Articles - Page 57

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

matt-garrepy

<p>SquareSpace has announced that they are going to be accepting applicants for beta testing of the new, upcoming version of SquareSpace CMS. According to the blog post:</p>
<blockquote><p>Squarespace V6 is a reinvention of many core Squarespace concepts that will become the foundation for our company over the years to come.  It allows the extremely talented folks who work on Squarespace to create the sorts of sites they've always dreamed of creating on Squarespace.  It incorporates a totally redesigned consumer editing experience, backend site manager, and template system.</p></blockquote>
<p>Some sneak peak screenshots of the upcoming templates and the new interface:</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/imcreator22_kvfaza.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/imcreator23_rumxy8.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/imcreator24_t0uveh.jpg" /></p>
<p>To get in on the beta testing, visit the <a href="http://blog.squarespace.com/blog/2011/5/9/an-introduction-to-squarespace-v6.html" target="_blank">SquareSpace blog</a> and read their latest blog entry.  To try out SquareSpace for free for 14 days without a credit card, visit here: <a href="http://www.squarespace.com" target="_blank">SquareSpace</a></p>


SquareSpace shows off sneak peak at upcoming version and accepts beta test signups

mike-johnston

<p></p>
<p>As some of you may have seen if you’ve been watching our <a href="http://www.twitter.com/cmscritic">Twitter feed</a>, CMS Critic is on site here in beautiful Las Vegas (thank god because Edmonton has snow at the moment) for Sitecore’s North American Symposium (<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SYMNA&amp;src=typd">#SYMNA</a> if you want to follow on Twitter).</p>
<p>This morning's keynote kicked off with Sitecore CEO, Michael Seifert taking the stage to discuss the importance of customer experience and to help introduce the new Sitecore 8.</p>
<p><img style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sitecore2.jpg" /></p>
<p>If you missed our live tweets this morning, I've embedded the best of them below so you can catch up.</p>
<p>[[storify-symna]]</p>
<p>In addition to the keynote, tons of great stories are coming out from this conference. I've provided some links below for those interested, including a great whitepaper highlighting some of the new features in the upcoming release.</p>
<p><strong>Sitecore 8 overview</strong><br /><a href="http://www.sitecore.net/Platform/Sitecore-8.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.sitecore.net/Platform/Sitecore-8.aspx</a></p>
<p><strong>Darren Guarnaccia: Sitecore 8: The art, craft, and humanity of marketing</strong><br /><a href="http://www.sitecore.net/Learn/Blogs/Business-Blogs/Industry-Insight/Posts/2014/09/Sitecore-8.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.sitecore.net/Learn/Blogs/Business-Blogs/Industry-Insight/Posts/2014/09/Sitecore-8.aspx</a></p>
<p><strong>Mark Floisand: Sitecore 8: Simplifying the extraordinary</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.sitecore.net/Learn/Blogs/Business-Blogs/Mark-Floisand/Posts/2014/09/Sitecore-8.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.sitecore.net/Learn/Blogs/Business-Blogs/Mark-Floisand/Posts/2014/09/Sitecore-8.aspx</a></p>
<p><strong>White paper: Sitecore 8: Simplifying the extraordinary</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.sitecore.net/Learn/Resources-Library/White-Papers/Introducing-Sitecore-8.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.sitecore.net/Learn/Resources-Library/White-Papers/Introducing-Sitecore-8.aspx</a></p>
<p>For more, stay tuned on <a href="http://twitter.com/cmscriti">Twitter</a> and our blog as we take you through the conference this week.</p>
<p></p>


