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<hr /> Put on your dancin' shoes, 'cuz Papa’s got a brand new sock. And it's green.To say that Webflow is getting “animated” about its recent acquisition would be an understatement. At last week’s <a target="_blank" href="https://webflow.com/webflowconf">Webflow Conf 2024</a> – the company’s annual hurrah catering to designers, developers, marketers, and even business leaders – <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lktong/">CEO Linda Tong</a> announced that the web experience platform had purchased <a target="_blank" href="https://gsap.com/">GreenSock</a>, the company behind the <a target="_blank" href="https://gsap.com/">GreenSock Animation Platform</a> (better known by its “GSAP” moniker).If you’re not immediately familiar with the GreenSock brand, that’s OK. GSAP is slightly exotic but well-known amongst super JS design enthusiasts. Over time, it has established itself as an industry-leading solution for animation experiences on the web layer. So what makes this dance-worthy, exactly? As GreenSock boldly proclaims on its homepage, GSAP lets you “animate anything” that JavaScript can touch. At its core, GSAP is a JS library that helps modern designers and developers craft lush, dynamic, silky-smooth animations that are, in a word, stunning. And it's proven: GSAP is well-adopted and already in use on over 12 million sites. If you haven’t experienced what’s possible with GSAP, I highly recommend perusing their website (there’s a great showcase <a target="_blank" href="https://gsap.com/">you can view here</a>). Just keep scrolling, and you’ll instantly see what makes it cool. With its array of functions, you can build UI that’s undeniably immersive, or take logos and SVG graphics to the next level with morphing and motion plugins. You can add mouth-gaping flare to text in seconds – and bring your web pages to life with fun sequences that visually shake things up. Below is a great primer from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/c/timothyricks">Timothy Ricks</a>, a resident YouTube “Webflow Wizard,” about leveraging GSAP with Webflow. It demonstrates how integrated the platforms have already become – and how indispensable a tool it has proven to be. In fact, there are Udemy courses available for learning how to develop JavaScript animations using GSAP. <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4YKslkob9Q"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m4YKslkob9Q" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> For all of these reasons, acquiring GSAP is a logical move for Webflow. As it further embraces its Web Experience Platform (WXP) positioning, it’s doubling down on delivering a breadth of easy-to-use capabilities with native insights and optimization features that evoke legacy DXPs – but with more integrated features like AI and, now, expansive animation. As Tong pointed out in her announcement, there were some phenomenal new bells and whistles unveiled at Webflow Conf, all focused on shaping how marketers build, manage, and evolve the future of the web. Clearly, animation is providing differentiated value in this quest for delivering amazing digital experiences. “Today’s CMOs are asked to own the brand and revenue, and marketing teams are under pressure to convert more of the visitors that do show up at the website into customers,” she said. “The best-performing sites we've seen are dynamic and leverage interactions to bring their experiences to life.”It’s true that assets like video and animation can improve website performance and conversions. Video alone can increase these key metrics by 86% – while adding a one- to two-minute website animation <a target="_blank" href="https://wow-how.com/articles/do-animated-websites-convert-leads#:~:text=Conversion%20rates,-64%25%20of%20people&amp;text=The%20autoplay%20video%20page%20receives,sales%20than%20just%20a%20text.">can generate up to 70% more sales</a> than static text. It’s for these reasons that downstream website builders like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/squarespace">Squarespace</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wix">Wix</a> have been steadily adding animation features to their respective feature sets. The tools vary in their general scope, but they both offer a decent amount of control and customization. Adding GSAP is perhaps less of an answer to these alternative platforms and more of a clear commitment to Webflow users that the platform is continuing to innovate and enrich its offerings.“With GSAP, you can animate pretty much anything on the web, just by writing some JavaScript, delivering a delightful consumer experience,” Tong explained. “Web developers and designers love GSAP because it's performant, super flexible, framework agnostic, and surprisingly easy to use. Webflow’s mission is to bring development superpowers to everyone which includes allowing people to build the most interactive, engaging experiences on the web, and with GSAP, they can do just that.”<h3 id="expanding-the-value-of-gsap">Expanding the value of GSAP</h3>With the GreenSock acquisition, Webflow is bringing over the GSAP team and its resources. This includes a connection to GSAP’s dedicated community, which has been actively developing animation components and solutions with its capabilities. According to Tong, GreenSock shares Webflow’s vision for the future and built its company with developers and designers in mind. “GSAP will take Webflow interactions to the next level while continuing to be publicly available for all developers to use on the wider web,” she said. “Over 100,000 Webflow sites are already using GSAP through custom code, but we’re excited to soon bring the power and flexibility of the API to our users natively, within Webflow.”Over the coming months, Webflow will be integrating GSAP into the platform so all of its customers can create GSAP animations natively within platform. At the same time, GSAP will continue to be publicly available for everyone to use on the wider web. There’s also been a stated commitment by Webflow and the GSAP team to maintain and evolve the library.From a pricing perspective, Webflow is honoring current pricing plans and licensing, and as Tong says, it will be “business as usual.”It’s worth noting that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassie-codes/">Cassie Evans</a>, the “Lead Bestower of Animation Superpowers” at GreenSock, offered some insight into the acquisition to GSAP’s community. As she noted in her blog post, creating a GSAP GUI was an impossible pipe dream for their small team (despite all the requests for it). But with Webflow's expertise and resources, she feels the company is in in good hands. “The Webflow team has a knack for creating clean easy-to-use interfaces, and we're incredibly excited about combining our expertise to bring something beautiful to life,” Evans said. “In short, we're better together.”' <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHnszKG6X3A"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fHnszKG6X3A" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure><h3 id="slipping-on-a-bigger-pair-of-ai-shoes">Slipping on a bigger pair of AI shoes</h3>In addition to the GSAP announcement, Webflow unveiled some big AI-powered features at Webflow Conf. These join a chorus of AI tools that Webflow has already been pioneering – including connections to third-party AI apps like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jasper.ai/">Jasper</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.typeform.com/">Typeform</a>. <h4 id="webflow-ai-assistant-">Webflow AI Assistant </h4>The first is the launch of the new <a target="_blank" href="https://help.webflow.com/hc/en-us/articles/34297897805715-Webflow-AI-Assistant-overview">Webflow AI Assistant</a>, which allows team members to quickly design and generate stylized content within a site’s existing design system using conversational prompts. AI Assistant provides tools that use existing classes, variables, and site context to create on-brand drafts for review. It can also generate a full CMS item with contextually relevant content based on a simple prompt – a time saver when spinning up realistic content for new pages.  <h4 id="webflow-analyze">Webflow Analyze</h4>The company also introduced <a target="_blank" href="https://webflow.com/updates/introducing-webflow-analyze">Webflow Analyze</a>, a resource that delivers a native, unified view of visitor behavior to designers and content marketers, empowering them to make data-backed decisions that improve site performance. Analyze offers site and page insights directly within Webflow, so you don’t need to switch between tools or navigate confusing third-party dashboards. It also sports an automatic, code-free setup, which also includes automatic event capture. Unlike some other analytics tools in the market, there’s no need for manual or code-based configuration.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/10/webflow-analyze.jpg" alt="" /></figure> Analyze is also designed with data privacy at its core, so if you have specialized consent management needs, you can integrate with your tool of choice or use Webflow's turnkey integrations with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.datagrail.io/">DataGrail</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://finsweet.com/">Finsweet</a> – with more on the way.Analyze will be available as an add-on for all customers on Basic, CMS, Business, and Enterprise Site plans this month.  <h4 id="webflow-optimize">Webflow Optimize</h4>Finally, there’s <a target="_blank" href="https://webflow.com/optimize">Webflow Optimize</a>, an AI-powered A/B testing and personalization solution. Optimize learns from site visitors in real-time, ensuring a dynamic, personalized user experience each time. It effectively maximizes conversions through rapid insights, tailored visitor experiences, and AI-powered delivery. Optimize testing gives you the ability to quickly compare variations to learn what performs best, scale your experiments, and harness AI for faster and smarter results.  <h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>As someone who cares a lot about visual UX – and maybe a little more about information architecture – I’m always cautious about adding too many animated whiz-bangs to a web page. This is where the sensitivity of a smart designer comes in, and knowing how much is just right.That said, animation is an area where brands can tell stories in unique ways, and Webflow’s acquisition of GSAP could be another differentiator for the budding web experience platform. Webflow continues to hold appeal for pixel-perfect aficionados that enjoy a deep level of precision and control – and GSAP’s libraries and plugins reflect a similar degree of robustness.With respect to AI, every platform – from CMS to website builders – is leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance productivity and improve efficiency. Content generation has become table stakes, but Webflow’s amplification of its analytics and optimization features is a decisive factor and demonstrates a clear focus on high-utility applications.  For Tong, this is a solid move early in her tenure as CEO. As we covered back in June of this year (only a few months ago), Webflow's founder <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladmagdalin/">Vlad Magdalin</a> stated that Tong would bring an “infectious energy” to her promotion from President and COO, where she oversaw the recent <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/webflow-buys-intellimize-why-its-an-intelligent-buy">acquisition of Intellimize</a>. Are we seeing the beginning of a more ambitious strategy to build out the Webflow ecosystem and drive more value through acquisitions? Hard to say, but this feels like a smart move to kick things off – and one that should serve its customers well. Choice continues to be both a challenge and an opportunity for users as they evaluate platforms to power their digital experiences. Webflow has built a strong community following and enhanced its preference among agencies. These features could give it a pivotal edge as it looks to grow in 2025, particularly as it focuses more on large-scale enterprises that crave this flexibility to power their marketing teams.Who knows? Maybe there's another sock on the dance floor to fill those growing shoes.  <hr /><h4 style="text-align:center" id="looking-for-guidance-on-webflow?--talk-to-us.-">Looking for guidance on Webflow?  <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contact">Talk to us. </a></h4><hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-2025"><a href=" https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25">CMS Kickoff 2025</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">so secure your tickets today.</a>

