An introduction to Optimizely CMS: What it is, how it works, and why you should consider using it for your website

Optimizely CMS is a powerful content management system that allows you to easily create and manage content. Both for your website, as well as external services leveraging Optimizely's headless functionality. If you're considering using a CMS for your website, or if you're looking for a more effective way to manage your content, then Optimizely should be on your short list of CMS to consider. In this blog post, I'll give a brief intro to Optimizely CMS, explain (at a very high level) how it works, and talk about some of the benefits it can bring to your site.

What is Optimizely CMS?

Optimizely CMS is a content management system that allows you to create, manage, and optimize your website's content. It was originally founded in 2009 under the name "Episerver" and rebranded as "Optimizely" in 2021 after being acquired by Optimizely. Optimizely is designed to be user-friendly, flexible, and scalable, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes.

At Nansen, we have been working with Optimizely CMS (Episerver) for over 10 years. You can find more about our work on the nansen website.

How does Optimizely CMS work?

Optimizely CMS works by allowing you to create and manage your website's content through a web-based interface. You can easily add and edit pages, create content blocks, and manage your website's navigation structure. One of the key features of Optimizely CMS is its drag-and-drop functionality, which makes it easy to create and rearrange content blocks on a page without needing any additional coding. Another key feature is on page editing, which allows editors to edit content while seeing how that content would render on the live page.

In addition to its content management capabilities, Optimizely CMS also includes a range of features that can help you optimize your website's performance. These include:

1. Personalization: Optimizely CMS allows you to create personalized content for your website visitors based on their location, browsing history, and other criteria. You can even create custom visitor groups that allow you to personalize content based on custom rules.
2. A/B testing: You can use Optimizely CMS to create and run A/B tests on your website's content to determine which versions perform best.
3. Analytics: Optimizely CMS includes a range of analytics tools that allow you to track your website's performance and gain insights into your visitors' behavior.

Why should you consider using Optimizely CMS for your website?

There are many reasons why you should consider using Optimizely CMS for your website. Here are just a few:

1. User-friendly interface: Optimizely CMS is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy for anyone to manage their website's content. We already spoke briefly about on page editing and drag-and-drop content blocks.
2. Flexibility: Optimizely CMS is highly customizable, both from an editor and developer perspective. This allows you to create a website that reflects your brand's unique identity.
3. Scalability: Optimizely CMS is designed to be scalable, meaning that it can grow and evolve as your business does. With Optimizely's Digital Experience Platform, your site can scale with your customer base leveraging the cloud with Microsoft Azure.
4. Optimization features: Optimizely CMS includes a range of features that can help you optimize your website's performance, including personalization, A/B testing, and analytics.
5. Integration: Optimizely CMS integrates with a range of other tools and platforms, making it easy to connect your website to your other business systems. Additionally, Optimizely's robust APIs make it easy for development teams to create custom integrations to work with your unique business needs.

In conclusion, Optimizely CMS is a powerful and flexible content management system that can help you create and manage content on your website with ease. Regardless of your organization size, Optimizely CMS is designed to meet your needs and help you optimize your website's performance. If you're considering using a Optimizely for your website, please reach out for more information on how we can help.

Thanks to #WOCinTech for the hero/meta photo in this post