Articles - Page 65

Brightspot Illuminates the Future of CMS with Human-Controlled, AI-Powered Storytelling 

matt-garrepy

Kleiber Digital, a leading expert in JCR Content has launched JECIS, the very first E-Commerce framework for CMS solutions. Instead of trying to integrate a CMS into an E-Commerce system, JECIS is built directly into a CMS, allowing developers and authors to build commerce-driven Web/Digital Experiences using all the features and capabilities of their CMS solution.
JECIS is based on the JCR Content Repository standard, the foundation of such cutting-edge CMS solutions like Adobe’s Experience Manager, Magnolia CMS, Jahia DX and others. It is expected that JECIS will significantly change the way that commerce driven Digital Experiences will be built in the future.
<ul>
<li>JECIS is installed directly into a JCR compliant CMS, within a few minutes.</li>
<li>No integration needed, no complex commerce engines, no configuration hassle, no costly licenses for E-Commerce or RDBMS required.</li>
<li>Marketers (Authors) manage all the commerce content, from Stores, Products, Clients to Sales Tax, Shipping and Payments, everything. • Take full advantage of the CMS capabilities, from templates/components/dialogs over building Web Experiences, to preview and publishing.</li>
<li>No new languages or systems to learn. Use Sightly, Freemarker, JSP or JS frameworks as provided by the CMS.</li>
<li>JECIS is content-centric. The foundation of JECIS is the commerce-content, not the application!</li>
<li>By taking full advantage of the CMS capabilities, the time-to-market of commerce-driven Web experiences will be significantly lower than with traditional integration solutions, saving time and lowering costs. The big advantage of JECIS however will be running the Web experience. Analytic tools will guide marketers to improvement opportunities and marketers can do the according content updates, immediately.</li>
</ul>
“JECIS does not really compare to the ATG’s and Hybris’ of this world. The objective behind JECIS was not to build another tool, but to build an E-Commerce framework that enables developers to create compelling commerce experiences with commerce content managed completely by Marketers.” explained CEO Giancarlo F. Berner.
With JECIS it is now reality to use the full capabilities of a CMS solution to build pulse-pounding and engaging commerce experiences, without the need of a traditional E-Commerce system.
Why JECIS? Some Background Information 
“Since their inception, E-Commerce Platforms have been a pain to build Web sites with, especially when you compare the process with modern CMS solutions” Giancarlo F. Berner explained. “In 2006 a friend of mine, Ruben Reusser, the CTO of headwire.com, wrote an integration API to use KonaKart within a Magnolia CMS. After building the first Web solution, it was obvious that these integration concepts don’t have a future. We basically lost all the features and capabilities of the CMS” he continued.“ A few years later, in 2010, Giancarlo F. Berner presented a prototype of a JCR compliant E-Commerce API to a group of Adobe PMs at Adobe in San Francisco. At that time, Adobe was using Day Communique to build their site adobe.com. “That presentation convinced me that, if built the right way, it is possible to use a CMS to build E-Commerce Web solutions.” Giancarlo continued.
With today’s launch of <a href="http://www.jecis.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">JECIS</a> it is possible to use any JCR-compliant CMS solution to build commerce-driven Web experiences!

Kleiber Digital launches JECIS – The First E-Commerce Framework for JCR-compliant CMS Solutions

mike-johnston

<h2><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ar_vr_visual_search.jpg" /></h2>
<h2>What is Adaptive Design?</h2>
Adaptive web design adapts to the browser environment, and may or may not take into account the browser’s size. I bet customers <a href="http://www.smartinsights.com/mobile-marketing/mobile-marketing-analytics/mobile-marketing-statistics/" target="_blank">think</a> that the mobile web is the new black as they find themselves spending at least a few hours a day surfing the web on a mobile device.
Users joyfully browse sites that are created to ensure a comfortable web journey no matter what device is used, and ignore sites that are not optimized for their smartphones or tablets.
The core of customer satisfaction or disappointment is a website's design. If it is chosen properly according to customers' needs, then users are likely to be pleased. So how do you make the right choice?
In this article, I’m going to reveal what a mobile strategy is, why it is crucial for a company's online presence, and what web design to implement when building your website so that your visitors fall in love with it.
First, let’s learn about mobile strategy.
<h2>What is a Mobile-First Strategy?</h2>
Smart phones and tablets are quickly becoming people's personal pocket computers. As a result, customers are using these devices everywhere, and that greatly influences how they evaluate companies' websites, how they interact with the companies, and how they make decisions.
Unfortunately, many executives still underestimate mobile trends, although in reality, these trends can be huge, game-changing opportunities for most businesses.
But what exactly is a Mobile-First strategy? A Mobile-First strategy is when a website is intentionally built so that customers and employees will interact with it from any device they have.
Implementing a mobile strategy may also be advantageous for search engine optimization (SEO) of the site. Not long ago Google finally made an official <a href="https://webmasters.googleblog.com/2015/02/finding-more-mobile-friendly-search.html" target="_blank">announcement</a> that it is going to slap websites silly if they are not optimized for mobile.
The second reason to make a site mobile-optimized is statistics. Currently, 61% of users are <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/why-marketers-should-keep-sending-you-emails" target="_blank">unlikely</a> to return to a mobile site they have trouble accessing it, and 40% will visit a competitor’s site instead.
Few people doubt the necessity of using a mobile-strategy. Most companies are wondering HOW to implement the strategy and what web design to use in order to make their website attractive for both desktop and mobile users.
Two of the most common types of web design that work for Mobile-First websites are Adaptive Design and Responsive Design.
​
<img title="Click and drag to move" />
It consists of multiple interpretations of the same design – one for each size. Each version is assigned to specific ‘anchor points’ that tell a browser when to jump to the next layout.
A designer will usually create a different layout for each of the six most common viewport widths (320px, 480px, 760px, 960px, 1200px, and 1600px).
When to choose Adaptive Design?
<ol>
<li>Adaptive Design is more advantageous for retrofitting existing websites than for building new ones, because it needs to be designed with layouts with a minimum of six widths.</li>
<li>Adaptive websites work well when user intent with mobile differs from that of user intent on desktops. For example, on some websites, a user on a mobile device is likely more interested in booking a service appointment than looking at a catalog.</li>
</ol>
Why to choose it?
Adaptive web design allows you to take control of the design and focus development on specific, multiple viewports.
With an adaptive site, a company can measure which options are performing best and alter the design to maximize online traffic.
For example, if a site gets the majority of traffic via desktop use, then the company needs to make sure that it has removed constraints such as site speed, usability, load time, etc., that a user of the site on a desktop may experience.
It is important to note that a designer can add views for different types of mobile devices, but with Adaptive Design, the efforts can be focused on any specific priority.
Adaptive websites also excel in load time performance and overall user experience, because they work by transferring only the necessary assets for the specific device.
According to research, adaptive sites are often two to three times <a href="https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/adaptive-vs-responsive-design" target="_blank">faster</a> than responsive ones.
<h2>What is Responsive Design?</h2>
Responsive web design works without regard to the type of browser in use, because it responds to the size of a browser and then reflows the layout accordingly.
​
<img title="Click and drag to move" />
Jeffrey Veen <a href="https://go-seo.com/responsive-web-design-must/" target="_blank">said</a>, “Day by day, the number of devices, platforms, and browsers that need to work with your site grows. Responsive web design represents a fundamental shift in how we’ll build websites for the decade to come.”
When to choose it Responsive Design?
<ol>
<li>Most new sites use Responsive Design.</li>
<li>Designers and developers who do not have a lot of experience consider Responsive Design easier to work with thanks to the availability of themes accessible through CMS systems such as Drupal and WordPress.</li>
<li>Responsive websites generally work well for websites that have minor differences between mobile and desktop in user intent. Users want to see the same website options from both desktops and smartphones.</li>
</ol>
Why to choose it?
Responsive doesn’t offer as much control as adaptive, but takes much less time to build, implement, and maintain. Also, it is cheaper than adaptive, which requires dedicated mobile websites.
​
The website is able to adapt to the type of device that the user is using.
When United Way Bay Area (UWBA) and Morweb CMS teamed up to turn a simple website into an immersive user experience, the results were surprising.
By adopting Responsive Design, United Way of the Bay Area was <a href="https://venturebeat.com/2014/08/03/responsive-design-leads-to-34-mobile-traffic-boost-for-united-way/" target="_blank">able</a> to increase their mobile sessions by over 34 percent, increase tablet sessions by 21.5 percent, and generate 28 percent growth in year-by-year online donations.
Responsive web design is also <a href="https://developers.google.com/webmasters/mobile-sites/get-started" target="_blank">recommended</a> and rewarded by Google. The search engine algorithms work so that sites with a growing number of mobile users rank higher than those that are not responsive.
Responsive design can help the Google ranking algorithm understand that your website provides an acceptable user experience whether it is viewed on a phone, tablet, or desktop.
<h2>What Design Should You Choose for Your Website So That Customers Сannot Take Their Eyes Off It?</h2>
Before deciding on which design to implement, it is essential to spend plenty of time researching your company's audience and their needs.
In particular, who is viewing the site? What kind of information do they want to see on it? Do they get it? What kind of device do visitors use most often when viewing the site?
Answers to these questions will help you to analyze and subsequently build a strategy for developing a new site or altering a current one.
This information can be found through Google Analytics or basic focus group testing. The most common problems with a website might be slow load time, not resizing to the customer's screen size, and the lack of top-quality content.
This information will allow you to understand why a potential customer might leave your site.
The second thing to consider is whether to build a new site or work with the current one. Most new sites are built with the help of Responsive Design, which may <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/mtv-increased-mobile-traffic-92-responsive-redesign-report/123601/" target="_blank">increase</a> mobile traffic.
As a rule, existing sites choose Adaptive Design.
​
<img title="Click and drag to move" />
If a company has a limited budget, then Responsive Design might be a better choice, according to <a href="http://blog.catchpoint.com/2014/06/02/adaptive-vs-responsive-web-design-right-site/" target="_blank">Catchpoint</a>. “If the goal of the site is to deliver a lot of content to users and doesn’t have much in the way of advanced functionality, then responsive is probably the best way to go.”
Catchpoint also notes that if most of website's visitors “will be accessing your site from a desktop browser and won’t lose anything by using it on a mobile device, it is the simplest – and cheapest – option.“
<h2>Conclusions</h2>
The website of a company is usually the first contact that a customer has with a brand. If the user experience of a website's visitors is poor, it will be hard to persuade them to interact with it in the future.
That is why it is crucial to consider a proper web design strategy as quickly as possible.
Knowing exactly who makes up a company's audience is critical. Once it is understood who a company's customers are and what devices they use to access the site, it will be possibly to develop a design that will satisfy customers and enhance their user experience.
Executives also need to decide if their company needs a new site or if they should continue working with the site already in use.
Responsive websites generally work well for websites that have minor differences in user intent between mobile users and desktop users. Adaptive websites work well when user intent on mobile differs greatly from that of desktop use.
In the end, Responsive Design is cheaper, because it allows a company to have a single website that fits the various screen sizes of the devices on which the site might be viewed. It's a simple math — one website is obviously cheaper than two.

