The Contentstack Team

Posts by The Contentstack Team

Aug 15, 2023 | 5 min. read

Better Together: Leveraging Automation Hub with other Contentstack products

Since its release, Contentstack's Automation Hub has been helping digital experience teams introduce automation into their daily operations and workflows. This powerful tool is doing more than just simplifying complex workflows — it's also driving huge value for our customers. It's enabling them to create, manage, and deploy content more efficiently than ever before, transforming how they engage with their audiences.But the magic happens when Automation Hub is combined with other Contentstack products. In this post, we’ll explore how to unlock new levels of efficiency and innovation by pairing Automation Hub with AI Assistant, Marketplace, and Launch to create richer, more impactful digital experiences.Automation Hub + AI AssistantAlthough Automation Hub and AI Assistant usually live at separate ends of the content creation process (AI Assistant helps craft and edit content during the creation process, whereas Automation Hub typically enhances content after it has been created), they can enhance each other extremely well. During the content creation process, AI Assistant brings the power of Artificial Intelligence into the editing process to help writers and editors be more efficient and creative. But, once a clear set of rules and processes are defined (for example, if you’re using AI Assistant to create SEO keyword tags on every entry), and you are asking AI to perform these tasks without any human follow-up (you never change the tags once they’ve been added), you should look at Automation Hub as a way to automation this process. Once you trust AI to perform a task - automate it!With Automation Hub, our AI Connectors (currently available: OpenAI ChatGPT and Azure OpenAI ChatGPT) can re-create a similar process but asynchronously. So, if you were using AI Assistant to do SEO enhancement, you could use Automation Hub to do the same thing. For example, when an entry reaches a specific workflow stage, run an automation that performs the AI enhancement and then push it into another stage for possible review.It’s a great way that the two products can work together and make you more efficient.Automation Hub + MarketplaceThe Contentstack Marketplace is a one-stop destination for enterprises to maximize the efficiency of their marketing technologies and solutions. It offers a range of apps, ready-made extensions, and one-click third-party integrations that can enhance your content management process. Notably, the Marketplace lists and provides installation access to:Automation Hub ConnectorsYou can use These third-party applications with Automation Hub to automate certain tasks. For example, the Smartling Connector helps streamline the translation process by allowing for automatic localization of entries in any selected locale whenever a new entry is created.Automation Hub RecipesThese are pre-packaged automation with pre-built action and trigger steps that users can easily install and configure as needed in their stack. An example of an available recipe simplifying data management leverages the AWS S3 action connector, which can automatically backup entries to your AWS S3 account whenever a new entry is created in Contentstack.These tools offer solutions to various use cases, but one connector pairs particularly well, and teams are using it to automate their front-end deployment and hosting.Automation Hub + LaunchContentstack Launch is a product that allows seamless automated deployment and hosting of Jamstack projects. It fills the gap in the content lifecycle where the presentation layer needs to be hosted and made available to consume on the web.You can automate the deployment process with the Launch Connector for Automation Hub. Here's how:Install the Launch Connector from the Contentstack Marketplace.Set up a trigger in Automation Hub based on a specific event, such as a content update.Configure the Launch Connector to deploy your project whenever the trigger event occurs.This process automates deployment and ensures your content is always up-to-date and available to your audience.ConclusionThe combination of Automation Hub with other Contentstack products provides flexible, powerful, and innovative solutions for content management. Whether using the AI Assistant to generate brand voice prompts, leveraging the Marketplace to streamline your content management process, or automating deployment with Launch, Automation Hub makes it all possible.Ready to explore further? Dive into our Automation Hub documentation and discover how you can unlock the full potential of your digital experience stack with Contentstack's Automation Hub.

Aug 11, 2023 | 3 min. read

Navigating the headless commerce journey

E-commerce is evolving rapidly, in synch with customer expectations. Successful businesses must continuously implement new solutions to improve user experiences. Headless commerce architecture is a game-changer for businesses that want to stay ahead of the competition. In this blog, we’ll define headless commerce, explore key benefits, look at how businesses use it, and how to determine if it's right for your business.What is headless commerce?Headless commerce is an architectural approach that decouples the front-end display from the back-end e-commerce application. It differs significantly from traditional monolithic architectures, where the front and back end are tightly integrated. The back end houses application programming interfaces (APIs). These components can be developed and deployed separately from each other. This decoupling makes it easier for businesses to make changes or add new features without disrupting their e-commerce processes. Consequently, these organizations become more flexible and agile when delivering personalized customer experiences across multiple channels.3 benefits of headless commerceHere are three key benefits of transitioning to headless commerce architecture. Flexibility in front-end designHeadless commerce empowers marketers, content creators, and designers to create custom user experiences. They become empowered to tailor user experiences by brand, target audience, or specific customer segments. And they can work in the headless commerce platform without coding skills or technical expertise. These teams can experiment with layouts, visuals, and interactions on multiple channels. They aren’t limited by fear of making mistakes, back-end constraints, or developer availability.Headless commerce facilitates the development of responsive designs that seamlessly adapt to various devices and screen sizes. The result is a consistent and user-friendly shopping experience for customers on every device.Scalability and agilityHeadless commerce allows businesses to quickly add or modify features and functionality as they grow or expand into new markets. They can more quickly respond to market demands and customer feedback, staying ahead of competitors.As technology changes, headless commerce architecture has the capability to evolve in parallel. As new software and services become available that customers expect for convenience, businesses can effortlessly integrate these cutting-edge technologies, such as AI-driven personalization or virtual reality shopping.Omnichannel approachHeadless commerce enables customers to interact with your brand the way they want. Customers enjoy a consistent shopping experience across multiple channels, regardless of where or what device they use. They can even switch between channels without losing their shopping progress or data.Leveraging headless commerce, companies can unify their online and offline sales channels, inventory, and customer data. This approach streamlines operations, minimizes redundancies, and enhances the user experience.Is your business ready for headless commerce?The transition to headless commerce can be complex. However, it’s well worth it for businesses willing to take the plunge. Headless commerce is an especially good choice for businesses that have the desire to do the following.Create custom user experiences tailored to their brand and target audience.Quickly expand to new markets or channels with fast rollouts.Streamline management of multiple channels and websites with one platform.Deliver a seamless customer experience across multiple channels.Be agile and responsive to changing technology, customer feedback, and customer expectations.Here are several use cases to demonstrate how businesses are using headless commerce.Personalize customer experienceWith headless commerce, businesses can create custom user experiences for their customers with omnichannel reach by leveraging different front-end frameworks and technologies. These include analytics tools that gauge customer feedback, enabling unique and engaging experiences for each customer segment.Reach customers on new channels and in new marketsHeadless commerce makes it easy to add new channels, such as new websites, mobile apps, social media and physical stores. Integrate with existing systemsIntegrate headless commerce with systems you already use, such as CRMs, marketing automation platforms, and customer support systems. As data is shared across multiple systems, creating a more seamless customer experience is easier.Reduce technical debtHeadless commerce architecture enables the migration of new technologies with little disruption to ecommerce processes and user experiences. It’s also typically easier and less expensive to maintain.Choosing the right headless commerce platformThere are many headless commerce platforms available. Each one has its strengths and weaknesses. Some factors to consider when assessing each platform include pricing and customer support. Also, look at each platform’s:API capabilitiesIntegration capabilitiesSupport for third-party applicationsScalabilityPricingHeadless commerce implementationOnce you've chosen a headless commerce platform, you must integrate it with your existing systems and databases. This may involve integrating with your product catalog, your order management system, your payment gateway, and other systems.The integration process will vary depending on the specific platforms and systems involved. However, most headless commerce platforms provide tools and documentation to help you with the integration process.With a headless commerce platform, you can develop custom front-end experiences for your ecommerce website. This means you can create experiences that are tailored to your specific audience and business goals.There are a number of different ways to develop custom front-end experiences for a headless commerce platform. You can use a variety of frameworks and technologies.Learn moreImplementing a headless commerce platform can be a complex process in the beginning. However, making the transition can streamline, speed up, and simplify processes in the long run. As we’ve mentioned, the benefits are many. The most important one is offering customers seamless experiences that promote brand loyalty now and into the future.Learn more about the benefits of headless commerce in our guide, “The Ultimate Headless Commerce Roadmap.”Schedule a free demo to see how Contentstack’s composable content experience platform can help your organization navigate the headless commerce journey.

