The React-Based CMS/Storefront (that is Spire) will continue to support multi-site capabilities on a single instance of the Optimizely B2B Commerce Platform. Customers can continue to build out different site experiences with different URL structures. We are, however, changing the way ‘microsites’ are handled in Spire vs. Classic.

After evaluating SEO, site performance impacts, common industry trends/practices, and reviewing existing feature adoption of microsites in Classic, the following outlines how microsites will be handled within Spire. Note that there will be no changes made to existing Classic features.

Microsite changes in Spire

• We will support the ‘microsite’ URL structure of: microsite1.domain.com, microsite2.domain.com, and so on.
• We will NOT support the ‘microsite’ URL structure of: domain.com/microsite1, domain.com/microsite2, and so on.
• REASON FOR CHANGE: When using the ‘domain.com/microsite’ pattern, there is performance impact to delineate between a separate site vs. subdirectory on the existing site. Also, user experience to delineate between a separate experience vs. subdirectory is more difficult.
• Content inheritance will be handled differently in Spire. In Q1 2022, we added the ability to define ‘shared content widgets’. These content widgets will be managed in a single place in the Spire CMS, but can be placed on any number of pages. When the global widget is edited, those changes will take effect on any page that contains that widget. These ‘shared content widgets’ can be configured to be valid on a single site or can be used on other sites. This allows for content, like ‘About Us’, to be managed in one place but used on any number of sites.
• REASON FOR CHANGE: The ‘shared content widgets’ cover the primary use cases that the inheritance capabilities provided in Classic. This also provides content sharing capabilities within a single site as well.
• When multiple languages are available on a given site, users can define a separate URL for the home page in that language (such as domain.com/fr_homepage/). While not explicitly a microsite, it does enable users to have unique pages for a language to get indexed for SEO purposes.
• Note: This capability was also added to Classic in v5.0.4.