Mobile-First, Adaptive, or Responsive Design: Which to Choose for the Website so Customers Want to Buy Your Product or Service?

<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/internal-communications-1679x0-is.png" />
Improved internal communications is the holy grail for many businesses. And although much effort is spent searching for solutions, somehow it seems to remain elusive. And it’s an issue that affects all organisations regardless of their size. In fact, small to medium businesses often have more flexible working and tend to employ freelance and remote workers which means that internal communications is often a bigger issue for these companies. So what’s an organization to do? Is there a holy grail or magic formula that will fix your <a href="https://www.myhubintranet.com/internal-communications-trends-2016/">internal communications</a> issues? Well, the truth is improving internal communications is a continual journey, involving a number of small steps that together amount to significant leaps forward. It doesn’t, however, have to be a difficult and torturous journey. In fact, it is possible to quickly and easily make improvements to your organization’s internal communications by using your CMS intranet. And guess what? While you’re at it, you’ll also be realizing some other very important business benefits as well.
<h2>CMS Intranets</h2>
CMS intranets have been around now since the 1990s and the technology has evolved to become super easy to install and manage. No great technical expertise is required as the CMS intranet comes with a number of pre-built intranet page templates along with a range of powerful business modules and tools out of the box. You simply and easily drag and drop functionality and content onto your secure, customizable intranet pages. The end result is an intranet that is totally unique to your company, which contains all the information, data and tools staff need to get the job done more efficiently and effectively.
<h2>How A CMS Intranet Improves Communication</h2>
Every individual step forward with your <a href="/simple-intranet/">CMS intranet</a> can make a big difference overall and so let’s look at some very practical ways an intranet will help to improve internal communications.
<h3>News Blogs And Newsletters</h3>
A common grumble when it comes to internal communications is staff feeling as though they are out of the loop and don’t know what’s going on in the company. Well, that’s easily remedied with the CMS intranet’s news features.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/hosted-intranet623x0-is.jpg" />
Using the CMS intranet’s flexible page layout and design options, it’s possible to set up an online newsletter or blog that highlights key company news and updates. It’s a simple process to add and edit text, images, videos and files so that your news feed looks very professional and utilizes a range of media for maximum impact. What’s more, you can set up a series of pages and subpages to cover team or local news as well as the corporate stuff. Just use the simple set of permissions and rules to restrict access to only the relevant staff.
The great advantage of using the CMS intranet in this way is that you remain in control. With a traditional system of cascading team briefings, the message can get diluted along the way. Using a CMS intranet, however, means staff receive the same consistent message and at the same time.
<h3>Company Calendar</h3>
This feature follows on from keeping everyone in the loop and is the perfect tool for highlighting key company or industry events as well as important dates or milestones. It’s intuitive to set up and super easy to keep updated. It often quickly becomes an essential tool for staff members as it represents the single source of truth for the organization. Need to check the date of the next sales seminar? No problem – simply search for it on the company calendar. What about the deadline for submitting your quarterly budget returns? Easy. Rather than searching through an overloaded email in-box, simply go directly to the company calendar. And so a process that might have involved several steps as well as many minutes now takes just a click of the mouse and a fraction of the time.
<h3>Staff Directory</h3>

<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/intranet-staff-directory-example638x0-is.jpg" />
Another frequent complaint when it comes to internal communications is a sense of isolation and the right hand not knowing what the left is doing. A great way to counteract this and to empower staff at the same time is the simple-to-setup staff directory. With detailed biographies, areas of expertise and photos, the staff directory is a comprehensive resource that allows employees to connect with each other. Need a staff member with marketing expertise to join your working party examining the customer experience? No problem. The staff directory enables you to quickly and easily identify internal candidates. Or perhaps you’re looking for a subject matter expert who can resolve a technical query about a particular product? Again, that’s easy with the staff directory.
In addition, the self-service nature of the staff directory makes it a powerful enabler of connections and collaborations. It also helps staff to have a sense of the bigger picture and where they fit into the whole scheme of things. And on a very basic level putting a face to a name is fundamental to promoting good working relationships. The staff directory may be a simple tool, but its impact is not to be under-estimated.
<h3><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/business-communications714x0-is.jpg" /></h3>
<h3>Two-way Conversations</h3>
All these initiatives in themselves are great, but the real issue at play and a fundamental employee gripe is that they are meaningless if they don’t involve an element of listening and feeding back. The distinguished architect Jeff Daly summed it up nicely as follows:
<blockquote>
Two monologues do not make a dialogue.
</blockquote>
And that’s where a CMS intranet can make a huge difference because it enables you to have two-way conversations and a genuine dialogue with staff. How? Well, there are a number of ways and below are just a few ideas to get you started:
<ul>
<li>Enable comments on the news feed and newsletter so staff can put forward their ideas and insights.</li>
<li>Develop surveys and quizzes to canvas employees’ views with the CMS intranet’s easy-to-use forms builder or else use the embedded Google app. Be sure though to feedback to staff on the outcomes of the survey and action taken as a result.</li>
<li>Create team or joint working project spaces on the CMS intranet to encourage collaboration across the organization.</li>
<li>And why not try deploying social intranet features such as follow me functionality, site activity walls and direct messaging.</li>
</ul>
<h2> </h2>
<h2>Improve Communications And Much More</h2>
The bottom line is that there’s no magic wand you can wave to fix internal communications in your organization. But what you can do is take some significant steps forward with the help of your CMS intranet. What’s more, the CMS intranet is easy to setup and manage on an ongoing basis which means that you’ll be improving internal communications with the minimum of effort and in a short space of time.
And if that isn’t enough in itself then how about simultaneously improving employee engagement, streamlining business processes and enhancing information and data sharing? You see, these are also important business benefits that are on offer with your CMS intranet, making it an incredibly powerful tool in any organization’s management arsenal.
If you’re interested in finding out more about how a CMS intranet could <a href="https://www.allthingsic.com/intranetforums/">improve internal communications</a> in your business, then get in touch with the expert team at <a href="https://www.myhubintranet.com/book-demo/">MyHub</a>.

