Is Xperience by Kentico Ready for Your Organisation? Insights from Newpath

Xperience by Kentico, the next-generation digital experience platform (DXP) from Kentico, is poised to replace the legacy Kentico Xperience 13 as the company’s flagship product. With its innovative features and robust roadmap, Xperience by Kentico is generating interest and discussion. However, the key question remains: is it ready to meet your organisation’s needs?

At Newpath, we’ve been closely monitoring the evolution of Xperience by Kentico to provide our clients with expert insights and advice. In this article, we’ll dissect the platform’s current capabilities, recent updates, and future roadmap to help you determine whether it aligns with your technical and business requirements.

Why Xperience by Kentico is a Next-Generation DXP

Kentico’s decision to rebrand and reimagine its platform as “Xperience by Kentico” rather than releasing a version 14 reflects a fundamental shift. This is more than just an upgrade—it’s a complete rebuild designed to address the demands of modern digital ecosystems.

The platform combines content management, marketing automation, and personalisation capabilities into a unified, cloud-native DXP. Notable features include:

Full SaaS architecture: A scalable and secure platform that simplifies deployment and reduces operational overhead.
Customisability: Retains the ability to deploy custom code, providing flexibility for organisations with unique requirements.
AI-driven capabilities: AIRA (Artificial Intelligence for Resource Allocation) powers features such as dynamic asset transformations and automated workflows.

The Current State of Xperience by Kentico

Kentico has invested heavily in developing Xperience by Kentico, with monthly feature releases driving ongoing progress. As of December 2024, the platform includes a number of the features expected from a modern DXP:

Core Features

Content Management: Comprehensive tools for content modelling, reusable field schemas, and multilingual support.
Visual Page Builder: Intuitive drag-and-drop interface with sections and widgets.
Multi-Channel Support: Manage multiple websites or digital channels from a single tenant.
Personalisation: Dynamic rule-based segmentation and personalisation capabilities.
Headless GraphQL API: Enables seamless content delivery to mobile apps, websites, and other digital channels.
Email Marketing & Automation: Track user activity, create workflows, and personalise communications.

Advanced Functionality

Content Hub: Centralised repository for reusable, channel-agnostic content.
Smart Folders: Marketer-controlled content organisation and delivery.
E-commerce: Integration options via Shopify and a legacy Kentico 13 bridge.

These features make Xperience by Kentico a solid choice for organisations seeking a unified platform for managing digital experiences.

Recent Updates

Recent developments have addressed some critical gaps and introduced exciting new capabilities:

Notable Feature Releases

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enhances security with support for authenticator apps.
Smart Bulk Asset Uploading: Simplifies content management in the Content Hub.
Granular Permissions: Improved control over multi-channel websites.
Migration Tools: Streamlined migration from Sitefinity, Sitecore, and legacy Kentico versions.

Upcoming Features

Dynamic Asset Transformations: Leverages AIRA to optimise media for different channels automatically.
Visual Email Builder: Simplifies email campaign creation with drag-and-drop tools.
Content Sync: Facilitates staging and synchronisation across environments.
AI Tagging: Automatically generates metadata for content, improving searchability and categorisation.

These updates demonstrate Kentico’s commitment to maintaining a rapid development cadence and addressing customer feedback.

Is Xperience by Kentico Ready for Your Needs?

While Xperience by Kentico is a robust platform, whether it’s the right choice depends on your organisation’s specific requirements. Let’s break it down:

🟢 Yes, Xperience by Kentico is right for you (now) if:

You need a unified platform to consolidate multiple websites and channels.
Your organisation values shared content and visitor data across digital touchpoints, including mobile apps and email marketing.
You require a cost-effective SaaS CMS with extensibility for custom development.
Your focus is primarily web-first, with standard headless integration needs supported by a GraphQL API.

🟠 Reconsider if:

You require advanced A/B or multivariate testing—currently, personalisation is limited to rule-based segmentation.
You’re migrating from Kentico 13 and expect feature parity; Xperience by Kentico is a new platform with some changes in functionality.
Your project is commerce-first or requires highly complex eCommerce functionality. While native eCommerce is on the roadmap, current options rely on third-party integrations, which in the past have not been industry leading experiences from Kentico.

🔴 Consider alternatives if:

You have highly complex headless API requirements, such as high-performance content-management APIs or true omnichannel delivery.
Your needs demand integrating additional major platforms, reducing the value proposition of a unified solution.

What Helps Set Xperience by Kentico Apart

Xperience by Kentico offers several unique advantages:

Unified Platform: Combines content, marketing, and personalisation in one system, eliminating the need for multiple tools.
Flexibility: A hybrid approach that balances traditional CMS capabilities with modern headless functionality.
Rapid Innovation: Monthly updates ensure the platform evolves quickly to meet market demands.

However, organisations with niche requirements, such as advanced commerce or pure headless CMS needs, may find other platforms better suited.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Xperience by Kentico

The roadmap for Xperience by Kentico is promising, with several high-impact features slated for release in 2025:

AI-Powered Enhancements: Automated translations and AI-generated metadata.
eCommerce Expansion: Native functionality expected to rival existing integrations.
Enhanced SaaS Reliability: Improved uptime guarantees for critical deployments.
Customer Journeys: Tools for mapping and optimising end-to-end user experiences.

These developments will further solidify Kentico’s position as a leading DXP provider.

Insights from Newpath

At Newpath, we recognise that choosing the right DXP is a critical decision for any organisation. Xperience by Kentico represents a compelling option for businesses seeking a cloud-native, unified platform that balances flexibility with ease of use. However, as with any technology, it’s essential to assess your unique requirements before committing.

Whether you’re considering Xperience by Kentico or exploring other DXPs, our team of experts can help you navigate the decision-making process. From technical evaluations to implementation and optimisation, we’re here to ensure your digital transformation succeeds.

This article reflects our latest insights as of December 2024. As the digital landscape evolves, we’ll continue to monitor and share updates on Xperience by Kentico and other leading DXPs. Stay tuned for more insights.

Is Xperience by Kentico Ready for Your Organisation? Insights from Newpath

Why Xperience by Kentico is a Next-Generation DXP