10 benefits of a headless CMS and why you need one
A headless content management system provides greater flexibility and more powerful control over the development of sites and applications. By providing just the backend of a site, application, or digital channel, a headless CMS allows businesses to have more control over how their content is displayed across devices.
What is a headless CMS?
In a traditional CMS, the backend, frontend, and content are combined. This provides a simple create-and-publish workflow for non-technical users but prevents flexibility in publishing across channels.
A headless CMS provides only backend code without frontend design. This allows creators to publish across any device or digital asset, streamlining workflows for a digital-first world.
10 benefits of a headless CMS
Greater flexibility
With the frontend "head" removed from development, teams have more control over how their content is displayed across channels, but can still manage everything from one database. For instance, this means there doesn't need to be repetitive development for content published on a website and a mobile app - everything is in one place and headless components can be easily selected to add to each digital channel.
Developers and marketers can also work simultaneously to develop and publish content. Plus, the agility of a headless CMS means that the bloated code and unnecessary features of a traditional CMS are streamlined into only what the business needs.
Easy to integrate
With flexible APIs at the forefront, integration with any tech stack is simplified. Unlike traditional CMS's, which either require endless plugins that slow down pages or suite CMS's that only allow their features to be used, headless CMS provides the flexibility to integrate with the tech stack that your business already uses. Overall, this provides a lower total cost of ownership and streamlines workflows in a way that's best for your business.
Dependable security
Security is key for any business that operates online. Since headless CMS decouples the frontend from the backend, security is inherently superior to traditional CMS. Beyond that, headless CMS removes the need for plugins which can often pose security risks for businesses.
Top-notch performance
Headless CMS provides improved performance by streamlining the code needed for your site. Your site will operate faster, and developers can make edits without affecting the live site, meaning less downtime for pages.
Efficiency for developers
Removing the frontend from the backend means that developers can operate more efficiently, without either having to rely on the other to make updates. Marketers can operate more freely when creating and editing content, meaning developers have more time to focus on other important projects. Developers can also integrate any coding language they want with a headless CMS, making for a better experience.
Brand consistency
With the ability to create and publish across multiple channels without re-creating from scratch, you can ensure your brand is consistent no matter what device your customers are using. Plus, if a headless CMS has robust multi-site capabilities, you can manage brand appearance all from one central hub.
Easier access to emerging markets
With an agile structure and faster development time, your business can enter new markets faster by leveraging a headless CMS. With multi-language capabilities or integrations, you can also more seamlessly expand globally with your content housed in one source of truth.
Fully scalable content operations
A headless CMS is not restricted to one type of frontend, meaning content can be reused across any channel. This provides businesses the opportunity to scale by cutting down on creation and development time. The ability to integrate with any tech stack also creates opportunities for growth.
Future-proof development
Regardless of the technologies that will gain popularity in the future, a headless CMS is poised to adapt. Integrations with leading platforms and adaptable content to fit any design means that your business won't have to worry about changing platforms soon after adoption.
Stronger SEO capabilities
Some headless content management systems offer SEO optimization, with meta tags, images and pages optimized for performance. Traditional CMS's typically cannot provide as robust of SEO capabilities, particularly when it comes to the code that is produced when creating pages.
Headless CMS vs. traditional CMS
Headless
Traditional
Limitless Integrations (and no plugins!)
Agile Workflow
Streamlined Omnichannel Creation
Flexible development
Easily scalable
Business that can benefit from going headless
Global companies that want centralized control
As your company grows globally, you need one source of truth that can easily be deployed in various markets. A headless CMS with multi-language and localization capabilities takes the guesswork out of growth by providing a centralized platform to manage all content.
Businesses that need added security
Businesses that want more flexibility and time back in their hands
Companies that want to modernize their legacy systems
Zesty.io: the headless CMS you need
Zesty.io: the headless CMS you need
Zesty offers a robust headless CMS built for growing companies. With tools made to bridge the gap between developers and marketers, it's the number one choice for companies looking to scale resources, time and business. With features like visual content editing, headless content models, omnichannel delivery, automated SEO, and SOC II compliance, Zesty can set your mid-market or enterprise business up for future success.
Chosen by companies such as Sony, Rocket League and Cornershop by Uber, Zesty takes the headache out of headless.
