Salesforce launches hybrid Content Management System built to integrate with other platforms
Users will be able to distribute content created on the CMS to third-party sites, experiences, or mobile apps via Salesforce's headless APIs.
Salesforce launched a new content management platform on Thursday, the Salesforce Content Management System. By entering the CMS space, Salesforce aims to give content marketing teams a tool anyone can use — “from novices to experts” reads the announcement — and capable of creating personalized content powered by Salesforce CRM data.
Salesforce calls it a “hybrid” CMS, meaning users can create, manage and deliver content on the platform, and then distribute to other digital platforms not powered by Salesforce by using the company’s Experience Builder or Commerce Page designer tools.
“If you want to deliver content onto a third-party site, experience, or mobile app, you can use our headless APIs to deliver content smoothly,” writes Salesforce Community Cloud and SVP Adi Kuruganti.
Why we should care
Marketing teams already plugged into Salesforce’s CRM will now be able to create more personalized content at scale via the company’s new content management system. And, if the CMS is as user-friendly as it is being billed to be — and actually does integrate with other platforms — teams won’t be limited based on their design resources, nor will the content be restricted to the Salesforce ecosystem.
Andy Jones, a creator for NOW TV, who had early access to the CMS, said the advantages of connecting Salesforce’s CRM and CMS were immediately clear. Jones also said the platform allowed content creators to go from exposure to mastery quickly, with no need to rely on IT or design resources.
More on the news
- The Salesforce Content Management System includes multi-language and translation support to localize content.
- Marketing teams and creators can build “content collections” on the platform — playlists of content that can be distributed to external digital platforms.
- Salesforce recently announced it had promoted Adam Blitzer as the new CEO of Salesforce Marketing Cloud. Blitzer has been with Salesforce since 2013 when it purchased his company Pardot.
Headless and hybrid content management systems: A snapshot
What they are. Headless and hybrid content management systems are software that serves as a repository for textual and other digital content that includes an application programming interface (API) that allows that stored content to be distributed to a variety of platforms. “Hybrid” systems have some of the characteristics of headless systems and some of those of “traditional” content management systems.
Why they’re hot. Most enterprise content management systems are built to deliver content to a desktop web browser, with WordPress being the most popular. However, much has changed since the platform’s start in 2003. People interact with content not just on desktops and laptops, but on their mobile phones, cars, TVs, and other connected devices.
Each device people use requires their unique interface and type of content to deliver the best experience. Brands may want to share content in different “wrappers,” which could include webpages, mobile apps, email, smart speaker apps, or VR apps.
How it works. A headless CMS disconnects the underlying content from the manner of display, making it easier to leverage the same assets across many platforms and devices. Repurposing and reusing content in this manner improves marketers’ ROI and reduces spend on creative efforts. These systems also speed up content delivery, helping brands better meet customer expectations.
Why we care. Enterprises need to deliver the same content in different languages with certain cultural tweaks in each market. This, coupled with the need to present their content on many channels and platforms, has shown many web developers the limitations of PHP formats. This is why so many adopt more modern CMS technologies to improve user experience.
Dig deeper: What are headless and hybrid content management systems?
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech. Staff authors are listed here.
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