Why do you need to upgrade to Sitecore 8 for your website in 2022?

Sitecore is one of the world’s leading digital experience providers. So, does that mean it stays the same to stay relevant? No. It is constantly evolving and changing to give its users the best digital experiences. This is one of the reasons why getting a Sitecore Upgrade is essential.

Sitecore has come a long way when it comes to bringing new versions that are enhanced and advanced. What are the recent versions of Sitecore? Sitecore 8, 9, and 10. So, why is it important to have a Sitecore 8 upgrade for your website this year?

The answer is simple. Sitecore comes up with new versions and along with that, it also releases dates of when the Mainstream Support will end and the Extended Support will end. For Sitecore 8.2, the extended support will end on 31-Dec-2022 while the mainstream support has already ended 2 years ago.

This is why, now is the time to get the Sitecore 8.2 Upgrade as that is the last version to have the remaining extended support.

Let us first look at what is Sitecore 8.2 Upgrade and what features come under this version of Sitecore.

What is Sitecore 8.2? Why you upgrade to it?

Sitecore 8.2 Upgrade version was released in 2016. It includes many features and new functionalities with major improvements in UI and analytics. Along with this, Sitecore 8.2 Upgrade version also consists of a flexible UI, powerful analytics, new experience profiles and a lot of advancements in content management.

Here is what all is included in Sitecore 8.2:

• Improvements in content foundation
• Publishing service support
• Express migration support
• Marketing funnels
• Enhanced features of Experience Editor
• Content Testing UI with improvements
• Path Analyzer component improved
• Sitecore Experience Accelerator (SXA)

Sitecore 8.2 no doubt comes with its set of features and benefits but if you are hiring Sitecore Upgrade Services for your business, they will always recommend that you go for the latest Sitecore Version to get the best of the best that Sitecore has to offer.

This is why it is very essential that in 2022, you get Sitecore 8.2 upgrade done for your website. Apart from this also, there are many other reasons why you need to get a Sitecore Upgrade.

Why should you upgrade to the Sitecore latest versions?

Currently, if you are on older versions of Sitecore such as Sitecore 6, Sitecore 7 or even Sitecore 8, you must get the Sitecore Upgrade done. Why, you may ask? Let us check out the reasons.

1. An upgrade of Sitecore will accelerate the delivery of enhanced customer experiences.
2. Sitecore enables brands to jumpstart personalization and uncover different customer segments through Sitecore AI Auto-Personalization.
3. There are new editing efficiencies and improvements to site authoring and workflows because of the new Horizon editor and SXA.
4. Enhanced content profiling helps in accelerating the brand’s ability for tagging content and gaining valuable insights into digital patterns and behaviors of visitors.

Sitecore currently has Sitecore 9 as well as Sitecore 10 versions which are the latest and have their extended support end dates on 31-Dec-2023 and 31-Dec-2027 respectively.

What are the benefits of upgrading to Sitecore 9?

Here are a list of reasons why upgrading to Sitecore 9 is beneficial for your business:

1. Sitecore Upgrades are easier to implement and cost-effective

   Making a plan to upgrade Sitecore takes time and also needs budgeting but keeping the Sitecore environment in sync with the latest versions is still important. Fortunately, the process of upgrading Sitecore is easy now.

   Earlier it used to be like that that when you want to upgrade, you have to go for the immediate next version of Sitecore. This is why a lot of time, effort and money had to be spent on Sitecore upgradation. Now, that is no longer an issue.

   If you want to upgrade Sitecore versions, you can directly jump from one Sitecore version series to another. For example, you can directly upgrade to Sitecore 9 from Sitecore 8 without having to go through the variations of versions in between.

2. Sitecore 9 has optimization for the cloud

   Since the Sitecore 8.2 upgrade 1 came into picture, Azure PaaS has been available through the Sitecore Azure toolkit. This is not the case with Sitecore 9. It has integrated support available and makes it easier for you to run your environment.