Webflow Laces Up its Animation Shoes with GreenSock, Unveils New AI Features

matt-garrepy

<hr /> Maybe you've noticed, but there's been a bit of “sea change” in CMS leadership over the last year (among other industries). Here are just a few examples of the notable transformation at the top:<ul><li>In November of 2023, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/kontentai-welcomes-mark-ruddock-as-new-chief-executive-officer">Kontent.ai</a> appointed <a href="Mark%20Ruddock">Mark Ruddock</a> as Chief Executive. </li><li>In April of this year, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentful-unveils-new-features-and-ai-powered-capabilities-to-accelerate-creativity-for-digital-teams">Contentful’s Steve Sloan</a> left the post where he served since 2019, handing the reins over to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.contentful.com/newsroom/contentful-appoints-karthik-rau-as-ceo/">Karthik Rau</a>.</li><li>At <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sitecore">Sitecore</a>, <a href="Dave%20O'Flanagan">Dave O’Flanagan</a> officially took the helm after an interim spell, serving in the wake of long-time CEO <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tzikakis/">Steve Tzikakis</a>. </li></ul>One could draw quick conclusions from the repetitive exodus of leadership.On the upside, the “COVID Years” were like the Gold Rush, with demand for digital transformation reaching epic proportions. To keep pace, vendors built and bought, leading to some astounding seed rounds and acquisitions. A couple of quick examples come to mind: In 2020, Episerver bought <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/optimizely">Optimizely</a>. A year later, Sitecore consumed CDP and digital commerce vendors <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/sitecore-acquires-boxever-and-four51">Boxever and Four51</a> to complete its DXP puzzle. The list goes on – and after runs like that, a CEO might want a break from the cycle of chaos. On the downside, the economics are less enticing. The SaaS market is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.morningstar.com/stocks/salesforce-earnings-slowing-growth-risk-more-disappointment-ahead">clearly softening</a> (just ask <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/salesforce">Salesforce</a>), and CMS vendors are looking at new ways to ignite value beyond adding generative AI features. In some cases, having a new vision and go-to-market strategy – and someone to shepherd it – is a sage solution.Clearly, there are a multitude of factors contributing to these changes in “The Big Chair.” And while acquiring and adopting new technologies will continue to be a focus for enterprises – particularly those that optimize performance and reduce costs – modernizing websites and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">content management systems</a> are still visible line items in corporate budgets. As such, vendors are doubling down on creative ways to position as brands tighten their tech belts. Downstream, website builders are experiencing similar economic and competitive pressures. With a bevy of choices – including automated, AI-powered features in platforms like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/pulp-fiction-payday-heres-why-squarespace-is-trading-public-life-for-a-juicy-private-deal">Squarespace</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://dorik.com/">Dorik.ai</a> – users are more discriminating, and even agencies are assessing the value of more attractive affiliate terms as they consider what tools to use.Now, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/webflow">Webflow</a> is joining the ranks of its CMS “cousins,” elevating <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lktong/">Linda Tong</a> from COO and President to the role of CEO. The company’s founder, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladmagdalin/">Vlad Magdalin</a>, shared the news in an open letter to staff and later to the world. Unlike similar departures from the top ranks, Magdalin will stay on full-time as Webflow’s Chief Innovation Officer (following a planned sabbatical). The role will entail exactly what it sounds like: helping the company build and support what it now calls a “Website Experience Platform.” Magdalin will focus on product evolution, customer and community intimacy, recruitment, and evangelizing the Webflow mantra.Magdalin will also continue to chair Webflow’s board of directors, which Tong formally joined this week with her appointment as CEO. <h3 id="bringing-deep-experience-and-“infectious-energy”-to-the-ceo-role">Bringing deep experience and “infectious energy” to the CEO role</h3>Magdalin announced the news ahead of the company’s “Webflow Together” meeting yesterday. In the message, he described Tong as an ideal choice to assume command based on her deep experience and “infectious energy” to lead Webflow in its next chapter. Tong has served as President and COO at Webflow since June of 2022, overseeing a number of key achievements – including the recent <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/webflow-buys-intellimize-why-its-an-intelligent-buy">acquisition of Intellimize</a>. Prior to Webflow, she had a string of really big jobs. These included leadership roles at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cisco.com/">Cisco's</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.appdynamics.com/">AppDynamics</a>, focusing on innovation across its product offerings. During her tenure, she was ultimately promoted to General Manager of the AppDynamics division. She also spent three years at <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/google-cloud-platform">Google</a>, sharpening her product marketing chops in a multitude of areas, including Android OS channels and applications. There was also a stint at the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfl.com/">NFL</a> for two years. Betwixt the market-leading brand experience, Tong has also served in an advisory role at companies startups and been involved with venture partners. She even held a limited partner role with a Bay-area organization called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/operator-collective/">Operator Collective</a> – a venture fund comprised of leading tech executives from a variety of backgrounds. Over the last few years, Magdalin and Tong have been functioning as a sort of “dynamic duo” at Webflow, shaping the company’s trajectory as a unified leadership cabal. This special relationship has clearly permeated Webflow’s culture, with staff clearly aware of the pairing's collaborative force.“For those of you who’ve had the privilege of working with her over the last few years and seeing her take on more and more responsibility across the company, Linda becoming our next CEO might feel entirely obvious,” said Magdalin. “And it’s so clear why that sentiment exists – because from day one, she has been my #1 partner in navigating scale, tackling unprecedented challenges, and chasing new opportunities. Linda deeply understands our team, our customers, our partners, our community, our business, and our culture. And she has led businesses many times larger than Webflow in the past, and has a proven track record of navigating the kinds of scale that are still ahead of us. She’s the perfect fit for this role.”<h3 id="why-now?">Why now?</h3>As Magdalin described it, Webflow is at a pivotal moment in its journey. The company has certainly attained key milestones worthy of applause, but as already noted, the road ahead is paved with challenges. Still, collaboration has proven to be a deep source of inspiration for modeling the right team and culture – something he reflects fondly on.“When I first had the idea for Webflow, I never imagined that a fledgling idea to empower more people to build for the web would turn into the powerhouse that it is today,” he stated in his open letter. “What Sergie, Bryant, and I began to build in a grungy co-working space in Silicon Valley in 2012 has become something truly transformational.”With nearly <a target="_blank" href="https://getlatka.com/companies/webflow#:~:text=How%20much%20revenue%20does%20Webflow,generates%20%24128M%20in%20revenue.">$130 million in revenue</a> from its subscription-based business service, Webflow is certainly moving in the right direction. Magdalin is perhaps most bullish about the prospects of adding Intellimize’s AI-powered personalization – what he sees as the key to unlocking the company’s new position as the “Website Experience Platform.” “With this vision, we’re taking the most important part of the digital experience – the website – and creating a seamlessly integrated and visual-first platform that allows marketing teams to break their dependence on code and innovate at speeds they could never reach before,” he described. “We believe that this will not only lead to empowered, revenue-driving marketing teams, but also to a better experience for everyone on the web.”To achieve what Magdalin describes as Webflow’s “grand ambitions,” it will need a lot. But in his mind, the core components rest with its team around collaboration, execution, and innovation – and helping users unlock their website-building superpowers. Tong’s appointment as CEO and his shift to an innovation focus is meant to accelerate the next steps.“Webflow is already extraordinary, and in many ways, we’re just getting started,” he said. “I’m so proud of how far we’ve come and I can’t wait to see this new chapter unfold. With Linda now at the helm – along with hundreds of the smartest and hardest working teammates that I’ve ever met all across this company – I know that nothing can stop us from realizing our full potential. Together, we’re unstoppable!”<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>Website builders are a crafty community. They’re visual designers with a technical penchant, but also pragmatists with a desire to simplify. They seek tools that unleash their creativity while giving them total control over the expression of their ideas across devices – and modern tools are finally starting to pay off on the promise to deliver that experience.Webflow is, without question, the most robust platform in the website builder ecosystem. It’s rich with features and capabilities, and offers some of the best documentation and video-based teaching resources on the market. And while no drag-and-drop builder will ever be completely bug-free, Webflow’s support continues to earn happy campers across its community.Visual builders are popping up across the CMS landscape, and with more composable solutions becoming attractive plays, an ecosystem like Webflow will face competition from all sides of the market. Economic challenges aside, the addition of Intellimize’s AI personalization could be a game changer – and with Tong’s product expertise leading the way, it might have all the boxes checked to make a solid run toward growth.From a CMS feature perspective, Webflow is also building its muscle. Yesterday, the <a target="_blank" href="https://webflow.com/updates/cms-on-canvas-editing">company announced</a> that canvas editing is now available in Webflow, enabling users to edit CMS content directly on the visual canvas and spin up new CMS pages without leaving the Webflow Designer. As Tong <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/YayLT/status/1803123250735804857">stated on X</a>, she's excited about what's on the roadmap in this area of their product.Community is a dynamic factor for many platform vendors in this space. But loyalty aside, price and value will continue to play a crucial role when acquiring new subscriptions and addressing churn. The intangibles – like ease of use and support – can influence the gravitational forces at play. Webflow will need to be conscious of all these factors while continuing to create clear, value-based messaging for its audiences. Growing the appeal with enterprise customers is also in play. Webflow has made significant inroads with larger brands, despite the shift towards more composable solutions. Some companies are very clear about their needs and objectives, and those with the right requirements could be attractive targets for an ecosystem play. And for a no-code website builder, it's opening up some interesting enterprise channels like the <a target="_blank" href="https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/prodview-eeecmlfoh7lgs">AWS Marketplace</a>, where you can procure Webflow Enterprise for $100K with a private SaaS license.Perhaps the most endearing part of this transition is Magdalin's clear respect and admiration for his successor. This demonstrates a trust in leadership that few brands are often able to mount or manage. There are certainly the external optics of customers, but there’s also the internal confidence of teams. This was handled with a degree of decorum that sets it apart from most other transition plans.As Magdalin stated to his staff: “From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for trusting me to be Webflow’s CEO for well over a decade. I deeply love this company and our mission, and it’s out of that love that comes to a very heartfelt request: I’m asking each of you to fully rally behind Linda and give her tons of support as she steps into this tremendously important role.“And Linda – I can’t ever thank you enough for everything you do for Webflow. Thank you for sharing my love for our mission, our team, and our customers. For being such an incredible partner and friend. And for your passion and courage to lead Webflow in this next chapter. I truly can’t wait to keep building this special company side by side with you.” <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Webflow Appoints Linda Tong as CEO, Vlad Magdalin to Remain as Chief Innovation Officer

cms-critic-staff

Pulp fiction payday? Here’s why Squarespace is trading public life for a juicy private deal

