Why business leaders are choosing scalable headless CMS platforms

Highlights

You'll learn:

• Robust backend framework: Unlike traditional monolithic CMS models, a headless CMS offers swift editing capabilities and versatile adaptability across various platforms.
• Widespread industry utilization: Business leaders in companies like ICE Mortgage, Wavin, and Mitsubishi Electric, as shown below in the case studies, have embraced this innovative technology, affirming its practicality and impact.
• Enhanced content accessibility: Operating as a central content hub, a headless CMS facilitates content availability through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). This approach streamlines content dissemination and management effectively.

Elevate your content approach and provide more engaging digital experiences. Keep reading to learn more!

Businesses seek reliable options to control and scale their content management with the rapid growth of the digital landscape, new technology, and ever-changing customer needs.

The headless CMS architecture introduces versatility and flexibility, enabling organizations to ease content creation, management, and delivery. In this guide, we go in-depth about headless CMS, its architecture, and how to set up a scalable system for your organization’s needs.

Introduction to headless CMS

A headless content management system is the exact opposite of a traditional CMS. While the front and back end layers work together in a conventional CMS, they work separately in the headless architecture. As a result, developers leverage APIs to fetch and deliver content across multiple platforms.

The flexibility of architecture enables businesses to adapt to new technology and change. That results in an engaging customer experience for their users. Here are the main concepts of headless CMS architecture:

• API-first: In a headless CMS setup, APIs do the heavy lifting of content management, storage, and publishing. With this approach, developers can integrate different systems and devices with ease. 

• Digital experience: The headless CMS handles content delivery across multiple channels. That includes mobile apps, websites, wearables, and social media, creating an engaging digital experience.

• Structured content: The architecture stores content away from its presentation layer. That makes it adaptable and reusable for different use cases. Hence, organizations can harmonize content creation, maintain consistency, and enhance management and delivery. 

• Omnichannel: Businesses are tapping into omnichannel content delivery for engaging customer and user experiences. With a headless CMS architecture, they can standardize user experience irrespective of the platform or device.

Evolution from traditional to headless CMS

The need for greater control, flexibility, and scalability drives more businesses to swap their traditional CMS for a headless CMS.

In traditional CMSes, content storage and presentation work together. That makes it impossible to deliver content across various platforms. But with a headless CMS, the layers work separately, encouraging multichannel adaptability. 

The decoupled setup also enables developers to push content to various devices and platforms.

The architecture of scalable headless CMS

The headless CMS architecture consists of three main components. They are - the back end, API (Application Programming Interface), and the front-end framework. 

The back end is where content creation, organizing, and management happen. It is a centralized hub that enables content creators to collaborate and organize their workflow. The front end presents the content to the users. It enables smooth content delivery across digital platforms.

The headless architecture separates both components. That is why the API-first approach is central to the headless architecture. APIs act as the bridge. They ease communication between the back-end and front-end frameworks through HTTP requests. 

Aside from that, they also act as gatekeepers. And that allows developers to retrieve and deliver content to different digital platforms.

Julie Hsieh, UI/UX Engineer at Exact Corporation, sums up the scalable headless CMS architecture, "The marketing team can focus on content and then the software team can focus on making frontend code."

Benefits of API-driven, flexible systems

An API-driven system like a headless CMS can integrate with other existing systems and frameworks. It also offers limitless support for digital devices. This promotes collaboration among teams and eases data exchange.

The system also gives you flexibility and control. That way, your developers can use the technology stack they prefer. A headless CMS's flexible, API-driven system promotes agile workflows and one-to-many reach.

There is also the issue of scalability. As businesses create more value, they grow and expand. Traditional or monolith CMSes struggle with that spike in demand. Headless CMSes enable you to accommodate extra workload without disrupting workflow.

Building a headless CMS architecture

Building a headless CMS architecture involves four high-level steps, as follows: 

1. Select a suitable headless CMS platform: Selecting a suitable CMS platform is the first and most critical step. You want a secure and scalable platform that aligns with your business objectives. It should also be flexible and easy to use. 

Kevin Yang, Senior Web Development Manager at ICE Mortgage, said this about the Contentstack digital experience platform. "One of the biggest benefits of Contentstack is the ease of use. Once we build it out, we can train other non-technical people to manage the content, and that's powerful."

2. Design the content model: The next step is to define the structure and how you will organize content. Consider content types, fields, and relationships. This stage requires meticulous planning. Ensure that the content model supports your functions and potential growth.

3. Set up the content management backend. Configure the CMS platform by creating user roles and permissions. Then, outline workflows for content creation, editing, and publishing. Ensure the back end is robust and user-friendly. That will ease content management for creators and editors.

4. Developing the presentation layer: The final piece of the puzzle. Create the front-end templates and components to display your content. You can use specific frameworks like Vue.Js or React. Ensure the front-end components integrate well with the CMS platform to fetch and render content easily.

Following the above steps will enable you to set up a headless architecture to deliver optimized user experiences.

Best practices for scalability and efficiency

Embracing a modular approach is one practical way to ensure you develop a scalable content management system. The modular approach breaks down content into smaller, reusable chunks you can manage and update. 

Also, consider implementing a caching mechanism to store used content and reduce the system’s workload.

Finally, ensure you review and optimize your content model. Leverage analytics to analyze user behavior. That way, you can identify areas of improvement and make the right adjustments to improve user experience.

