From Sitecore to Optimizely: "no one moves the other way"

In a recent session at Opticon, we had the pleasure of hearing directly from customers and partners about the biggest trend in the digital experience landscape… that is, the growing migration from Sitecore to Optimizely. 50+ companies have migrated to Optimizely over the last few years increasing their revenue, becoming more efficient by and cutting costs. The stories shared weren't just about changing technology; they were about transforming the way marketing and digital teams work, innovate, and drive results. Led by our CEO, Alex Atzberger, alongside Optimizely leaders Mike Casey and Jens Nygård, insights from our customers Jamie Vickers, Operations Director at Mace and Olivier Guilmain , Head of Digital at Etex, the session painted a clear picture of why companies are making a SiteSwitch and the SiteCure that Optimizely provides.

All talk and no tech: it's time to SiteSwitch!

Feeling "stuck" and staring down another quarter of missed targets? This is a common theme we hear amongst those considering a move. If your team is running round in circles and facing constant roadblocks, it might be a sign that your current platform is holding you back.

Jamie Vickers, Operations Director at Mace, shared that his team felt trapped by a rigid system that was difficult to manage. "We started logging into [Sitecore’s CMS] and we couldn't get any data. We were sold the dream, we were sold personalization, but we couldn't get anything to work and was left super disappointed," he recalled.

This frustration was coupled by a revolving door of customer success managers and a support system that created more anxiety than solutions. The final straw came with an unexpected invoice for $30,000(!)was sent for an unknown service they had never even heard. "No conversation, no call... just panic! That made us realize that this is the start of the end."

Other companies who were stuck described a similar set of symptoms:

• Waiting for a specific developer to get simple tasks done.

Who wants to have constant developer dependency?

• A fortress for a platform, only accessible to the selected few, preventing marketers and other team members from contributing.

This sounds like a locked-down system to us!

• Your vendor has talked the talk but isn't walking the walk - big plans for future features and AI but nothing seems to be delivered.

Ahh you've been promised the future but you're still stuck in the past 😢

• Submitting tickets into a black hole, waiting in line, and feeling like just another number.

So your support team isn't being supportive?

If the above sound familiar… you definitely have SiteBurn and we prescribe a SiteSwitch.

The SiteCure: Optimizely CMS

Imagine effortlessly building stunning, personalized websites that truly connect with your audience and drive results. That's exactly what Optimizely's CMS helps you do! It's packed with super intuitive tools for marketers, giving you the freedom to create and manage content without constantly needing a developer. Plus, it's incredibly flexible, whether you prefer a traditional setup or a modern headless approach.

From the drag-and-drop editing, AI-powered translations, smart content recommendations, and even a built-in digital asset manager – all designed to make your life easier. The best part? You create content once, and it's ready to shine everywhere. Our customers see real wins, faster page loads and more page views.

Optimizely is built on a foundation of simplicity, true partnership, and relentless innovation making your marketing more impactful and your digital experiences unforgettable! Moving to Optimizely isn't just about escaping a problematic platform; it's about embracing a new, more effective way of working.

Here's what we deliver:

1. Simplicity and democratization

   We build tools for teams critical to your CMS deployment, from marketers to developers, ensuring technical AND strategic leaders can contribute to the digital experience. Olivier from Etex highlighted the difference in day-to-day operations of managing over 400 websites in 76 languages on Optimizely. His teams in various countries "...don't have to think about" the technical complexities. "If they want to create a landing page, they just go for it." This empowerment is a core tenet of the Optimizely philosophy.

2. A true partnership

   The concept of being "large enough to serve, but small enough to care" resonated throughout the session. Jamie from Mace contrasted his previous experience with the partnership he found at Optimizely and with our partner, Netcel. "The level of partnership, the understanding of business challenges, the understanding of the commercial challenges... it's been brilliant." This is fostered by a culture, driven from the top by our CEO, that is obsessed with customer conversations and feedback.

3. Innovation that delivers results

   While other platforms talk about the future, Optimizely delivers it. Our AI, Opal, is deeply embedded within your workflows to supercharge your content creation and management! Opal helps you whip up content faster, fine-tune it for maximum impact, and even translate it instantly for a global audience. Plus, it's great at digging up existing content and suggesting personalized experiences.

   But the best part? Opal comes with a whole crew of AI agents! Need a blog post outline? There's an agent for that. Want to create stunning images or videos for your site? Yep, agents can help. Even researching keywords for SEO or getting GEO optimizations becomes effortless. Our customers have reported a 31% increase in optimized content when using our keyword research agent that can generate an entire SEO strategy and build optimized content in seconds. Basically, Opal is here to make your content journey quicker, smarter, and much more effective, so you can focus on the big picture and leave the heavy lifting to Opal!

4. Making the switch seamless

   We understant that migration is a significant undertaking. That's why we've developed AI-powered tools that have been a "game changer" in the process. As our Head of Services, Jens, explained, these tools automate the mundane, error-prone tasks of moving structured and unstructured content, digital assets, and even refactoring legacy components. In one real-life project, this automation shaved off roughly 4,000 hours of manual work, resulting in savings of around $400,000.
   
   To further ease the transition, we've decided to introduce our "Site Switch" program, which offers your first year free! We know that migrating is a big strategic investment that requires time, strategy and thought, so don't walk, run to find out more about the offer.

A switch to innovation that delivers

The journey of migration, while challenging, can be somewhat joyful and rewarding when you have the right partners. Alex boldly stated, "No single company has moved the other way," which serves as a testament to the "three-way partnership" between the customer, the implementation partner, and Optimizely, creating a collaborative environment where everyone is aligned for success.

A lot of traditional DXPs offer a strong CMS but fall short on surrounding capabilities, but not Optimizely. We offer a "best-in-class suite" experience, that integrates a robust CMS with top-tier experimentation, personalization, analytics and content marketing solutions – and let’s not forget Opal, our latest AI addition. This approach stands in stark contrast to other DXPs.

As one customer put it, you can't afford to be on a platform that doesn't innovate on your behalf. The choice is about more than just technology; it's about setting your organization up with a platform for the future. So, when you SiteSwitch, you're not just getting a new CMS—you're gaining a partner dedicated to your success.