Written by: Andrew Killey - Practice Lead, Consumer
Andrew Killey (Practice Lead, Consumer) sat down with Raphael Yousuf (Lead Tech) to break down the new release and what it actually means for clients.
What is Optimizely CMS 13?
Optimizely CMS 13 is the latest major release of the Optimizely Content Management System. It replaces Search & Navigation (EPiFind) with Optimizely Graph as the core content delivery layer, introduces Visual Builder for marketer-led page creation, introduces Opal AI as a core platform component, and adds official .NET 10 support. It is a platform transition, not a simple upgrade, and requires a Technical Readiness Assessment before migration.
CMS 13 and why it matters
AK: Alright Raph, CMS 13 just dropped. What is it and why should anyone care?
Raph: So CMS 12 was really about speed and developer flexibility. CMS 13 is a different beast. This one’s about intelligence and composability. Think of it like going from a well-built engine to a self-driving car. The engine’s still great, but now there’s a brain on top of it.
The big shift is Optimizely Graph. It’s now the main driver behind content delivery. It replaces the old Search & Navigation (EPi Find) and becomes this unified layer that pulls content from the CMS, DAM, PIM, and any other external sources you’ve got plugged in.
You also get official .NET 10 support, which means better performance, better efficiency, and up-to-date security.
Standout features of Optimizely CMS 13
AK: What are the standout features?
Raph: There are four big ones worth talking about.
Visual Builder is the headline act. It’s a completely new content editing interface built for marketers. Using sections and elements, you can spin up a campaign page in minutes instead of days. And you get live preview across channels as you build. No more publishing and crossing your fingers.
Semantic Search via Optimizely Graph is a proper step up. Search now understands what someone actually means, not just the keywords they typed. It uses AI to match intent, so your content works harder without you having to game the system.
Opal is a core component in CMS 13, activated through Opti ID. It provides AI-assisted content workflows, automated content variations for experimentation, and agents that can assist with GEO tasks.
External Content Integration lets you pull content from outside systems, like legacy databases or separate ecommerce platforms, and treat it like it lives inside the CMS. No more dodgy data syncing that breaks at 2am.
Put it all together and marketers get more autonomy, content becomes AI-ready, and the whole thing moves faster.
CMS 12 vs CMS 13: what actually changed
- Search & Navigation (EPiFind) - replaced by Optimizely Graph (unified content delivery layer)
- Page editing interface - replaced by Visual Builder with sections and elements
- Opal AI - new core platform component in CMS 13, with agents that assist with GEO tasks and automated experimentation
- Identity model - new Opti ID system introduced
- .NET version - official .NET 10 support
What it takes to move to CMS 13?
AK: So how do clients actually get access? Is it just a software update?
Raph: This is the important bit. It’s not a patch you click to install. Because CMS 13 swaps out Search & Navigation for Optimizely Graph and introduces a new identity model called Opti ID, it’s more of a platform transition than a simple upgrade.
The first step is a Technical Readiness Assessment. You need to look at your codebase and work out if there’s anything stopping you from moving to .NET 10 and Optimizely Graph. Beyond that, there’ll be adjustments to align your implementation with some of the new concepts in CMS 13 and make sure it plays nicely with the Visual Builder.
AK: So the short answer is: talk to your dev team or your agency partner. Don’t wait for it to land in your lap. Get a readiness check done and start planning.
If you’re on Optimizely and want to understand what CMS 13 means for your setup, get in touch with the Orchard team. We’re already helping clients plan their transition.
Common questions
What is Optimizely CMS 13?
Optimizely CMS 13 is the latest major version of the Optimizely Content Management System. It replaces Search & Navigation with Optimizely Graph, introduces Visual Builder for marketer-led page authoring, and introduces Opal AI as a core platform component. It also adds .NET 10 support. Unlike previous updates, it is a platform transition that requires a Technical Readiness Assessment before migration.
What is Optimizely Graph and how is it different from EPiFind?
Optimizely Graph replaces Search & Navigation (EPiFind) as the content delivery engine in CMS 13. Where EPiFind handled search indexing, Graph is a unified layer that pulls content from the CMS, DAM, PIM, and external sources, and delivers it across channels. It also powers the semantic search capability, which matches user intent rather than just keywords.
What is Visual Builder in Optimizely CMS 13?
Visual Builder is a new content editing interface in CMS 13 designed for marketers rather than developers. It uses sections and elements to let teams assemble and launch campaign pages without development support, with live multi-channel preview as they work. It replaces the previous editing experience and is one of the primary reasons CMS 13 requires a platform transition rather than a patch update.
Is upgrading from CMS 12 to CMS 13 a simple update?
No. CMS 13 replaces the search and navigation layer, introduces a new identity model (Opti ID), and changes the editing interface. This makes it a platform transition rather than a patch update. The recommended first step is a Technical Readiness Assessment to identify any codebase issues before migrating to .NET 10 and Optimizely Graph.
What is Opal in Optimizely CMS 13?
Opal is Optimizely's AI agent orchestration platform, introduced as a core component in CMS 13 and activated through Opti ID. It provides AI-assisted content workflows, automated content variations for experimentation, and content creation and translation support. It also includes agents that can assist with GEO tasks, connecting to your content through Optimizely Graph.
Andrew Killey is Practice Lead, Consumer at Orchard, an Optimizely Gold Partner with specialists across Sydney, Hobart, Manila and New York. He leads digital consumer practice for enterprise clients across financial services, travel and tourism, automotive, and member based organisations.
Raphael Yousuf is Optimizely Lead at Orchard, specialising in CMS architecture, platform migration, and Optimizely implementations.
