Case
Composable architectures are about selecting the best current technology for the requirements right now, that can easily be replaced as new needs or technologies arise. At iO we are technology agnostic, with a broad experience in programming languages, frameworks, and platforms. This makes composable architectures a great cultural fit.
“By 2024, the design mantra for new SaaS and custom applications will be ‘composable API-first or API-only,’ rendering traditional SaaS and custom applications as legacy.”
Gartner Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2022
We regard the API first principle as a crucial step for the adoption of composable architecture. This allows you to easily integrate when building a digital ecosystem. Using domain driven design API based (micro)services are bundled into Packaged Business Capabilities (PBC’s) and represent a clearly defined business capability. MACH (Microservices, API-First, Cloud-Native & Headless) principles are followed.
Adopting a composable mindset enables organisations to be more agile in the face of change in turbulent times.
How does composable architecture bring you agility?
With a monolithic system, any change, no matter how small, demands a regression test, build, deploy of the software and/or acceptance process for a much larger scope. Developers face a far more complex system to work in. This can be time-consuming and can lead to long cycles and release times.
With a composable architecture, however, changes can be made to individual components. This makes it much easier and faster to adapt to changes in user expectations and the digital environment, and to add new features and capabilities as needed without the need of a large overhaul. It will lower cognitive load and allow you to locate and evaluate components, replace, understand their context, and quickly integrate them into any project.
“There are plenty of organisations who see the same opportunities. What matters is how fast you can validate and bring them to market. You can only do this if your underlying architecture is flexible.”
Raymond Muilwijk, CoE Lead Technology iO
Core drivers of business agility with composable architecture
• Flexibility
Composable architectures give you the freedom to select every part of your digital ecosystem. With no vendor-lock, it allows a best of breed approach. Using the best technology or product for each individual part of the system.
• Discoverability
Because of the modular and standardized nature of the architecture it is easier for different teams to understand and use each other's components. This can lead to increased collaboration and efficiency within the organisation.
• Adaptability
Modify individual components without affecting the rest of the system. Simply replace components when they are outdated or no longer meet your needs and add new components to your system as needed.
• Autonomy
Aligning components to the business design allows rapid decisions and limiting waste. Teams work on components independently and develop solutions that are tailored to their specific needs, area of expertise and requirements.
Migrate to composable architecture immediately?
At iO we are convinced that composable architectures are the future for a lot of digital experiences, but they are not the answer to every digital question. The decision to migrate to composable architectures, like most organisational concerns, is not one to be taken lightly.
Technological migration at scale is naturally influenced by the stakeholder’s mindset and earlier experience. Embracing experimentation is one thing, but it must deliver a tangible business advantage. Concerns such as lifecycle management, integration risk, expected changes in market demands, vendor roadmaps, the need for innovation, and the strategic focus of your organisation are all essential parts of the decision-making matrix.
“Don’t fix what ain’t broke” is out. Everything that’s not changeable is a business or technical debt, a barrier to vitality of the organization that’s facing turbulence and uncertainty.”
Becoming Composable: A Gartner Trend Insight Report
Time for a composable mindset
One of the biggest challenges for organisations that are looking for sustainable digital solutions is the mindset shift that is needed. With composable architectures it is important to be willing to embrace the possibilities offered by existing solutions and have the vision to integrate them to form a larger system.
A composable architecture is only as good as the parts that are available. Technology trends driving composable like API first, headless, Cloud Native and SaaS demand a different approach and technology vision.
When implemented correctly, composable is a powerful architecture for organisations that want to be more agile in their response to the ever-changing demands of the market. Most disruption has its origins in uncontrollable external factors like conflict, global economic factors and the emergence of contemporary trends.
Today success depends on the speed and agility of your organisation's response.
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday’s logic.”
Peter Drucker
Respond rapidly to market demands
If your market demands you to actively experiment and deliver new end-user experiences within short timeframes, e.g., a new online customer experience in 2-months, then adoption of a composable mindset is essential. What’s rarely discussed, is what makes any migration to composable architecture possible and successful.
A composable mindset is built around the ability to think and communicate beyond the boundaries of departments, specialisms, and competence silos. To see common concepts and shared services, and to properly encapsulate them in a 'component'. But also, to structure the organisation in an effective way to support instead of hindering this shift. This explicitly includes the business governance around a component in your new composable architecture.
Successful implementations of composability depend on creating the right conditions and (realistic) expectations within your organisation, and to mix those with discussions about the potentials and best starting points for a composable architecture.
How agile can one go?
iO has been advising clients on how to adopt different composable and MACH architectures because the drive to more composable systems plays a vital part in our technology vision. We see it as a cornerstone of helping more complex digital landscapes to evolve.
This journey starts by having the right expectations about the outcome of 'composable' in the various layers of your enterprise, and then defining a clear starting point. Where to dive in first? Where to learn? Recognising the different 'pace of change'-principles that underpin various systems, and the parallels they have with how 'core' they are for your business, is essential. iO Technology Director Friso Geerlings discussed these aspects recently in an article that both embraces the need for Composable, but also emphasises realism around its implementation and expectations.
Raymond Muilwijk
Technology Officer Belgium & The NetherlandsWith a distinct vision on - and experience in - strategy, enterprise & solution architecture, product management and software delivery, Raymond is the right man in the right place at the Center of Excellence. Responsible for iO's technology vision and acting as an accelerator of knowledge and innovation. Knowledge worth sharing, as the beating heart of any organisation.
Related articles
- Brussels Airport: In this case story, read how iO has become an extension of the airport.Look at this client story
Press
iO welcomes Martine Lemans as Managing Director of Consultancy Division in the Netherlands
Read moreWhitepaper
MACH - how do you know if it's right for your business?
Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native SaaS and Headless have secured their place in the business world. These concepts have existed in their own right for some time and are already fairly well known, but the umbrella term MACH is new. Will it soon be mentioned in the same breath as Cloud and SaaS? And when will it be worth investing in it? Find out in this white paper.Read moreWhitepaper
Composable Commerce: hype or here to stay?
The world of online commerce is becoming increasingly complex. Businesses need to be able to create appropriate and unique customer journeys across multiple channels. But this is proving to be quite a challenge for those still using traditional commerce platforms. Luckily, the world of online commerce is also constantly developing. When new and greater challenges arise, fresh solutions are created. Solutions like composable commerce.Read moreBlog
How valuable is MACH for your organisation?
MACH: Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native SaaS and Headless; a concept that’s suddenly in the spotlight. Although the separate concepts are well-known and not quite new, an umbrella concept is now attached to this technical view. Does ‘MACH’ constitute the new ‘Cloud’, and could it be just as influential as ‘SaaS’, or would that be giving it too much credit? IO Technology Director Friso Geerlings anticipates that MACH will present a complex challenge that will also provide companies with a focus on an incomparable and omni-channel customer experience with plenty of value.Read moreBlog
Composable architecture: how agile can one go?