Aug 01, 2023 | 5 min. read

Summer platform recap: What’s new and what’s coming for Contentstack

Time certainly does fly and it's exciting to share our summer updates! First off, have you heard the news? Contentstack's Headless CMS has been recognized as a leader for 2023 by IDC MarketScape. This recognition is based on a rigorous evaluation of product and service offerings from various headless CMS vendors.This achievement highlights our commitment to providing top-notch solutions and gives our users and potential clients assurance that they're using a product that's considered a leader in its field.Now, let's dive into those Q2 accomplishments:Contentstack Headless CMSNew ChatGPT featuresYou can now instantly transform your content creation experience with these new ChatGPT features. We've broadened the capabilities of our AI Assistant to offer an even more tailored content creation experience for your unique needs like: Configure custom actions: Create custom commands for your organization to increase team productivity and enable content editors to complete more stuff. Streamlining and personalize your content creation process with a tailored voice and tone that adheres to your brand guidelines.Starter actions and icons: To help you get started, we've included starter actions and icons you can import. Upload the SVG icons to your assets and import the sample action pack to use the starter actions. Then, add the icons of your choice and save. Next, upload the JSON configuration file using the “Import” button.Export/Import functionality: We've added the ability to export and import sets of custom actions. This feature is handy for users supporting multiple stacks as it allows for the easy transfer of actions from one stack to another.Effortless navigation with PaginationAnd also, experience effortless navigation with our new Pagination feature for our core CMS platform. This feature allows users to efficiently manage large content lists by organizing them into easily navigable pages. Instead of scrolling through extensive lists, you can now conveniently navigate through a specific number of rows per page. Pagination significantly enhances tasks like managing a vast library of articles or products.Contentstack MarketplaceDirect integrationsWe're thrilled to share some exciting updates from our Marketplace too! We now offer direct integrations with distinguished partners like Akeneo, Brightcove and Trados.Akeneo's integration is a game-changer, allowing content managers to seamlessly push their product catalog to their eCommerce platform. This offers a major boost in managing and optimizing digital assets.Our Brightcove integration allows customers to efficiently organize and measure their video assets and add them directly to their stack.The new Trados app allows you to translate your Release content and provide localized versions in multiple languages. Productivity enhancementsAdditionally, we've taken productivity to new heights by introducing our Content Calendar and Workflow Kanban app, now available in our Marketplace.Contentstack Automation HubRefine AutomationsWhat about the latest enhancements to Automation Hub? Now, you can refine your automation workflows with Contentstack's Action and Trigger events, which now include support for branches and releases.You can specify the branch and release to be used as part of a trigger or action, offering more precise control and flexibility in your automation processes. This is especially useful when managing extensive development workflows with multiple branches or coordinating the deployment of a set of entries and assets with Contentstack's releases.So, are you as excited about these advancements in our Automation Hub as we are? We can't wait to see how they will streamline your content operations!Contentstack LaunchExpand globally and efficientlyAnd last and of course not least - Contentstack Launch. Get ready to expand your business globally. Contentstack’s availability on Microsoft Azure EU infrastructure means organizations now have the opportunity to leverage powerful content management capabilities directly within the European Union. Contentstack Launch also has updated environments lists and environments settings screens for easy and efficient administration.Phew, that was a lot and we're not done! Let’s look ahead.In the Fall, be on the lookout for:Teams & TaxonomyUsers can effortlessly build streamlined content using powerful tools designed for grouping and categorizing content, enabling efficient organization and easy access to relevant information.Refreshed Help CenterLooking for documentation in a hurry? Our AI-integrated Help Center delivers how-to guides directly within the platform, eliminating the need to search externally and allowing you to focus on the task at hand.Basic Auth Password ProtectionExperience enhanced security with Basic Auth password protection for your Environments on Contentstack Launch, and enjoy the convenience of On-Demand Revalidation (ODR) for your NextJS sites.Composable digital experience platform (DXP)Contentstack's composable digital experience platform (DXP) offers a powerful, streamlined solution to achieve your digital goals. We look forward each month to highlighting our latest enhancements designed to help you get the most out of our platform and the digital experiences you are building.If you're an existing Contentstack user wanting to learn more about these new releases, please contact your Care Without Compromise™ team.Contact our team here if you're curious about how Contentstack can help your brand streamline content to deliver better digital experiences everywhere.Chalo!

Jul 25, 2023 | 4 min. read

Best practices with Branches

Content creation and management can be a complex process, especially for enterprises with large-scale content operations involving multiple teams. To streamline workflows and enhance collaboration, the Contentstack Headless CMS offers independent workspaces—known as Branches—for developers to work on content models, facilitating the safe development of new features or significant changes and enabling content editors to continue to work in production without any interruptions.Branches are independent copies of your content repository that allow team members to work on different content models simultaneously. Branches allow you to create multiple copies of your stack content. Every stack has a main branch by default. To create a new branch, you can fork a branch off of the main branch. When you create a branch for the first time, the main branch becomes your source branch. For all subsequent branches you create, you need to specify a source branch from which it will inherit data. These branches provide a secure and isolated environment where changes can be made, reviewed, and merged back into the main content model seamlessly.Real-world use casesAgile developmentBranches aligns perfectly with the Agile development methodology. Developers can create separate branches for a new set of related changes, enabling development to happen without disrupting content efforts. This approach enables continuous integration and seamless merging, ensuring a steady flow of updates and enhancements while maintaining stability.Isolated content developmentWith Branches, developers can work on specific features, campaigns, or updates in parallel, without the fear of conflicting with editor's production changes. Developers and content managers can work concurrently on different copies of the same content without data loss. This isolation fosters efficient development and minimizes the risk of errors or content discrepancies.Compare & MergeWith the Compare Branches feature, you can compare the differences between two branches. If you make changes to your content model in a branch and want to see what’s different, you can use this to do so. Once you are satisfied with your changes, you can integrate the changes in the current branch into another branch using the Merge Branches feature. You can merge two branches with the following strategies:Prefer base: This enables you to add changes from the compare branch to the base branch, and when conflicts arise, it keeps the changes in the base branch and ignores the changes in the compare branch. Anything present in the base branch but not in the compare branch will be kept.Prefer compare: This enables you to add changes from the compare branch to the base branch, and when conflicts arise, it keeps the changes in the compare branch and discards the changes in the base branch.Overwrite with compare: This allows you to completely replace the base branch with the changes from the compare branch. Anything in the base branch that is not present in the compare branch will be lost.Merge new only: This allows you to merge only the new changes from the compare branch to the base branch and ignores any modified changes in the compare branch.Merge modified with prefer base: This allows you to add only the modified changes from the compare branch to the base branch. When conflicts arise, it keeps the modified changes of the base branch and ignores the modified changes of the compare branch. Any new items in the compare branch are ignored.Merge modified with prefer compare: This allows you to add only the modified changes from the compare branch to the base branch. When conflicts arise, it keeps the modified changes of the compare branch and ignores the modified changes of the base branch. Any new items in the compare branch are ignored.Ignore: This allows you to ignore all changes from the compare branch, keeping the base branch as it is. This can be used to ignore a specific change or to ignore all changes and merge only specific changes.Key benefitsCollaborative workflowBranches promotes a collaborative content development process by enabling multiple contributors to work simultaneously on different aspects of a project. Teams can experiment, iterate, and refine their content models and test automated content updates without disrupting the main content repository.Efficient content reviewBranches provides a controlled environment for content model review and testing big scripted changes. Team members can review and provide feedback on the proposed changes before merging them into the main content repository. This ensures content quality and consistency while facilitating effective collaboration and knowledge sharing.Easy rollbacksIn case an issue arises or an experiment doesn't yield the desired results, Branches and Aliases allows for easy rollbacks without affecting the main content repository. Developers can maintain production content across different branches without affecting live website data. Aliases can always point back to the previously referenced content branch in case of unintentional content deployment. This feature provides a safety net, allowing developers to experiment and explore innovative ideas without fear of irreversible changes.Branches is a valuable feature that empowers developers and business users to work efficiently, collaborate seamlessly, and deploy changes confidently. By embracing best practices and leveraging Branches effectively, teams can unlock new levels of productivity, accelerate development cycles, and deliver exceptional digital experiences. Branches serves as a catalyst for engineering innovation, ensuring that businesses stay ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving digital landscape without disrupting editors in production.If you’re fascinated by the possibilities around streamlined development and innovation flexibility, we invite you to dive into our Branches documentation.

Jul 21, 2023 | 3 min. read

Retail reinvented: The top 5 takeaways from our conversation with REI

The convenience and accessibility of online retail have revolutionized the way people shop, especially after the last few years when in-person retail experiences were put on hold. In fact, by 2026, 24% of retail purchases are expected to take place online, totaling $8.1 trillion. To be able to react to customer needs faster, retailers are going composable.What does that mean? It means companies are ditching their traditional monolithic systems and trading them in for more agility and flexibility. Now, more than ever before, it’s important for brands to reduce transactional friction. Retailers need to be able to quickly adapt to changing customer demands and deliver consistent experiences everywhere their customers are — all without having to rebuild their entire infrastructure.Earlier this month, we had an insightful conversation with Matthew Schaeffer, Senior Manager of Data and Content Operations for REI. Matthew shared some eye-opening learnings about REI’s composable journey and how REI implemented new systems to bring their iconic green vest customer experience online. In partnership with CMSWire, we dove into how composable technology transforms retail experiences and how online retailers architect their digital experience infrastructure for peak engagement and demand. Below, we’ve recapped the top five webinar takeaways. You can listen to the full webinar recording here if you missed it.Brands today are not prepared to meet the rapidly evolving needs of customers.Sites like Amazon are raising the expectations for how people shop. Consumers want experiences that are more meaningful and more relevant to them. And whether it's to purchase something, find information, do research, or whatever they're trying to do, they want it to be easy.Evolving your systems is critical for delivering more personalized experiences.As a brand, your online experience has to be supported by your technology systems to create the best possible digital shopper experience. Delivering relevant and personalized experiences across channels at scale is the new revenue-critical trend. For systems that are already redlining, it's a challenge to evolve them. The next generation of customer experiences means being able to provide insights, information and personalization to win the loyalty of your customers. To do this effectively, you need to build a marketing tech stack that aligns to your future goals, not just today’s.Deconstructing the monolith is the key to scale and flexibility.Breaking down your monolithic platforms into more streamlined and more organized chunks gives you a lot more flexibility, not only in the ability to make updates and changes but also in choosing the right tools and the right integrations that you need to better engage your customers.Going composable doesn’t and shouldn’t require a rip and replace of existing technologiesWhile it may seem ideal to just pull everything out and start from scratch, the beauty of a composable platform is that it enables businesses to build what they need without abandoning tools they already know and rely on. Matthew said it best, going composable can't require a full rip and replace. The architecture to do the types of things retail businesses are trying to do online takes a number of different systems. Full-scale retail operations have search data, product content, different kinds of media, analytics tooling — the list goes on. Once you evaluate the capability sets of your different tools, you can figure out where to implement plug-and-play solutions.Define the value of going composableLastly, before you begin your composable commerce journey, it’s important to ask the following questions:Will your team really be able to innovate faster and be more agile? Will this technology help you adapt to your customer’s evolving needs based on what those look like today and you can anticipate them being in the future? How much is all of this going to cost? What will the impact on revenue look like? It’s important to be very clear on the vision and value you can deliver to your customers and your teams. And, then, find the people within your organization who will join you in advocating for transforming your digital experiences. Curious to hear the whole conversation? Watch the webinar here and stay tuned for next month’s webinar.

