Percussion Software Introduces its “Percussion 2.0” Solution Series Featuring CMS & WCM Integration for Web Analytics and Blogging

WOBURN, MA – October 22, 2007 – Percussion Software, a leading developer of Web Content Management (WCM) solutions for multi-channel, customer-centric applications, today introduced its Percussion 2.0™ Solution Series.  The Percussion 2.0 Solution Series enables marketing and business professionals to buy packaged capabilities targeting specific line-of-business objectives for their customer-centric Web content managed by Percussion’s Rhythmyx platform. The Solution Series is designed to automate on-line marketing functions – which now extend not only to Web sites and email, but also blogs, RSS feeds, podcasts, new mobile apps and social networking.  The Percussion 2.0 Solution Series maintains and consistently delivers branding and content across multiple channels. 

The first two offerings in the new 2.0 Series are the Blog Integration Solution and WebTrends Analytics Integration Solution.  These solutions highlight the diversity of offerings that the Solution Series has in store – from enabling new “Web 2.0” style customer interactivity through the Blog Integration Solution, to traditional marketing automation and business intelligence with the WebTrends Analytics Solution.  The Percussion 2.0 Solutions for Web Analytics and Blogging will be available this month and support Microsoft Windows, Red Hat Linux and Sun Solaris platforms.  

“Marketing today is undergoing a transformation from two directions at once.  Traditional marketing programs are being scrutinized, measured and automated like never before.  Meanwhile Web 2.0 has unleashed a wave of new social communication on-line that is changing all the rules for customer interactions,”said Percussion CEO Barry Reynolds.  “The Percussion 2.0 Solution Series simplifies the process for business decision makers, enabling them to buy and deploy targeted capabilities in the areas they need, leveraging their investment in the Rhythmyx WCM platform.  The Percussion 2.0 Solution Seriesoffers a diverse array of both Web 2.0 and traditional marketing capabilities, allowing our customers to deliver enhanced experiences to their customers and better engage with them.”

WebTrends Analytics Integration Solution

Percussion is a certified WebTrends Open Exchange Partner for content management. Percussion’s WebTrends Analytics Integration Solution provides a powerful way to track the behaviors of targeted audiences, measure the effectiveness of campaigns, and learn the channels and sites that Web users prefer.  Percussion’s WebTrends Analytics Solution provides the ability to understand Web usage data in the context of a Web site’s content and structure.  Then it can be linked back to the content management system, so that WCM users can take action by modifying the site using the data to enhance the experience of Web site visitors.

“This integrated solution takes the strengths of both WebTrends and Percussion and creates a way for marketers to target the most profitable customer segments,” said Tore Steen, vice president of business and corporate development for WebTrends.  “The ability to directly track behaviors and measure effectiveness of campaigns allows organizations to continually improve the return on marketing investments.  This combination will help organizations improve lifetime customer value.”

Key benefits include:

• Links directly to the Rhythmyx user interface and WebTrends Analytics package, ensuring that Web analytic data will be meaningful for actual business decisions.
• Allows Web usage data to be used to prioritize, group and rearrange content for maximum impact.
• Automates the entire tagging process, enforcing consistent targeting, segmentation and other categorization methods across all content.
• Provides analysis in easy visual displays, such as WebTrends SmartView that allows the user to see Web site traffic overlaid directly onto existing Web pages for an instant sense of where customers are going.
• Enables market-leading conversion reports such as WebTrends 5-Point Scenario Analysis providing visual conversion analysis for campaigns and other promotions, which pinpoints precisely where and why customers are on the path to conversion.

Blog Integration Solution

Blogs have quickly grown into a common feature on many customer-facing Web sites.  They are the most prevalent form of Web 2.0 application and the most widely used type of customer- and user-generated content.  Blogs provide socialconnectivity through features such as pings, trackbacks and comments that allow other bloggers or blog readers to contribute.  With frequent new posts, and high social interaction, blogs are a great means for generating a steady stream of readers or for drawing in and connecting visitors who share common interests.  The WCM challenge stems from blogging’s rapid growth: how is an organization to embrace the blog channel, yet integrate it with their overall content efforts to produce a compelling customer experience?  The Rhythmyx Blog Integration Solution is the answer.  It transforms almost any blog from a separate, isolated channel into a cohesive part of delivering a comprehensive, multi-channel customer experience.

Key benefits include:

• Increases social traffic to Web sites by incorporating blog content into them
  • Blog posts and comments can be used to drive traffic to any site or page.
  • Get customers more involved by placing their best comments where everyone can see them on the Web site.
  • Cross-promote events, campaigns, or other initiatives through the blog channel.
• Increases the consistency and impact of corporate messages by delivering them through the blog channel.
  • Ensures that all corporate blog posts are approved before they go live.
  • Edit content once and reuse content across blogs, Web pages and other channels.

All Percussion 2.0™ Solutions are designed to be vendor- and platform-neutral, enabling customers to select the “best of breed” third-party products that best meet their needs.  Percussion also offers Solutions specifically for “Select” Vendors who have provided unique or market-leading capabilities or have certified field installations with Percussion Rhythmyx. 

Read more about the individual solutions and how they integrate:

Analytics WCM & CMS Integration Solution Product Overview (.PDF Document)

Community Marketing WCM & CMS Integration Product Overview (.PDF Document)