The Keynote - Sitecore North American Symposium #SYMNA

<p>I've been getting a ton of emails asking for another update on the People's Choice CMS awards since the last time I shared it so I thought now would be a good time to do so again.</p><p>Without further hesitation, here are the results as they stand so far. Keep in mind we still have about a month and a bit to go so the results can change at any time. There are definitely a few upsets since the last time I posted this.</p><p>For major changes, I'll put a note below the result and tell you what changed.</p><h3><strong>Best Cloud CMS for SMB</strong></h3><ol><li>LightCMS   – 49%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.surrealcms.com/">Surreal CMS   </a> – 28%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.acquia.com/products-services/acquia-cloud">Acquia Cloud   </a> – 22%</li></ol><h3>Best Cloud CMS for Enterprise</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.acquia.com/products-services/acquia-cloud">Acquia Cloud   </a> – 50%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clickability.com/">Clickability   </a>  – 28%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.crownpeak.com/">CrownPeak   </a> – 22%</li></ol><h3>Best CMS for Corporate Intranets</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.liferay.com/">Liferay   </a> – 46%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.entando.com/portal/">Entando   </a> –  33%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ocportal.com/">ocPortal   </a> –  21%</li></ol><h3>Best eCommerce Solution for SMB</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prestashop.com/en/">Prestashop   </a> – 44%</li><li><a href="/products/shopify">Shopify   </a> – 42%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://aspxcommerce.com/">ASPx Commerce   </a> – 14%</li></ol><p>Prestashop is really starting to pull ahead from a previous second place with 35% to a 44% jump to #1 they are obviously rallying their forces and pushing for a win.</p><h3>Best eCommerce Solution for Enterprise</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prestashop.com/en">Prestashop   </a> – 45%</li><li><a href="/products/shopify">Shopify   </a> – 35%</li><li><a href="/products/bigcommerce">BigCommerce   </a> – 20%</li></ol><p>Again, Prestashop is really starting to take over in the eCommerce space, can Shopify &amp; <a href="/products/bigcommerce">BigCommerce</a> rally enough to pull off a win? We'll have to see.</p><h3>Best Free Forum Solution</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://vanillaforums.org/">Vanilla Forums   </a> – 35%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mybb.com/">MyBB   </a> – 33%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://nodebb.org/">NodeBB   </a> – 31%</li></ol><p>We have a very tight race here for the three forum solutions. It's anyones game at this point.</p><h3>Best Commercial Forum Solution</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://vanillaforums.com/">Vanilla Forums   </a> – 41%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ninjapost.com/">Ninja Post   </a> – 36%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.invisionpower.com/apps/board/">IP.Board   </a> – 22%</li></ol><h3>Best Enterprise PHP CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://drupal.org/">Drupal   </a> – 58%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://typo3.org/">Typo 3   </a> – 23%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://ez.no/Products/The-eZ-Publish-Platform">eZ Publish   </a> – 19%</li></ol><h3>Best Enterprise Java CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.onehippo.com/en">Hippo   </a> – 50%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.adobe.com/solutions/web-experience-management.html">Adobe AEM   </a> – 31%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.jahia.com/products">Jahia   </a> – 19%</li></ol><h3>Best Enterprise .NET CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sitecore.net/">Sitecore   </a> – 43%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.kentico.com/">Kentico   </a> – 28%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sitefinity.com/">Sitefinity   </a> – 28%</li></ol><p>Interestingly, Sitecore is in the lead but Kentico and Sitefinity are battling it out for second place and are completely tied. Can someone rally to take out last year's winner, Sitecore? We'll have to wait and see.</p><h3>Best Enterprise CMS (Other Langs)</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://plone.org/">Plone   </a> – 43%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.getmura.com/">Mura CMS   </a> – 40%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.paperthin.com/">Paperthin Commonspot   </a> – 17%</li></ol><h3>Best Free PHP CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.joomla.org/">Joomla   </a> – 62%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.concrete5.org/">Concrete5   </a> – 24%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.processwire.com/">ProcessWire   </a> – 14%</li></ol><h3>Best Free Java CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.magnolia-cms.com/">Magnolia   </a> – 45%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.dotcms.com/">dotCMS   </a> – 28%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.liferay.com/">Liferay   </a> – 27%</li></ol><h3>Best Free .NET CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://umbraco.com/">Umbraco   </a> – 44%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://sageframe.com/">Sageframe   </a> – 29%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.dnnsoftware.com/">DNN Platform   </a> – 27%</li></ol><h3>Best Free CMS (Other Langs)</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.getmura.com/">Mura CMS   </a> – 52%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://plone.org/">Plone   </a> – 48%</li></ol><p>Mura CMS overtakes Plone but only by a margin, can they hold on to the lead?</p><h3>Best Open Source PHP CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.joomla.org/">Joomla!   </a> – 65%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://modx.com/">MODx   </a> – 18%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://ez.no/Products/The-eZ-Publish-Platform">eZ Publish   </a> – 18%</li></ol><p>MODx and eZ Publish are tied for second, can they rally enough to take out Joomla? You never know.</p><h3>Best Open Source Java CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.magnolia-cms.com/">Magnolia   </a> – 40%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.liferay.com/">Liferay   </a> – 37%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://dotcms.com/">dotCMS   </a> – 23%</li></ol><h3>Best Open Source .NET CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://umbraco.com/">Umbraco   </a> – 44%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://sageframe.com/">Sageframe   </a> – 29%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.dnnsoftware.com/">DNN Platform   </a> – 23%</li></ol><h3>Best Open Source CMS (Other Langs)</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.getmura.com/">Mura CMS    </a> – 53%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://plone.org/">Plone    </a> – 47%</li></ol><h3>Best Small to Midsize Business PHP CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cmsmadesimple.org/">CMS Made Simple   </a> – 41%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://buildwithcraft.com/">Craft CMS   </a> – 30%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.impresspages.org/">ImpressPages   </a> – 29%</li></ol><h3>Best Small to Midsize Business Java CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.liferay.com/">Liferay   </a> – 64%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.percussion.com/">Percussion CM1   </a> – 36%</li></ol><h3>Best Small to Midsize Business .NET CMS</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.orchardproject.net/">Orchard   </a> – 44%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.envisagecms.co.uk/">Envisage CMS   </a> – 30%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.dnnsoftware.com/">DNN Evoq Content   </a> – 26%</li></ol><h3>Best Small to Midsize Business CMS (Other Langs)</h3><ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.django-cms.org/en/">Django CMS   </a> – 49%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.surrealcms.com/">Surreal CMS   </a> – 31%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.movabletype.com/">Movable Type   </a> – 20%</li></ul><h3>Best Website Builder</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.wix.com/">Wix   </a> – 43%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.squarespace.com">Squarespace   </a> – 35%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly   </a> – 22%</li></ol><p>There you have it. The results so far.</p><p><a href="/cms-critic-awards"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/votenow-1.png" /></a></p>

People's Choice CMS Awards - Result Update #2

<p></p>
<p>Moxi9, recently re-branded from PHPfox, has unveiled its <a href="http://unity.moxi9.com/store" target="_blank">official store front</a>.</p>
<p>The community CMS has a long history under the name of PHPfox, but are now looking to evolve under the banner of Moxi9.</p>
<p>Although the <a href="http://moxi9.com/announcement/introducing-the-moxi9-store-front" target="_blank">Moxi9 Store is still technically in beta</a>, users can begin to use it freely. Currently, the store offers a range of modules and themes, along with a couple of language packs.</p>
<h2>3rd Party Products &amp; Instant Downloads</h2>
<p>Developers rejoice. If you want to submit your 3rd party Moxi9 product to be listed for sale, you can.</p>
<p>Plus, the Moxi9 store offers a fully integrated checkout for 3rd party products. Once customers have made a purchase, they get access to a download link, allowing them to download products immediately.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot_2014-09-09_at_11_45_07700x0.png" alt="Moxu9 store" /></p>
<p>Additionally, each product comes ready with its own public forum, where customers can discuss and ask questions about the product in question. In addition to user-user based support you can also contact the developer via email.</p>
<p>Moxi9 has told of plans to,”fill up the Store” over the next few weeks.</p>
<p>The first store products were being approved as of last week, and although Moxi9 have admitted their testing policies are currently slowing the process down somewhat, they fully expect products to begin flowing freely before too long.</p>
<p>In any case, as of right now, you can check out the new <a href="http://unity.moxi9.com/store" target="_blank">Moxi9 Store</a>.</p>
<p>Also, be sure to explore more of Moxi9 via our CMS Directory.</p>
<p></p>


