Headless Websites: According to the Non-Developer
What happens when a marketer and developer team up to write content? Magic.
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Ever sat in a meeting where someone drops a technical term and you're too embarrassed to ask what it means? You're not alone. Here at VividFront, our diverse team of marketers, designers, developers, and engineers speaks multiple languages.
While some digital marketing terms are universal (we all know our way around Google Analytics), others can leave team members scratching their heads in confusion. And there's one term that consistently tops our list of "wait, what does that mean?" moments: Headless CMS websites.
Finding a Common Language
Our team is constantly learning about each other's specialties and deepening our understanding of the others' world. One way we do that is by writing / recording helpful and useful content for other's consumption (i.e. blog posts/podcasts).
As a non-developer writing this blog (hi, I am a marketerđ), here's the foundation of what helped me understand the term headless and what *inserting marketer friendly terms here* pain points it solves. Looking at it from this perspective helped me understand why the development team lives and dies by Storyblok (our headless CMS partner).
Before you can understand headless, you have to begin with a base-level understanding of websites in general. Everyone knows what a website is.. but does everyone understand what the infrastructure of websites look like? Most of the time, the average internet user isn't thinking about that. That's why we exist. First, we'll cover what a content management system is and it's function (also called CMS in shorthand).
Key Concept Check
What is a CMS?
A CMS, or content management system, is exactly what it sounds like: a platform used to manage your websiteâs content. This âcontentâ includes written content, photos, videos â you name it. The beauty of a CMS is that it allows multiple users to create, modify and publish content, without the need for a web developer.Â
"Typical" content management systems, like WordPress and Shopify, are made up of two critical components: the Content Management Application (CMA) and the Content Delivery Application (CDA).
Content Management Application (CMA)
The CMA serves as the digital workspace and is where the content creation process happens. Here, content creators can log in, write blog posts, upload images, and manage the website's overall content. It is designed with user-friendliness in mind, accessible to team members across varying levels of technical skills. The CMA includes tools for content creation and editing, managing media libraries, setting user permissions, and overseeing content workflows.
Content Delivery Application (CDA)
Operating behind the scenes, the CDA is the engine that stores content in databases, manages version control, handles security, and ensures timely delivery of content to your audience.
In monolithic CMS platforms, both the content management and content delivery are tightly connected.
Popular Monolithic CMS Platforms:
WordPress
Shopify
Joomla
Wix
Squarespace
Each CMS has its own âlaneâ and features that make it ideal for different use cases. For example, Shopify is the most commonly used CMS for eCommerce websites whereas WordPress is most popular for content-heavy or lead-generation sites.Â
Frontend vs. Backend
The "frontend" is everything your visitors interact with directly â it's the face of your website. This includes everything from the visible design elements, written content, to interactive features that make your website engaging and user-friendly.
The frontend is responsible for how your content is presented, how your website adapts to different screen sizes, and how quickly pages load for your visitors. This is where user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design principles come into play.
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The backend, meanwhile, is the powerhouse of your website. It's where all the complex processing happens â managing databases, handling user authentication, processing forms, and storing / retrieving content. Think of it as the engine room of a cruise ship â visitors never see it, but without it, nothing would work. The backend is responsible for ensuring your content is stored securely, managing user data, and processing all the behind-the-scenes operations that keep your website running smoothly.
In traditional CMS environments, the frontend and backend are one combined entity and cannot be separated from one another; which makes intuitive sense. This is why "going headless" is oftentimes an abstract concept for people other than developers to grasp because we only know what we know (the frontend). We are not concerned with the backend, nor are we concerned how it's attached to what we see. Ignorance is bliss?
However, as digital experiences become more complex and diverse, the limitations of traditional CMS architectures becomes more apparent. Headless CMS solutions offer benefits like improved performance, scalability, and consistent multi-channel content delivery. These advantages are driving the shift towards headless architectures, even if the concept remains abstract to non-developers.
The Pros & Cons of HeadlessÂ
Seems simple, but whatâs the point of going headless?Â
Pros of HeadlessÂ
You make your own rules: In a traditional CMS, like WordPress, there is a decent amount of flexibility. However, you will have to work within the constraints of how that CMS is intended to be used. This is why so many CMSâ have popped up over the years â WordPress isnât great for eCommerce, and Shopify isnât great for robust content. In a headless environment, you can quite literally create whatever you want, however you want. If you have a vision for how you want your website to look or function, itâs possible.
You can integrate with any API or traditional CMS: When going headless, you donât have to give up the functional elements of other strong CMSâ and apps. If youâre launching a headless eCommerce store, you can use Shopify to power the backend eCommerce capabilities â the product catalog, cart, checkout, customer profiles, etc. You can pair that with a headless CMS, like Storyblok, to create a better frontend content experience or a robust blog for the website. In this example, both Shopify and Storyblok are backend systems that are feeding data into the user-facing frontend. In theory, you could integrate dozens of platforms via an API connection and leverage the best features they offer without being stuck inside one platform.
Itâs extremely scalable: This is the biggest benefit youâll find referenced in headless literature. Because the frontend and backend of a headless website are decoupled, you can âplug inâ the backend to any frontend. This means if you decide you want to redesign your frontend in 3 years (most digital-focused brands), you can keep all of the data and code as and just worry about rebuilding the front end. In a traditional CMS, you would scrap everything.
Publish once, update everywhere: Let's break this down with a practical example: Consider a modern retail business. Your headless setup, combining Shopify's e-commerce capabilities with Storyblok's content management, creates a centralized command center for all your website management needs. When you update a product description, adjust pricing, or modify inventory levels, these changes cascade across all your digital touch points. Your mobile app, digital kiosks, and even social commerce platforms all stay synchronized without additional effort.
This unified approach becomes even more powerful for international brands. Rather than managing multiple separate websites for different regions, you maintain one central content hub. For instance, if you're launching a new product line, you can create the core content once and distribute it across your global digital presence. The system can handle translations, currency conversions, and regional variations while maintaining brand consistency. What used to require multiple teams coordinating across time zones can now be accomplished through a streamlined workflow with just a few clicks.
Cons of HeadlessÂ
More expensive: Typically, a headless site is more expensive to build and maintain. Like anything else, you get what you pay for. If youâre prioritizing flexibility, scalability, security and unlimited creative capabilities, it may justify the investment. If youâre looking for a quick, simple website, explore a traditional CMS.Â
Requires a developer: With some monolithic CMSâ like Squarespace or Wix, you can create and manage websites without a developer. This is ideal for small businesses with limited budgets and resources who just want to get a website up and running. These platforms are very limited with only a handful of pre-built templates to leverage, but are extremely easy and affordable. For a headless site, youâll need an experienced team of web designers and developers to create the infrastructure. You can find this talent through an agency, like VividFront, or hire full-time or part-time employees. If developed correctly, a non-developer will be able to edit, create and manage content on the frontend autonomously, once the site is built.Â
The TL;DR
A headless approach to web development decouples the frontend from the backend to create a scalable, flexible, secure website with unlimited capabilities.Â
If youâre a tech-forward, established business looking for a custom experience, the ability to manage content for multiple sites in one place, or are considering a mobile app or other digital experiences to align with your website, headless might be for you.Â
At the end of the day, there are hundreds of options when it comes to choosing a CMS for your new website. Typically, the pros of one CMS mirror the cons of another. So itâs important to work with an experienced team that can guide you through the selection process.Â