Jul 10, 2023 | 5 min. read

Simplify Your Composable Stack: Connect Contentstack's CMS to Cloud Tools and Platforms with Clicks, Not Code

The digital landscape is rapidly evolving, and businesses must adapt to stay ahead. One key aspect of this composable transformation is the shift toward cloud-based infrastructure. Companies are leveraging platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure to develop applications, store data, and provide a range of online services. In this blog post, we'll explore how to harness the potential of AWS Marketplace and the expansion of Microsoft Azure EU while simplifying integration using a composable Digital Experience Platform (DXP) like Contentstack. What is AWS Marketplace? AWS Marketplace is a digital catalog that offers a curated selection of software, data, and services from third-party providers. It is designed to help users of Amazon Web Services (AWS) discover, purchase, and deploy various solutions that can enhance their cloud computing environment. The marketplace features a wide range of offerings, including software infrastructure, developer tools, data analytics, and more, all of which are compatible with AWS services and can be easily integrated into existing workflows. How does this help my enterprise business? AWS Marketplace is essential because it simplifies the process of discovering, purchasing, and deploying third-party software that can enhance your digital experience. By integrating Contentstack with AWS Marketplace, users can leverage the benefits of both platforms to create a powerful and efficient content management solution. Here are some advantages of combining Contentstack with AWS Marketplace: Seamless Integration: Contentstack's compatibility with AWS services ensures easy integration into your existing AWS infrastructure, reducing setup time and complexity. Access to Additional Services: AWS Marketplace offers a wide range of third-party tools and services that can be used to extend the functionality of Contentstack, such as data analytics, machine learning, security, and more. Streamlined Procurement: Purchasing Contentstack through AWS Marketplace enables you to manage billing and costs through your AWS account, simplifying the procurement process. Scalability and Performance: Running Contentstack on AWS provides the advantage of robust scalability and high performance, ensuring that your content management system meets your organization's growing needs. How does it work? To find Contentstack on AWS Marketplace, follow these easy steps: Access the AWS Marketplace and search for "Contentstack." Select the Contentstack listing. Complete the subscription process. By integrating Contentstack with your AWS account, you can leverage AWS services such as Amazon S3, Amazon CloudFront, and AWS Lambda to enhance your digital experiences. Now, let's talk about Microsoft Azure EU. Many businesses standing up digital experience solutions on Microsoft cloud infrastructure would like to offer services in Europe but are concerned about data protection under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, Microsoft Azure provides a solution by enabling European businesses to store their data within the Azure Europe regions. By storing your data in Azure Europe, you can ensure your business remains GDPR compliant. Azure Europe also offers additional benefits such as enhanced security, access controls, and networking among others. Contentstack Microsoft Azure EU Support - Why is this important? Contentstack's availability on Microsoft Azure EU infrastructure means organizations now have the opportunity to leverage powerful content management capabilities directly within the European Union. This development brings several benefits to customers: Data Residency and Compliance: With Contentstack hosted on Microsoft Azure EU, organizations can ensure that their data is stored and processed within the European Union, adhering to local data privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Improved Performance and Latency: Hosting Contentstack on Microsoft Azure EU data centers allows for reduced latency and faster response times for regional users, providing a better overall user experience. Seamless Integration: Contentstack's compatibility with Microsoft Azure ensures easy integration with other Azure services, allowing organizations to create a comprehensive and efficient cloud-based infrastructure. Scalability and Flexibility: By leveraging Azure's robust scalability features, Contentstack can easily accommodate an organization's growing content management needs, adapting to increased traffic and storage requirements. To close out, if you're running AWS infrastructure, be sure to check out our new listing in the AWS Marketplace. It just might be what you're looking for to improve cost structures and integrations. And if you're running on Microsoft Azure infrastructure and are eyeing a presence in the EU, know that you now have options. Ready to learn more? Click here to get started!

Jun 29, 2023 | 4 min. read

Make your business stand out with headless commerce

Headless commerce is revolutionizing the digital market space, enabling businesses to deliver top-notch customer experiences. But what is headless commerce? In this post, we'll introduce you to the headless commerce approach, its benefits and its architecture. We'll explore how a headless commerce architecture uses APIs to separate front-end and back-end operations and why it is an increasingly popular choice for businesses seeking a faster time to market and improved customer experiences. Understanding headless commerceThe term "headless commerce" may seem odd initially, but it's quite simple. Think of a traditional commerce platform as a mannequin. It comes with a predesigned user interface (UI) or presentation layer — the "head" — attached to its commerce functionality — the "body." The "head" and "body" are interconnected and cannot function separately.Headless commerce, on the other hand, disconnects the "head" (front end) from the "body" (back end). This decoupling allows the user interface and commerce functionality to operate independently. It enables developers to build a separate front for each customer touchpoint (web, mobile or IoT devices) using any preferred technology stack. This approach is a key factor in providing a better user experience and accelerating a faster time to market. The cloud's third waveHeadless commerce is a product of the third wave of the cloud. As conceptualized by Tercera, "In the third wave, customers no longer new to the cloud are using a diverse set of cloud building blocks to create digital experiences that connect and engage customers and employees in a whole new way." This shift is about improving user experiences online while enabling experience managers unparalleled flexibility. By keeping the appearance of a website separate from how it works, creators can make the user experience even better. There are no limits on how they can change the user experience. This flexibility helps businesses as they can easily adjust to what their customers want. This way, they can create unique experiences that match what people need in this new "third wave" of the internet.The headless commerce architectureIn a headless commerce system, the front end and back end are connected through application programming interfaces (APIs). This setup enables the system to make an API call to the back end whenever it needs to access or update commerce data, ranging from product information to customer details. This API-first approach also allows for more flexible and personalized user experiences. Headless commerce platforms are designed to support any current or future customer touchpoint, unlike traditional platforms that limit how and where you can sell.Headless commerce and content managementA critical part of this headless commerce approach is the integration with a headless content management system (CMS). A headless CMS operates on the same principles as headless commerce — it separates the content repository from the presentation layer, giving experience managers the freedom to build and deliver content anywhere without being limited by a predefined template or platform. Combining a headless commerce system and a headless CMS can make a powerful tool for businesses. They enable developers to create custom user interfaces for every touchpoint and experience managers to manage content more efficiently across those interfaces, leading to a better overall customer experience.Headless commerce benefitsSo, what makes headless commerce so appealing to businesses? There are several benefits of headless commerce, including:Faster time to market: With the headless commerce approach, businesses can change their user interface without affecting the back end. This means they can quickly respond to market changes and customer demands, launching new features or interfaces in less time.Greater flexibility: With a decoupled architecture, developers can build a separate front for each customer touchpoint, using the best technologies for each platform. This flexibility allows for more creativity and personalization in the user experience.Cost savings: With headless commerce, making changes to your online shop is easier. You can spend less time or money on development.Future-proof: The API-based structure of headless commerce platforms enables businesses to easily integrate new technologies and platforms as they emerge. This makes your commerce platform more resilient to technological changes and helps ensure a consistent customer experience across all touchpoints.Headless commerce solutionsThere are numerous headless commerce solutions on the market today. When evaluating options, consider factors like API flexibility, the ease of integrating with a headless CMS and the ability to support your customer touchpoints.In today's competitive business landscape, it's crucial to adopt the best headless commerce platforms that provide seamless integration with other systems and robust APIs is crucial. By doing so, your business can deliver a personalized and exceptional customer experience, which is vital to stand out from the competition. With the right tools and strategies, you can take your business to new heights and achieve long-term success.To make your customers the top priority, you should focus on their experience, understand what they want and offer services that meet their needs. A headless commerce strategy can help by giving you the flexibility to provide personalized, seamless experiences across all channels. It's not just about using new technology but also about having a customer-first approach that encourages innovation and growth.ConclusionHeadless commerce is an innovative approach that significantly benefits businesses seeking a faster time to market, more flexibility and an improved customer experience. It's a powerful solution for companies looking to break free from the limitations of traditional platforms and take complete control of their customer interactions. So, next time someone asks you, "What is headless commerce?" you can confidently explain that it's a technology solution that empowers businesses to deliver personalized and scalable customer experiences across all touchpoints, using a flexible, API-based architecture. For any business considering a move to headless commerce, it's essential to evaluate the potential benefits and challenges carefully. The right solution should align with your business objectives, technological capabilities and customer expectations. With the right strategy and platform, headless commerce can transform your business and elevate your customer experience to new heights.Learn moreLearn more about headless commerce in our guide, "The ultimate headless commerce roadmap."Schedule a free demo to see how Contentstack's composable content experience platform can help your organization embrace headless commerce.

