Optimizely - A Stable and Secure Enterprise CMS for Medium and Large Organizations
Itiden ❤️ Optimizely = True
You may not have heard of Optimizely before, but it is actually the oldest of the three CMS platforms we write about in this article series. Optimizely was previously known as Episerver, which you may have heard of. With roots in Stockholm, it is by far the largest Swedish CMS system, and is commonly found among larger companies, government agencies, and organizations.
A (Short) History Lesson on Optimizely 🧐
In 1994, the company Elektropost Stockholm AB was founded in Sweden by Mikael Runhem. However, it was not until 1997 that the company launched its first CMS called Episerver CMS, and not until 2002 that the company laid the foundation for the CMS that Optimizely is today, built on Microsoft's .NET technology.
As a CMS, it was quickly appreciated by larger enterprises thanks to features that allowed multiple editors to work in the system simultaneously, and solutions that made Episerver work well for both websites and intranets.
Episerver continued to grow explosively – not only in the number of users and customers – but also acquired a number of other companies to broaden its portfolio of solutions. In 2020, the American company Optimizely, which had A/B testing products, was acquired. The following year, the company chose to change its name to Optimizely and offer a full suite of digital marketing solutions, where CMS is part of the offering.
What Type of CMS is Optimizely?
That there are several different types of CMS systems, we have already discussed here. Optimizely falls into the category of Enterprise CMS, i.e., suitable for medium-sized or larger organizations with requirements for higher complexity, security, and integration capabilities. Unlike, for example, Statamic or WordPress, Optimizely is not an open-source CMS, which means the source code is not freely modifiable. However, this does not mean the solution is locked down – there are plenty of integration possibilities and tools to extend functionality. There is no free version either; the CMS is entirely commercial and license-based.
When it comes to how an organization wants to build its site for visitors, you can use Optimizely as a headless CMS with your own custom frontend, or use the built-in frontend engine.
It is simply a very flexible and scalable CMS.
Optimizely Comes in Several Different Versions ⤵️
CMS
The standard edition of Optimizely's CMS, which includes all functionality for creating, maintaining, and structuring content. Can be hosted on your own server or in their cloud solution Optimizely Cloud, which is recommended for most.
Commerce
An e-commerce platform that offers many smart solutions for how organizations can increase sales of their products or services. You can choose between a pre-configured set for e-commerce alone, or build the store in Optimizely and customize the solution entirely to your needs.
One
Called a complete operating system for all marketers and communicators. Contains an entire suite for creating, testing, personalizing, and adapting content for different target audiences.
Why Choose Optimizely?
Many of the advantages have already been mentioned in the article, but we try to list the main advantages below.
When an organization requires a scalable and secure CMS with many custom content types and variants.
Easy to create content and see the end result in the preview.
Ability to create reusable templates for different content types.
Built-in system for setting up workflows, where a text for example must be approved by someone responsible before it is published.
Easy access to information from external sources directly into content pages.
Pre-built integrations with CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot, as well as translation tools from Lionbridge and Smartling.
Who is Optimizely For?
Although Optimizely can be used by virtually anyone, it is clearly designed for organizations with large requirements for complex content structures and content types, where multiple users collaborate on content.
The cost of using the CMS can represent a higher barrier compared to many open-source projects. However, the investment made provides access to stability and great opportunities for integration with other systems and advanced workflows for content work.
What Technology Powers Optimizely?
Optimizely (formerly known as Episerver) is built on .NET 6 in its latest version, Optimizely 12. It is also possible to upgrade to .NET 8 for those who want the latest features and performance improvements.
To build the frontend, you can use either ASP.NET Core MVC or Razor Pages, which are powerful frameworks that work well for both simple and more advanced solutions.
When it comes to data storage, Optimizely uses MS SQL Server by default, and for cloud deployment, it is most common to run everything in Microsoft Azure.
If instead you want to use Optimizely as a headless CMS, you are completely free to build the frontend in whatever technology you want, for example with React, Vue, or another modern framework.
Did You Know..
that we at Itiden are an Optimizely partner with certified developers, which ensures high-quality solutions for our clients?
Contact us and we will tell you more about how we can help you.
Others Who Use Optimizely
Questions and Answers
What is Optimizely CMS?
Optimizely CMS is a powerful content management system that helps companies build advanced, scalable, and personalized websites. It is particularly popular in larger organizations where flexibility, performance, and integration with other digital systems are important.
Why should you consider Optimizely for your next web development project?
Optimizely provides a stable development platform that handles complex requirements — such as personalization, e-commerce, and integration needs — while providing editors with a user-friendly interface. For companies with high requirements for availability and scalability, Optimizely can be an excellent choice.
How does Optimizely differ from other CMS systems like WordPress or Statamic?
Optimizely is built for enterprise environments with advanced use cases, while WordPress is often easier to get started with for typical websites and blogs. Statamic is lighter and more code-centric. The choice depends on your project: Optimizely is best when you need advanced features, large scale, and powerful integration capabilities.
.jpg&w=3840&q=85)
