Headless CMS and SEO

The curiously named category of Headless CMS is a relatively new category of Content Management Systems (CMS) that has emerged in recent years as an increasingly popular CMS. Its popularity has been primarily amongst B2B/ commercial users ranging from eCommerce sites to International brands to growing/ scaling B2B SaaS companies. The names of those brands who have moved across to Headless reads like a “Who's Who” of major brands and includes everyone from adidas to Nike to Netflix, through to B2B SaaS companies like Intercom, Stripe, and Teamwork.

When it comes to Content Management Systems for powering websites there are some fundamental differences to be aware of.

Unlike Traditional CMSs which are designed to manage both content and the front-end, a Headless CMS focuses exclusively on ‘content management’. After creating and editing the content, it is published via an Application Programming Interface (API) without any involvement or impact on the front-end. The Headless CMS does not have any control or input on the front-end, unlike Traditional CMSs which aim to provide a unified solution for both content and front-end management.

So what are some of the Key Benefits of a Headless CMS?

1- Unparalleled Speed

The Jamstack Headless CMS approach to web development, which combines Static Site Generators (SSGs) and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), results in exceptionally fast page loading times without the need for any supplementary optimization of the frontend code. A Headless CMS is a vital component of this approach, allowing for unparalleled website performance. 

2- Impressive Security Credentials

Headless CMSs are known for their exceptionally high level of security. With a decoupled architecture, a Headless CMS can offer better protection against a variety of attacks. Many Headless CMS platforms provide access controls and single-sign-on features that reduce the number of login credentials required and make monitoring CMS access more straightforward.

Compared to traditional CMS setups, Headless CMS can minimize the impact of DDoS attacks because the client-side performs content rendering in the browser. In traditional setups, login forms and other entry points may directly point to the server, necessitating constant attention to security measures to prevent unauthorized access. In contrast, with a Headless CMS, the provider assumes the responsibility for security, ensuring that the statically generated front-end remains safe from attack.

3- Perfect for Scaling

One of the key benefits of Headless CMSs is their highly scalable architecture, which allows organizations to handle increased traffic and content without incurring additional costs. By utilizing cost-effective hosting and licensing options, Headless CMSs can provide a more cost-effective solution than traditional CMSs.

4- Built Especially for Marketing Teams

Many Headless CMS solutions are primarily designed to cater to the needs of technology leaders, but Contento takes a different approach. Contento has created a Headless CMS solution that is not only user-friendly for the tech team but also enjoyable for the marketing team, who will be spending a significant amount of time in the application after deployment.

5- Supports Omnichannel Strategies

Due to the proliferation of new technologies and the widespread use of smart devices, businesses are increasingly focusing on delivering seamless and consistent experiences across multiple devices and touchpoints. Brands that rely on traditional content management systems often struggle to provide responsive content that can adapt to different digital platforms. In contrast, with a Headless CMS, businesses can produce content once and publish it instantly across various channels, providing a highly efficient and effective solution.

When it comes to SEO and Traditional CMS it is apparent that in many instances SEO is primarily an ‘afterthought’ and is thus not a crucial concern.  

Looking at some examples:

With Squarespace, there is a rudimentary SEO setting (as of March 2023) within the Page Setting tab which consists of three elements:

• SEO Title (Optional), 

• SEO Description (Optional), 

• and a toggle related to “Hide Page from Search Results”. 

This is a pretty basic SEO deployment.

When it comes to WordPress, the world’s most popular CMS, the plugin Yoast is the leading WordPress SEO plugin. 

As numerous commentators have pointed out, site speed is a key ranking factor and WordPress sites often fare poorly on Lighthouse speed tests serving to undermine the efforts of a dedicated SEO plugin.

Of course, your SEO success or otherwise is contingent on a whole host of factors, some within your control, and some not. A lack of in-house SEO ‘know-how’ is often a primary cause of issues as in many cases junior content creators simply don’t know the basics. 

However, if you can marry ‘best of breed’ SEO know-how and execution with a blazingly quick CMS you are going some way towards giving yourself a shot at the much-coveted page 1 ranking on Google for a chosen keyword.

While we don’t know the exact criteria that impact SEO we do know some of the factors that are typically at play. 

These consist of a mix of technical SEO elements (often on-site elements) as well as off-site elements. Off-site elements are largely related to securing backlinks (preferably from high Domain Authority sites) based on a key premise that the more ‘good’ 3rd party sites that link to your content the higher the perceived value of the content. 

On-site elements typically include:

• page loading speed, 

• internal linking, 

• keyword use in meta titles and meta descriptions, 

• URL / slug configuration (incl canonical URL’s)

• structured data markup, and 

• how a site renders on a mobile as well as many other factors.

With Headless CMSs and SEO, several underlying factors play to the strength of the Headless CMS category:

1. Site Performance (Site Speed)

2. Mobile Experience (Responsive design)

3. Structured Content Emphasis (a structured content-based approach helps with SEO)

When it comes to other on-site elements it is fair to say that some Headless CMSs fall short. However, Contento, the Headless CMS we describe further below, has been built with SEO in mind, and thus includes the technical SEO elements baked in so that those working on content can ensure they are taking care of the SEO elements within the platform. 

It is also worth pointing out that site speed is not just about SEO, there is a direct correlation between site speed and conversion rates. Targeting a 1 second page loading time makes a commercial difference also in terms of increased conversions.

Contento is a Headless CMS with some distinctive characteristics. It offers all of the key features you’d come to expect from a leading Headless CMS including:

• A REST API for super fast and flexible querying

• A visual editor that allows you to preview your content in real-time

• A first-class asset manager to manipulate and compress images

• A  structured content modeling capability to manage content

However, it has a particular focus in mind which helps it to stand out from the crowd.

• Unlike most of the competition, it is designed with the needs of marketing in mind (the majority of others are very developer-centric)

• We assume the primary use case is for powering a B2B SaaS or technology website (this assumption allows us to bake in features that support this specific use case).

• We’ve doubled down on usability so it is genuinely intuitive and even enjoyable for content creators to use

When it comes to SEO, there are lots of areas that freelancers and agencies focus on, be that ‘on site’ or ‘off site’ activities. A typical engagement starts with an audit, an analysis of keywords, and an editorial calendar. Popular third-party tools like SEM Rush, aHrefs, SE Ranking, Screaming Frog, and Uber Suggest may be referenced as tools to support content generation efforts.

An often overlooked element is the underlying Content Management System (CMS) powering the website. Most SEO specialists will be familiar with WordPress (and Yoast) given the market dominance of the platform. However, running a mature site on WordPress can be a significant factor inhibiting the potential of your SEO efforts. Marrying a Headless CMS, with a clear SEO and content strategy will help ensure you are giving your site every chance of succeeding. 

Finally, it is worth noting that SEO relies on numerous factors from technical elements, to employee know-how, to site speed, to the content and its relevance for those searching for answers. Migrating to a Headless CMS won’t in isolation deliver results.