Moxi9 Store Front Goes Live

<p></p>
<p>SilverStripe has introduced a new preview release of the upcoming 3.0 version. Some of the main changes are in the separation of the Sapphire framework from the CMS module.</p>
<p>There is also quite a bit of work underway to redesign the user interface as well. Here is an example of some of the work being done so far:</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ss3-ui_content-add-image-from-web-580x564.jpg" alt="ss3-ui_content-add-image-from-web" /></p>
<p>Check out the latest version by grabbing a copy from here: <a href="http://silverstripe.org/pre-releases" target="_blank">http://silverstripe.org/pre-releases</a></p>
<p></p>


SilverStripe 3.0 preview 1 is here

<p></p>
<p>For those of you who don't know, Sitecore are currently hosting their biggest event of the year, <a href="/event-preview-sitecore-symposium-2014-las-vegas/" target="_blank">Sitecore Symposium 2014 Las Vegas</a>.</p>
<p>CMS Critic are on the ground right now to cover the event, in the form of Founder and Editor-in-Chief Mike Johnston.</p>
<p>Mike has already <a href="/the-keynote-sitecore-north-american-symposium-symna/" target="_blank"> covered Sitecore's day one keynote by CEO Michael Seifert</a>, and you can follow his live tweets from the <a href="https://twitter.com/cmscritic" target="_blank"> CMS Critic Twitter page</a>, or by using the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SYMNA?src=hash" target="_blank"> #SYNMA hashtag</a>.</p>
<p>The big news from day one though, is that Sitecore 8 is here – and it's looking impressive.</p>
<h2>Sitecore 8: Simplifying the Extraordinary</h2>
<p>According to Sitecore's official <a href="http://www.sitecore.net/Platform/Sitecore-8.aspx" target="_blank">Sitecore 8 overview</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>“Your organization is unique, your team is unique, your customers are unique. With Sitecore 8 you decide how to customize your Sitecore Experience platform, based on how your business operates and how your customers choose to interact with you. Nothing is limited to out of the box, it’s your platform. You choose.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Those are bold words for what look to be a bold product. Here are some of Sitecore 8's highlights.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/s8_experience_editor700x0.png" alt="Sitecore 8" /></p>
<p>Sitecore 8 promises to bring strong and tangible operational benefits for marketers. Such benefits include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong> Automated Testing &amp; Optimization: </strong> Marketers can feel confident that the customer experience is being optimized constantly, in real time, through every interaction, over any platform. This confidence travels up through the marketing organization, all the way to the Chief Marketing Officer.</li>
<li><strong> Resulting Focus: </strong> Because customer experience testing and optimization occurs effortlessly, marketers can now focus on other critical tasks.</li>
<li><strong> Customized for Each Business: </strong> The customer experience can be managed based on how the business runs, not how the software dictates.</li>
<li><strong> Consistent Customer Experiences: </strong> Sitecore 8 breaks down the silos among functions, enabling them to work together to create a consistent customer experience.</li>
<li><strong> The Whole Picture: </strong> Marketers gain a complete view of how customers are interacting with the company, even in other systems, websites, or with other permission-based, customer- facing functions.</li>
<li><strong> Insight Sharing: </strong> Marketers can provide insight about customer interactions to other organizations/functions within the company.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Automated Testing &amp; Integrated Commerce Server</h2>
<p>Sitecore 8's ability to automatically test and optimize customer experiences is perhaps the largest weapon in its renewed arsenal.</p>
<p>With this automated testing and optimization going on, marketers don’t need to set up, run, or monitor testing ever again.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/s8_analytics_dashboard700x0.png" alt="Sitecore 8" /><br />
Sitecore will recommend the best content, best segments to target, and the best paths to conversion. Sitecore 8 then automatically writes rules to optimize the new information, leaving marketers to simply review and choose. So, marketing teams can now be absolutely certain that they are providing the optimal experience to every customer, every time.</p>
<p>Furthermore, Sitecore 8 integrates <a href="http://www.commerceserver.net/" target="_blank">Commerce Server</a> with the <a href="http://www.sitecore.net/en-gb/Products/Sitecore-Experience-Platform.aspx" target="_blank">Sitecore Experience Platform</a>.</p>
<p>These combined products provide enterprise-grade commerce capabilities that enable organizations to offer exceptional commerce and customer experiences throughout the customer life cycle, driving both short and long-term revenues. Commerce Server also provides catalog, inventory, and order capture functionality to the Sitecore Experience Platform.</p>
<p>To learn more about Sitecore 8, check out <a href="http://www.sitecore.net/Platform/Sitecore-8.aspx" target="_blank">Sitecore's overview of their latest release</a>, as well as their informative <a href="http://www.sitecore.net/Learn/Resources-Library/White-Papers/Introducing-Sitecore-8.aspx" target="_blank">Sitecore 8 white paper</a>.</p>
<p>Also, make sure you explore more of <a href="/products/sitecore/" target="_blank">Sitecore via our CMS Directory</a>, and stay tuned for more news and insights from Sitecore Symposium 2014.</p>
<p></p>


