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Spring is in full bloom across the Northern Hemisphere – and so is the "composable" movement. The phenomenon has spread like pollen, germinating in almost every conversation about the future of CMS.
That was certainly the case in January at the <a href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff24" target="_blank">Boye &amp; Company CMS Kickoff</a> in St. Petersburg, Florida, where the <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/cms-kickoff-2023-draws-global-attendees-focuses-on-the-future-of-content-and-composable/">"Great Debate"</a> over composable played throughout the sessions. 
As you dodge the discomfort of allergies, you might wonder: how much attention is being paid to this composable stuff?
According to <a href="https://www.zengenti.com/" target="_blank">Zengenti</a>, the company behind <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/contensis-cms-looks-ahead-with-headless-focuses-on-performance-interview-with-ceo-richard-chivers/">Contensis CMS</a>, part of the answer lies with Google. Based on recent monitoring, the search volume for the keyword phrase “composable CMS” has doubled – or even tripled – over the last few months, reflecting a sharp rise in the market's interest. 
<h2>So what’s the buzz about?</h2>
For more detail on how the honey was made, Zengenti provided a peek inside the beehive.
In data collected between November 2022 and January 2023, <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/google-announces-sunset-of-google-optimize-and-optimize-360/">Google</a> searches for the term “composable CMS” were up by a substantial 300% in the United Kingdom and 150% in the United States. The sampling was tracked using the <a href="https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7337243?hl=en" target="_blank">Google Keyword Planner</a>, and Zengenti applied the query to 15 different countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
While the U.K. and the U.S. realized the most dramatic increase, Germany also doubled its percentage from previous months. When applied to all 15 countries, the total global uptick was 143%.
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-chivers-34a36b11/" target="_blank">Richard Chivers</a>, chief executive officer of Zengenti, weighed in on the buzzworthy increases.
“While the term ‘composable’ in the context of digital systems and content management has been around for a couple of years, we are now seeing it enter our combined consciousness on a much greater scale,” Chivers said. “It’s not surprising. We believe that as an agile-aligned technology, it will be transformative for enterprises of all sizes, ushering in a period of even greater and more rapid digital innovation.”
<h2>What is a composable CMS?</h2>
A <a href="https://enonic.com/blog/composable-architecture-the-cms-as-your-digital-experience-orchestrator#:~:text=A%20composable%20CMS%20is%20the,and%20can%20be%20continuously%20improved." target="_blank">composable CMS</a> is an API-driven content management system that marshals the capabilities of a headless CMS with an API orchestrator – sometimes referred to as a composer – all in one. Rather than behaving as just another endpoint in an API-based ecosystem, a composable CMS helps teams work more efficiently by eliminating the monolithic vendor limitations while still enabling integrations with other platforms.
Unlike a composable DXP, which includes headless CMS as a layer and an endpoint, a composable CMS might also provide traditional functionality that marketers rely on for websites – such as in-context previews, inline visual editing via WYSIWYG, and more – all while handling integrations and APIs. 
“For many site owners, particularly those in medium and large businesses, they are operating dynamic websites with multiple third-party integrations, and with multiple technologies co-existing in different programming languages,” said Chivers. “Embracing composable systems will make it much easier to give oversight and complete control to rapidly set new features live or roll-back functionality."
Experts believe <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-roundtable-focuses-on-composability-and-innovation-as-economic-activators-in-2023/">composability</a> will be one of the defining technology trends of 2023, <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Is-composable-business-the-most-essential-technology-trend-to-meet-the-challenges-of-2023-and-beyond" target="_blank">including Gartner</a>, which believes 70% of medium and large businesses will feature it as a key criterion when planning applications this year.
As global markets remain unsettled – and the likelihood of a recession looms on the horizon – many businesses are focusing on optimization and productivity across their digital properties. While investments in enterprise software are already softening, composable solutions are presenting an opportunity to improve agility and accelerate time to market for content and digital experiences. 
"Especially at a time of economic uncertainty, [composable CMS] makes it possible for businesses to be more agile," said Chivers, "giving customers what they want quickly all while delivering a better experience.”
The hive mind is certainly buzzing with interest in composability. Will it continue to bloom in 2023?
In the recently published <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/webinar/445907/1051512" target="_blank">Gartner Magic Quadrant for DXPs</a>, it's evident that many of the same vendors are still dominating the leadership quadrant – and embracing a composable position. How will that impact evaluations and decision-making for CMS platforms, particularly as the composable CMSes become a more attractive play?
Maybe when the pollen clears, we'll see what's ahead. Stay tuned. 
<h2>About Zengenti</h2>
UK-based company, Zengenti, is the creator of Contensis. Contensis is a headless Content Management System (CMS) with an integrated deployment platform. Contensis provides a single place to create, maintain and deliver content. Its content modeling, authoring, and governance features help teams to create and keep on top of well-structured content. Open APIs make integrating with leading platforms and products easy to deliver immersive digital experiences for audiences. Contensis powers websites for world-leading organizations across various industries, such as higher education, local government, and the private sector.