The composable approach to architecture is known for its flexibility, scalability and the freedom it offers. However, many organisations have to deal with legacy, are tied to long-term contracts with software providers or simply don’t have the right people and in-house processes. So how do you switch from a traditional IT architecture to a composable one? This article gives you a realistic insight into this transition.Read moreBlog
The six digital and marketing trends for 2024
The rise of AI, shifts in the social media landscape, and the end of third-party data...2023 was, to say the least, a tumultuous year. But this year, marketers and their organizations are also facing significant challenges. Discover the six digital and marketing trends that will dominate 2024 and, most importantly, how you can successfully tackle them.Read moreDossier
24 insights for 2024
Read moreCase
How we blend technology and marketing for online pharmacy Farmaline
How does iO keep its long-term relationship with Farmaline fresh as a daisy? By mixing trust with a profitable synergy of tech and marketing services.Look at this client storyStack
Work smarter in the cloud with Google Cloud Partner iO
Google Cloud Partner iO helps organisations harness the power of the cloud for storage, analytics, development, and more.Read moreWhat we do
An innovative long-term partnership: strategy in technology
Support your organisation’s growth ambitions on budget with an in-depth tech strategy. Find out more about what iO can do for your business.Read morePress
iO named the most customer-focused digital agency in the Netherlands
Read moreEvent
AdTech and MarTech: with the perfect blend, your marketing is ready for the future
Feel like your online ads don’t always reach your target audience? Or that your marketing analyses and campaigns could be much more efficient if you had the right tools? A blend of AdTech and MarTech is the answer to both those challenges. On October 15, we will show you how it will fire up your marketing in 2025.Read moreWebinar
An ultimate customer experience with a composable architecture
Discover how a composable architecture provides the flexibility to quickly respond to market changes and deliver an exceptional customer experience.Read moreWhitepaper
Flawless content migrations
Do you want to rebrand your organisation? Is an acquisition or merger imminent? Or do you want to improve your customer experience, and does this require an organisational change? For these types of digital transformations, changing technology is often a challenging and crucial part for organisations of all sizes. Whether you need to upgrade the CMS system to a newer version, or you want to increase your innovation speed with a headless CMS, there is often one element that receives little attention: the content migration. Far too often, a content migration is nothing more than the last thing on the list, because it’s the technology that requires a lot of attention and budget, isn’t it? How complex can it be to lift and shift the content from the old system to the new?Read moreBlog
Is your organisation ready for MACH? 7 questions and answers
MACH is nothing like a classic (on-premise or IaaS) platform in terms of organisational requirements. Before exploring the options of working with MACH or actually starting to work with it, every organisation should start by asking themselves various questions.Read moreBlog
Flexibility and a shorter time-to-market with container technology
Today, structural IT decisions often require substantial investments, but they are also more important than ever when it comes to achieving your business objectives. The right vendor choice is not only important in terms of set-up and implementation, it is also essential to remain future-proof. Scalability and flexibility are necessary for the continuity of your business and structural IT decisions you make are the basis of this. There are two modern ways to achieve this: with serverless and with container technology. Serverless requires less infrastructure and networking knowledge, whereas container technology is less vendor-dependent. In this blog, we will explain how container technology can offer a solution.Read moreBlog
Forget Headless: Operational Excellence is Next-Gen E-Commerce
In uncertain times, most entrepreneurs choose to operate from a safe position and focus on easy wins and consolidation. But with this strategy you miss out on opportunities. What can we offer to withstand the unpredictable, changing consumer needs and economic and social turmoil? Our Software Architect Bavo Janss went back in time and made up the current state of affairs. He says that Operational Excellence is the answer to most of the big questions coming at us today. Read on to learn how composable commerce can help us prepare for the future.Read moreBlog
'Get a taste of AI' #2: Generative AI in practice - How to create business value from day 1
When you understand AI’s full potential you can use it purposefully. But how do you translate the versatile possibilities of AI into the specific context of your everyday business operations?Read moreBlog
2023: a year in an era of change
Does the name Leonhard Huizinga still ring a bell for anyone? Once a popular Dutch writer, now forgotten. He made his debut in 1936 with the book 'De Gestroomlijnde Wereld'. Already a wanderer at a young age, Huizinga's book opened an unknown world to many readers. An exotic world, which seemed to be getting smaller and smaller, because it was more accessible by car, train, boat, and airplane. Faster, more comfortable and with more and more streamlining — quite literally. Curious, boundless, full of wonder. Not realising, as early as 1936, that over that same world lay the shadows of tomorrow.Read moreBlog
‘Get a taste of AI’ #3: How vectors add flavour and value
Every new era requires new fuel, and the AI era is no exception. Simply collecting raw data is not enough to effectively utilise generative AI – you also need to process and interpret the data. The vector database bridges the gap between data and AI, enabling valuable output and optimal customer experiences. In this article in our ‘Get a taste of AI’ series, you will learn how vectors work and gain the tools to apply them in your daily practice. The term “vector” may not be familiar to the general public, but its impact certainly is. Vectors provide more accurate results and recommendations in search engines and recommendation engines, improving the user experience. They add context and relevance, making the difference between a positive and a negative experience. But how does this work exactly? And how can your organisation leverage vectors for AI?Read moreBlog
Hot in 2024: sustainable websites
“Refresh your website every five years.” Sound familiar? Well, listen carefully. Because in 2024, things have changed. The tech keeping your website up and running used to be out-of-date after five years. But now, it’s become more stable. So, don’t jump on the new website bandwagon just yet, and do your homework to see what you can repurpose first.Read moreBlog
Discover conversational AI search
Conversational search in the form of an AI chatbot lets your website visitors interact with your content, resulting in a better customer experience.Read moreDossier
Dossier: B2B - Turning B2B challenges into solutions
Read moreDossier
Dossier: The Opportunity Report
Read moreVideo
AI - The future is not what it used to be
Do you remember when ... the invention of the computer caused a seismic shift in the job market? People unwilling to work with computers were quickly replaced by people who were; and today everyone carries a laptop. Today the same thing is happening with AI. In this webinar, Rodger Werkhoven will share his passion for Artificial Intelligence and introduce you to OpenAI as a love brand.Read moreVideo
The Canon of Flanders: from Van Eyck’s brothers' Ghent Altarpiece to Rock Werchter.
From Van Eyck’s brothers' Ghent Altarpiece to Rock Werchter: the Canon of Flanders is finally here. The much-discussed list resulted in a bulky book of more than 300 pages and includes an overview of the Flemish language, culture, and history from the end of the last ice age to today. But there is also an online version: www.canonvanvlaanderen.be . iO developed this on behalf of the Commission Canon of Flanders, which received a mandate from the Flemish Government, Department of Education & Training.Read moreVideo
Primagaz & iO: a shared journey of growth and success
Discover the fruitful collaboration between Primagaz and iO in this 'Walk and Talk' video. In this video, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at the collaborative dynamics between Primagaz and iO. We discuss how we dealt with challenges, how we exploited opportunities and what strategies we developed. We'll take you through our shared journey of growth and success, where trust and a commitment to excellence are central. This Walk and Talk is more than just a conversation - it is a celebration of a collaboration that has stood the test of time. It is a story of mutual growth, of learning and evolving, and of creating value for both organizations.Read moreCase
How a down-to-earth audit paves the way to the ideal digital tools?
With an efficient platform audit, our experts helped Ebema make the most appropriate choices.Look at this client storyCase
How to combine rebranding and site redesign for a better user experience?
Creating a Cohesive Platform: Assuralia's Rebranding and Site Redesign for Enhanced User Experience Read the story here.Look at this client storyCase
How to use social networks to modernise your digital communication?
Modernizing Automotive Digital Communications: Unleashing the Potential of Social Networks. Read the story here.Look at this client storyCase
How do you launch a completely new brand for a global leader in marine recreation?
Read how we worked with Brunswick to create a full branding and international go-to-market strategy to launch their latest brand Navan.Look at this client storyCase
How does a smart vehicle configurator help for higher order value?
iO developed a website and UX-driven configurator for and with Suzuki Belgium. Read all about it in this case.Look at this client storyCase
How can a network manager ensure we navigate the energy transition successfully?
Discover how awareness, behaviour change, and hyper-local personalization lead to cost efficiency and relevance at the right moment.Look at this client storyCase
How to present a unified brand story for multiple companies within the same group?
How do you tell a clear online story that pulls traffic towards your website if you represent multiple businesses? Read the case and find out.Look at this client storyCase
How do you make customers salivate for your brand again?
