WordPress has dominated the CMS landscape for the last 17 years and over 75 million websites run their websites on this platform.
Yet it was only a matter of time before new systems arrived on the scene to challenge the reign of WordPress. Sitecore is one of those. Are you still a little in the dark about this new kid on the block?
Find all the Sitecore support you need with these fast facts about this innovative system.
1. What is Sitecore?
Sitecore is a digital management platform that addresses a wide variety of business needs to create a great customer experience.
It’s unique in that it offers developers and marketers the flexibility to engage with their customers quicker and more effectively than others in its class.
Sitecore collects data from customers in real-time, using all available sources and channels. It then uses machine learning to generate actionable results and insights you can use right away.
Thanks to the speed and efficiency of Sitecore, it can generate personalized user experiences across all channels including IoT, kiosks, web, social, and mobile.
Overall, this carefully designed CMS provides total website management functionality with a full suite of digital marketing and e-commerce tools.
2. What Can You Do With Sitecore?
Using Sitecore’s extremely user-friendly interface, you get to enjoy seamless integration, multisite development, and many useful tools for social media engagement. With Sitecore, you have full control over every aspect of your website.
Marketers find it particularly beneficial thanks to the following capabilities:
- Building marketing campaigns
- Content optimization
- Personalization
- Tracking and analytics
The real benefit of Sitecore is that it collects personalized data for every visitor to your site, allowing you to offer completely personalized experiences.
3. What Are the Key Features of Sitecore?
To pull this off, you should take advantage of the many features offered by this platform. These include:
- Sitecore pipelines to define process flow using XML
- Sitecore PaaS to simplify and streamline website management and maintenance
- Sitecore Helix principles to guide all your Sitecore projects
- Sitecore MVC to build ASP.Net pages according to the specific application
- Sitecore Rocks to add plugins, buttons, and fields quickly and easily
- Sitecore SXA so developers and designers can work in tandem
- Sitecore Experience Platform to manage, schedule, and run your marketing efforts
- Sitecore Solr to define operations and elements when working with documents
The many facets of Sitecore are what make it so minutely customizable.
4. What Are the Drawbacks of Sitecore?
Sitecore’s one of the more expensive CMS options around and they also charge high rates for customized support. Setting up this CMS also requires programming knowledge and specific training.
Due to its heavy emphasis on customization, you don’t get any templates with Sitecore and it’s only recently been integrated with the Cloud which hasn’t been without its problems. However, Sitecore seems to have resolved most of these issues already.
5. What Are the Benefits of Sitecore?
There are many reasons why businesses choose Sitecore despite these few issues. Some of the most popular features of Sitecore include personalized data collection, cross-channel data analysis, unlimited scaling, and headless content presentation.
Some of the other reasons for choosing this CMS include:
- A supremely user-friendly interface
- The ability to optimize websites with an integrated online marketing suite
- Easy integration with Microsoft business products
- Compatibility across browsers
- Translation integration for multilingual sites
- Excellent opportunities for social media engagement
- Insights generated by machine learning
Overall, one of the most beneficial aspects of Sitecore is the collaborative development environment which streamlines the whole process and ensures a unified result.
6. How Do You Get Started With Sitecore?
It’s no wonder that thousands of websites are making the switch to Sitecore. If you’re curious to take the next step, it’s simple. All you need to do is visit the Sitecore network site, log in and download it from the appropriate link.
Before you can start your installation, you need to set up a Sitecore Installation framework and register a repository in PowerShell.
You’ll find it all explained in this Sitecore best practices guide for installation.
7. Sitecore Support Offers a Range of Services
Sitecore offers a host of paid tailored support services to help you with any teething problems, or if you need help along the way. There are specific teams to help you with every aspect of your Sitecore journey.
You’ll have access to Sitecore browser support, the Sitecore Solr support package, and more when needed. Support services are generally swift and effective, and if you sign up for Sitecore premium support, you could even have your answers within the hour.
The relevant Sitecore support lifecycle for earlier versions of this platform expired in January, and future support options won’t outlive their relevant versions for long either. So, it’s important to update your Sitecore as soon as updates become available.
Is Sitecore Right For You?
Once you get the hang of it, you should have no trouble managing the many functions offered by Sitecore.
The aim of this platform is to make everything simpler for their clients, so whenever you need answers to your questions, the Sitecore support team is at your service.
So if you’re having difficulty deciding whether this CMS is ideal for your business, browse their website, read some more reviews, or ask other businesses in your niche about their experiences.
If you have other questions relating to the latest business innovations, keep browsing our blog for more business-related tips and information.
