Integration of CMS and online store

On the one hand, this concerns the perception of users who do not want to switch back and forth between two worlds. On the other hand, it addresses the technical side: The e-commerce platform must be combined with a professional Content Management System that makes it possible to easily and quickly integrate useful content and personalized brand experiences into the online store. There are basically three options for integrating the store and CMS:

This variant can usually be implemented quickly, as there is only a loose connection via which data is exchanged. However, it is difficult to integrate search, navigation, personalization or recommendations.

The website is mainly developed and maintained by CMS, with the store software acting as a kind of service layer. This type of integration enables a clear distinction to be made between structured and unstructured content, but is extremely complex and implementation is therefore usually associated with high costs.

In the most frequently used variant, the store solution loads content elements from CMS as the leading system. This type of combination ensures a good customer experience and makes it easy for the responsible employees to manage and update content. It is particularly recommended if one or more of the following criteria apply to the store:

• The focus is on online sales rather than branding.
• The products are relatively complex.
• The product catalog is very extensive.
• The proportion of content is lower than the proportion of product and category descriptions.

Online retailers who want to combine content and commerce are faced with a wide variety of systems and integration options. It is impossible to say in general terms which solution is the right one. This is because every company has different requirements and prerequisites.

For example, large retailers may be heavily dependent on their existing e-commerce system, while a CMS-based approach may well be a more suitable alternative for smaller providers.

Nevertheless, there are a few basic criteria that an integrated content commerce solution should fulfill:

• Product data must be easy to manage and quick to enrich with relevant content,
  for example by embedding a dedicated tab in the product detail page.
• The CMS should support rich media - i.e. images, image maps, videos, etc.
• ltsIt should be easy to combine product and content pages in CMS so that users can create theme worlds or landing pages for marketing campaigns.
• The CMS should offer maximum flexibility in the design and structuring of content. It is advantageous if users in marketing and e-commerce are not restricted to their respective areas.
• The system should be able to deliver personalized content based on usererprofil, shopping cart content or past purchases.
• The solution should have a modular structure in order to be able to meet individual requirements through extensions.
  

Companies that want to add a powerful CMS to their e-commerce platform should ensure easy integration with third-party systems when selecting the system.

• No system breaks
• Consistent customer experience
• Greater potential for impulse purchases
• Efficient implementation of campaigns and promotions
• Faster and more efficient work
• Higher conversion rates
• More sales potential
• Future-proof investment

In any case, online retailers should seek the advice of an experienced service provider at an early stage who has practical experience in both areas - and e-commerce CMS and e-commerce. In this way, costly and lengthy experiments can be avoided.

Do you have questions about integrating your Content Management System and your store? We will be happy to help you and advise you on the best solution. In order to achieve the goals you have set for your online store, we will work out a list of modules together in a workshop. All we need is a verbal "GO!" and we'll get started. Always on sight, of course. True to our motto: Deliver fast, often and early!

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040 / 32 81 93 0

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