At WSOL, we primarily work with CMS-driven websites, which allows us to design sites that are easy to use, visually appealing, and make the best use of available technology. But aside from developers’ concerns, the real benefit of a Content Management System (CMS) is that it empowers you to manage your website yourself, without having to consult programmers every time you need to make a change. While there are a number of CMS options available, we particularly want to highlight EPiServer, a platform which provides users with powerful, intuitive tools that allow a site to be easily updated without having to wait for an IT department to make the changes for you.
Customize Your CMS to Meet Your Business Goals
One of the great features of EPiServer as a CMS platform is its Add-on Store, which provides a large number of components which can provide additional functionality for your website, including modules which allow you to easily add different types of content, integrate social media to your site, and manage E-Commerce. Add-ons are sold, supported and maintained by third-party vendors. Similar to the Apple App Store, these plug-ins are easy to install, and they allow you to add new tools and components to your site without having to reinvent the wheel. Providing you with these options enables you to easily add new functionality to your site to meet your business needs.
Upgrades Made Simple
The Add-on Store also provides an easy, simple way to upgrade EPiServer, allowing you to install the latest CMS version with one click and no need for IT to come to the rescue. Upgrades and components are all located in one area online, so you won’t need to search high and wide to figure out what you need to do to keep your software up to date. In short, EPiServer gives you the power to add functionality to your site, whether you want to post videos, track leads, accept online payment, or any number of other possibilities.
EPiServer’s Open Strategy= More Flexibility
The Add-on Store is part of EPiServer’s open strategy, which combines open source and proprietary programming to provide the best of both worlds for their users. EPiServer strives for openness and transparency, and by taking actions such as removing code obfuscation, publishing their source code inside the Software Development Kit (SDK), allowing developers to peek inside the source during debugging, and providing professional support and expert services, they can ensure that they provide the best possible CMS product for both developers and users.
The Add-on Store is a key component of this open strategy, providing extensions that are easy to install and maintain. Here are some of the popular Add-on components:
- Social Reach – Allows users to publish content across social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. This will allow you to reach the greatest possible audience, and Social Reach can help increase your traffic and conversion rates and improve your return on investment (ROI).
- SiteAttention – Provides real-time analysis of content to improve search results. Using Google’s PageRank algorithm, SiteAttention presents advice on Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and by tracking actual webpage viewer usage, it can help you optimize the text on your site to make sure you are reaching the widest possible audience.
- Active Standards – Provides governance and compliance for site performance, including benchmarks and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This add-on can help you make sure your site is running at optimal efficiency and providing the best possible experience for your users.
WSOL is currently looking into how we can put our development experience to work to create our own Add-ons for EPiServer. Do you have any suggestions? Do you have a need but can't find it in the Add-on Store? Have you installed an Add-on module? Do you have questions about existing Add-ons? Let us know in the comments sections.
