Not fast enough, not powerful enough: eCommerce companies often struggle with the weaknesses of their websites

This article is available in French.

Philippe Brunot of the Storyblok team had the pleasure to discuss with Florence Duprat during the Smart Leaders show on BSmart TV. They talked about a real problem for companies: the poor performance of their websites. How do you explain this?

In the early days of the web, we were limited to creating content for a single medium - the website - but today the media have multiplied and continue to evolve (tablets, connected watches, cell phones, etc). A digital strategy based on a single channel is no longer sufficient: in order to meet the needs of multi-channel distribution, it is necessary to diversify and innovate to reinvent a system that is increasingly becoming outdated.

Why headless is different

Among the new trends, you have probably heard of the headless approach, which is also Storyblok's technology.

The headless architecture consists of a hub or content library, where applications called APIs will pull content and then deliver it to different channels or frontends. This technology was born in order to bring more flexibility to companies that were unable to cope with the multiplication of channels, resulting in a considerable loss of time and resources.

Simplifying the distribution system is essential to manage this complexity, especially as the number of channels where content is consumed will continue to grow. Centralizing content management and refocusing teams on their core business is more important than ever at a time when developers and marketers alike are being asked to create compelling digital experiences that distinguish the company from its competitors.

If we take the example of the French unicorn Spendesk, we can see that it was able to bet on technology to make a successful strategy change. In the beginning, Spendesk - which is an expense management tool for companies - was focused on outbound marketing to bring in customers. After moving to headless and adopting Storyblok as their CMS, the team was able to expand their strategy with inbound marketing to diversify their sales pipeline and boost revenue.

How does a headless content management system solve business problems?

The hub works like a library where marketers and creators create content, which is stored in read-only mode. This content is highly specialized and adapted to the different channels used in the company's digital strategy.

Then, the different fronts and media (website, mobile app, connected watch, and others) draw from this content to deliver it via apps or APIs. There is a complete detachment between the hub and the way the content is presented to users.

On top of that, what makes Storyblok different in the headless market is its versatility and ability to meet the expectations of both developers and marketers.

Early headless platforms were very complex for non-technical users. Marketers were no longer able to view and edit content in an intuitive way. Storyblok has given them that power back, with a visual management tool that can be easily mastered by non-technical users to create, manage, publish content, design workflows, schedule publication dates, and much more.

A technology of the future

Storyblok is a solution that is suitable for all industries, and any company with ambitious strategies should consider it.... because it is the future!

Naturally, the solution is particularly suited to pure players who generate all their revenue online, but any large company that wants to reach its consumers across multiple communication channels will benefit from this approach even more. International companies and those looking to expand internationally are also among those who benefit the most from headless because it makes it much easier to localize content and, on average, cuts the average time to market by 3 times.

Today's consumers are demanding, and satisfying them requires diversified content and experiences, tailored to specific demographics and localized by market. In other words, "one size fits all" doesn't work anymore - it's all about meeting specific consumer expectations.

Create unique experiences that differentiate in a competitive marketplace

Clearly, the old systems were limited and didn't really leave room for imagination, resulting in a multitude of sites that all look the same and are all based on the same structure. Today we know that unleashing the creativity of both marketers and developers is fundamental to creating unique digital experiences.

Among Storyblok's clients, we have several great success stories, and the Renault Digital Museum is one of them. The French car brand has wanted to digitalize its automotive creations since its inception, and Storyblok was chosen by the agency Razorfish (Publicis Group) to create this museum which is linked to an eShop platform. This project is a nice mix of heritage and modernity because it highlights Renault's heritage and creates a link to the cyberspace where collectors and car enthusiasts can buy pieces of Renault's history if they like.

Storyblok speaks French

Storyblok is an Austrian company that is very popular in the German speaking markets and the DACH region, but also in the UK. Today the wish is to make headless technology more accessible, and to invest in markets with high potential, such as France, but also Italy, Spain, the Netherlands.

Some French brands have already started communicating via multiple media or have tried new strategies such as Live Shopping. They have understood that in order to meet the needs of new audiences, the transition to headless is undeniable and inevitable.

In France, Storyblok has a dedicated French-speaking team to localize its efforts and customize them to the needs of the market.

In addition, the Storyblok Visual Editor interface is available in French. If you are considering going headless, for a new project or out of curiosity, try Storyblok, the tool that is revolutionizing content management.

Request a demo here or create a free account here.