Cloud-based CMS: what is it and why you need it

#Summary

In this article, we break down what a cloud-based CMS is, why it matters, and how it can transform your digital strategy. We’ll cover key benefits like scalability, security, collaboration, and cost efficiency, and show you how Hygraph’s MACH-certified, API-first approach with Content Federation future-proofs your business for omnichannel growth.

• On-premise CMSs create high costs, maintenance overhead, and technical debt.
• Cloud CMS reduces TCO with built-in scalability and disaster recovery.
• Strong security and compliance are core advantages of cloud-based platforms.
• Cloud hosting speeds time-to-market with reusable content and auto updates.
• Remote access and real-time collaboration enable global teamwork.
• Hygraph’s MACH-certified cloud CMS unifies content with Content Federation for scalable, omnichannel delivery.

Do you want more flexibility and control over your website content, design, and functionality? Are you looking to save money, time, and resources on your content management system (CMS)? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then a cloud CMS is exactly what you need.

As organizations strive for enhanced efficiency and flexibility, cloud CMSs have emerged as a game‑changer for business leaders and development teams. Hygraph, with its composable and MACH‑certified architecture, is at the forefront of this shift.

#What is a cloud CMS

A cloud CMS is a content management system that is hosted and maintained entirely in a cloud‑hosted environment. It’s also known as a cloud‑based CMS. It offers seamless access to resources, content, and updates from anywhere, at any time.

Basically, your business can license a cloud CMS from third‑party CMS providers, who handle its deployment, updates, security measures, support, and infrastructure maintenance. This frees up your time for other business‑critical tasks that require your attention.

Hygraph takes this a step further by offering Content Federation, allowing you to unify content from multiple sources and deliver it to any front‑end through a single API. That way your teams can focus on creativity instead of infrastructure.

#What does cloud‑based mean for a headless CMS

Monolithic CMSs, characterized by tightly coupled backend storage and frontend layers, are not the most adaptable or scalable to meet present and future digital interface needs. These legacy CMSs fail to provide an omnichannel experience due to content delivery in the form of rendered HTML, which is only suitable for a traditional website interface. The experience is further limited with prebuilt templates that do not allow room for custom designs for different frontends.

This is where headless CMSs truly shine. They boast an API‑enabled decoupled architecture, separating the backend storage layer from the frontend presentation layer. This unique structure ensures robust content distribution to diverse frontends, offering adaptability and agility in an ever‑evolving digital ecosystem. Basically, you can create once, and your content is distributed responsively in one go to all your frontends.

You can either host your headless CMS on‑premise or in the cloud. Although we will discuss the benefits of a cloud headless CMS in more detail later, the main advantage is that it relieves companies from maintaining the system and troubleshooting errors. Instead, the cloud CMS vendor will take care of it.

This is why advocates like the MACH Alliance have been stressing the importance of employing a MACH architecture to overcome modern digital challenges. By creating a customizable, API‑first CMS that's cloud‑enabled, organizations can create a platform that can be customized to fit different areas of business and excel at what they do.

But the advancement doesn't stop here. Choosing a future‑proof headless CMS like Hygraph's MACH‑certified CMS allows you to transition to a composable architecture that is both frontend and backend agnostic due to its Content Federation capabilities. It allows you to source and distribute content from anywhere to any device or platform via a universal API. This ensures content synchronization without replication, providing your customers an omnichannel experience.

#Advantages of using a cloud‑based CMS

Shifting to the cloud brings some clear advantages. Let's take a closer look at the top benefits that a cloud‑based CMS offers:

Cost reduction

Despite having an initial subscription fee, one of the primary draws of a cloud CMS is its cost‑effectiveness due to low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Traditional on‑premise systems necessitate substantial upfront investments in hardware, software, and ongoing maintenance. Plus, you are responsible for all the backup storage and disaster recovery costs.

However, with a cloud CMS, businesses can sidestep these capital expenditures. You pay for what you use, allowing for scalability and resource optimization. Furthermore, cloud CMS subscriptions typically encompass backup and disaster recovery options, ensuring peace of mind and streamlined operations. Hygraph’s licensing model also scales with your usage, ensuring that you never pay for more than you need.

