Post
Do You Recognize This Salesforce?
Posted on April 19, 2024 (Last modified on December 10, 2024) • 4 min read • 765 wordsPart 3: 2011-2015
We’re back with Part 3 of our look at how “salesforce.com” has changed over the years — and this round we’ll be going from 2011 to 2015! Courtesy of the Internet Archive, we’re looking year by year at the “curbside” updates the world’s leading CRM has made to their “home address”.
You can of course catch the previous posts right here: Part 1, 1999–2005 | Part 2, 2006–2010
Now let’s dive in!
2011
By 2011 the site is looking more and more “modern” in terms of whitespace, content “widgets”, and a reduction in the frequency of the Salesforce cloud logo as a design tool all over the page.
We also have a Radian6 callout — the acquisition and product that would become today’s Marketing Cloud. And, in true 2011 fashion…
…the iPad!! (Not to mention what may be the first widescale use of the “30,000 feet” metaphor that would become a staple of corporate-speak to on curent calls to mean a “high level view”). Although, it’s likely that this “30,000 feet” has more to do with being able to access your org on the go, even from on board a flight.
2012
By 2012 the world has recognized the power of social media in, and for, business and we see that reflected by a carousel banner that indicates how Salesforce helps brands convert customers into, now much sought after, “likes”!
We also see the first implementation of the now ubiquitous social-channel-lineup footer that’s a staple on every corporate website — although this one has a few 2012 Easter eggs.
Remember Google+?! Heck, remember Twitter?! And, to really cement the shift in the cultural importance of social media, we see the last several years’ CRM blurb has now been replaced by one on the “Social Enterprise”.
It’s social media, for business — internal, external, and designed to convert prospects and drive customer satisfaction.
2013
2013 has a bit of a surprise by modern standards, with the headline announcement/brag-banner of the strategiuc partnership between Oracle and Salesforce — two San Francisco giants (ha!) that have become significantly more competitive than collaborative in more recent years — including, but not limited to, Oracle photoshopping away the Salesforce tower from the S.F. skyline on their annual calendar.
We also get the first homepage shout out for Marketing Cloud proper, Radian6 having been officially brought into the fold and wrapped in, what to this day remains, its Salesforce product name.
And, we now have more than 1800 apps on the AppExchange! A number that will continue to grow year over year, and a 10x leap from the 3-digit shoutouts we saw in earlier parts of this series.
2014
2014 plays host to a very modern looking site that, using tabs and carousels, reduces the whitespace while also reducing the visual clutter of early years and drives clicks and engagement. It also heralds a change that still holds true to this day — the need to showcase mobile functionality alongside desktop/laptop functionality wherever possible.
Which of course means images now contain both computers and smartphones and tablets.
And, last but not least…
… our first Pardot shoutout! Now, of course, it’s Marketing Cloud Account Engagement — but Pardot was a huge acquisition at the time and really expanded Salesforce’s ability to offer B2B marketing automation serivces, specifically around email marketing!
2015
2015 marks a slight return to minimalism, with relatively light text — but there’s one huge change in terms of branding…
…the modern logo has officially made an appearance! Gone is the gradient and now the cloud is that light, Salesforce blue that we’re used to seeing everywhere! We also see a renewed focus on success, specifically customer success, and the introduction, and frequent employment of, one of the brand’s favorite taglines, “The Customer Success Platform”!
And with that we also get the more formal rollout of Customer Success Stories and a public-facing presentation of account size and industry-specific marketing!
A strategy that would prove succesful and remains in place to this day!
2016-Present?
Will be coming up next week, so be sure to subscribe so you’ll be the first to know! (And of course we’ll update this post with the links for each time period right here!)
And you can see the previous installments right here!
For this stretch, what surprised you the most? Which was your favorite logo? Do you remember your favorite Google+ account? Let us know in the comments!
And, until next time, keep working hard, smart, and happy — we’ll see you in the cloud.