Course Content
M1: A $200 Billion Wake-Up Call
large parts of Texas, Florida and Georgia are still recovering from the effects of two hurricanes. Millions of people and businesses remain without electricity, phone service or even access to clean water. Some of these services will take months to restore.
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A Costly lesson of 2020
What business can learn from Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
What about security and control?!
Customization is the name of the game
What about you?
M2: What is Content as a Service (CaaS)? Content as a Service Explained in 5 Minutes
Content as a Service (CaaS) is another term that continues to gain popularity within the digital experience space.
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Introduction
What is Content as a Service (CaaS)?
Why is Content as a Service (CaaS) needed?
How does Content as a Service (CaaS) work?
Characteristics of a Content as a Service (CaaS)
How Content as a Service (CaaS) benefits your brand
So…we just need a headless CMS?
How Content as a Service (CaaS) is the key for marketing and developers
M3: One Platform vs a Mix of Best-­in-Breed Technologies: What’s The Best For Your Business?
Many of the decisions being made about what to use are less about technology itself, but rather about the way that companies engage with that technology.
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Introduction
All-in-one Platform Pros and Cons:
Best-in-breed Pros and Cons:
M4: How to Craft an Effective Customer Loyalty Program
The key to business success? A product that stands out. Small businesses and sought-after brands face the same challenge to lasting popularity: expanding their customer base.
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Introduction
What are the goals of a loyalty program?
Customer loyalty programs: It all started with loyalty cards
Do you need to have a customer loyalty program?
How to set up a basic loyalty program
How to set up point programs
How to set up paid and tiered loyalty programs
How to make sure your customer loyalty program is successful
Make the most of the momentum you’ve built
M5: Using WordPress as an Enterprise CMS: 9 Things You Should Know
WordPress is the most popular Content Management System (CMS) in the world, powering roughly 29 percent of all active websites. Yikes. With numbers like those, it’s no surprise that WordPress crosses the minds of those who are choosing a CMS.
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Introduction
What is WordPress?
Is WordPress (even) a CMS?
So, I need an enterprise CMS?
What features are an enterprise CMS must have?
Using WordPress as an enterprise Content Management System (CMS): 9 limitations you need to know
But, WordPress is free?
Proceed with caution
M6: How to Choose a SaaS CMS: The 9-Point Checklist
Choosing a Content Management System (CMS) is a gigantic decision. The bigger your brand, the more people will rely on your CMS to provide great backend and frontend experiences.
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What is a Software as a Service (SaaS) CMS?
How will a SaaS CMS help my brand?
Are SaaS CMSs cost effective?
How to choose a Software as a Service (SaaS) CMS: 9 things to look for
Questions to ask a SaaS CMS vendor
Choose well — But in the worst case scenario…
M7: 6 Reasons To Ditch Drupal
If you’re still using Drupal 6 as your CMS, then your time is running out. Recently, the company officially announced that the platform was reaching its EOL or ‘End Of Life’, and that loyal users would be forced to upgrade to Drupal 7 or 8.
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6 Reasons To Ditch Drupal
M8: How to Choose the Best CMS for Mobile Apps
With a multitude of potential CMS suitors on the market, how should you go about choosing the best one for mobile applications?
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Introduction
How your content management system (CMS) can determine the success of your mobile apps
How to choose the best CMS for mobile apps
Top 5 content management systems (CMS) for mobile apps
M9: The Web is Broken: And The CMSs Broke It
Having a CMS sounded so nice at first. It ensured that you wouldn’t be locked out of your own website, and you’ll be able to make changes whenever you need to. However, when all the developers started arguing about which language and framework should be used to build the website and system, you knew something might be wrong.
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Introduction
CMSs still need developers?
Leads make poor decisions
A CMS can be your best friend or your worst enemy
Alternatives to a traditional CMS
Did you take part in breaking the web?
M10: Top 3 IoT Challenges: Data, Data and Data
CMSWire’s David Roe recently published an excellent piece on the problems with IoT devices. He mentioned security and user privacy, but I couldn’t help but expand on the problems relating to data. As far as I’m concerned, the top three issues with the IoT era are all data-based.
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Introduction
Data processing
Data storage
Data protocols
M11: Tools for choosing the right CMS
Making the right choice in CMS platform for your business is harder than you think. In fact, choosing a new content management platform for your web assets has never been so hard. The wrong decision in this case can have a lasting impact on your digital initiative for years and cost considerable cash and time to rectify.
