Key Benefits of a Decoupled CMS

Never underestimate the advantages of a quality content management system. From improving SEO to adding wizards to helping you make your content accessible for all potential customers, a good CMS offers endless benefits for business communication and marketing. Not all CMS are created equal, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting one that matches your unique needs. Start with deciding whether you’re better served by a traditional system or a decoupled one. Decoupled architecture has the potential to make your website more interactive, efficient, and accessible across multiple channels. By understanding how a decoupled CMS achieves these benefits, you can decide whether it is right for your organization.

The Decoupled CMS

A decoupled content management system is a CMS that is made up of three independent applications:

• a web content framework
• a tool for editing web content
• a repository for the content

A decoupled CMS differs from other CMS models:

• Traditional CMSs — Originally, content management systems combined all three of the above functions into a single application. This made them simple and easy to use, but it limited the ability of these systems to adapt to different devices or incorporate new design and editing tools.
• Headless CMSs — Headless systems are similar to decoupled ones, but do not have tools that govern the way content appears to end users, such as frameworks and templates. This gives companies the flexibility to design web content in the unique way that suits them best. But it also makes the system more difficult to use for companies that don’t have much experience with the technical side of web content creation.

Compared to these systems, a decoupled CMS offers a wide range of benefits, especially for companies that have little technical expertise and their primary focus is on marketing

Benefits of a Decoupled CMS

Interactivity Improvements One of the most common reasons companies adopt decoupled content management systems is as a way of making their web content more interactive. These systems offer greater interactivity because of the separation between the backend and browser systems. In a traditional CMS, the infrastructure that underlies all the content and the browser that is used are connected to each other through a series of complex rules. This limits the ways in which users can interact with the system, as they can only carry out interactions that are compatible with those rules. It also makes it harder to adopt new functions that were not part of the original CMS, in part because those functions can interact in unpredictable ways with the original rules, leading to inefficiencies and bugs. As a result, interactivity is highly limited in a traditional CMS. Decoupled systems do not have this disadvantage. Because the content infrastructure is largely distinct from the browser, you can install new interactive features that are still able to take advantage of that infrastructure. Users have the freedom to install any features they want on the browser without causing problems with other parts of the system. Through repeated interactions with the CMS, they can determine exactly which features they need to take full advantage of the CMS. In this way, decoupled content management systems are open to regular, back-and-forth interactions with users. Not only are decoupled systems more open to interaction, but a wider range of users are capable of interacting with them. This means marketers, communications specialists, and other employees who often lack technical training won’t have trouble using the system. This makes it easier for them to contribute to the digital experience. It also means that on-boarding new employees, and introducing them to the content management tools can be more efficient. Creating Content for Multiple Channels In addition to making content more interactive, a decoupled CMS makes it more accessible for potential customers. Traditional content management systems have a preset way of presenting content, which they use on all devices and channels. But this creates style and visibility issues when people try to view this content on screens that are larger or smaller than the one it was created on. Decoupled systems avoid this problem by installing API calls, which tailor the content to the specific device and channel on which it is being viewed. Regardless of how readers are trying to view the content, it will automatically be modified so that their experience is optimal. Organizations that use a decoupled CMS can create content that will appeal to all potential customers. The ability to accommodate multiple channels is one of the greatest benefits of decoupled systems. To succeed in the modern market, even the smallest companies have to appeal to a wide range of customers. What’s more, devices and channels are always evolving, and those that are popular today will soon be replaced by something else. Companies cannot stay competitive if their content is only available on certain channels. Additional Advantages Besides being more interactive and accommodating more devices and channels, decoupled systems offer a number of other advantages for businesses:

• Improved Efficiency — Because decoupled CMSs are not governed by the complex sets of rules that traditional systems use, they operate more quickly and have a lower risk of bugs and system failures. This allows you to make changes to your content without hesitation, so you’ll have an easier time following up on new marketing opportunities or correcting mistakes that can harm your brand image.
• Enhanced Adaptability — As new marketing software and methods emerge, you’ll likely want to incorporate them into your content. With a decoupled CMS, you can add these features without replacing the entire system, allowing you to adapt efficiently and cost effectively to a changing market.
• Developer Independence — Traditional CMSs are often dependent on the developers that designed their infrastructure, so companies that adopt them may have to rely on those developers for any additional applications they use. But with a decoupled CMS, the infrastructure and browser are independent, so companies have the flexibility to get applications from other developers.

Eager to learn more about decoupled content systems and other content management options for your organization? ImageX offers insight into the full range of content tools. Let’s get in touch!

Main Photo by Christina Kirschnerova on Unsplash