<hr /> “If you build it, they will come…”Maybe the team at <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/builderio">Builder.io</a> was channeling that phrase as they forged their roadmap for innovation. It’s clearly working.And if the apotheosis isn’t self-evident, “they” refers to the almighty <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/microsoft-azure">Microsoft</a>.Pedagogy aside, “they” just delivered a Field of Dreams to the AI-powered “visual headless CMS” to the tune of $20 million. The injection is courtesy of Microsoft’s <a target="_blank" href="https://m12.vc/">M12 Venture Fund</a>, a well-respected brand in the hallowed halls of tech-vesting.According to the company’s website, the funds will help the company expand its global team, accelerate its go-to-market strategy, and provide resources to support its extensive organic demand. I’m sure Kevin Costner (star of the aforementioned Field of Dreams and restless cowpoke) would agree this is a home run. But it’s also a signal of what’s stirring in those golden headless cornfields, particularly as vendors add more visual building, editing, and preview features to enhance their offerings.As a tool, Builder.io accelerates the production of digital experiences, allowing users to free up developer capacity to focus on other higher-level tasks, like developing algorithms that predict the curve on a spitball. A big part of its winning play: an AI pitch with some real fire. This is where Microsoft could stack the bench with innovation – and another reason why <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssewell/">Steve Sewell</a>, Builder.io’s CEO and co-founder, sounds bullish about the match. “Having the confidence and backing from such an innovative leader in tech – and more recently, the artificial intelligence revolution – further validates our mission,” he noted in a blog about the news. He went on to explain how his company is pushing the boundaries of AI to create visual development solutions that optimize workflows and empower anyone to be part of the building process. It’s true that visual development of this ilk is still relatively new. The UX similarities to <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/webflow">Webflow</a> aside, the new breed of composable builders were born out of the broken editing experiences that headless left in its wake. In the race to make things faster and better, developers felt the headless heat while marketers were left in the cold, dreaming of drag-and-drop features as they opened laborious IT tickets to add things like basic buttons to a page.I’ve been talking to a lot of headless vendors since the start of 2024, and most are on the journey towards “healing” this rift, regardless of their audience or market focus. Obviously, Builder.io has its own niche, but even more pure-play headless vendors are adding editing and preview features. It wasn’t so long ago that a headless CMS didn’t sport any of these attributes. Now, it’s starting to look like a requirement to compete – and a must-have for users evaluating tools.  Are we seeing an evolution of the “headless CMS” category? If so, what will buyers expect in this new landscape, and how do vendors avoid creating even more confusion? In the case of Builder.io, the answer seems to lie in the pursuit of value. Their growth and investment opportunities are being driven (in part) by a hunger for greater freedom and control, and platforms that understand where they truly deliver their greatest value will be loading the bases.<h3 id="building-on-success">Building on success</h3>Launched in 2019, Builder.io has been firing line drives up the middle of the market, delivering continued year-over-year growth. This latest round follows an infusion of <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/18/builder-io-aims-to-make-developers-happy-with-its-no-code-approach-to-digital-storefronts/">$14 million</a> from Greylock and a cohort of investors in 2021 – that’s akin to a respectable ERA for any player in the league.  A bit of backstory: the journey to Builder.io started with Sewell and co-founder <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentlocks/">Brent Locks</a> while working together at ShopStyle, an e-commerce fashion company. The duo embraced headless architectures to power web apps and streamline their development, which was great for them, but not so much for marketers who wanted to update pages and run tests.With code standing in the way of testing and development, retailers (in particular) got resourceful, drawing on their survival instincts to solve problems. This resulted in the use of third-party tools that dragged down performance and governance. With Builder.io, business teams get everything they want in a page builder, from managing the right web flow to a rich drag-and-drop visual editor for building and editing. At the same time, developers get the benefits of a headless CMS that’s API-driven and tech-agnostic, so it works with any tech stack – from Angular to React. You can also connect with any data source, including commerce platforms like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/shopify">Shopify</a>, CDPs, legacy homegrown systems, or even another CMS.As we’ve heard from other visual-focused platforms like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/is-the-birth-of-dxc-the-death-of-dxp-a-conversation-with-darren-guarnaccia-president-at-uniform">Uniform</a> (once champions of the now less-amplified “Digital Experience Composition” cabal), development and code are often the bottlenecks for many customers, specifically those in commerce. Builder.io promises that marketers, product managers, or designers can use existing components – or create their own – to build out content, run A/B tests, and measure conversions.<h3 id="an-ecosystem-of-freedom-and-control">An ecosystem of freedom and control</h3>One of the things I’ve always liked about Builder.io is its focus on simplicity. The UI is incredibly intuitive, with navigation access to a range of features and resources. This includes a myriad of design tools as well as A/B testing, versions, history, and more. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:85.45%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/05/builder-io-screenshot-2.png" alt="" /></figure> With its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.builder.io/m/visual-headless-cms">Builder Visual CMS</a>, you have a component-based block system that enables almost anyone – literally – to create experiences in a snap. Users have full control over exactly what a team can drag and drop to create bespoke designs or pages that are conformant with existing design systems. Everything is built around responsiveness at its core, with the ability to add custom animations and theme assets that fit with your brand. Anything you build can also be saved as a template.There are a host of collaboration tools, including granular roles and permissions and real-time “multiplayer” editing that avoids conflicts when more than one user is making changes (that one is super handy for teams). You can also track and roll back to previous iterations.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:85.52%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/05/builder-io-screenshot-3.png" alt="" /></figure> I think the optimization features really stand out. Builder.io weaves in both multivariate testing and analytics, so you have the complete lifecycle for managing your A/B testing initiatives. Even cooler: they offer heat maps to help reveal key insights about user engagement.<h3 id="from-figma-to-functional-code-with-visual-copilot">From Figma to functional code with Visual Copilot</h3>Design-to-code workflows are notoriously slow, impeding go-to-market strategies for enterprises and digital retailers. With the rise of design tools like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/figma">Figma</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/uxpin">UXPin</a>, the process has accelerated to be sure (in the case of <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/uxpin-merge-review-sync-react-components-with-prototypes">UXPin’s Merge</a>, there’s even a design library that syncs with React components in Git). But it’s still mired in that complex step of turning visual ideas into functioning web and mobile experiences. There are a few platforms out there that are doing yeoman’s work to streamline the journey from prototype to product. I’ve seen some great demos for platforms like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.figma.com/community/plugin/1139976468567117030/kajoo-ai-design-to-code">Kajoo AI</a> that export Figma designs to <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/top-jamstack-static-site-generators-for-2021">Jamstack</a> code – including HTML, CSS, React, NextJS, Vue, and Angular.The Figma translation is also a big part of Builder.io’s focus. With its AI-powered <a target="_blank" href="https://www.builder.io/m/design-to-code">Visual Copilot</a>, you can move designs into clean, reusable code in 80% less time with a single click. You read that right: one click. Visual Copilot really bridges the gulf betwixt developers and marketers, allowing anyone to utilize a simple plugin to convert their Figma designs to semantic code that’s automatically responsive. Components in Figma can then be synced with Visual Copilot for use in the future. The AI code editor is a massive timesaver and eliminates a ton of complexity, but developers can work in Builder.io to directly refine the code as needed – so there are no compromises on control and output.Next up on the roadmap? Builder.io is already <a target="_blank" href="https://www.builder.io/m/accelerate-feature-waitlist">thinking about new features</a> like instant component set generation, and even a prompt-to-design solution for creating high-fidelity Figma designs that utilize your existing design system. This is now blending into the domain of products like <a target="_blank" href="https://dorik.com/">Dorik</a>, where AI is being used to create fully functional experiences with nothing more than a field and a few words.                                                                                                               <h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>A quick note on Field of Dreams: if you’re not familiar with the classic 1989 film, it’s a peculiar mashup of existential fantasy, theology, faith, and family – all draped in the Great American Pastime.Said another way, it’s about baseball… and what lies beyond.This movie is a great tableau for how Builder.io is transforming the space, specifically with its focus on AI. For those of us who remember building websites with nothing but <a target="_blank" href="https://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver.html">Dreamweaver</a>, we pined for a magical solution that converted visual designs into working code. Seeing it finally materialize is, in a word, dreamy. I encourage you to try it for yourself; it’s quite stunning to see how seamlessly the Figma processing occurs. Obviously, the more complex a design, the more tweaking that might be involved. But overall, it’s pretty darn polished – and a quick <a target="_blank" href="https://www.figma.com/community/plugin/747985167520967365/builder-io-ai-powered-figma-to-code-react-vue-tailwind-more">read of the comments</a> on the Figma plugin page validates that fans are cheering. We could spend a lot of time discussing the visual builder's numerous benefits, which are impressive in themselves. And yes, this is a novel approach to creating digital experiences, but it’s also content management – and Builder.io positioning its platform as a “visual headless CMS” is indicative of the change we’re seeing across the category. When <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/kontentai-aims-to-lead-a-new-era-of-content-management-relaunches-brand-and-website">Kontent.ai</a> relaunched its brand last week, the company’s leaders were quick to point out that the definition of a headless CMS was being challenged by all sides of the market, with traditional and composable DXPs muddying the waters (hence why they’re calling this a “new era of content management”).The shift is real – and with so many platforms bringing their own visual building, editing, or preview features online, buyers are likely to expect or demand these capabilities. Even open source headless CMSes like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/strapi-casts-for-growth-in-the-headless-sea-a-conversation-with-ceo-pierre-burgy">Strapi</a> are introducing their own visual tools in an effort to maintain parity and improve the editing experience. There’s also the rest of the stack to consider, and like its peers, Builder.io is bringing asset management and other “DXP Lite” features to the table.Still, as Builder.io touts, it’s part of a composable play: use the frameworks you want, integrate with a range of third-party apps, bring in existing data and personalization tools. Heck, you can even use a different headless CMS. Choice – and the ease of making said choices – is key to composability.If you’re feeling confused about categories, you’re not alone. Along with Builder.io’s visual headless CMS, we have advanced headless CMSes, composable DXPs and content platforms, and other permutations among the dense field of competitors. A great example is <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sanity">Sanity</a>, which positions itself as a Composable Content Cloud while reinforcing that it’s a “headless CMS and so much more.” Much to the chagrin of headless CMS vendors, traditional DXPs are also offering a headless CMS as part of their product ecosystem (or positioning their web API as a kind of headless expression), capitalizing on the surge around omnichannel messaging.  And herein lies the problem: how do buyers find what they’re looking for? The answer: they have to do more work.To help ease that burden, a headless CMS needs to be focused on establishing its value with clarity. I think Builder.io has a distinct advantage with its focus on the visual web layer, but it’s still leaning hard on the benefits of being headless. Nonetheless, M12 sees how that glimmering patina of value can translate into future subscriptions, particularly with users that want simple, drag-and-drop solutions – so this is where the dollars are drifting. Making your value meaningful to the market is the key. While pure headless platforms might still have their place, the expanded surface area of features is amplifying the value message. As buyers shop around, many will select tools based on the presence of these features – even if they’re planning an ultra-composable approach to their stack. With so much confusion on all sides, it’s hard to say where “headless” will end up as a distinct category. In the beginning, many argued that it was just a feature of composed content management systems (oh, the irony). Some players even attempted to distance themselves from the moniker. But that’s proven challenging given its weight within the industry lexicon, particularly relative to SEO. As such, it’s still here. Even if the path to home plate is a bit uneven. But who knows? Maybe we’ll just start calling it “CMS” again. Wouldn’t that be dreamy.   <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Builder.io nets $20M from Microsoft's venture fund. What it means for the future of headless CMS