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Introduction
It’s about more than just the features
Where’s the Support?
How will it work with other Systems?
What about Search Engines?
Do I need to modify the System Code?
Someone else takes care of the Hosting
What does Security really mean?
How does the Ecosystem help me?
Can it really help with Online Engagement?
M12: 10 Key Points to Making the Right CMS Platform Decision
Making the right choice in cms platforms is a lot harder than you think. Choosing a new content management platform for your web assets has never been so hard.
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Introduction
Don’t sell me just on the features
Who supports me in my moment of need?
How will it work with other systems?
How will search engines deal with the platform?
Why do I need to modify the system code?
How does ongoing innovation help?
Someone else takes care of the hosting
What does security really mean?
How does the ecosystem help me?
Can it really help with online engagement?
M13: Multi-Site Management Strategies That Actually Work
Multi-site management promises a great deal, from new market penetration to scaling your business to a global audience. There a reason the world’s largest brands open new offices and physical stores when they enter new markets.
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Introduction
What is a multi-site strategy?
How do most multi-site strategies fail?
3 multi-site strategies that actually work
Get your multi-site strategy working for you
M14: GDPR/POPI Explained In 5 Minutes: Everything You Need to Know
GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation. It’s a game-changing data privacy law set out by the EU
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Introduction
What is General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)?
GDPR requirements: How to be GDPR compliant
What happens if you aren’t GDPR compliant?
How GDPR impacts your businesses
Don’t resist GDPR; embrace it
M15: GDPR Preparation: 7 Questions To Ask Your CMS Vendor
With General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rolling out in just a few short months, you need to make sure every relevant aspect of your business is GDPR compliant.
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Introduction
What is General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)?
Questions to ask your Content Management System (CMS) vendor about GDPR
Time to get real about GDPR compliance
M16: API-First CMS: Explained in 5 Minutes
API-first CMSs, also known as pure headless CMSs, are gaining traction in the content management space—and for good reason.
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Introduction
What is an API-first CMS?
What’s driving the popularity of the API-first CMS?
That all sounds great, but what are the challenges of an API-based CMS that we are not aware of?
The harsh truth: With an API-first CMS, marketers are left in the dark
Enter decoupled CMS, the marketer-friendly alternative to API-first CMSs
Decoupled CMS: The best of both worlds
M17: Hybrid CMS: A Headless platform, But With a Front-End
By 2020, experts forecast that the world will be host to over 20 billion IoT devices, from smart speakers to smart wearables and everything — and I really do mean everything — in between.
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Introduction
What is a traditional CMS?
What is a headless CMS?
Headless platform benefits: Why are brands going headless?
The limitations of a headless platform: Is headless enough?
What is a hybrid platform?
The benefits of a hybrid CMS
Go headless, just don’t lose your head
M18: Intranet CMS: A Guide to Choosing Intranet Software
Almost every company has an intranet — even the companies that claim otherwise. It may not be a unified system, but an internal, private network will certainly exist in some shape or form, usually patched together by the likes of Gmail, Google Drive, Slack, and Hubspot.
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Introduction
What is an intranet (and how does it impact the employee experience?)
What is an intranet CMS?
Best use cases of intranet CMS
Choosing an intranet platform: 12 key features to look out for
Popular intranet CMS options
Future-proof your intranet
M19: Cloud CMS: 8-Point Checklist For Choosing a Cloud CMS (And Hidden Gotchas You Need To Know)
The past year changes in the IT sector have made the cloud become real. Cloud computing is becoming an essential tool for businesses of all sizes and budgets, but there are some basic requirements that should be considered before choosing a cloud CMS platform.
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Introduction
What is a cloud Content Management System (CMS)?
Legacy platforms vs. cloud-hosted CMS
Use cases for cloud-based CMS’
Checklist for choosing a cloud CMS
Rules of thumb for choosing any CMS solution
M20: Content Optimization: What It Is and How To Do It
Seeing that initial traffic spike post-content launch is awesome, but things start to get really depressing when it flattens out. Which is why content optimization is critical.
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Introduction
SEO keyword research vs. content optimization
Optimizing content with the Skyscraper Technique
How content optimization tools could speed up your Skyscraper content creation process
3 AI-powered tools for content optimization
How to make content optimization work for you
M21: Drupal as a CMS and Commerce Platform: The Ultimate Guide
The three main players in the traditional, monolithic CMS space are WordPress (which accounts for 27+ million live sites), Joomla (1.8 million), and Drupal (630,000.)