Composable CMS Gains Traction as Google Search Volume Triples in Recent Months

mk-patterson

Composable CMS as a keyword search term in Google

For better or worse, <a href="https://www.google.com/" target="_blank">Google</a> has a long history of "optimizing" things. And not just on the tech side of the fence.
Consider how <a href="https://abc.xyz/" target="_blank">Alphabet</a> – the publicly traded parent of the search giant – <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/18/investing/google-alphabet-stock-split/index.html#:~:text=But%20the%20split%20has%20two,prestigious%20Dow%20Jones%20Industrial%20Average." target="_blank">split its stock in 2022</a> to improve its market capitalization. The company has a market cap of over $1 trillion and is still considered one of the most valuable on the planet. But the move made it even more attractive to main street investors while enhancing its position on the exchanges. 
On the negative side, the company recently "optimized" its workforce, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/google-parent-lay-off-12000-workers-memo-2023-01-20/" target="_blank">cutting 12,000 jobs</a> after what it called a "pandemic hiring spree." It plans to refocus its budget on AI initiatives, no doubt in response to the recent explosion of <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/microsoft-and-openai-working-on-chatgpt-powered-bing-in-challenge-to-google" target="_blank">ChatGPT and the announcement from Microsoft</a> that it will weave the bot's intelligence into its <a href="https://www.impression.co.uk/blog/bing-differ-google/" target="_blank">Bing</a> platform. For reference, Bing represents less than 10% of the search market (Google owns almost all the rest). 
When it comes to its products, Google is also wrestling with a bevy of optimization challenges, most notably the sunsetting of its eponymous <a href="https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/11583528?hl=en#:~:text=On%20July%201%2C%202023%2C%20standard,Google%20Analytics%204%20going%20forward." target="_blank">Universal Analytics (UA)</a> as of July 1, 2023. Companies have been scrambling to get its replacement, <a href="https://www.solodev.com/blog/digital-marketing/how-to-make-the-leap-from-universal-analytics-to-google-analytics-4.stml" target="_blank">Google Analytics 4 (GA4)</a>, up and running. Despite its touted new features and "optimizations," many digital marketing and SEO professionals have confronted significant challenges with the new platform. 
As if that wasn't enough, Google is now retiring two more of its products: <a href="https://optimize.google.com/optimize/" target="_blank">Google Optimize</a> and <a href="https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/optimize-360/" target="_blank">Optimize 360</a>. The company recently announced that beginning September 30, 2023, users will no longer have access to either product and that it was “investing in A/B testing in Google Analytics 4."
How will these changes impact users? It's hard to say. But in a world where Google's grip over search and analytics is being threatened by fragmentation and competition – all ignited by advanced AI – there may be more "optimizing" ahead for everyone. 
<h2>The dawn of a new A/B testing and personalization era</h2>
While Google Optimize and Optimize 360 have a strong and proven legacy, Google Analytics has long been the data source of truth for millions of websites. The upgrade was highly anticipated by marketing and SEO professionals, but there have been swelling questions about how the rollout would affect the broader ecosystem – including the interplay with the Optimize products.
As noted, the shift to GA4 has been fraught with controversy, particularly around the limitations of migrating historical data. To be fair, Google has been strongly encouraging customers to make the switch to GA4 as soon as possible, so they have ample time to build historical data in the new platform. But don't panic: your legacy data can be exported as CSVs, and UA will still be in effect until July 1, 2024.