<hr /> When it comes to AI, every technology vendor is being compelled to go with the flow.Seriously, though, is it even a choice? Can you afford to sidestep the infusion of artificial intelligence into your platform? Can you kick the LLM down the digital field and “wait 'n see” how it all shakes out? Probably not – if you want to stay in parity with competitors. And therein lies the challenge: trying to decipher where the real value is.By all accounts, we’re already in the next wave of AI, well beyond the pioneering jaunt of generative, <a target="_blank" href="https://chat.openai.com/">ChatGPT</a>-infused innovation. According to most market watchers, the first phase of AI looked “pretty,” but this next one lacks the bullishness and irrational exuberance of its predecessor. The big tech and cloud players aside (lots of drama there), AI startups are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-next-phase-of-ai-is-looking-less-pretty-2024-3">struggling to generate revenue</a> in the freemium-enabled world of generative tools. The model field is also getting crowded, with darlings like Stability.ai <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/18/24133996/stability-ai-lay-off-emad-mostaque">announcing today</a> that it will lay off 10% of its workforce.OK, OK. Enough with the bad news. Behind it all, AI is still plenty miraculous, and we can’t discount its current and future impact across the stack – particularly in places where it can automate and scale functions that inject value into the equation.One such example could be <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/webflow">Webflow</a> with its acquisition of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.intellimize.com/">Intellimize</a> – an AI-driven website personalization and conversion rate optimization platform. Webflow, a website builder by category, just announced that this is a major step in its vision to expand beyond visual development and become the world’s first “Website Experience Platform.”We hear a lot these days about AI features (think text and image generation) being added to website builders and content management tools. So why is this one such a big deal? Because as relevant as content generation is, optimization is a place where AI can make a huge difference at scale – specifically within the pillars of personalization and experimentation. Brands have struggled in this area, and AI is finally delivering the resources needed to produce variants, test options, and improve performance.According to Webflow’s announcement, the company plans to integrate Intellimize’s feature set into its core experience over the coming months, and we can expect the tools and capabilities to be available later this year. <h3 id="empowering-the-entire-marketing-team">Empowering the entire marketing team</h3>Webflow is, without doubt, one of the most robust visual web design tools on the market. It enables users to build and launch responsive websites without writing any code. As an all-in-one platform, Webflow powers the complete lifecycle of a website, from idea to ready-to-use product. The UX is chock-full of detailed features and controls, allowing you to add and edit components on a web page visually in real time. If you're jonesing for a closer look, you can check out a <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/webflow-review-hybrid-website-builder-and-cms-bridges-the-design-code-chasm">previous review of the platform</a> that our team conducted. Unlike other site builders, Webflow doesn't parse visual design and code. What a user creates in its visual editor is powered by HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. In that sense, it’s “pure,” abiding by modern web standards without proprietary guardrails that limit its extensibility. Webflow appeals to marketing teams and web agencies across the spectrum, providing a no-code design toolbox that feels very much informed by desktop publishing tools like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html">Adobe Photoshop</a>. This familiarity is intentional, giving visual designers a UX that’s clean, intuitive, and packed with granular control for creating unique web experiences.  Of course, building a website is just the first step. As <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladmagdalin/">Vlad Magdalin</a> – Webflow’s Co-founder and CEO – explained in a recent blog post, enterprise teams were hitting the wall when it came to optimizing their sites.“As we’ve started to work with larger teams like Orangetheory Fitness, IDEO, and Dropbox, we realized that there are major problems with how web experiences are being created,” he explained. “Once a website is built, it’s extremely difficult for marketing teams to personalize it, to experiment to make it better, and to optimize it to meet the varying needs of their customers.”Vlad further expressed how modern tools for optimizing websites are often cumbersome to set up without significant engineering support. In many cases, they’re also too hard to use separately from where the source website content is designed and managed. “At Webflow, this is the next big problem we are solving,” Vlad stated. “Our goal is to give marketing teams and web agencies the ability not only to build incredible web experiences, but also seamlessly personalize those sites for different audiences, easily create experiments to test which versions perform better, and to optimize their buyer journey throughout their website to drive conversions and revenue.”This is where Intellimize drives everything home.<h3 id="unlocking-the-‘website-experience-platform’-with-ai-">Unlocking the ‘Website Experience Platform’ with AI </h3>Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Mateo, CA, Intellimize has been steadily climbing the silicon ladder. As of its Series B round in 2021, the company had raised <a target="_blank" href="https://getlatka.com/companies/intellimize">a stout $52 million</a>, with revenues still hovering under $8 million last year. Still early stage, but that was a 34% YOY increase – definitely a mark of forward momentum.With nearly <a target="_blank" href="https://getlatka.com/companies/webflow#:~:text=How%20much%20revenue%20does%20Webflow,generates%20%24128M%20in%20revenue.">$130 million in revenue</a> from its subscription-based business service, Webflow is reaching the right point on the growth arc to feel its M&amp;A oats. And like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-salesforce-blues-why-investors-are-singing-a-sad-song-about-a-deal-to-buy-informatica">Salesforce hunting for Informatica</a>, the focus on AI-specific acquisitions is a marked trend. Now endowed with the keys to optimization, Vlad sees the combination of Intellimize’s features as a pathway to a new vision – what he calls the “Website Experience Platform.” “With this vision, we’re taking the most important part of the digital experience – the website – and creating a seamlessly integrated and visual-first platform that allows marketing teams to break their dependence on code and innovate at speeds they could never reach before,” he described. “We believe that this will not only lead to empowered, revenue-driving marketing teams, but also to a better experience for everyone on the web.”As a platform, Intellimize brings key advantages to the table. First and foremost, it effectively unlocks a marketing team’s ability to personalize web experiences without the need for complex and cumbersome engineering support. On this point, both Webflow and Intellimize shared a common philosophical goal for unlocking a marketing’s team’s code-dependence by building visual-first tools – the kind they could use without needing constant help from a dev team.Since its founding, Intellimize has made a huge impact on customers like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.intellimize.com/customer-story/video-how-sumo-logic-accelerated-web-conversions-by-automatically-testing-1-billion-page-versions">Sumo Logic</a> (1B+ page versions, 53% lift in conversion rates), <a target="_blank" href="https://www.intellimize.com/customer-story/how-snowflakes-abm-team-used-intellimize-to-accelerate-landing-page-conversions-by-60">Snowflake</a> (60% increase in conversions, 49% lift in meetings booked), and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.intellimize.com/customer-story/how-drift-uses-intellimize-to-convert-more-traffic-into-revenue">Drift</a> (129% improvement in conversions, $2.8M incremental revenue).Those are great stats – and more importantly, clear evidence that Intellimize delivers value. <h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>For the last decade, Webflow has been backfilling the gap between pedestrian no-code website builders and hardcore development platforms. They’ve cultivated a vast community of designers, marketers, and agencies that often feel underwhelmed by <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wix">Wix</a> and disillusioned by complex code and compromises. These visual-motivated users always seem to be asking the same question: Why can’t I just design it the way I want?Indeed.With the rise of <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/cut-paste-delete-why-adobes-canceled-merger-with-figma-is-good-for-innovation">Figma</a> and other popular prototyping tools, visual designers have recovered some control of the experience. Now, they can produce more uniquely sophisticated compositions and forget about the wall of code awaiting them. With Webflow, they can wrestle away the dependency on developers – at least for the most part – and maintain control from idea to launch. Webflow also sports its own <a target="_blank" href="https://webflow.com/cms">built-in CMS</a>, providing a more flexible solution for managing content as part of a single platform solution. At the same time, Webflow is appealing to developers by providing a pathway for creating apps. With a community of 3.5 million users, <a target="_blank" href="https://developers.webflow.com/">Webflow developers</a> can access the platform’s API to build products that support how users design websites. This includes forms and e-commerce apps that serve a wide range of use cases.  By all accounts, the Intellimize acquisition is an ideal match for Webflow, and may be the key to evolving its current visual builder into a next-gen Website Experience Platform. As Vlad framed in his announcement, Webflow’s mission is to “bring development superpowers to everyone.” With a new crop of optimization and personalization capabilities at the ready, they’re going full Kryptonian – and will be better equipped to compete with CMS and DXP solutions that offer optimization features. This was happening even before the Intellimize news. I’ve spoken to numerous digital agencies and SIs over the last year – at least two that are focused on <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wordpress">WordPress</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/drupal">Drupal</a> – and many are adding Webflow to their mix. Why? Because the platform has become easier to work with, and the incentives have become more attractive (that’s almost a verbatim quote). The expansion of optimization capabilities also reflects a tacit focus on enterprise customers. As Vlad noted, Webflow uncovered the need for these capabilities while working work with larger teams at major brands like OrangeTheory and Dropbox. This suggests that Webflow is finding success with companies at a level where scalable, AI-powered personalization is central to their digital strategy. Still, AI is no panacea. In fact, it’s reducing the barrier to entry and creating more downstream innovation. At the top, <a target="_blank" href="https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/16282290976013-Using-Squarespace-AI">Squarespace</a> is offering generative content for a range of website elements, but smaller players like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.elegantthemes.com/ai">Divi</a> are providing a personal AI web design assistant for creating layouts, content, and images on the fly.And then, of course, there’s <a target="_blank" href="https://dorik.com/">Dorik</a> – a nascent platform that allows you to design, build, and edit websites using nothing but prompts. I’m talking about fully mobile-responsive sites that look pretty decent for something created via a GPT-like field. I’ve tried it, and while it still has a ways to go, it could be a significant challenge to established vendors in the next few years. Relative to AI, my guess is that we’ll continue to see accelerated innovation from Webflow over the coming months. But this acquisition is a smart play to kick that pace off, as it addresses a current pain point while delivering tangible value to its customers. To come full circle, adding AI features for the sake of AI can prove deleterious – especially now. Webflow is often viewed as a complex tool that requires significant training (it's true – they have <a target="_blank" href="https://university.webflow.com/">their own University</a>). This is ironic when you think about the goal of eliminating the complexity of code from the equation. But as someone who started in HTML and used Adobe products, I’ve always found Webflow's UI easy to traverse. In this sense, it has always known its market with a level of intimacy that translates into success. My advice: keep goin' with the flow… <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Webflow Buys Intellimize: Why It's An Intelligent Buy

