Articles - Page 81

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

matt-garrepy

PDFFiller is an online PDF form filler and editor that has been on the market since 2006. It allows you to not only fill out PDF documents, sign them and send them out but also to host them on your own website complete with the ability for people to do the same. Today, I'm going to share with you my PDFFiller Review.
I first came across PDFFiller when they reached out to me to ask if I was interested in taking a look at their software. Being a long time Docusign user, I was eager to check out an alternative and see if it met my needs. I'm glad I did. PDFFiller is significantly easier to use and felt far faster in my time using the software. For the purposes of this PDFFiller review, I've used a W8 form from the IRS (something I often have to fill out being Canadian and working with US companies).
When you first log into PDFFiller, you'll be greeted with this screen:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pdf-fillter-review-1.png" />
To add a document, simply click on the Add New Form button.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pdf-fillter-review-2.png" />Now upload your document to PDFFiller and it will instantly be available for you to fill out.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pdf-fillter-review-31398x0-is.png" />Now that you've uploaded your PDF document, just click in the fields and fill out the information required. It's as easy as clicking and typing.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pdf-fillter-review-4.png" />Once you've filled out the form, it's time to move to the signature stage. Adding a signature is incredibly easy, you can type one out, draw it with your mouse, use a touch screen device (if you have one), capture a signature or upload one.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pdf-fillter-review-5.png" />In my case, I chose to draw one with my mouse, which I find is as close as I can get to real life. In this instance, I'm using a fake name so I'll just sign the document as “Joe”.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pdf-fillter-review-6.png" />That's all there is to the signing and filling out process. Pretty simply isn't it? Let's take a quick look at a few other slick features you get with PDFFiller. Adding a watermark to documents is always handy and doing so simply requires you clicking on the watermark tab on the right side of the screen and creating yours.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pdf-fillter-review-71398x0-is.png" />This is incredibly handy for those of us who want to show people how a form should be completed but don't want it to be re-used somewhere else. Adding in a SAMPLE or VOID watermark is useful.
Adding even more features, PDFFiller also allows you to spell check your document. Of course, it can only spell check the information you've typed out but it's a great feature to make sure you haven't made any mistakes on your form. To enable it, simply flick the switch as shown below.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pdf-fillter-review-8.png" />Once you've finished with your document, it's time to send it off. You have a slew of options such as printing it, saving it as Word or PDF, emailing, faxing, SMS and more.

<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pdf-fillter-review-9.png" />
There you have it, as you can see, it's a very easy to use piece of software and incredibly handy for busy professionals who don't have printers with them on the road. Last but not least, they have one feature I can see people using on their websites that is incredibly handy, the ability to share a document that can be filled out and signed by visitors to your website. Check out the video below to see how it works:
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gpfKOYynDnc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Simply <a href="https://www.pdffiller.com" target="_blank">sign up for an account with PDFFiller</a> and you'll be well on your way to signing contracts, PDFs and more. They also have handy iOS and Android apps that are just as easy to use.

