How A Decoupled CMS Can Power Your Entire Online Ecosystem

A decoupled content management system (CMS) is not for every business. If your website simply includes a few pages of content designed to draw in your audience, a traditional CMS will work just fine for your needs.

But if you are building or have built a complex online presence in which your content will be published in a variety of formats, the concept becomes worth your while. In that case, a decoupled CMS can power your entire online ecosystem.

What Is A Decoupled CMS?

Decoupling your CMS means making it independent from the front end of your website. Traditionally, a CMS consists of a connection between two central elements: a backend that allows you to create, edit and publish content, and a front end (the website your audience will see) on which that content will be published.

The two are closely connected because most businesses create content with the express purpose of publishing it on their website. But if you are maintaining an online presence that consists of more than your website, this structure and connection can actually become restrictive. A decoupled, or headless, CMS becomes a more attractive and beneficial choice.

We've covered the benefits of a headless CMS for your business in the recent past. This article will focus on the developments that have given rise to the importance of this type of content management system, and which businesses can benefit from using one as the basis of their online presence.

Moving From Central Content To Online Ecosystem

Digital marketing has undergone significant change over the past decade. Ten years ago, the common approach was to build a website, but also 'push' promotional messages that were not connected to that website to your audience. But increasing audience sophistication led to a more integrated approach, treating your website as a central hub to which all of your online marketing efforts should link.

Increasingly, though, organizations sophisticated in building and promoting online content have found their website to be limiting for ideal content distribution. Looking for more direct ways to reach their audiences, they began to build increasingly complex digital presences that extended beyond the website.

The results can be found around the web. Successful brands now publish their content and videos on mobile apps, partner sites, content aggregators like LinkedIn Pulse, and elsewhere around the web. Especially for large brands, the traditional, website-centric online presence has turned to a complex, interconnected ecosystem of content that seeks to convey a consistent message to audiences in various corners of the internet. That development, in turn, has given rise to CMS solutions that don't restrict content only to the website.

Is A Decoupled CMS The Right Solution For Me?

Ultimately, the answer to that question comes down to your content needs. When you create a video or blog post, where do you intend to publish it? If the answer is as simple as 'my website,' a decoupled CMS may actually bog down your content creation and make your online presence less effective.

However, increasingly, larger brands are no longer following that simple website structure. For example, you may create a piece of content designed to live on your website, on your mobile app, and on various partner sites that help to promote your brand to your audience externally.

In that case, a traditional CMS faces serious limitations. You may have to duplicate your content, and go through various steps to individually publish it on each channel through which you are looking to gain exposure. Decoupling your CMS, on the other hand, allows you to create the piece of content once, and distribute it to your diverse online presence.

In other words, if your online presence amounts to an ecosystem of content that needs to be fed and nourished on a regular basis, a decoupled CMS can make it significantly easier for you to satisfy your audience and grow your brand. To learn what it takes to build a decoupled CMS, and better understand whether this solution is right for you, contact us.​