<a href="https://www.wix.com/" target="_blank">Wix</a>, one of the industry's leading website builders, announced its first-ever developer conference, <a href="https://www.wixdevcon.com/" target="_blank">Wix DevCon 2022</a> – which will take place September 7 - 8 in New York City.
Wix DevCon will present a unique opportunity for the broad developer community to learn about the company's growth as a cutting-edge developer platform and ecosystem. The two-day event will consist of talks from a range of Wix experts and leadership, including CEO Avishai Abrahami.
Attendees will also hear from Yoav Abrahami, Head of Code and Chief Architect for Velo – Wix's full-stack development platform that empowers users to build, manage, and deploy professional web apps rapidly.
According to Wix, DevCon will enable attendees to learn and exchange ideas, elevating and extending their development skills by exploring the newest Wix developer-centric products, tools, and technologies. 
And the icing on the cake: event attendees will also be the first to hear about new Wix product announcements.
“Wix DevCon 2022 will bring our community of developers together for a unique insight into how Wix tools were created, how to get the most out of them, and offer the community a chance to interact and learn from one another,” said Abrahami. “An immersive, differentiated, and exclusive experience, attendees will have unparalleled access to the heart of development at Wix, enabling them to confidently create the business capabilities they need. Furthermore, at the event, we’ll unveil an exciting new product innovation that will change the future of web development at Wix.”
<h2>Offering both a no-code website builder and a full-stack development platform</h2>
Wix – which is best known for its incredibly popular drag-and-drop website builder – has become a go-to platform for artists, freelancers, and small business owners looking to establish brands online without the hassle of coding and complexity. 
While it competes with well-known brands like <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/squarespace-a-diy-website-builder-1/">Squarespace</a>, <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/duda-snaps-up-snipcart-to-boost-e-commerce-capabilities-qa-with-ceo-itai-sadan/">Duda</a>, and <a href="https://www.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Weebly</a>, Wix has carved out a competitive advantage with its array of rich templates, its progressive <a href="https://www.wix.com/blog/2016/06/wix-artificial-design-intelligence/" target="_blank">Wix ADI</a> (Artificial Design Intelligence), and solid user support. 
Two years ago, Wix introduced <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/wix-introduces-editor-x-offers-designers-advanced-tools-for-building-custom-websites/">Editor X</a>, its new drag-and-drop web builder for web designers and digital agencies that are seeking to push the aesthetic limits without the hassle of coding from scratch. From there, the company continued to enrich its customization features. 
With the introduction of DevCon, Wix seems poised to transform its customer base by attracting more developers to the flock. By providing a more expansive platform that offers both a no-code website builder and a full-stack development platform, Wix is also upping the ante on how "custom" a website or app can be when built with its technology. This means users are no longer limited, regardless of their goals as a small business, agency designer, or advanced developer. 
<h2>How to Attend Wix DevCon 2022</h2>
As mentioned, Wix DevCon bites into the Big Apple in early September. The sessions will include groundbreaking product reveals, live tours through the Wix developer ecosystem, engineering talks, programming workshops, fireside chats from the industry experts, and community showcases of the best websites built on Wix.
Wix DevCon 2022 will be held from September 7 - 8 at <a href="https://lavan541.com/" target="_blank">Lavan541</a> in New York City. Sessions begin at 8:00 AM and last through 4:00 PM (EST). 
Wix DevCon is completely free. However, space is limited, so the company recommends registering early to ensure your spot. If you can't make it to NYC, no worries – you can see the entire program virtually via the event website.
For tickets, session schedules, speaker lineups, and more, visit Wix's beautiful DevCon website at <a href="https://www.wixdevcon.com/" target="_blank">www.wixdevcon.com</a>
<h2>About Wix</h2>
Wix is a leading platform to create, manage and grow a digital presence. What began as a website builder in 2006 is now a complete platform providing users with enterprise-grade performance, security and a reliable infrastructure. Offering a wide range of commerce and business solutions, advanced SEO and marketing tools, Wix enables users to have full ownership of their brand, their data and their relationships with their customers. With a focus on continuous innovation and delivery of new features and products, anyone can build a powerful digital presence to fulfill their dreams on Wix.

Wix to Host First-Ever Developers Conference, Wix DevCon 2022

paris-tuzun

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

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

CMS Critic 2021 People's Choice Award logo

CMS Kickoff 25

Find out at CMS Kickoff '25, January 14-15 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Seats are limited.

Where is CMS headed in 2025?