PDFFiller Review - A Must Have in your Arsenal

mike-johnston

SquareSpace has been getting alot of attention of late for their revolutionary CMS. SquareSpace is an incredibly powerful and unique, hosted solution that gives the designer/developer unprecedented control over the look of their site and it's content. Today we're going to take a look at it in this SquareSpace review.
SquareSpace is available with a number of plans ranging from $8/month to $50/month (more details on their<a href="http://www.squarespace.com" target="_blank"> pricing page</a>).
When you first log into your account, you will notice a menu along the top of the site that offers a number of options:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/squarespace1-580x104_egtoha.jpg" alt="Squarespace 5 Review" /> 
Clicking on the overview option provides a number of statistics for your website using some nicely rendered charts (it's nice to see some well done integrated analytics):
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/squarespace2-580x308_uajfu5.jpg" alt="Squarespace 5 Review" /> 
Squarespace CMS also has inline editing which you can access directly from the site.
You can see the links once you log into the CMS:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/squarespace3-580x309_peyxdu.jpg" alt="Squarespace 5 Review" /> 
Clicking the “Post new entry” button overlays an very well designed editor that has literally every function you could want (and more) including video embedding, photo embedding and much more. Using their editor is a snap and works beautifully. Embedding a YouTube video into a post, for example, is as easy as pasting the URL.. the editor will then provide a preview and give you a number of options for sizing and alignment.
Here's a screenshot of the editor:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/squarespace4-580x426_rfyj7g.jpg" alt="Squarespace 5 Review" />
Entering Tags and Categories within the editor is just a click and type function and works exactly as one might expect.
Article references can also be inserted with ease thanks to a handy References button within the editor:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/squarespace5-580x365_kadawj.jpg" alt="Squarespace 5 Review" />
The editor in the top right of the screen (shown below) allows you to switch between modes such as content editing, structure editing, style editing and preview mode.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/squarespace6_enfg5a.jpg" alt="Squarespace 5 Review" />
We've already shown you content editing mode, let's move on to Structure Editing mode.. (the 4 square blocks shown in the menu above).
Structure editing mode allows you to add and insert sections, add/modify widgets, edit the headers and more. Clicking on this mode will show a number of options as well as page configuration:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/squarespace7-580x410_zdye76.jpg" alt="Squarespace 5 Review" />
Clicking on configure this page will bring up the dialog below which lets you make modifications to the individual page itself. There are far too many options to possibly show with screenshots so we'd recommend trying out their demo if you'd like to see the options and play around. You can get a demo for 14 days (no credit card required) from their website.
Switching to style editing mode (yes, the options never end with this software..) provides you with even more functionality. Now you can switch templates using this screen:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/squarespace8-580x165_ey9tnc.jpg" alt="Squarespace 5 Review" />
Once you've found the right template, you can copy it into your own style and make whatever changes you want. Clicking on Banner &amp; Navigation provides the following functions (column configuration, customized banners, etc):
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/squarespace9-580x210_t8h0xt.jpg" alt="Squarespace 5 Review" />
Once you've made the necessary changes on this page, you can take them ever further by modifying individual CSS, fonts, sizes and more all from a number of handy menus.
There really are far too many options to possibly cover in one review, but this SquareSpace Review should give you a good idea of what to expect from SquareSpace.
For those of you who are thinking that with all of these positives, there must be something wrong, surely support must be poor or something is lacking… the short answer is No.
Support responses were the fastest we have ever had from any support ticket we have filed. Literally within 5 minutes of submitting a request, we had a reply back.. they are fast, polite and efficient and we highly recommend them. Now, having said that, we don't expect this fast of a response all of the time but it certainly was a pleasant first experience.
One thing is for certain, SquareSpace rivals most installed CMS systems when it comes to ease of use, beauty and functionality and this SquareSpace Review was a pleasure to write.
<h3>Pro's:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Beautifully designed interface that is both snappy and well designed.</li>
<li>Huge number of options and configuration possibilities.</li>
<li>Images are uploaded and hosted on super fast Amazon S3 servers.</li>
<li>Cost is incredibly inexpensive for such a powerful system.</li>
<li>Support from SquareSpace is remarkably fast.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Con's:</h3>
<ul>
<li>It won't do your laundry.</li>
</ul>
Website: <a href="http://www.squarespace.com" target="_blank">http://www.squarespace.com</a>
Do you have any comments about this CMS? Have you found this SquareSpace review helpful? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Squarespace 5 Review

If there's one thing that's a sure thing in the world of CMS, it's that there is almost always a product for every individual need if you look hard enough. Today, I'm going to introduce you to a fairly new CMS to the market called CollectiveAccess.
<h2>Let's start with the basics, what is CollectiveAccess?</h2>
Well, it's a CMS that is best described (according to their website) as software for describing all manner of things, and allows you to create catalogues that closely conform to your needs without custom programming. In other words, It is free open-source software for managing and publishing museum and archival collections.
If that's still not descriptive enough for you, it's basically a CMS that you can use to build all kinds of different types of websites but specifically focused on websites to display things such as online catalogues, libraries, production and broadcast footage, special collections and more. To get an idea of the types of projects it has been used for, <a href="http://www.collectiveaccess.org/#projects" target="_blank">visit this link</a>.
<h2>Features</h2>
<ul>
<li>Runs on any modern web browser</li>
<li>Pre-configured with several library standards including Dublin Core, PBCore, VRA Core and more</li>
<li>Customizable through simple user interfaces — no complex programming required</li>
<li>Reporting tools easily generate finding aids and exports to PDF or spreadsheet-readable formats</li>
<li>Supports multilingual cataloging</li>
<li>Mapping tools allow you to georeference any asset</li>
<li>Integrated with Library of Congress subject headings, Getty vocabularies, GeoNames, and more</li>
<li>Plugins extend the software's core functionality to support timelines, visualizations, image licensing and more</li>
<li>Import frameworks allow for the batch migration and transformation of media and data</li>
<li>Free online documentation and support</li>
</ul>
This is, of course, just a subset of the features available. <a href="http://www.collectiveaccess.org/features" target="_blank">Check here for a full set of features</a>.
<h2>Screenshots</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot_2015-07-08_at_12_53_26_pm766x0-is.png" />
Interested? <a href="http://www.collectiveaccess.org/" target="_blank">Visit their website</a> or <a href="http://demo.collectiveaccess.org/index.php/system/auth/login" target="_blank">check out a demo</a> and play around with it a bit to see if it fits your needs.

