hurting for choices. For this reason, selecting a winner for the Best Free CMS award has been a tough decision. What it has come down to, however, is the flexibility and capability of the platform.
In the end, when it comes to being flexible, it would be foolish to select any other CMS on the market. For a free content management system to be as capable and widely used in such an incredible amount of environments is nothing short of amazing and without further adieu, we're pleased to announce the winner of the 2013 Critic's Choice Award for Best Free CMS goes to…
<h3><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/best-free-cms150x0.png" alt="best Free cms" />Drupal</h3>
One of the most flexible content management systems available for free today, Drupal is a powerhouse that can be used to power all kinds of different platforms. It's so flexible that it is often discounted as a CMS and referred to strictly as a Content Management Framework.
In our eyes, both monickers fit the bill nicely. Drupal has been used to power all kinds of web applications including some incredibly high visibility websites worldwide. With a massive developer network and a huge fan base, Drupal is without a doubt one of the biggest and most successful CMS the industry has seen. With thousands of modules and a vast number of distributions, Drupal is a very capable system.
Congratulations to all Drupal Developers worldwide, you are the reason Drupal is so successful today.
<a href="/products/drupal/">Learn more about Drupal</a> or visit the <a href="http://drupal.org">Drupal website</a>.

2013 Critic's Choice Award for Best Free CMS

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