Jun 15, 2023 | 5 min. read

Headless commerce vs. composable: What you need to know

The online world is constantly evolving, so companies must change how they work and develop new ideas to meet customers' changing needs. The e-commerce sector has witnessed the rise of two unique models: headless commerce and composable commerce. While they might appear similar at the outset, a deeper examination reveals critical distinctions.In this article, we'll demystify the two approaches, spotlight their respective pros and cons. And provide insights for organizations pondering a transition to a composable architecture.How headless commerce beganIn the early days of online shopping, businesses had two ways to sell their products: physical stores and online platforms. But as technology advanced, many companies didn't keep up with the changes. This made it hard for them to stay up with what customers wanted and take advantage of new trends. The problem was that their technology wasn't flexible enough to adapt to new ideas.To serve customers better, stores began separating their online behind-the-scenes system from what the public sees on their websites. They did this by using APIs to access the back end, which made their operations more flexible.Headless commerce is a way for brands to keep their complicated commerce systems while making the front end more flexible to changes in the market.Composable architecture means that each part of the system works independently and can be customized to fit a brand's specific needs. This gives businesses the power to choose which parts of their digital services to use to meet their unique business requirements best.Examining headless commerce architectureHeadless is a new way of handling e-commerce that separates the parts that users see (the interface) from the parts that do the work behind the scenes (data, operations, applications). Most e-commerce systems combine these two parts, making it hard to keep up with the constantly changing digital market. Headless, by contrast, allows the front- and back-end systems to function independently. Benefits of headless architectureAdopting a headless system introduces several advantages:It delivers a flexible and customizable front end. With the visual layer decoupled, developers are no longer tied to the constraints of the back end, allowing for the creation of custom user experiences. It enables seamless integration with other systems. The back end operates independently, communicating simultaneously with multiple front ends. This allows businesses to provide a consistent omnichannel experience across various platforms like websites, mobile apps, smartwatches, and IoT devices. For instance, should a brand face difficulties in producing content for new products due to the constraints of its content model, the headless commerce system allows the integration of a different content management system with adjustable content models. This flexibility ensures a smoother operation by effectively mitigating the identified issue.It accelerates the speed of innovation. Changes to the front end won't impact the back end, and vice versa. This promotes quicker updates, experiments and iterations, all critical components in today's fast-paced digital landscape.Drawbacks of headless architectureWhile headless offers clear benefits, it also carries some drawbacks:This way of setting up a system can be challenging to handle. It needs someone with technical knowledge to take care of the different parts and keep them working.While the freedom to customize front-end interfaces is a benefit, it also means that businesses are responsible for designing and developing these interfaces, which can be time-consuming and costly.Depending on the chosen system, limited support or functionalities may be available.Understanding composable architectureComposable is an approach to building digital services that allows each component to exist independently. This includes things like managing product information, content and customer relationships. Businesses can choose which parts they need to create a custom digital platform.Advantages of composable architectureComposable e-commerce offers significant advantages.It provides extreme flexibility. Since all components are separate, they can be independently updated, replaced or reconfigured, enabling a truly agile e-commerce platform. This architecture allows for continuous optimization without fear of disrupting the entire system.Composable future-proofs your DXP stack by implementing task-oriented packaged business capabilities (PBCs), which are essential for faster time to market and better adoption of a digital experience. With the ability to add or replace components as needed, businesses can keep pace with technological advancements, customer demands or changes in business strategy.It promotes the best-of-breed approach. Businesses are no longer confined to the capabilities of a single vendor. They can select the best software for each component, maximizing functionality, efficiency and performance.Pivoting toward composable architecture: Points to ponderEmbracing composable commerce vs. headless architecture is a significant decision you should not take lightly. Businesses should thoroughly analyze their current and future needs, evaluating whether the flexibility and adaptability of composable commerce align with their strategic goals.The appeal of composable architecture lies in its flexibility and potential for success. However, it's important to remember that just because something is possible doesn't mean it's a good idea. Composable architecture can be compared to Lego blocks, as it allows for the creation of many different structures. But the challenge lies in deciding what to build and how to make it happen.The challenge is twofold. First, there's the job of putting together all the components. Second, it's essential to ensure that each element chosen is not just a fun extra but helps create the desired digital experience is essential. It's crucial to tell the difference between the "must-have" and "nice-to-have" features. Focusing too much on the latter can take away your IT team's attention and resources from the essential functions.It's important to think about how much technical knowledge is needed. Composable gives you a lot of choices for customization. Still, it takes a skilled technical team to handle everything and ensure it works well. If you're thinking about using composable, you should ensure you have the right resources or get help from experts to make it easier.Additionally, companies must evaluate their current system's limitations. Are you finding it challenging to innovate due to a rigid, tightly coupled e-commerce platform? Does your business plan to expand into new channels or markets that your current platform cannot support? These pivotal questions can help determine if the transition to composable is warranted.When picking technology partners, it's crucial for organizations to choose carefully. The best partners will offer a variety of components that can be easily swapped out and will provide support and updates over time. The goal is to create an e-commerce platform that can grow and change as the business and customers do.Learn moreLearn more about transitioning to composable in this episode of "Contentstack LIVE!" featuring Contentstack Vice President of Technical Services Pete Larsen.Schedule a free demo to see how Contentstack's composable digital experience platform can help your organization achieve its e-commerce goals.

Jun 13, 2023 | 5 min. read

6 Automation Hub use cases for the new ChatGPT Connector

In the digital age, AI has become a transformative force, with OpenAI's ChatGPT leading the charge. This cutting-edge language model generates human-like text, enabling more personalized and engaging interactions. Recognizing the potential this offers to content and digital experience teams, we've recently introduced the ChatGPT Connector for Automation Hub.Automation Hub, part of Contentstack's Composable DXP ecosystem, is a visual, low/no-code workflow management solution designed to simplify integration complexities and automate routine tasks. Connectors in Automation Hub, like the newly added ChatGPT connector, are third-party applications that enhance the capabilities of Automation Hub, enabling users to automate specific tasks with ease. These connectors allow Automation Hub to interact with various tools and services, extending its functionality and making it a truly composable platform.In this post, we will explore specific use cases for both developers and business users alike, demonstrating the transformative power of AI through use of the ChatGPT Connector in Automation Hub. If you’re interested in learning more, each use case includes a link to a step-by-step guide so that you feel equipped to implement these types of solutions on your own.For developersAs a developer, you're constantly juggling multiple tasks, from managing middleware to handling website change requests and dealing with integration complexities. Automation Hub's ChatGPT connector is here to lighten your load.With the ChatGPT connector, you can automate complex tasks like content generation, data analysis, and language translation. This not only frees up your time to focus on high-priority tasks but also reduces tech debt and accelerates workflows. The result? Faster delivery times, increased productivity, and a more streamlined tech stack.Use casesStreamline business analysisSuppose you have a large volume of log data that needs to be analyzed daily. With the ChatGPT connector, you can set up an Automation that reads the log data, uses ChatGPT to analyze and summarize the data, and then sends a concise report directly to your email or Slack. This automation can be scheduled to run daily, providing you with valuable insights without manual intervention.Ready to give it a shot? Here are the general steps to follow after setting up a new automation:Configure Trigger: Begin by setting up a trigger for your automation. Choose the Scheduler Connector and set it to run once per month. If you want to receive report notifications more frequently, adjust the scheduler time frame accordingly.Create HTTP Request: Next, set up an HTTP Request Connector to pull the publish queue for the site for the last 30 days. Use the API call `https://api.contentstack.io/v3/publish-queue`and enter basic authentication (api_key and authorization) in the header parameters. If you want to change the publish time frame, you can add query parameters to the API call. For more details, refer to the publish queue information.Add ChatGPT Connector Step: Now, create a step using the ChatGPT Connector. In this step, you'll create a prompt to ask ChatGPT to analyze your publish queue. In the prompt instructions, specify the facts or analysis you want ChatGPT to include in your report. This could be a comparison of the number of item types (entry versus asset), Content Types, content in certain categories, the percentage of content created in different languages, the frequency of content publishing, or any other insights or observations that ChatGPT may be able to provide.Notify Your Team: Finally, set up a step to notify your team. This could be using a Slack Connector, an Email Connector, or a similar tool. Include the report from ChatGPT in the notification to keep your team informed.Simplify language translationImagine you have a blog that needs to be translated into multiple languages. With the ChatGPT Connector, you can create an Automation that takes the blog content as input, uses ChatGPT to translate the content into the desired languages, and then updates the translated content back into your CMS. This process can be triggered whenever a new blog post is published, ensuring your content is accessible to a global audience.Ready to give it a shot? Here are the general steps to follow after setting up a new automation:Configure Trigger: Begin by setting up a trigger for your automation. Choose the Scheduler Connector and set it to run once per month. If you want to receive report notifications more frequently, adjust the scheduler time frame accordingly.Create HTTP Request: Next, set up an HTTP Request Connector to pull the publish queue for the site for the last 30 days. Use the API call `https://api.contentstack.io/v3/publish-queue`and enter basic authentication (api_key and authorization) in the header parameters. If you want to change the publish time frame, you can add query parameters to the API call. For more details, refer to the publish queue information.Add ChatGPT Connector Step: Now, create a step using the ChatGPT Connector. In this step, you'll create a prompt to ask ChatGPT to analyze your publish queue. In the prompt instructions, specify the facts or analysis you want ChatGPT to include in your report. This could be a comparison of the number of item types (entry versus asset), Content Types, content in certain categories, the percentage of content created in different languages, the frequency of content publishing, or any other insights or observations that ChatGPT may be able to provide.Notify Your Team: Finally, set up a step to notify your team. This could be using a Slack Connector, an Email Connector, or a similar tool. Include the report from ChatGPT in the notification to keep your team informed.Conduct content auditsLet's say you want to ensure all your web pages have the correct metadata for SEO. You can set up an Automation that scans your web pages, uses ChatGPT to check for missing or incorrect metadata, and then generates a report detailing any issues. This workflow can be run periodically, helping you maintain high SEO standards across your website.Ready to implement this yourself? Here are the steps after setting up a new automation:Set Up Trigger: Start by creating a trigger for when an entry enters a specific workflow stage. This ensures that the entry has all the necessary text for enhancement purposes.Add ChatGPT Connector Step: Next, add an action step using the ChatGPT Connector. In this step, create a prompt that asks ChatGPT to enhance the desired fields for SEO. Example prompts could include:“Act as a SEO expert and rewrite this headline to enhance search engine optimization.”“Act as a content writer and create a summary of this article that is approximately 100 words long.”“Act as a content marketing expert and extract a comma-separated list of relevant SEO keywords from this article.”“Act as a personalization expert and create a comma-separated list of key personas that would be interested in this article.”Update Entry: Once you've used ChatGPT to enhance various fields in your entry, create an Update entry action step. In this step, fill in the JSON object with the enhanced content from ChatGPT from the previous payloads.For business usersAs a business user, your goal is to improve the end-customer experience while simultaneously increasing the efficiency and speed of your marketing and content workflows. The ChatGPT connector in Automation Hub is designed to help you achieve just that.The ChatGPT connector empowers content teams to control and accelerate the delivery of their content workflows and experiences. With its advanced capabilities and user-friendly interface, non-technical users can easily make changes and improvements that streamline content processes—saving time, hassle, and money.Use casesEnsure brand voice consistencyConsider a scenario where you have a large number of articles that need to align with your brand voice. You can set up an Automation that takes each article, uses ChatGPT to rewrite the content according to your brand guidelines, and then updates the revised content back into your CMS. This process can be triggered whenever a new article is added, ensuring all your content consistently reflects your brand voice.To implement on your own, follow these general steps after creating a new automation:Set Up Trigger: Start by creating a trigger for an event that will occur after a majority of the content has been created. This could be when an item transitions to a specific workflow stage.Create Brand Guidelines: Next, establish a set of brand guidelines. These could include directives such as:“Refer to Contentstack as the leading digital experience platform (DXP).”“The article tone should be professional but stylish and refreshing.”“We should be professional and user friendly.”Add ChatGPT Connector Step: Now, create an action step using the ChatGPT Connector. In this step, ask ChatGPT to "Act as a marketing expert and re-write the text to ensure consistent brand voice using the above standards."Update Entry: Finally, using an Update entry step, write the re-written content back to Contentstack. This ensures that your content aligns with your brand voice guidelines.Craft engaging product informationSuppose you have a new product launching on your e-commerce platform. With the ChatGPT connector, you can create an Automation that takes the product details as input, uses ChatGPT to generate a compelling product description, and then updates the description on your e-commerce platform. This process can be triggered whenever a new product is added, helping you drive conversions with engaging product descriptions.To create your own version, follow these general steps after creating a new automation:Ensure Product Metadata: Start by ensuring that your product has some form of metadata. If you have a product image, you could use Automation Hub to run it through an image-tagging system like Google Vision. This will generate object tags.Store Object Tags: Once you have the object tags, write them back to the CMS and store them in a keyword tag field. This will provide a basis for the product description and headline.Add ChatGPT Connector Steps: Now, use a ChatGPT Connector to ask for a compelling product description. Write the prompt as if you were a content manager asking for a description. Then, try creating another ChatGPT step to ask for a product headline based on the summary.Update Entry: Finally, when you have the description and headline, write them back to the entry to update the product page. This will ensure that your product information is engaging and compelling.Personalize user experienceImagine you want to send personalized emails to different user personas. You can set up an Automation that takes user data, uses ChatGPT to generate personalized email content for each persona, and then sends the emails via your email marketing platform. This process can be triggered based on user behavior, providing a unique, engaging experience for each user.Build this on your own by following these general steps after creating a new automation:Set Up Trigger: Start by setting up a trigger based on a predictable event, such as a workflow transition. This will initiate the automation process.Define Audiences: Next, create an array of audiences that you want to address in your automation. This could be a hard-coded array created in a Transform step, or it might be a list of audiences included in a special metadata entry that can be referenced in every automation.Create Repeat Path: Now, create a Repeat Path that iterates over the array of audiences defined in the previous step. This will ensure that each audience receives personalized content.Personalize Content with ChatGPT: During the Repeat Path, send the article information and the audience for that iteration to ChatGPT. Ask ChatGPT to rewrite the content targeted toward that audience. This will ensure that each audience receives content tailored to their interests and needs.Update Entry: After the content has been personalized, write the new targeted information back into the entry using an Update entry action step. This will ensure that the personalized content is saved and can be used in your digital experience.Notify Team: Outside of the Repeat Path, you could create a closing step that notifies a Slack channel that the targeted content has been arranged. This will keep your team informed and ensure that everyone is on the same page.The integration of ChatGPT into Contentstack's Automation Hub is a testament to our commitment to innovation and agility in response to market trends. By leveraging the combined capabilities of Automation Hub and ChatGPT, businesses can streamline and automate many aspects of their content management process. This integration not only provides a flexible, powerful, and forward-thinking solution for your enterprise’s evolving content needs but also places the power of AI in the hands of both developers and business stakeholders. The result is a more efficient, productive, and customer-centric digital experience.If you're intrigued by the possibilities and ready to explore further, we invite you to dive into our ChatGPT Connector documentation. Discover how you can unlock the full potential of your digital experience stack with Contentstack's Automation Hub and ChatGPT.

