The future of DXP - redefining digital with Sitecore
Businesses are facing unprecedented challenges these days in Ireland, and on a global scale. Most brands have had to tear up their plans and adapt to a world where digital may be the only channel available to them to connect with their customers. Together with our partner Sitecore we have looked into the future of Digital Experience Platform (DXP) market, to see where the industry stands today and what is its future.
From "business as usual" to "change is constant"
2020 can definitely be seen as a year that shifted our understanding of the importance of digital and boosted the digital transformation all around. You have probably seen a few of good comic yet truthful illustrations on that topic, such as this one here by marketoonist:
Moreover, recent events have been a crucial reminder that customers are human and their needs change. That made brands mobilize and adjust their technology and communication and content strategies to be there for their customers, with the most relevant and helpful information. From the recent e-brief facilitated by Sitecore, we learn some interesting facts, confirming that more and more organisations are committing to digital not only as a short-term project, but as a long-term investment.
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Digital transformation suddenly evolved from being “nice to have” to “vital for survival”. Now it is about empowering organizations, enabling them to create authentic engagements and meet customer needs, anytime. A digital-first strategy means understanding your customers, building relationships, and delivering memorable experiences. And in today’s environment, effective digital engagement has taken on a whole new sense of urgency.
The future of DXP - key focus areas
With that in mind we also looked at the what are the key focus areas for Digital Content Managers for 2021 and beyond. To find that out we have talked to our clients and added Sitecore industry insights. We were able to outline 5 key focus areas, that the majority of Content Managers will prioritise over the next years:
- Content: Content management technology, content palnning, understanding analytics to optimise content.
- Personalization: Getting started with personalization, measuring personalization, advanced personalization, ML/AL or auto-personalization, personalization and data, personalization and customer journey management.
- Commerce: Adding digital commerce to the business, advanced commerce (usage of AI/ML in commerce), GDPR/privacy and data for commerce.
- EPrivacy and security: DPC cookie compliance, GDPR, tracking technologies management, cyber security, transparent yet secure business operations.
- Business optimisation and cost reduction using digital: adapting technologies and processes, that save time and money, and allow to focus on improving key performance indicators and main business success metrics.
Using the Gartner Hype Cycle 2019, we were able to connect these focus areas with the emerging technologies in digital and marketing and advertising:
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Original Gartner Hype Cycle 2019 graphs for marketing and advertising:
Another Gartner graph for emerging technologies:
Where should you start?
To understand where to start, you should first look at where you are. It is important to look at the where you are in your digital transformation journey overall, and at where you are in each of the focus areas we have outlines earlier. Take your position and compare it to where you want to be. Then act.
To help you do that, we have created a roadmap. This roadmap is based on a recent McKinsey article – a 90-day digital recovery plan from Covid19 crisis and includes the activities from the 5 focus areas.
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We hope this roadmap will help you assess where you stand and where to focus your digital efforts in the new times of the “constant change”.
Would you like to discuss your Sitecore opportunity or need help creating the digital experience of the future? Contact us today!