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In the ever-expanding realm of CMS and DXP platforms, the category of “website builder” has long been an enigma. It’s not uncommon to have our readers ask us: how do I actually "create" a website using this tool?
And that’s the rub: content management systems have traditionally been designed to "manage content," while DXPs have evolved the stack by expanding the layers of data and optimization. But building an actual website? That’s another story. Or stories, to be more accurate.
Let’s provide a quick backdrop: with traditional CMS platforms, creating a website has often been a labor of technical love. In most cases, it requires the implementation of responsive HTML templates into a system by a trained developer or system integrator. While this model has given designers and coders greater control over the experience layer – and enabled content creators to preview rendered pages – it also comes with a much steeper learning curve and cost.
The rise of headless CMS has also changed the calculus. In this new omnichannel world, websites have become another endpoint in the experience landscape. This has shifted the thinking for marketers as they embrace new ways of distributing content and engaging with audiences via <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/top-jamstack-static-site-generators-for-2021/" target="_blank">JAMstack</a> libraries, custom apps, and other form factors.
Still, for many SMBs, a website is the center of their digital strategy. And with more demand at a do-it-yourself level, website building platforms have grown in popularity, giving way to more effective low-code/no-code tools with a myriad of drag-and-drop features. This includes purpose-built platforms like <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/squarespace-a-diy-website-builder-1/" target="_blank">Squarespace</a> but has now grown to include hosting ecosystems like <a href="https://www.godaddy.com/websites/website-builder" target="_blank">GoDaddy</a> and marketing automation services like <a href="https://mailchimp.com/features/website-builder/" target="_blank">MailChimp</a>.
But if you’re a designer or an agency that’s focused on delivering a high-caliber customer experience – particularly in the bursting e-commerce sector – many do-it-yourself builder tools conjure a single word: compromise.
That’s where <a href="https://www.duda.co/" target="_blank">Duda</a> has been expanding their niche as a best-of-breed professional web building platform. Their unique solution continues to gain ground with digital agencies and SaaS companies as the demand for digital commerce solutions grows exponentially.
Recently, the company announced that it has acquired <a href="https://snipcart.com/" target="_blank">Snipcart</a>, an e-commerce solution that lets businesses add a shopping cart to any website. The acquisition news comes hot on the heels of a successful round of $50M in Series D Funding, bringing Duda’s total funding to $100M thus far.
<h2>What is Duda? </h2>
Let's start with the basics: Duda is a platform that allows designers and agencies to rapidly create websites at scale with tools that automate the entire site-building process.
One of Duda’s key attributes is that it enables web professionals to achieve pixel-perfect designs without touching code. This has long been a challenge for nearly every website builder, but Duda seems to have to married simplicity with flexibility – allowing designers granular control to customize around their unique brand requirements. This reduces the headaches that many open source platforms like <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/gutenberg-2-years-later-is-wordpress-better-off/" target="_blank">WordPress</a> or enterprise CMSes create for web designers that want to focus on the experience and not the code.
Duda also provides a robust set of pre-built themes and templates that are free of charge, as well as a drag-and-drop builder that accelerates the design process. They also feature a library of widgets, as well as a nifty <a href="https://www.duda.co/developers/widget-builder?_ga=2.61014890.730348107.1631540715-a422507c-3bf0-4b7b-ad7f-09f0a73ade15" target="_blank">widget builder</a> for coding your own functionality.
Duda claims to outperform other industry-leading tools by ensuring every site built on its platform ranks high on critical SEO factors. They also suggest that their platform can reduce the average website build time by 50% to 75% – which can be a huge advantage to businesses that need to pivot quickly.
<h2>Leveraging Snipcart’s e-Commerce capabilities for digital transformation</h2>
It’s impossible to ignore the<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-covid-19-has-pushed-companies-over-the-technology-tipping-point-and-transformed-business-forever" target="_blank"> impact of the Covid-19 pandemic</a> on consumer habits. As people turned to digital and contactless solutions over the last 18 months, e-commerce has exploded – and the market is <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/379046/worldwide-retail-e-commerce-sales/" target="_blank">forecast</a> to grow by 50% to an estimated $6.3 trillion by 2024.
According to Duda, the company has already seen a whopping 265% year-over-year increase in e-commerce sites built on its platform. This was the impetus for the Snipcart acquisition, which will enable the company to further accelerate its growth by providing customers with a flexible e-commerce solution that can make any data or inventory they have shoppable.
Snipcart’s dynamic team of experienced developers, marketers, and managers has built a state-of-the-art e-commerce platform used by thousands of customers worldwide. Their focus on flexibility and modern e-commerce store design is very much aligned with Duda’s product vision of providing its customers with beautiful and modular e-commerce solutions.
<h2>Q&amp;A with Itai Sadan, Duda CEO and Co-Founder</h2>
CMS Critic had a chance to connect with Duda’s CEO and co-founder, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/itaisadan/" target="_blank">Itai Sadan</a>. We discussed the Snipcart acquisition, how e-Commerce is changing the landscape, and what Duda is planning next.
<hr />
CMS Critic (CC): It’s clear that digital agencies are a key focus for Duda. What other partner channels or vertical industries are emerging as opportunities? Is the enterprise becoming more of a target?
Itai Sadan (IS): Aside from digital agencies that have always been our focus, Duda has also been focused in the last two years on vertical SaaS platforms. These are typically SaaS solutions that serve a very specific industry (e.g. healthcare, professional services, real-estate) and want to expand into offering websites to their customers.
Duda has a very unique offering for this category as our website builder can be seamlessly embedded into their platform allowing them to automatically generate websites with their customers’ pre-populated data, giving their customers an amazing head start on their site builds and ensuring data is always in sync.
CC: What do Duda’s ideal SaaS customers look like? What in particular attracts them to Duda?
IS: Duda’s typical SaaS customer is a back-office platform that SMBs use to manage their business. Many times it could be a CRM, ERP, or a marketing platform for a certain industry vertical.
The moment these SaaS platforms want to help their customers acquire more clients, they need to provide some form of web presence to capture leads. Often these SaaS platforms have widgets that live on a website – such as a bookings engine or a form. Through integration with Duda they can have these widgets pre-installed on the websites, providing their customers with a hassle-free experience.
The great thing about Duda is that it is simple enough to be used by a business person via our simple drag and drop interface, and it is also a very powerful tool for developers who can make use of our API and add CSS, HTML, and JavaScript to our sites.
Our customers also know that Duda has their back in terms of ensuring our websites are highly converting and have great SEO. Duda handles all of the ongoing Google Core Web Vitals, AMP, and PageSpeed optimizations so that their clients will have a revenue-generating website that will perform well.
Lastly, I think what our partners really like is that Duda makes it very clear that we’re not in competition with them. Our go-to-market is always through channels; we are completely white-label and will never reach out directly to their customers. There is a certain trust and confidence that comes with that where these SaaS platforms know that they are our customers and we are 100% dedicated to seeing them succeed. Our Support and Account Management teams have received <a href="https://blog.duda.co/duda-honored-as-gold-stevie-winner-in-the-15th-annual-stevie-awards-for-sales-customer-service" target="_blank">multiple awards</a> and have been heralded as one of the key reasons customers choose us.
CC: There’s no question that eCommerce is exploding, particularly with the pandemic driving more digital adoption and transformation. What has been the most important feature or capability in Duda’s current e-commerce toolbox that has given it an edge? 
IS: One of Duda’s current e-commerce solution strengths is that users can set up their store once to easily sync and sell across their website, social media (Instagram, Facebook) and  marketplaces (eBay, Amazon).
The existing e-commerce solution has a strong and loyal following, used by many of Duda’s customers to add website buying experiences and will stay in place for customers that prefer to keep using it. In addition, Duda will continue to support it and expand on its capabilities.”
CC: How quickly will Snipcart’s capabilities be woven into Duda’s offerings? 
IS: The Snipcart and Duda team are deeply focused on the integration. We believe the first phase of the integration will be released in early 2022. Initially, it will be offered to customers building new e-commerce sites.
CC: Compliance and governance are becoming pinnacle concerns for digital businesses – particularly those transacting with e-commerce. How is Duda approaching issues like data privacy, ransomware, etc.?
IS: As a SaaS provider with hundreds of thousands of customers and users from around the world, Duda cares deeply about the privacy and security of the data owned by its customers and users, and takes it very seriously. Regarding privacy - Duda has appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) and developed and maintains a set of internal policies, guidelines, and procedures to make sure personal data is being stored and processed in accordance with data privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA.
We also have an Information Security Program which was developed by the Head of Cybersecurity security at Duda. The program aims to manage and reduce the risks to Duda’s data assets via an interactive process of business assessment, asset mapping, identification of vulnerabilities, potential threats, and the implantation of mitigating measures (i.e controls).
The controls we implement include information security awareness, developing required policies and processes, and the usage of technical measures. In an external audit that was handled in May 2021, we received very high scores both in Information Security and Business Continuity. Duda believes that Information Security is a fundamental requirement for business growth, and makes significant investments to improve the overall security posture each year.
Ransomware has become quite a popular threat recently, this is only one of the cyber threats Duda is dealing with on a daily basis. We use a large set of security controls to mitigate such risks, which include but are not limited to, security awareness among employees, email filtering and protection, identity management and access control, network segmentation, WAF and Firewalls, backups, as well as many others.”
CC: Some competitive platforms in your space are offering native app builders or API integrations to expand their omnichannel capabilities. How is Duda positioning against these offerings – and what’s on the horizon that we can share with our readers?
IS: We don’t have any plans to develop a native app offering. We think that most SMBs will do well with a website as the main way consumers are finding them is through a Google search or social media platforms that drive visitors to a website. We think the barrier to get an app installed is prohibitive for most SMBs and they will not see the ROI of building an app (for more detail see my <a href="https://blog.duda.co/how-the-web-was-won-apps-websites-the-birth-of-pwas" target="_blank">blog post</a> about this topic).
[On the horizon] we are investing in other areas that can help agencies. First, we always invest in our core platform. Web design is constantly evolving and we want to make sure our website builder always stays at the forefront of technology. We recently released <a href="https://flex.duda.co/" target="_blank">DudaFlex</a>, a way to build pixel-perfect sites in a very flexible way without needing to code. We are releasing a new membership feature that is in high demand and coming out in Q4 with a client billing solution that would allow agencies to seamlessly invoice and collect payments from their clients.
<h2>What’s next for Duda and Snipcart</h2>
Duda and Snipcart have already started working on their integration, which, as noted, is expected to be released in early 2022.
Along with Snipcart, Duda will continue to offer its existing e-commerce solution, which has a strong and loyal following amongst current users. They plan to support and expand these existing capabilities as well.
Duda also plans to invest heavily in growing the Snipcart team and adding more features to the core Snipcart platform. Additionally, Snipcart will continue to offer its product independently to customers, allowing Duda to grow their investment on multiple fronts.

Duda Snaps Up Snipcart to Boost e-Commerce Capabilities: Q&A with CEO Itai Sadan

Duda and Snipcart logos with image of CEO Isai Sadan

Unless you're living under a pop culture rock, you've probably heard the phrase "there's an app for that."
Statements like this can often be hyperbolic. But in this case, it's on the money: <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/276623/number-of-apps-available-in-leading-app-stores/" target="_blank">according to Statista</a>, there are 2.2 million apps available in the Apple App Store – and 3.57 Million in the Google Play store. That's a whole lotta apps.
The app revolution makes sense when you consider that most great ideas are born out of necessity. What's amazing is how the marketplace has enabled ordinary people with no tech or development background to access apps as a solution to their problems – like knowing which wine to pair with your salmon. Ask Vivino: they now have <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vivino-buy-the-right-wine/id414461255" target="_blank">over 50 million users worldwide.</a>
OK, so maybe wine isn't your thing. But let's say you're at your favorite craft beer pub and inspiration strikes. You grab a cocktail napkin and start mapping out a new app and how it will change your business. But now what? If you don't have the technical skills, outsourcing an app can be an expensive and risky endeavor. According to Utility, more advanced, multi-function and gaming apps <a href="https://utilitynyc.com/blog/app-development-cost#:~:text=Basic%20database%20apps%20cost%20between,based%20on%20quality%20and%20detail." target="_blank">can cost between $150,000 - $250,000</a> or more based on quality and detail.
It's easy to get overwhelmed by these numbers. And if you're going big, it's always best to think about how an app can be sustained or even monetized. It's for this reason that <a href="https://www.fyresite.com/how-many-apps-fail/" target="_blank">many people believe that 99% of apps fail</a> - but that doesn't reflect branded apps that reinforce your core business. 
So what if you just need a branded app? Not necessarily a suped-up AR-powered megalith, but a customized experience that allows you to enrich your users through a mobile channel with hundreds of different business solutions?
Well, it looks like <a href="https://www.wix.com/app-builder" target="_blank">Wix</a> might have cracked that code – with no code at all. The popular website building platform recently announced a new product for business owners called <a href="https://www.wix.com/app-builder" target="_blank">Branded App by Wix</a>, which allows users to create native apps for the iOS and Android stores without any complex development.
Wix – which is best known for its slick drag-and-drop website builder and CMS – has become a go-to platform for artists, freelancers, and small business owners looking to establish brands online without the hassle of coding and complexity. Now, the platform is expanding its user-friendly approach by making it possible for anyone to get into the app game without learning any code or relying on expensive, third-party development sources. 
Branded App by Wix will offer users a simple experience for customizing their apps, starting with their logo – which will appear in the major app stores alongside other leading apps. This alone can provide a significant branding boost to any business.
The app builder also allows what Wix describes as "total creative freedom" to design an app icon and customize the layout and general look and feel of the app UI, and enhance it with access to hundreds of features including eCommerce storefronts and forums.
One of the most challenging (and overlooked) costs of an app is management and maintenance, particularly when dealing with the native app stores themselves. Wix alleviates this by enabling automatic updates, ensuring that your app is constantly working with the latest versions of the iOS and Android stores – and that your data is always being synced.
"Building my own app with Branded App by Wix has been a total gamechanger for my business," said Wix user Benji Beasts, Founder and Fitness Trainer at Core Attack Fitness Club. "I had to have an app that I could customize to achieve the exact look, feel and service my members experience when they walk through my doors. Members use the app every day—whether it's to book sessions, buy merchandise or even stream sessions on demand. The most amazing thing about this app, especially for the time we are living in, is the place it provides for customers to connect with me and other members, creating a community experience that keeps them motivated and coming back for more. No need for a background in coding, just my passion and my brand."
While it's a far cry from a complex app like Vivino, don't cry over any spilled wine: Branded App by Wix is another signal that the app marketplace is becoming more accessible and cost-effective to a wider range of businesses – particularly in the do-it-yourself range. Right out of the gate, the experience is offering some fairly decent design capabilities, and Wix plans to push new features that offer extended customization and navigation in the coming months.
"This release is another step in our native mobile app strategy making sure users can create custom iOS and Android apps as easily as they create custom websites," said Ronny Elkayam, SVP of Mobile, App Market &amp; Strategic Products at Wix. "The Branded App is a major addition to the Wix offering, enabling business owners to have another medium to activate their brand. We are happy to equip any type of business owner or service provider with the native mobile experience they need to enhance their customers' experience, grow their businesses, and ultimately compete with today's biggest brands."
The Branded App unlimited is currently being offered at <a href="https://www.wix.com/app-builder" target="_blank">50% off</a> its original price – making it just $100 a month (paid annually). Note that the current plan doesn't include the registration fee for Apple's App Store (from $99 a year) and Google Play ($25 one-time fee), or any additional fees that Google or Apple may apply.
Even so, at this price point, you might want to pop a cork and start toasting to your new branded app.
<h2>About Wix</h2>
<a href="https://www.wix.com/" target="_blank">Wix</a> is leading the way with a cloud-based website development platform for over 200 million registered users worldwide today. The Wix website builder was founded on the belief that the Internet should be accessible to everyone to develop, create and contribute. Through free and premium subscriptions, Wix empowers millions of businesses, organizations, artists, and individuals to take their businesses, brands and workflow online. The Wix Editor, Wix ADI, Editor X, a curated App Market, Ascend by Wix and Velo by Wix enable users to build and manage a fully integrated and dynamic digital presence. Wix's headquarters are in Tel Aviv with offices in Austin, Be'er Sheva, Berlin, Cedar Rapids, Denver, Dnipro, Dublin, Kyiv, Kraków, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, São Paulo, Tokyo and Vilnius.