CollectiveAccess - A CMS for Catalogues, Libraries, Museums and More

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.magnolia-cms.com">Magnolia CMS</a>, the open source Java platform, has unveiled its newest version.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/magnoliacmslogo-1409x0-is.jpg" /> With two awards (<a href="/2014-best-open-source-java-cms/">People's Choice Award for Best Open Source Java CMS</a> &amp; <a href="/2014-best-free-java-cms/">People's Choice Award for Best Free Java CMS</a>) under its belt from the 2014 CMS Awards, Magnolia is a platform that's moving in the right direction. <a href="/magnolia-5-3-blends-cxm-with-cms-to-deliver-best-of-breed-software">The release of Magnolia 5.3 played a part</a>, bringing greater personalization features to the product.Magnolia 5.4 introduces a number of interesting changes and additions. Here's a summary.<h2>Light Modules, Magnolia Templating Essentials &amp; Amazon S3</h2>Magnolia's introduction of light modules allows developers to customize Magnolia by using frontend technologies and HTML on the file system.They can quickly and easily develop light modules and apps without Java know-how and by using their favorite tools, including CSS and HTML editors, instead of Java IDEs and build tools.Furthermore, the new Magnolia Templating Essentials (MTE) provides a set of 32 reusable component templates that allows developers to quickly build templates for their projects.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/lightmodule_png_2015-07-07-17-26-51.png" />Because it is front-end framework agnostic, it enables front-end developers to build powerful integrations with front-end frameworks like Bootstrap and Foundation.Magnolia 5.4 also brings about Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) support. This enables users to optionally manage assets in Amazon S3 while using them in Magnolia. This move brings unlimited asset management scalability to Magnolia projects.<h2>YAML-based Configuration By File &amp; A New Demo Site</h2>Magnolia 5.4 also enables a consistent, straightforward workflow for editing templates, resources (like Javascript and CSS) and configuration directly on the file system.Developers can now develop powerful extensions using simple YAML files. Configuration by file has a number of advantages, including increased transparency, ease of editing and better collaboration for developer teams.To illustrate how the latest version makes things faster and easier for developers, and to show the easy-to-use author experience, Magnolia has even designed a stunning new demo site.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/demo_png_2015-07-08-14-43-08.png" />Upon the announcement of Magnolia 5.4, Philipp Bärfuss, Magnolia's CTO, made these comments:<blockquote>“Magnolia 5.4 is a significant step forward for developers because of the increased capabilities and agility it enables. The result is improved collaboration among teams and faster work with less input.The new release significantly lowers the entry barrier for developers, who are now able to configure by file and use light java-free modules, in addition to having access to a powerful and easy-to-use templating kit. This makes Magnolia much more accessible.”</blockquote>To find out more about Magnolia 5.4, check out the official announcement.Also, you can get acquainted with <a href="/products/magnolia">Magnolia CMS through our CMS Directory</a>.

Magnolia 5.4: Light Modules, Templating Essentials & Amazon S3 Support

The <a href="https://contao.org/" target="_blank">Contao CMS</a> team have released version 3.3.0 of their platform, following four months of development and two months of testing.
Formerly known as TYPOlight, Contao is an open-source content management system offering a sleek interface and a number of useful content publishing tools.
The development stage of Contao 3.3.0 saw one beta release followed by two separate release candidates – all leading up to this release. In fact, 120 tickets and pull requests have been completed during the six months of development and testing.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/contao.png" alt="Contao 3.3.0" />
<h2>TinyMCE 4, Responsive Back End Themes &amp; More</h2>
Contao has integrated a host of improvements and additions to their platform with the release of version 3.3.0. These include evident front-end changes and less apparent framework tweaks.
Here is an overview of what's new with Contao 3.3.0:
<ul>
<li>Flexible &amp; responsive back-end theme.</li>
<li>Drag-and-drop file uploading.</li>
<li>Theme import/export permissions.</li>
<li>TinyMCE 4.</li>
<li>Front End Preview as a member.</li>
<li>File content versioning.</li>
<li>SCSS and LESS integration.</li>
<li>And much more.</li>
</ul>
For the details of each of these updates, check out Contao's feature announcements <a href="https://contao.org/en/news/contao-3_3_RC1.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://contao.org/en/news/contao-3_3_beta1.html" target="_blank">here</a>.
To find out more about Contao CMS, <a href="https://contao.org" target="_blank">check out their website</a>.
Also, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/contao/" target="_blank">Contao via our CMS Directory</a>.

