The move to SaaS is one of the biggest shifts happening in digital experience. It’s not just about technology, it’s about making platforms simpler, faster, and more adaptable to the pace of customer expectations.

Sitecore has leaned in with a clear vision: “It’s SaaS. It’s Simple. It’s Sitecore.”

Here are five reasons why more organizations are turning to Sitecore SaaS to power their digital experience strategies:

1. Simplicity: A Modern Foundation

Sitecore SaaS solutions like XM Cloud remove the burden of managing infrastructure and upgrades.

• No more complex version upgrades, updates happen automatically.
• Reduced reliance on IT for day-to-day maintenance.
• A leaner, more cost-effective foundation for marketing teams.

By simplifying operations, companies can focus on what matters most; delivering exceptional digital experiences.

2. Speed-to-Value: Launch Faster

Traditional DXPs can take months (or more) to implement and optimize. Sitecore SaaS is designed for speed:

• Faster deployments with prebuilt components.
• Seamless integrations with other SaaS and cloud tools.
• Empowerment for marketers to build and launch campaigns without heavy dev cycles.

Organizations adopting Sitecore SaaS are moving from planning to execution faster than ever.

3. Scalability: Grow Without Rebuilds

As customer expectations grow, so does the need to scale digital experiences quickly. Sitecore SaaS allows companies to:

• Spin up new sites, regions, or languages without starting from scratch.
• Adjust to spikes in demand without disruption.
• Add capabilities as the business evolves — without heavy upfront investment.

This scalability ensures brands can adapt as fast as their audiences do.

4. Continuous Innovation: Always Current

One of the most frustrating parts of traditional platforms is the upgrade cycle. Sitecore SaaS solves this with:

• Automatic access to the latest innovations — no disruptive “big bang” upgrades.
• Built-in adoption of emerging technologies like AI and machine learning.
• A platform that’s always modern, not years behind.

With Sitecore SaaS, companies get a future-proof DXP that evolves with them.

5. Composability Without the Complexity

Composable DXPs promise flexibility, but without the right foundation they can feel overwhelming. Sitecore SaaS makes composability practical:

• Start with XM Cloud as a core CMS foundation.
• Add personalization, commerce, or search when ready.
• Use APIs to integrate best-of-breed tools, without losing control.

This approach ensures organizations adopt what they need, when they need it without the complexity of managing multiple disconnected systems.

Why it Matters

Companies aren’t moving to Sitecore SaaS just to keep up with technology. They’re moving because it makes their organizations more agile, efficient, and competitive. SaaS with Sitecore means simpler operations, faster launches, continuous innovation, and a platform that grows alongside your business.

The digital experience landscape is evolving rapidly, and businesses face growing pressure to deliver personalized, scalable, and seamless customer experiences while minimizing complexity. Traditional on-prem and PaaS-based CMS solutions often come with heavy infrastructure demands, maintenance, and upgrade cycles.

Sitecore XM Cloud addresses these areas with a fully cloud-native, SaaS-based approach, eliminating the need to manage infrastructure, accelerating deployments, and providing a scalable foundation for digital transformation. But beyond the technical shift, what does this mean for your digital roadmap? How can enterprises leverage this approach to future-proof their content strategy?

Why Enterprises Are Moving to XM Cloud

Sitecore XM Cloud represents more than just another update—it’s a fundamental shift in how digital experiences are built, delivered, and maintained. Here’s why organizations are making the move:

• Always Up to Date: No more version upgrades or downtime—new features and security updates are automatically applied.
• Faster Deployments & Time-to-Market: Continuous delivery enables teams to launch updates and new content faster than ever.
• Scalability Without Complexity: Auto-scaling and cloud-native architecture ensure smooth performance, even during high-traffic periods.
• Cost Efficiency & Operational Agility: By moving away from infrastructure-heavy deployments, businesses can reduce IT overhead and focus on innovation.
• Seamless Integrations with a Composable DXP: Built to work with Sitecore’s ecosystem and third-party tools, enabling more flexibility.