Jun 08, 2023 | 6 min. read

How to create a roadmap for digital marketing

Having a digital-first marketing strategy is a must for companies today. Customers expect an excellent experience every time they interact with you online. If your digital experience isn't up to par, your customers might go to a provider who's got their digital marketing game on point. If you want to excel in digital marketing, it’s crucial to have a clear marketing strategy. In this blog post, we'll discuss: How to plan for using digital-first marketing technologyHow to determine what your customers want and match your technology to meet their needsHow to set up your tech tools using a digital experience platform (DXP) Define your marketing technology strategyDefining a winning digital marketing strategy is more complex than just picking cool tech stuff. It's about purposefully building around tech tools that can help you better connect with your audience or customers, not just now but in the future. Remember, what works best might be different for everyone. Your strategy should be tailor-made, fitting perfectly to your unique business situation. This may take more time and effort, but it's ultimately worth it. To define your marketing technology strategy, begin by analyzing your customer’s needs and assessing your ability to meet those needs. Analyze customer needsDetermine what the ideal customer experience looks like for your audience. Customer trends are constantly changing, as is the technology available to marketing teams. It's essential to look at consumer behavior and determine which digital marketing channels your customers rely on the most and how they prefer to be engaged. For instance, do they respond better to your marketing messages via text, social media posts, or email marketing? Honing in on which technology they leverage at each step of the buyer journey and where you lose them can reveal gaps you need to fill.Assess current capabilitiesThink about what technology you already have in place for marketing automation, web analytics, search engine optimization, content creation and management and other services. Then determine what technology you need to add now and potentially later. Evaluate your people to decide whether or not they have the right mindset and skill sets for any new technology you are considering. If not, what training will they require to get up to speed? Or will you need to hire new staff with expertise in the technology? Be sure to consider your leadership and organizational structure. Will leadership grasp the necessity of transitioning to the new digital-first marketing approach? If not, you must prove to them the investment will pay off.Understanding the needs of your stakeholdersWhen planning to use digital-first marketing technology, you need to think about what everyone involved needs. This includes the people who work in your business, the tech folks who make everything run smoothly, and your customers. Internal business usersYour internal business users are often the people who interact directly with your digital marketing tools. They could be in your marketing department, sales team or customer service. You need to find out what problems they're having and what tools they need to do their jobs better. Try having regular chats, sending out surveys or running workshops to find out. This can help you spot what's missing in your current tech tools and what you need to add or change. DevelopersYour developers are the ones who implement and maintain your digital marketing technology. Hence, it's crucial to consider their needs and feedback. Finding out what they need and listening to their ideas is essential. They need tools that work well, are flexible and they can integrate easily. Talking to them can give you valuable insights about which technology to pick and how to keep everything running smoothly.End-user customersFinally, your end-user customers are the most critical stakeholder. After all, your digital marketing strategy's whole point is to improve their experience. You need to understand what they like and don't like and how they behave. You can do this by looking at data, listening to their feedback, sending surveys and testing how they use your service. Maybe they love easy-to-use websites, personalized content, or quick customer service. Once you know, you can ensure your marketing technology delivers what they value most.Creating a successful digital-first marketing roadmap is an inclusive process. It involves considering the needs of all stakeholders, ensuring they're equipped with the right tools, and fostering an environment that embraces continuous improvement and adaptation. Focusing on these critical aspects ensures your digital marketing strategy is robust, versatile and customer-centric.Align technology capabilitiesOnce you better understand your current technology capabilities and customer needs, it’s time to identify any gaps between the two. For instance, if your buyers are young and make most of their online purchases after seeing a Facebook ad, it may not make sense to inundate them with marketing emails. Instead, devote more technology and resources to delivering relevant social media content and ads.The overarching goal is to deliver quality customer experiences that pay off in the end, whether that means a potential buyer converts by making a purchase or an existing customer renews their subscription to your service.One of the biggest challenges of creating an effective digital marketing strategy is ensuring that it’s future-proof. No one knows what the future holds, and technology changes rapidly. That’s why composable DXPs are at the forefront of most successful digital marketing strategies today.Matching your tech to your strategyIt's important to ensure your marketing tech tools match your digital marketing plan. They need to be able to support the excellent online experience you want to give your customers.Imagine your tech tools are like building blocks. Each block needs to fit together perfectly to build the thing you want. In the same way, your tech tools need to work together to create your digital marketing strategy. This is where composable architecture comes in.Composable architecture is like a set of Lego blocks. You can mix and match different pieces as you need, adding or removing blocks to fit your unique situation. This flexibility makes creating the perfect tech stack for your business easier. It allows you to pick and choose the tools that best fit your strategy and change things as your needs change.So, whether it's email marketing, social media, customer relationship management, or data analysis, make sure your tech tools are up to the task. Remember, the goal is to make the digital experience awesome for your customers. The right tech tools, put together in the right way, can help you do just that.Making your digital plan happenSo, you've made your digital marketing plan. Now it's time to put it into action. Start by breaking your plan into smaller tasks. Then, set a timeline to decide when each task needs to be done. Be realistic — you want to get things done, but not so fast that you make mistakes. Next, decide who will do each task. Make sure everyone knows their jobs and deadlines. This will help everything go smoothly and ensure you remember everything. By planning your tasks, time, and teamwork, you'll turn your digital marketing plan from a dream into reality. Learn moreGet expert insights on digital marketing strategy from Contentstack CMO Susan Beermann in this episode of "Contentstack LIVE.”Schedule a free demo to see how Contentstack's composable digital experience platform and headless CMS can help make your digital marketing plan a winner.