How To Improve Internal Communications Using CMS Intranets

<a href="http://canva.com">Canva</a> is a user-friendly design tool that makes it possible for businesses, marketers, bloggers, and other individual professionals to create eye-catching images without graphic design experience.
The online design solution offers users a wide array of features, including drag-and-drop design creation, quality photographs and illustrations, layouts, and fonts. With this tool, users can take their ideas and turn them into a design that can then be printed, downloaded, or shared on social media.
To find out if Canva is the right choice for you and your business, check out this review: 
<h2>Features </h2>
Canva has a large amount of features users can use to great their graphics and designs, including:
<ul>
<li>
Image cropping
</li>
<li>
Adding text to photographs
</li>
<li>
Speech and thought bubble creator
</li>
<li>
Image editing, transparency, straightening, and enhancing
</li>
<li>
Thousands of templates for all possible types of marketing collateral, ranging from social media posts to business cards
</li>
<li>
Grids to ensure straight, balanced designs
</li>
<li>
Photo and image frames
</li>
<li>
Stickers and badges for websites
</li>
</ul>
<img alt="Canva-Review-Image1.png" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Ig_1Yh1kaBjBeTME5bm2WZk-oopwwEU_K0OdS1ZKmcWqh-livTxPi1JhjvZBjiHctazfLal03BFp2G5E37AvR-WC48uc4SF22_Pr1M_-krFLQ8UqiX00ci-x4cBQ7HYduNgN2QNi" />
There are thousands of templates to choose from, with options to use pre-made layouts, to customize those layouts, or to design your own graphic with the given dimensions.
<h2>Ease of Use </h2>
<img alt="Canva-Review-Image2.png" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/cxvmt71P6SAtiL3EZR08ZR1yKxcTt-CLL291yN9qUKSMuK1MXoF12aLtzsGGfVGSk-Gqa6vgY0-767zrmtg11GbAekytpO68amE9uMpIutq-Mwo1_7nLKzYRZVl1NhkabeCzTtNZ" />
Canva makes it incredibly easy to create designs without any design experience or know-how.
When users log in, they are taken to the first dashboard, which lets them select the option for creating graphics with their own dimensions or to click on one of the many templates available.
After selecting a template, users are taken to the above dashboard. They can scroll through the list of layouts, or can create their own from scratch. There are numerous free templates available, but the more high-quality templates require users to pay. These are just $1, so the cost isn’t exactly all that expensive.
Users can add elements (graphics, illustrations, doodles, photos, etc.), text (including pre-made text layouts), different backgrounds, or their own photographs and images. This is a high level of customization and versatility, and all of these actions can be performed through simple drag-and-drop functions.
Canva is very easy to use, which means it takes very little time at all to create stunning images, infographics, or designs.
<h2>Customer Support </h2>
<img alt="Canva-Review-Image3.png" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Zi9OeptG_A5lTghCdYxxf8wt9gfSSSPEa7iggb0dxvo3Dnx0YK18mGWl1b60Qb3_lcIscX8SoF-LuWyXWBcyONzKp7PKqEJWgYv9XhOowMuu0kMaCbkXrYM5DQP-deNpOJqbEB5c" />
Canva has a full support page, complete with a search bar, articles, and tabs that make it easy for users to quickly find solutions for their problems.
There are some contact forms available for big issues, such as billing problems, but it’s harder to find email contacts or phone numbers for the support team. This can definitely be an issue for many users, especially when time is a concerning factor.
<h2>Pricing </h2>
<img alt="Canva-Review-Image4.png" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/vy1LU8UWw4vl9aZ7onFbQOqM35Ih-2xBDRpS-q1PLdUSw9qLhMJQ2oFgiN0Ks2kfdJ4USp2lfLXlG3SGvzBQjNiWRE-DvGvPygS5Q-e5kabvLEQeu081bXEodjeHwWiTF1kkZKEo" />
While users can get a lot of things done, and create great designs, with the free account, the paid accounts do offer far more options that many professionals would find necessary.
If you choose to go with the Canva for Work plan, it will cost $12.95 per month for each user.
The Canva Enterprise doesn’t have a listed price, but does permit teams with more than 30 members. This would be the best option for businesses or organizations with large marketing teams.
<h2>The Verdict </h2>
Canva is an incredibly easy to use, reliable online design tool that has a large amount of loyal users and glowing testimonials.
The drag-and-drop functionality makes designing eye-catching designs simple and quick, even for those that are not tech-savvy or even particularly artistically inclined. There are thousands of templates and layouts available, and even the free options have high-quality images and modern looks that would work very well for all industries.
The pricing plans are inexpensive and fair, especially considering everything that comes with them. However, users can still get what they need out of it without paying a single penny. Those that only use it now and again can always opt to purchase the $1 photographs, layouts, or templates without having to commit to an ongoing payment plan.
The lack of contact numbers is a big drawback, and many users have trouble with billing. This is a definite issue that should not be overlooked when considering whether or not this is the right tool for you. While there are plenty of helpful articles, tutorials, and resources available, many users would find the lack of contact email addresses or phone numbers to be a problem.
<h2><a href="http://canva.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Try Canva for yourself!</a></h2>

Canva Review

If your brand is expanding and transitioning to more large-scale campaigns, it needs a landing page platform powerful enough to scale your campaign content. Automating your landing page generation is a step toward improving your marketing strategy and increasing campaign efficiency.
The ideal platform would be able to automate the landing page generation process while maintaining brand consistency and messaging across all landing pages. It shouldn’t just generate one or two landing pages. It should generate 10s to 100s of them – each one with the option to have unique URLs and custom fields.
Updating your landing pages should be as simple as updating a spreadsheet. You start a new spreadsheet and map data fields, such as URL, vendor name, and phone number. Each field is a variable that corresponds to a field in your landing page. With each update to the fields in your spreadsheet, the platform should create new and update existing landing pages in real-time – all the while maintaining the look and feel of the landing pages.
No more are the days of single-handedly making landing pages. Adapt to your brand by implementing tools that keep up with its growth. Choose a platform that auto-generates <a href="https://rallymind.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dynamic landing pages</a> by the hundreds and caters to each individual consumer’s interests.
Optimize your campaign content, while your landing page platform streamlines your landing page generation.