Google said its rationale for sunsetting Optimize, a five-year-old product, was rooted in "developing something better" for customers. According to the company, many users were requesting features and services not currently available for experimentation and testing. Google said it wanted to invest in more robust and effective solutions to meet the evolving need – and no doubt, to compete with more expansive customer analytics platforms like <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/amplitude-announces-new-testing-and-analytics-tools-for-making-smarter-product-decisions-at-scale/">Amplitude</a>. 
Optimize users are encouraged to download their historical data before September 30. For more information on how to access that data or how this will affect a current Optimize and Optimize 360 contract, visit <a href="https://support.google.com/optimize/answer/12979939#:~:text=Google%20Optimize%20and%20Optimize%20360,on%20that%20date%20will%20end" target="_blank">Google Support</a>.
<h2>“The Times They Are a-Changin’”</h2>
What <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Times_They_Are_a-Changin%27_(song)" target="_blank">Bob Dylan</a> so eloquently penned in 1964 still holds true. The times are a-changin'.  And like the musical poet of yesteryear, Google has withstood the test of time in our modern digital era and become a cultural icon. (Worth noting: a search for "Bob Dylan" returns over 122,000,000 results).
At the same time, Google is facing the fierce headwinds of change as an aging brand and ecosystem, one that has achieved a monolithic status in the tech stack. New and innovative products are forcing the company to evolve, and that's good. But change – as Dylan would agree – is like a hard rain falling. 
As Google executes its sunsetting and upgrading, we're already getting a glimpse of how analytics will look in the future. The field of data science is exploding, and analytics have become more important than ever. At the same time, measuring across different platforms and applications has become exceedingly more difficult.
Google Optimize and Optimize 360 will be remembered as transformative tools in the A/B testing and experimentation narrative. While we're not expecting any love songs to be penned for their eulogy, they have impacted how marketers think about testing and its scalability. Google has indicated its lofty ambitions to incorporate more of these personalization functions into GA4, but when?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind. 
<h2>So…what now?</h2>
Get GA4 up and running! You have time to download and export your legacy Optimize and UA resources, but GA4 really needs historical data to thrive – so set it up ASAP. Just a reminder: Google has remained firm on not making any extensions for the programs they are retiring. That could change, but it's best to assume the worst. 
It's likely that GA4 will introduce its new A/B testing features in 2023. But if you don’t like the idea of “wait and see,” there are also other platforms to explore:
<a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/?s=optimizely">Optimizely</a> is choosing to celebrate the news by offering Google Optimize customers a <a href="https://www.optimizely.com/google/optimize/" target="_blank">special deal</a> for keeping their experimentations running smoothly.
<a href="https://business.adobe.com/products/target/adobe-target.html" target="_blank">Adobe Target</a> is another leading product that has similar functionality to Google Optimize, but with more features. It predictably integrates with Adobe Analytics, rather than Google Analytics.
<a href="https://vwo.com/" target="_blank">Visual Website Optimizer</a>, <a href="https://www.abtasty.com/" target="_blank">AB Tasty</a> and <a href="https://www.dynamicyield.com/" target="_blank">Dynamic Yield</a> are also good options to explore, even with smaller market share in this field.
With just a few months left to use Google Optimize, it might seem daunting to consider a new alternative, but it’s also nice to have options. Not to get too poetic (though we have already mentioned Dylan), but each sunset does bring the dawn of a new day. And it looks like we’ll just have to wait and see what Google shines a light on next.

