Headless CMS: These are the Advantages and How You Implement It

So that you can successfully position your content on the web, there is a large number of content management systems, short CMS. Many more sites and applications have since been added, which editors and content managers must play simultaneously. Users no longer only access a company's website, but also buy their products in apps or online shops, for example. And this is exactly where the big challenges come in, because for this content must sometimes be transferred manually from one CMS to another. If you want to play your content not only on one website, then it is worth taking a look at Headless CMS. Because this enables the distribution of content in any number of media.

We explain to you exactly what is behind Headless CMS and why it will become increasingly important in the implementation of your content and e-commerce in the future. We also introduce you to suitable tools for Headless CMS and help you with software selection. In a step-by-step guide, we show you how you can use Headless CMS directly for your channels.

What is Headless CMS?

The "headless" designation for Headless CMS stands for the decoupling of the front-end from the back-end. A Headless CMS does not deliver template engines or a view, but consists exclusively of a back-end, a database, and an API. The API completely replaces the front-end and enables access to the stored data in the CMS database. Content can be distributed to various devices and channels via the APIs. For example, an e-commerce company can optimize its content more easily and offer buyers a seamless digital shopping experience, regardless of the device.

In addition to websites, you can also play your content for the following platforms via a Headless CMS:

• Android & iOS Apps
• Smartwatches
• E-Commerce-Shops
• TV applications
• Voice assistants

These are the differences between a classic CMS and Headless CMS

Classic content management systems, like WordPress or Drupal, deliver their data via predefined templates and generate a view from them. The back-end system is thus closely linked with the front-end, and companies can sell their products via a web-based platform. Due to the increase in mobile users, the multi-channel approach has become even more important. This means that the data from a content management system should now also be provided for other applications, including, for example, smartphones or smartwatches.

While traditional retailers are certainly capable of meeting the needs of a small online shop with a website, the challenges for companies with more platforms are greater. Whether it's applications, multiple websites, or other media - the API in a Headless CMS can manage and serve multiple platforms from a central location.

The differences between classic CMS and Headless CMS at a glance (Source: Storyblok).

Current challenges of content management systems

By now, the digital requirements and needs have changed. A website is just one medium among many and is not only accessed on a computer, but also on smartphones, tablets, or via TV applications. So today it's no longer just about supplying one medium with content, but serving a large number of different devices and structures simultaneously.

You should keep these challenges in mind when working with classic CMS:

• Content silos and fragmented data: If an increasing number of new channels and websites are being added for a company, then a marketing team reaches its limits, because the content management has to take place on several platforms. This wastes a lot of valuable time. In addition, the dispersion of important data and content is growing.
• Limitations in cross-team collaboration: Different platforms also require different teams, which creates little development in cross-team collaboration. Here, too, there is a risk that common goals will not be met as easily. In addition, the effort to introduce new platforms and channels is large and requires additional resources from the team.
• Poor website performance due to legacy system & code: When companies decide on new platforms, then a content management system also has to adapt to the new software behind it. A classic CMS brings with it legacy code and plugin update cycles, and these systems are often not optimized for new interfaces, such as apps or smartwatches. Obsolete technology also increases maintenance efforts.

These tools rely on Headless CMS

The headless CMS market has been growing strongly for several years now, so there are already many different providers. The companies mainly differ in their target groups and use cases.

We now present to you the providers for Headless CMS that you can also rate on our platform OMR Reviews. You can find more helpful information and the previous user reviews on OMR Reviews in the Category Content Management Systems (CMS).

Storyblok: Storyblok is a software company from Austria that was founded in 2017. The tool is designed to provide powerful "content experiences" on various platforms, such as the company's website or app. The special feature of Storyblok is that the tool is aimed at both developers and marketers in the B2C area. The tool is currently said to be used by almost 54,000 developers and marketers in over 86,000 projects. The features include a visual editor, various content blocks, workflow stages for a better overview, and an activity log. In addition, Storyblok offers a combination of visual editing tools and highly customizable content blocks for marketers. This is based on a modern headless architecture that gives developers the flexibility to build fast and reliable digital platforms. The price categories range between 7 and 21 € per month and per user. In addition, an enterprise version (from 2,999 €) and a free version are available.

Contentful: Contentful is an API-first content management platform that helps companies create and manage digital experiences as quickly as possible. Solutions that Contentful offers with offices in Berlin, San Francisco and Denver include Onsite Experiences, Global Marketing & Localization, Mobile Apps, Agile Commerce, and a Content Hub. The tool is currently said to be used worldwide by around 2,200 customers. In addition to a community version (free), there is also a team and enterprise version (from $489/month).

Contentstack: Contentstack gives content editors the opportunity to tell their stories with its API-first content management system and share them with all those who might find them interesting. The features the tool offers include content preview, easy content management, mobile optimization, scalability, integrations and omnichannel content delivery. Users can choose an appropriate plan individually: Start, Growth or Scale (from $995/month - max. 10 users). A demo can be requested online.

Hygraph: Hygraph is a GraphQL-native headless CMS and API-driven content platform. It was founded in 2017 as an enterprise-class content management platform. The platform has external data acquisition capabilities and versatile GraphQL content APIs. In addition, Hygraph is optimized as a database for well-structured content and gives content creators tools for building a content pipeline. The company is based in Berlin and currently enables nearly 50,000 teams worldwide to develop and deploy digital omnichannel experiences. Hygraph offers a free version that is suitable for smaller projects. The "Self Service" tariff starts at $299/month and can be used by up to 25 users. There is also a personalized enterprise tariff.