Contao 3.3.0 Released With Numerous Enhancements

So WordPress and Wix are fighting one another – and I'm not talking about them competing for customers. Instead, the two website building heavyweights are having a brawl via the blogosphere.
Here's everything you need to know:
<h2>Matt Mullenweg Calls Out Wix</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/wordpress_wix.png" />
A few days ago, WordPress' Founder Matt Mullenweg took to his blog to <a href="https://ma.tt/2016/10/wix-and-the-gpl/" target="_blank">directly attack Wix</a>. Here's why.
Mullenweg wrote that he downloaded <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wixcom-launches-wix-app-providing-a-powerful-mobile-operating-system-for-small-business-owners-store-owners-hoteliers-and-bloggers-around-the-world-300339448.html" target="_blank">Wix's new mobile app</a>, which boasts a blog post editor. To cut a long story short, he first claimed to feel a sense of déjà vu before outright accusing Wix of stealing WordPress' code. Yeah, it escalated quickly.
To be more specific, he accused Wix of stealing open source code that WordPress and the WordPress community had crafted for WordPress' own mobile editor.
How can you steal open source code, you ask? Well, Matt Mullenweg pointed out that although open source code is free to take and modify, the borrower must then release the finished product under the GPL license, making it (you guessed it!) open source.
But Wix didn't do that.
They took the code and integrated it into their proprietary mobile app, sealing the open source code behind closed doors. Obviously, that grinded the gears of WordPress' Founder.
In fact, it even led him to take digs at Wix for their WordPress-inspired beginnings (they used to be called WixPress). It was a tad brutal at times, actually:
<blockquote>
“If I were being charitable, I’d say, “The app’s editor is based on the WordPress mobile app’s editor.” If I were being honest, I’d say that Wix copied WordPress without attribution, credit, or following the license.”
</blockquote>
<h2>Avishai Abrahami Responds</h2>
Wix's Co-Founder and CEO Avishai Abrahami read Matt Mullenweg's rant, <a href="http://www.wix.com/blog/2016/10/dear-matt-mullenweg-an-open-letter-from-wix-coms-ceo-avishai-abrahami/" target="_blank">and responded</a>.
He retorted by saying that Wix has a <a href="https://github.com/wix" target="_blank">GitHub page</a> full of open source projects, and also by admitting that they did indeed delve into some of WordPress' open source code in order to build their app (which there's nothing wrong with).
He also had some nice things to say about WordPress' contribution to the internet, alluding to the point that Wix and WordPress should be on the same page, rather than at odds with one another.
Abrahami also indicated that the source code for Wix's new app will be released, although he didn't explicityly say that:
<blockquote>
“We always shared and admired your commitment to give back, which is exactly why we have those 224 open source projects, and thousands more bugs/improvements available to the open source community and we will release the app you saw as well.”
</blockquote>
At the same time, Abrahami defended his company. He made it clear that Wix had always been about website building, and that WordPress (in its original form) was about blogging alone:
<blockquote>
“…your business model changed to almost exactly the one we had for years. Can it be that you guys are borrowing from us? If so, again, you are welcome to it.”
</blockquote>
<h2>Matt Mullenweg Hits Back</h2>
In response to Abrahami, Matt Mullenweg updated his original blog post. Suffice it to say, he wasn't exactly satisfied with what Wix's CEO had to say.
There were some niceties in play, but you can sense the passive aggressive tone seeping between every line of Mullenweg's second swipe at Wix. He jibed at Mr Abrahami's lack of comments on his post, reiterated his points about GPL license violations, and
<blockquote>
“I said the app includes stolen code. It doesn’t matter if it’s 30 lines or 30 million lines: because it includes GPL code and you distributed the app, the entire thing needs to be GPL. If you release the entire app’s code, as I think you said you would, then that resolves the license violation.”
</blockquote>
<h2>What's Next?</h2>
Well, Mr Abrahami did offer to take Matt Mullenweg out for a coffee. I hope that happens, although I won't be holding my breath.
Mullenweg seems adamant that cordial relations will only resume once Wix release their app under the GPL license, freeing up all the code to to be accessed by everyone and anyone. Until that happens, I think we can expect these strained relations to remain as they are.
What's your take on the beef between WordPress and Wix?