Find out how we helped cheese brand CAMBOZOLA reactivate its existing customers and attract younger generations. Read the case.Look at this client storyCase
Finding and offering the right location to turn a special event into a favourite memory
Discover how iO made the websites and the personal admin portal of High Profile Locaties more manageable, findable and scalable. Read the case study.Look at this client storyCase
Repositioning a meat brand in full transition
Discover how iO helped Imperial transform into a future-proof food brandLook at this client storyCase
How to deliver a consistent brand experience across 35 countries
How do you develop a digital and internationally deployable retailer concept that takes your customer experience to the next level?Look at this client storyCase
Impacting the traveller and environment through technology
Brussels Airport: a look at the digital platforms iO built for the ultimate passenger experience.Look at this client storyCase
Transforming the passenger experience through innovation & service design
New technology, internet-of-things and proof-of-concepts. Find out how iO is introducing innovation at Brussels Airport.Look at this client storyStack
iO: Your Shopify Partner for the best (online) shopping experiences
Discover how iO can elevate your e-commerce success with a tailored Shopify platform. From seamless integrations to limitless connectivity, we provide full support from technology to marketing, ensuring optimal growth and conversion.Read moreWhat we do
AI makes your organisation smarter and more efficient | iO
AI is more than a trend. Our experts are here to show you how AI can add value to your organisation.Read moreWhat we do
Digital accessibility: opening doors to all users
Enhance your website's accessibility with iO's expert guidance. Discover where your organisation stands, prioritise accessibility, and ensure transparency. Build a more inclusive digital world today.Read morePress
iO launches magical end-of-year campaign for Brussels Airport
Read morePress
4 out of 10 Belgians are digitally vulnerable
Read morePress
Manna boosts brand awareness with a wink
Read morePress
Lidl Belux selects blended agency iO as digital partner
Read morePress
Amnesty International Vlaanderen and iO put a human face on hope with ‘the power of the people’
Read morePress
Amnesty International calls attention to human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Read moreWebinar
Ad Tech: Take your media strategy to the next level
Now that cookies are disappearing, the biggest challenge for everyone in marketing today lies in measuring and analyzing marketing efforts. Companies currently find themselves facing a bit of a dilemma: on one hand, they want a transparent view of the results of their investments, on the other hand, they know that they need to rely more on data to make their advertising more relevant and efficient.Read moreEvent
Content Marketing & Web Editing Congress - People for content, content for people
Will everything soon be done by AI? And how will we still speak to each other's hearts? Spoiler: the human touch remains crucial. That's why this year's Content Marketing & Web Editing Congress revolves around humans. Thursday, November 14, 2024, we will gather more than 300 content professionals from all kinds of industries and organizations around the theme: people for content, content for people. Are you also interested in creating - with the help of AI – high quality content with and for people? Don’t miss out, get your ticket today. Get your ticket nowRead moreWhitepaper
Headless systems
A headless platform offers a lot of new possibilities for companies. It fits into a digital landscape that connects your customers with your business processes. But what exactly does it mean? And can your company handle the complexity of headless systems? In this white paper we will separate the facts from the fiction and guide you through your first steps in the headless world.Read moreWhitepaper
Selecting and deploying the right marketing automation platform
Through marketing automation, organisations like yours can easily identify anonymous online visitors and convert them into qualified leads. It automates repetitive marketing tasks — effectively eliminating them from your daily operations — allowing you to focus on what matters.Read moreWhitepaper
How to build an effective content marketing strategy
Producing content is a tactic everyone seems to rely on these days. Many organisations are creating content today — they have blogs, are active on social media, and might even publish their own magazine. But the underlying, supporting strategy? Something you rarely come across.Read moreWhitepaper
Employer branding insights - How to recruit talent in 2024?
A tight job market and a short attention span from your target audience, who are also bombarded with content on a daily basis. Does recruiting new talent sometimes feel like a lost battle to you? We believe it doesn't have to be! Break through your target audience's content overload: invest in in-depth content to reach them and strengthen your employer brand. How can you successfully recruit and retain new talent for your brand? Discover it in "From Employer Branding to Recruitment - Insights 2024".Read moreBlog
The Enterprise Service Bus (ESB): is it still around?
Applications and end users of applications require specific information, usually provided by apps such as for banking or shopping. The origin of the information shown in these apps is an underlying source system or a set of systems that compares and merges information. Many financial enterprises focus on providing clients with a modern app, which are, however, often cursed with a legacy system from the 1980s or even older as their information source. Consultant Rudy van Haandel explains the role that integration solutions such as an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) and API Management can play in these situations.Read moreBlog
Take control of your omnichannel customer experience with headless CMS
Today, the number of touchpoints and the customer expectations that are associated with them continue to grow unabated. Regardless of the device or the channel, the customer experience should be easy and pleasant, just like in the model omnichannel strategy. The main challenge here is how do you tailor your content across all channels and realise elegant personalisation? This requires flexibility, innovation, and strength – exactly what headless CMS is.Read moreBlog
Financial Institutions and the complexity of Public Cloud Done-Right
Financial Institutions (FIs) like banks, payment service providers and insurers, operating in a highly regulated market, inhabit an atmosphere of constant tension between 'legacy' and 'state-of-the-art' ideas when it comes to user experiences, software, and application deployment & infrastructure.Read moreBlog
Challenging business logic problems? 6 reasons why Azure is the right cloud platform
Flexible scalability, the right toolbox for business logic, the availability of specialists, data-driven work and appealing pricing. These are some of the reasons why companies are increasingly turning to public cloud integration platforms to build their business and integration layer – better known as iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service). Like Microsoft’s Azure Integration Services (AIS), for instance. Technology Director Friso Geerlings zooms in on the power and practicality of Azure, especially for business integration and processes.Read moreBlog
The most common pitfalls in digitisation and how to avoid them
In the beginning of this year, we launched the Opportunity report 2023. A collection of visions and insights from our experts to help you get the most out of the new year. On the 9th of March during the Opportunity online live event we brought these insights live to an interested audience to speak and discuss how to ‘Accelerate your business in 2023’. In this article, we’ll share the key takeaways of the presentation of Digital Strategist Tom van Mierlo with you.Read moreBlog
How to craft a brand name or tagline in 5 minutes (and whether it's the right one)
Seriously, it's done in no time. And we're about to show you how. The question is: is this what you want? In this blog post, you'll read how we do it at iO, you'll find some tips and tricks to apply on your own work and you'll start to grasp the added value of the human factor.Read moreBlog
15 Reading, listening, and viewing tips for the holiday season (and Beyond)
The end of December is list time. My colleagues at iO invited me to fill the last square of 24till24 with an inspiring list. December 24 is the last day of work before the Christmas holidays for many. That magical time of the year when the professional merry-go-round comes to a complete standstill. It isn’t just the time for family celebrations, it’s also the perfect moment to curl up on the sofa with a good book, a podcast, or a film. So, get into my personal list of the very best viewing, reading, and listening tips. Slide into the holiday season and keep the boredom at bay. Enjoy!Read moreBlog
E-inclusion: how to leave no one behind digitally
There is a digital divide between the personas we use in marketing and the population. In Belgium, this gap is large: almost 50% of the population are considered to be digitally vulnerable. How do you deal with this as an organisation? And how do you ensure that your products and services do not exclude anyone digitally? This blog contains nine practical tips to help you on your way to digital inclusion.Read moreBlog
3 trends in content marketing for 2024
Users are becoming increasingly mobile: they're freely moving from channel to channel, looking for the content they want to consume. So keeping an eye on trends and taking full advantage of them is more important than ever. After all, trends offer a perfect opportunity to be creative. But what can we expect in 2024? In this blog, you'll discover three trends you can address to increase your impact with your target groups.Read moreBlog
Content marketing has become communication (and that’s bad news)
Does content marketing still serve a purpose in 2024? Patrick Severein (Head of Content and Strategist) raises some questions.Read moreDossier
Dossier: Brands & society
Read moreDossier
Dossier: SEO strategy
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Successful marketing budgets and plans
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Holiday marketing: how to score as a brand with Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas
Read moreVideo
Are you fed up with boring marketing too?