Day One of Sitecore Symposium 2014: Exploring Sitecore 8 #SYMNA

<p>Despite evident backing from the likes of Apple and Samsung, Smartwatch technology is still viewed by many to be a passing fad.</p><p>However, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kentico.com/">Kentico</a>, the enterprise-grade CMS, CXM and eCommerce solution, has thrown its weight behind the Smartwatch industry by setting out some research-backed marketing guidelines.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.kentico.com/"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/kentico_rgb_bigger_400x0.png" /></a></p><p>Brands as large as Starbucks, Mazda and Twinings all trust Kentico with their online presences.</p><p>Kentico carried out their research in aid of their newly released White Paper, entitled, “Smartwatches: The Opportunities &amp; Challenges for Marketers“</p><h2>The Marketing Era of Respectfulness</h2><p>The White Paper highlights a number of key points surrounding Smartchwatch marketing, although one of those points in particular stood out for me.</p><blockquote><p>“More than anything, advertisers and marketers will need to learn how to be even more respectful of their audiences.”</p></blockquote><p>This statement from Kentico is in reference to the hyper-personal (and perhaps one might argue, hyper-public) nature of Smartwatches.</p><p>Push notifications sent to a smartphone are typically viewed when the user is alone, or at least in an environment where viewing messages and marketing material are appropriate. In other words, the user gets to choose when and where to start reading notifications.</p><p>When it comes to Smartwatches though, marketers must realize that those same push notifications will be seen almost immediately, and perhaps by more than just the Smartwatch owner.</p><p>Unlike with other smart technology, the owner has far less choice over their environment when receiving such messages, thanks to instant wrist vibrations and the ability to quickly glance down at whatever just popped up on their Smartwatch screen.</p><p>Marketers will have to further consider the timing of their content, its wording and the importance of each push notification. Because without a doubt, even semi-regular messages that disturb a user's day or environment will be enough to warrant them tapping the unsubscribe button.</p><h2>Too Expensive &amp; Not Enough Functionality</h2><p>Kentico's research also included a survey, conducted around the question, “Which of the Following Reasons Are Keeping You from Buying a Smartwatch?”</p><p>Respondents mostly opted for the answer, “Too expensive” (69%). The second most selected answer though, was “Not enough reasons to use one” (38%).</p><p>To be fair to the Smartwatch industry, those same two obstacles are traditionally faced by new tech. The iPod was, once upon a time, a fairly expensive and one-dimensional piece of equipment. Many thought it was too expensive, while others couldn't find enough functionality to warrant any cash at all.</p><p>With this research, and with the resulting marketing guidelines, Kentico is a company that sees a future for the Smartwatch. And I for one, totally agree with them.</p><p>Download Kentico's White Paper here.</p><p>And as always, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/kentico">Kentico via our CMS Directory</a>.</p><p> </p>