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Introduction
What is Drupal?
What is Drupal (mostly) used for?
How secure is Drupal?
13 things you need to know before using Drupal as a CMS and commerce platform
M22: What Is A Digital Experience Platform? DXP vs CMS Explained
The web content management space is no stranger to acronyms. In fact, whenever a new acronym emerges, there’s a temptation to label it as just another fading buzzword and ignore it completely.
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Introduction
What is a Content Management System (CMS)?
What is a Digital Experience Platform (DXP) and how is it different from a CMS?
Why you need a Digital Experience Platform (DXP)
It’s all in the experience
M23: Custom CMS & Backend Frameworks Be Damned
We’ve gotten accustomed to the ease of use and functionality provided by the modern CMS. With so many CMS platforms on the market, it’s important to understand what CMS is right for your business. It’s also important not to neglect the organisational impact of a new CMS.
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Introduction
A little bit of history of custom-built CMS
The invention of the framework
Component-based architecture vs Model View Controller (MVC)?
How headless architecture is changing the world of the framework
Key benefits that headless brings to building websites
Key considerations when choosing frameworks for your CMS
Different frameworks serve a different purpose
Choosing a framework-agnostic CMS
M24: Decoupled CMS Explained: Pros and Cons
In today’s multi-channel environment, where content is consumed across various digital touchpoints, the legacy or monolithic CMS is no longer the only option. Instead, we’ve seen terms like headless CMS, decoupled CMS, agile CMS, hybrid CMS and more thrown around as new CMS architectures continue to be designed, leaving companies spoilt for choice.
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Introduction
What is decoupled CMS?
What are the differences between decoupled CMS vs headless CMS architecture?
Decoupled CMS: pros and cons vs legacy CMS
Decoupled CMS: pros and cons vs headless CMS
Decoupled CMS platforms
M25: How to Choose The Best CMS Platform to Help Drive Your Business Growth
Your Content Management System (CMS) is the chassis of your content marketing campaign. It doesn’t matter how great your content is, if your CMS can’t display and manage it right, it won’t have nearly half the impact it deserves.
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Introduction
Who is the primary stakeholder for choosing a Content Management System (CMS)?
Figure out stakeholders involved in the CMS decision
Prioritize stakeholder requirements
What content management system should you use: SaaS vs. hosted vs. on-premise CMS platform
Software as a Service Solution (SaaS) CMS platform pros & cons
Best SaaS CMS comparisons
On-premise CMS platform pros & cons
Hosted CMS platform pros & cons
On-premise and hosted CMS comparisons
What to look for in a Content Management System (CMS) platform?
4 mistakes to avoid when choosing a CMS platform
Over to you
M26: You Just Became The Head of Marketing. What Now?
Congratulations. You’ve just landed the role you’ve been long searching for. You're now heading up a marketing team and have earned the title. You have seen first hand that being a senior marketer is no job for the faint-hearted.
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Introduction
Take a Hard Look at Current Messages in The Market
Understand Your Customer
Get Your Head Around Company Data
Lock in Your Customer Value Proposition And Key Messages
Determine Your Marketing Strategies
Start Executing Quick Wins And High-Priority Tasks
Assemble Your Team
Formulate a Budget
Keep Your Team Updated
Report on Your Progress and Analyze
M27: 5 Proven Tactics To Building & Growing an Email List From Scratch
Those early days when you know you’re doing everything right, but NO ONE is signing up to your email list. Okay, maybe a few people are signing up…like maybe five people a week. A blip on the radar for the kind of business you want to build. At that rate, it is going to take you around 4 years to get to 1,000 subscribers.
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Introduction
List Building Strategy #1: Side Project Marketing
List Building Strategy #2: Guest Blogging…. With a Twist
List Building Strategy #3: Create an Irresistible Lead Magnet or Content Upgrade
List Building Strategy #4: Place CTAs (to your Lead Magnet) Everywhere
List Building Strategy #5: List Swaps
Build and Grow Your List From Scratch… And On a Budget
M28: eCommerce CMS: 32 Must-Have CMS Features (& Why Most Commerce Platforms Aren’t Good CMS)
When you start looking into eCommerce platforms to grow your online store, you'll be immediately greeted by countless platforms touting their accessibility and vying for your business.
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Introduction
Why some popular eCommerce platforms don’t make the best CMS platforms
eCommerce CMS checklist: Features that make the best content and eCommerce CMS
M29: Do You Know The True Cost of Managing a Website?