Our attention spans are shorter, we skip commercials, and we click from video to video all the time. When consumers are bombarded with an avalanche of content every day, how can your brand stand out? Ruth Nys explains how to do creative content marketing without falling into the same old boring marketing tactics trap. Expert:Ruth Nys, Strategy Director ContentRead moreVideo
Steven Van Belleghem: The cost of poor 'Customer Experience' is frequently underestimated.
Companies are unaware of the enormous the cost of bad customer experiences. Out-of-pocket costs such as customer service are being pushed up, at a time when it’s becoming more difficult and expensive to find new customers.And this is happening while the brand credibility is declining and there is erosion in terms of new business development. In the video below, Steven Van Belleghem calls for more investment in customer focus, as a driver for a successful 2025.Read moreVideo
Challenger Stories: Brandt & Levie turns the meat industry on its head
For Brandt & Levie, responsible production is not an afterthought, but the core business. The Amsterdam sausage maker produces animal-friendly meat according to its own recipe — exclusively from well-kept pigs. An impactful story about sustainability in an industry that sometimes struggles to find it.Read moreVideo
Challenger Stories: Natuurhuisje protects local biodiversity
Natuurhuisje is not just a booking platform for holiday homes, it's a full-fledged climate company. Nature is at the heart of everything they do, and it's — in their own words — their responsibility to protect it. The booking platform is merely a means to that end. That's why Natuurhuisje donates part of its revenue back to local projects to improve biodiversity.Read moreCase
How do you simplify ordering medicine online?
Do you want to offer services online in healthcare? Make the application process easier with an app.Look at this client storyCase
How do you facilitate hundreds of online transactions per second?
A new integration layer, payment pages and a developer portal with a seamless UX and DX.Look at this client storyCase
How do you make the brand experience rich and consistent across all audiences?
The experts at iO helped Damen Shipyards with their digital transformation and a strong, consistent brand experience.Look at this client storyCase
How do you innovate public transport with a single portal for travel and payment data?
Linking data sources by registering personal and credit card data on an online portalLook at this client storyCase
How do you build a global B2B platform tailored to foodservice professionals?
How to build a multi-site, multi-language, global B2B platform for lead generation and online branding - iOLook at this client storyCase
How do you introduce flexible, efficient mobility in an organised way?
Hoppin is a new platform for the Flemish Government with a focus on flexible mobility. Discover how we helped launch the platform.Look at this client storyCase
How to optimise and increase the conversion rate in specific target audience groups?
Maximizing ROI: iO's Approach to Boosting Conversion Rate in Beobank's Campaigns. Read the full story here.Look at this client storyCase
How do you convert festival- goers into active members of your community?
From Festival Wristbands to Online Accounts: Converting Festival-Goers with Effective Paid Media. Read the story here.Look at this client storyCase
How do you bring years of delicious creativity to life?
With creative always-on and ad hoc campaigns, our experts help Manna Sauzen grow into a leading Belgian brand.Look at this client storyCase
How to disrupt online banking using innovative apps and web portals – for years on end?
Find out how iO developed an online platform and iOS and Android apps for the online bank Knab, from UX/UI design to development. Read the case.Look at this client storyCase
How has fresh branding contributed to a stronger position in the market?
For Prowise, an interactive display and educational software expert, iO designed a new WordPress website complemented by a new brand voice and copy.Look at this client storyCase
Realising growth through marketing
How iO convinces travelers to choose Brussels Airport for their next trip. Discover the marketing campaigns.Look at this client storyCase
Clear communication & vision for stakeholders
Communication, internal & external, is important for Brussels Airport. Read here how iO supports the airport in this.Look at this client storyCase
How we put Brussels Airport on the map with influencer marketing
iO takes Brussels Airport to new heights with influencer marketing. Read how we did it.Look at this client storyCase
How do you accelerate getting innovative lighting into the living rooms of 47 countries?
iO experts built a brand new D2C website with an advanced Adobe Experience Manager e-commerce platform for lighting specialists Signify. The result: happy users and satisfied teams. Read the full case here.Look at this client storyStack
Sanity: the composable content cloud for rich digital experiences - iO
With Sanity, we offer top-tier, flexible, and powerful tools for content management and delivery.Read moreStack
Discover the power of omnichannel marketing with Storyblok
With Storyblok headless CMS you can build relevant digital experiences quickly. Our experts are here to help you.Read moreStack
Migrate to the cloud with Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Migrating your app or platform to the cloud? Our AWS specialists will be happy to help you with a customised roadmap!Read moreStack
iO: Salesforce partner for implementation and consulting.
As a Salesforce partner, iO helps you align your sales, marketing, service, and commerce teams with a central CRM system.Read moreWhat we do
Service design for quality services and products
Develop, test and improve your services and products with service design. This will help you improve the user experience of your most demanding users.Read moreWhat we do
Cloud and infrastructure
The right high-performance environment for data and techRead moreWhat we do
Looking for expertise in Continuous Integration, Delivery and Deployment?
Say goodbye to merge days, manual bug fixing and code flaws as a developer — and opt for continuous and automated development.Read moreWhat we do
Creating business value with AI - AI workshops & trainings
iO helps you to turn AI into action. Discover our AI workshops & trainings to find the potential in your business.Read moreWhat we do
Technology & security audit, for proper digital protection
How do you grant your organisation lasting protection? With a clear overview of the weaknesses, vulnerabilities and security risks in your digital ecosystem. Read how a technology & security audit can help your business case.Read morePress
AI without measurable impact? Nothing more than an empty gimmick for your business
Read morePress
iO bolsters ambition with the arrival of Collin Seyger as new CFO
Read morePress
iO and Amnesty International make themselves heard for Write-them-VRIJdag
Read morePress
AkzoNobel unveils Colour of the Year 2024: Sweet Embrace™ with digital support from iO
Read morePress
iO brings the Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ digital twin to life with AI
Read morePress
iO appoints Rachel Vermeulen as Managing Director of Campus Eindhoven
Read morePress
iO creates future-proof look for Assuralia
Read morePress
iO awarded 'Agency of the Year' at the Grand Prix Content Marketing 2023
Read morePress
iO study: majority of retail chains missing out on local SEO benefits
Read morePress
The power of branded podcasts recognised with four Lovie Awards for iO
Read morePress
iO and M Leuven bring Flemish Master to life with AI tool
Blended agency iO gives history an extra dimension for visitors to M Leuven thanks to AI-driven web app.Read morePress
iO focuses on talent: Wouter Dolle becomes HR Director in the Netherlands
Read morePress
iO appoints Marco Merola as Managing Director on Campus Herentals
Read morePress
Two top experts of iO win the exclusive Sitecore MVP Award of 2024
Read morePress
iO helps companies tap into their innovation potential
Read morePress
NMBS picks iO as innovation partner and service design expert
Read morePress
Strategic boost for iO with two new senior hires
Read morePress
The KNHB and iO launch new adidas Dutch hockey team kits with an inspiring campaign
Read moreWebinar
E-inclusion: how to leave no one behind in the digital world
There’s a digital gap between our marketing personas and the real people we service. And that gap is significant: nearly 50% of the population is digitally vulnerable. How do you handle that as an organisation? And how do you make sure your products and services don’t exclude anyone from the digital world? Register for our webinar now and allow David De Block, Public Services Director at iO, to show you the “reason to believe”, so you can take action.Read moreWebinar
Webinar: Boost your online visibility and revenue with local search
Pretty much everyone has a smartphone these days, using navigation systems like Google Maps every day. Leveraging local search has never been this crucial to enhance online visibility and growth. Google reports that nearly half of all search queries on its platform (46%) have a local intent. You need to take advantage of that as a retailer. After all, you want potential customers to be able to find you, especially when you’re nearby. Sign up to join our exclusive webinar on local search to find out how to elevate your local presence.Read moreWebinar
Leveraging customer data in your marketing communications
With the ever-evolving laws and technology, reaching your target audience as a marketer is complex. In this webinar, we'll show you how to make the most of the customer data you already have. During the Dutch webinar on March 19, 2024, Evelyne Berden (Domain Lead Marketing Automation at iO Campus Herentals) explains how you can unlock customer data to take your marketing campaigns to the next level.Read moreWebinar
SEO & TikTok: the dynamic duo for digital success
From libraries to Google to TikTok...in just a few decades, our source of information has shifted to unexpected places. Today, a whopping 40% of young people use TikTok as their primary source of information. Did you know that this platform is increasingly focusing on its own search function? This makes TikTok SEO an essential part of your digital strategy.Read moreWebinar
Corporate Alt Delete - give your organisation an innovation boost
How do you keep your business dynamics fresh and boost the innovation potential and that pioneering mindset in your organisation? Corporate Alt Delete invites you to take a fresh look at your organisation and jointly rewrite your story. Corporate Alt Delete is a book, a workshop, a mindset, and now also a webinar.Read moreWebinar
Webinar | Will your organization be ready on 28th June 2025 for the EU's Digital Accessibility Law?