Magnolia: The content platform Magnolia enables its users to manage all kinds of content and media in one place and create personalized experiences across multiple channels. Magnolia is made up of a Digital Experience Platform, a Headless CMS, personalization, Digital Asset Management and E-commerce. The features of the tool range from the creation and management to the delivery to the optimization of the content. A personal demo can be requested via the website.

Scrivito: Scrivito CMS is a headless/decoupled web CMS in the cloud. It is especially suitable for medium and large companies as well as public sector organizations that need a flexible basis for their websites and apps. In the development of the CMS, scalability, security, user-friendliness and performance play a special role. It can easily be connected to other software via APIs. Companies can create an unlimited number of projects from a single system without marginal costs, also multilingual.

This is the benefit of a Headless CMS

If you run more websites and digital platforms than just one, switching to a Headless CMS could be worthwhile for you. If you're unsure, we've summarized the best benefits of using a Headless CMS for you here:

• Central content management in one place: Instead of having to spread your content across different platforms, a Headless CMS provides a place for managing multiple channels. Via an integrated API, you can maintain your platforms simultaneously.
• State-of-the-art technologies: By using modern technologies, website loading times improve and user experience also benefits from this. For example, the telecommunications provider UPC Business was able to reduce the loading times of its website by over 80 percent via the CMS tool Storyblok.
• Free choice of technology:Headless CMS decouples the front-end from the back-end, and this is where another advantage comes in: You can decide yourself on which platforms you want to play out your content and what the view should look like. As a result, you are also free from pre-set frames or views.

Here's how to create a website with a Headless Content Management System

If you've discovered the benefits of Headless CMS for you and now want to use it for your website, we'll show you how to do that. Using the tool Storyblok as an example, we'll explain in 4 steps how you can plan and implement your content via a Headless CMS.

The way from the creation of your content to the publication on all your channels (Source: Storyblok).

Step 1: Define Content Type

In the first step, determine how your content should be constructed. To do this, you choose a content type. You can choose as many content types as you need. These content types are available to you:

• Contribution
• Product
• Page
• FAQ entry

Once you have created a content type, you can create your website based on the template you have defined. By default, you will first be provided with the content type "Page". If you don't need this type, you can delete it and choose another one.

In this step, you can also specify whether you want to insert text fields, images, or personalized fields as a further component. Via plugins, there is the possibility to integrate icons or a Google Maps location selection as further fields.

Step 2: Create content

After selecting and creating your content types and the corresponding image and text elements, you can now fill your templates with text. Every user who is created in Storyblok can create new content. To do this, you fill in the fields in the Storyblok editor that you set up in the step before.

In the content area, you will find an overview of all your posts. Here you can also create the structure of your content. For example, a hierarchical structure is suitable by creating different folders to assign your content to different topics.

To open a story, click on the row in the table that represents the story, i.e., your page. This opens the editor in visual or pure form form (depending on settings). You can now navigate through the hierarchical folder structure.

BU: 1: In the search you can search for your folder or topics. 2: Open or close the filter options in the view here. 3: Here you can select your folders or pages (also multiple). 4: Add new folder. 5: Create new story (page). 6: At this point, the status of your content is shown to you - if the status is green, the respective page with the content is already published, if it is gray-green, it is still a draft. 7: Open more actions for the post (Source: Storyblok).

Source: Storyblok

Step 3: Request content via APIs

To be able to publish your content on your platforms, the created content is queried via APIs. Storyblok offers various APIs to help you implement the best feature for your users. To provide content to your users, you can either use the Content Delivery API or the GraphQL API. Both APIs are optimized for response times and are stored in a cache. The Management API allows deep integration with the CMS and offers a programmed approach to creating and updating your content.

Tip: Use the live preview feature before publishing your posts. This gives you the opportunity to get a direct view of the page in advance and what it will look like immediately after going live. This gives information on whether your content is being displayed incorrectly and should be adjusted.

Step 4: Publish content across channels

You can now connect your content to your websites, e-commerce platforms, or apps. To ensure this works optimally, Storyblok has integrated a variety of technologies and platforms, including the PHP script language and the Django framework. You can also reuse the same content for each platform in the future.

Conclusion on Headless CMS

Headless CMS is the answer to the increasing demands on content management systems, especially regarding omnichannel and personalized (shopping) experiences. Whether you switch from your previous CMS to a Headless CMS primarily depends on what you are planning in the content area and which channels you are working with. If you want to present your content only on one website, e.g., a blog, then decoupling your front-end makes less sense.

It's a different story if you want to play out your content on different platforms. With a Headless CMS, editors can edit and publish their content for multiple channels, e.g., a website, an app, and an e-commerce solution, simultaneously via the backend interface. The content is correctly displayed in the respective format via an integrated API.

The peculiarities of smartphones, the Internet of Things, or virtual realities necessitate a rethink when creating and publishing content. Headless and Decoupled CMS are the first steps in this direction. Therefore, you should not lose sight of the developments in content management systems. With regard to the rapid developments of recent years, it could be that classic CMS will in the future be able to correspond less and less to the habits of many users, as is currently the case with static websites.