SharePoint vs Adobe Experience Manager: Which is the Ideal CDP for Internal Teams?
When we talk about Customer Data Platforms, the context is often external. We look at platforms that collect, segment and deliver customer data across touchpoints to drive personalized marketing. But there is another critical CDP. The internal one. This is the one that unifies data across platforms, makes it accessible, and empowers collaboration between employees. Now, in both cases, people compare SharePoint vs AEM and choose one for both.
Well, that might not always be the smartest thing to do. Both may seem to manage content and data, but their architecture, overall purpose, and ROI models are fundamentally different. So, when it comes to SharePoint vs AEM, which one should you pick? Evolvous is a certified partner for both Microsoft SharePoint as well as Adobe Experience Manager, and here is what we think you should decide between the two when it comes to choosing the right CDP for your internal teams.
What is an Internal CDP?
First of all, you should be aware of the basic differences between an external and internal CDP. For starters, it is not about ad targeting or customer journeys. Here, the focus is more on information coherence.
The aim of the internal CDP is to connect employees with the right data when they need it. Sounds simple? Well, on the surface, it does look easy. But you need to move a lot of cogs to make that happen. But, more on that later.
Here are some of the key features that your internal CDP should have:
- Unified content repository with version control and permissions.
- Efficient and secure integration with existing tools like Teams, Outlook, Data Analytics tool and others.
- Role-based access control and data governance.
- Metadata-driven search and discovery
- The ability of the platform to automate critical document management tasks like approvals, data extraction etc.,
- AI-assisted insights on employee engagement and content use
So, when you are out there looking to choose the right internal CDP platform, you should look at these few key things.
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SharePoint vs AEM: A Comparison
| Aspect | SharePoint | Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) |
| Primary Focus | Internal collaboration, document and knowledge management | Content delivery for enhancing customer experience |
| Architecture | Built on the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, which makes it suitable for a range of tasks. | Part of the Adobe Experience Cloud, which is focused on marketing. |
| Integration | Native with Teams, Outlook, Power BI, Dynamics 365 and wide range of third-party applications | Can integrate with Adobe Analytics, Campaign, Target, RT-CDP etc. Third-party integration |
| Data model | List and library-based model with metadata and versioning | Focused on customer fragmentation and profile-based models |
| User Management | Driven by Entra ID, supports role-based access | Customer-identity focused user management system |
| Automation | Low-code automation with Power Automate | Limited automation capabilities, depending on other platforms. |
| AI Capabilities | Get insights with Copilot, Viva Insights and AI search | Supports Adobe Sensei, effective only for personalization |
| Scalability | Perfectly suitable for enterprise-wide intranets and building internal knowledge hubs | Ideal for marketing sites and portals |
| Security & Compliance | Inherits Purview, DLP, retention policies | Additional security policies will need configuration |
| Cost Efficiency | Bundled with M365, lower TCO | High license and implementation cost |
As you can see, while AEM is purpose built for external communication and customer engagement, it does fall short when you are looking to build internal CDP. SharePoint on the other hand, excels when it comes to internal CDP.
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SharePoint vs AEM: Which is More Complex to Deploy?
Now, when you are talking about the best internal CDP, it is also important to consider the deployment complexity. A more complex system will be more expensive, prone to errors, and most importantly, can cause significant disruption to your everyday operations.
Deploying SharePoint as Your Internal CDP
SharePoint Online offers a low-friction deployment model. You can realize this fully, especially if you have an existing Microsoft 365 tenant.
Critical aspects like configuration, site collections, permissions, and workflows can be created through declarative tools like PowerShell, Power Automate, and the SharePoint Admin Center.
If you are planning to set up or hybrid environments, administrators can use SharePoint Server, which supports modern authentication as well as Azure integration.
Deploying Adobe Experience Manager
Now, when it comes to AEM, you need to provision a dedicated Adobe Cloud Manager environment. At the same time, you need to configure dispatcher instances, replication agents, and pipelines for publishing content across environments. Needless to say, this will add architectural overhead when you are looking at use cases for internal CDP.
Which is Ideal?
If you already are on the Microsoft ecosystem, SharePoint makes much more sense as it is quicker to deploy. SharePoint deployment is configuration-driven, while AEM is code-intensive. Therefore, SharePoint is faster, more easily maintained, and less resource-heavy to scale internally.
SharePoint vs AEM: Which is More Cost-Efficient?
The AEM license is tied to page views. So, the more times the page is viewed, the more you have to pay. As an internal CDP will have more usage, this pushes up the total cost of ownership.
On top of that, you will also need to invest in specialized developer skills like Java, Sling, and OSGi.
On the other hand, SharePoint is bundled with most Microsoft 365 Enterprise plans like E3 and E5. This significantly reduces the total cost of ownership.
There is also a hidden cost advantage, Microsoft Copilot now comes embedded across Microsoft SharePoint and Teams, AI-powered search and summarization come without needing separate license.
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