WordPress and Wix Are Fighting About Open Source Software

<a href="http://www.nuxeo.com/" target="_blank"> Nuxeo</a> have announced the release of a beta for their new hosting service, Nuxeo.io.
Nuxeo is an open source enterprise content management system used by professionals such as architects and developers to build, deploy, and run content-centric business applications.
Nuxeo.io, Nuxeo's latest offering, is a hosting service for building and managing Nuxeo Platform clusters in the cloud.
As a service of <a href="https://connect.nuxeo.com/nuxeo/site/connect/trial/form" target="_blank">Nuxeo Connect</a> – the subscription service providing support, maintenance and access to Nuxeo Studio – Nuxeo.io is a development environment offering quick and easy access to lightweight Nuxeo Platform instances on demand.
<img style="max-width:345px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/nuxeo_logo-1.png" alt="Nuxeo" />
<h2>Arken Built, Docker Based</h2>
The cloud-based development environment offered by Nuxeo.io makes for quick and easy access to lightweight Nuxeo Platform instances on demand.
The technology used to build and prop up Nuxeo's new hosting service is as follows:
<ul>
<li> Built with Arken:  nuxeo.io is built with Arken, an open source software infrastructure for instantiation, provisioning and resilience of application instances, on premises or on the Cloud. Arken was developed by Nuxeo.</li>
<li> Uses Docker:  Docker is a lightweight virtualization engine, or container. It provides the isolation of a VM, without the overhead of a machine, OS or hypervisor. Arken organizes Docker containers using CoreOS.</li>
<li> Runs on Amazon AWS/EC2:  nuxeo.io runs on Amazon AWS, but Arken is infrastructure independent;  it can run anywhere, so you can deploy nuxeo.io on premises as a private cloud installation or in the cloud in any IaaS environment.</li>
</ul>
Naturally, Nuxeo.io was built with developers with content-centric apps in mind. However, Nuxeo have claimed that Nuxeo.io is also a perfect fit for Nuxeo-based SaaS (Software as a Service) providers. This is thanks to the ease Nuxeo.io brings when it comes to building an environment to help manage services for your customers, while also managing your application infrastructure.
Additionally, because Nuxeo.io uses Docker – which relies on low-level features of Linux – SaaS providers can measure CPU usage for each customer, delegate isolation to the kernel and benefit from an environment which is far more secure.
The CEO of Nuxeo, Eric Barroca, made these comments regarding the release of Nuxeo.io:
<blockquote>“In a typical Nuxeo project lifecycle, dozens of instances of the Nuxeo Platform can be started and stopped: development, test, plugins, sandboxes, QA, and so on. Nuxeo.io provides Nuxeo customers easy and quick access to development instances that can be used for the entire lifecycle of a project from development to production.
The digital services­based economy is driving enterprises to provide solutions faster than ever before. Project teams need to be able to provision new environments quickly to build and adapt content­centric business applications that support their customers’ needs. SaaS providers have the same challenge, needing to offer new or enhanced services for their customers quickly. nuxeo.io is a great way to provide both a cloud­based infrastructure and application environment for the Nuxeo Platform to help them do this.
It’s lightweight and flexible, with low overhead required to get a new hosted Nuxeo Platform environment up and running. You can start and stop an instance in 20 seconds ­ now that’s quick.”</blockquote>
Existing Nuxeo Connect subscribers can sign up for the Nuxeo.io beta as of right now. If you aren’t yet a Nuxeo Connect subscriber, you can <a href="https://connect.nuxeo.com/nuxeo/site/connect/trial/form" target="_blank">sign up for a trial account</a> and give Nuxeo.io a whirl.
To find out more about Nuxeo, <a href="http://www.nuxeo.com/" target="_blank">check out their website</a>.
Also, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/nuxeo/" target="_blank"> Nuxeo via our CMS Directory</a>.

Nuxeo Rolls Out Beta of Hosting Service Nuxeo.io

Shopify - The global commerce platform

Build your business with Shopify to sell online, offline, and everywhere in between.

The global commerce platform

#ffffff

In a recent email sent to subscribers and in a <a href="https://medium.com/@tdominey/we-re-selling-koken-e1193c019f2f" target="_blank">blog post on Medium</a>, Koken Co-founder, Todd Dominey has announced that the team behind the Photography based CMS wants out and is actively looking for buyers.
Here's the email that was sent out to those subscribed to their mailing list a few minutes ago:
<blockquote>
Newsletter / July 2015
We're selling Koken
After considerable time and contemplation, we've decided it's time for a new team to take over.
We are actively looking for an outside company or group of individuals to acquire the CMS and all related assets.
<a href="http://koken.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a9619ef4b3fd333f807011fef&amp;id=d30cd18394&amp;e=63f7818315" target="_blank">This detailed blog post</a> contains everything there is to know. Our hope is that by being completely transparent with our business we can find the perfect team to provide Koken the leadership and resources it deserves. 
To our dedicated followers and supporters, we thank you. We will do everything we can to ensure this isn't the end but rather the start of something new.
During this transitionary period your Koken installation, web site, and the Koken Store will continue to function normally. New installations may still be created as well.
We promise to share any news or updates concerning this sale that may affect you as soon as we're able to.
Building Koken was a dream come true for us all, and we're so incredibly proud of what we accomplished together. Thank you for anything you did to support our endeavor.
Inquiries regarding this sale may be directed to Todd Dominey (Product Designer and Co-Founder) at <a href="mailto:todd@koken.me" target="_blank">todd@koken.me</a>
</blockquote>
Part of me is sad that they've chosen to sell it as it's got some serious potential but another part of me is hopeful that someone who can put the right amount of time and effort behind the project picks it up and makes something amazing happen. I think Koken is a great product and certainly offers something great to those who want a solid photography CMS but while it remains in limbo, I don't know that I'd be actively considering signing up for a new account.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/1-9dy2ovftqyjoar97ue5llq878x0-is.jpeg" />For those who haven't seen <a href="http://koken.me/" target="_blank">Koken</a>, go check it out. For a list of alternatives, see our recently updated post: <a href="/top-8-cms-for-photographers/" target="_blank">Top 8 CMS for Photographers</a>.
<hr />

Koken, the Photography CMS goes up for sale as Co-Founders announce they want out