Case studies

Contentstack has helped over 50 organizations reduce content development time by 80%, reduce time to publish by 90% and achieve a 295% ROI. Here are some success stories.

Mitsubishi Electric

Mitsubishi wanted to enhance user experience by improving search capabilities. They also wanted their regional sales offices to create localized content. They also wanted to generate more leads, migrate to better servers, and create a new URL.

Mitsubishi Electric mandated Freshcells Systems Engineering GmbH external consultants to review the market. They aimed to choose a suitable flexible headless CMS for the modern web. 

The company chose the Contentstack CMS for its clear user interface, localized content, and translation capabilities.

“Embracing headless CMS, especially the concept of providing centralized content for individual localization alongside all-local content, was a new way of doing things,” said Andrea Intveen, website manager of Factory Automation EMEA.

Thanks to the composable DXP, front-end hosting, automation hub, and apps and integrations. Contentstack now manages 21 sites for Mitsubishi Electric. Aside from that, Mitsubishi no longer relies on external suppliers. They also now publish content faster than ever. 

Read more about how Mitsubishi Electric deploys headless CMS across 21 EMEA sites.

Wavin

Wavin had the same challenge as most large organizations. A restrictive legacy CMS and tech stack. As a result, they could not build a world-class e-commerce platform. Upgrading the system was also complicated, time-consuming, and expensive.

They needed a headless CMS to deliver e-commerce capabilities and real-time content infrastructure. First, they embraced the MACH approach. Then, they engaged Contentstack to implement a phased rollout, starting with Indonesia, India, and the Czech Republic. After seeing positive results, they rolled out Contentstack in 36 countries.

Implementing the Contentstack headless CMS has enabled them to improve the speed of orders from 20 minutes to 10 minutes. They also accelerated customer acquisition. Their country offices with the highest adoption got the highest revenue increases.

“We have been able to add technology into the existing relationships quite easily to improve the service delivered, as well as make Wavin more attractive in new markets," Stephanie Devine, Global Product Owner for E-commerce, said.

Read more about how Wavin builds world-class e-commerce capabilities with Contentstack.

How does headless CMS architecture enhance digital experiences?

A headless CMS harmonizes content delivery across digital channels. That ensures that users receive content in the right format irrespective of the device or platform. Its analytic integrations empower businesses to deliver engaging and personalized customer experiences.

Why choose a scalable headless CMS for your business?

It empowers your business with the right capabilities to manage, organize, and optimize content for growth. It eliminates the flexibility limitations of traditional CMS. 

It also allows you to adapt and future-proof your content strategy. And when you start growing, it enables you to scale without disrupting your performance.

Omnichannel content delivery and digital experiences

Also known as a decoupled CMS, headless CMSes integrate seamlessly with various technologies and platforms. The architecture decouples the content management and presentation layers. That enables it to achieve a consistent and optimized omnichannel content delivery. 

Enhancing user experience across channels

With an API-driven headless CMS, you can tailor content to users' needs on their preferred platforms. Aside from enhancing the user experience, it boosts engagement by providing meaningful interactions. 

A headless CMS's advanced content management and integration capabilities empower you to create immersive digital experiences for your audience.

FAQ

What makes a CMS 'headless'?

A CMS is 'headless' if it has separate content management and presentation layers. And that allows it to integrate with other systems and distribute content via APIs.

What are the cost implications of switching to a leadless CMS?

Implementing a headless CMS may also cost more initially, but it delivers a good ROI in the long term. Aside from that, the organization must also invest in training and materials to get the team up to speed.

How does a headless CMS improve content management?

A headless CMS improves content management by providing an easy-to-use repository to manage and organize content. It also introduces the concept of reusable content. A concept that allows content creators to harmonize and distribute it across many platforms.

Can a headless CMS support e-commerce platforms?

Yes. A headless architecture can work with e-commerce platforms. It integrates well with new systems, technology, and frameworks.

How does a headless CMS integrate with other digital tools?

A headless CMS integrates with other systems through the APIs. Using RESTful or GraphQL, developers can communicate with any system within the headless architecture.

What Are the security advantages of a headless CMS?

Most headless CMS platforms offer data encryption, role-based access, and control. Headless CMSes have fewer entry points since APIs handle the system's interaction. These factors make them secure.

How does headless CMS facilitate content personalization?

A headless CMS enables you to set up rules based on user behavior and demographic data. You can also incorporate the data into content creation to ensure your audience receives personalized content.

What are the challenges in Implementing a headless CMS?

The learning curve after implementing a new headless CMS architecture can be daunting. Since it is a new system, it could take a little time for your team to get used to it. Also, you may face some technical issues when integrating the new system with existing frameworks.

Is a Headless CMS suitable for all types of businesses?

A headless CMS suits all kinds of businesses because you can customize them. So, even as a small business, you can only select the needed services. They are also suitable for growing businesses since they are scalable.

How does a headless CMS manage multilingual content?

Most headless CMS platforms offer in-built localization features. These features enable you to translate content into several languages. They also enable businesses to serve localized content to their audience in different locations.

Learn more

The examples of Mitsubishi and Wavin show the benefits of switching to a headless CMS. As user needs and technology change and AI becomes more mainstream, businesses will require scalable systems for their content management needs. Request a free demo to start future-proofing your business.