Why should eCommerce brands invest in Headless

According to current research, by 2023, the eCommerce industry will account for 22 percent of all global sales. It certainly has its cause in the increase of the internet’s role in people’s lives in general. As a lot of eCommerce brands are oriented directly at consumers, a company operating in this industry should be flexible - according to changes in the audience’s expectations and needs. As these demands transform fast, it is essential to be able, as an eCommerce company, not only to serve as the selling point for a customer but also be a partner who assists him in the brand experience journey. To do so in the best possible way, it’s essential for eCommerce brands to look for best-of-breed technology solutions regarding content management. There are some reasons why a headless CMS might be considered as the best possible option when building an amazing eCommerce platform. Investing in it is indirectly a great investment in all the benefits that come with it as one package - that happens for sure by opting for Storyblok.

Perfectly tailored technology solutions

In the case of a headless CMS, the front-end and back-end layers are untied, making content accessible through an API. A framework used to create a content display can be chosen freely without being forced to use imposed programs. Thanks to that, developers can create a platform in the best way they can, without thinking of adopting a solution that they don’t feel comfortable with. The possibility of delivering content by an API has a particular importance in the eCommerce industry also for other important reasons. While managing such platforms, it is vital to use well tailored, agile solutions like PIM (Product Information Management), marketplaces, search features and what is really important on an eCommerce platform - personalization. Every company requires a unique combination of these solutions but having a CMS that gives freedom in creating a unique technology stack can really improve brands’ overall performance. We at Storyblok are happy to cooperate with our tech partners such as Algolia, Netlify, and Cloudinary who can enrich an eCommerce platform with amazing solutions, making the whole process more agile. Check it out here.

UX management on a new level

When setting an eCommerce brands’ strategy, it is important to think about the ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) at first. Identifying the target audience makes us think about how to cater to a given customer group’s needs perfectly. However, no matter what kind of target group we identify, one thing is for sure: Every customer expects tailored and relevant content, at the same time however, freedom when making their purchase decisions. How can a customer state what else they want apart from that? A perfect CMS solution should contain a feature that would make it easy to find it out. Thinking particularly about Storyblok, let’s say thank you to its component approach. The data existing in a content repository can be stored and reused, which makes it extremely easy to gather, analyze and evaluate customer’s behaviors and needs. Getting the most relevant data within this area is crucial in managing user experience perfectly. It also can help while preparing possibly most relevant campaigns in the future.

Multiple touch points with customers

An average consumer present on the internet uses the computer and mobile phone every day, let alone tablets, smartwatches, smart bands… And it seems like the list will only get bigger. Having access to multiple platforms makes a user literally surrounded by the internet as well as its functions and services, including interaction with eCommerce platforms. This is a great area for companies to take advantage of and treat this as an opportunity to reach and engage a wider audience. To do so, however, a brand must have the possibility to realize an omnichannel approach. A headless CMS is a perfect answer to this concern. A front-end layer available through an API interface enables content delivery on multiple channels at once. The users of Storyblok already know how that works: We just let our clients create one data source that can be spread wherever the touch points with the clients should be created - not only by the websites but also iOS/Android applications, marketplaces or other devices. As we know, more communication channels equal more sales and engagement platforms. Current observations show growth of interest in such initiatives as webinars, competition events or interaction in social media, and, the latest trend in e-commerce, live streams on given topics related to selling products that generate promising results in conversion rates.

Enhanced brand experience

Most research shows that customers tend to equate brand features with aspects that matter for them as well when building a relationship with humans. That is why eCommerce companies should pay special attention to live up to this aspect when building long-term relationships with their audience. Customers expect such human-features equivalents like reliability, responsiveness, authenticity as well as ability to build trust. Finding a CMS that will handle this modern campaign strategy approach can be a challenge. We at Storyblok have something that will definitely help with that. Marketers can take advantage of the unique component approach, which makes content creation intuitive and simple. Easy to customize components are reusable and can be stored in one place in the back-end layer. As a result, full control over the content can be guaranteed and the brand experience can be created exactly as we want.

Freedom for marketers

People who know best how to build content that caters to all multidimensional customer needs are marketers, who might be non-technical people. When creating brand campaigns with headless CMS they can finally focus on their tasks independently, as their working area is divided from technical stack. Worth mentioning in this case is a piece of feedback from one of our users - digital director of The Bigger Boat agency who decided to opt for Storyblok as a CMS, saying that this solution instantly felt more focused towards the needs of the business or marketers as opposed to other systems that seem weighted towards the developer.

Moreover, what they love about Storyblok at most is the unique and amazing Visual Editor that enables them to see performed actions in real time, using the preview-mode. In the eCommerce context it is a real game changer as new campaigns or drops show up quite often. It also happens that there is a need of adjusting text colors to pictures and other designs. Being able to play with ideas and see them applied in a preview mode opens new possibilities to use the full creative potential of marketers making the whole process real fun.

Entering new markets easily

The majority of companies wish to scale in the future, which might entail entering new markets in different countries. Thinking of scalability in eCommerce context, an important aspect that immediately comes to mind is localization. An ideal CMS should deliver a solution that adjusts content to other markets or foreign countries seamlessly, and this is actually a feature that the users of Storyblok love. Localization function lets marketers deliver perfectly streamlined and customized content. Connecting this with the mentioned component approach - clients get amazing and unique customer journeys ideally tailored to their market/ or local-related needs.

Key Takeaways

The eCommerce industry is really dynamic as it is often concentrated on direct customers with high demands. We cannot predict what happens in the market, but the latest trends in the eCommerce world state that the influence on purchase decisions is strictly correlated to having long-term relationships with clients. Operating in a CMS that is flexible, intuitive, and simple to use makes it easy to adjust brand’s strategy and content to current trends that are transforming all the time. A headless solution seems to be the answer to these concerns, and we believe that Storyblok is actually the closest one to addressing all of them. On the one hand, it is a ready, best-of-breed CMS with unique features, perfectly cut for eCommerce platforms. On the other hand, it can be freely modified and tailored when needed to create a unique solution that is perfectly cut for the eCommerce industry and its dynamic development. Companies that can adapt to changes in the market can definitely win in customers' eyes. Building a long-term relationship with them seems to be the best investment for an eCommerce enterprise.