Welcome to the era of XM Cloud, where innovation meets simplicity for marketers. XM Cloud introduces XM forms, out-of-the-box personalization, pages, and yes, even a component builder! This blog dives into the exciting world of XM Cloud components, where marketers become architects and developers remain our trusted allies.
Gone are the days when marketers relied solely on developers to create components. XM Cloud brings a breath of fresh air by introducing a user-friendly interface that empowers marketers to build components from scratch.
The UI has a customizable 12-column grid, allowing marketers to play around with pre-built elements, determining their size and shape within the grid. Previewing and updating the component across various screen sizes? Yep, XM Cloud has got that covered too. And let’s not forget about themes – ensuring your website stays on-brand.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of this new feature:
Benefits:
- Quicker Time to Market:
- Need a quick, simple component? No need to pester developers or wait for sprints. You can create a component within minutes. (Pro Tip: Still preview and QA across environments to ensure the component functions as needed across breakpoints)
- Flexibility:
- Marketers can effortlessly create components that fit their needs for any new content, ready to be published instantly.
- Responsiveness:
- With responsiveness bundles and multi-breakpoint previews, marketers get guardrails to follow UX/UI best practices without delving into code.
Drawbacks:
- Functionality:
- While whipping up a component is a breeze, some functionalities may still require collaboration between marketers, designers, and developers. (Hover states and accordions, we’re looking at you!)
- With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility:
- More power means more governance and training for marketers/authors to ensure they don’t go rogue on the site. Maintaining brand consistency and a logical content flow requires some organizational adjustments. (Plus, don’t forget about other focus areas, such as accessibility and SEO standards as well.)
In the realm of XM Cloud components, the benefits are undeniable. Faster time to market, flexibility, and responsiveness are at your fingertips. But let’s not forget that developers are still our friends! A stunning, functional site is a collaborative effort. So, while marketers revel in their newfound playground, it’s essential to acknowledge that the magic happens when marketers, designers, and developers join forces to create a digital experience that truly resonates with your audience.
