Lexington
LexConnect, an app built on the extranet we had already delivered, so information reached staff wherever they were working.
Read the case study: Lexington →
Headless CMS
Strapi, headless WordPress or headless Drupal. Content in one place, published wherever it needs to go. A headless CMS separates the content from the website that shows it. It suits organisations publishing to more than one place, or with a front end that needs to move faster than the CMS. We build on Strapi, and we run WordPress and Drupal headless when your editors already know them. It also adds moving parts, and we are clear about that trade.
Where you're starting from
- WordPress
- Drupal
- Strapi
- Other CMS
Where you go next is decided in the Blueprint. Sometimes the answer is to upgrade.
Which situation are you in?
Strapi
Headless from the start
Strapi is open source, self-hosted or cloud, with a content model you define and an API your front end and apps consume. A good fit when there is no existing CMS worth keeping.
A content model and API built around your channels.
WordPress
Keep the editor, replace the front end
Your team knows WordPress and doesn't want to retrain. We keep WordPress for editing and serve content through its API to a fast, modern front end.
The familiar editor, with a front end that scales.
Drupal
Keep the content model, decouple the site
Drupal's structured content and permissions are worth keeping, but the theme layer is holding you back. We run Drupal headless and build the front end separately.
Drupal's content model, without its theme layer.
What usually goes wrong, and how we stop it
Headless moves work from the CMS into the front end. Preview, search, forms and redirects all have to be built deliberately, or editors lose things they took for granted.
1
Editor preview
Live preview built in, so editors can see a page before it publishes.
2
Content model
Structured for reuse across channels, and agreed with the people who write the content.
3
Hosting and cost
CMS, front end and hosting costed together, including usage-based pricing as you grow.
4
SEO
Metadata, sitemaps, redirects and structured data handled in the front end, not forgotten.
5
Integrations
CRM, search and identity connected through the front end or the CMS, decided per system.
6
Accessibility
Front end built to WCAG 2.2 AA and tested with real assistive technology.
How a headless build runs
Typically four to nine months
- DiscoveryChannels, content, integrations and team skills assessed.
- ArchitectureContent model, CMS choice, front-end stack, hosting.
- BuildCMS and front end built in parallel, with preview from day one.
- LaunchContent migration, redirects, performance and accessibility checks.
- HandoverTraining, documentation, support through WebsiteSupport.io.
Projects we've built
Cyber Essentials
The system behind APMG's Cyber Essentials certification, from purchase to questionnaire to a multi-assessor review.
Read the case study: Cyber Essentials →Questions
If yours isn't here, it's usually quicker to ask on the phone.
Strapi, WordPress or Drupal: which headless CMS should we use?
Strapi when you are starting fresh and want a lean, developer-friendly CMS. WordPress or Drupal when your editors already know them, or when Drupal's content model and permissions are worth keeping. Discovery compares them against your content, team and budget.
Will our editors lose preview?
No. We build live preview in from the start, because without it editors are publishing blind.
Is headless more expensive?
It can be, because there are more parts to build and host. It pays back when you publish to several places or need a fast-moving front end.
Is headless right for a single content-led website?
Often not. If you run one website and editors want to see the page as they build it, a traditional Drupal or WordPress build is usually simpler and cheaper to run. We will tell you if that is you.
Can we go headless without rebuilding our CMS?
Usually, yes. WordPress and Drupal both expose content through APIs, so we can keep the CMS and your content, and replace only the front end.
After launch
Headless CMS support and maintenance →Already live? WebsiteSupport.io looks after it
Once a headless CMS site is live, our sister company WebsiteSupport.io keeps it patched, monitored, hosted and improving.
Start with a Blueprint!
Three weeks, from £5,500 + VAT. Credited against the build, and yours to take to any supplier.