Headless CMS architecture for fast, flexible digital platforms
Structured content systems connected to high-performance frontends - for teams that publish across websites, apps, and channels from a single source of truth.
How we use it
We use Payload CMS as our default for custom projects - it is TypeScript-native, self-hosted, and gives teams complete control. For SaaS marketing sites we reach for Sanity. We model content first, then connect the CMS to the frontend that best fits the growth roadmap.
Best fit for
The headless CMS market is projected to reach $3.6 billion by 2028, growing at 22.6% CAGR (MarketsandMarkets, 2024). Google's Core Web Vitals data consistently shows that Next.js + headless CMS stacks achieve 90+ Lighthouse scores - a ranking signal that traditional monolithic CMSes struggle to match as Google tightens its page experience criteria. Payload CMS 3.0, released in late 2024 and fully integrated with Next.js App Router and React Server Components, represents a step-change: a self-hosted, TypeScript-first CMS that eliminates the platform dependency of Contentful or Sanity without sacrificing developer experience.
What's included
Capabilities
Architecture planning & CMS modelling
Custom theme or component build
Performance optimisation & Core Web Vitals
Editor experience & handover training
SEO foundations & structured data
Fit analysis
Is this right for you?
Honest breakdown of where Headless CMS shines — and where it doesn't. Pick the right tool.
When to choose this
Right fit scenarios
You are building a B2B SaaS product site that needs sub-2 second LCP while giving your marketing team full editorial control without touching code
Your content needs to be published simultaneously across a website, mobile app, and third-party channels from a single managed source of truth
You are moving away from a monolithic WordPress or Drupal setup that is slowing frontend performance and creating developer bottlenecks on every content change
Your product includes structured content types - documentation, knowledge bases, course content, or product catalogues - that need complex relational modelling
You need a self-hosted, fully owned content architecture where no third-party platform holds your data or charges per seat as your team grows
When to choose this
Right fit scenarios
You are building a B2B SaaS product site that needs sub-2 second LCP while giving your marketing team full editorial control without touching code
Your content needs to be published simultaneously across a website, mobile app, and third-party channels from a single managed source of truth
You are moving away from a monolithic WordPress or Drupal setup that is slowing frontend performance and creating developer bottlenecks on every content change
Your product includes structured content types - documentation, knowledge bases, course content, or product catalogues - that need complex relational modelling
You need a self-hosted, fully owned content architecture where no third-party platform holds your data or charges per seat as your team grows
Honest limitations
Not the best fit if…
Small businesses or startups that need only a 5–10 page website - the architectural overhead of a headless setup is not justified at that scale
Teams without any technical resource, as headless CMS setups require a developer for initial setup, frontend integration, and structural content changes
Projects with tight budgets and short timelines - a headless build costs 40–60% more upfront than a WordPress theme build of equivalent scope
Blogs or content sites where a managed platform like Ghost already handles publishing, SEO, and hosting seamlessly without engineering overhead