Nine for 9: The Future is Here

April 9, 2014
by
Michael Kunzler

The web presents an ever-changing blend of technologies that dramatically enhance our ability to connect with others. Maintaining that connection is key to your site’s success.

Content Management
Development

The web presents an ever-changing blend of technologies that dramatically enhance our ability to connect with others. Maintaining that connection is key to your site’s success.

Upgrading your Ektron website is a crucial step in keeping current. And it’s easy to do. But why do it? Here are nine reasons to get 9.0 now:

  1. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be: It doesn’t matter if you’re putting off an oil change, a trip to the dentist, or a CMS upgrade. Time takes its toll. Since Ektron’s last major release, there have been over 20 major updates to the three most popular browsers. This is a big deal. Not only do these browser changes influence the end user’s experience, but also can severely alter the content manager’s ability to enter content using the CMS tool. Upgrading solves this immediately.

  2. Find it now, find it fast: Ektron’s now using the proven SOLR search and has incorporated it directly into the product. This best-of-breed component brings speed, a lightweight footprint, and an onboard functionality allowing site users to filter and search based upon content attributes that you control. It’s a huge improvement for Ektron customers. Your development and marketing teams will both appreciate it, and end users will see a huge gain.

  3. Ready or not, mobile’s here: Content now has to be aligned with a variety of devices. Tablets, mobile phones, sub-categories like “phablets,” and now even watches demonstrate that the web has to work on many screens. Ektron 9.0 has baked in a helpful device-based preview into the CMS, allowing content managers a quick preview on a host of devices. This saves time and makes for happier end users.

  4. One upload to rule them all: Adaptive image control within the CMS means that Ektron 9.0 allows your content managers to upload less to satisfy more end users. They’ll spend more time on the message and less time uploading specialized images.

  5. You’re only as good as you are specific: Ektron’s latest build makes it easy to tailor content to the audiences that matter most. Enterprise sites can now couple intelligence previously stuck in the CRM silo directly into a persona management application, allowing content managers to tie message to user in more meaningful ways.

  6. Sync up for the win: Older versions of Ektron require a fair amount of care, especially as it relates to keeping multiple environments up to date. Ektron’s eSync changes all that, providing near set-it-and-forget-it synchronization of code, files, and content. With the new eSync you can tie into the eSync events to customize actions like cache invalidation when an eSync occurs. Now a better tool for keeping things clean and up to date.

  7. New framework, better tools: Using languages common to web developers (JavaScript, HTML, and CSS), custom functionality can now be built within the Ektron tool itself, allowing more developers greater control over the user experience. The new app framework will provide for faster customizations and more control than in previous versions. You’ll have more team members able to control more elements of your site.

  8. Your content managers deserve better: For some, especially older implementations, using Ektron involves navigating a Byzantine stack of folders upon folders to find the content that matters most. Ektron 9.0 changes all that. Search factors in prominently to allow content managers direct access to the content they need. And inline editing makes changes simple and direct. No more picking through folders to find what you need, and nothing between you and your content.

  9. Your end-users expect more: The user that just browsed your site probably hit Facebook in the last few hours. And Amazon. And, if statistics are to be believed, also YouTube. Today’s users expect that your site deliver an experience that stands up to the features and functionality delivered by the big sites. Upgrading to Ektron 9.0 gives you the opportunity to deliver what users want, when they want it.

Get started on your free Ektron assessment now.