If you're planning to build a Sitecore website, there are a few things you need to consider.
Your CTO has approved the licensing costs, your CMO has high expectations for the revenue it will generate, and your marketers are looking forward to using the new functionality.
However, building a Sitecore implementation is not an easy task. You're not just laying the foundation for your site today, but also for everything you hope to achieve with it in the future.
To help you architect your Sitecore implementation like a pro, QEdge has compiled our top tips based on our experience of doing this for well over a decade.
1. Follow Helix principles.
To ensure successful Sitecore architecture, the first step is to follow Helix principles. Sitecore Helix is a set of official best practices for implementing Sitecore, outlined by Sitecore itself.
Adhering to these guidelines is crucial to build the Sitecore implementation efficiently from the start and to ensure it is easy to use, maintain, and troubleshoot moving forward.
Ignoring Helix principles can be a critical mistake.
2. Map everything out first; then architect it.
Before diving into the details, it is essential to map out all the components of your project. This step is critical in architecting an elegant and logical solution.
At QEdge, we typically use a spreadsheet that maps out all the parts and pieces, including how the content will be organized in Sitecore, what belongs in a module versus a page, what building blocks are needed, and all the data templates, page renderings, module renderings, and layouts.
We also consider what supporting information will be necessary, such as category lists or color themes, and how to generalize them for maximum usage.
3. Be Considerate of Your Content Editors
When architecting a Sitecore implementation, it's crucial to keep in mind the needs of not only your visitors and customers but also your internal team, including content editors and marketers. A good Sitecore architecture should make page creation and editing a simple, straightforward process.
Your Sitecore partner's role is to configure the DXP in a way that enables easy access and editing of modules, page templates, and personalization features for your content editors.
4. Improve Content Efficiency with Sitecore Content Reusability
When developing a Sitecore implementation, it's important to consider the efficiency of your content creation process. For your marketers to create revenue-boosting content regularly, they must be able to do so efficiently. One way to make this happen is by making your Sitecore content reusable.
By enabling your Sitecore content to be reused across multiple pages or sites, your content editors can create content more efficiently, saving time and effort. This can be achieved by architecting a solution that makes it easy to store and reuse content wherever it's needed.
Your Sitecore partner must understand your content requirements and business goals to develop a solution that fits your needs. Making your Sitecore content reusable is an essential part of creating a successful Sitecore implementation and improving your content creation process.
5. Architect Sitecore Modules for Optimal Performance
When architecting a Sitecore implementation, it's common to see an approach where every little thing is turned into a module. However, this approach can result in an overloaded Sitecore solution that is difficult for marketers to manage and for developers to troubleshoot.
At QEdge, we recommend considering all the elements that make up a content piece and turning them into a module. For example, a customer testimonial typically includes a header introducing it, a copy section with the testimonial, a photo of the customer, and maybe a smaller copy section identifying the individual and their company. By tying all these elements together in a single module, content editors can easily reuse the module across the site instead of creating a makeshift testimonial module.
Thinking in terms of whole modules rather than getting too granular enables marketers to efficiently manage and use Sitecore modules. This approach simplifies the content creation process and makes it easy for developers to troubleshoot issues when something goes wrong. Therefore, it's crucial to architect Sitecore modules for optimal performance and to prevent a Sitecore implementation from becoming overloaded with modules.
6. Optimize Sitecore Personalization with a Whole-Module Approach
Personalization is one of the most powerful features offered by Sitecore, but it can become problematic when you get too granular with your modules. When you personalize individual elements in a module, it becomes difficult for marketers to manage and maintain.
During QEdge's cooperation with Cochlear, we took full advantage of personalization.
You can check it out here.
To optimize Sitecore personalization, it's recommended to personalize a whole module in Sitecore. For instance, you may want certain testimonials to appear on different page types, based on where the traffic is coming from. By personalizing the entire module, you can avoid making your marketers create personalization rules for each individual element in the testimonial.