Make the Move Toward Automated Landing Page Management

Once a customer has finished purchasing the items they wanted from your site, you need to keep them coming back. Otherwise, you could potentially lose that customer forever.
So, how do you keep them interested? How do you remain relevant to them?
You need to nurture your leads to keep them going through the sales funnel, and that takes more than just a solid branding strategy and quality products.
That’s where <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/out/wishpond" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wishpond</a> becomes useful.
Wishpond is a lead management tool that has a wide array of additional tools integrated into the platform. This makes it easier to take a look at your leads and guide them back through the sales funnel so they buy more products from your eCommerce store.
Check out this review to determine if Wishpond is the right tool for you and your business.
<img alt="Wishpond-Review-Image1.png" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/GevvRrggopDFsUzNcl6mkM1L5CPMnh79_NMG5l37ETYxT3KeTTXSGu4dnmGzRTHktMKuXCd8Fvukoqw-TPjruPtA72pU4ZyCa6uDI-UnCBmiyUZnZJGTJR2O-OclhDnFfQT13pez" />
<h2>Features </h2>
<h3>Landing Pages </h3>
<img alt="Wishpond-Review-Image2-Dashboard.png" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/UTR4ncHSYlJDEEktcDGzPlZzdgHOy_rYHcqywtxhjuu5KCVlE26xXslSRDGiCAQXRF4SZd8ViPogYhTAzbupSm5o_N75jtJRESoFkqQhuJ9jECQ7ZA8YUrUuI5wudj2OtPgoXG8b" />
One of the primary features of Wishpond is the ability to generate and test out your own landing pages. Wishpond does this differently than other platforms in that they’ve designed these pages in a way that is likely to increase the number of leads you generate for your business.
<img alt="Wishpond-Review-Image3-Landing-Pages.png" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/1Bj_Ge10eGU7XhGRKwI6woodOmdUWXu2Y9cu9QBVcZfU5h93WenjbuzkYpLqKD2yKFyOQo3u5lKY1oHVIE5_XHQwbcqGFeR9d563LSXjP6jHOSNJPxFT-WTUn0Urg458Rbprk-yS" />
Once you click on the landing page option from your Dashboard, you are brought to this page. They have a whole host of templates to choose from, with options for either PC or mobile.
Click on one of the many templates, and you can easily dive in and get started on the creation of your landing page.
<img alt="Wishpond-Review-Image3.5-Campaigns.png" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZQDk5WqNkRf58viypbrcMm0Qg8hOHZDmVgICEOhGegG4sxB8j7fDCPXrQVca2bR6yB-0V4T-iia375y0hhPXx-TTI8_Qbj-00H6k0evCvz5GyNpAjBnSVkBEamsvBvc6hof41aZ" />
Once you have your landing pages going, the backend allows you to conduct A/B split testing and figure out which campaign is performing the best.
<img alt="Wishpond-Review-Image4-Leads.png" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/QcSmGj9ZEDkJkKRx-YC7gQorNwsg03QcEj7jB-4zaIQVvHsTmd-xnINa1_II1RJmdllqV_fs-YG8EpeLUJfjhso0FGhz7sR8PUhiBrTmZIwJnUMnYUxGSBiKflM7ChUce_q4R6Pb" />
Users can also go a tab over, and get a closer look at how their landing pages are performing. It gives you all of the important stats about your leads, even breaking it down by date. You can then manage your leads for more effective nurturing, including putting them into separate lists.
This dashboard allows your lead lists to be either imported or exported, which would definitely make marketing efforts easier and more effective.
<h3>Marketing Automation </h3>
<img alt="Wishpond-Review-Image5-Automation-Dashboard.png" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/wa-fS_SBkeaXXZBnSSL4BwYizu0xNR7z_7CygbL0Ml6DjMnOeRG40EUF2UVJfCdo8s8uhv74VE2kHeLL1qHoji3vrzLLZgvFNcbMNGHqVGxpWtoGlUysmPaRfLyV8qa311T-MbyM" />
Wishpond offers some excellent email automation tools, making it easier to really nurture the existing leads on your list.
<img alt="Wishpond-Review-Image-6-Create-Workflow.png" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/iy5o0GagUvyrQns8a35jmkpQjaz7OLnQPwhGC1jjf8agINsO6V5ntlk_7f4EOO81VRgWQeZQlp4y5OLn5mXru2VXCgXRhYVuoMdMFwzpv2rPSM_VkoTqm3lKS2TZFvWaIAzKzm9T" />
At the bottom left corner of the of the Automation dashboard, you have the option to create a new workflow.
From there, you’re taken to the above dashboard. This gives options for all of the ways to nurture those leads, from creating a standard workflow to sending out an abandoned cart email.
Regardless of which workflow you choose to automate, you can completely tailor them to your exact standards. You can choose from a whole range of conditions, so your automation starts exactly when you want it to, or when you need it to.
One of the biggest features that works in Wishpond’s favor is the fact you can easily set up these emails in just a few hours, and then keep them running and generating leads long after they’ve been sent out.
<h3>Contests and Promotions </h3>
<img alt="Wishpond-Review-Image5.5- Contests.png" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ojv1Ub3F6JTurrI4VkfE_qjAl1cTfMbXaRqlxZSFgpnQChN3pKacIvDm-rUSnfiYiyqtoPSrBht5ieq93ECuaUi79S8eZk800C9M5nXNlqZhUHvFMldB4Wl4Gt3GdACrHNjEzfFV" />
One of the best features of Wishpond that you are unlikely to find in most other lead management tools, is the ability to run contests and promotions.
For example, let’s say you want to set up and run a photo contest to promote a new set of headphones you’re selling on your website. You can design the campaign directly through the Wishpond dashboard, and then integrate it seamlessly and effortlessly.
This feature is very straightforward and easy to use, even for those who are not designers or very tech-savvy.
<img alt="Wishpond-Review-Image5.6-Photo-Contest.png" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/KADqbFGFRl7NSoZmrxxcTWnjkWitDxr9CJsT50cTvZ_Fc_GjZQ5qowO2IN3f4_ahjZnHFJ_sMBRROHUWox0WQrfFgeXvBQ3OCuNUwX_8QTjqI0DBjdhKKa3NbtcB4uiHeuWBG23j" />
The modules for these contests and promotions even offer pre-designed templates, so you can just pick one, add your content, and run it without hassle.
<h2>Pricing </h2>
<img alt="Wishpond-Review-Image6-Pricing-Plans.png" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/fKRJ2ZjUGPQnyzc1f01YM0i5u5RzIjvecB-IqrAITjDLK4J7YXj4aHrhXA2WzDXEfxvXzaHwUrX2UJcnSJMLIJJLGqhbPCvyYoH2ihVAApptlx4GP64OADEg4iesfGhMj48WZJIn" />
Wishpond has three pricing plans to choose from, and each of them offers a free 14-day trial that lets you test things out without having to commit right away.
While these plans are a bit pricey, Wishpond has plenty of features that many users would find to be worth the price.
<ul>
<li>
The Starting Out plan is $49 per month and offers unlimited landing pages, unlimited social contests, unlimited popups, email drip campaigns, marketing automation, custom CSS, and up to 1,000 leads.
</li>
<li>
The Everything You Need plan is $99 per month and offers all of the basic options plus A/B testing, custom Javascript, API access, 5 user accounts, and up to 2,500 leads.
</li>
<li>
The Rapid Growth plan is $199 per month and comes with all of the aforementioned features plus first-in-line customer support, free implementation coaching ($1,500 value), unlimited user accounts, and 10,000+ plus leads. The more leads you have, the more the price goes up.
</li>
</ul>
All of the plans offer integrations with popular email marketing tools, such as MailChimp and Salesforce, landing pages, marketing automation, website popups, various forms, and the ability to do A/B testing.
<h2>Customer Service / Support </h2>
<img alt="Wishpond-Review-Image7-Support.png" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/MkhJap3fyU90QOSfy8MVhNbeWcWQPN9ZeYgw_3qsCXDUC8Y4lzvyKdiUa2hW3gZkCRTlPherujAGMfjhhG-YcSvUhL2sTS-45W7JK6ckxyZuMhkEUqdGJ-mHfShIqFiIj9_qiU7N" />
From the homepage, users can scroll to the bottom and find a whole section called Resources, as well as a separate section for Support.
From there, users are taken to the screen shown above, where they can type in their issue or click on one of those blue boxes to be taken to that particular type of help.
The first two pricing plans offer support via chat and email, and the phone support comes when users sign up for the highest pricing plan. The support team seems to be quite responsive, and the website has a whole host of tutorials, articles, and webinars users can check out for help with the lead management process.
The chat box is particularly helpful, especially for those with disabilities that do not make it possible (or at least difficult) to speak on the phone.
<h2>Final Verdict </h2>
Overall, Wishpond is easy to use and has plenty of options for those looking to convert and gain more leads. It also makes it easy to understand what their audience is most responsive to and engages with, which would enable them to adjust their site copy and other marketing collateral.
Some may find it pricey, especially those who need more leads. The final pricing plan is already steep, and the price jumps substantially with each amount of leads. This could be an issue for some people, depending on their company’s budget.
However, the additional tools for email marketing, promotions and contests, landing pages, popups, and forms do make a big difference and set Wishpond apart from other lead management tools.
<h2><a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/out/wishpond">Click here to check out Wishpond for yourself! </a></h2>

Wishpond Review 2017

Best Video Experience

Give your audience the best video experience

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<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/cloud-intranet-multipurpose-software-1533x0-is.jpg" />
Every business, whether large or small, is facing multiple challenges at any one time. And if, for instance, you identify project management as being a pain point in your organization, it’s often tempting to go with a software solution or app that addresses that specific need. But when the challenges are multiple and each has its own solution, the situation can soon get out of hand, quickly becoming counter-productive. There was a time when having multiple business apps was almost like a badge of honor – the more you had, then the more ‘with it’ and innovative your organization had to be. But many businesses are now discovering that single-purpose apps are actually impeding rather than enhancing productivity. And so it’s time for organizations to rethink their approach. The future is, in fact, <a href="https://thenextweb.com/contributors/2017/06/06/single-purpose-apps-dead-long-live-multi-purpose-software/#.tnw_OKL8PiZ4">multi-purpose software</a> with the cloud intranet being the perfect example. Let’s explore why.
<h2>The Problems With Overspecialization</h2>
<h3>Limited Functionality</h3>
Now don’t get us wrong, there are plenty of examples of single-purpose software that do a great job. But that’s it. They address just one problem when the reality is that businesses are simultaneously juggling a range of issues.
<h3>Cost</h3>
Overspecialization can also be an expensive option. Many of these apps are subscription based and although each app in itself may seem reasonable, when you combine all the fees across all the apps, then the picture is entirely different. What’s more, you can often find yourself stuck with long contracts that are difficult to get out of, which can be a nightmare if the software turns out not to live up to expectations.
<h3>Duplication Of Effort</h3>
Having multiple apps to achieve different tasks leads to a fragmented user experience. Any one member of staff is likely to have a number of tabs, apps and programs open at one time, requiring them to flip backwards and forwards. What’s more, the software isn’t necessarily compatible either. Your project management app, for example, may not be synchronised with your human resources app which means that you have to enter the same personnel information in two different places. It’s not difficult to see that this process, as well as wasting time, can lead to errors and mistakes creeping in.
<h3>Unnecessary Distraction</h3>
The other problem with multiple apps is the interruption to the flow of work that it involves. Research suggests that it takes the average person four minutes to recover from an interruption and refocus on the task in hand. Constantly switching between apps, far from increasing productivity, is actually slowing things down.
<h3>Staff Training</h3>
It’s likely that all the single-purpose apps have their own proprietary features and operating systems which means that staff need to be trained in how to use and get the best out of them. Staff training is, therefore, a huge investment of resources and time for the organization.
<h3>Shadow IT</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/shadow-it533x0-is.jpg" />
In addition, to all of the above is the very real problem of <a href="https://www.myhubintranet.com/shadow-it/">shadow IT</a>. It’s now so easy to source and download software in response to a perceived business need that, armed with a company credit card, managers are doing just that. As well as posing a potential security threat that could compromise the entire company network, such unauthorized software is causing real management headaches for organizations. In a recent survey 83 percent of respondents admitted to having some level of unauthorized cloud services on their corporate IT systems. As well as issues with compatibility, the lack of central oversight has resulted in inconsistent organizational practices.
<h2>The Solution: Multi-Purpose Cloud Intranet Software</h2>
An integrated, multi-purpose platform has a number of advantages over the single purpose app, and perhaps the most important one is its great simplicity. Instead of multiple apps, all the tools and features you need are in one, totally compatible platform with a single login. So just how good a solutions is the <a href="https://www.myhubintranet.com/category/cloud-intranet/">cloud intranet</a>? Well, let’s examine its performance against the issues we identified earlier.
<h3>Functionality</h3>
From document and content management systems, forms workflow and corporate calendars through to news blogs, collaborative workspaces and social features, the cloud intranet has the lot. You can even embed your favorite <a href="https://www.myhubintranet.com/microsoft-intranet-office-365/">Microsoft Office 365</a> program or Google App directly in the intranet page for greater convenience and enhanced joint working. Plus, there’s no need to flit from one program to another, one logon gets you access to all these great business tools.
<h3>Cost</h3>
Cloud intranets are a cost-effective option. For a very reasonable monthly fee, you get unlimited numbers of users and data storage. Instead of several monthly fees associated with a number of different apps, there’s just one monthly cost. And so if cost certainty is important in your business then a cloud intranet is the way to go.
<h3>Streamlined Business Processes</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/business-workflow-forms533x0-is.jpg" />
The cloud intranet’s features and tools are all compatible and the software is supported by easy to use management tools, site permissions and rules. And so if you wanted to apply for vacation leave, instead of completing a form, emailing it to your manager for approval, entering your absence in the team’s separate calendar app and then informing human resources for reporting purposes through the HR app, the integrated nature of the intranet means that the online form is automatically routed to all those personnel that need the information.
<h3>Continuity of effort</h3>
Being able to solve all your business needs and tasks in one place, means that users won’t be facing unnecessary interruptions in their workflow. A few clicks of the mouse, rather than a process of opening up and logging in, is all that’s needed to move from tool to another. Productivity will be increased as staff are not wasting time going between different apps.
<h3>Staff training</h3>
The requirements in terms of staff training are greatly reduced. Employees only need to learn how to operate and navigate one system rather than multiple ones. The investment of time and resources the organization has to stump up is much more manageable and cost-effective with just a single platform.
<h3>Shadow IT</h3>
One major headache you can forget about with a cloud intranet is security. The cloud provider retains all responsibility for ensuring the security and integrity of your intranet using the very latest industry-standard security measures. These include SSL encryption and OKTA secure web authentication. What’s more, internal security threats are taken care of with user name and password protection, restricted access to sensitive information and role-based permissions.
In addition, management can easily maintain control and oversight of corporate IT because there’s only one platform to worry about.
And so if your company is grappling with an out-of-control proliferation of single-purpose apps then it may be time for a fresh approach. Why not take advantage of MyHub’s <a href="https://freetrial.myhubintranet.com/freetrial">free demo or trial period</a> and see for yourself what an integrated, multi-purpose <a href="/simple-intranet/">intranet platform</a> can offer your business.