Jun 02, 2023 | 5 min. read

How to create a 5-star content strategy: Tips from Juliette Olah of Booking.com

When it comes to content strategy, Juliette Olah knows that a key part of reaching a vision is planning a smooth journey to get there. As senior manager, Editorial at Booking.com, she skillfully blends the needs of customers, technologies and creative teams to define the editorial roadmap for the global travel brand. Olah recently spoke with us about creating high-value content, getting organization-wide support for change, and the advice she has for other leaders driving editorial strategy. Keep the focus on the customer When Olah joined Booking.com in 2020, the editorial content was mainly used for paid social media ads. She quickly saw an opportunity to use these long-form articles in a much broader way to support the brand’s own social, organic and email channels.“I wanted to show that potential but, at the same time, keep focus so that it didn’t seem like I was trying to solve all content challenges through editorial,” Olah said. “If you go too broad, too quickly your message can start to become lost.”A key part of defining and keeping a focused content strategy is taking a customer-first approach — creating a roadmap and choosing themes based on what is most valuable for your audience and then figuring out how to tightly weave business objectives and marketing goals into the plan instead of the other way around. “A customer-first approach is essential; otherwise you lose relevance and value very quickly,” Olah said. “Audiences are incredibly sensitive and perceptive to anything that is slightly off or slightly irrelevant. If your content and your messaging isn’t coming across seamlessly you’ll lose attention immediately, and you’ll also lose trust.” Maximize the value of each piece “Editorial content does take a lot of resources to produce,” Olah said, discussing the research, writing, visuals and translation work required. “So if we’re going to do this, we need to make each and every story work to serve needs and fill gaps so that we’re supporting the brand rather than just adding more content.” Maximizing the value of content starts in the planning phase. For Olah and her team, this includes working with in-house researchers to identify travel trends, with localization specialists to make sure ideas are culturally relevant and with the social and email teams to create pieces that can serve the strategies of multiple channels. It’s also key to set up content for long-term value. This can include structuring content on the back end in a way that makes it easy to reuse across different channels, or enhancing the tagging and taxonomy of your archive to get more out of the content you’ve already invested in. “Editorial at Booking.com has been going on for many years, so we have thousands of pieces of content,” Olah said. “Surfacing that content in a relevant way, being able to curate it, to search through it and filter it efficiently is now really important for audiences to be able to get the most value out of it.” Build a 360 business case for technology change To reach their multichannel ambitions, Olah knew the editorial team needed a technology solution that would let them create, curate and optimize content more efficiently than would be possible with their incumbent, homegrown platform. Having worked with a headless content management system (CMS) in previous roles, Olah started exploring if this approach was a right fit for Booking.com. Through many discussions with tech and product leaders, as well as the creatives on her team, she built a business case that looked at the technology justification and functionality needs, as well as the impact on efficiency and editorial strategy. “The business case is part showing a comprehensive, 360 view of the technical benefits of the platform and part showing that you’ve done your homework on a robust content strategy,” Olah said. “From examples of execution, to tying in brand storytelling and campaign amplification, to details around distribution and channel use cases of the content.” Presenting an aligned, measurable plan for change was key to getting different stakeholders to understand the potential of editorial content and to get the buy-in needed to make the change successful. “Advocacy is needed at all levels and functions, from a leadership level that signs off to the people that are actually involved in using the products and the systems day-to-day,” Olah said. “They need to be happy and settled and feel confident that this is going to make their jobs easier and more efficient.” Don’t change for change’s sake To ensure the move to the new content solution went smoothly, Olah was careful to avoid a common stumbling block she’d seen at other organizations. “When companies launch a new platform, there’s a tendency to launch 10 other things at the same time— a new platform plus new brand guidelines, or an entirely new content strategy, or a refresh of everything that’s associated with the particular platform,” Olah explained. “I was very conscious of not doing that because that is extremely stressful and, in my opinion, unnecessary.” Instead, change was rolled out in stages and, where possible, tied in existing ways of working to make people feel comfortable during the transition. For example, the editorial team was very happy with the workflow that was created around the previous content platform. While a headless CMS might be able to support more efficient processes, Olah decided it was best for the team to first roll out the new platform in a way that worked with the existing workflow. “Don’t try to change everything under the sun at the same time,” Olah advised. “If something is working, keep it, and keep the business case focused on the current challenges that need to be solved.” Plan for potential Breaking transformation into independent steps, rather than a big-bang approach, is also an opportunity to create a content and technology framework that supports continuous change. “Once we launch, there’s still a lot of potential for editorial at Booking.com, and what we’ve been able to do with this platform is build for that potential so that the structures are in place,” Olah explained. For instance, with an API-first approach Booking.com is able to structure content so that it isn’t locked into only being presented as a static long-form article on the site. As the team explores new channels, third party syndication, testing tools and further optimization for local markets they can adapt existing content and processes to meet new needs. “This is a huge benefit of headless,” Olah said. “We don’t know what we will necessarily need in another five years, but we absolutely need something that is flexible and adaptable enough to accommodate that.”“There’s only so far ahead that you can possibly plan for,” she continued. “You need a system that helps you to flex and change in this environment.”

May 25, 2023 | 7 min. read

How composable technology improves experiences in financial services

The financial services industry is one of the most advanced sectors when it comes to using digital technology. However, companies in this space are constantly competing for customers at every level, from large investment firms to small, independent banks.To stay ahead of the competition and satisfy customer needs, financial institutions must take advantage of the most advanced solutions available to optimize customer experiences. Composable digital experience platforms provide an easy-to-implement suite of tools and features that allow businesses to execute complex tasks quickly and cost efficiently. In this blog, we’ll explain what a composable DXP is, then look at how financial services companies rely on this technology. We’ll also cover the major benefits of composable DXPs and give you questions to ask when selecting a DXP.What is a composable digital experience platform (DXP)?In a legacy platform, a suite of features and capabilities are built into the software by the vendor. You pay for everything in the suite, even features you don’t want. To add functionality, you must choose vendor-approved, third-party plug-ins. There’s no freedom to choose the ideal solutions for your business as you grow.Composable DXPs differ. They’re “composed” of best-in-breed solutions that work together via APIs to deliver omnichannel content and digital experiences. With composable, you’re no longer locked into features and capabilities chosen by the vendor. Instead, you can compose a unique DXP with the right mix of tools for your business.Many types of software can be integrated into a composable DXP such as:E-commerce toolsAsset managementCustomer managementOmnichannel managementMarketing automation and analyticsContent workflowsCustomer engagementAI toolsThe architecture of legacy and composable DXPs also differs. With a legacy platform, developers create HTML code to control how a website’s front-end display looks. This is great for managing content like photos, text, art, and videos on one website. However, it’s inefficient when using content across multiple websites and channels like social media sites and native apps.With legacy systems, users must manage content separately for each channel. This is difficult, time-consuming and also increases the risk of human error. Legacy systems simply can’t provide the level of agility financial organizations require to deliver the meaningful content experiences required to be competitive.Composable DXPS are built on composable architecture with headless content management systems at the core. With headless, the front-end display and back end are disconnected. Because of this separation, content for multiple channels is managed from one central hub. Then it’s pushed to websites, mobile apps and social media on demand. When integrated with tools like real-time customer data and analytics, organizations become more agile. This leads to greater customer satisfaction along the customer journey.How financial services companies use composable technologyTo understand how financial companies rely on composable technology, let’s consider their customers. According to the Forbes Advisor: 2022 Digital Banking Survey, nearly 80% of adults in the U.S. prefer using a mobile app or website for banking rather than banking in person at a physical location.That’s not surprising when digital is more accessible and convenient. With digital, customers can bank 24/7 from anywhere in the world on any device. They no longer have to leave home to make a deposit, get a loan or even close on a new house.New digital-only banks have also disrupted the market. These non-traditional banks offer fast, convenient mobile banking solutions and payment services. And they have left some traditional banks struggling to keep up.Advances in digital technology aren’t limited to banking either. E-commerce is booming. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, e-commerce sales in 2022 were estimated to total $1.03 billion. Payment providers, acquiring banks and card schemes like Mastercard work behind the scenes to enable these transactions.Customer expectations of financial services organizations have evolved along with technology. Customers now expect options that make it easy to manage their banking, conduct financial business and make purchases quickly and conveniently. This has increased competition between financial services companies trying to seize their share of the market.Competition is actually responsible for furthering banking along the digital journey toward digitized processes and digital revenue. In fact, according to Gartner’s CIO Survey 2021, it’s further along than any other industry.That's why robust DXPs are must-have technology for financial services companies trying to seize their share of the pie. By robust, we mean composable DXPs that support personalization, marketing automation, data and analytics, and other tools your tech stack may require to keep pace with customers expectations.Benefits of a composable DXP for financial services Increased flexibility Banks, payment providers and other financial services companies gain the freedom to keep existing systems and solutions they require to do business, while integrating new solutions they want to leverage for customer engagement and other purposes. Put simply, they can choose the best mix of tools for their unique success story.From one composable platform, this mix of best-in-breed solutions will connect and communicate seamlessly. Many complex processes that were once slow, time-consuming and left room for error become automated and streamlined.Agility Composable empowers financial organizations to move faster. They could mean pushing important information to multiple channels quickly or adding a new product ahead of a competitor. This agility enables financial organizations to scale faster while still keeping up with customer expectations and regulatory requirements.Composable DXPs can even help financial organizations to grow as it enables them to deliver much better content experiences. This not only helps to attract brand new customers, but builds customer satisfaction and customer loyalty among existing customers. Enhanced security Composable enables faster implementation of security updates. This minimizes both disruption and vulnerability to cyber attacks. Financial organizations are very susceptible to cyberthreats from criminals trying to access financial assets or personal information to target customers. And the slow process of updating security protocols with traditional, legacy DXPs can result in lengthy downtimes. During these times, secure systems are more vulnerable to cyber threats.Not only do government regulations require that financial organizations take security measures to protect their customers from cyberthreats, customers have similar expectations. They want security when they bank or conduct any business through a financial services provider. This is true whether they’re banking on their phone or making a purchase on an e-commerce site.What to consider when implementing a composable DXPBefore choosing a DXP, it’s crucial to first consider who will be using the platform and how they will use it. Be sure to loop in stakeholders from marketing, IT and business. Developing specific use cases will provide a clearer picture of what you require from a platform.Next, it’s time to begin searching for a DXP to fulfill your requirements. Be sure to ask these four questions: Does it have a headless CMS? A headless CMS is important because it enables composable DXPs to manage content from one location, then push it out to multiple channels like your website, social media and native apps.Is it easy to use? Composable DXPs should enable content creators and other nontechnical users to create and edit content without any coding skills or assistance from IT. Select a platform that’s easy to use and intuitive.How configurable is it? Regardless of how easy a platform is to use, it isn’t going to be the right fit unless it can be customized to align with user requirements and business objectives. Choose a DXP that offers the customization options your business needs, as well as the capability to integrate the best-in-breed solutions you may want to leverage both now and later as your organization scales.How good is the customer support? Transitioning from a monolithic platform to a composable DXP is a unique experience for every organization. Making the switch is often done in phases with different capabilities and features being rolled out over time with minimal disruption. You’ll need technical support throughout the transition. Make sure your provider is willing to listen and comprehend your use cases and business objectives and will be there when needed.How financial services companies use composable DXPsHere are three examples showing how banks and financial services companies are using composable DXPs:Composable banking: Many banks have already adapted to composable banking, which makes it easy to quickly adapt to changes in the market. With composable banking, products and services are broken down into separate components that are managed independently. Composable DXPs support composable banking by making it easy to launch new products and services at the right time without disrupting other services.Managing content across channels: Banks with multiple locations, divisions and different suites of products and services for personal and commercial banking customers are using composable DXPs to manage all their content from one central hub. When an interest rate changes, for instance, a composable DXP enables content teams to quickly push the new rate out to multiple channels in a matter of minutes. Whereas in the past, someone had to go into each piece of content and manually update the rate. This was not only tedious and time-consuming, but increased the risk of human error.Personalization: Some larger banks are focusing heavily on enhancing personalization through better technology to deliver a better customer experience. Composable DXPs enable banks to seamlessly integrate and connect sophisticated automated and AI-powered tools that communicate and share data. For instance, localization tools can determine a customer’s location and deliver personalized content in their language, while feedback from analytics tools ensures the message is relevant to them.Learn moreLearn more about the advantages you can expect from our composable DXP in our blog, “Contentstack demonstrated 295% ROI in Forrester study.” To see how Contentstack’s composable DXP can help your digital transformation, schedule a free demo.

