The 6 Headless trends for 2022

1. Companies are adopting the Digital Experience Platform (DXP) approach

Gartner defines this platform as “a set of cohesive, well-integrated technologies designed to enable the composition, management, delivery and optimization of contextualized digital experiences across multiple experience customer journeys.”

A Digital Experience Platform helps us exploit the potential of system integration to consolidate first-level digital experiences for all users (consumers, partners, employees, etc.). The CMS, CRM, commerce, and other platforms are incorporated to operate together, centralized, and aligned around the same goals through APIs.

Beyond the security, stability, flexibility, and scalability offered by technologies such as JAMstack or MACH, the boom of this trend reflects the growing role of customer experience (CX) as a competitive differential advantage. According to the study by Forbes and Arm Treasure Data, 83% of executives believe that non-optimized CX leads to significant risks of revenue and market share loss.

2. Internet of Things (IoT) is an advancing reality

Over the years, IoT technology has become ever more present in our society at the domestic and industrial levels. In fact, as Statista predicts, the installed base of active connected devices is expected to reach almost 31 billion by 2025.

For many companies, headless architecture is a key tool for connecting to multiple IoT devices, delivering quality content, and sharing functionality and data with other systems. What's more, the data that IoT terminals can collect is invaluable for enhancing the customer experience.

3. Multiple interfaces and omnichannel strategy

The headless architecture allows us to distribute content across multiple channels and develop several user interfaces on the same business logic that is integrated into the backend. This simplifies digital interaction with people on different channels and devices used to shop and communicate with a brand: computers, smartphones, tablets, speakers, smartwatches, apps, social networks, virtual and augmented reality.

With the increasing adoption of an omnichannel strategy to guide digital interactions between companies and people, it is expected that this year the headless platform’s potential will continue to be shown as the best alternative to consolidate strategies that unify online and offline interaction channels. Thus, letting people access quality digital content and experiences at all their touchpoints.

4. Implementing composable solutions

Headless architecture, microservices, and APIs allow us to “compose” complete solutions based on multiple services and technological elements. These are cohesively integrated with modular components, and the overall performance makes it possible to create platforms tailored to the needs and audiences that require them.

They represent a trend because they help us create contextual digital experiences that add value when connecting emotionally with people. In other words, it turns into a commercial strategy to capture the user’s attention and guide them to their goals.

5. Intuitive headless trading platforms

If supported by experts, headless platforms facilitate a prompt execution of e-commerce, where different channels of digital interaction between companies and customers are merged into a single backend, optimizing operations.

This type of platform, equipped with all the essential functionalities for agile management, overcomes the difficulty of not having developers teams capable of creating the services you seek.

Commerce Layer, for example, recently raised $6 million to keep expanding geographically and functionally its headless commerce platform. We must remember that it uses APIs to interconnect its inventory with sales functions, payment systems, messaging services, social networks, and sales channels.

6. Implementing a culture of operations on content

As the demands for content experiences evolve with new channels and people’s requirements, it will be necessary to have platforms that enable efficient collaboration between marketing, developers, and operations teams.

Given this context, we can say that more companies will adopt a culture of operations around their content. Concepts like ContentOps and DevContentOps will be trending as they are positioned as key strategies to create and distribute the content demanded by people.

At Reign, we know that digital experience is one of the cornerstones boosting headless trends this year. It is expected that this architecture model will continue to evolve towards the same goal, achieving the best combinations of processes and tools to take web development to a higher level.

For this reason, it’s crucial to develop flexible and scalable platforms with the ability to integrate new technology in line with the evolving dynamics of digital transformation.