Data security

With cyber threats continuing to evolve, your data security is of utmost importance. Cloud CMSs prioritize robust security measures and compliance policies. These platforms implement state‑of‑the‑art security protocols and employ advanced encryption techniques to protect your invaluable data against potential cyber threats.

Headless CMSs take this security protection one step further due to their decoupled nature, ensuring both front and backend layers are not overly susceptible to attacks. Hygraph regularly undergoes third‑party security audits and provides granular access controls to safeguard your content.

Fast time to market

A cloud CMS helps you get your content out there faster. Thanks to their low‑code nature, you can swiftly create and disperse content across different platforms without much reliance on your IT staff.

Moreover, effective cloud CMSs facilitate simultaneous content publishing across websites, mobile apps, social media, and other digital touchpoints without the complexities typically encountered with traditional systems. This streamlined process significantly speeds up content dissemination.

Furthermore, leveraging a cloud CMS’s ability to reuse content components further optimizes the content creation process. Consequently, your content can promptly reach your audience across multiple channels, substantially enhancing your brand's visibility and engagement.

Auto‑updates and maintenance

With a cloud CMS, you don’t have to worry about constantly updating or maintaining your system manually. Unlike on‑premise systems that often require dedicated IT resources to manage and update software manually, a cloud CMS is maintained and kept up‑to‑date by the CMS provider's team.

They are responsible for continuously improving their solution, fixing any bugs you face, and ensuring maintenance of all the hardware infrastructure. They also provide customer support for any CMS help your team might require. With Hygraph, updates roll out seamlessly in the background, so you can focus on content instead of patching servers.

Collaboration with remote access

A cloud CMS makes teamwork easy, even if your team is spread worldwide. You can work together in real‑time from different locations. Remote access allows teams to collaborate better.

The collaborative features integrated into cloud CMS platforms include shared workspaces, real‑time editing, and commenting functionalities. These tools facilitate efficient communication and exchange of ideas among dispersed team members. They enable instant feedback loops, ensuring everyone stays on the same page and can actively participate in content creation or management.

#Why adopt a cloud‑based CMS

If you're still pondering the "cloud vs. on‑premise CMS" conundrum, consider this: apart from all the benefits offered by a Cloud CMS, it is also a must‑have in this digitally driven world.

“There is no business strategy without a cloud strategy,” says Milind Govekar, the VP of Gartner. This statement holds true, especially considering Gartner analysts’ forecast that approximately 85% of businesses will adopt a cloud‑first principle by 2025.

This prediction stems from the ever‑changing digital ecosystem, making a cloud‑native architecture and tech stack necessary to ensure seamless business operations. As businesses expand or experience fluctuations in user demands, the scalable nature of the cloud allows seamless adjustments in resources without the need for significant infrastructure investments. This flexibility ensures optimal resource allocation, minimizing wastage and optimizing performance.

Adopting a cloud CMS transcends the traditional cloud versus on‑premise debate. It's about embracing a forward‑thinking approach that not only leverages the efficiency of the cloud but also future‑proofs your business in a world where agility, scalability, and adaptability are paramount. Hygraph’s MACH‑certified platform is designed for exactly this kind of future‑proofing.

#How to choose a cloud CMS

Choosing the right cloud CMS can be daunting, but a few guiding principles help cut through the noise.

Start by evaluating the scalability of the platform. You should not be limited by traffic spikes or the need to serve new markets. Hygraph’s API‑first design ensures your content scales alongside your ambitions.

Next, assess integration capabilities. A modern cloud CMS should play well with your existing stack. With Content Federation, Hygraph connects disparate data sources and services through a single API, so your content remains consistent everywhere.

Finally, consider customisation and developer experience. Look for a solution that allows content models to be tailored to your business, offers a clean GraphQL API, and provides robust documentation. Hygraph’s schema builder and low‑code interface make it easy for both marketers and developers to work together.

#Wrapping up

As businesses seek scalability, faster content access, and cost‑effectiveness, choosing a cloud CMS becomes critical. With a composable architecture supporting Content Federation, Hygraph offers a next‑generation, future‑proof headless CMS to help you create personalized and scalable omnichannel experiences.

Find out exactly how by requesting a free demo to discover how Hygraph's headless CMS can help improve your content strategies and drive innovation in your digital endeavors.