Organizations that require global scalability, frequent content updates, and reduced reliance on IT teams stand to gain the most from XM Cloud’s SaaS-based efficiency.

Key Considerations

Transitioning to XM Cloud requires careful planning to maximize benefits while minimizing disruptions. Here’s what enterprises should consider:

• Content & Data Migration: Assess existing content structures and ensure seamless migration to the cloud.
• Integration with Current Systems: Evaluate how XM Cloud will interact with CRM, eCommerce, and analytics platforms.
• Personalization & AI Capabilities: Take advantage of Sitecore’s advanced features to enhance customer experiences.
• Phased Migration Strategy: Start with non-critical components before a full transition to reduce risks and ensure adoption.

Next-Level Capabilities

Beyond just a shift to SaaS, Sitecore XM Cloud introduces advanced features designed to enhance business operations:

• AI-Powered Personalization – Deliver tailored content based on real-time user data to improve engagement.
• Built-In Performance Analytics – Gain deeper insights into customer behavior and optimize content strategies accordingly.
• Composable & API-First Architecture – Easily integrate with new tools and expand capabilities as business needs evolve.

These enhancements allow businesses to be more responsive, data-driven, and customer-focused without the complexity of traditional platforms.

Sitecore XM Cloud isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a fundamental shift in digital experience management. By adopting a cloud-native, SaaS-first approach, businesses can move faster, scale effortlessly, and eliminate infrastructure complexity. This enables teams to focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences with greater agility.

For organizations looking to modernize their CMS strategy, XM Cloud offers the flexibility, efficiency, and innovation needed to stay ahead. However, every business has unique requirements, and a thoughtful evaluation of long-term goals is essential to determine if it’s the right fit.

The mark of a successful website is more than just a collection of pagee. It’s a structured ecosystem where every piece of content serves a purpose, or it should. When building a new site or migrating to a new platform, content mapping is a critical step that determines how information is organized, accessed, and optimized for performance. Without a thoughtful strategy, businesses risk losing valuable content, creating navigation confusion, and impacting search visibility. It should be a process that is constantly reviewed and refined.

Content mapping starts with a deep understanding of what already exists and how it needs to evolve. This process is especially important when working with both structured and unstructured data—two very different types of content that require distinct approaches. Structured data, such as product catalogs, customer profiles, or metadata, follows a defined format and is easier to categorize. Unstructured data, including blog posts, images, and videos, lacks a rigid framework and demands extra effort to classify, tag, and optimize. While structured data migration is often straightforward, unstructured content requires strategic planning to ensure it remains accessible and meaningful within a new digital experience.

Why a Content Audit is Important

A content audit is the first step in developing a solid content mapping strategy. This involves evaluating existing content to determine what should be migrated, what needs to be refined, and what should be left behind. Without this step, businesses risk carrying over outdated or redundant content, which can clutter the new site and dilute the user experience.

A well-executed audit not only catalogs content but also assesses its performance. Understanding which pages drive the most engagement and which fail to connect with audiences helps inform how content is structured in the new environment. This process also highlights gaps—areas where fresh content is needed to align with business goals or audience expectations.

Beyond performance, content audits reveal inconsistencies in voice, formatting, or taxonomy. A new site presents an opportunity to standardize these elements, ensuring that every piece of content follows best practices for branding, SEO, and user experience.

Taxonomy and Metadata

Once content is audited and mapped, the next step is defining a clear taxonomy and metadata strategy. Taxonomy refers to how content is classified and grouped, making it easier for users to navigate and find relevant information. Metadata, on the other hand, provides the structured details that power search functionality, personalization, and content recommendations.

Without proper taxonomy, even high-quality content can become buried and difficult to access. Establishing consistent tagging, categorization, and metadata ensures that content remains discoverable, whether through site search, filtering options, or AI-driven recommendations. This is particularly important when transitioning to platforms like Acquia, Sitecore, or Optimizely, where personalization and dynamic content delivery depend on well-structured metadata.