<a href="https://www.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Weebly</a>, the website builder, has released some features that befit a marketing automation system.
The website builder recently ran into trouble with some hackers who reportedly <a href="/weebly-hacked-43m-customer-records-stolen/" target="_blank">stole 43 million Weebly customer credentials</a>. Weebly acknowledged the breach and urged their customers to change their passwords.
But that fiasco hasn't stopped them from working on new features in the meantime. Here's what's new with Weebly.
<address>
<h2>Automated Emails</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/emails_orig653x0-is.png" />
First up, Weebly users can now schedule and automate emails that get sent when a user interacts with your website in a specific way.
Here are some examples of how that can help:
<ul>
<li>Send a thank you when someone buys something from your store.</li>
<li>Send a happy birthday message (and discount) on a user's birthday.</li>
<li>Say hello to a customer who hasn't visited your store in a while.</li>
<li>Welcome new customers who sign up for your email list.</li>
<li>Send a survey to ask shoppers about their online experience.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Pop-up Lead Capture Forms</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/lead-capture_orig.jpg" />
Next, Weebly have rolled out lead capture forms to help you collect emails and contact information from your website's visitors. Once again, we're very much in marketing automation territory here.
According to Weebly, this new feature syncs with the platform's ‘Promote' list to capture emails and make it easy for visitors to join your mailng list. You can control the design, layout and timing of the promotion that pops up over pages or from the bottom corner when new users visit your website.
<h2>Abandoned Shopping Cart Tracking</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/cart_orig598x0-is.jpg" />
Weebly also unveiled a feature that lets you track the number of abandoned shopping carts on your website. That means every time a visitor leaves your site during the checkout process – but before handing over their cash – you'll know about it.
Also, this new Abandoned Cart feature saves the cart for every registered user and creates a link for you to email them a reminder to complete their purchase. Plus, the email can be automatically sent (thanks, automated emails!).
In fact, after a customer has made it to your checkout flow and entered an email, you can configure the amount of time that elapses before sending the customer an abandoned cart email.
<h2>Weebly: Blurred Lines?</h2>
Just a year ago, I would have been quite shocked to find a website builder like Weebly – which prides itself on simplicity – releasing features like the ones detailed above. .
Lead capture forms and abandoned shopping cart tracking? Those are relatively advanced webmaster tools that are typically reserved for enterprise-grade platforms. Or at least, they used to be.
Perhaps now we're looking at the new face of website building, where marketing automation comes as part of even the most basic package.
For me, it's exciting, but I'm not sure how well this all suits the newbie who just wants to make a simple website for a new business. It feels like the lines are getting blurred over at Weebly.
What's your take on the situation? Let me know in the comments below.
</address>

Weebly Unveils Marketing Automation Features

<a href="http://www.wix.com/" target="_blank">Wix</a> users have been spoilt for choice this month, thanks to the popular website builder unveiling a whopping 50 new features.
As one of the world's leading website builders, Wix offers a user-friendly interface and a huge range of templates to help individuals and companies create simple, good-looking, and functional websites.
These 50 new features have been, “specially developed to help grow your business”, and so I'm sure Wix's 46 million-strong user base will want to get to grips with what's new.
<a href="http://www.wix.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/wix700x0.png" alt="Wix Update" /></a>
<h2>From ShoutOut Newsletters to Mobile HTML Editing</h2>
From amongst the long list of tools, apps and templates listed by Wix, you'll find the following new Apps:
<ul>
<li> ShoutOut Newsletters: Send beautiful newsletters to your audience and increase customer engagement. You can also share eye-catching updates, news items, promotions and more.</li>
<li> Visit Virtual Tour: Give your website visitors a tour of any location with an interactive, 360° view.</li>
<li> Poll Generator: Add a fully customizable, mobile-responsive Poll to any webpage in seconds.</li>
<li> POWr Mailing List: Manage your email subscribers, collect user information, and grow your audience with this easy-to-use, fully-customizable Mailing List signup app.</li>
<li>Google Events Calendar: Organize your schedule and share important events with visitors directly on your site.</li>
</ul>
And those are just the tip of the iceburg. Further new features include mobile HTML editing to resize and reorder elements in your mobile site, store product image zooming, mobile page hiding, new button designs and much more.
Not to mention, Wix users can enjoy browsing through a over 30 new templates relating to business, sports, entertainment and food.
The full list of 50 tools, apps, and templates <a href="http://www.wix.com/lphtml/june-features?" target="_blank">can be found here</a>.
Sign up to create your <a href="http://www.wix.com/" target="_blank">free Wix website today</a>.
Also, you can explore more of  <a href="/products/wix/" target="_blank"> Wix via our CMS Directory</a>.