More Than a Fad: Kentico Research Implies That Smartwatches Are Here to Stay

Call Tracking + AI 

Call Tracking + AI that Turns Calls into Leads

#ffffff

<p></p>
<p>Has there ever been a period in history where we have been as obsessed with optimal productivity and output as we are now? I sincerely doubt it. This growing need to increase efficiency and “better ways of working” is reflective of our constant struggle to maintain the elusive work/life balance. And the currently over-saturated market of productivity apps is a clear demonstration of that.</p>
<p>So how do you separate the wheat from the chaff?</p>
<p>Today, we’re going to compare two of the most popular productivity apps on the market: <a href="https://www.trello.com/" target="_blank">Trello</a> vs Asana. These project and task management based apps entered the tech space pretty much around the same time. Trello was introduced by Stack Exchange CEO Joel Spolskey and current Trello CEO Michael Pryor in 2011, until it was then acquired by Atalassian in 2017. <a href="https://asana.com/" target="_blank">Asana</a> came along about 2 months later after a launch by Facebook exec Dustin Moskovitza.</p>
<p>Although the market is bursting at the seams with productivity apps right now, these two tend to dominate when it comes to all things project management. They nailed down deals with some of the top Fortune 500 companies from day one which pretty much brought them right up the ranks and they’re just as popular with smaller companies and startup organisations. If you’re running an Agile team, it’s a no brainer to on-board one of these apps, but then again – there is so much more to these productivity apps that simply managing work related projects. These apps have been developed to help you to manage your entire life as efficiently as possible.</p>
<p>With a range of easy to use features, great design, and continual improvement and progression, it’s a difficult task to choose a winner between the two. But we’re going to give it a go. Let’s start with an initial beginner’s guide to each.</p>
<h2>Trello Vs Asana – The Contenders</h2>
<p>First let's take a look at contender #1, Trello.</p>
<h2>Trello: A Quick Overview</h2>
<p>Trello was actually one of the first project management apps on the market that took things in a very different direction. Trello is based on the Kanban approach which is a visual way of managing tasks on a project board. Think “white board with sticky notes” but on your computer screen. This very visual approach makes it easy to get an instant progress overview and it can be invaluable to busy project managers. Want to know how Trello works? Here’s a basic overview of how to get started:</p>
<h3>The first thing to do when you sign up to Trello is create a board.</h3>
<p>Boards are the brains behind Trello. This is your homebase. Once you’ve set up a board (for a work project, home project, whatever you like) you can assign tasks within that board that have to be completed and can also be checked off once they’re done. Boards can be public or private, so you might want to keep your work items lowkey but leave your party planning board public so everyone can get involved.</p>
<h3>When you’ve set up a board, you can create lists and cards.</h3>
<p>Lists are columns that hold your tasks and you can drag and drop cards/tasks from one column to the next as you project progresses. For example. It’s quite common or users to name lists “to do”, “doing” , and “done”, so it’s pretty obvious that the workflow works! Also don’t underestimate the satisfaction of looking at your “done” list at the end of the day.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/image2_pqq2ot.png" alt="Trello vs Asana - Image 1" /></p>
<p>Once you’ve set up your first Trello board and a series of lists (or columns), you can start filling them up with cards. In this example, these can be any to-do list items that you have lined up for that week and at what stage you’re at in the process, i.e. do you need to start tomorrow? Are you halfway through? Or is the task completed?</p>
<p>If you're working with colleagues or friends on a task, you can assign these cards you’ve created to anyone else who is working with you on it. As you assign the task, you can add an array of useful information such as the due date, further details on the task, any relevant comments, checklists that need to be completed, and attachments you want to add, etc.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/image5_f6vcre.png" alt="Trello vs Asana - Image 2" /></p>
<p>Now for contender #2.</p>
<h2>Starting Off With Asana</h2>
<p>In Asana, teams are organised around projects and it’s completely project based. Teams collaborate in Asana via organised lists of tasks and in comparison to Trello it’s definitely more “linear” rather than “visual” in its approach.</p>
<p>In Asana, projects involve lists of tasks that teams collaborate on, e.g. you can create different Sections for each project and create a list of tasks related to that specific section of the project. Each of those tasks can then have its own sub-task so that you can create a “nesting” of tasks. You can tag people in the tasks, add comments and files, create even more subtasks, and add descriptions. Almost whatever you need to complete the task can be added here. This is really useful if you have a very comprehensive and detailed list of tasks involved in a project. In comparison to Trello, which can get pretty messy as a project develops (there’s a LOT of scrolling involved to navigate through tasks), Asana is a lot easier to manage at this level.</p>
<p>Users can use a pre-existing Asana template (which are all absolutely fine to use) or create custom template to meet their exact requirements.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/image6_g8jkof.png" alt="Trello vs Asana - Image 3" /></p>
<h3>Adding information.</h3>
<p>Once you’ve created a task, you can add lots of details similarly to Trello, such as comments, attachments, and checklists.</p>
<h3>Creating Your First Project</h3>
<p>You can create your first Project before or after you’ve added tasks. When creating a project in Asana, you have a choice between a list or board view layout and you can also set the privacy setting for the project at this stage too.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/image3_ehogd5.png" alt="Trello vs Asana image 3" /></p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/image7_naih0v.png" alt="Trello vs Asana image 4" /></p>
<h3>Adding Columns</h3>
<p>If you opt for a “board view” layout in Asana, your columns will automatically set up and default to “To Do”, “Doing”, and “Done”.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/image1_fpyc4t.png" alt="Trello vs Asana image 5" /></p>
<p>You can stick with these if you wish or you can rename them and add other columns according to your project requirements.</p>
<h2>OK, But What’s The Main Difference?</h2>
<p>In my opinion, the main difference between Trello Vs Asana lies in the UI and usability. The caveat here is that this ease of use is going to be heavily dependent on your own style of work and what type of UI you’re used to, in addition to your natural preference. But for now, let’s take a black and white look at it.</p>
<p>Trello runs on a Kanban system, so at its core it’s a to-do list made easy. It is extremely adaptable and has expanded into an incredible project management resource, but ultimately it is a to-do list app with a lot of features that make it work in more advanced ways. So, is this a good or a bad thing? I believe it’s a good thing. Because of its origins, Trello is extremely intuitive, whereas Asana has been built as a project management tool for teams from day one and the little intricacies that make it a better option for very robust teams and organisations can alienate smaller teams and single users.</p>
<p>It might be argued that Asana is a “level-up” from Trello if your Trello boards start to become too messy and convoluted. But I’d argue that if you have the correct internal processes in place, that simply won't happen in Trello. Trello is all about having a process, and once you have one, it does its job to support that process.</p>
<p>Trello is designed to help you navigate your whole life, not just your workload. And the level of simplicity at which it does this means it appeals to both technical and non-technical users, which is what gives it an edge over Asana. If i was looking to roll out a new project management system to a mixed team of tech and non-tech employees. I wouldn't think twice about opting for Trello over Asana. Because it’s “better” overall? Debatable. But because it can be grasped very quickly, it would win every time.</p>
<h2>Still Unsure? Let’s Weight Up the Pros and Cons of Trello Vs Asana:</h2>
<h3>Trello: Pros</h3>
<ul>
<li>Free to sign up, no credit card details required.</li>
<li>Very flexible, you can design the exact project management system that works for you and it’s not limited to project management either.</li>
<li>Super useful features like color coding, comments, and mentions, which allow for instant collaboration.</li>
<li>No limit to the amount of team members in the free version.</li>
<li>Doesn’t go overboard with features. You get what you need.</li>
<li>Simplicity: easy to use and visualise project progression with access to help when needed.</li>
<li>Available on iPhone and Android.</li>
<li>Unlimited usage, i.e. create as many Trello cards and invite as many users as you like.</li>
<li>Integrates with apps such as Google Drive, Slack, Dropbox.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Trello: Cons</h3>
<ul>
<li>Can get messy with larger projects if you don’t already have your own system in place. If you don’t put a process in place when you start using Trello and get everyone on the same page, things will get complicated fast.</li>
<li>You can only export when using a paid plan.</li>
<li>The visual style won’t suit everyone’s way of working.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Asana: Pros</h3>
<ul>
<li>Asana has a more sophisticated style. The UI is more refined and you’ll only see options and menus appear when relevant.</li>
<li>It’s free to use for up to 15 people per team.</li>
<li>Easy to quickly add new tasks.</li>
<li>Email integration.</li>
<li>The app is available on iOS and Android.</li>
<li>The condensed task view makes it easier to get a quick bird’s eye look at a project and instantly access the section you need to work on compared to Trello.</li>
<li>Asana has built-in help available that makes sure you never get stuck for too long.</li>
<li>Like Trello, Asana offers a number of integrations such as Slack, Dropbox, and Google Drive.</li>
<li>The Portfolios feature allows larger teams to manage multiple projects at scale as each can be seen in a grid-style view.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Asana: Cons</h3>
<ul>
<li>Team members limited to 15 in the free version.</li>
<li>Only one member of a team can be delegated to each task.</li>
<li>The interface can seem busy at times.</li>
<li>Depending on how tech-savvy the user/users are, it may take some training to get everyone using Asana optimally.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Trello Vs Asana – Let's Talk Pricing</h2>
<p>Both Trello and Asana offer a free basic option for a limited number of users and features. None of which are exactly extortionate, but if you want to use this in a business capacity the free version will simply be a “try before you buy” option for you.</p>
<p>Most Trello teams will start with basic and update to business or Enterprise a while later in order to access things like 3rd party integrations. For more on Trello pricing, <a href="https://trello.com/en/pricing" target="_blank">click here</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/image4_priwiw.png" alt="Trello vs Asana - Pricing" /></p>
<p>Asana is a little pricier but there really isn’t much in it. For Enterprise rates, you’ll need to contact their sales team directly. For more on Asana pricing, <a href="https://asana.com/pricing" target="_blank">click here</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot-2019-09-30-at-120337-pm_zzcvvk.png" alt="Trello vs Asana - Pricing 2" /></p>
<p>Trello vs Asana – Which is Best for You?</p>
<p>The differences are so minor that it’s really a question of personal preference. Trello is undoubtedly the more visually appealing option with more ease of use, but it tends to lose out to Asana once the projects start to pile up. In comparison, Asana can seem a little more daunting to set up but it is that little bit more powerful when it comes to managing large-scale projects, especially when you’re managing multiple teams and projects at once.</p>
<p>The best thing about both of these platforms is that they’re free to try, so why not give both a try and see which works best for you and how you like to work? We’d love to hear whether Asana or Trello wins out for you in the comments section below!</p>
<p>Looking for more great comparisons? Check out the following articles:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/static-site-generators-vs-flat-file-cms-is-there-a-difference/">Static Site Generators vs Flat File CMS; Is there a Difference?</a></li>
<li><a href="/magento-vs-shopify-which-is-right-for-you/">Magento vs Shopify: Which Is Right for You</a></li>
</ul>
<p></p>