Will your organization be ready on 28th June 2025 for the EU's Digital Accessibility Law? Today, for your organization or business to thrive, a digital presence is essential. However, this online presence also brings about a growing need for digital accessibility. Moreover, the EU expects your organization to be digitally accessible by mid-2025. Discover why this is important and how to approach it during our webinar on 22nd August.Read moreWebinar
Webinar: Increase your online impact with strategic SEO
Is your website not being properly found by relevant visitors? Is your SEO traffic not generating enough conversions? But do you think you already have an SEO-friendly website? Then it's time to switch from tactical to strategic SEO. Find out how during our webinar on 23 August.Read moreWebinar
Webinar: discover how digitally mature your business really is (and what steps to take next)
As a CEO, managing director or marketing manager, you’re steering your ship towards the digital future. But here’s the challenge: how do you ensure you’re on the right course? Which aspects are thriving, and which ones need a boost? Register for our webinar and discover exactly how your company can move towards complete digital maturity.Read moreEvent
Email Marketing 101 in 2025
Do you want to send emails that your target audience doesn’t just open, but also remembers? Emails that hit like your first sip of coffee early on a Monday morning. Then sign up for our event and discover how to make your emails the highlight of everyone's inbox in 2025. You’ll learn how to set up effective campaigns, what AI can do for you and how to increase your conversion rates. Please note places are limited, so reserve your spot in time.Read moreWebinar
How to become a Social Brand - Building your business with social media
Learn how to move from merely being present on social media to making an impact with an effective social strategy.Read moreWhitepaper
Customer Data Platforms (CDP)
A Customer Data Platform collects your customers’ data and is mainly at home in the more ‘mature’ marketing departments of the organisation. A CDP combines customer data from different platforms and hands it back to you in a 360° package. This whitepaper illustrates how a CDP gets assembled, where its added value lies CDP can be for your organisation and which conditions best serve a CDP.Read moreWhitepaper
Efficiently manage and publish content with Storyblok
The world is evolving faster than ever. Consumers and stakeholders expect more and more flexibility from companies and organisations. As a result, you need IT solutions that can grow with you.Read moreWhitepaper
How do you find and motivate talent in Belgium?
The battle for talent – in other words, valuable, talented, and motivated employees – is raging harder than ever before. And that's not surprising. For every organisation, the key to success lies with the right talent. Young and old, highly educated, and self-taught, native and immigrant. How do you get them on board? And how do you stop them from looking elsewhere? Instead of using recruitment as a means to attract talent that’s based on financial promises and incentives, in the long term it’s wise to have a sustainable approach that starts from within your own organisation. In this whitepaper we will analyse the importance of your employer value proposition and take you through the recruitment do's and don'ts. Peppered with facts, figures and statistics that are relevant to the Belgian jobs market, and concrete tips, tricks, and trends.Read moreWhitepaper
The Opportunity Report: take advantage of the latest developments in strategy, marketing and technology
How do organisations stay ahead of the pack in a constantly evolving world? With a collection of expert insights in a single guide, to make the most out of new market trends, emerging technologies and upgraded industry standards. This Opportunity Report is created and curated by professionals across marketing, strategy, content, and technology, using their common vision on what will shape the world, the market or their field of expertise.Read moreWhitepaper
Get the most out of your social media marketing
Many companies use social media to reach their target audience. Too few companies use social media to engage their target audience. A shame really. Because engaging content is the key to success on social media.Read moreWhitepaper
Your channel mix only has value if you manage it effectively
To make your online business run smoothly, there are several aspects you can focus on. One of them is your channel mix. But how do you know if your mix is the right one? And do you stick to your initial choices or is it better to adjust your mix regularly? Channel management provides answers to these questions. Channel management involves monitoring and adjusting the entire channel mix of your business or client based on predetermined goals. You work on all aspects that ensure better results, at every stage of the funnel.Read moreWhitepaper
Building brands with content
Brands are built with advertising, and content then adds depth to the brand, right? Not if you ask Aart Lensink. As a content expert, he helped several brands tell strong stories, and now he's sharing his knowledge on building brands with content in this e-book— packed with examples and with a concrete step-by-step plan.Read moreWhitepaper
Download the "2023 Local SEO Benchmark Report"
For the 2023 Local SEO Benchmark, we analysed nearly 100,000 business locations in 36 cities in the Netherlands and Belgium, across 14 different industries. Curious about how the retail sector in the Netherlands and Belgium is doing in terms of Local SEO? Find out in our 2023 Local SEO Benchmark Report . Some key conclusions of the 2023 Local SEO Benchmark Report:Read moreWhitepaper
Increase your webshop turnover
Webshops have reached the status of shopping standard in the digital age. Users are just a few clicks away from their favourite items. Anywhere, at any time of the day, from the comforts of home. This is why online advertising on digital channels has become key to webshop owners: channels allowing you to maintain your margins and successfully activate consumers throughout the purchase process.Read moreWhitepaper
Sales, leads, goals: your guide to Performance Marketing
Performance marketing is a branch of marketing where you focus on results. Which results? How can you measure it and - more importantly - how do you achieve it? This is different for every organisation, but the potential of performance marketing to deliver results? That’s universal. The efficient combination of leads, sales and targets is crucial.Read moreWhitepaper
Get more revenue from Google Shopping with Google CSS Managed Service
In 2017, Google was fined €2.4 billion by the European Commission for abuse of power. The internet giant was pushing comparison websites (Comparison Shopping Services, or CSS) lower in search results with Google Shopping. That fine was bad news for Google, but good news for organisations looking to make more online sales.Read moreWhitepaper
Download the all-in-one social media checklist
For many organisations, social media is still a Pandora's box. Yes, they are useful online channels, and yes, we might need to have a presence there. But how exactly do you tackle that? What do you need to take into account? This helpful social media checklist will take you a long way.Read moreWhitepaper
Successful digital transformation: 5 pitfalls you should avoid
Globally, only 30 percent of companies successfully implement digital transformation. This is because digital transformation touches every aspect of a business: from people and processes to infrastructure and customer relationships. The key to a successful transformation is to pay attention to all these aspects - but that doesn't always happen. In this white paper, we take you through five common pitfalls in digital transformation and give advice on how to avoid them.Read moreWhitepaper
Score on socials with the Social Benchmark Report 2023