Wix Launches New Branded App Builder for Creating Code-Free Native Mobile Apps

<a href="https://elementor.com/?ref=7501" target="_blank">Elementor</a> today announced that over three million sites have been built using its platform. The platform reduces the need for web creators to code with its cutting-edge platform on WordPress. Elementor serves a rapidly growing customer base of web professionals including builders, designers, and marketers in 147 markets, and boasts a new website created every 10 seconds on its platform.
Elementor's open-source platform offers both a feature-rich free version for aspiring web creators and a premium version for web professionals – combined, they currently support over 1 million users. Elementor is the fastest growing platform on WordPress, which now powers over 30% of all websites worldwide. As both WordPress and Elementor continue to grow, those numbers are rapidly increasing.
Founded by Yoni Luksenberg and Ariel Klikstein, Elementor aims to radically simplify web building on WordPress, enabling web professionals and agencies to unleash their creative and business potential. Elementor's 50,000 strong, vibrant community and educational programs have been its primary growth engines. The platform currently ranks 9th on WordPress.org's most popular plugins, rating highest among website editor platforms.
Recognizing its central role in the WordPress community and its exponential growth, Elementor will become for the first time a Platinum sponsor in US WordCamp, the world’s biggest WordPress conference to be held in St. Louis, Missouri on November 1st.
“Web professionals want to build flexible, customizable websites that convert and look amazing,” said Yoni Luksenberg, Elementor's Co-Founder and CEO, “I’m proud we facilitated the creation of over three million sites in just three years. As a designer at heart, I'm extremely excited by the engagement level of pros all over the world that use us as their number one platform of choice. We will continue to empower our growing global community of web creators by developing more innovative tools and solutions that will help them unleash their business potential.”
For more information visit <a href="https://elementor.com/?ref=7501" target="_blank">elementor.com</a>

Elementor Hits 3 Million Sites, Becomes Fastest-Growing Web Building Platform

mike-johnston

Photography websites are all about the pictures. If you are creating a website for your photography business, you need a CMS or Website Builder that lets you make huge galleries and amp up your graphics potential. Your CMS should make it incredibly easy to upload photos and prominently display them. We've done a roundup of the best photography website builders and listed them for you. If you're a hobby photographer or know a photographer who is wanting to break into the business, a killer website is the way to start so read on.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/website-builders-for-photography-websites_vxog7q.jpg" alt="website builders for photography websites" />
<h2>Website Builders for Photography Websites</h2>
<h2><a href="https://format.grsm.io/mike-17" target="_blank">Format</a></h2>
Every photographer needs a portfolio. Format is focused on delivering high-quality photography portfolios. These are portfolios that go way beyond the average, allowing for endless customization and more options than you could possibly exhaust in a lifetime of photography. Many of the themes are dynamic, and all of them feature vivid photo prominence. The editor side of Format is a blissfully easy drag-and-drop experience. For its pro-level service, the prices aren't too bad, either ($6.99 – 24.99/mo).
Note: You can get 10% off your annual subscription by using the code CMSCRITIC
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot_2015-07-08_at_12_11_54_pm620x0-is.png" />
<h2><a href="https://www.pixpa.com/" target="_blank">Pixpa</a></h2>
Our top choice for photographers is Pixpa –  an online platform that lets you easily create and manage your professional portfolio website, client galleries, e-commerce store and blog – all in one place. Pixpa's all-in-one platform requires no coding knowledge and saves time and money for photographers by enabling them to manage their complete online presence through one platform.
Whether it’s a portfolio website, an e-commerce store or a blog, it's easy to build a professional website on Pixpa using its beautiful, customizable themes that help you get off to a fast start. Pixpa includes all the features you need to showcase, share and sell online with ease and style. You can get started for free and then choose from their affordable pricing plans that start at just $5/month.
<h2><a href="https://en.zenfolio.com/" target="_blank">Zenfolio</a></h2>
Your complete portfolio and online client proofing website is ready as soon as you open an account. There is no coding necessary to create a beautiful website with plenty of design options and customizations in just a few clicks. Impress your friends and clients with your gorgeous, professional website. The homepage is the first page your viewers see, so make it unforgettable with professionally designed layouts. Include a navigation menu, welcome message, your logo, photo thumbnails or music to make your website personal. Everything is customizable, so you can create a website just as unique as your photography.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/preset02-lg620x0-is.jpg" />
<h2><a href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a></h2>
<a href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a> is a great option if you are looking for a way to showcase your work. Check out our if you want to learn more about it. Not only does it let you design beautiful sites with no code required, it's easy to use and elegant. We think it's a great option and highly recommend you check it out. Here is an example of a beautiful photography website built on <a href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a>:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/4926520_orig620x0.png" alt="top 8 cms for photographers - weebly" />
<h2><a href="http://wordpress.org/" target="_blank">WordPress</a></h2>
WordPress, the world's most widely-used CMS, is also a top choice for photographers. It's easy to build an <a href="http://www.ashlynmae.com/">impressive photography site</a> that requires just a bit of web savvy. Right out of the box, it's easy to add galleries into a WordPress site, but it works best when paired with plugins and the right template. As far as photo plugins go, you might have a hard time paring down the list of thousands to one that works for you.
If you choose to go with WordPress or something similar and need a great web host, I recommend GoDaddy whom I've personally used for projects such as this. They offer great support at an affordable price. <a href="/godaddy">Click here to sign up</a>
We suggest that you check out the following plugins and/or themes:
<ul>
<li>Envato sells hundreds of beautiful photography themes for WordPress: <a href="https://envato.com/">Check them out.</a></li>
<li><a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/nextgen-gallery/" target="_blank">NextGEN Gallery</a> (plugin)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.photocrati.com/651.html">Photocrati</a> (theme)</li>
<li>Enigma (theme)</li>
</ul>
 
<h2><a href="http://mbsy.co/photoshelter/cmscritic" target="_blank">PhotoShelter</a></h2>
Another photo-specific CMS is PhotoShelter, a wildly popular website creator. It has a cult following of photographers, with good reason. There are ten templates with layout options for each template. Each template delivers a stunning photo-centric appearance. Some of the icing on the PhotoShelter cake is unique features like automatic fulfillment from printers (only two printers available) and their powerful ecommerce tools. If you're looking for a site with strong conversion funnel for photo sales, PhotoShelter is the way to go. (Ducati not included.)
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/top_8_cms_for_photographers620x0-is.jpg" />
<h2><a href="http://koken.me/">Koken</a></h2>
Koken is cool. Part of what makes a photo-CMS helpful is online image management. There's no shortage of online storage platforms, but a storage site + CMS designed for photographers is especially handy. Koken's desktop-like interface makes it easy to upload and manage both images and videos. The CMS also allows you to add content from Flickr, Instagram, Vimeo, SoundCloud, and Twitter. Koken also has a publish services plugin for Lightroom. Koken works best for the serious photographer who isn't afraid of technology. You can even customize your own CSS. As it is by itself, Koken is a strong contender for gaining the loyal clientele of the most demanding photographers, designers, and other creatives.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/koken-620x361.png" alt="CMS for Photographers" />
The ultimate qualification for a top-notch photographer is the photography itself, not the website. Still, in today's world, you've got to have a quality website. These photography CMSs are the way to get you the website you need.
<h2><a href="https://clickbooq.com/" target="_blank">Clickbooq</a></h2>
clickbooq was created by an award-winning interactive design firm, whose founding partners have gained invaluable experience working with some of the largest and best known advertising and interactive agencies in the world. It features an easy to use editor, tons of features, beautiful themes and a reasonable price tag ($8 – 24 / month).
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/designs.jpg" />
Don't forget that when you go to set up your website, you'll need a reliable web hosting company. We recommend GoDaddy. They are currently offering great discounts to our readers, so be sure to take advantage of the offer before it expires. <a href="https://www.godaddy.com/">Click here to get cheap, reliable hosting from GoDaddy</a>.

