eCommerce

Sitefinity CMS Website Development Basics

Updated  |  4 min read
Key Takeaways
  • Sitefinity CMS is a powerful and user-friendly web content management system (CMS) developed by Progress Software. It offers a comprehensive set of tools and features to create, manage, and optimize digital experiences.
  • Sitefinity allows businesses to easily create and edit web pages, identify duplicate pages, manage multimedia content, and incorporate forms and other interactive elements.
  • It provides a flexible and scalable platform for building and managing websites, intranets, and online stores. With built-in personalization, analytics, and marketing automation capabilities, Sitefinity enables businesses to deliver personalized and engaging experiences to their audiences.
  • It is a reliable and adaptable CMS solution suitable for organizations of all sizes, empowering them to effectively manage their online presence.

What Is Sitefinity Content Management System?

ECommerce has changed the marketing game for businesses. Marketing strategies now exclusively focus on creating an excellent online experience for potential customers. eCommerce solutions are necessary for improving the buyer's and seller's experience online.

This experience involves interaction with a wide array of content, such as blogs and images. Without a CMS such as Progress Sitefinity, it is challenging to create, manage, and share content online efficiently.

Technology has also widened the reach and scope of eCommerce. This growth has allowed businesses to expand. At the same time, it has put pressure on businesses in terms of workload. IT teams and developers are especially stretched thin, trying to manage a company's online presence. In the end, they can only handle so much.

CMS solves this problem. It handles the burden of managing content so businesses can focus on what matters. CMS Sitefinity is one of the most popular CMSs available online.

Sitefinity CMS for multi-site management.

A CMS like Sitefinity is responsible for content management. This software is an integrative and complementary system. It is responsible for overseeing the uploading of content. Not only does it manage the type of content, but it ensures that it is posted at the right time and place and to the right audience. CMS Sitefinity gives users flexibility in choosing content. This content can include everything from videos and images to blogs, news items, calendar events, etc.

Progress Sitefinity creates, optimizes, organizes, edits, and publishes web content. This system can provide personalized experiences for customer groups to drive conversions. Personalization is integral to Sitefinity's cognitive capabilities that improve user experience. Not only that, Sitefinity consistently manages a business's presence online and associated customer experience. All of this increases a company's efficiency.

CMS Sitefinity helps businesses quickly make a website when they have limited resources. CMS requires minimal technical expertise such as HTML knowledge and is not exclusive to web developers. This software lets business users choose a template and customize their website's features, design, and functionality. Therefore, the system handles all back-end functions while the business focuses on the front end of the website. Ultimately, CMS is one of the most necessary marketing tools available to companies.

Sitefinity Benefits

Progress

Sitefinity lets business users share content with other applications. This integration is essential for the creation of an omnichannel experience. Using a CMS can expand a business's reach. Sitefinity can target multiple channels, websites, and media for more effective marketing. Overall, it streamlines a business user's web content to create meaningful experiences for customers

Automation

Greater automation through CMS Sitefinity leads to greater control for marketers. They can choose what, when, where, and how to share content online. This makes it easier to implement marketing strategies and see results. Marketers have more control in management with CMS Sitefinity to help accelerate business growth.

Cloud Accessibility

Sitefinity CMS ensures that a business's content will reach a broader audience. It also promises a continuous connection and presence online since the software is always accessible and connected to the cloud. Users will get a personalized, more seamless experience when interacting with the content.

Analytics

The system includes analytics, which helps marketers and managers track and measure progress and results. Over time, businesses can create targeted content and improve customer engagement in eCommerce.

Better Customer Engagement

Sitefinity users report a 3x increase in customer engagement and productivity of the marketing team. This speeds up the time needed to market for website updates by 60%, improving operational efficiency and helping you engage customers with your content.

Lead Generation

CMS Sitefinity generates leads and conversions by managing web content. CMS can help businesses market a product or service in eCommerce and help them scale.

Data Storage

Sitefinity allows users to store data in the form of images, videos, documents, and so much more.

Sitefinity System Requirements

CMS Sitefinity is compatible with several devices, including desktops and mobile devices. This integration is handy for eCommerce businesses where multiple employees may need to access the software. Users can access the software anywhere, maximizing productivity. The interface is user-friendly and simple. Therefore, even inexperienced users can manage the website and create web layouts. Additionally, native app development is enabled in Progress Sitefinity to boost performance.

Sitefinity creates the complete Application Programming Interface (API) reference, specifications needed for authentication, and response format. This helps the developers of the external app know what data they need to get from endpoints. Since the application provides the response format, the developers can also figure out expected Sitefinity web CMS responses to help them render data.