Additionally, URL consistency and redirect strategies play a crucial role in maintaining SEO authority. A content mapping plan should account for how legacy URLs will transition to the new site, preventing broken links and preserving search rankings.

Scalability and Future Growth

Content mapping is not just about migrating existing assets—it’s about creating a structure that supports long-term digital success. The best content strategies anticipate future growth, ensuring that new content can be seamlessly integrated without disrupting site architecture.

This means designing a content model that accommodates personalization, omnichannel distribution, and AI-driven enhancements. As businesses scale, the ability to dynamically deliver content across different devices and user segments becomes increasingly important. Content mapping lays the foundation for this flexibility, making it easier to adapt and evolve without requiring constant restructuring.

A Seamless Digital Experience

A well-planned content mapping strategy transforms website migration from a logistical challenge into a strategic opportunity. By auditing existing content, defining clear taxonomy and metadata structures, and building for scalability, businesses can create a site that is not only organized but optimized for engagement and performance.

Content is the heart of any digital experience, but without proper mapping, it can become fragmented and difficult to manage. Taking the time to strategically align content with user needs, business goals, and technological capabilities ensures that a new site isn’t just a fresh coat of paint—it’s a true step forward in delivering meaningful digital experiences.

Perficient is thrilled to announce its recognition as a winner in the 2024 Acquia Partner Awards for DXP Champion of the Year. This esteemed accolade highlights Perficient’s commitment to delivering superior customer outcomes, driving innovation, and achieving outstanding revenue performance within the Acquia partner ecosystem.

Acquia, a leader in open digital experience software, honored 22 organizations worldwide for their exceptional use of Acquia technologies. These awards celebrate partners who have set new standards for technical excellence by implementing high-quality solutions that help customers improve marketing outcomes and enhance business results.

“We’re honored to be recognized as Acquia’s DXP Champion & Partner of the Year! This award is a testament to the strong partnership we’ve built, working hand in hand to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end digital solutions that drive success for our clients. Together with Acquia, we’re pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the digital experience space!” said Joshua Hover, DXP Platforms at Perficient. “We are proud to be recognized alongside such an esteemed group of partners and remain committed to advancing the digital experience landscape through our innovative solutions.”

Partner of the Year – Perficient

Perficient is a leader in DXP solutions, helping organizations modernize their platforms and drive long-term success. As one of Acquia’s first Elite Partners and a multi-year Partner of the Year award winner, we have a proven track record of delivering innovative, future-ready digital experiences. Our expertise in strategy, development, and optimization ensures our clients stay ahead in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

“At Perficient, we are dedicated to not only delivering top-tier digital solutions but also forming lasting partnerships that foster our clients’ growth and success,” said Roger Walker, Senior Business Manager of the Perficient Acquia practice. “This recognition from Acquia reinforces our commitment to aligning with our clients’ needs, helping them achieve their digital transformation goals, and driving measurable business impact.”

Acquia empowers ambitious digital innovators to craft the most productive, frictionless digital experiences that make a difference to their customers, employees, and communities. We provide the world’s leading open digital experience platform (DXP), built on open-source Drupal, as part of our commitment to shaping a digital future that is safe, accessible, and available to all. With Acquia Open DXP, you can unlock the potential of your customer data and content, accelerating time to market and increasing engagement, conversion, and revenue.

Learn more at : https://www.acquia.com/partner-of-the-year“

One of the biggest things I come across with new and existing clients is a slow website and it impacts engagement, search rankings, and overall business performance. Whether running Sitecore XP or leveraging XM Cloud, optimizing performance is critical to delivering seamless digital experiences. While many assume slow load times stem from back-end inefficiencies, the reality is that both the front-end and back-end play a role in overall site speed.

Front-end performance dictates how quickly users see and interact with content, while back-end optimizations ensure data is processed efficiently and delivered without delays. In a headless environment like Sitecore XM Cloud, front-end speed becomes even more crucial since content is retrieved via APIs rather than rendered server-side. Understanding where bottlenecks occur and how to address them on both ends can make all the difference in creating a high-performing Sitecore implementation.

