Eli5 - What is headless CMS? What is it for?

Are you in the process of building a website but feeling unsure about which CMS (Content Management System) to use? Read this CMS decision tree article to help you choose the right CMS for your business. In this article, let's delve into the concept of a headless CMS with a simpler explanation tailored for marketers like you.

A headless CMS is a modern approach to managing website content that separates the content creation and management process from the actual presentation or design of the website. Essentially, it's like having a chef prepare the ingredients for a dish without worrying about how it will be plated and served.

Here's a breakdown using everyday examples:

Imagine you have a cookbook (the CMS) where you can write and organize all your recipes (content) conveniently. With a traditional CMS, the cookbook also dictates how each recipe should be presented on the plate (website). So, if you want to change the look of your recipes, you have to rewrite the cookbook itself, which is time-consuming and complex.

Now, let's consider a headless CMS. It's like having a recipe database (the CMS) where you can store all your recipes without worrying about how they'll be presented. Instead of being confined to a specific cookbook format, you can access your recipes from any kitchen (website) and plate them however you like. So, if you want to serve your recipes on a plate, in a bowl, or even as a sandwich, you can do so easily without changing the recipe itself.

In real-world terms, this means marketers can focus on creating and organizing content within the CMS without being restricted by predefined website themes or templates. Developers then use the CMS's API to fetch the content and display it on the website in any format they choose—whether it's a traditional webpage, a mobile app, a PDF document, or even an email newsletter.

Why you need headless CMS?

Here are the reasons why you might need a headless CMS, explained in simpler terms for marketers:

1. Flexible Content Usage: If you want to reuse your content across various platforms like websites, mobile apps, PDFs, and emails, a headless CMS lets you do that easily. For instance, imagine you have an article on your website that you also want to include in a mobile app without rewriting it. A headless CMS makes this process seamless.
2. Developer Expertise: Sometimes, your developers might be great at creating web pages but not as proficient in building content management systems (CMS). In such cases, a headless CMS is beneficial because it allows developers to focus on what they're good at—writing programs for the frontend—while leaving the content management part to the headless CMS.
3. Content vs. Design: Traditional CMS platforms often tightly integrate content management with website design. However, if you need more flexibility in how your content is displayed without being constrained by pre-defined themes or templates, a headless CMS is the way to go. For example, if you need multilingual support for your website and want to manage both English and French versions from a single source, a headless CMS makes it much simpler.
4. Content Separation: In a traditional CMS, the way content looks on the website is closely tied to the backend system. With a headless CMS, content and design are decoupled. This means you can manage your content separately from how it's presented on the website. Non-technical staff can focus on inputting and updating content without worrying about how it will appear, while developers can handle the presentation layer using the CMS's API.

How headless CMS techincally work?

Let's break down how a headless CMS works step by step, focusing on how marketers interact with it.

1. Content Creation and Organization: Marketers start by creating and organizing content within the headless CMS just like they would in a traditional CMS. This involves writing articles, uploading images, videos, or any other media assets, and categorizing or tagging content for easy retrieval.
2. Structured Content: Unlike traditional CMS platforms where content is tightly coupled with specific website templates, content in a headless CMS is stored in a structured format, often using JSON or XML. This structured approach allows for greater flexibility in how content is presented across different platforms and devices.
3. API Configuration: Once content is created and organized, developers configure the CMS to expose this content through an API (Application Programming Interface). Think of the API as a way for different software applications to communicate with each other. Marketers don't directly interact with the API but benefit from its functionality.
4. Front-End Development: Developers use the API to fetch content from the headless CMS and display it on the website or other digital platforms. They build the front-end of the website or application using technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and use the API to dynamically populate the content.
5. Customization and Personalization: Marketers collaborate with developers to customize the presentation of content based on specific branding guidelines, user preferences, and business objectives. This could include creating personalized landing pages, interactive content modules, or dynamic product showcases.
6. Multi-Channel Delivery: One of the key advantages of a headless CMS is its ability to deliver content across multiple channels and devices. Marketers can ensure a consistent brand experience across websites, mobile apps, IoT devices, digital signage, and more, without having to manage separate content repositories for each channel.
7. Analytics and Optimization: Marketers use analytics tools to track user engagement, conversion rates, and other key performance indicators (KPIs) to optimize content strategy and improve ROI. Because content is managed centrally in the headless CMS, marketers can easily iterate and experiment with different content variations to drive better results.