Cloud Intranets: The Future Is Multi-Purpose Software

Regardless of whether you have a successful business that meets all of its sales goals, or you’re a brand-new startup that is still struggling to keep afloat, you need to be able to analyze important data in order to make informed decisions about your brand.
There are so many different aspects to running a business, even though sometimes they may not seem connected.
However, it’s these subtle connections that can make all the difference between a successful company that really takes off, and one that crashes and burns.
By understanding and implementing <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/business-intelligence-vs-analytics-whats-difference-alexia-p-bullard">business intelligence and analytics systems and programs</a>, business owners are better able to keep track of important data and use those numbers to their advantage.
<h2>Business Intelligence vs. Business Analytics</h2>
Business Intelligence concentrates on a consistent grouping of data in order to organize and track performance and to guide business planning. It answers the questions of “what happened”, “Where can we improve,” and “how often does this occur.”
Business Analytics consists of the skills, technologies, and applications required for exploration and investigation into the data acquired through business intelligence. This data is then used to predict future events, or to find patterns within a business’ data that would have never otherwise been found. This answers questions like, “Why is this occurring,” “what will happen if this trend continues”, “what is going to happen next”, and “Given x, what is the best possible outcome.”
For example, if a company that sells band patches checked their business intelligence and analytics, they would discover their band patches sales tend to peak in July. They would also see that barely any patches are sold in December.
With this information, they could find the optimal times to put their band patches on sale, and when they should stock up on their inventory.
When you compare BI and BA, you will see that BI involves collecting data and analyzing current data with the intent to improve business operations. BA, on the other hand, analyzes past data in order to create predictions of a business’ trends with the intent to improve the business and prepare it for upcoming changes.
<h2>Importance of Business Intelligence &amp; Analytics</h2>
Business intelligence systems and analytics are essential for the maintenance, optimization, and streamlining of current business operations, regardless of industry or type of business.
For example, most people associate business analytics with <a href="https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/">Google Analytics</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/intl/en/webmasters/#?modal_active=none">Google Search Console</a>, and other popular programs for analyzing the performance of e-commerce businesses and other websites.
These systems offer several key benefits for business owners, making them a salient aspect of the behind-the-scenes business operations:
<h3>Increase productivity</h3>
Traditional methods of data collection, organization, and analysis are time-consuming and require more manpower than business owners may have the budget for. By using a BI and analytics program, business owners can collect data and create reports with just a couple of clicks of the mouse. This drastically frees up time and resources, allowing employees and other staff members to focus on their core tasks.
<h3>Nurture Leads</h3>
As a business owner, you’re likely to be very aware of the importance of keeping track of leads and existing customers, as well as guiding them through the sales funnel of your organization. Having business intelligence and analytics systems in place will allow you to collect and organize vital data about your customers and leads, and present that data in a way that makes sense, complete with charts and tables.
This will make it easier to guide your leads through the sales funnel, from initial website visit to email list subscription, on through purchasing to post-sales services.
<h3>Reach Sales Goals</h3>
By being able to collect and analyze sales data and customer information, it will be far easier to understand how close you are to reaching your goals and to know what you need to do in order to improve. Additionally, BI allows you to keep track of all of that information, so it can be accessible to the partners or other organizations who need it.
<h3>Large Return on Investment (ROI)</h3>
Business intelligence and analytics systems offer better strategy, awareness, faster and more efficient data reporting, and <a href="https://www.gooddata.com/blog/discover-money-saving-insight-how-cloud-based-bi-reduces-costs-engaging-users">lower costs and overhead</a>. Employees are able to focus on their core sales tasks, and the administrative and marketing teams gain deeper insight into the behavior of their customers.
By having a better understanding of what your customers are buying or not buying, and why, business owners will be able to offer or develop products that match the current consumer trends for their industry, thereby boosting their profitability and brand visibility.
<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>
Business intelligence and analytics systems offer business owners the tools they need to gather and organize important data, and then have it presented to them in a way that makes it easier to create actionable plans for improving their business organization.
These systems make it possible to identify key trends in your organization’s data, so you can compare them to industry trends and see where you match up. By having this data, especially sales information and customer profiles, you can create more connections between different areas within your business and boost your sales.

Business Intelligence and Analytics: What You Need to Know

alexia-bullard

Content Management Systems (CMS) are some of the most common targets of hacking on the Internet today.
In fact, a <a href="http://www.wpwhitesecurity.com/wordpress-news/statistics-70-percent-wordpress-installations-vulnerable/">study conducted by WP White Security </a>found that 73% of all WordPress installations contained known vulnerabilities that would have quickly and easily been found through the utilization of automated tools.
It’s these types of security holes that have resulted in cyber criminals hacking into over 170,000 back in 2012 alone – a number that is probably even higher by now.