Google Announces Sunset of Google Optimize and Optimize 360

A departure from the normal CMS and software related posts I normally do but I recently managed to acquire a <a href="https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_16gb" target="_blank">Google Nexus 7</a> Android tablet, one of few that are available worldwide and I thought I'd take a few minutes to share my opinion of this new Android tablet in this Nexus 7 review. The Nexus 7 Android tablet contains a quad core Tegra 3 processor, 16G of storage (in the model I have anyway), 7” 1280×800 HD display (216 ppi), 1 GB RAM and the usual wifi and Bluetooth connectivity options. It has a front facing camera as well which can be used for apps like Skype or Google+ Hangouts.
What makes this Android tablet unique is the amount of power that you get the for overall cost of the tablet. Weighing in at around $260 if you buy it new here in Canada, this is a crazy cheap 7″ tablet. Obviously, it was brought to market to help compete with Amazon's already popular Kindle Fire tablet. What makes the Google Nexus 7 different, however, is that Google has made it available in Canada and other countries straight from launch. The Kindle Fire, however, is still not available in Canada and some other countries which I consider to be a huge mistake on Amazons' part.
If buying the tablet new, you get a $25 credit to Google Play (the Android store) which can be used on any of the following: books, movies, music, apps or games. This makes the value of the Nexus' $260 price tag feel even better. &lt;informercial voice&gt; But wait! There's more! &lt;/infomercial voice&gt; you also get a free digital copy of the movie, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1399103/" target="_blank">Transformers: Dark of the Moon</a> as well as a free ebook edition of <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Robert-Ludlums-TM-Bourne-Dominion/dp/1455510300/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1343662634&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Bourne Dominion</a>. Not bad for $260 is it?
Now, I know a lot of people love hacking their devices and I'm certainly one of those people who frequents places like the amazing  <a href="http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1673" target="_blank">Nexus 7 development forums @ XDA </a>but in this case, I chose to keep the tablet stock so I could experience things as Google intended them. I would strongly recommend that if you do end up getting a Google Nexus 7, you bookmark the above forums as there are tons of great threads on apps, accessories and usage that I frequent and found helpful.
On with the Nexus 7 review!
<h2>Battery Life</h2>
First off, let's talk battery life since this tends to be what most people concern themselves with first when it comes to these types of devices. This tablet has been running with WiFi connected and an intermittent Bluetooth connection to my phone (a Samsung Galaxy Note) for <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apdroid.tabtalk" target="_blank">Tablet Talk</a> for about 2 days now. I am at 41% battery life and haven't charged the tablet at all.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/screenshot_2012-07-30-09-03-29-620x992_zjzcjt.png" alt="Nexus 7 review" />
I'd consider that pretty good given that I've spent that time checking email, updating apps via the Play store, web surfing, reading news and playing some seriously sweet games like <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.DefiantDev.heroescall.THD" target="_blank">Heroes Call THD</a> (highly recommended if you are a fan of games like Diablo). I'd consider this pretty decent for an Android tablet and certainly have no complaints here.
<h2>Interface</h2>
The interface is, in my opinion, pretty attractive. I'm a fan if minimalism so I don't have a ton of widgets on the home screen and like to keep things simple. I'm a huge fan of how smooth Android feels. Moving between menus and the home screens is literally just like they planned and I can understand why they called the interface “Project Butter”.  It certainly impressed me.
The fact is, to me, everything simply feels faster and more fluid on the Google Nexus 7.  It feels the way a tablet should feel and the integration of Google's amazing array of services is something I've been longing for for quite some time. The interface is so smooth that it makes me want to use it, even if just to flick between screens every once in a while.
Here's how my home screen currently looks:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot_2012-07-30-08-10-28-620x992.png" alt="Nexus 7 review" /> 
Another impressive feature with the interface is the improved Google Search and the introduction of Google Now. Google Now brings with it a number of “cards” that show up when you click in the search bar.  These cards can give you anything from the local weather to sports scores and traffic details.
Here's an introduction video explaining how Google Now works:
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pPqliPzHYyc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Here's how the Google Search with Google Now integrated looks on my Nexus 7:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot_2012-07-30-08-57-06-620x992.png" alt="Nexus 7 review" />