Trello Vs Asana - The Battle of the Productivity Apps

<p></p>
<p><a href="https://www.edicy.com/" target="_blank">Edicy</a>, a popular website builder, is in the <a href="http://www.edicy.com/new" target="_blank">process of re-branding</a>. Soon, Edicy will be known as “Voog”.</p>
<p>Founded in 2008, Edicy powers over 500,000 websites across 150 different websites. Edicy offers both free and pro options that can fit the needs of most users.</p>
<p>Voog means “Flow” in Estonian, and is pronounced like “Vouge”  in English. The Edicy team are touting Voog as, “a modern publishing tool for creatives.”</p>
<h2>Introducing Voog</h2>
<p>According to the Edicy team, Voog is more feature-rich than Edicy.</p>
<p>Voog is being designed to give users more control over text formatting, more types of content blocks and more options to adjust the overall look and feel of their websites.</p>
<p>Plus, thanks to a full API, developers now have more room to play.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/shot-retina700x0.jpg" alt="Voog" /><br />
The pricing for Voog will remain the same as the current Edicy prices, while the user experience is similar to that of Edicy. In other words, existing users merely have to adapt to Voog, not completely re-learn it.</p>
<p>Voog's interface is rolling out as of right now, so Edicy users can expect to see their sites updated over the coming weeks.</p>
<p>For more information on Edicy and Voog, <a href="http://www.edicy.com/" target="_blank">check out their website.</a></p>
<p></p>


Introducing Voog: the Heir of Edicy

<p></p>
<p>A streamlined implementation process is essential for marketing automation success.</p>
<p>When utilized to its full potential, marketing automation will be a highly valuable asset to your organization; but if you haven’t implemented it properly, you’ll end up seriously disappointed with the outcome.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/bigstock-business-people-in-a-meeting-r-12523484539x0-is.jpg" /></p>
<p>Getting things right from Day 1 is the best way to start, so I’ve put together 5 steps to help you to successfully implement your marketing automation and get the results you’re looking for.</p>
<h2>1. Spring Clean your CRM</h2>
<p>Before you even get started with your marketing automation implementation, you need to start cleaning up your CRM. You’ll need to import your contacts from your CRM and the last thing you want is to sync a whole bunch of duplicate accounts.</p>
<p>If you haven’t used marketing automation before – it’s likely that you already have number of duplicate entries on your system. Take the time to sift through these and make your list as clean as possible before you start the implementation process. It may be a tad tedious, but it will take a massive mess off your hands further down the line.</p>
<h2>2. Verify Email Addresses</h2>
<p>You’re going to be sending out more emails than ever before, so it’s important to make sure that someone is actually going to be at the receiving end when you do. After you’ve cleaned up your contacts, you can use an email verification service to weed out any incorrect emails before you start uploading them.</p>
<p>Check out email verification service providers such as <a href="http://www.datavalidation.com/">Data Validation</a>, which integrates with numerous email marketing tools such as <a href="http://mailchimp.com/">Mailchimp</a> and <a href="http://www.aweber.com/">AWeber.</a></p>
<h2>3. Define What Constitutes A Qualified Lead</h2>
<p>Marketing automation will <a href="http://www.emailmonday.com/marketing-automation-statistics-overview" target="_blank">significantly increase</a> the number of inbound leads you receive, however – it’s also important to identify and segment these leads properly. In order to do this, you need to sit down with your sales and marketing team to define what constitutes a qualified lead and which leads fall into the ‘need a little more nurturing’ category.</p>
<p>This will ensure that your sales team only receive leads that have progressed further along the buying cycle, whilst your marketing team can focus on warming up the leads that aren’t quite as there yet.</p>
<h2>4. Communicate With Your Sales Team</h2>
<p>It’s important to sit down and talk to your sales team about the new marketing automation processes and what they can expect. Remember, these leads fuel their paycheques, so they’re going to have a lot of questions and it’s important to be prepared.</p>
<p>If you ask for their input from the outset, you’ll flag any issues in advance and avoid any unexpected setbacks down the line.</p>
<p>Your reps will probably be concerned about how the new leads will be distributed and assigned, so you’ll need to be able to address that. You’ll also need to ensure that communication processes between your sales and marketing teams are set up properly so that none of your leads get lost in translation.</p>
<h2>5. Start With The Basics</h2>
<p>There might be a ton of exciting new features available to you, but that doesn’t mean you have to use all of them at once. It’s important to ease into the implementation process and take it one step at a time.</p>
<p>Focus on the marketing automation processes that you need in place right now, and take it from there. You can look at adding more features once you’ve become more familiar with the platform. Start with what you’re doing at the moment, automate it, assess it, tweak it, and then move on to the next thing.</p>
<p>If you don’t have the resources available to dedicate to even basic implementation, then it might be a good idea to look at hiring a third party partner to assist with the process.</p>
<p>This is pretty common territory for CRM implementation but there are also many companies offering the same service for marketing automation. Most marketing automation providers, such as <a href="http://www.pardot.com/about-pardot/partners/">Pardot</a>, will provide a list of recommended partners on their site.</p>
<h2>Ready To Go? Great. Keep Going.</h2>
<p>Once you’ve set up your marketing automation processes, it’s essential to stay ahead of the pack by keeping an eye on your analytics data and trends. Keep your marketing automation skills fresh by staying abreast of what’s working, what’s not working, and what’s left to learn. That’s really the most important thing here.</p>
<p>Once you continue to stay on top of things, you’ll continue to see results.</p>
<p>If you have any key tips you’ve learned for successful marketing automation implementation, we’d love to hear them. Why not scroll down to the comments section below and fill us in.</p>
<p></p>