Wix Reveals 50 New Tools, Apps & Templates

Need a form with an embedded YouTube video and PayPal integration? <a href="http://www.jotform.com/" target="_blank">JotForm</a> can do that.
<a href="http://www.jotform.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/logo_4x.png" /></a>The web browser based form builder lets you build a highly functional form right on their website's homepage. You can then embed the form on your website, access the source code, or even save it for later. It's a very clever and very accessible form building solution, and there's even a free plan to make use of.
Now though, to round off their feature set even further, JotForm has unveiled <a href="http://www.jotform.com/form-analytics/" target="_blank">Form Analytics</a>.
<h2>Feature-rich Forms, Tracked &amp; Analyzed</h2>
JotForm has been around since 2006, and it boasts a feature set to reflect that.
With over 8,000 form templates, 380 widgets and 100 integration options, JotForm offers every user a wealth of creative avenues.
Not to mention, This new release is following up from several previous ones in quick succession, including an advanced Form Designer, Theme Store, migration tool for displaced Adobe FormsCentral users, and a Fillable PDF Form Creator.
As for the new <a href="http://www.jotform.com/form-analytics/" target="_blank">Form Analytics</a> tool itself, it comes bearing data regarding impressions, conversion rates, devices, and more. Plus, the tool presents all numbers visually, as any good analytics system should.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/formanalyticsscreen615x0-is.png" />JotForm's founder and CEO, Aytekin Tank, had this to say upon the announcement:
<blockquote>
“This feature is really going to help our users discover how to make their forms more effective. Having this kind of data is going to go a long way toward improving any form’s performance.
Knowing how well your forms are performing is a key step for businesses everywhere.
This is the kind of tool that can help save or make a company a lot of money.”
</blockquote>
To get started with JotForm, <a href="http://www.jotform.com/" target="_blank">visit their website</a>.

Browser Based Form Builder JotForm Unveils Analytics

Zikula's Content page editing module has been updated to version 4.1.0, bringing about a number of fixes and improvements.
<a href="http://zikula.org/" target="_blank"> Zikula</a> is a free and open-source web application framework released under the GNU General Public License. It can be used to develop robust, interactive, and customizable websites, portals, and web based applications.
This new Zikula Content module release is targeted for the latest Zikula Core 1.3.7. It comes bearing a range of bug fixes, several code tweaks, UI improvements, and works together with Scribite 5. Since it is now fully hook-based it should also work with Scribite4.
<img style="max-width:253px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/zikula-1.png" alt="Zikula" /> 
Zikula's content module is one of the platform's most vital content creation arms, and so this news like likely impact a vast majority of Zikula users.
<h3>Here's a quick overview of what's new and improved:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Fully hook based, so the module will work far smoother with Scribite (fully tested with Scribite 5)</li>
<li>Bug fixes on several points; Search fixed, drag-and-drop fixed, upgrading from 3 should work better now, subfolder install fixed, category selection improvements, ToC fixes</li>
<li>You can enable/disable content item on the fly with Ajax in edit page</li>
<li>The edit page icon can be placed on top or below page</li>
<li>Graphical trail for breadcrumbs</li>
<li>Page title option accessible via header plugin</li>
<li>You can now insert blocks with the drop-down list</li>
<li>Translating HTML is now easier</li>
<li>HTML plugin cleaned up from legacy</li>
<li>Extra free field per page to be used as you wish</li>
<li>Extra plugin styles added</li>
</ul>
Zikula Content 4.1.0 can be <a href="https://github.com/zikula-modules/Content/releases/tag/4.1.0" target="_blank">downloaded here</a>. Find out more about Zikula by <a href="https://ziku.la/" target="_blank">visiting their website</a>.
Also, be sure to check out <a href="/products/zikula/" target="_blank"> Zikula via our CMS Directory</a>.