<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how-to-secure-your-cms688x0-is.jpeg" />
<h2>What makes CMS platforms vulnerable to hacking?</h2>
<a href="/key-website-builders/">CMS platforms</a> are appealing targets to hackers for a wide variety of reasons, mainly the number of weak entry points – such as the numerous plugins available for CMS like WordPress. 
Many people assume that, because CMS like WordPress and Drupal are highly popular and recognized names, there must be some form of protection. They can’t just leave all of their users vulnerable, right?
Think again.
CMS are inherently open to attack because of the fact their foundation is an open source framework. These types of shared development environments have myriad benefits, but they also come with just as many issues.
Because of the popularity of the top CMS available out there, the security holes within these systems are actively being identified and targeted, both by the good guys (security research teams) and the bad guys (cyber criminals).
Once these holes have been found, they turn that particular CMS into treasure troves of data for cyber criminals, even to the point of creating an entry point for automated attacks on a massive scale.
To add salt to the wound, there are users who use the same passwords for all of their accounts, or even just use weak passwords. These leave their admin accounts open to attacks, even if they aren’t aware of it. This can result in their websites being injected with all sorts of malware and escalating the issue beyond the point of control.
These issues can even result in the websites becoming blacklisted by Google and other search engines, which adversely affects their business or brand as a whole.
<h2>How users can secure their CMS in 5 steps</h2>
There are numerous things users can do to protect their CMS against vulnerabilities and fortify their systems from attack.
These include:
<h3>1 . Use a strong password</h3>
A vast amount of people know how to access CMS administrator backend, especially when it comes to popular sites like <a href="https://web3.com.au/logging-in-to-wordpress/">WordPress</a>.
Make sure yours is secure with a strong password to make this process harder for hackers and other cyber criminals. Additionally, you’re going to want to hash the password(s) you use by implementing a slow hashing algorithm.
BONUS: Block the IP for at least one minute after x amount of password authentication failures. Three is the recommended amount of attempts before IP blocking.
<h3>2 . Have a firewall in place</h3>
Setting up a firewall will not only further secure your CMS, but it will also help you keep an eye on suspicious activity and track them by providing a related IP address for the source of that activity.
Once you’ve detected and found suspicious activity, you can then blacklist the IP the firewall provided.
<h3>3 . ALWAYS backup your CMS</h3>
This is one of the most essential aspects of CMS security, and is actually just an overall good habit to have.
Have a backup system in place that will make it possible to recover your website in the event something happens. Always make sure your backups are updated as much as possible to avoid any security vulnerabilities or further problems down the road.
BONUS: Make sure your CMS and any extensions it may have are updated. These upgrades should be double-checked to ensure they are fully compatible with your system before you allow or make them. Of course, you’re always going to want to backup your CMS before conducting these updates.
<h3>4 . Protect against SQL-injections</h3>
An SQL-injection is a cyber attack that embeds malicious code within your CMS and its backend database. Once it’s in there, that malicious code then creates database query results and / or actions that you definitely do not want executed.
There are several types of SQL-injections, and they enable the cyber criminal to do a whole variety of things. These include:
<ul>
<li>
Editing, deleting, reading, or adding to the content of your CMS
</li>
<li>
Accessing and reading source code from the files on the CMS server
</li>
<li>
Write files to the server
</li>
</ul>
While it is true that any one of those things relies heavily upon the capabilities of the cyber criminal, any SQL-injection can still lead to you losing control of your database and web server.
In order to prevent this from happening, <a href="https://www.netsparker.com/blog/web-security/understanding-sql-injection-protection/">use prepared statements</a>, as these separate the structure and data. This allows the SQL server to interpret them without being open and vulnerable to a hacker that is trying to alter the structure of the SQL query for their own malicious purposes.
<h3>5 . Get an SSL Certificate</h3>
An SSL certificate (secure sockets layer) is the standard security technology that is used to produce an encrypted link that goes between the web server and the browser. It is this link that will ensure that the data that goes between the server and the browser will stay private and secure.
<a href="https://www.godaddy.com/help/adding-an-ssl-certificate-to-a-domain-in-simple-control-panel-2325">Adding an SSL certificate to your domain</a> will not only add an additional layer of security to your CMS, but will also help with SEO because it tends to get your website ranked higher in search engines.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how-to-secure-your-cms-1547x0-is.jpeg" />
<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>
Website security is one of those things that can truly be considered a “Catch-22” type of situation.
The more cyber criminals are out there trying to gain access into people’s CMS, the more security researchers crack down on it and come with new methods of protection. The greater the security becomes, the harder the cyber criminals will work to gain access – and they do like challenges.
It’s really an ongoing battle that is seemingly without end.
But, where does that leave you and your CMS?
It’s hard to say for sure where your CMS lies within the cyber criminal-infested waters, but there are things you can do to ensure your CMS is as secure as you can possibly make it. These five methods of security will help reduce threats to your CMS and help keep your data out of jeopardy.

How to Secure Your CMS in 5 Steps

User experience is one of the most important parts of website development processes. Website owners should place a particular emphasis on the perfect user experience because today it is a huge trend.
According to <a href="https://experiencematters.blog/2014/01/31/data-snapshot-cx-expectations-and-plans-for-2014/">statistics</a>, 84% of companies expect to increase their focus on customer experience measurement and metrics.
A great user experience is what draws your visitors in and compels them to stay on your website longer. However, if a website is difficult to use and people can’t find any information, they will leave.
61% of users <a href="http://googlemobileads.blogspot.com.by/2012/09/mobile-friendly-sites-turn-visitors.html">say</a> that if they didn’t find what they were looking for right away on a mobile site, they’d quickly move on to another one.
If you want to create a website with the perfect interactive elements to provide a great user experience on Drupal, but you feel that the platform itself doesn’t give you enough space for creativity, integrate it with Angular.
Let’s find out why these frameworks are a good option.
<h2>What is Drupal 8 and What are Its Benefits?</h2>
Drupal is a <a href="https://www.drupal.org/project/usage/drupal">popular</a> open-source website development platform which simplifies the online management of content and users. It's used to make many of the websites and applications we use every day. It has great standard features, like easy content authoring, reliable performance, and excellent security.
Due to its powerful functionality, Drupal provides excellent opportunities for the development of complex websites.

Within 90 days of the <a href="http://buytaert.net/drupal-8-0-0-released">release of Drupal 8.0.0</a>, the new version outpaced Drupal 7 by more than 200%.
Drupal was released under the GNU General Public License, which <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License">guarantees</a> end users the freedom to run, study, share and modify the software.
Thus, Drupal is free to download from Drupal.org. Anyone can modify and extend the platform by adding various extensions, plugins and integrating frameworks, for example, Angular.
Drupal has more than 2,000 free design templates and more than 34,000 free plugins.
Drupal has the following benefits:
<ul>
<li></li>
<li></li>
<li></li>
<li></li>
<li></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
1. Technically Advanced. Drupal is one the most technically advanced content management systems. Being one of the most powerful tools, it requires some expertise and experience to operate.
</li>
<li>
2. High Performance. Drupal pages load quickly and have fast response time. It is less resource-intensive and requires a less expensive server or hosting setup.
</li>
<li>
3. Customizable. Drupal is highly customizable. The platform may be integrated with many widely available plug-ins, themes and other configurable options to choose from. You can also edit the root files and code directly. Drupal is perfect for those developers who want to make more significant changes and customize the platform the way they want.
</li>
<li>
4. Free of charge. Anyone can download the Drupal software for free on Drupal.org, and install it on a hosting server.
</li>
<li>
5. Flexible Сontent Delivery. Drupal is known for its ability to tag, categorize, and organize complex content.
</li>
</ul>
Drupal is best for complex, advanced, and flexible websites that require complex data organization in addition to online stores for community platform websites with multiple users and. All of these benefits sustain Drupal and help the platform remain highly competitive.
<h2>Which Sites Can be Created on Drupal?</h2>
Drupal.org <a href="https://www.drupal.org/about">writes</a> that Drupal platform is suitable for any type of website creation.
It is ideal for community web portals, personal websites or blogs, E-commerce applications, social networking websites, games and entertainment websites and many more.
Awwwards <a href="https://www.awwwards.com/websites/drupal/">gathered</a> the best websites examples of Drupal designs.

An Italian restaurant website which is designed in a scrolling manner.
www.ristorantesangenesio.com

A website of a Swiss watch company with background videos
www.girard-perregaux.com
<h2>What is Angular 2 and What are Its Benefits?</h2>
Angular is a JavaScript framework that helps developers build applications. AngularJS was developed to make applications more interactive for the end user.
It was designed to overcome the limitations of HTML. Its library provides a number of features that make it trivial to implement the complex requirements of modern applications, such as data binding, routing, and animations.
Angular 2 is not an upgrade version of Angular 1, it is a complete rewrite of AngularJS.
Wikipedia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_(application_platform)">says</a>:
“Angular (commonly referred to as “Angular 2+” or “Angular 2″) is a TypeScript-based open-source front-end web application platform led by the Angular Team at Google and by a community of individuals and corporations to address all of the parts of the developer's workflow while building complex web applications. Angular is a complete rewrite from the same team that built AngularJS.”
With the help of Angular 2, you may design applications that present data and manipulate it and make lists of names and data.
Angular 2 also gives you a possibility to store products and design dynamic widgets, control smart forms and create miscellaneous interactive elements.
<h2>Angular 2 has the following benefits:</h2>
<ul>
<li>
Simplicity. Angular 2 framework is considered to be simpler than Angular 1 as it has fewer concepts, making it easier to understand.
The developers who designed Angular 2 took all of the feedback regarding Angular JS and applied it allowing them to produce a development product that was simpler to understand.
Angular 2 is a more streamlined framework. It allows developers to focus on building JavaScript classes.
It also provides a much richer development ecosystem. There you can also notice a sophisticated improvements with text editors or IDE’s auto-completion. With Angular 2 it is easier for developers to write more generic JavaScript, and plug it into Angular.
</li>
<li>
Mobile Orientation and Performance. Mobile optimization trends allowed developers to create a ground-up redesign of Angular and make the framework more suitable for mobile optimized websites and applications development.

smartinsights.com
Angular 2 is designed for development of mobile applications. It is optimized for memory efficiency. It has first-class support for touch events and gestures that work across all devices.
The goal of this framework is to consolidate development. It allows developers to take one framework and use it for the development of various applications.This makes development with NativeScript, for example, easier. As you can use the same framework to build native applications.
All the benchmarks that the Angular team is exercising are public and part of the <a href="https://github.com/angular/angular/tree/master/modules/benchmarks">GitHub repo</a>, so anyone can look at them and even run them locally.
</li>
<li>
Project Architecture and Maintenance. A GitHub contributor writes that the removal of minification workarounds and rigid prescriptions make maintaining existing applications at Angular 2 simpler.
The new module system also makes it easier to develop effective tooling that can better reason on larger projects.
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Examples of Angular 2 Applications</h2>
You can see some examples of using Angular 2 on <a href="http://angularexpo.com">angularexpo.com</a>.

lbd-pro-angular2.creative-tim.com

A Rhythm Sequencer Made with Angular 2 and TypeScript.
http://www.joeyfarina.com
<h2>Where Can Angular 2 be Used with Drupal?</h2>
In different types of live weather widgets, live update widgets, and various real-time tracking systems.
For example, <a href="https://www.wunderground.com/">wunderground.com</a> has such a weather widget:

In web shops and web carts, where you can get the price in real-time after setting product parameters and automatic calculations.
In various types of listings, e.g. news listings, person databases, and ticket systems.
Within smart forms that calculate some values and update in real-time without having to reload the page.
<h2>Wrapping Up</h2>
Angular is a JavaScript framework that helps developers build applications. Angular 2 is a complete rewrite of Angular. It is a new progressive framework which gives many opportunities to create a miscellaneous applications on a Drupal platform.
With Angular 2 you may create smart forms, different types of listings, online updating widgets and many other things.
The major benefits of Angular are its simplicity, mobile orientation, performance, and its architecture and maintenance.
Angular 2 can be easily integrated into your Drupal platform. This integration will provide you with the high speed of websites operation and the perfect user experience.