Deploy Your Marketing Automation System In 5 Easy Steps

grainne-logue

<p></p>
<p>I had a hard time finding good articles that guide you through this process so to help save anyone who may be looking to use the awesome Foundation Framework from Zurb and need to create a super simple <a href="http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=monkey_rewards&amp;aid=f192bbc03638ab99433d2efbd&amp;afl=1">MailChimp</a> signup or subscription form with it, I thought I'd share the process.</p>
<p>This process will work with almost any newsletter provider including Aweber but for the sake of this tutorial, I'm only going to show you how to do it with Mailchimp since that happens to be what I use for our sites.</p>
<p>To get started, determine where you are going to place your signup form within your website. As you know, with Foundation, using the grid system, it's very easy to scale content to fit into almost anywhere. For the purposes of this tutorial, you'll want enough space to allow the form fields to be wide enough. If you look at the bottom of this very article, you'll see an implementation of the exact form I'm going to teach you how to make.</p>
<p>First, log into your <a href="http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=monkey_rewards&amp;aid=f192bbc03638ab99433d2efbd&amp;afl=1">Mailchimp</a> account and go to your list. Click the dropdown beside  <strong> Stats </strong> and choose  <strong> Signup Forms </strong></p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mailchimp_sign_up_form901x0.png" alt="signup form foundation" /></p>
<p>Now you'll see this screen, click  <strong> Embedded Forms. </strong></p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mailchimp_sign_up_form_2.png" alt="foundation signup form" /></p>
<p>Now click on the tab labeled  <strong> Naked  </strong> and copy the code from the  <strong> Copy/Paste Onto Your Site </strong> section. It should look like this:</p>
<p class="inline-caption">&lt;!– Begin MailChimp Signup Form –&gt; <br /> &lt;div id=”mc_embed_signup”&gt; <br /> &lt;form action=” <strong> //myawesomewebsite.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=a1b2c3d4ef5g67891hij1234&amp;id=a123b45cd6 </strong> ” method=”post” id=”mc-embedded-subscribe-form” name=”mc-embedded-subscribe-form” class=”validate” target=”_blank” novalidate&gt; <br /> &lt;h2&gt;Subscribe to our mailing list&lt;/h2&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”indicates-required”&gt;&lt;span class=”asterisk”&gt;*&lt;/span&gt; indicates required&lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”mc-field-group”&gt; <br /> &lt;label for=”mce-EMAIL”&gt;Email Address &lt;span class=”asterisk”&gt;*&lt;/span&gt; <br /> &lt;/label&gt; <br /> &lt;input type=”email” value=”” name=”EMAIL” class=”required email” id=”mce-EMAIL”&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”mc-field-group”&gt; <br /> &lt;label for=”mce-FNAME”&gt;First Name &lt;/label&gt; <br /> &lt;input type=”text” value=”” name=”FNAME” class=”” id=”mce-FNAME”&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”mc-field-group”&gt; <br /> &lt;label for=”mce-LNAME”&gt;Last Name &lt;/label&gt; <br /> &lt;input type=”text” value=”” name=”LNAME” class=”” id=”mce-LNAME”&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;div id=”mce-responses” class=”clear”&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”response” id=”mce-error-response” style=”display:none”&gt;&lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”response” id=”mce-success-response” style=”display:none”&gt;&lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; &lt;!– real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups–&gt; <br /> &lt;div style=”position: absolute; left: -5000px;”&gt;&lt;input type=”text” name=”b_d6c7b9e3bb5b63272adf08873_b544c97fe8″ tabindex=”-1″ value=””&gt;&lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”clear”&gt;&lt;input type=”submit” value=”Subscribe” name=”subscribe” id=”mc-embedded-subscribe” class=”button”&gt;&lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;/form&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; &lt;!–End mc_embed_signup–&gt;</p>
<p>The only piece of this code you'll need is the form action piece, which I've made bold in the above code. Copy this and put it into notepad or something similar.</p>
<p>Now to create your form, simply take the following code and insert your copied form action as shown below:</p>
<p class="inline-caption">&lt;h5&gt;Get free exclusive content and contests in our weekly email!&lt;/h5&gt; <br /> &lt;div id=”mailchimp_form”&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”row signup”&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”small 12 columns end”&gt; <br /> &lt;form action=” <strong> //myawesomewebsite.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=a1b2c3d4ef5g67891hij1234&amp;id=a123b45cd6 </strong> ” method=”post” id=”mc-embedded-subscribe-form” name=”mc-embedded-subscribe-form” class=”validate” target=”_blank” novalidate&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”row panel radius”&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”medium-4 columns”&gt; <br /> &lt;label for=”mce-FNAME” class=”mce-labels”&gt;First Name&lt;/label&gt; <br /> &lt;input type=”text” value=”” name=”FNAME” class=”required radius” id=”mce-FNAME” placeholder=”First Name” required pattern=”[a-zA-Z]+”&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”medium-5 columns”&gt; <br /> &lt;label for=”mce-EMAIL” class=”mce-labels”&gt;Email Address&lt;/label&gt; <br /> &lt;input type=”email” value=”” name=”EMAIL” class=”required email radius” id=”mce-EMAIL” placeholder=”Email” required&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”medium-3 columns”&gt; <br /> &lt;label for=”mc-embedded-subscribe” class=”mce-labels”&gt;Subscribe&lt;/label&gt; <br /> &lt;input type=”submit” value=”Yes, please!” name=”subscribe” id=”mc-embedded-subscribe” class=”button tiny radius signup-btn”&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;div id=”mce-responses” class=”clear”&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”response” id=”mce-error-response” style=”display:none”&gt;&lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;div class=”response” id=”mce-success-response” style=”display:none”&gt;&lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;div style=”position: absolute; left: -5000px;”&gt; <br /> &lt;input type=”text” name=”mailchimp-number” tabindex=”-1″ value=””&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; &lt;!– /row panel radius inputs –&gt; <br /> &lt;/form&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt; &lt;!– / row signup –&gt; <br /> &lt;/div&gt;</p>
<p>Place this code snippet where you want the form to appear and you are done. Of course, feel free to style as needed. Here's what your form will look like:</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/capture.png" /></p>
<p>I hope you found this tutorial useful, if you did, please share. Thanks for reading.</p>
<p></p>