You have heard the idiom about the tip of the iceberg. But have you given a second thought to what this actually means? Embarking on a website redevelopment is a pretty good example of the analogy. There’s a reason why a website redevelopment is in equal parts exciting and harrowing.
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Introduction
Understanding the basics
Divide up categories of cost
The cost categories defined
How does Traditional vs Software as a Service (SaaS) compare under this lens?
M30: 8 Types of eCommerce Customer Pain Points (And How to Relieve Them)
When we are in physical pain, we can visit a doctor. When we have perceived unmet needs, we usually end up buying products. Those unmet needs are our pain points. As an online store owner, you are your customers’ doctor. Your eCommerce store is the hospital. Your staff are the nurses and orderlies.
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Introduction
What is a customer pain point?
[Pain point #1] Financial pain points
[Pain point #2] Convenience & productivity pain points
[Pain point #3] Shopping journey pain points
Final thoughts
M31: Searchable Websites: Best Practices in Search to Drive Website Conversions
If you have ever typed in a search bar on a website for a product you are looking for, you are already familiar with site search. Site search is a feature on websites that enables users to search for specific content. It's quite a handy feature found in many different places, such as Amazon, Reddit, and many popular eCommerce websites.
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Introduction
What Is Site Search?
Why Should You Optimise Your Site Search?
How to Set up Internal Site Search in Google Analytics
GET Based Search Engine
POST Based Search Engine
Best Practices for Site Search
Site Search Tools
How Core DNA Uses Site Search
Wrapping Up Site Search
M32: Business Must Evolve to Become More Resilient
Resilience – the ability to recover quickly from illness or misfortune – is a valuable attribute for both individuals and organizations.
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Introduction
Humans have mastered the art of bouncing back; so can organizations
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Can you afford taking your site down for a day?
M33: Headless CMS: The Ultimate Guide
The headless Content management (CMS) space has gained traction in recent years, leading to the renewed excitement around a content management model that can help brands handle the relentless number of emerging devices and channels.
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Introduction
What is a headless content management system?
What is a decoupled content management system?
Headless vs decoupled: What’s the difference?
Decoupled vs headless content management: Pros and cons
Why headless and why now?
Choosing a headless CMS? Here’s how to wade through the jargon
What is a content-as-a-service (CaaS)?
Does a headless CMS help with omnichannel marketing?
Open-source headless CMS platforms
SaaS headless CMS platforms
Can a traditional platform be used with headless CMS?
Is a headless CMS secure?
Headless CMS examples: 3 companies using a headless or decoupled CMS
Real-world headless CMS use cases
The future is here, and it’s headless
M34: 10 Digital Customer Experience Trends to Watch for
any customers have had a difficult time in 2021, and they’re looking for the brands that they’ve stuck by to support them and help make 2022 much better.
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Introduction
Implementing habit loops
Customers will care about how you do things
Omnichannel customer service
Brands will need to quantify their differentiation
Chatbots will aid customer service
Double down on self-service
Digital will bridge the gap between the real world
Brands will get closer to hyper-personalization
Predictive analytics will help brands
Increased focus on privacy
Another year, another step up for digital customer experiences
M35: Going Global with a Headless CMS Multi-Language Site
In the world of digital marketing, there is no denying the importance of having a multilingual site. This is especially true for eCommerce businesses that want to expand their reach and visibility to new markets. Not only will a multilingual site help you with internationalization and expanding the audience you market to, but it will also help you earn new customers. A multilingual site delivers a far more personalized experience to the end visitor if it's presented in a language that is native to them.
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Introduction
How to choose the right CMS for a multilingual business model
How does a headless CMS enhance a multilingual environment
How to support multiple languages
Multilingual content administration
Summary: Important take aways
eCommerce Content Management Specialist Course

5. Why do I need to modify the system code? 

“So do I get access to the code”, is a strange question coming from someone who isn’t a developer. In my experience, if you need to change the code of your platform then it’s not the right platform for your business. Platforms today should make their platforms ‘open’ for external integration – note this is different to an open source platform. Should the end customer need to change the code? No. However, should there be the ability to control the display layer? Most definitely yes.

In the future, the system code of content management platforms will be upgraded by professionals without the need for the end user to do anything. The paradigm of upgrading your platform will be a thing of the past, new features will become available for use as they are developed and the need to “rebuild or “upgrade” will be gone.

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