To avoid this issue, it's essential to ensure your Sitecore partner is thinking about personalization throughout the architecting phase. Your partner should create a thorough architecture document and guide you through any modules or page renderings they're creating. By doing so, you can avoid a Sitecore implementation that's overloaded with personalization rules and optimized for efficient content management. We've written an article on how to choose a responsible Sitecore partner, feel free to read it.
Don't forget about personalization when architecting your Sitecore implementation. Use a whole-module approach to optimize Sitecore personalization and simplify the content creation process for your marketers.
7. Distinguish Page Content and Module Content in Sitecore
When working on a Sitecore implementation, it's important to distinguish between page content and module content. While tying elements together into a single module simplifies content creation, it's also crucial to tie modules to pages in Sitecore.
Many of your pages may fall into certain categories, such as blog articles, product pages, or long-form resource content. While each page will have unique content, there will be default elements that they share. For example, a blog page may have a featured image, a title, a copy section, and a CTA to download a whitepaper or sign up for a newsletter. Additionally, there may be a right rail on the page featuring related articles, trending articles, or buttons to follow on social media.
To make it easy for marketers to manage and maintain pages in Sitecore, pre-load these modules into the page template. If every page of a certain page type will contain the same module, such as social media buttons on the right rail, it should be handled at the page level, not the module level.
By distinguishing between the page content and module content in Sitecore, you can improve efficiency and simplify the content creation process for your marketers. Ensure your Sitecore partner understands the distinction and incorporates it into the Sitecore implementation.
8. Identify Global vs. Page Components in Sitecore
When developing a Sitecore implementation, it's important to distinguish between global and page components. Global components, such as headers and footers, should not be explicitly assigned to a page. Instead, they should be part of the site structure and show up as part of the layout or background coding. This ensures consistency across the website and prevents important elements from being left out.
Your Sitecore partner should be careful when assigning components to pages and ensure that global components are treated as such. This prevents your website from lacking consistency and looking unprofessional.
9. Transform Wireframes into Patterns in Sitecore
When working with a design team in Sitecore, it's important to review wireframes with an eye for reusability. For example, a product page may include testimonials, while blog articles feature quotes from experts. While these may appear as two different things, they can be handled by a single module that handles both use cases.
In Sitecore, a module can handle different types of content, so it's important to focus on the form of the content rather than the content itself. By creating a single module that handles both testimonials and quotes, content editors can use the same module across both page types, rather than having two different modules that include the exact same elements.
To make it easy for content editors to find the modules they need, name them in a way that reflects their form rather than their content. For example, a testimonial module that doubles as a blog quote module could be named a "Quote" module. This strikes a balance between having too many granular modules and making it easy for content editors to quickly find what they need.
By transforming wireframes into patterns and creating reusable modules in Sitecore, you can simplify the content creation process and improve efficiency. Ensure your Sitecore partner understands this approach and incorporates it into your Sitecore implementation.
10. Prepare Sitecore Architecture for Presentation
After completing your Sitecore implementation, it's time to present your architecture to stakeholders for approval. At Qedge, we recommend explaining the architecture from a bird's-eye view and then breaking it down into individual components. This approach helps stakeholders understand how all the components work together to create a cohesive whole.
During the presentation, review the details of every item needed, where each item is stored, and how each item works with other components. Take the time to define how Sitecore works, explaining the difference between a rendering, a module, and a global element. This ensures stakeholders have a clear understanding of the Sitecore implementation and what to expect.
If your Sitecore partner is not willing to go to these lengths to ensure you have a clear idea of what to expect, consider looking at other options. A thorough architecture document is essential for a successful Sitecore implementation.
At Qedge, we provide a Sitecore Architecture Document that explains the architecture in detail. We are committed to providing Sitecore implementation services. If you're interested in seeing an example, contact us and we'll be happy to share it with you.
Contact us today to learn more.
