CrafterCMS: A Modern Content Platform Central to Composability

Managing content has become the bare minimum requirement for CMSs today. Many of them, particularly headless CMSs, go beyond simple website content management needs. Instead, they enable multichannel content delivery and allow developers to use modern frameworks and technologies to create the most engaging digital experiences. 

However, as the CMS continues to enhance its role as the centerpiece of the digital tech stack, headless functionality is also proving insufficient for several of the most innovative enterprises. Instead, they need a content platform that orchestrates the entire digital customer journey and acts as the connective tissue between the components of the technology stack. 

Let’s explore the characteristics of a modern content platform, why enterprises that want to embrace composability are seeking them out, and how CrafterCMS checks all the boxes. 

What Does a Content Platform Do?

A content platform is the centerpiece of the modern technology stack. It delivers content to different channels and aggregates and structures content so that the entire digital experience remains connected and engaging throughout the customer journey. 

A modern content platform offers similarities to a content hub, such that it provides the bedrock for everything content-related in the organization. With a content platform, businesses can be secure in the knowledge that all content assets can be quickly and easily located and delivered to where the customer is located. This not only prevents the formation of silos but also enables these brands to manage the entire digital experience and content lifecycle, end to end. 

Content Platform vs. Content Marketing Platform vs. CMS vs. DXP

When enterprises weigh up what they’re looking for in a modern content platform, they will come across terms such as content marketing platform (CMP), content management system(CMS), and digital experience platform (DXP). So where do each of these fit in the content platform puzzle?

Content Marketing Platform

First, let’s look at the content marketing platform. CMPs are centralized systems that make it easy for content teams to plan, create, collaborate, and distribute different types of content from a single platform. Essentially, CMPs enable content teams to execute their content marketing strategy. 

For those familiar with the content management space, CMPs are very much a completely different category than a CMS or DXP. With a CMP, marketing teams can manage content calendars, execute and track social media campaigns, and handle the larger content marketing workflow. 

CMS

A CMS is used to create and manage content experiences and then deliver that content to customers. With a traditional CMS, this will often be limited to just a website or a mobile app. With a headless CMS, content can be delivered anywhere, since not only are the frontend and backend of the CMS separated, but also due to the presence of APIs that enable data to be shared between the different layers of the CMS and content to be shared to any channel.

For example, CrafterCMS is a headless CMS that facilitates content delivery to various content experiences, from enterprise websites and apps to portals and intranets, eCommerce stores, microsites, AR/VR headsets, and digital signage. 

DXP

A digital experience platform, meanwhile, refers to a set of integrated technologies - CMS, eCommerce, analytics, personalization, and others - that are used to manage every aspect of the digital experience. If that DXP also focuses on composability, then those integrated technologies can comprise best-of-breed components, with a headless CMS at the center of everything. 

Again, CrafterCMS’ headless architecture enables it to act as the centerpiece of the digital experience, a composable DXP that integrates the different best-of-breed technologies that make up the tech stack. 

Content Platform

Given the capabilities of CMPs, CMSs, and DXPs, where does that leave the content platform? 

For enterprise organizations, a content platform will fall under the category of a CMS or DXP. However, it also provides the functionality to become the central component of the digital experience stack and perform some of the duties of a CMP. 

How Content Platforms Help Organizations Achieve Composability

A content platform doesn’t just manage content like a CMS does. It provides a central component for enabling composability and orchestrating the entire technology stack. Here’s how:

Fostering Composable Thinking

A content platform pushes enterprises towards a composable mindset. Composability isn’t only limited to technology; it also includes people and processes. Through composable thinking, enterprises analyze the current state of their organization and how capable they are of adapting to different situations, such as harsher market conditions or sudden changes in customer demands. 

Providing Composable Architecture

A content platform is built on composable architecture, which offers businesses the flexibility to customize their systems and effectively respond to changing market conditions, economic environments, and customer needs.

Enabling Smoother Integrations

With a content platform, integrations with the other solutions that comprise the technology stack are much more manageable. These software solutions can be integrated and easily swapped out for other tools depending on what the business needs. CrafterCMS supports these smooth integrations and composability through its Marketplace, a collection of over 60 open-source plugins, blueprints, and packaged business capabilities (PBCs). 

Content Platform Characteristics 

For a CMS to meet the requirements of a content platform, this is some of the functionality it should provide. 

Headless Architecture: With headless architecture separating the frontend from the backend, a content platform can serve content via APIs rather than relying on rendered web pages like a monolithic or traditional CMS. 

Cloud-Native Capabilities: A content platform can act as a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution without requiring organizations to host, maintain, or update the software or its infrastructure.

API-First Flexibility: With an API-first approach, a content platform can simultaneously deliver content to multiple channels and connect other tools easily, as all functionality is exposed via APIs. 