Enhancing the User Experience

A well-optimized front-end ensures that users can interact with content quickly and without friction. Slow load times and bloated assets are some of the most common culprits behind a sluggish experience, leading to frustration and higher bounce rates.

Images and videos are often the biggest offenders when it comes to performance issues. Unoptimized media files not only increase page load times but also consume unnecessary bandwidth. Converting images to modern formats, enabling lazy loading, and using a content delivery network (CDN) can significantly improve performance by ensuring media is served efficiently.

Excessive JavaScript and CSS can also weigh down the front-end. When too many scripts are loaded at once, pages become slow and unresponsive. Reducing unused scripts, minifying code, and leveraging techniques like code splitting can help streamline the experience.

For headless implementations, API efficiency is critical. Fetching large amounts of unnecessary data in a single request increases load times and puts an unnecessary strain on performance. Optimizing GraphQL queries to retrieve only essential content, caching API responses, and using server-side rendering where appropriate can make content delivery faster and more responsive.

Keeping the Engine Running Smoothly

While front-end performance shapes the user experience, back-end optimizations ensure that the system processes requests quickly and efficiently. Poor caching strategies, heavy database queries, and inefficient search configurations can all contribute to a slow site, even if the front-end is well-optimized.

Caching plays a major role in Sitecore performance. Without proper caching, every page request forces the system to regenerate content, which increases server load and slows down response times. Implementing HTML, data, and output caching ensures that frequently accessed content is stored and delivered without unnecessary processing.

Search functionality is another area where back-end inefficiencies can impact performance. Poorly optimized search queries and indexing can slow down response times, making it harder for users to find the information they need. Configuring Sitecore’s search engine properly, reducing redundant queries, and ensuring that indexes are regularly maintained can improve search speed and efficiency.

Scalability also plays a key role in long-term performance. As traffic increases, a poorly configured infrastructure can lead to bottlenecks and slowdowns. Load balancing across multiple servers, leveraging cloud-based scaling options, and monitoring system performance help ensure that Sitecore can handle growth without compromising speed.

A Balanced Approach to Performance Optimization

Optimizing Sitecore performance requires a combination of front-end and back-end improvements. A fast, responsive front-end ensures that users can engage with content seamlessly, while a well-optimized back-end ensures that the system processes and delivers information efficiently. Taking the time to address performance bottlenecks on both ends leads to better user experiences, improved search rankings, and a scalable digital presence that supports long-term business growth.

Investing in performance optimization isn’t just about speed—it’s about delivering a digital experience that meets the expectations of modern users. By refining both front-end delivery and back-end processing, businesses can make Sitecore run faster, more efficiently, and with greater impact.

Migrating to a new platform—whether upgrading from an older version or moving to Sitecore XM Cloud—is an great time to modernize your digital experience. Beneath the surface, a major challenge presents itself that some do not consider or put enough though into, content migration. Many organizations assume that migrating content is as simple as scripting your existing site, or copying and pasting, but messy, outdated, or disorganized content can lead to long-term problems and debt. If bad data makes its way into the new CMS, it can create tech debt, slow down performance, and impact the ability to deliver a seamless digital experience. So how do you ensure a migration sets you up for success? Understanding the biggest challenges and how to tackle them is the first step.

Not All Content Should Be Migrated

One of the most overlooked issues in a Sitecore migration is the quality of the content itself. Many organizations take an “everything must go” approach, assuming all existing content should move to the new platform. This often results in duplicate pages, outdated messaging, and unstructured data that doesn’t fit into the new CMS. Without a clear strategy, the antiquated content & media from the old system follows into the new one, making it harder to manage content effectively. Before migration, conducting a content audit can help determine what should be migrated, archived, or rewritten. A thoughtful approach ensures that only clean, relevant, and well-structured content moves into the new CMS, improving efficiency for marketing teams and enhancing the user experience.