As you can see, it shows my last web searches (these come from my desktop but since I have web history enabled, I get them on my device as well), the current weather conditions (can be configured to use AccuWeather or Google for forecasting) and the Traffic conditions for my commute home.
The notifications pull down has changed as well with Jelly Bean (Android 4.1.1) and is much more visually appealing. For emails, it shows excerpts and if you take screenshots like I did for this review, they show up as well.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screenshot_2012-07-30-09-05-03-620x992.png" alt="Nexus 7 review" />
As you can see in the screenshot above, the words Screenshot Captured appear, followed by a preview of the screenshot and a share button which, when clicked, allows you to share via a number of services (depending on what you have installed). In my case, I have the option to share via Bluetooth, DropBox, Evernote, Facebook, Flipboard, Gmail, Skitch, Google+, Picasa, Skype or Twitter.
Using the tablet day to day, I've found Android 4.1.1 to be fluid and well implemented. This is something that was definitely missing in previous versions of Android but I'm happy to say, I think they are making the right amount of progress and are definitely distancing themselves from the competition with this latest release.
<h2>Hardware</h2>
The Google Nexus 7 was designed in collaboration between Google and Asus. The latter has been a top tablet manufacturer since they started to get popular and I'm glad to see that Google chose Asus as their partner for the Nexus 7.
The screen on the Nexus 7 is a 7″ 1280×800 HD backlit IPS display designed using scratch resistant Corning Glass, which, in my opinion, is nicer than those found on the Galaxy devices. Having said that, there are some who would argue that Super Amoled Plus is better. I've personally always found IPS more appealing to my eye but it's something you are going to have to try for yourself. I'd recommend taking a look at a Nexus 7 and then a Galaxy Tab and seeing which suits you more. I also like the idea of running on Official Google hardware myself, but that's just me and others may feel differently.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/tablet-gallery-front-620x390.png" alt="Nexus 7 review" />
I find the colors to be clean and bright enough to satisfy my needs and haven't had much issue seeing the screen outdoors. In direct sunlight, of course, it certainly isn't easy to see but I don't normally try to read my tablet under the blazing sun so this doesn't bother me at all.
Build quality feels excellent. The tablet is light (weighing in at only 340g) and the 7″ form factor really is exactly what I've been looking for in a tablet. The back of the Nexus 7 is covered in a nicely textured rubber that makes it easy to hold and grip and doesn't make me nervous about putting down on a counter. With other devices such as my previous Asus Transformer Prime, I was always worried about scratching the tablet whenever I put it down.  With the Nexus 7, I don't think about it at all given the rubber backing.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/tablet-gallery-back-620x390.png" alt="Nexus 7 review" />
The Nexus 7 has volume rockers on the right side below a power button (which You can see in the screenshot above) and a micro usb charging port on the bottom with a headphone jack. So far, I've got no complaints with the way things are laid out.
As I mentioned in the beginning of this Nexus 7 review, this tablet packs a powerful quad core Tegra 3 processor and it's definitely proving itself to be no slouch, as far as I'm concerned. I haven't found any instances where things have become slow and I'm a fairly heavy user. It's also the top of the line as far as current processors are concerned so I'm not feeling unsure about future performance either.
Overall, I have to say that I love this tablet. The Nexus 7 is exactly what I was hoping it would be and much more. I've had a hard time putting the thing down and, when paired with my phone, it makes for the perfect setup for my needs. If you were on the fence before reading this, I hope I've convinced you to try one out. Obviously, given the worldwide shortage of these devices, there is definitely a demand for them and I think you can see why. If you get the opportunity, pick on up. You can also order from the Play Store here: <a href="http://www.google.com/nexus/" target="_blank">http://www.google.com/nexus/</a>
Questions about this Nexus 7 Review or the tablet itself? Drop me a comment and I'll do my best to answer them. Have one yourself and want to share your experiences? I'd love to hear your thoughts below.

Nexus 7 Review - An Amazingly Good Tablet for an Amazingly Good Price

mike-johnston

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Composable CMS Gains Traction as Google Search Volume Triples in Recent Months

Google Announces Sunset of Google Optimize and Optimize 360

Nexus 7 Review - An Amazingly Good Tablet for an Amazingly Good Price