Microservices-Focused Architecture: Instead of a monolithic approach where all the pieces of the technology stack are in one suite, a content platform is built on a modular, microservices-based architecture. This breaks down the monolithic architecture into smaller independent pieces that can be easily integrated or swapped out as necessary. 

Collaborative Environment and Robust Workflows: Business users and technical teams can collaborate effectively with the help of a content platform as it offers the robust workflows, roles, and permissions that an enterprise needs. 

Additional Benefits of Content Platforms 

Aside from the tremendous support for composability, a modern content platform also offers additional benefits. 

Increased Agility and Scalability

Organizations can realize increased agility and scalability with the help of a content platform. The modular architecture and flexibility enable companies to adapt and adjust to changing conditions easily. They can add new tools or quickly expand as the enterprise grows. Additionally, the cloud-native capabilities of a content platform enable organizations to scale up or down as needed to meet increased customer demand. 

No Restrictions For Developers or Marketers

Neither developers nor marketers will be restricted from performing their duties to the fullest with a content platform. Developers can choose the best frameworks and technologies for a particular project instead of being restricted by templated or outdated designs. 

Meanwhile, marketers can accomplish tasks without needing help from developers constantly as a content platform provides a user-friendly interface for them to manage content on any channel. 

Improved Collaboration and Efficiency

A content platform also provides the workflow and orchestration capabilities businesses need to collaborate effectively and operate quickly and efficiently. Instead of running into roadblocks or suffering due to the presence of content silos, marketers, developers, and other teams involved in the content management process can work together and accomplish their goals faster. 

Why CrafterCMS Is the Platform for Modern Content Experiences

CrafterCMS is an enterprise-grade headless CMS that enables businesses to compose content-centric digital experiences. Beyond that, it has all the capabilities required of a content platform and is the perfect first step toward composability.

With CrafterCMS, enterprises can modernize their content experiences and begin their journey away from monoliths and toward a composable digital experience stack. CrafterCMS has the tools to manage content end-to-end, and critical features that enterprises need to assemble the rest of the composable stack over time. Here’s some of what CrafterCMS offers:

User-Friendly Authoring Interface

With Crafter Studio, content teams can access a best-in-class authoring experience. It provides WYSIWYG authoring, drag/drop experience building, and in-context previews for multiple digital channels. 

Content Lifecycle Management

CrafterCMS is a composable platform that enables enterprises to manage their content lifecycle across multiple platforms with a composable authoring experience. It effortlessly integrates with various packaged business capabilities, including commercial workflow and content planning tools, allowing organizations to build multidisciplinary workflows that streamline operations.

Personalization, A/B Testing & Content Targeting

CrafterCMS allows you to define personas that describe the key characteristics of various user segments within your audience that will get personalized experiences specifically tailored for them. Enterprises can also tag content items with tags and metadata that incorporate targeting properties and drive personalized behaviors.

Headless and API-First Architecture

CrafterCMS goes beyond the limitations of basic headless architecture. It offers developers a comprehensive set of API support, encompassing REST, GraphQL (with a native, high-performance GraphQL server), Javascript, HTML templating, and even in-process Java when necessary. These extensible APIs enable seamless integration with third-party systems, allowing backend functionality to be easily customized.

Composable Orchestration

Enterprises that want to go composable need an orchestration layer to support them. CrafterCMS's API-first content authoring platform along with its out-of-the-box authoring application (Crafter Studio) acts as a cockpit enabling organizations to view the other PBCs in their tech stack to create a custom solution that perfectly fits their needs.

Cloud-Native Flexibility 

CrafterCMS offers not only cloud-native flexibility; it’s cloud-agnostic and allows organizations to choose their preferred deployment and hosting options. For those who want a turn-key SaaS solution, Crafter Cloud is a fully-managed private SaaS for hassle-free operation.

Truly Decoupled Architecture

CrafterCMS enables a fully decoupled architecture, where the content authoring platform and authoring app (Crafter Studio) operate independently from the headless content delivery engine (Crafter Engine), offering increased scalability, performance, and reliability. This allows the centralized content hub - Crafter Studio and the API-first headless content authoring platform - to be entirely decoupled from the content delivery system and apps/sites that serve external audiences.

Git-based Content Repository

Both software developers and content teams utilizing CrafterCMS can take advantage of the advanced workflow support, feature branching, and other benefits offered by its Git-based repository. This allows for efficient collaboration and streamlined development processes. Simultaneously, content authoring teams benefit from sophisticated multi-file versioning, auditing, and security features provided by Git.

DevContentOps

Enabled by its distributed Git-based content repository, CrafterCMS revolutionizes content-driven applications by enabling DevOps principles through its unique support for DevContentOps processes. Content and software development teams collaborate seamlessly, swiftly publishing content updates, releasing new software features, and delivering captivating customer experiences.

Learn More

Get started and learn what can be achieved with a centralized enterprise content platform by requesting a live demo or registering for a free trial of CrafterCMS today.