Content Structure and it’s Significance

Sitecore is a powerful platform, but its effectiveness depends on how well content is structured. If the previous site had inconsistent templates, scattered media assets, or missing metadata, those issues will carry over—leading to a disorganized backend that slows down teams. Without a solid content model, marketers may find themselves constantly working around a flawed system rather than leveraging Sitecore’s capabilities to their full potential. Defining a content structure before migration ensures that pages are organized properly, metadata is applied consistently, and assets are easy to find and manage. Working closely with content strategists and developers to create a structured approach will make content creation and personalization more efficient in the long run.

SEO Challenges Without Planning

SEO can also take a hit during a poorly planned migration. When URLs change, internal links break, or metadata is lost, search rankings can suffer. Many teams assume that simply moving content over will maintain visibility, but a lack of planning often leads to missing redirects, duplicate pages, and unexpected drops in organic traffic. To prevent this, mapping high-value URLs and ensuring proper redirects are in place before migration is critical. Sitecore’s built-in SEO tools and third-party integrations can help manage metadata, maintain ranking authority, and provide a seamless experience for users who arrive from search engines.

Bad Data Creates Long-Term Debt

Beyond content structure and SEO, there’s also the issue of tech debt. When bad data moves into a new CMS without being cleaned up, it creates inefficiencies that affect content teams and developers alike. Pages become slow due to unnecessary assets, content authors struggle to find or reuse existing components, and site performance suffers. Over time, these issues compound, making it harder to scale digital efforts. A Sitecore migration shouldn’t just be about moving content; it should be about improving it. Taking the time to optimize workflows, remove outdated content, and implement governance ensures that the new environment is built for long-term success.

A Migration Empowers Future Growth

A successful migration isn’t just about getting content into the new CMS—it’s about setting the foundation for better user experiences, stronger SEO, and a scalable Sitecore implementation that supports business goals. By treating migration as an opportunity to refine content strategy, organizations can prevent common pitfalls and make the most of their investment. The key takeaway is simple: invest in content hygiene before migration to avoid long-term headaches. A little effort upfront will pay off in a cleaner, more efficient Sitecore environment that drives real results.

In today’s fast-paced work environment, it’s easy to fall into the trap of pushing for results. But as leaders, we need to adopt a different mindset—one that views work as a marathon, not a sprint. While sprints can bring immediate wins, they’re unsustainable in the long run, often leading to team burnout. It’s our responsibility to ensure that our teams are not only productive but also healthy and balanced.

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a gradual process. We must always look out for signs of fatigue and disengagement in our teams. Decreased productivity, irritability, and an overall sense of detachment are clear indicators. These signs may manifest as missed deadlines, reduced creativity, or even an increase in absenteeism. By staying in tune to these shifts, we can spot them early and offer the support our teams as needed.

Interestingly, some of the pressures leading to burnout don’t come from the organization but are self-imposed. High achievers often set high expectations for themselves, constantly striving to outperform and exceed their own goals. While this drive is admirable, it can quickly lead to overextension. We must help our teams recognize when they’re pushing too hard and encourage them to set realistic boundaries.

One of the most impactful things we can do is foster a culture where balance is not only encouraged but celebrated. This means normalizing the act of logging off on time, taking breaks, and utilizing vacation days without guilt. Its important for team members to feel comfortable talking to their leadership team about feeling burnt out without feeling judged.

Steps to Prevent Burnout

• Regular Check-Ins: Hold one-on-one meetings to discuss workload and well-being, not just performance metrics.
• Workload Management: Ensure tasks are distributed evenly, and no one feels overwhelmed.
• Encourage Downtime: Remind employees that stepping away from work can lead to greater clarity and innovation.
• Lead by Example: Demonstrate healthy work habits, such as unplugging after hours and taking time off.

It’s important to have open conversations about setting boundaries. Help your team understand that saying “no” or “not right now” is not sign of weakness or inability. Encourage them to prioritize tasks that align with their capacity and long-term goals. A well-balanced employee is more focused, innovative, and capable of delivering consistent, high-quality work.

