Sitecore Symposium 2024 - My notes

Sitecore Symposium 2024 was a fantastic event this year! I had the chance to meet with Sitecore experts and learn about their latest products and plans. It was a great opportunity to network and stay up-to-date on the latest trends in digital experiences. I want to acknowledge CloudIQ Technologies for their support in making my participation in the Symposium possible. It was a memorable event.

As a Sitecore MVP, we got lot of insights about Sitecore's product decisions and quick preview of what is going to be shared in the Symposium in the MVP Summit. I was particularly impressed by the insights shared by the Sitecore leadership team. They talked about the future of digital experiences and how Sitecore is evolving to meet the needs of businesses.

Overall, Sitecore Symposium 2024 was a great experience. 

Highlights:

1. Sitecore Stream: A Game-Changer for Digital Experiences: Sitecore announced Sitecore Stream (in the keynote), a powerful new add-on module that can be integrated into any Sitecore ecosystem. This innovative tool is designed to enhance efficiency and productivity for all Sitecore users.

   Whether you're using Sitecore XP on-premises or in the cloud, Sitecore Stream can help you make better decisions faster. Its brand-aware AI ingests and analyzes all of your brand information, providing you with actionable insights that can be used to optimize your marketing campaigns.

   With Sitecore Stream, you'll have the power of AI at your fingertips, enabling you to make more informed decisions and achieve better results.
   
   

   
   
   
   

2. Sitecore DXP: A Strong Foundation for the Future: Despite the focus on cloud-based products and AI at Sitecore Symposium, it's clear that Sitecore DXP is still a vital part of the company's strategy. Many customers expressed interest in the future of DXP, and Sitecore is responding by investing in its development.

   Sitecore Stream is an add-on for XP as well. Sitecore plans to introduce new add-ons for DXP, along with cloud-based tools, to help customers modernize their XM and XP platforms. This approach will allow Sitecore to continue innovating while providing flexibility for customers who prefer on-premises solutions.

   The upcoming release of Sitecore 10.5 in October 2025 is another positive sign for DXP. Sitecore is also improving its XM to XM Cloud migration tools to make the transition easier for customers.
   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Sitecore XM Cloud: Rapid Improvements: 
   

   
   

   
   
   
   
   HIPAA Compliance:
   • This is a crucial factor for FinTech companies, ensuring they can safely handle sensitive customer data.

   Modern Tools:

   • Pages, Site Management, and Forms provide a robust foundation for building and managing digital experiences.
     
     
     

   Performance Enhancements:

   • The new publishing mechanism and support for WebP format contribute to faster load times and improved user experience.
     
     
     
     
     
     

   Data-Driven Marketing:

   • Analytics insights within Pages empower marketers to make informed decisions and optimize campaigns.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

   Generative Copilots:

   • These AI-powered tools streamline campaign setup, A/B testing, and publishing, making it easier for marketers to create effective content.
     

   Open-Source .NET Rendering SDK:

• This is a significant advantage for existing .NET customers, allowing them to leverage their existing skills and resources for XM Cloud migration without requiring extensive training in Next.js.
  
  
  
  
  
  
4. Developer Experience - Freedom of Choice: It has been a central focus at the Symposium. Sitecore's framework-agnostic approach, unlike solutions tied to a specific framework like Next.js, offers developers the freedom to choose the tools and technologies that best align with their project requirements.
   
   
5. OrderCloud: Trade-in, refurbished products and second-hand products have become increasingly popular in recent years. Though OrderCloud was not a prime showcased product in Symposium, Sitecore is working on feature like this.