Top Headless CMS Options for Seamless Integration with BigCommerce in 2024

The buzz is all about headless! Especially when it comes to content management systems (CMS). Experts predict it’ll become the go-to method for managing website content, offering incredible flexibility and freedom.

For online stores, headless eCommerce takes this flexibility to a whole new level. Regarding managing content for your eCommerce store, either you can use eCommerce platform’s features to maange content and blogs or consider using headless cms for eCommerce. For better control on content and access more user-friendly features, ideal is consider ditching your platform’s built-in CMS, which feels limiting.

Think of your current platform CMS like a basic kitchen with limited tools. Headless CMS for eCommerce is like a chef’s dream kitchen: fully customizable, versatile, and ready to whip up any content masterpiece.

If your eCommerce project feels restricted by a rigid CMS, then headless CMS for eCommerce could be the recipe for success. It unlocks creative freedom, optimizes workflows, and lets you deliver personalized experiences across channels.

But with so many vendors on the market, choosing the right headless CMS for eCommerce is an enormous task, even more so if you have an enterprise retail footprint.

Read Also: Why BigCommerce Headless is Required

Forget Content Cages: Top Headless CMS for eCommerce Options for Your Online Store

Building a vibrant online store? You need a content management system (CMS) that’s powerful and flexible, like a superhero for your words and pictures. But not all heroes wear capes – some come as headless CMS, the coolest trend right now!

Headless CMS for eCommerce lets you unleash your content beyond your website, sending it like magic to Instagram, your blog, or even Facebook. But with so many options out there, choosing the right one can feel like finding a needle in a haystack.

Contentful

Contentful is a framework-agnostic composable content management system. Composable means that Contentful has an API-first architecture, which allows you to deploy content and other digital assets in any combination across multiple customer channels and touchpoints. 

On top of basic content management features, Contentful offers Studio – a set of advanced apps for content presentation, scheduling, preview, and reuse across marketing campaigns. 

Instead of a WYSIWYG editor, Contentful offers a content modeling experience – an approach to categorizing the content into custom types and elements to reflect content strategy better. Also, to accelerate time-to-market and streamline migration, the CMS has Next.js starter templates.

Makeswift

Makeswift is a composable layout and content management system that gives marketers and designers visual control of modern websites. With Makeswift, engineers can give marketers custom building blocks by integrating React components into Makeswift’s visual builder. Makeswift integrates into your codebase like a headless CMS, but the difference is marketers and designers can use our no code builder for the majority of their content and layout needs out of the box, only having to rely on engineering for isolated custom component development.

Strapi

Strapi Community Edition is a free and open-source headless CMS for eCommerce and other systems as well, enabling you to manage any content, anywhere.

– Self-hosted or Cloud: You can host and scale Strapi projects the way you want. You can save time by deploying to Strapi Cloud or deploy to the hosting platform you want**: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean.

– Modern Admin Pane: Elegant, entirely customizable and a fully extensible admin panel.

– Multi-database support: You can choose the database you prefer: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, and SQLite.

– Customizable: You can quickly build your logic by fully customizing APIs, routes, or plugins to fit your needs perfectly.

– Blazing Fast and Robust: Built on top of Node.js and TypeScript, Strapi delivers reliable and solid performance.

– Front-end Agnostic: Use any front-end framework (React, Next.js, Vue, Angular, etc.), mobile apps or even IoT.

– Secure by default: Reusable policies, CORS, CSP, P3P, Xframe, XSS, and more.

– Powerful CLI: Scaffold projects and APIs on the fly.

ContentStack

Contentstack is an API-based, headless content management platform that allows developers and content managers to create and manage content simultaneously and independently, to create websites and applications quickly.

Because of its headless nature, Contentstack enables Developers to build websites and apps using tools of their choice, thus alleviating their pain of working with unfamiliar technologies. On the other hand, Content Managers get to work independently without the help of developers, giving them complete control over the content creation process.

Headless Harmony: Finalizing and Deciding Your Headless CMS for BigCommerce

So, you’ve explored the exciting options of headless CMS for eCommerce and its potential to empower your BigCommerce store. But with so many options out there, how do you choose the one that sings in perfect harmony with your brand?

Remember, there’s no single “best” headless CMS for eCommerce or BigCommerce. It’s all about finding the perfect fit for your unique needs and vision. Consider these essential factors:

– Complexity and Features: Do you need a feature-rich powerhouse or a lean, agile solution? Also, try to compare the features offered by eCommerce headless CMS or BigCommerce headless CMS with the features that are provided out-of-the-box within BigCommerce.

– Ease of Use: How comfortable are you (and your team) with the interface of that headless CMS?

– API support: Check the API documentation of eCommerce headless CMS and compare between different eCommerce headless cms or BigCommerce headless cms that how easily you can utilize the APIs provided with the headless eCommerce platform you’re using.

– Budget: Is price a major consideration, or are you willing to invest for advanced capabilities as majority of the eCommerce headless CMS charged on monthly basis?

– Community and Support: How important are readily available resources and a supportive community?

– Take your time, try out demos and free trials, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Engaging with the headless CMS for eCommerce community and exploring real-world use cases can be invaluable.

And remember, headless CMS for eCommerce is a journey, not a destination. As your needs evolve, your chosen platform should be flexible enough to grow with you. Don’t be afraid to experiment and explore new possibilities.

Bonus Tip: Share your own headless CMS experience! Did you find the perfect fit? What challenges did you overcome? Let us know here and we’ll share your experience in another blog to help others on their headless journey!

Conclusion

Embarking on the journey of headless CMS for eCommerce, particularly within the BigCommerce framework, is an exhilarating venture into the future of online retail. As you sift through the plethora of options, from Contentful’s API-first architecture to Strapi’s open-source flexibility, and ContentStack’s robust management capabilities, remember that the choice of the right headless CMS hinges on your specific business requirements, operational complexity, and the unique experiences you wish to deliver to your customers. This exploration is not just about picking a tool; it’s about choosing a partner in your eCommerce growth. Whether it’s the feature-rich environment of Makeswift or the versatile offerings of Strapi, each platform presents a unique set of capabilities that can significantly enhance your BigCommerce store. Consider the ease of use, API support, budget constraints, and the strength of the community and support system when making your decision.

Moreover, in this rapidly evolving digital landscape, your chosen headless CMS should not just meet your current needs but also have the agility to adapt to future trends and technologies. It’s about creating a digital ecosystem that is as dynamic and evolving as the market itself. Finally, your experiences and insights are invaluable in this collective journey. Sharing your headless CMS story, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them can offer immense guidance to others embarking on a similar path. Together, let’s demystify the world of headless CMS and pave the way for innovative, forward-thinking eCommerce experiences.

Read Also: BigCommerce Pricing Plans: How Much it Costs Vs Others