Any brand or agency that’s on an upward trajectory needs a content management system that can keep up.
But there is much to consider. Finding the right CMS means not only grasping what’s needed from a content standpoint, but understanding what it's going to take to set one up and to keep it running smoothly. Some can be managed independently while others require the expertise of a developer.
We're going to look at seven different content management systems, discussing both their capabilities and technical demands, to help you find an enterprise-level CMS that you can pair with Vev for high volume content production.
1. Optimizely
Let’s say you’re a marketer who wants a straightforward visual editor to build out something like an email campaign. Or perhaps you’re a developer looking for an easy way to set up structured content as data. Whatever your background, you’ll find Optimizely a flexible and user-friendly CMS platform.
Along with all that it can do in creating and managing content, Optimizely also stands out in showing how it’s performing. Analytics, such as conversions and revenue tracking, indicate whether content is hitting its intended goals, or if it’s time to rethink strategy.
Why choose Optimizely:
Optimizely is a full-fledged CMS that meets the needs of both marketers and developers. If you’re a Vev user, you can use our Optimizely integration, which brings together all of the CMS functionality of Optimizely with Vev’s powers of visual design.
Keep in mind:
Optimizely is packed with features and it can take some time in understanding all of its different tools and how they work together.
2. Sanity
Sanity is all about structured content. Whether it’s a blog, landing page, case study, or something else, it takes a modular approach, storing content as JSON files in Sanity’s Content Lake, which can then be sent out through its built-in API.
Along with the beauty and simplicity of headless content management, Sanity also includes the visual editor Sanity Studio as a part of its ecosystem. This gives both developers and content teams a graphical interface for creating and managing content. In addition, Sanity also offers collaboration tools, version control, templates, and live content previews.
Why choose Sanity:
Sanity was first launched with developers in mind, and has grown to be more inclusive for those less technically inclined. Its visual editor Sanity Studio provides a no-code interface for content people, while developers get the freedom to customize what happens behind the scenes and connect content to wherever it needs to go. Sanity is also another CMS that pairs well with Vev.
Keep in mind:
At the moment, Sanity doesn't have built-in marketing tools, but there are plenty of third-party integrations with platforms like MailChimp, Hubspot, and Zapier, that extend its functionality.
3. Contentful
Imagine that you’re an enterprise company that actively puts out and maintains a wide range of digital content. You might have hundreds of landing pages, countless specialized marketing campaign websites, and other assets spread across different platforms. You want a way to not only create new content and to keep track of it, but also have the power to repurpose it and spin it into different formats.
At its core Contentful is a headless and API driven CMS that functions as a centralized space for creating, distributing, and reusing content. It also allows for visual editing through Contentful Studio.
Why choose Contentful:
Marketers and writers like Contentful for its straightforward user interface and visual editor. Content creation is simple and intuitive, and repurposing content without having to start all over is a nicebonus. Developers appreciate Contentful's immediacy and flexibility in using REST API or GraphQL to bring content into multiple frameworks and channels.
What to keep in mind:
Like any multi-purpose CMS, Contentful has a learning curve. Depending on your team’s technical skills, you may need a developer to help out with the initial setup and to do occasional maintenance. It is worth noting that Contentful offers a gigantic library of learning materials and other resources to help users out.
4. Adobe Experience Manager
Many consider Adobe Experience Manager to be one of the top enterprise content management systems. With built-in tools like AEM Sites for creating web pages, AEM Content Fragments for setting up and reusing structured content, as well as templates and components, it has everything enterprise-level organizations need to manage complex systems of content.
What really sets AEM apart from other content management systems is how it manages images, videos, and other visual assets. Through its machine learning and AI-powered Adobe Sensei, it saves time by automatically adding meta tags as well as resizing or cropping visual assets based on the platform where they’re appearing. If you have something like a photo that’s going to be used on a landing page, blog, and social media post, AEM frees you from having to create multiple versions.
Why choose Adobe Experience Manager (AEM):
AEM works well with the marketing, analytics, and personalization tools that are a part of the Adobe Experience Cloud, as well as syncing with visual media and other assets in the Creative Cloud. It’s packed with automation features that handle repetitive tasks like tagging and content personalization, and it offers advanced digital asset management for organizing and delivering media across multiple channels
What to keep in mind:
The target demographic for AEM is large-scale enterprise companies, with pricing and licensing that reflect its specialization and the scope of its capabilities.
5. Sitecore Experience Manager
Sitecore Experience Manager (XM) operates as a hybrid, providing all of the flexibility of a headless CMS and API-driven content, combined with a drag-and-drop visual editor. This hybrid approach makes it easy to adapt content to various front-ends, while those in content roles don’t need to hit up a developer every time they want to add something or make changes. Sitecore also comes through with personalization, adjusting what content is displayed depending on user behavior patterns, previous interactions, as well as geographic location.
Why choose Sitecore Experience Manager (XM):
Sitecore's strengths as a hybrid CMS, personalization, and analytics make it a great choice for organizations who want tighter control over how visitors experience their content and to track the results.
What to keep in mind:
Sitecore is an enterprise focused platform for those with bigger budgets. In addition, if you want to do things outside of its basic capabilities like putting together custom workflows, or complex integrations, you’ll need a developer to help.
6. Craft CMS
Craft CMS has earned its reputation as a versatile platform that bridges headless and visual content design. Since its launch in the early 2010s, it strikes the right balance between developer friendliness and ease of use for content creators. Craft CMS offers flexibility, letting you stick to just templates, use it as a headless CMS, or combine them together.
Why choose Craft CMS:
Craft CMS hits the right mix of versatility, functionality, and usability. It’s also at a better price point than other comparable content management systems.
What to keep in mind:
Craft CMS can have a steeper learning curve, as well as being more time-consuming than other content management systems.
7. Strapi
Why get boxed in by someone else's CMS? Strapi is open source and perfect for developers who want to take a DIY approach and have complete control in constructing custom content management systems.
Why choose Strapi:
If you’re already acquainted with JavaScript or TypeScript, you’ll find it easy to jump in and build out content.
What to keep in mind:
Strapi's freedom can also be a disadvantage. Starting from scratch each time and creating custom interfaces requires more effort than working with ready-made content models.
Try Vev, the Best Creative Extension for any Tech Stack
As an all-in-one web builder for designers, marketers, and developers, Vev empowers professional teams and creative agencies to launch digital campaigns at speed and scale with complete creative and technical freedom.
We’ve explored seven different content management systems, with each approaching content creation in different ways. Some lean heavily into making developers happy, with streamlined data-first headless content management, while others are more accessible and easier to use for a wider audience.
For companies who want to take things further, using a CMS in tandem with a no-code design tool like Vev makes it possible to harness the organizational powers of a CMS, while taking full advantage of the creative and artistic possibilities of web design.
Now you’re free to focus on what really matters: realizing your most ambitious web concepts.