When setting goals for social content campaigns, it's crucial to ensure they are achievable and have a tangible foundation. The iO Social Benchmark Report provides you with valuable insights into the world of social content performance, so that you can make data-driven choices to optimise your social content strategy.Read moreWhitepaper
6 best practices for successful business innovation
How will your organisation challenge the status quo? What role do you hold in a market where the lines between different domains are becoming less distinct? How are you going to shape a future-proof business model that ensures that you are still relevant the day after tomorrow? The challenges of innovation aren't so much centered around refining your existing business model, but about responding smartly to a dynamic market where the rules are constantly changing. Therefore, innovation within your company remains essential: it enables you to tap into new markets, address new target groups and develop new propositions. Unfortunately, not every form of innovation actually leads to improvement. Our white paper shares 6 best practices for successful business innovation so that innovation does not remain a buzzword but delivers tangible results.Read moreWhitepaper
Whitepaper: Discover the power of branded podcasts
Branded podcasts offer organisations the opportunity to reach and stand out to their target audience in a unique way. Learn more about creating a successful branded podcast in this whitepaper, and discover inspiring examples from the market.Read moreWhitepaper
The key insights from Corporate Klooien – Back to Tomorrow
If you were to start all over again tomorrow, would you end up where you are today? In the 2023 edition of Corporate Klooien, we worked with professionals from influential organisations to explore their ideal future scenarios. We examined how they can deliver value and determine the right priorities in their specific situations. We did this using our own Corporate Alt Delete method.Read moreWhitepaper
Corporate Alt Delete – Rewrite your organisation’s founding story
Corporate Alt Delete is a book that bridges the gap between two worlds within an organisation: Team Horizon, thinking in opportunities, and Team Business, focused on current results and business value. This book invites you to breathe new life into the old founding story of the organisation, enriching it with today's market knowledge and business capabilities. Why read Corporate Alt Delete?Read moreWhitepaper
Whitepaper: How to unburden your business with ‘first time right’ marketing execution
Ideally, as a (Digital) Marketing Manager, you focus on developing and executing your strategy to achieve your organisation's goals. But what if your strategic focus is constantly disrupted by operational issues?Read moreWhitepaper
Whitepaper: Creating exceptional customer journeys with a Digital Experience Platform
In markets that are saturated with options and with customers that are overloaded with choices, it's an exceptional customer experience set will set you apart. A Digital Experience Platform can help you accomplish this - and we'll tell you how.Read moreWhitepaper
Make ecommerce more personal and tangible using online configurators
Consumers are increasingly used to communication that is tailored to them. An ad for 30% discount on cat food after you searched for the best kibble is an example. But so is the online purchase process of those kibbles. After all, today we want an online purchase to feel just like its physical counterpart. Online configurators are a great way to replace the eager shop assistant.Read moreWhitepaper
5 insights from leaders in public communication
Effective communication between government and citizens is crucial in these rapidly-changing times. This whitepaper reveals five essential insights from some leading public communication professionals. Get inspired by these top leaders in the field and learn how to use branding techniques to powerfully communicate your story as a public organisation. After reading this whitepaper, you will knowRead moreWhitepaper
Every experience matters: Unravel customer experiences with the Experience Model
Your brand has to compete with an unprecedented number of messages and stimuli for attention. To stand head and shoulders above the rest, it is essential to offer distinctive customer experiences. And that starts with a deep understanding of customer experiences.Read moreBlog
Domain Driven Design (DDD): Why You Need It
The heart of high-performing software is about more than just efficient code and robust integrations. Understanding the environment in which the code has to do its work, 'the domain', plays a crucial role in its success. For example, what are the USPs of the company that will deploy the software? Which processes are crucial? And at what points is interaction with users essential? Domain Driven Design (DDD) brings business and IT closer and concentrates software development around having authentic insights into the processes to be automated.Read moreBlog
Why is Drupal a safe long-term choice?
Are you looking for a CMS that is future-proof? Need a platform that can grow together with your organisation? Drupal is a good choice!Read moreBlog
Drupal as a headless CMS: benefits and challenges
Traditional CMS systems have been around since the early days of web development. Those platforms were then developed to store and present content - such as text, images, and videos. This approach bundles everything in one big silo: content, HTML, CSS, and so on. This made it impossible to reuse the content in that silo, since it was stuck in specific code snippets. Now that organisations no longer simply post content on web pages, there’s a need for a more flexible solution. Headless is the answer!Read moreBlog
Drupal for multi-site brand platforms
Multi-site brand platforms are the way to go when managing a lot of content in an orderly manner. For such a platform, you obviously need a CMS. And that's exactly where Drupal comes in. Here’s why Drupal is an excellent choice for multi-site brand platforms too!Read moreBlog
How furniture brand Pode benefits from a headless approach using Storyblok
Ever more organisations have been making the shift towards headless when building their new online platforms. At iO we used the combination of the Storyblok CMS and Next.js to create a total brand experience for furniture brand Pode’s new website. In this article, we will tell you why and how.Read moreBlog
PHP Foundation ensures the long life and prosperity of the PHP language
Is PHP programming language the cornerstone of web development? Today PHP is the foundation of over 80% of all websites – including major platforms like Wordpress, Magento, Drupal, Wikipedia and Slack. It’s also very (obviously) open source, easy to learn, supported by an enthusiastic community and compatible with almost every type of database. Yet PHP's existence is dependent on the hard work of volunteers that operate without fixed roles or secure financial frameworks.Read moreBlog
Staying one step ahead of cyber attacks - Building secure applications: the Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC)
Hackers are energetic innovators, constantly developing and changing their methods and expanding their cyber attack capabilities. They relentlessly target business critical applications on web and mobile devices, looking for weaknesses. They want to access data, to launch ransomware attacks, to misuse infrastructure for their own purposes or simply to disrupt the target’s continuity of service through (D)Dos attacks. But what does this mean to us at iO as application creators?Read moreBlog
Single Sign-On: how to select the suitable solution [checklist]
As part of their digital transformation, companies are increasingly choosing to build digital service environments – from commerce platforms to service and application portals, APIs and apps – from separate components. In addition to added flexibility and time-to-market, it also has consequences for user and role management. Technology Director of iO in Eindhoven, Friso Geerlings, explains what to take into account when selecting a suitable Single Sign-On (SSO) solution.Read moreBlog
How do you choose the best digital partner for your Umbraco Platform?
