The beginning of 2015 saw the purchase of major CMS companies, Ektron (based in New Hampshire) and EPiServer (based in Stockholm) by a common private equity company Accel-KKR. This was followed by the announcement of their merge into a single company. In this merger, EPiServer was declared to be the overarching brand. Over the past year, we have witnessed the growth of EPiServer and Ektron under the banner of Digital Experience Cloud. Being armed with insights into the working of EPiServer and best way to shift to EPiServer from Ektron, here are ways in which 2016 will affect their development:

1. Radical Customization and Systemic Integration

EPiServer is essentially a web application which operates on ASP.NET MVS, than on ASP.NET Web Forms. This implies greater security and speed for users. During 2015, EPiServer majorly focused on providing highly personalized services to the clients. 2016 can expect this trend to be radicalized and continued.

Also, a matrix of third-party systems will rise as companions to EPiServer, equipping clients to link their web-sites to a vast sum of ERPs, CRMs and other outer structures. This will remove the need for data silos, charged under a certain department in complete isolation. A much intertwined system of services will rise which clients can exploit to their advantage.

2. The Transaction of Commerce and Content

EPiServer has distinguished itself in the CMS market through provision of authentic experience for clients and their subsequent users by making itself the intersecting point for content and commerce. Bringing to Digital Experience Cloud this unique quality makes EPiServer the major contributor. A flip through the research reports of EPiServer provides a glimpse of how they intend to “drive e-commerce success with content marketing”. Recognizing the fact that products are sold not on factual terms alone but by connecting to the customers via emotional links, content has risen as a primal source of attracting this emotional investment on the product. The question shifts from: “Which product is the best?” to “Which product best syncs with who you are?” Content for product, in such cases, will have to be designed according to the target audience, researching and understanding their biographical profile. Ektron has been enriched through the commercialization of content allowing it to borrow concept of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), to look into the outcome of content marketing and also to perceive the challenges of such a strategy. Thus, 2016 will witness the emergence of content as building blocks of marketing products.

3. Powerful Business Intelligence

Business intelligence is contained in the capacity to transform raw data into meaningful insight. EPiServer will continue to provide greater BI tools which will bring to the clients’ power information about site usage and statistics. This will prepare them to provide a holistic and unique experience to the users. In aiding clients to provide wholesome UX, Digital Experience Cloud will help them understand the site users in detail by providing tools for creating profiles, scoring different visitors into categories, for producing outstanding content, for bringing together systems to generate ideal user experience and lastly, for omni-channel e-commerce such that the user can access the content and website across platforms.

4. Evolving a Wholesome Product

EPiServer is in the continuous process of evaluating, revising and revamping its product to keep away stagnancy and create space for originality. Apart from fixing pre-existent issues, it has also brought in unique features. 2016 can expect this pattern of consistent evolution to continue within EPiServer. As the digital ecosystem continues to grow robustly, the regular update of platform reflects EPiServer’s dedication towards taking into account the changing needs of its clients, site developers and users.

5. Current Ektron Users: Towards EPiServer

Those who have heavily invested in Ektron will continue to be protected by EPiServer. By providing regular updates on security and service along with aid for migrating from Ektron to EPiServer through partners, Digital Experience Cloud will rise as a platform of muscular content and commerce power. Ektron is also enriched through integrations of EPiServer which are based on cloud (for instance, EPiServer Find).

6. Efficient Rebuilding During Migration

Those using Ektron currently could continue on the platform for a short term. Eventually, the shift to EPiServer will be inevitable. At such a point, the website will need to be rebuilt for accessing the features of EPiServer. In 2016, we can expect greater solutions for a seamless shift from Ektron to EPiServer. Check out this piece on how you can efficiently transition from Ektron to EPiServer, without technical damage and content injuries.

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