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Headless CMS - What is It and Why Do You Need It

Written By Jenny Doe
Reviewed By Jenny Doe

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Headless CMS - What is It and Why Do You Need It

With content requirements becoming more complex and versatile over time, a compatible CMS is necessary. Organizations have various use cases and marketing requirements to reuse particular content for different purposes.

Interestingly, traditional CMSs aren’t capable enough of doing that. So, if you’re looking for something more advanced to scale your content, it’s time to opt for a headless CMS.

This blog defines the term “headless CMS” and explains why it is a beneficial choice in today’s complex marketing era. Let’s learn more.

What is Headless CMS?

In simple words, a headless CMS (content management system) divides a backend (where the content is created and managed) from a designated frontend (the presentation layer where the content is showcased). You generate your content on the backend platform and send it via APIs to different devices, digital channels, websites, etc.

But what is the need to separate the backend from the frontend, anyway? The reason is headless CMS makes it possible and easy to repurpose content whenever and wherever necessary. This way, marketers can keep the content independent of just one platform. Besides, it also helps developers build systems faster and automate modifications in bulk.

Headless CMS vs Traditional CMS

Imagine your CMS as being a robot with a head and body. The head represents the digital endpoint (the presentation layer where the content is showcased) such as a website or mobile app, whereas the body represents the backend where this content is created and managed.

In traditional CMSs, the head and body are connected. So, whenever the body generates content, the designated or connected head shows it exactly. This means the head can only work with the designated body. In other words, they are made for each other. WordPress is the best example of a traditional CMS with a designated backend to create the content to be shown on the connected presentation layer (i.e. a website).

In contrast, a headless CMS is one without a head. Imagine that robot without a designated head. So, now it can take any head as per its needs. This is what happens with a headless CMS. The backend generates the content to deploy it via APIs to any digital channel depending on the content requirement.

Benefits – Why Do You Need Headless CMS?

Now, that you’ve understood what a headless CMS is, let’s take a look at why you need it. Among many popular traditional CMSs in the market, why should you choose a headless content management system instead?

Here are some important insights:

Provides Uniformity to Content

Consider the centralized air conditioning system fitted into the hallways, reception area, waiting area, and common halls (leave rooms of course). You have a single controlling system to manage the temperature and modes of the centralized AC. This means your staff doesn’t need to go to all these areas individually to change the temperature, etc. Isn’t it good? It saves time and effort for your staff and still does the required job.

The same goes with a headless CMS. You don’t need to copy and paste content from one place to another and then make modifications individually. All you need to do is change the images or modify content on your backend platform. Consequently, all the digital endpoints that receive this content will also receive the modifications. It makes the work of content editors very smooth and easy.

Allows Collaboration in the Work

The reusability of content and the reduction in individual efforts are the reasons why collaborative work functionality is possible. It helps teams work faster by making editors capable of modifying the content without the need for developers to step in. The developers can focus on different, more important tasks and boost the company’s profits.

Enhances Reusability of Content

Reusability is the key benefit of headless CMSs that distinguishes it from traditional CMS systems. When there is unlimited reusability across different endpoints online, strategizing campaigns and other content presentations become seamless. Marketers can optimize the content with the integration of different tools as per the localization and customization needs of the campaigns.

What is the Best Headless CMS Practice?

Headless CMSs make content reusable; we all know that now. But does it provide structured content to be used on different digital endpoints and for various use cases? The answer is negative.

Let’s first understand what structured content means. It points to the ‘organized’ content in blocks classified with metadata. For example, the title, body, image, product description, author information, etc. are various components of structured content. Without classifying the content into these different blocks, the content remains unorganized. Unorganized content is not very useful for repurposing.

However, by organizing the content into a proper structure using a content model, the problem gets resolved. This means the developers can help marketers reuse the specific blocks for different campaigns and personalized use cases.

To conclude, it’s a no-brainer that making the most of generated content is a must for marketing. And what makes it easy to do is a headless CMS. All you need to do is choose the right company offering custom eCommerce solutions in India to discuss your goals for creating the headless CMS solution for you.

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