CMS Critic

Vev is vibing today. The interactive, no-code #content builder just announced that it has acquired TIME Sites, a #websitedesign platform that falls under the TIME media umbrella (which includes the widely acclaimed TIME Magazine). This is a big move for the Oslo-based frontend visual builder, which has been growing steadily since its first foray in 2017. Over the years, CEO and founder Tine Karlsen and partner Nicolay Thafvelin have relentlessly pursued growth – and have currently raised $7 million to fund their quest. Along with the attainment of a notable global brand like TIME – steered by industry veteran Jessica Sibley – SITES is giving Vev a tangible boost into the addressable U.S. market, where it sees enterprise potential. Bonus: Vev will also add Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff to its cap table. Benioff and wife Lynne purchased TIME in 2018 and set the wheels in motion for the creation of TIME Sites. On CMS Critic, I share my conversation with Tine about the details of the acquisition and what stands out. We discussed their U.S. growth strategy and how they will continue to complement the #CMS landscape. We also touch on Vev's roadmap for #AI – and why productivity matters most. We also dig into Vev and how it delivers differentiated value for brands and enterprises through interactive #content, which has helped them scale. "We started with interactive content in mind, especially storytelling and ‘scrollytelling,’ because we saw that was really difficult to solve in a CMS.” To that end, Vev is providing a platform for more immersive #webexperiences and hopes to bring those capabilities to a wider enterprise audience. Read the interview and our analysis here: https://lnkd.in/eyef2Mxi

Today, Vev – an interactive #content builder – acquired TIME Sites, a #websitedesign platform. As part of the deal, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff joins the cap table. We talk to Vev's CEO and co-founder Tine Karlsen about the news, the company's U.S. growth plans, the roadmap to #AI, and more. Read it here 👉 https://lnkd.in/erMyYx-q

When was the last time you checked your software’s terms of service? What about the #AI tools you’re using? Checking software agreements is an afterthought for most of us, but validating the authenticity of news headlines and #socialmedia posts can also fall by the wayside. In today’s cautionary tale on CMS Critic, contributor Tom Cranstoun – “The AEM Guy” – shares his recent brush with misinformation using DeepSeek AI, the Chinese company that created big drama by offering open source #LLMs that are competitive with OpenAI. DeepSeek was like a guided missile, exploding into the AI zeitgeist by delivering a significantly cheaper solution, raising questions about the billions being invested in data centers by leading tech companies. As Tom discovered, DeepSeek’s terms weren’t exactly what the Internet claimed they were, and he shares the consequences of trusting – but not verifying. As #CMS vendors and practitioners add more AI features and leverage new models, Tom reminds us that it’s more important than ever to carefully research the fine print. He lends a few observations to help us avoid the pitfalls and even provides a handy comparison chart on key terms for leading AI providers. It’s a whale of a tale. Or is that "tail"? Read it here: https://lnkd.in/e7X3zBFR

Have you checked your software’s terms of service? 🙄 What about the #AI tools you’re using? Guest critic Tom Cranstoun recently "collided" with misinformation in DeepSeek AI's software agreement. He reflects on the pitfalls and shares a few pointers for #CMS vendors and users when leveraging new #LLMs. Read it here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eeE58NFi

Can #contentmanagement be “joyful” again? When did it stop being fun and filled with possibility? If you're in the #content trade, you probably have your own take. Maybe you're "mostly" happy. Maybe you're frustrated. But we should all agree on one thing: the experience can always be better, and the tools we rely on can be a big part of the solution. When it comes to recapturing that “joy” factor, Storyblok is all in. The people behind the #headlessCMS have been building an experience within their platform that hopes to channel that positive vibe through the simple act of discovery. I recently connected with Julius Hemingway, Storyblok’s Product Marketing Team Manager, to discuss Storyblok Labs – an “innovation playground” that invites users to the edge of the company’s ambitions. Participants can learn about new features, activate and test-drive them with guardrails, and provide feedback to help shape the roadmap. It might seem like a small thing, but it’s a big investment in the product’s community collaboration – reinforcing trust by bringing developers and marketers even closer to its mission. As CEO Dominik Angerer noted, Storyblok Labs is an evolutionary step in right direction. “We believe working with a CMS should be a joyful experience that makes it easy for brands to use content to make a bigger, faster market impact,” he said. “Storyblok Labs is a natural next step in driving that vision forward.” On CMS Critic, we explore Storyblok Labs and reflect on the experience. We also dive into some of the new features that are currently available to pilot, like the slick Ideation Room. According to the company, we can expect more on the horizon, including #AI-powered tools that enhance productivity. Enter the lab here: https://lnkd.in/exeTtuvS