CMS Sitefinity also has a series of hardware and software requirements. The companies need to meet them to be able to use the CMS. Hardware requirements include a free hard disk space of at least 400 MB. There's also a memory requirement of 500 MB or more. Business users need to meet all the criteria to support the Sitefinity software Sitefinity needs to be run on any of the following servers:

  • Microsoft® Windows Server 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, 2019
  • Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10
  • Microsoft Azure

Additionally, Sitefinity requirements include specifications for supported database platforms. Progress Sitefinity supports:

  • Microsoft® SQL Server 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, 2014, 2016, 2017
  • Microsoft® SQL Express 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, 2014, 2016, 2017
  • Microsoft® Azure SQL
  • Oracle
  • MySQL version between 5.0.3 and 5.7.14

Clarity: Your Sitefinity Experts

CMS can go a long way in managing a business's content. This eCommerce software solution is critical to ensure growth and operational efficiency. Sitefinity is one of the most competitive CMSs available on the market. Business users can request a Sitefinity Demo or consult with the Progress Sitefinity team to determine if this CMS is the best fit for their website.

FAQ

 

A web content management system (CMS) is a software application that allows users to create, manage, and publish digital content on the internet. It provides a user-friendly interface for non-technical individuals to easily update and organize website content without requiring extensive coding knowledge.

A CMS enables content creators to create and edit web pages, add multimedia elements, and control the overall structure and appearance of a website. It also facilitates collaboration among multiple users, supports content versioning and workflow management, and provides tools for search engine optimization. A CMS streamlines the process of content management, making website maintenance efficient and accessible for businesses and individuals.

 

Sitefinity CMS is a comprehensive platform that enables organizations to create, manage, and optimize their digital experiences. Sitefinity offers a user-friendly interface and a range of tools for content creation, editing, and publishing. It supports various content types, including web pages, multimedia, online training, and forms, and allows for easy integration of third-party applications and services to create a digital experience platform.

Sitefinity provides robust features for personalization, analytics, and marketing automation, empowering businesses to deliver tailored experiences to their audiences. It is a flexible and scalable CMS solution suitable for small businesses to large enterprises seeking to build and manage their online presence efficiently, even if they are running multiple sites.

 

Sitefinity CMS is built on the Microsoft .NET framework, using the ASP.NET technology stack. It leverages the power and flexibility of these technologies to provide a robust and scalable CMS. Sitefinity utilizes various Microsoft technologies, such as ASP.NET MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture, C#, and Microsoft SQL Server, to deliver a high-performance and reliable platform.

The use of .NET framework enables seamless integration with other Microsoft products and services, as well as the ability to leverage a vast ecosystem of .NET libraries and tools. Overall, Sitefinity's foundation on the Microsoft .NET framework ensures stability, security, and extensibility for building and managing dynamic web applications.

 

Yes, Sitefinity web CMS is suitable for small businesses. It provides flexible and scalable content management that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of small businesses. Sitefinity offers an intuitive user interface, making it accessible to non-technical users. It allows for easy creation and management of web content, including pages with page templates, multimedia, and forms.

Also, Sitefinity offers features for personalization, analytics, and marketing automation, empowering small businesses to deliver targeted and engaging experiences to their audiences. With its ability to scale as the business grows, Sitefinity is an ideal choice for small businesses seeking to establish and manage their online presence effectively.

 

A mobile content management system (mobile CMS) is a platform designed to facilitate the creation, modification, and management of digital content specifically tailored for mobile devices. It enables users to seamlessly develop and organize content, such as text, images, and multimedia, ensuring optimal display and functionality on smartphones and tablets to deploy enterprise-grade experiences.

Mobile CMS platforms often prioritize responsive design, adapting content to various screen sizes and resolutions to match the web-based application (web CMS). They empower businesses and individuals to efficiently update and maintain mobile-friendly websites and applications without extensive technical expertise.

Mobile CMS plays a crucial role in delivering a consistent and engaging digital customer experience across diverse mobile platforms, enhancing accessibility and responsiveness for a rapidly growing mobile audience.

 

For a development team to be Sitefinity certified means they have undergone official training and assessment to demonstrate proficiency in using Sitefinity, a web content management and digital experience platform. Certification on a Sitefinity project typically involves comprehensive understanding and practical application of Sitefinity's features, tools, and best practices for web development.

Certified Sitefinity developers possess in-depth knowledge of Sitefinity's architecture, customization capabilities, and integration with various technologies. They are adept at creating, managing, and optimizing websites using Sitefinity, ensuring seamless user experiences and efficient content management workflows.

Being Sitefinity certified signifies a team's commitment to excellence and reliability in delivering high-quality web solutions. It instills confidence in clients and stakeholders, assuring them of the team's competence in leveraging Sitefinity to meet diverse project requirements effectively.

Certification also enables teams to stay updated with the latest advancements and enhancements in Sitefinity, empowering them to leverage new features and functionalities to enhance their development process. Sitefinity certification distinguishes a development team as experts in leveraging the platform to build dynamic, scalable, and engaging websites.

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Stephen Beer is a Content Writer at Clarity Ventures and has written about various tech industries for nearly a decade. He is determined to demystify HIPAA, integration, enterpise SEO, and eCommerce with easy-to-read, easy-to-understand articles to help businesses make the best decisions.