Choosing the right digital partner for your Umbraco platform is an important step in realising your online goals. Want to make an informed choice, but are uncertain about what you should prioritise? We are here to help you.Read moreBlog
Transforming technology into a catalyst for innovation
In the beginning of this year, we launched the Opportunity report 2023. A collection of visions and insights from our experts to help you get the most out of the new year. On the 9th of March during the Opportunity online live event we brought these insights live to an interested audience to speak and discuss how to ‘Accelerate your business in 2023’. In this article, we’ll share the key takeaways from Raymond’s session with you - just a few of the many ways modern technology plays the part of enabler for digital transformation.Read moreBlog
With these new guidelines, Gmail will ensure a safer inbox in 2024
In February 2024, Google and Yahoo's new email guidelines will come into effect. These guidelines have to do with email deliverability and will be made mandatory by Google, unlike now. The guidelines will apply to all emails delivered to Gmail accounts — or, in other words, all emails to gmail.com email addresses and organisations using Google Suite as an email server. In this article, our email experts tell you everything you need to know about the new guidelines.Read moreBlog
How Camp Amersfoort National Monument attracted 30% more visitors with a podcast campaign
With the podcast campaign The Missing SS Commander, iO and National Monument Camp Amersfoort succeeded in creating the branded podcast of 2023. Staggering download figures, rave reviews from listeners, an important contribution to Dutch war history and a 30% increase in visitors. Here are the important lessons we learned making the most celebrated Dutch branded podcast of 2023 in a long read.Read moreBlog
4 tips to develop a successful measurement plan
More and more organisations want to measure the return on investment of digital platforms accurately. But how do you develop a successful measurement plan?Read moreBlog
Why Google Consent Mode V2 is crucial to marketing in 2024
The marketing world keeps turning faster, with new updates or guidelines at every turn. It’s a world that forces businesses to change with it. A recent change by this organization includes, among other things, that Google Consent Mode must receive an update by March 2024 to enhance user privacy. Take the Digital Markets Act, for instance. This European legislative body regulates digital platforms by creating laws. A recent legislative change includes that Google Consent Mode is required to carry out an update by March 2024 at the latest to better protect users’ privacy.Read moreBlog
Building trust in a cookieless era
We all know third-party cookies, a marketer's bread and butter, are leaving the building. The cookieless future was irrevocably set into motion when Google decided to remove them completely by 2024. This presents us with the unique challenge of tracking an audience that does not only demand an excellent experience but is increasingly privacy-conscious, too – quite paradoxical, we know. You’ve probably also heard that first-party data is the way to go. So, how can you turn leads into returning customers and, more importantly, how will you procure their data? We suggest a trust-first marketing approach that focuses on excellent content to establish a relationship with customers and users, making them more inclined to share their data with you.Read moreBlog
Bing: a new search engine gateway to your target audience
Google is the unequivocal search engine market leader (and probably will be for a while). However, when it comes to search queries, there’s a challenger to that monopoly: Bing by Microsoft. In the last few months, Bing made some significant strides, moving from 1 in 20 search queries to almost 1 in 5. That growing influence and Bing’s market share are some aspects you should leverage in your digital strategies. You can ignore 5% of your potential visitors, but ignoring 18% of the queries that lead to your business would probably have a significant impact on your business – and not in a good way.Read moreBlog
3 valuable SEO insights from Friends of Search 2024
As an SEO specialist I had the opportunity to attend Friends of Search, a well-known SEO and SEA conference in Amsterdam. The event attracts at least 600 visitors annually and guarantees thought-provoking talks, an exciting award show, and a networking moment. I was immediately impressed by the international expertise presented by the other attendees during this eleventh edition, held on 21 March 2024. Discover 3 valuable SEO insights that stuck with me.Read moreBlog
Historical data export - Universal Analytics
Deadline for exporting Universal Analytics: 1st of July 2024 After the 1st of July 2024, it will no longer be possible to access data in Universal Analytics. Therefore, it’s essential to take timely action and export the data before that day. By exporting the data before the access is closed, you can gain valuable insights, store the data securely and take any further actions. It is wise not to do this at the last minute, as there may be obstacles, such as errors in extraction or technical challenges. To avoid potential problems, it is advisable to transfer the data in time to environment where it can be stored securely. That way, you can later use the data for further analysis or transformation purposes. By acting now, you can ensure that you don’t lose the valuable data and are well prepared for the future. So don't wait until the last minute - make sure you export the data from Universal Analytics before 1 July to a secure environment, where you can continue to use it.Read moreBlog
Migrating to Sitecore XM Cloud: The step towards a Composable DXP
XM Cloud is the CMS of Sitecore’s new Composable DXP. It is a further development of their original CMS, but packed and serviced completely different. It’s SaaS, less hassle to maintain, quicker and easier to develop on, a lot easier to work with for content editors, but still as powerful and versatile as before. So when starting a new Sitecore implementation, choosing XM Cloud over the original Platform DXP is a no-brainer. But what about migrating your existing implementation to XM Cloud? There is no set upgrade path and your starting position greatly influences the desired route to take, but also the business case behind such a migration. In this article I will share my view on the important differences, challenges, benefits, caveats, possible approaches for a migration roadmap, and everything you would like to know and consider before embarking on this journey.Read moreBlog
Why is always-on gaining ground over ad hoc campaigns?
In the marketing optimisation of larger iO clients - such as Brussels Airport and Lidl - we see a shift from ad hoc campaigns to always-on. There are a few logical explanations for this trend. And both the elimination of cookies and the focus on the customer experience (CX) have a lot to do with it.Read moreBlog
Here’s how to write better with AI
As a writer, should you embrace or fear generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini? The former for sure, the latter perhaps too. In any case, they make you an offer you can't refuse. So, hoist these rambunctious AI sailors on board and put them to work, but above all remain the captain of your ship.Read moreBlog
Four steps toward a flawless customer experience: the Double Diamond model
Good customer experience – say, the positive feeling that occurs and sticks when people interact with your brand – starts with a strong strategy. It requires lots of guessing, thinking, and doubting. Not to mention: hours of deciding and designing how to make it happen. So, how do you develop a strategy tailored to your organisation and goals? At iO, we use the Double Diamond model. It’s our creative guide to thinking from a problem-solver perspective. From product design to UX and far beyond, the Double Diamond model helps solve complex issues efficiently. In this blog post, we shed some light on the model, its pillars, and its possibilities, so that you can start using it to create flawless customer experiences that stick.Read moreBlog
What is search intent? And why is it important for SEO?
When you look something up on the Internet, you always do so with a specific intention. Whether it's to gather information, compare products or actually make a purchase. Either way, you want to see results that match your intent as closely as possible. This intent - called search intent - is a crucial factor for both Google and marketers.Read moreBlog
iOS 18 and RCS: a gamechanger for brands and marketers
With the recent launch of iOS 18, the messaging service Rich Communication Services, or RCS, is finally widely available. This can have a huge impact on how brands and marketers reach their customers. In this article, we dive deeper into the ins and outs of RCS and why at iO, we believe that it will provide better experiences.Read moreBlog
Putting your brand on the map with an effective content strategy
There is a lot to consider when creating a content strategy. From determining your goals, and researching your target groups, to spotting content opportunities and measuring your results. How do you get started? And what should you consider? You'll find out in this blog.Read moreBlog
Marketing budget allocation for 2025: data driven or a roll of the dice?
For many marketers, allocating budgets for the year ahead is a real headache. Will you carry your budget over from last year – even though technology is evolving at lightning speed and the marketing world could look completely different tomorrow? Or will you follow your intuition and take a chance? Fortunately, data modelling exists allowing you to allocate your budget with the certainty that you are spending it in the right place, and at the right time.Read moreBlog
The energy transition is enormous, how do you make it personal?
How do you explain the energy transition? iO and Enexis developed a permanent campaign with smart tech and several storylines.Read moreBlog
AI is changing how we search and it is time for brands to face this head-on
The impact of AI on search engine marketing and business models is huge. So start experimenting now, advises iO CEO Pieter Janssens.Read moreDossier
Dossier: Personalisation
Read moreDossier
Dossier: E-commerce
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Challenger Stories
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Infinite Opportunities
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Cookieless future
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Video marketing
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Marketplaces
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Google Analytics 4
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Public Brands
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Marketing automation
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Ready to pop on social media?
Read moreDossier
Dossier: Discover the power of branded podcasts
Read moreDossier
Dossier: successful innovation
Read moreVideo
Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs website, more accessible than ever before
How do we make our content accessible, so that every Belgian can find the information they need quickly and easily? The question came from the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs and the answer? That came from iO. The result: a website that focuses on accessibility and presents the most important information in a crystal clear way.Read moreVideo
Digitising a business: the most common mistakes and how to avoid them
How is it that only 30% of the companies are successful in adopting digital transformation? In large part because it affects every aspect of a business: people, processes, infrastructure, and customers. We walk you through the most common mistakes we see in digital transformation projects so you don’t have to make them yourself. Expert:Tom van Mierlo, Digital StrategistRead moreVideo
Transforming technology into a catalyst for innovation
How fast can you launch new products and services, scale up or scale down sales channels, or provide a better customer experience? The technical complexity of a business often determines its innovation speed. We look at how to transform the 5 key blockers in technology into accelerators for your business. Expert:Raymond Muilwijk, Center of Excellence Lead TechnologyRead moreVideo
How to measure the value of innovations faster and more clearly
In 2024, you will be less likely to make long-term investments. ROI has become a more important factor in innovation compared to recent years. We share ways that will help you validate innovations faster and gain management’s support. Expert: Uilke Duinstra - Service Line Director Strategy at iORead moreVideo
Do you take social media seriously?
