Why upgrade to CMS 13?

CMS 13 is the next generation of the content management platform from Optimizely. It supports faster publishing, modern composable architectures, AI-assisted workflows, and Optimizely Graph-powered content delivery.

CMS 13 introduces a unified editing experience, built-in generative engine optimization (GEO), native Graph-based search, and deeper integrations across the Optimizely platform. CMS 13 reduces developer dependency, improves discoverability in both traditional search and AI systems, and provides a foundation aligned with the .NET platform.

CMS 13 supports:

• Independent content creation and publishing for marketers.
• Unified search and content retrieval through Graph.
• Composable integrations with external systems.
• Long-term platform scalability and performance improvements.

Key features of CMS 13

• Visual Builder – Build, preview, and publish pages in one interface with drag-and-drop editing and responsive preview.
• External Content – Manage and reuse content from external systems (DAM, CRM, APIs) directly inside the CMS workspace.
• Optimizely Graph Integration – Provides unified content indexing, semantic search, analytics, and generation capabilities across the platform.
• Content Model Agent – Transform any URL or image into a production-ready content model.
• Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) – Adds AI search optimization including metadata, Q&A fields, and structured content signals.
  • GEO Recommendations Agent – Evaluates pages against generative engine optimization best practices.
  • GEO Analytics – Tracks how AI crawlers access, read, and reference your content.
• Schema and Answers Agent – Structures content relationships and metadata so AI understands site hierarchy and meaning.
• Embedded DAM – Provides in-context digital asset management with tagging and reuse inside the CMS.
• Modern .NET foundation – Aligns with .NET 10 for improved security, performance, and long-term platform support.
• Unified Optimizely platform alignment – Enables tighter integration with CMP, personalization, and Optimizely Graph services.

CMS 13 architecture and implementation options

CMS 13 provides multiple ways to build and deliver websites:

• CMS 13 (core platform) – The main platform built on the latest ASP.NET Core. Use it for traditional server-rendered sites and to manage content centrally.
• Headless sites with Graph – Use the Graph API to build sites with modern JavaScript frameworks such as React or Angular. SDKs are available for supported frameworks to simplify integration.
• REST API for integrations – Designed for connecting external systems and services, not for building headless websites.