Content Management System Integration

In the world of e-commerce, content is often seen as secondary to the core shop functionalities. However, in the Velocity architecture, we've taken a radical approach by building our platform around a Content Management System (CMS), rather than simply adding CMS functionalities as an afterthought. Our experience shows that the majority of the ongoing development effort in e-commerce is spent on managing content, running campaigns, handling use-case-specific configurations, and limited-time offerings. Given the importance of these functions, it makes sense to optimize for them from the start. In this chapter, we'll explore how Velocity integrates its content management tightly to provide a flexible and robust e-commerce solution.

Content-Driven Commerce: A Paradigm Shift

Traditional e-commerce systems usually focus on developing shop core functionalities first and then inserting content management capabilities into predefined spots. This approach tends to limit flexibility and can make managing complex campaigns and content-heavy pages cumbersome.

Velocity, on the other hand, follows the concept of content-driven commerce. We believe that a superior shopping experience should be built around a CMS, not the other way around. By focusing on content from the ground up, Velocity offers unparalleled flexibility in crafting unique shopping experiences that can adapt to ever-changing marketing needs and customer expectations.

Seamless Integration with Storyblok

We've chosen Storyblok as our CMS, and we've integrated it deeply into our system. In Velocity, any page can be a content page, and any content page can contain commerce features such as product listings, detail views, etc. This flexibility opens the door to creativity and customization.

The key to this seamless integration is in our routing system. If a URL is unknown to the router, it's resolved via the CMS. This mechanism provides two main benefits:

1. Flexible Content Placement: You can place content anywhere on the site without having to modify the core routing logic. Whether it's a blog post, a campaign landing page, or a product detail view, it can all be managed through the CMS.

2. Real-time Preview with Storyblok: Since the CMS handles the rendering of unknown URLs, the preview functionality in Storyblok works out of the box. You can see changes as you make them without any additional configuration or development effort.

Building a Page in Velocity: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here's a step-by-step guide to help you understand how to create and manage a content-driven page with commerce features in Velocity:

1. Create Content in Storyblok: Start by defining your page in Storyblok. You can use the wide array of components and layout tools to create rich and dynamic content.

2. Add Commerce Features: If your page requires commerce functionalities, you can embed them directly within your content. Whether it's a product listing or a special offer banner, it can be managed through the CMS.

3. Preview Your Page: Utilize Storyblok's real-time preview to see how your page will look. Make adjustments as needed, all while seeing the live updates.

4. Publish Your Page: Once you're satisfied with the design and content, you can publish your page. The URL resolution mechanism will take care of displaying your content as intended, without any need for additional routing configuration.

5. Analyze and Optimize: Monitor how your content is performing and make ongoing adjustments as needed. The integration between Velocity and Storyblok allows for agile content management that can adapt to trends and user feedback.

Workaround if the Storyblok editor doesn't show locally running site

You need to open https://localhost:8888 in the browser and accept the self signed cert. If Storyblok renders this url in an iframe it doesn't show this dialog