May 19, 2023 | 4 min. read

5 key takeaways from ContentCon 2023

If you were lucky enough to attend ContentCon 2023, the Contentstack’s highly anticipated annual customer conference held May 8-10, you know how incredibly useful this event can be for those on the journey to composable. With inspiring keynotes and exclusive workshops, attendees take away new insights on composable leadership and technology. In case you missed it, here are some highlights and key takeaways from ContentCon 2023:The monolith is dead: Welcome to the age of composableThe monolith is dead, Contentstack CEO Neha Sampat declared in her opening keynote.“When you're living life according to the rules of the monolith, you're stuck in a cycle of what's not possible,” Sampat said. “You're constrained by the limitations of tech. But when you do break free suddenly this whole world of possibilities can open up to you.”To break free from the monolith, Sampat said, “We have to find our people. We have to find our champions, and we have to find our inner heroes. We challenge the status quo, we redefine the rules, and we can only win if we do it together.”The first-ever Composable CharterCustomers and partners from over 100 leading enterprises at ContentCon 2023 participated in the creation of the first-ever Composable Charter, a roadmap for any business to be successful on the path to composable. The Composable Charter provides a framework of 10 guiding principles applicable to enterprises across all industries seeking to future-proof their business through the adoption of composable technologies and architectures. It takes a village to raise a platform Procurement in the age of composable technology is no longer just one contract but many. Keynote speaker Mindy Montgomery offered a “procurement survival guide” based on her experiences as senior technical product manager at ASICS. "I think communication and managing expectations amongst the team of the solution provider, the brand and the integration partner is going to be more and more key because we are dealing with much more complex solutions that we need to bring to market,” Montgomery said.Her recommendations for brands implementing a composable platform also included:Product management should lead procurement activities but not be the decision maker.Create a contract expiry and scope schedule and review it quarterly.A scoring matrix for requirements makes it easier to quantify and defend decisions to internal stakeholders and solution providers.A framework for getting everyone on boardJurre van Ruth, strategic program manager at PostNL, shared how he used a storytelling framework to persuade decision makers to invest in a fully composable digital experience platform.Name your enemy: “You could say we created a Frankenstein out of our old CMS,” van Ruth said. Like Frankenstein’s monster, “It was alive. But alive doesn’t mean it’s bringing joy and happiness,” van Ruth said. Create a sense of urgency: The existing platform provided inconsistent communication and a long lead time for content changes, resulting in unhappy customers and employees and slow time to market.Agitate the problem: If the company didn’t act now, customer satisfaction would keep dropping, costs would keep increasing and employees would become more dissatisfied.Offer the missing piece of the puzzle: Content as a service in a central platformSpark intrigue: van Jurre created a model that showed how a headless CMS would save up to 90% of time spent on content management.Sell benefits, not features: A headless CMS would deliver a consistent experience, cost savings and customer satisfaction.Show, don’t tell: A workshop with users allowed them to experience the changes and understand the impact of the headless CMS.Build trust: Rather than presenting the need for change himself, van Jurre gained support from others so decision makers knew employees were already on board.Demonstrate the potential: van Jurre’s team created an inspiring video to share the possibilities of the new CMS with employees to get them on board.Show long-term vision: Jurre’s team positioned the headless CMS as being part of something bigger, a composable DXP with capabilities to facilitate the best possible digital experience.A ‘360-degree’ approach to content strategy for AI Ana L'Antigua, global head of technology partnerships, and Sam Chapman, vice president of content and communications at Aprimo, led a workshop on how to develop an approach to content strategy to get the most out of generative AI.“Our lives are about to change as a result of generative AI,” L’Antigua said. “In fact, they already are in so many ways. The way that we do business will never look the same. And with those changes will come extreme challenges, and unless you and your teams are equipped and prepared to face them, you will be left behind.”L’Antigua and Chapman presented Aprimo’s “360-degree” approach to content strategy to get the most out of generative AI. The steps include:Create a cross-functional steering committee to develop a centralized company POV on opportunities to use generative AI.Consider AI use policies and brand safety risks and develop an approach to mitigate them.Identify budgeting and process changes that will be needed to take advantage of AI.Develop a prompt-management strategy as a reference point for content creators.Create training strategies for creating effective AI prompts and scaling performance and consistency.More from ContentCon 2023Visit the ContentCon 2023 Video Hub to watch videos of these presentations and more.