   You can now easily leverage the expertise of Sitecore if you run into an issue. Hosting Sitecore on Azure PaaS means:

   • You can have a 10x faster setup
   • You get the ability for scaling resources in real-time
   • You get a reduced risk factor for blue/green deployments
   • Also, a major benefit: No more windows updates

    

3. You can develop and deploy new environments with efficiency

   In Sitecore 9, they have moved towards a MACH architecture. And with Azure PaaS in the picture, deployment has never been easier. Sitecore is also optimized for cloud and allows you to enjoy a more complex environment.

   Through Azure PaaS, Sitecore takes care of all the planning, configurations, installations, and deployments. All you have to do is select the size of your required environment.

4. Headless JavaScript support

   Sitecore 9 version has introduced headless JavaScript into Sitecore. It is still in very early stages but enables JavaScript professionals to build and deploy connected experiences that too faster and without having to use the expertise of .NET.

   The Sitecore JSS (Sitecore JavaScript Services) also support the powerful personalization capabilities of this platform. It enables you to gather personalized data from offline and online sources.

5. 360 Degree view of customer data

   In Sitecore 9, there is also an introduction to Sitecore xConnect. It allows the interchange of data between Sitecore XP and other record systems of your business. You will have a real 360-degree view of your customer data through the connection of Sitecore XP with your CRM, PIM, and ERP.

   You also get the ability to store your xDB data in the Microsoft SQL server.

What are the benefits of upgrading to Sitecore 10?

Let us now see why all Sitecore Upgrade Services are actually recommending that you go for the latest version of Sitecore – Sitecore 10X.

Sitecore 10 is all about optimization as well as digital transformation. There is also a focus on automation through AI with major improvements. Sitecore 10 comes with:

• Custom integrations in CRM
• Integration of Sitecore Content Hub
• Automation in Marketing
• New Horizon Editor for marketers
• Sitecore AI Video Support
• Container Support
• Sitecore Content Serialization

Sitecore 10 has some of the advantages such as:

1. Easier path for upgradation

   Sitecore 10 introduces a methodology that covers the features and functionalities of Sitecore 8 and later versions. All the documentation is centralized in a single document. This makes the upgradation smoother and economical.

2. Redesigned Launchpad

   There is a new look and a new feel about the launchpad in Sitecore 10. It provides effective differences between Commerce, Marketing Apps, Content Editing capabilities and Access management. This time, the layout of the launchpad is clear and concise with better designed icons.

3. Improvised Horizon Editor

   The new Horizon Editor for marketers is one of the highlights of Sitecore 10. It has the added features of multi-language support and better integrations (also with Sitecore Content Hub.) You get to enjoy better editing options for fields and checklists. You also get the option to create and edit data source items.

4. Increased flexibility for HTML caching

   Previous Sitecore versions came with the limitations of inflexible caching policies. The users had to apply caching to the whole page before but with Sitecore 10, it is available to the page and component level. This improves the digital experience of the site visitors on major levels.

5. Sitecore Forms

   The latest version Sitecore 10 makes it easier for all the users to send emails when the forms are submitted. It makes it simpler and easier even for the front-end developers. They can create lists of CSS class options. They can also link different elements of Sitecore to the forms.

Conclusion

Sitecore is always going to bring about new features and enhanced versions with the passage of time. It is essential for each and every business to get the Sitecore Upgrade done as it will not only make the lives of developers and your teams easier for Sitecore CMS Development, but it will also ensure that you provide a great digital experience to your customers.

Through the latest versions of Sitecore, you will provide a fresh and new, relevant website to your users which will be actually preferred by them compared to the older versions. Also, one of the major benefits is that when you have the latest version, you also get mainstream as well as extended support for a longer period of time.

Maulik Dudharejia - Co-Founder & CMO - ADDACT

Sitecore MVP 2021-23 || Digital Transformation Strategist || Marketer

Maulik Dudharejia is a visionary author, co-founder, Chief Marketing Officer, and a digital transformation expert with over 12+ years' of experience. He leverages industry certifications to translate complex tech concepts into engaging writing. His areas of expertise include Sitecore, IoT, and IT Service Management. Maulik offers valuable insights and strategies to help readers navigate the evolving tech landscape.