As we guide our teams through the ups and downs of work, its important to remember that success isn’t measured by how quickly we can achieve our goals but by how sustainably we can maintain them. By focusing on well-being and fostering a culture of balance, we’re not just preventing burnout; we’re setting our teams up for lasting success. It’s the steady pace, not the sprint, that wins the marathon.

In today’s digital age, customers expect personalization. However, creating truly engaging, dynamic experiences is still a challenge for many brands. Sitecore Stream, is a game-changing platform that enables real-time content delivery, helping companies connect with their audiences on a deeper level and drive tangible business results. Lean how Sitecore Stream transforms personalization, optimizes the customer journey, and drives long-term ROI growth.

The Power of Real-Time Personalization with Sitecore Stream

Real-time personalization goes beyond addressing customers by name; it adapts content dynamically based on user behavior, preferences, and context, delivering precisely what they need in the moment. Sitecore Stream’s capabilities empower brands to create these impactful, in-the-moment connections.

• Sitecore Stream’s real-time features analyze user behavior instantly, allowing brands to adapt content in milliseconds. This dynamic adaptability fosters a unique user experience tailored specifically to each visitor.
• Personalization in real-time resonates on a personal level, encouraging higher engagement rates by delivering relevant content when it matters most.
• Imagine an e-commerce brand using Sitecore Stream to instantly adjust product recommendations based on browsing history and recent purchases, creating a smoother path to conversion.

By embracing Sitecore Stream’s real-time personalization, brands not only meet but exceed customer expectations, by fostering loyalty and setting the stage for improved ROI. When customers feel understood and valued, they’re more likely to return and recommend the brand.

Maximizing ROI Through Enhanced Customer Journeys

Beyond immediate engagement, Sitecore Stream provides a strategic advantage by refining the entire customer journey. From the first interaction to the post-purchase experience, Sitecore Stream enables companies to personalize each touchpoint, creating a seamless and satisfying journey.

• Sitecore Stream maps out user behavior, enabling brands to identify and optimize key journey points, guiding users effortlessly toward conversions.
• Real-time data from Sitecore Stream provides insights into customer preferences and actions, helping companies make data-driven adjustments for continuous journey improvements.
• Improved journeys directly impact conversion rates, average purchase values, and customer lifetime value. With Sitecore Stream’s analytics, brands can continuously refine their approach and maximize ROI.

Future-Proofing Content Delivery for Long-Term ROI Growth

Sitecore Stream is geared to help companies stay agile in a rapidly changing digital landscape. As consumer expectations evolve, brands can rely on Sitecore Stream’s real-time capabilities to continually adapt and deliver personalized experiences, ensuring sustainable growth and ROI over the long term.

• Sitecore Stream’s infrastructure is designed to evolve with emerging trends, making it an essential asset for companies looking to stay competitive.
• By continuously enhancing content delivery, brands keep audiences engaged and loyal, creating a cycle of sustained customer satisfaction and ROI.
• Long-term ROI is not just about immediate returns; it’s about positioning a brand as a leader in personalization. Sitecore Stream provides a strategic edge, empowering brands to anticipate and meet future demands.

In a world where customer expectations are constantly evolving, Sitecore Stream allows brands to meet those expectations and maximize engagement and ROI. From real-time personalization to journey optimization and future-proof adaptability, Sitecore Stream helps brands not just keep up but lead the way in delivering meaningful, impactful experiences.

We expect to see Sitecore Stream empower businesses to position themselves to achieve both immediate and long-term ROI, fostering deeper customer connections and building a future-proof content strategy. I am excited to see where this AI journey unfolds.

There have been a lot of changes in the Sitecore space and navigating them alone can become daunting. Evaluating your current investment and understanding what is available are areas that a partner can help support. You will hear many buzzwords that are trending in the industry such as headless, composable, and cloud. It can take time to understand what each of these are and how they can play a role in your tech stack. This is why picking a partner that stays current with trends and understands the impacts each of these can play on your business is important.

