Umbraco acquires Dutch firm uMarketingSolutions for CMS enhancement

Umbraco, the open-source .NET CMS platform provider, has acquired Dutch company uMarketingSolutions, the developer behind the uMarketingSuite software package.

This acquisition is expected to enhance the Umbraco CMS platform by integrating comprehensive analytics, content personalisation, customer insights, and marketing automation features.

The uMarketingSuite software was initially created by Perplex Digital. Its primary function was to personalise web content for returning visitors based on previously viewed pages.

Due to its popularity as an add-on for developers creating Umbraco websites and eCommerce sites, a separate company was established to focus on its further development. Over the last seven years, the suite has grown to include features such as content personalisation, A/B testing, server-side analytics, 360-degree profiling, and marketing automation, with usage spanning digital agencies globally.

A 2021 study conducted by McKinsey & Company found that 76% of consumers were more likely to purchase from brands that personalise interactions. Additionally, 78% said they were more likely to refer friends and family to brands that apply personalisation strategies.

The same study indicated that personalisation could reduce customer acquisition costs by up to 50%, increase revenues by 5% to 15%, and improve marketing return on investment (ROI) by 10% to 30%. McKinsey also noted that digitally native direct-to-consumer brands, which prioritise first-party data in their marketing decisions, derived about 25% of their revenue from personalisation.

Kim Sneum-Madsen, CEO of Umbraco, expressed enthusiasm regarding the acquisition. "We are delighted to bring uMarketingSuite to an even wider audience and provide digital marketers with intuitive tools that empower them to deliver targeted content that measurably improves customer engagement, satisfaction, and conversion on sites built on the Umbraco CMS platform. This makes Umbraco an even more compelling proposition for end-users and reinforces the work of our worldwide network of digital partners as they continue to meet and exceed clients' evolving digital requirements," Sneum-Madsen stated.

The uMarketingSuite is now available as an Umbraco-supported add-on, which integrates seamlessly with the Umbraco CMS platform. This allows digital marketing teams to incorporate sophisticated analytics, customer segmentation, and content personalisation, making their campaigns more targeted, measurable, and effective.

Filip Bech-Larsen, Chief Technology Officer at Umbraco, commented on the strategic importance of the acquisition. "Personalisation is a key area in Umbraco's long-term product strategy. The acquisition of uMarketingSuite allows Umbraco to offer customers a first-party data alternative to web analytics and profiling that provides transparency of data ownership compared to third-party offerings," Bech-Larsen explained.

Furthermore, the integration of Umbraco Commerce with uMarketingSuite enables digital marketers to access detailed order histories at the Visitor Profile level. This feature supports the creation of eCommerce sites that can identify returning customers, personalise product information and website content, and engage immediately with abandoned shopping carts to help increase sales.

Leon de Wildt, CEO of uMarketingSolutions, also shared his thoughts on the acquisition. "What began as a project to develop a tool to personalise a client's web content according to site visitors' interests has grown into a comprehensive marketing suite for all Umbraco users."

"We look forward to working within the larger Umbraco HQ team to continue expanding the suite and to seeing many more organisations benefitting from the insights, actions, and conversions that can be achieved through its application," de Wildt said.