Social media as a marketing tool is often overlooked, despite their potential, they are frequently underutilised. Nevertheless, a strong social strategy and a brand-oriented focus are the keys to success on social media platforms.Read moreVideo
Building brands; yes you can!
Social media extends way beyond performance and direct conversion. It's about building brands, building relationships with the target group and strategically distributing content on relevant platforms. Success requires belief in the power of social media and investment in knowledge building and daring to experiment.Read moreVideo
Who decides if your content has value?
It is sometimes difficult to estimate which content is valuable and which is not because of the influence of subjectivity and different opinions in your marketing team. Fortunately, that responsibility lies entirely with the consumer. All you have to do is create a lot of content that is in line with your organisation’s values.Read moreVideo
Who sees which content? The algorithm decides.
Less is more? Not when it comes to social media content. You need a lot of contact moments to get on the radar and stay there. Then the algorithm decides who sees which content.Read moreVideo
Banish content burnout
Sometimes content marketers suffer from a content burnout: they don't know what to post or how to come up with creative content. The drip model offers a solution: take a look at the 'low-hanging fruit' within your organisation, sector and above all: your target group environment. With social posts that you write from the perspective of your target group, you always deliver engaging content.Read moreVideo
Is Facebook passé? No way!
Many young people are on Snapchat and TikTok today. In spite of that, Facebook, with 70% active users, remains the largest social network in Flanders. Do you want to reach your audience? Then consider using Reels. Facebook can also deliver strong results for B2B marketing, especially in combination with LinkedIn.Read moreVideo
Does your brand have to be on TikTok?
TikTok offers unprecedented potential for organic reach, but also brings challenges: privacy issues, diverse content and users; and a powerful algorithm. Post multiple times a day and focus on native content instead of your own campaign materials.Read moreVideo
Which formats work on social media?
Since TikTok boosted vertical videos, they have dominated all platforms. Using reels strengthens the bond with your video first users and gives you more organic reach and improves your marketing results.Read moreVideo
Conversation management: truth, courage and action
Conversation management is a shift from webcare to webdare. Where in the past, brands mainly responded to negative experiences and complaints on their own channels, now you join conversations with your consumers on your own and other channels. This increases your visibility and positions you in the market.Read moreVideo
Social media marketing: tried and tested by Dewaele
Content strategist Sam talks to Vanessa Loose, marketing manager at Dewaele. For Belgium's largest independent estate agent, social media are incredibly important. With a healthy mix of trends and evergreen topics, they always stay on the radar as a life partner in living and business through social media.Read moreVideo
Challenger Stories: Wild 'n Zilt targets a shortened North Sea chain
Hendrik Kramer is an Amsterdam-based fisherman and entrepreneur who wants to show that sustainable fishing pays off in the Netherlands. He does this by selling his fish directly to consumers with Wild 'n Zilt.Read moreVideo
Challenger Stories: Willicroft makes ‘cheese’ from beans and pulses
Research shows that not many people have a positive perception of plant-based cheese. Brad Vanstone wants to change that with his brand Willicroft on Amsterdam's Spiegelgracht.Read moreVideo
Challenger Stories: BayaBaya guarantees sustainability without compromise
With BayaBaya, founders Dirk Taselaar and Leon Daggenvoorde aim to take the plastic bottle out of the bathroom. Founded in 2021, the brand sells powdered concentrate for body wash with natural, vegan ingredients. Combine that concentrate with tap water and pour it into the aluminium refill bottle, and you've done your part, too.Read moreVideo
Challenger Stories: Hands Off wants to make plant-based chocolate the norm
Hands Off was founded in 2013 to turn the chocolate industry upside down. For example, founder Kitty Smeeten achieved a 42% CO2 reduction by replacing cow's milk with hazelnut praline.Read moreVideo
Video: Leaving no one behind digitally (David De Block)
In his talk at the 2023 BAM Marketing Congress, David De Block (Public Services Director at iO) talks about e-inclusion — or what it means to leave no one behind digitally.Read moreCase
How do you give Belgian real estate agents a public knowledge base?
iO helped to digitally transform the BIV, the official Belgian institute for real estate professionals. Read the case and discover more about the project.Look at this client storyCase
How do you transform from a mail carrier to an e-commerce pioneer?
PostNL has transformed from being a mail delivery service to a digital logistics service provider thanks to a successful collaboration with iO.Look at this client storyCase
How to transform the largest film festival in the Netherlands into an online experience?
Moving The Netherlands’ biggest film festival online Converting their website into an interactive streaming platform meant that the Rotterdam International Film Festival could celebrate their 50th anniversary - even when confronted by COVID restrictions.Look at this client storyCase
How do you make payment options and transactions easily visible online?
A new international online portal for merchants to manage payment solutions.Look at this client storyCase
How do you bring clicks and bricks together in a headless architecture?
Case: A seamless user experience thanks to a future-proof headless e-commerce platform.Look at this client storyCase
How do you build efficient data flows in the transport sector?
We guided international transporter Verhoeven.eu through their digital transformation process, as the architects of their digital integration platform via low-code platform OutSystems. Give our case a read.Look at this client storyCase
How to enhance wholesale online ordering without losing personalized pricing?
Translating personal price agreements into online price settings with an Adobe Commerce webshop.Look at this client storyCase
How do you reduce manual processes in B2B commerce?
For EDCO, iO developed an omnichannel B2B Magento commerce platform and PIM system.Look at this client storyCase
How to make online learning materials accessible for 1.6 million primary school students?
With Single Sign On, over 1.6 million primary school pupils and teachers have easy access to digital learning materials.Look at this client storyCase
How do you build a future-proof e-commerce platform for B2B and B2C?
We helped event specialist Orakel improve its user experience, integrate its webshop and website and optimise its platform’s management. Read more.Look at this client storyCase
How to manage a range of websites while meeting client expectations?
Enhancing Digital Content Management for D'Ieteren Automotive's Websites? Read the full story here;Look at this client storyCase
How do you transform two telecom giants into one powerful brand?
Entopic/iO rewrote all content to a new tone of voice for the launch of the Odido brand and managed content migration from 2 websites to the new website. Want to know more? Find out in this case.Look at this client storyCase
How to guarantee swift intervention for water and gas leaks through a centralized business app?
Discover how we customised a business app that semi-automatically schedules the most efficient solution and produces quick reporting.Look at this client storyCase
How do you craft a captivating podcast journey for young train travelers?
Embark on a thrilling train adventure across the Netherlands with ‘Het Spoor Bijster’, a fuction podcast by the NS and iO.Look at this client storyCase
Finding, customising and ordering the perfect promotional gift in as few clicks as possible
Find out how iO developed one powerful and scalable e-commerce platform for the web shops of all Favorite Gifts' brands. Read the case study.Look at this client storyCase
How a virtual museum highlights Flemish heritage
How do you develop a virtual experience platform that takes your customer experience to the next level?Look at this client storyCase
A creative blend of skills
Discover what iO does for airport & travelers: from branding to creative campaigns and content creation.Look at this client storyCase
How does a leader in furniture hardware ensure GDPR compliance and cost efficiency for all their banners?
We ensured GDPR-compliant, cost-efficient cookie management for Van Hoecke's platforms using CookieHub. Read our success story.Look at this client storyPage
WWVD: Download the presentations of Wednesday 29 March 2023!
The first day of the Webwinkel Vakdagen (WWVD) is over! Still want to reminisce? Download the presentations of the lightning talks here.Read morePage
WWVD: Download the presentations of Thursday 30 March 2023!
The first day of the Webwinkel Vakdagen (WWVD) is over! Still want to reminisce? Download the presentations of the lightning talks here.Read morePage
Give the Webwinkel Vakdagen (WWVD) a successful follow-up, together with iO!
As far as we are concerned, the Webwinkel Vakdagen (WWVD) was a great success! Did you think so too?Read more