When Angular 2 Meets Drupal: Building Web Applications with Progressive Frameworks

As part of a series of actions by Google to increase online security, Chrome will flag any HTTP sites using login fields and other input sections as “not secure” starting October 2017. Google has already started marking HTTP sites that collect passwords or credit cards as not secure in Chrome v. 56. Since this change, there has been a 23 percent reduction in visits to HTTP page that prompt a password or credit card info on desktop. 
What are the options to maintain the security of your sites and avoid being flagged?
As Google rolls out these changes, the Chrome team urges websites to transition to HTTPS. HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure that encrypts all communication between browser and website using an agreed-upon “code” that scrambles any messages sent. This keeps information safe from hackers. HTTPS only guarantees a secure connection if users are communicating with real websites, not a malicious website impersonating a legitimate one.
SSL
Aside from transitioning to HTTPS, websites can implement <a href="https://www.devhub.com/blog/2671457-if-ssl-does-provide-a-ranking-boost-devhub-is-ready/">SSL certificates</a>. These certificates establish an encrypted link between browser and web server that HTTP sites don’t provide. The links ensure that all data passed between web server and browser remain private and integral. Allowing automated SSL integration within your domains will certify that your websites will always stay secure. They are quick and easy to implement.
Managing websites/ landing pages with DevHub allows for automated issuance of SSL certificates. This service will help ensure that your websites meet web safety standards and protect your visitors’ information.
“We never wanted to build a company that was scared of what Google would do next…so we always keep up with the latest web standards on behalf of our customers.”

Bulk Manage Website Security with Automated SSL Integration

<h2>The Challenge of Understanding Digital Customer Behavior</h2>
You might think that Fortune 500 companies are so successful that they can easily handle any challenge. In fact, large enterprises face numerous problems and issues that can significantly undermine their businesses.
In the face of constant tough competition, even these companies must constantly work to retain market share and win new markets.

One place where enterprises face various difficulties is website development. This is an essential part of any business, greatly influencing company’s sales, profits, and overall reputation. In this article, we will describe website development practices that are relevant for 2017, and are highly popular among Fortune 500 companies.
The Fortune 500 is 500 of the largest US corporations based on revenue. Published annually by Fortune magazine, the list includes both public and privately held companies with revenues figures that are openly published.
Ambitious companies may set a goal to reach the Fortune 500. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve that milestone due to constantly changing conditions and increased competition. Knowledge of current web development practices provides an opportunity to meet modern market requirements and make it onto the Fortune 500 list.
<h2>User Experience Revolutionizes Web Development</h2>
User experience (UX) has become a key factor influencing the way enterprises conduct business. Forrester research shows that a great user experience significantly impacts revenue: On average, every dollar invested in UX brings $100, an ROI of 9,900%.

There is a huge gap between enterprises that prioritize UX strategies and those that don’t. Let’s consider, for example, how Facebook, #157 in the Fortune list, in 2008 merged Myspace, which used to be the largest social networking site in the world in 2006.
One of the reasons why Myspace lost to Facebook was poor user experience.
At the moment of the company’s collapse, a Myspace employee wrote a <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f09rk/iama_myspace_employee_about_to_be_laid_off_today/">post</a> about the company’s situation on reddit.com. That post drew much attention and many people started to discuss the causes of Myspace’s failure.
The former Myspace user wrote: “I personally find Myspace unusable (moderate older computer) and it got even worse after the redesign of the user interface. A site I can hardly use to listen to a song with load times incredible slow and cpu usage 100% is just not usable for me.”
There were a lot of comments about both poor user interface and user experience. Users were dissatisfied with poor interface design, slow loading time, and the absence of logical structure of web pages. These were considered as the main reasons of Myspace’s failure.

Facebook, with its user-friendly interface, took over Myspace. Thus, user experience is at the core of website optimization.
Today,, many IT industry experts understand the importance of a quality user experience. That’s why there are many UX-related magazines and blogs that teach designers how to make the best websites. For example, a <a href="http://uxmag.com/">Mashable publishing partner</a> offers instructions, analyses, and expert opinions on user experience.
Below we discuss some of the best web development practices that can help enterprises enhance user experience.
<h2>Minimalistic Design: Less is More</h2>
The concept of minimalism is becoming more and more popular in designing the user interfaces of business websites. This trend is followed by many of 500 Fortune companies. As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry once said, “perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
The fact that minimalistic design influences people’s attention is based on psychology. According to Gestalt <a href="http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7498455/?reload=true">visual perception laws</a>, minimalism reduces viewer confusion and makes website interaction more effective.

Apple, #3 in the Fortune 500, has long praised minimalist design. Steve Job’s love of simplicity led to Apple’s design revolution. Apple's website has earned a good reputation due to its attractive brand identity and beautiful layouts. Alexa <a href="http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/apple.com">ranks</a> this website as #34 in popularity in the US.

This website’s design is minimalistic, with large areas of white space, and focus kept on a main product image. For example, at the time of writing, Apple featured a large image of Apple's Watch series 2.
The focus on main product features and elements makes a website design easier for a user to digest. An effective page should not be overloaded with strong colors, wordy content and intrusive advertising.
<h2>Cards and Grid Layouts Help Structure Information</h2>
Another frequently used web development trend is card design. This helps organize information in neat boxes that create a simple, minimalistic look.
The official website of Toyota, #8 at Fortune 500, reflects this idea. One of the main features of the website is micro-interactions, which provide control, guidance or rewards. They also make the user experience entertaining.

This site structure of the site can be used to simplify the perception of information. It is a creative and practical solution for a website on which contains many sections and pages.
<h2>Interactivity Means Involvement</h2>

Many Fortune 500 companies use striking interaction elements on their websites that are hard not to ignore. This approach to web design is closely connected with the development of such technologies as virtual reality and augmented reality. They expand our perception of how the technology can be adapted for everyday usage.
The leader in this field is Google with its Daydream VR headset. Many other brands also adapt this technology.
With the advent of gadgets and the development of augmented reality technologies, marketing companies have undergone major changes. Websites can now present new products with the help of additional gadgets such as VR headsets. Another new technique is the use of 360º video, which does not require special hardware, and also changes the web development space significantly.

Peugeot, #121 on the Fortune list, conducted a promo campaign by creating a special website promoting the Peugeot 208. This website is an excellent example of new wave of web development and marketing.
At the website you can experience a virtual car ride near a coastline and try to catch a flying dragon with your mouse.
It is a popular practice to develop a separate website to support a new product as a part of a marketing campaign.
The site is not accessible now, but here is a promo video of this campaign: <a href="https://vimeo.com/141514381">Catch the Dragon</a>.

Websites with interactive elements amaze viewers with their beauty and creativity. They attract visitors and allow them to interact with different elements, which has a great influence on the perception of the brand and the company’s image
<h2>Background Videos and Animations Increase Audience Attention</h2>

For example, the main HP website page (#20 on the Fortune list) contains video which presenting the HP Sprocket Photo Printer. This video with vivid colors and dynamic pictures shows product advantages.

<h2>Mobile Friendly Websites Are a New Way of Building Brand Awareness</h2>
According to the data from comScore, “Overall, digital media time spent with mobile is now a whopping 68 percent. The desktop commands just 32 percent of our digital attention”.