Considerations

One of the biggest unspoken questions that I have heard from clients in my career is “How do I choose the right Sitecore partner”. The advice that I share with them touches on several key areas. Will the partner be an advocate for you and help support business decisions that will benefit you? Does the partner have experience in what you are looking to accomplish, if not, how have they demonstrated their ability to adapt to new technologies and take on new challenges?  Is the partner you are looking to engage with transparent? What tier is their partnership status with Sitecore? Do they support the community and team with MVPs on staff? How does the partner look to grow their team? Do they support their team by having them learn the latest and greatest and are they current with their certifications?

These are all questions and factors you should be looking at as you evaluate a Sitecore partner. A Sitecore partner can easily save or cost your business in the long run with your new or existing implementation. Having been a part of the community for over a decade now, I have witnessed first-hand partners that do not address these questions I have listed above. Some are looking to win a project but ultimately not looking out to support your long-term business goals.

How we can help

The philosophy that I share with our clients and the community revolves around support, transparency, and honesty. We want to ensure we have our clients’ best interests in mind. Helping them navigate an ever-changing digital ecosystem by becoming their trusted advisor. Finding a partner that understands this model can help support your needs through an ongoing basis will allow you to know what is new with the latest technologies and strategically choose a tech stack that will provide long-term business value.

Are you evaluating your partnership to ensure they are helping support your needs? We offer a team of experts that know the Sitecore ecosystem, how to support your existing investment, and can help plan a strategic roadmap that fits your budget and digital needs. Perficient is one of Sitecore’s original Platinum partners. Through our longstanding partnership, our team works with Sitecore’s product specialists to understand not only their current products but products or updates that have not been released.

If you want to hear more about Sitecore’s landscape, how we can best support your needs or some of the buzzwords previously shared, be sure to follow me on LinkedIn.

Search is something many feel should work coming out of the box, and it does. But to what extent? In most cases, business users want to extend their search platform to perform more complex tasks such as ranking, type ahead, and tagging. Sitecore leverages Solr out of the box with a base installation for search and backend processing. But this solution doesn’t offer additional features without extensive customizations. This is where additional search tools come into the picture. There are several leading search tools available today that have been tried and true while others are emerging.

Sitecore Search

In this blog, we will focus on Sitecore’s newest product offering Sitecore Search. Search at its origin began life as Reflektion. Its purpose was to provide a search experience that would support Commerce implementations by providing relevant content to help drive conversions. Reflektion was acquired by Sitecore and rebranded as Discover which remains their Commerce search tool leveraged for Order Cloud. By providing more relevant content, you not only help drive customer retention, reduce friction, but also help with conversions.

This mindset remained relevant for normal site search which is what helped bring life to Search. By addressing the same goals of relevant search content, Sitecore has also included other features to help increase customer satisfaction in their search. By offering personalization, you are able to tailor your search experience by persona. Personalization for Search take a cookie driven approach allowing you to store and access your users search behavior locally.

AI Search Engine

They have also included an AI engine that will help with, not only predictive search, but provide additional relevance to the user based on their search, or similar user behavior, search patterns. While AI remains a large topic of today’s technology world, it is not a technology that is new to Sitecore or Reflektion. AI predictions were part of Reflektion inception to adapt and provide a better experience for their users. So this recipe has been refined and proven over the years.

Today, if you visit Sitecore.com you will find a perfect use case for Sitecore Search. What you will find is a search experience that is lightning fast, with relevant content. By offering features like boosting, they are able to show content that is best suited for your needs. Sitecore also offers a feature on their site where you can toggle on/off the personalization that is being provided so that you can see how your content would differ with or without personalization.

The Future of Sitecore

Sitecore has been committed to taking an Agile approach for the Search product offering new features and functionality to consistently improve their offering. What we can expect to see in the future is an all-in-one search tool from Sitecore that combines the offering from both Discover and Search into a single solution. Out of the box, both solutions allow for indexing across multiple sites, providing a more robust search experience. I am excited to see what the future for Sitecore Search offers as they are looking to build upon what is an already robust offering.