Can #contentmanagement be “joyful” again? Storyblok thinks so 😀 The #headlessCMS launched an innovation playground for test-driving new features and exploring the fun and possibility of #content Check out our review of Storyblok Labs 👉 https://lnkd.in/e8-dc_8H

Hightouch just announced an $80 million Series C. Can the competition touch this #CDP? Maybe not—thanks to its innovative #AI Decisioning product for marketers. The composable #customerdataplatform has more than doubled its revenue over the last year, reaching a $1.2 billion valuation. The company also enlisted analytics guru Adam Greco as its product evangelist. From a growth perspective, it all feels like “Hammer Time.” AI Decisioning is a sophisticated tool that leverages #AIagents to deliver #personalized #marketing experiences. Under the hood, Hightouch’s composable posture also allows for greater flexibility, turning a company’s existing cloud #datawarehouse into the foundation of its CDP—avoiding many of the inherent limitations of a traditional customer data platform. According Tejas Manohar, Hightouch’s cofounder and co-CEO, AI Decisioning is “reimagining” the marketer’s job by enabling agents to assume much of the heavy lifting. Users simply enter goals like “Drive repeat purchases and subscriptions,” and Hightouch’s agents take the decision reins. “We’ve talked about 1:1 personalization for years, but it’s not possible with the way marketers work today,” he said. “Everything is too slow, too manual, and usually results in customers receiving a blizzard of irrelevant communications. Our vision is to use AI to help marketers break free of manual work.” On CMS Critic, we pull back the fad of parachute pants and basic AI features to explore what’s happening in the broader CDP category—from upstream consolidation to downstream standalone products. Where are these platforms delivering value? And how is Hightouch evolving the horizon with intelligent automation? Press play on the boom box: https://lnkd.in/exT5j3jt

Is it “Hammer Time” in the #CDP market? 🔨 There’s been lots of consolidation. Are standalone tools still delivering value? Hightouch just announced an $80M Series C to power its #AI Decisioning for marketers. We dig into the promise of #AIagents to reimagine the marketer’s job – and how Hightouch's composable #customerdataplatform is changing the dance. U Can't Touch this CDP 👉 https://lnkd.in/eayEWw7p

In the dense jungles of #content, Sitecore’s XM Cloud has been roaring. And it’s getting loud. Last year, the #DXP’s signature #AI-powered #contentmanagementsystem established itself as the fastest-growing product in Sitecore history. Now, the company has announced that XM Cloud’s global revenue ballooned by 100% in 2024, with 130% growth in the U.S. This followed the company's milestone of surpassing $500 million in ARR. As Sitecore navigates the challenges of a hyper-competitive, ever-evolving market where AI is changing the landscape, it’s aiming to deliver transformative value for #marketers with a focus on #contentmanagement. On CMS Critic, we catch up with Roger Connolly, Sitecore’s Chief Product Officer, about the success of XM Cloud – and how AI, #personalization, and the role of #websites are impacting the digital ecosystem. All of these considerations are driving the roadmap for Sitecore’s investment in the CMS of the future. “We’re focused on building a collaborative, marketer-driven CMS for the AI age where content is more discoverable, reusable, and delivered blazingly fast all over the world,” he said. “We’re excited about the innovations to come that will push Sitecore’s omnichannel capabilities to the next level.” Read our conversation and analysis here: https://lnkd.in/eid69-3k

It’s getting loud for #XMCloud 🎸☁️ Sitecore recently announced that global revenue for its #AI-powered #cloud-based CMS grew by 100% in 2024. As the #DXP focuses on #CMS and #marketers, what’s next? We catch up with Sitecore's Chief Product Officer, Roger Connolly, for more insight. Read it here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e2H_5XSA