Top 8 Website Builders for Photography Websites

As religious organisations and churches have grown and evolved, the processes involved in running them have become even more complex. Managing a church now requires a much more comprehensive approach than simply relying upon a church leader to run everything. And this is where <a target="_blank" href="https://sites.faithlife.com/?utm_source=superbwebsitebuilders&amp;utm_medium=partner&amp;utm_content=partner&amp;utm_campaign=sitesreviews">Faithlife Sites</a> comes in. Faithlife Sites wants to take all of the work involved in running a church and make it easier. Let's see how they do it with a Faithlife Sites Review.Using a church CMS, users can create and customize their church websites using a variety of automated tools designed to take the background work out of running a church so that ministers can focus on their community priorities.Let’s look at how and if Faithlife Sites CMS has accomplished this goal.<h2>Getting Started</h2>Many website builders and content management systems make the initial integration part of their service quite difficult to get on board with, but with Faithlife Sites the initial pathway is pretty straightforward. Upon signing up (for free) you’re asked for the usual basic details of name, email and phone number before continuing on to the main dashboard.  <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot-2019-05-09-at-15.png" />It’s from the dashboard that the real power of Faithlife Sites as a hub for any and all church needs is revealed. It’s seriously impressive. After you claim your church group, you’re taken to My Faithlife, which is where you can manage all aspects of a church community in one place. The transition from signup to dashboard, to actually getting started with the site design, is intuitive and well laid out.<h2>Design</h2>The website design is clean and easy to navigate. Nothing important is hidden away and there is a clear demarcation between My Faithlife, which is more of an end user part of the site, and the website/community manager sections.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot-2019-05-09-at-15-1691093724549.png" />The themes available for the site CMS are limited and there are only six in total, but they are perfectly suited for the needs of this target audience. There is also a selection of stock images that are free to use in the website builder itself.<h2>Usability and Support</h2>The support on Faithlife Sites is outstanding. They have an extensive help section which covers almost every part of the site and they are contactable via phone, email, and web chat via their help portal. There are also dozens of informative videos to talk through almost any query you could have.The usability of the site is a key part of the appeal of this CMS and you can tell that they’ve invested a lot of time researching their target demographic. Nothing in the site – from the initial sign-up and community management section, to the website builder – seems out of reach to even the most technophobic end user. The design of the site helps enormously, as it is clean, well-labelled and intuitive to the point of basic. This is a good thing, though, and I found myself getting up to speed with their system very quickly.<h2>Key Features</h2>The excellent website builder is the key selling point here. Some content management systems make website building and structuring seem like a labyrinthian process, but Faithlife Sites makes it incredibly easy. All of the pages are laid out on the side of the window in simple layers. Want to edit the home page? Just click on the home tab. Want to edit sermons or your about page? Just click on that page and then click on the piece you want to edit.The process of building a site using this CMS is incredibly simple and could be quickly picked up by almost anyone, in my opinion. The design aspects of the pages are limited but easily customisable in an intuitive way. You can also view your prospective site as it appears on a desktop screen, mobile, and pad. This is a small thing but it adds a lot of value.The community management software in Faithlife Sites is also incredibly powerful. With a minimal amount of work, you can start building an online church community that has a forum, combined calendar, group chat, and bulletin boards in easy reach that are easily controlled by a team of admins.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/bulletins_gofy9g.png" />There is also an excellent structure in place for taking and processing online donations that will be extremely useful to any church group. This is easily navigated and seems reliable.<h2>Pricing</h2>Faithlife Sites pricing is scaled depending on the size of your congregation. You can set up a basic site free of charge and premium packages start from $16.67 a month (when paid annually).All packages allow users to collaborate online with unlimited team accounts, run different presentations in multiple rooms concurrently, build presentations from any computer, anywhere, get over 5,000 free church graphics, and interact with the congregation by sending alerts directly to their phones, among other features.Higher value packages include free stock imagery, pro Media library, over 16,000 motions, stills, and mini-movies from Graceway, Church Motion Graphics, Dan Stevers, FreeBridge, Igniter, and Playback.This is a competitive pricing structure that incentivizes users to get a custom domain for their church rather than sticking with the basic free package that uses a subdomain structure.<h2>Pros</h2><ul><li>Incredibly easy to use</li><li>Vast support system to help almost anyone to complete their website</li><li>Free multimedia for a professional look</li><li>Competitively priced</li><li>Powerful community management dashboard that’s easy to navigate</li></ul><h2>Cons</h2><ul><li>Getting access to the initial page can be a little confusing as you have to find your church group on a map or via search.</li></ul><h2>Final Verdict 4/5</h2>Faithlife Sites is an excellent CMS that is incredibly easy to use and I highly recommend it for any church group that wants to go online. It’s such a powerful and simple CMS that there may even be a market for it outside of the church sphere, if they ever choose to go in that direction.

Faithlife Sites Review

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If someone told you that a nonprofit website is the same as a for-profit website, you know they’d be flat-out wrong. How many regular sites try to convince their visitors to donate, volunteer to a cause, or join to become a member?The fact is that <a href="https://digigiv.org/nonprofit-websites/">nonprofit websites</a> are fundamentally different from for-profit websites. As such, when it comes to building a successful non-profit site that can attract, convert, and retain supports, a different approach is necessary.Enter the world of nonprofit website builders.With regular website builders, you can’t expect the web development process to be a breeze. The typical website builder is more geared towards building a blog, hosting or running an online store, and adding attractive pictures, which are all great, but nonprofits tend to need some more specialized attention and features.Keep in mind that even with a regular website builder that features nonprofit add-ons, taking a closer look will reveal that it will cost you more money and time to set it up. Fortunately, there are a number of website builders specifically designed for nonprofits.With these web builders, you can express your creativity and build a professional nonprofit website that provides an exceptional experience to all of your visitors. Ultimately, the best website builders provide you with everything that your nonprofit website needs to reach a much wider audience and receive more donations and memberships. Whether you’re looking to recruit volunteers, raise awareness, or even fundraise for your non-profit, web builders for nonprofits make the process easy and enjoyable.If you’re in the market for a nonprofit web builder, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’re going to take a closer look at Digigiv – a drag-and-drop website builder.<h3>Digigiv Overview</h3><a href="https://digigiv.org/">Digigiv</a> is a market leader when it comes to helping nonprofit organizations and churches to increase their donations and funding. While they are not a donor management solution, they do have a whole portfolio or tools that places them right in the donor-focused category. They provide organizations with a comprehensive software solution to help them build user-friendly software and experience and also provide education, training, and resources to help skyrocket funding.At first glance, we could tell that Digigiv comes with a tone of different features, including digital marketing tools, payment features, privacy tools, etc. With their website builder, Digigiv promises to let you create a comprehensive nonprofit website easily, all by yourself, regardless of your level of skills in coding and design.Based on our initial look, it seems that users have a lot to gain with the tool. And we are totally confident it's the best solution available. It comes with all compelling features that you can expect from this kind of software solution and many ways to help keep your donor or members engaged with your content.<h3>Who Digigiv is For?</h3>Digigiv is best suited for nonprofits looking to build or increase their web presence. The web builder also serves as a hub for creating web content, blogs, and donation forms and will. It also takes care of the digital materials that you need to promote your cause.We can clearly see it as being useful for nonprofits who want to keep a regular blog and those who intend to use social media to promote their campaigns and events. With that in mind, it’s worth mentioning that Digigiv is not only web solutions but also a complete donor management solution.  There are also a number of reporting tools included in the package, users won’t be able to find detailed information about their constituents, apart from perhaps the browser they are using.<h3>Benefits and Features</h3>The main role of Digigiv is to automate your web design process for your nonprofit and save you money and time so that you can spend it on growing your nonprofit and providing your supporters more value. Here is what you get with Digigiv web editor:<h3>Drag-and-Drop Editor</h3>Digigiv drag &amp; drop editor is specifically built for people with little or no technical know-how, but still, want to build a professional nonprofit website that has a superior user experience. With their editor, you can keep your website up to date and make it look great in just a few clicks.The editor lets you add text, images, video, forms, and social media feeds, by ideally dragging and dropping each element as necessary. Their in-house technology will do its magic behind the scenes to automatically align the forms, content, and images so that everything will look crisp be the time you’re through. The editor also resizes images to ensure better optimization, so that your site is not crippled by slow load times.<h3>In-depth Customizations</h3>All the website designs provided in the app are 100% customizable. As such, you can customize your designs with little effort to meet your design and organization requirements, usually in a matter of minutes. You can also update the fonts, titles, etc. at the click of a button. The app also lets you customize your videos and images with no coding or design skills.<h3>Fully Responsive Designs</h3>Every website you design using the Digigiv platform is 100% responsive, meaning that they will look amazing regardless of the device. Keep in mind that in today’s marketplace, mobile-friendly web design is a requirement, not a luxury. Over 60% of web traffic today comes from a mobile device, and the number is only set to increase in the coming year. Digigiv is aware of this and goes out of their way to ensure their clients build a mobile-friendly website by default.<h3>SEO Ready sites</h3>Along with mobile-friendliness, websites created with the Digigiv software integrate the latest SEO best practices. As such, your new website will be ready to rank high in the search engines by default. You can also use their built-in search engine optimization panel in the editor to customize your title tags, ALT tags, page titles, and so much more.<h3>No Need for Server Configuration</h3>To make the design process as easy as possible for the new users, Digigiv manages all things related to the server side. This means that even the person with the least coding skills can build their site and have it running in no time. You don’t have to worry about the common backend problems and frustrations that newbie designers often face, or have to spend hours on support calls trying to get things up and running.<h3>Free Templates</h3>It’s generally rather intuitive to get started with Digigiv, and once you get the hang of it, you’ll find yourself making use of even more features, modules, elements, and widgets within their editor that actually make the customization process a breeze.And even if you prefer to do minimal work, you’ll be happy to know that they also provide awesome ready-made nonprofit website templates &amp; design, and all you have to do is pick your favorite template and just customize it to your liking… or they'll do it for you. These templates are designed for churches, community groups, international nonprofits, associations, and environmental organizations.From there, you can customize the logo, color scheme, typeface, along with other identifiers in order to make the design your own. And as you drag and drop modules, widgets, and elements onto the page to achieve your desired functionality, you’ll be able to see the changes you’ve made in real time. With this, you don’t have to make page updates blindly on the back end before you see how they appear in real life.<h3>Premium Functionality</h3>Digigiv really stands out from the crowd in that they strike a good balance between ease of use and premium functionality. Considering that your nonprofit website has a lot of things to do including sharing events, processing donations, sharing your vision and mission, etc. Digigiv lets you build a site that checks all of your boxes without sacrificing on user-friendliness.With all these features and benefits, Digigiv hs made sure that you don’t have to hire a web developer or a web designer to manage the site for you. Just about anyone can build and customize a Digigiv website, with no specialized training required.But how much do you pay?<h3>Digigiv Pricing</h3>While Digigiv indeed isn’t free, their $57 package if quite affordable for an up-and-coming nonprofit. And as your organization grows (or if it’s within your budget), you have the option of paying their $100 per page for content migration, formation, &amp; optimization if you went the to handle the heavy lifting for you.<h3>Final Verdict</h3>From the moment we first visited Digigiv’s site, we liked what we saw. And while there are quite few customer reviews about the platform on the web, we think that what their offer is quite compelling and competitive.The monthly pricing is also relatively affordable, and we liked the fact that they give you the option of paying a one-off fee. Additionally, the flexibility of the $100 per page for content migration is fantastic for organizations of any size, with any budget.This price gives you access you an easy-to-use, well-designed web builder, which can help any nonprofit come up with a professional looking website in very little time. Nonetheless, although we do like what they bring to the table, we can’t recommend it as a donor management system.However, if you’re looking for some help building your nonprofit website, then Digigiv is undoubtedly worth the money. The incredible support, easy to use tools, and feature-rich services are impressive.

Digigiv Review

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