Creating a Simple MailChimp Newsletter Signup Form for Foundation 5 Framework

<p><a href="/products/shopify">Shopify</a>, one of the most popular eCommerce solutions on the market, has rolled out free SSL Certificates for all its users.</p><p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/2010_6_23_shopify-green_256x256-1.jpg" /></p><p>An SSL Certificate displays a padlock icon before all URLs, and adds an extra “s” to the “http” (to make it https) at the start of each URL. These are all indicators of a secure connection between the web server and the browser.</p><p>A typical SSL certificate will set you back a few bucks depending on where you shop for it, while free ones are difficult to come by, even when making use of an eCommerce solution.</p><p>In other words, Shopify didn't <i>have</i> to make this move, which is why I admire it.</p><h2>Security, Trustworthiness &amp; Pleasing Google</h2><p>Along with this announcement, Shopify outlined their concern for the security of their customers, and in turn, their customers' customers.</p><blockquote><p>Today, we’re pushing for a safer, more secure internet by ensuring all pages, content, data…everything, on all 200,000+ online stores powered by Shopify can be accessed using SSL encryption. Not only will this ensure that no data could be intercepted as it goes over the network, but it will also help merchants build customer trust. This is the right thing for ecommerce in 2016.</p><p>To make this possible, we’ve issued and set up SSL certificates for every Shopify store. And because we feel this is important, we did it at no additional cost to existing or future Shopify merchants.</p></blockquote><p>Also, although buyers look for the padlock icon on eCommerce websites, it's also true that Google values an SSL certified connection, too. So, the SEO efforts of Shopify merchants should be aided by this move.</p><h2>Generous? Maybe. Beneficial? Definitely.</h2><p>Shopify could have continued providing their software on its own, with the option for an SSL certificate being there for those who want to offer their customers extra security.</p><p>That strategy would have continued to work, with no liability falling back on them if and when a security issue crops up on a merchant's Shopify-powered website. After all, that's exactly how its been since Shopify started up.</p><p>Shopify will of course benefit from this move too, simply by being able to offer a free SSL certificate to all new users for added value and security out of the box. I'm sure they'll market those benefits accordingly.</p><p>So, although merchants will be getting some very real benefits from their free SSL certificates, it seems like good news all round.</p><p>To find out more about this new, free offering, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.shopify.com/blog/73511365-all-shopify-stores-now-use-ssl-encryption-everywhere">check out the Shopify blog</a>.</p><p>And as always, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/shopify">Shopify through our CMS Directory</a>.</p><p> </p>

Shopify Hands Out Free SSL Certificates to All Shopify Stores

<p></p>
<p>Marketing automation was one of the hottest topics of 2015 and the source of many heated discussions amongst marketing professionals.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/image850x0-is.jpeg" /></p>
<p>Whilst some professionals see marketing automation as the holy grail of an evolving industry, others still see it as a cold and impersonal way of doing business. And both parties are right.</p>
<p>When it’s done well, marketing automation can work wonders for the growth of a business. But when it’s not done well, it can have the opposite effect.</p>
<p>Fortunately, it seems that 2016 will be the year where businesses really start to get to grips with the marketing automation process, and learn how to make it work for their businesses rather than against them. In fact, according to a 2015 survey by Ascend2, 42% of businesses are now using marketing automation – which is a massive jump up from previous years.</p>
<p>Here are a few reasons why I believe 2016 is the year that marketing automation will really take off:</p>
<h2>Increased Knowledge/Understanding</h2>
<p>In early 2015, businesses became more aware that they needed marketing automation – but not all of them were sure <em>why </em>they needed it, or what to do wiith it. However, this has changed alot over the course of the past few months as businesses have developed a better understanding of exactly what marketing automation entails.</p>
<p>This will lead to more and more smaller businesses getting on board in 2016 as they become more confident in their investment.</p>
<h2>Better Implementation</h2>
<p>Getting marketing automation set up is a lot of work, and some companies just don’t have the time or resources for it – especially if they’ve blown their budget on a pricey product.</p>
<p>However, as companies begin to understand the importance of proper implementation, they’ll see a much better return on their investment and begin to really understand what can be achieved with marketing automation.</p>
<p>2016 will see the rise of third party companies offering to manage the implementation process, and perhaps even see better offerings emerge from the software providers themselves (we’ll talk more about this later), thus making life much easier for companies who want to get on board.</p>
<h2>Pricing: More Accessible For SMEs</h2>
<p>One of the main issues with marketing automation in 2015 was the associated cost and this was especially true for small businesses.</p>
<p>Many of the major marketing automation providers expect a 12 month commitment and payment up-front – which is a massive issue for smaller businesses who can’t afford to invest in something without trying it out first.</p>
<p>in 2015, larger enterprises had no problem with forking out for new systems, proper implementation processes, and ongoing management – but smaller companies didn’t really have the luxury of that extra spend. This meant that many SMEs spent all of their budget on the software and then didn’t follow through with proper staff training and implementation in order to get solid processes in place.</p>
<p>However, this is changing rapidly as new providers emerge with software options that specifically target smaller businesses. These new software solutions don’t ask for sign up fees, don’t tie companies into long term contracts, and allow for monthly payments. In fact, some of them are free. <a href="/12-free-or-super-cheap-marketing-automation-systems/">Click here</a> to check out our list of 12 Free Or Cheap Marketing Automation Systems.</p>
<h2>The Transition To Software + Service</h2>
<p>Bots can’t run the world… Yet. So the move to a more service oriented solution for marketing automation is pretty inevitable in 2016. Automation isn’t the endgame solution to marketing a business; it’s simply a tool for professionals to utilize in order to make their work more effective.</p>
<p>If businesses want their marketing automation processes to actually work, then they have to ensure that there’s an actual person running the show – and that person has to know what they’re doing. If they don’t, there’s little point to using the software at all.</p>
<p>2016 is definitely going to see more of a focus on how this software is implemented and on ensuring an adequate return on investment for companies. There are already a number of third party providers who will manage the implementation process for businesses, but perhaps 2016 will see software providers themselves providing an added service option in this regard.</p>
<p>Either way, marketing automation is on the rise and there’s an interesting year ahead.</p>
<p>What do you think is on the cards for marketing automation in 2016? Why not let us know in the comments section below.</p>
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Is 2016 the Year of Marketing Automation?

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