Zikula Content 4.1.0 released

When it comes to marketing automation systems (MAS), there are <a href="/8-enterprise-marketing-automation-softwares-to-complement-your-cms/" target="_blank">plenty of options floating around for enterprises with big budgets</a>. Fortunately though, you don’t always get what you pay for in the world of software.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phone-793044_1280616x0-is.jpg" /> 
Breaking the bank for a fantastic MAS isn't a neccessity, because there are plenty of affordable and even totally free options out there — if you know where to look.
Take a look at these dozen options that are budget-friendly, user-friendly and offer features that can rival any marketing platform on the market.
<h2>1. SimplyCast</h2>
A marketing automation system rich with sophistication. Campaigns can be led even by those with minimal tech know-how.
Touted as a one-stop-shop marketing solution, SimplyCast offers personal profiles (and thus personal targeting), lead nurturing, A/B testing, API connection, a drag-and-drop interface, and much more. SimplyCast serves up a free version, while the lowest plan starts from just $499 per month.
<a href="http://www.simplycast.com/">Learn more about SimplyCast</a>.
<h2>2. Mautic </h2>
Prefer your marketing software to be open source? Look no further.
Mautic lets you decide between a free hosted account, or a downloaded version of their software which can be integrated with your existing website. In just three steps and five minutes, social media marketing becomes streamlined, leads are effortlessly tracked, and forms can be efficiently constructed, all with a MAS that’s totally customizable.
<a href="https://www.mautic.org">Learn more about Mautic</a>.
<h2>3. Customer.io</h2>
With customers like Shutterstock, Shopify and The Economist, Customer.io shot to fame by sending “human” messages to customers based on their behaviour on websites and apps.
Emails are sent when they’re most likely to be read, A/B testing is constant and it’s all about increasing the personal touch of a brand. Customer.io has a free plan, whereas paid plans start from just $50 per month.
<a href="http://www.Customer.io">Learn more about Customer.io</a>.
<h2>4. InTouch</h2>
Designed for smaller businesses, InTouch is a far cry from the gossip mag with the same name. It focuses largely on email marketing automation by utilizing web forms to snag leads.
Data mining is honed with automated follow-ups that are flawlessly timed. It’s used by companies such as Silicon Beach Business Angels and LinkedIn trainers. InTouch is available for free, with packages starting from under $20 per month.
<a href="http://www.intouchcrm.com/">Learn more about InTouch</a>.
<h2>5. Sales Autopilot</h2>
It does what it says on the tin. Sales Autopilot offers a free entry kit for small businesses with five modules that include email marketing, marketing on autopilot, e-commerce, multi-channel communication, and sales.
Customers like Rackspace, Amazon Web Services and PayPal have seen the use in its more advanced packages, making Sales Autopilot a solution for those in the big leagues, too.
<a href="http://www.salesautopilot.com/">Learn more about Sales Autopilot</a>.
<h2>6. Spokal</h2>
With a 14 day free trial, and a starter package at just $49 per month, Spokal is also popular with small to medium sized businesses.
This package requires a single user, and offers support for newer sites, startups and mom-and-pop joints. However, the pickings are far from slim. You’ll get options like rank tracking, social media analytics and sales lead notifications along with scores of other services.
<a href="http://www.getspokal.com/">Learn more about Spokal</a>.
<h2>7. Nurture</h2>
Nurture aims not just to identify and engage customers, but also to actually retain them for the long haul. Hence the name.
Surveys, smart segmentation, A/B testing, personalized conversations and “human touch” features are all bundled. Plus, Nurture can be configured to give real-time alerts for different triggers. Prices begin at $95 per month.
<a href="http://www.nurturehq.com/">Learn more about Nurture</a>.
<h2>8. Genoo</h2>
A playful name for a seriously sophisticated MAS.
Genoo has a 30-day free trial with standard plans from $199 per month. Yes, it’s a little costlier than some options, but still squarely in the low-cost category. Features include specialized WordPress integration (for existing WordPress websites), landing pages, email marketing, lead capture forms, as well as lead tracking and scoring.
<a href="http://www.genoo.com/">Learn more about Genoo</a>.
<h2>9. Leadsius </h2>
Another well known player in the world of marketing automation, Leadsius offers an “Always Free” option, with the next step up at $295 per month.
The platform is feature-rich thanks to complete lead management, contact databases, analytics as well as landing page and form building. Certainly a solid option for SMBs looking to get used to a proper, yet free MAS, before scaling up.
<a href="http://www.leadsius.com/">Learn more about Leadsius</a>.
<h2>10. Azuqua</h2>
Dun and Bradstreet, along with Hewlett Packard, are already using Azuqua for their marketing automation needs.
The platform comes with a cloud-native platform that’s fully integrated, and also offers solutions for professionals, enterprises and SaaS/IoT/data users. Prices are customizable yet competitive.
<a href="https://www.azuqua.com">Learn more about Azuqua</a>.
<h2>11. Jumplead </h2>
When you get a lead, you need to jump on it! Jumplead brings together lead tracking, email marketing, landing pages, analytics and more, all under the same roof. The platform boast a number of integration options, too.
Jumplead offers a free package called Explore, while the next step up, Solo, is just $49 per month. H Squared and Texoil are among Jumplead's clientele.
<a href="https://jumplead.com">Learn more about Jumplead</a>
<h2>12. Infusionsoft</h2>
InfusionSoft is a big player in the MAS industry, but their Essentials Package can be used for just $199 per month.
The CRM, sales and marketing suite gives small businesses full contact management and marketing automation suitable for ambitious organizations. More than 30,000 businesses benefit from InfusionSoft, including Mint Social.
<a href="http://www.infusionsoft.com/">Learn more about Infusionsoft</a>.
<h2>Marketing at a Steal</h2>
Who said marketing campaigns need monster budgets? There twelve solutions above prove that it's more about elbow grease than it is wallet size.
What are your marketing, engagement, and customer experience must-haves? Let us know in the comments below.

12 Free or Super Cheap Marketing Automation Systems

Power your CMS on AWS

Manage your websites & apps in the most trusted cloud.

Explore a wide range of informative articles, insights, and industry updates. Stay informed and ahead of the curve with our diverse collection of news and posts covering the latest trends and developments in the industry. Page - 81