May 11, 2023 | 5 min. read

5 ways AI tools can help you create content

Generative AI is a powerful technology that has transformed how content is created and consumed. Many companies, big and small, use generative AI to create better content, make customers happier and grow their businesses. Read this post to learn how content creators can use generative AI to make different types of content, like text, pictures, sound, video and personalized suggestions.What is generative AI?Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that specializes in producing new content, data or patterns by relying on existing data. These AI solutions have undergone extensive training on a wide range of content, including written articles, images, websites, social media posts, and real-time conversations, primarily in English. As a result, they can now effectively copy the structure and grammar of written language and frequently used phrases. Generative AI has developed a remarkable ability to recognize shapes and patterns in images, such as the silhouettes of cats, children and shirts.How is generative AI used in content creation?The versatility of generative AI tools for content creation is vast and diverse, with many industries and formats benefiting from its implementation. Some of the most common applications include:Natural language processing (NLP) for text generationImage synthesis for generating imagesAudio synthesis for generating music and speechVideo synthesis for generating videosMachine learning-based systems for personalized contentNatural language processing for text generationOne of the most popular applications of generative AI in content creation is natural language processing (NLP). NLP is the process of computers and human languages interacting with each other. This enables machines to read, understand and create human text. Models such as GPT-4 have attracted a lot of attention due to their impressive capacity to produce clear, relevant, and natural-sounding text that fits the context.Data scientists train NLP models to mimic human writing by analyzing extensive datasets to comprehend grammar, syntax, and context. Businesses use them for various purposes, such as composing emails, generating product descriptions, producing blog articles, coding and even creating poetry.Image synthesis for generating new imagesCreating new images using generative models is known as image synthesis. One of the most well-known techniques used in this process is called Generative Adversarial Networks or GANs. These involve using two neural networks — the generator and the discriminator. The generator is responsible for creating new images. At the same time, the discriminator is used to evaluate these images against the existing training dataset. As the generator continues to create new images and compete against the discriminator, it learns to produce more realistic images.When it comes to image synthesis, the applications are wide-ranging. You can create original artwork or design virtual environments. You can even generate realistic product images and synthesize faces for digital avatars. A great example is StyleGAN, an NVIDIA-developed AI system that can produce photorealistic images of human faces, animals and objects. Audio synthesis for generating music and speechAI has made great progress in creating new music and speech through audio synthesis. AI models can generate new compositions by learning the structure and patterns of music, including rhythm, melody, and harmony. Platforms like MuseNet and Magenta have produced AI-generated music spanning different genres and styles.AI-powered speech synthesis, or text-to-speech, transforms written text into spoken language. This generative technology is trained on human speech and produces realistic voices with intonation, emotion and accent. It can be used for virtual assistants, audiobook narration, and video voiceovers.Video synthesis for generating videosAI-powered video synthesis is a growing field that employs generative technology to create or modify videos. Composers can generate realistic video sequences using techniques such as GANs and VAEs. This method analyzes motion patterns, scene composition and object interaction to produce a fresh video piece of content.Deepfake technology is a well-known example of video synthesis. It uses AI to manipulate videos by replacing one person's face with another, making it appear that the person is speaking or acting in a way they never did. While deepfakes have raised ethical concerns, the underlying technology has promising applications in filmmaking, advertising and virtual reality.Video synthesis is ideal for creating 3D animations. This is done by training AI models on 3D models and motion data to produce realistic animated sequences. This technology benefits video game development, animated movies and virtual environments.Machine learning-based systems for personalized content AI-powered recommendation systems now personalize content experiences for users. By analyzing user behavior, preferences and demographics, machine learning algorithms generate tailored recommendations that match each individual's unique taste.These recommendation systems are commonly used in content platforms like Netflix, Spotify and YouTube to provide personalized suggestions for movies, music and videos. But they can also be employed in other industries, such as e-commerce, news and even online learning, to curate a personalized experience for each user.Generative AI is changing how we produce and consume content in different fields and formats. With the help of generative AI, companies can create more appealing, imaginative, and individualized content, which leads to better customer experiences and business growth.To excel as a business leader, marketing professional, or technical expert, it's crucial to stay informed about emerging technologies and consider how to incorporate them into your existing content marketing strategy. By doing this, you'll be prepared to adapt to the future of content creation and outdo your competitors in a world that is increasingly influenced by AI.Embracing generative AI in your content strategyTo make use of generative AI in your content plan, here are some practical steps you can follow:Start by evaluating how you currently create content and pinpointing opportunities where generative AI could be beneficial. This may involve automating repetitive tasks, producing personalized suggestions, or generating unique and captivating content.To make the most of generative AI tools, it's important to do your research and invest in those that match your business goals and content requirements. Depending on your focus, tools like GPT-4 and other NLP models could be worth considering for text generation.Collaborating with experts in the field of generative AI can be challenging due to its constant evolution. With so many new AI tools available from various vendors, finding an expert in marketing content management to help guide you is crucial. It's important to balance automation and human creativity when it comes to content creation. While generative AI can be incredibly helpful, it's crucial to remember the value of the human touch. Rather than relying solely on AI, use it as a tool to enhance your team's expertise and imagination.AI-generated content has ethical considerations that you must address. It would help if you established clear internal guidelines to ensure transparency and maintain trust with your audience. These guidelines should address privacy issues such as unintentionally exposing personal information, prevent bias that may exist within the existing data and maintain authenticity. By doing so, you can protect your brand's reputation and ensure the ethical use of generative AI technology.In the rapidly evolving field of generative AI, there may be better solutions than what works today. It is important to test and measure the performance of your AI-generated content continuously. Be open to refining your approach as new technologies and techniques emerge.Incorporating generative AI into content generation presents numerous chances for companies to improve, interact, and customize their content. By adopting a methodical approach and adhering to the steps described above, you can leverage the potential of generative AI to enhance your content plan and stay ahead in a highly competitive, AI-centric environment.Learn moreLearn more about using generative AI in our blog post, "How to transform your content creation with generative AI."Contentstack recently announced AI Assistant, a ChatGPT integration for our composable digital experience platform. Schedule a free demo to see how Contentstack's DXP and AI Assistant can help you scale your marketing content creation.

May 08, 2023 | 2 min. read

What’s new and what’s in store for Contentstack Launch

Are you a developer looking for the latest data on Contentstack’s front-end hosting solution? Then look no further. Contentstack Launch has officially completed its first quarter and is now in general availability, and we’ve earned a wealth of knowledge and cultivated relationships along the way. In this blog post, we’ll take an in-depth look at our successes over Q1, provide insights into how it all came to be and what users can expect from us moving forward. We pride ourselves on continuously innovating our products so that anyone using the platform can benefit right away with maximum efficiency. New features added in Q1Contentstack Launch is the ideal front-end hosting solution for your business, providing developers with a roadmap to success. As the only MACH-compliant platform on the market, Contentstack goes beyond any other offering by streamlining workflows, optimizing development operations, and improving business outcomes all through clicks not code. By reducing wait-states and eliminating friction between back-end code and front-end user experiences, Contentstack Launch has everything developers need to take their projects to the next level.Contentstack remains committed to providing developers and operations teams with the highest quality front-end hosting solution. During Q1, numerous features have been added and improved upon to ensure they can take advantage of tools such as:Local testingAutomationsStaging environmentsGit repository linkingCDN/caching for optimal performanceIn addition, users now enjoy greater flexibility with automated redeployments and cache refreshing via webhooks — leading to faster turnaround times and smoother transition from development to production states of their content. With these new enhancements, Contentstack has the full solution for your stack.What’s in store for Q2We strive to create the best workflow experience for developers. In Q2, this means exploring multiple avenues for streamlining operations and improving user experience. To start, our team is developing support for more frameworks so customers receive greater flexibility when working with our hosting solutions. We’re also expecting to launch on-demand revalidation (ODR) for Nextjs very soon so developers can respond quickly to user requests. And lastly, look out for availability on European AWS and Azure data centers — opening up new opportunities for high-performance delivery on a global scale. Exciting times are ahead!Now, did that get you interested in learning more?Contentstack Launch has revolutionized how modern developers build and host front-end applications. Its features create a more streamlined workflow and improved user experience. The Q1 recap featured improvements made to the situation of modern developers in this regard. With these measures in place, Contentstack's platform is better equipped to handle dev operations efficiently and effectively. In Q2, we are looking forward to expanding our offering even further with deeper integrations, additional product launches, and events. We encourage everyone to take advantage of Contentstack Launch's best practices for development operations by visiting our website for more information.Learn moreIf you'd like to learn how Contentstack Launch can help your business, click this link: https://www.contentstack.com/launch/ and get started today!

May 04, 2023 | 3 min. read

Spring recap: What's new and what's coming for Contentstack

Welcome to Contentstack Pulse, your go-to source for the latest news on platform enhancements, roadmap updates and answers to frequently asked questions. Our mission is to keep you up-to-date on all the exciting developments at Contentstack and with our platform. Each month, we'll share the latest platform news to help you streamline your user experience. And every quarter, we'll offer a recap of everything that's happened, so you never miss a beat. Whether you're an existing customer or just curious to learn more about what we do, Contentstack Pulse has got you covered.We hope you can use this information to better leverage new features, learn from success stories and discover new tools for delivering engaging customer experiences. These recaps should also provide valuable insights into strategic growth initiatives and product innovations that will help you make the most of your experience with Contentstack.What we've accomplishedHere’s what we released in Q1:Contentstack Headless CMSSearch Relevancy: Improved search through stemming and word form support, accent-insensitive searching as well as the automatic ignoring of stop words for more accurate results.Entry Editor Experience: Now updated with prominent field blocks, smarter nested fields and more flexible custom fields for seamless content creation for business users.In-line Commenting in JSON RTE: Introducing further enhanced collaboration between teams, allowing business users and developers to collaborate and easily communicate about content.Contentstack MarketplaceRelease Preview App: View your releases in a calendar and timeline view within our new Full-Page extension location. Preview your content before a scheduled release and compare changes scheduled for your stack with upcoming releases or content you already have published. View other release details such as entries or assets that are added to a release with their specific titles, content types, and versions within your Contentstack environment.Interstack Reference App: Reference entries between stacks, similar to referring entries between content types within a stack. Easily fetch the referenced entry across your Contentstack environments without ever leaving your current stack, ensuring the availability of content across the entire enterprise and reducing manual maintenance of managing duplicate data.Contentstack AI Assistant: Our new integration brings the power of OpenAI ChatGPT instantly to the point of content creation through in-line UI extensions, allowing content editors and publishers to create a brand- and tone-specific content in seconds.Contentstack Automation HubConditional and Repeat Paths: Easily create complex workflows by defining multiple paths with conditional logic and repeating steps, saving time and effort for developers and business users.Project Sharing: For improved team collaboration and efficiency, users can now invite others to view, create and modify a project’s automation steps.ChatGPT Automation Hub Connector: Developers and business users can now leverage ChatGPT’s capabilities to unlock new possibilities in their workflows, including metadata extraction, text summarization and so much more.Contentstack LaunchEarly Access Program: General availability is scheduled for May 2023.Support for serverless functions: Next.js, Gatsby, webhooks and more advanced features are supported to enhance user experience and performanceWhere we're headingLooking ahead to Q2, we have an exciting lineup of features and innovations designed to provide you with endless opportunities and possibilities. Here’s a sneak peek:Assisted Search functionality will offer more accurate and relevant results when searching for content within the platform.Teams & Taxonomy will empower businesses to create a streamlined content management system with powerful tools for grouping and categorizing content.Content Type Visualizer App will provide businesses with a visual representation of their content types. The app's dashboard allows teams to see an overview of their entire content structure, enabling companies to manage and organize content more effectively.Predictive data capabilities: Automation Hub will be able to leverage its access and knowledge of the Contentstack system to improve user-friendliness by doing things like automatically creating trigger payloads or suggesting the right data values to include in various fields to users.Availability in AWS EU and Azure EU data centers will provide businesses with increased flexibility and choice when it comes to choosing their infrastructure. This feature allows users to choose from a range of data centers across Europe offered by Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.Contentstack's composable digital experience platform (DXP) offers a powerful and streamlined solution to achieve your digital goals. The platform provides a wide range of advanced features, from content modeling to composability to built-in integrations with services, unlocking tremendous potential for personalization, scalability and efficiency. We look forward each month to highlighting our latest enhancements designed to help you get the most out of our platform and the digital experiences you are building.If you're an existing Contentstack user wanting to learn more about these new releases, please reach out to your Care Without Compromise™ team.If you're curious about how Contentstack can help your brand streamline content to deliver better digital experiences everywhere, get in touch with our team here.Chalo!

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