In the very near future, smartphones are likely to increase their digital share above the 50% mark. Desktops and tablets will still play a critical role in digital market, but for businesses, it will be important to understand the influence that smartphones have and will continue to have.
Despite this trend, some Fortune 500 website do not represent best web development practices, and are not on the leading edge of mobile adoption. Merkle RKG, a performance marketing agency, noted that about 50% of Fortune 500 company websites don't meet Google’s mobile standards, which will negatively impact their organic search result ranks. Enterprises need to optimize their sites for smartphones both to suit modern uses of the web and to ensure that they rank highly in searches.
<h2>Conclusions</h2>
<ul>
<li>
The best web development practices of Fortune 500 companies are oriented around a customer-based user experience. Companies such as Apple, HP, Peugeot and others have websites that are logically structured and well-designed in terms of technical details and user interface.
</li>
<li>
Minimalistic design is a current trend, and experts have shown a correlation between better perception and minimalism in design. The main focus of a minimalist website should be on the product, and the site should not be overloaded with too many colors and advertising.
</li>
<li>
Card and grid layouts are widespread among the Fortune 500, being used by Toyota, Sony, and many other companies. This design helps organize the information into clear units.
</li>
<li>
Background videos and interactive elements can help focus visitors’ attention on the product. HP and Peugeot use interactive elements in their websites.
</li>
<li>
Adoption for Mobile is an important trend, but many Fortune 500 enterprises haven’t yet made their websites suitable for mobile users. Since Google plans to focus on mobile-friendly sites, these companies will need to make changes soon to remain competitive.
</li>
</ul>

Best Web Development Practices Used by Fortune 500 Companies

For nearly as long as the Internet has been around, there have been website builders of all types. The earliest versions of these were decidedly far more limited than they are today, but even back then developers understood there is a huge market for DIY website builders.
As one would expect, the website builder market is a busy one with around 35 main vendorsand numerous more that aren’t as popular. This is a steadily evolving and quickly growing market and, with all of these <a href="/key-website-builders/">website builders</a> to choose from, it can be difficult for business owners to decide on the right one for them and their brand.
This particular review is going to take a close look at one of the more popular website builders, <a href="https://www.squarespace.com/">Squarespace</a>, which has been around since 2004. We’ll take a look at the pros and cons of this tool, as well as offer some insight into who would be most ideal for.
<h2>An Overview of Squarespace</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/squarespace_review_1934x0-is.png" />
Squarespace was developed as a website publishing platform that makes it possible for users to have attractive, professional-looking websites without having to know how to code or having to hire an expert. Additionally, Squarespace is designed with a highly user-friendly CMS that makes it easy to update and edit your website.
<h3>Customizable Templates</h3>
There are numerous different types of templates to choose from, divided up by category.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/squarespace_review_2947x0-is.png" />
The vast majority of these templates are eye-catching, attractive, and have a very modern feel to them. This is one thing that puts Squarespace ahead of the other popular website builders, and is a big reason why it has around 50,000 active users.
As a paying customer, you have access to all of these templates – around 80. They are all responsive, so customers don’t have to worry about them not working on mobile devices. Squarespace automatically generates a mobile-optimized version of your site, without the user having to do anything extra.
To go with these customizable templates, there is a wide array of different web fonts that can be used to make your website look and feel exactly the way you want.
<h4>Editing the Templates</h4>
While virtually all of the templates are customizable, the degree to which you can edit them mostly depends on which one you’ve chosen.
Some templates allow you to change pretty much all of the design elements, from font spacing to the page backgrounds. Others, however, are more “as-is” and are incredibly difficult to change without adding your own custom CSS to your website.
This is one of the main issues with this website builder. One of the main attractions of this platform is that it’s a code-free builder. Users having to resort to adding their own CSS defeats the purpose.
On a similar note, some templates let users add sidebars and others do not. Depending on the user and what they intend to do with their website, this can most definitely be an issue. However, there are still plenty of other templates to choose from.
<h2>Ease of Use</h2>
Squarespace is very easy to use, and does not require the user to have extensive technical knowledge in order to create a professional-looking website.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/squarespace_review_3578x0-is.png" />
The page editor makes things very simple.
Simply click on the part of the page you want to edit, and the above menu will pop up. You can add everything from text to video, with numerous other options available.
<h3>Importing and Exporting Content</h3>
If you’re leaving another site, such as WordPress or Blogger, there is an import tool available to help you switch all your existing content over to your Squarespace site.
Content can also be exported to a WordPress format XML file. However, this only exports text and images, but does not export not products (for those who are using it as an online store). This could be a problem for many users.
<h3>Drag-and-Drop Content Blocks</h3>
When it comes to getting the layout the way you want it, Squarespace offers a lot of versatility within its drag-and-drop “layout engine”.
Simply click on the block of content you want, and then drag it to where you want it to go. This measure of flexibility is a definite pro when it comes to using Squarespace.
The types of content blocks that users can add to their pages include:
<ul>
<li>
Text
</li>
<li>
Images &amp; image galleries
</li>
<li>
Markdowns
</li>
<li>
Audio
</li>
<li>
Video
</li>
<li>
Content summaries
</li>
<li>
Code
</li>
<li>
Maps
</li>
<li>
Calendars
</li>
<li>
Charts
</li>
</ul>
As an additional bonus when it comes to content blocks, users can choose from a whole host of pre-defined page layouts. This includes contact pages, team pages, and about pages. This can make it a lot easier – and faster – to get your website designed, ready, and live.
<h3>Images</h3>
Squarespace makes it very easy to add and edit images. Users can resize, rotate, crop, and edit their images as much as they want. They can also be added to galleries, with multiple presentation options that include slideshows, grids, and carousels.
This makes Squarespace an excellent option for photographers and other creative professionals.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/squarespace_review_4315x0-is.png" />
If you do not have enough images of your own, or having trouble finding available stock images, you can browse through and purchase Getty images directly through Squarespace. Once you’ve purchased them, you can insert them directly onto the page in the exact spot you want them.
<h3>Blogging Platform</h3>
Squarespace really stands out when it comes to its blogging platform. Unlike many other website builders, Squarespace allows its users to have as many blogs as they want on their website. Users can even add a drop-down menu (depending on the template) to their navigational bar, so as to not have things looking cluttered and chaotic.
Overall, the blogging aspect of Squarespace is a good one. However, there are some things that pose an issue.
<ul>
<li>
There is no autosave, which is a BIG issue and a fairly huge thing to have omitted when designing this website builder. If you’re not careful, you will have to start all over again when adding a new blog post.
</li>
<li>
Blog excerpts are the meta descriptions for your blog posts, and this is unable to be changed.
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Squarespace Pricing</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/squarespace_review_5930x0-is.png" />
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/squarespace_review_6927x0-is.png" />
The plans and pricing are easy to follow, with four monthly pricing options available. These pricing plans are divided up into two groups: Websites and Online Stores.
Any of the pricing plans allow you to sell products through your website, which makes this division a tad confusing.
The two Website pricing plans are:
<ul>
<li>
Personal – $12 per month, billed annually, or $16 month-to-month ($144 or $192)
</li>
<li>
Business – $18 per month, billed annually, or $26 month-to-month ($216 or $312)
</li>
</ul>
The two Online Store pricing plans are:
<ul>
<li>
Basic – $26 per month, billed annually, or $30 month-to-month ($312 or $360)
</li>
<li>
Advanced – $40 per month, billed annually, or $46 month-to-month ($480 or $552)
</li>
</ul>
Paying upfront for the full year would be cheaper, but the mont-to-month plan is a good choice for those who don’t have a few hundred to drop right away.
The key differences between the plans are in the features, all of which are listed under each pricing plan.
The pricing is more expensive than other website builders, and Squarespace does not offer a free plan. There is a 14-day free trial, but that’s it.
Squarespace is geared more toward professional websites, rather than personal ones, and it seems as though this is factored into the pricing. There are numerous features that would be unneccessary for someone who just wants a personal site.
<h2>Pros and Cons of Squarespace</h2>
Just as with any other type of website builder, Squarespace has both positive and negative aspects. These should be carefully weighed when deciding whether or not Squarespace is the right choice for you and your brand.
<h3>Squarespace Pros</h3>
<ul>
<li>
Templates: Squarespace offers a large amount of professional, attractive templates. Most of these can be customized, but the degree to which they can be altered depends almost entirely on the design. Most of the differences between the templates depend on which images are being used for the website.
</li>
<li>
SEO: Squarespace users don’t have to worry as much about the technical side of this. Squarespace helps you to get found on search engines, offering features such as custom page titles, custom URLs, meta descriptions, and 301 redirects.
</li>
<li>
Blogging: Users can have as many blogs as they want, and there is a wide variety of available content types. Users can even host podcasts through Squarespace.
</li>
<li>
Cover Pages: Visually-stunning, one-page websites. These act as great entry points for your website, or as landing pages for digital marketing.
</li>
<li>
Domain Hosting: Domains can be purchased through Squarespace, which will host your website.
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Squarespace Cons</h3>
<ul>
<li>
No Autosave: The lack of autosaving when it comes to blog content is a huge drawback. One wrong click, and you have just lost hours worth of work.
</li>
<li>
Pricing: Squarespace is considerably more expensive than the other popular website builders out there. Even with its targeted audience of professionals and business owners, this is still an expensive builder.
</li>
<li>
Page Speed: Many of the templates load very slowly, which may adversely affect search engine rankings and user / customer experience.
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>
<a href="http://www.squarespace.com" target="_blank">Squarespace</a> is one of the most popular website builders out there on the market, and it’s easy to see why. This one is best for professionals and business owners, but those looking for something to host a personal website would probably do better going elsewhere.
<h4>Have you tried Squarespace? Share your thoughts in the comments below!</h4>

Website Builder Review: Squarespace

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