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Since their introduction in the mid-1990s, content management systems (CMS) have undergone significant changes, and their evolution is expected to continue in the future. However, these changes are not only technological, but also strategic.
Today's CMS platforms offer unmatched flexibility, allowing businesses to deliver personalized content across many digital channels. By staying up to date with current (and upcoming) CMS trends and leveraging the most advanced tools available, your business can stay competitive and achieve greater content marketing success.
Let’s take a look at the latest CMS trends, how they came about, and what the future likely holds for this important marketing technology.
The evolving CMS landscape
Historically, website content was static, combining content and code in individual HTML files. As the Internet became more popular in the late 1990s, proprietary CMSs such as FileNet and Vignette emerged, providing a way to separate the code from the content.
These early systems were soon eclipsed by open source alternatives such as WordPress and Joomla, which democratized web content creation and management.
The 2010s saw a rise in mobile devices, which required another significant change in CMS architecture. Traditional CMS models that included backend editing, frontend templates, plugins, databases, and servers struggled to deliver content efficiently to mobile devices.
By 2016, mobile internet usage surpassed desktop usage, paving the way for headless CMS. These systems decouple content creation from presentation, making them ideal for delivering content across all channels.
Recently, hybrid CMS solutions have emerged that combine the strengths of headless and traditional systems. These systems offer APIs for omnichannel content delivery as well as intuitive editing tools, making them attractive to developers and content creators alike. This combination ensures that companies deliver consistent, high-quality content across different platforms and devices.
How AI and machine learning are reshaping the benefits of CMS
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are driving CMS to the next level of development. For example, platforms like Squarespace now offer fully AI-generated websites, while others like Contentful and Brightspot integrate AI tools directly into the editing experience.
AI-powered CMSs enable marketers to streamline their content workflows by automating routine tasks. They can also help improve marketing performance by facilitating content personalization and optimizing distribution.
AI for tagging and automation
AI can automate routine tasks such as content tagging and workflow management. Automatic tagging ensures that content is categorized accurately and efficiently, making it easier to manage and retrieve. On the other hand, workflow automation streamlines the editorial process by automating tasks such as content approval and publishing schedules, freeing up time for creative and strategic activities.
Personalization through AI
AI can generate content variations tailored to different audience segments. This personalization is especially valuable for marketing teams looking to deliver targeted messages. By analyzing user behavior and preferences, AI can create tailored content that resonates with specific audiences, improving engagement and conversion rates.
AI in content distribution
AI can help content marketers with many optimization tasks. For example, AI algorithms can analyze content to suggest improvements for better ranking in search engines. They can also automatically generate metadata and translate content into multiple languages. These features help content reach a wider audience and remain relevant in different regions.
AI will significantly improve CMS functionality, increasing user efficiency and allowing them to focus on more strategic initiatives. As AI continues to evolve, its integration into CMS will become more sophisticated and provide greater benefits.
The rise of cloud-based CMS solutions
The trend toward cloud-based CMS continues to be strong, representing a beneficial shift from the on-premises approach where companies must manage their own servers.
Cloud-based CMS platforms like WordPress, which is estimated to power 43% of all CMS-based websites, offer benefits such as built-in security, automatic updates, greater scalability, and easier collaboration. These benefits make cloud-based CMS an attractive option for businesses of all sizes.
Advantages of a cloud-based CMS
Cloud-based systems offer robust built-in security features that protect websites from threats and vulnerabilities. Automatic updates ensure that companies are always working with the latest version, improving system performance and reducing the risk of security breaches.
Cloud-based tools also enable greater scalability, allowing companies to expand their web presence without adding costly hardware to their technology stack.
The biggest advantage, however, is that cloud-based CMS solutions make collaboration easier to manage. Team members can access and work on content from any internet-enabled device—a significant advantage for remote and hybrid teams. Additionally, cloud-based systems are easy to learn and deploy, reducing the need for extensive training and IT support.
What’s next for CMS?
It is difficult to predict how CMS technology will develop. However, four dominant trends provide initial indications.
Trend 1: Popularity of hybrid CMS
Hybrid CMS will further democratize the content landscape, allowing organizations to adopt flexible solutions that combine the best of traditional and headless systems. This flexibility allows organizations to deliver content across multiple channels without being locked into a single approach. As a result, hybrid CMS are becoming increasingly popular, especially among larger organizations with diverse content needs.
Trend 2: Expanding AI integration
AI will go beyond text generation to create new images, slideshows, and videos from existing assets. This capability will enable companies to create rich multimedia content more efficiently. AI-driven content creation tools will become more sophisticated, offering advanced features such as automated video editing, image recognition, and speech synthesis.
Trend 3: Workflow automation
AI and rule-building UIs improve workflow automation and streamline content reviews and editorial cycles. Automated workflows ensure content moves smoothly through the editorial process with minimal manual intervention. This automation improves efficiency, reduces errors, and speeds up the time to market for new content.
Trend 4: Intranet and knowledge management
CMS features such as workflow management, search optimization, and version control help improve operational efficiency and team productivity. Intranets and knowledge management systems are becoming more user-friendly, offering enhanced search capabilities, collaboration features, and seamless integration with other enterprise tools.
Stay one step ahead of CMS development
Keep these trends and predictions in mind as you plan your business strategy. To prepare, we recommend leveraging the latest CMS technologies, investing in AI-driven tools, and prioritizing flexibility and scalability to align your content management strategy with your business goals.
By staying informed and being proactive, your company will be well positioned to benefit from current innovations and exciting future advances.
About Brightspot
Brightspot is your CMS solution for delivering brilliant, modern digital experiences with a flexible, fast and secure platform you can rely on to continuously improve your content approach. A powerful enterprise-class tool and template package that can be tailored to your specific business needs today and tomorrow. Our robust, ready-to-use library is fully customizable to meet the needs of your business, content contributors and developers. But that's not all: we offer the flexibility to design front-end experiences to ensure content delivery exactly how you need it. For more information on why Brightspot is the right CMS platform for your business, visit our website here. Want to learn how Brightspot can support your digital strategy? Chat with an expert today!
Create your very own Auto Publish News/Blog Site and Earn Passive Income in Just 4 Easy Steps
