Optimizely CMS roadmap: SaaS, Visual Builder and what's next

In a recent partner webinar, Optimizely unveiled an ambitious roadmap for their CMS platform, showcasing how they're positioning themselves at the forefront of content management innovation. As Optimizely Platinum Partners who work with the platform daily, we've been keeping a close eye on these latest developments. Their recent roadmap webinar revealed some significant updates that will impact how we build and manage digital experiences for our clients.

SaaS CMS is gaining serious momentum

The July 2023 launch of Optimizely's SaaS CMS has shown impressive results. With seven customers already implementing and five major releases since August, we're seeing real momentum in both platform adoption and development. What's particularly caught our attention is the platform's enterprise-ready approach to language handling - with UI localisation across 12 languages and enhanced multi-language functionality, it's clear they're thinking about global organisations from day one.

Visual Builder: A genuine step forward

Having worked with numerous visual editors over the years, we can say this one addresses many of the practical challenges we've encountered in enterprise implementations. The upcoming external content integration is particularly noteworthy, allowing direct management of DAM assets, CRM data, and third-party forms all within the same interface.

Key features we're excited about:

• External content integration by year-end
• Intelligent mapping of external content
• AI-powered auto-translation capabilities

The content manager revolution

The new content manager introduces meaningful improvements to content operations. Through our enterprise implementations, we've seen how critical efficient content management is for large organisations. This update brings a unified interface for all content sources, powered by semantic search capabilities that actually understand what users are looking for.

Most significant improvements:

• Graph-powered semantic search
• Unified interface for all content sources
• Streamlined bulk operations

Healthcare industry: A new frontier

The introduction of HIPAA-enabled projects is a game-changer for our healthcare clients. We're seeing increased demand for secure, compliant digital experiences in the healthcare sector, and this update directly addresses those needs. The solution will be available across both PaaS and SaaS platforms, with full BAA signing capability and support extending through to the upcoming CMS 13.

CMS 13: The next generation

The upcoming CMS 13 release marks a significant evolution in Optimizely's platform. Built with a graph-first architecture, it promises improved performance and flexibility while maintaining strong support for both SaaS and PaaS implementations. This dual commitment ensures organisations can choose the deployment model that best fits their needs.

Core improvements include:

• Graph-first architecture
• Visual Builder integration
• Updated API framework

Enhanced personalisation and AI integration

Personalisation and AI capabilities are being deeply integrated into the platform's core functionality. The direct integration with feature experimentation allows for more sophisticated testing and targeting, while AI-powered features assist with content optimisation and translation.

Key personalisation features:

• Direct integration with feature experimentation
• In-built campaign publishing and monitoring
• AI-assisted content optimisation
• Automated translation services

Developer experience: The foundation of success

Understanding that developer satisfaction is crucial for platform adoption, Optimizely is investing heavily in improving the developer experience through:

Development tools:

• New webhook management interfaces
• Comprehensive sync logs
• Additional SDKs for various languages
• Enhanced documentation and training resources

The focus on developer tooling extends beyond just code, with Optimizely working to create a more comprehensive ecosystem for developers to work within.

Looking ahead

Optimizely's roadmap reveals a clear vision for the future of content management – one that combines the power of visual editing with the flexibility of headless architecture, all while leveraging AI and automation to streamline workflows.

The parallel commitment to both SaaS and PaaS platforms shows an understanding that different organisations have different needs, and a one-size-fits-all approach won't suffice in today's diverse digital landscape.

As these developments roll out over the coming months, it will be interesting to see how they impact the broader CMS market and, more importantly, how organisations leverage these new capabilities to deliver better digital experiences.

One thing is certain: Optimizely is positioning itself not just as a CMS provider, but as a comprehensive digital experience platform ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

Ready to transform your digital experience?

As an Optimizely Platinum Partner, 26 DX is uniquely positioned to help you leverage these exciting new capabilities. Whether you're looking to migrate to SaaS CMS, upgrade to CMS 13, or maximise your current Optimizely implementation, our team of certified experts can guide you every step of the way. With years of experience delivering successful Optimizely projects, we understand how to turn these powerful features into real business value for your organisation.

Contact us to speak with our Optimizely expert team.