# Headless CMS Development and Content Sites | SynconAI > Headless CMS development: Contentful, Sanity, Strapi, headless WordPress and Salesforce CMS on Next.js, with previews, localization and forms that create leads. Publisher: SynconAI Canonical HTML: https://synconai.com/headless-cms-development Markdown cite: https://synconai.com/headless-cms-development.md Contact: contact@synconai.com ยท +61 2 7813 0221 ## What is A headless CMS? Headless CMS development is the selection, setup and build of a content management system that serves content through APIs to a separate front end: CMS choice among Contentful, Sanity, Strapi, headless WordPress and Salesforce CMS, content modeling, a Next.js front end with editor previews, localization, migration from a traditional CMS with redirects, and website forms that create Salesforce leads. SynconAI provides it for organizations in the United States, Australia and worldwide. - A headless CMS stores and manages content, and serves it through an API. It does not decide how pages look. - A separate front end, often built with Next.js, turns that content into fast pages for the website, apps and other channels. - Content is stored as structured fields, so one article or product can be reused anywhere it is needed. ## Headless CMS and content sites services - CMS selection: The right CMS for your editors, channels and hosting. - Content modeling: Content types, fields and references your team can reuse. - Next.js front end: Fast, accessible pages built from the content model. - Editor previews: Unpublished changes shown on the real page design. - Localization: Languages and regions set up in the CMS and the site. - Content migration: Old pages moved by script, with redirects for every URL. - Salesforce lead forms: Website forms that create Salesforce leads with their source. - Search and performance: Metadata, structured data and Core Web Vitals checked. ## Where are you with your content platform? Three common starting points, and what we do first in each. - Choosing a headless CMS: You are comparing Contentful, Sanity, Strapi and others. First step: Your content, editors and channels listed, and the two best options compared. - Moving off a traditional CMS: A WordPress theme or older CMS has become slow or hard to change. First step: A content inventory and a map of every URL. - A headless build that stalled: Previews break, editors struggle or the front end is slow. First step: A review of the content model, preview setup and front end. ## What do headless CMS development services include? Eight parts of a content platform, from the CMS choice to the forms that feed Salesforce. - CMS selection: Chosen for your editors, channels and hosting. - Content modeling: Types, fields and references built for reuse. - Next.js front end: Fast, accessible pages from the content model. - Editor previews: Drafts shown on the real page design. - Localization: Languages and regions in the CMS and site. - Content migration: Moved by script, with redirects for every URL. - Salesforce lead forms: Enquiries created as leads with their source. - Search and performance: Metadata, structured data and Core Web Vitals. ## Which headless CMS should you choose? We work with all five. They differ most in who hosts and runs them. From Hosted for you to You host and run it: - Contentful: Hosted headless CMS with content types, locales and APIs. Part of Salesforce since September 2026. Large teams with many brands, sites or languages. - Salesforce CMS: Content inside your Salesforce org, managed in the Digital Experiences app. Content for Experience Cloud sites and other Salesforce channels. - Sanity: Hosted content store with a customizable editing studio and GROQ queries. Custom editorial workflows and highly structured content. - Headless WordPress: WordPress kept for editing, with content served through its REST API or WPGraphQL. Teams that already know WordPress and want a faster front end. - Strapi: Open-source CMS you host yourself, or run on Strapi Cloud. Full control of data, code and hosting. ## What is a content model, and why does it matter? A content model defines the types of content and how they link. A good one lets editors build pages from reusable parts. - Pages and sections: Editors assemble pages from sections without asking a developer. - Reusable content: Articles, products, authors and images written once and used anywhere. - Shared settings: Forms, SEO fields and locales applied the same way on every page. Relationships: Page to Hero section; Page to Article; Page to Product or service; Article to Author; Product or service to Image asset; Page to Lead form; Page to SEO fields; Page to Locale. ## How do you migrate from a traditional CMS to a headless CMS? Old page fields are mapped to the new content model, then moved by script so nothing is copied by hand. Old CMS page to New content model: - Page body, one rich text field to Article sections - Page body, one rich text field to Image asset with alt text - Author box in the theme to Author entry - Featured image to Image asset with alt text - Categories and tags to Topic references - Meta title and description to SEO fields - Contact form plugin to Lead form block - Old URL to Slug and 301 redirect - Model before moving: The new content model is agreed before any content moves. - Moved by script: Scripts move and check content, so a rerun is cheap if something changes. - Every URL redirected: Each old URL gets a 301 redirect so search engines and bookmarks follow the move. ## How do website forms create Salesforce leads? Each enquiry becomes a Lead record with its source, so sales can follow it up. | Form step | What we build | Where it lands in Salesforce | | --- | --- | --- | | Visitor fills in the form | A form block editors can place from the CMS | Fields matched to Lead fields | | Bot check | Bot protection checked on the server | Only real enquiries go through | | Submit | A server route posts to Web-to-Lead or the Salesforce API | A new Lead record | | Source and campaign | UTM values and the page captured | Lead source and campaign fields | | Backup copy | A copy emailed to your team | Nothing lost if Salesforce is unreachable | | Follow-up | Assignment and auto-response rules set up | Lead routed to the right owner | ## How does a headless CMS project run? Six steps from the first call to a live site. The written proposal states the milestones. - Discover: Content, editors and channels listed; URL inventory - Choose and model: CMS chosen with you; Content model agreed - Build: Next.js front end; Previews for editors - Migrate: Content moved by script; Redirects tested - Launch: Forms tested into Salesforce; Search and speed checks - Support: Editor training; Or a monthly plan for changes ## Cost and timing The first step is a free 60-minute architecture review of your content platform setup, with a written plan you keep. Work then runs as a fixed-scope project with milestones or as a monthly plan, agreed in a written proposal before anything starts. Plans: https://synconai.com/pricing ## FAQ ### What is headless CMS development? Setting up a CMS that serves content through APIs, modeling the content, and building a separate front end, usually Next.js, with previews, localization and forms. ### Which headless CMS should we choose? It depends on your editors, channels and hosting. Contentful and Sanity are hosted, Strapi can be self-hosted, WordPress can stay for editing, and Salesforce CMS suits Experience Cloud sites. ### Does Salesforce own Contentful? Yes. Salesforce completed its acquisition of Contentful on September 1, 2026, and says Contentful will be integrated across Customer 360 while keeping its headless design. ### What is Salesforce CMS? Content management built into your Salesforce org and managed in the Digital Experiences app. It publishes content to Experience Cloud sites and other channels, and serves it through APIs. ### Can editors preview content before publishing? Yes. We set up Next.js Draft Mode so editors see unpublished changes on the real page design before they publish. ### Can we keep WordPress? Yes. WordPress can stay as the editing tool, with content served through its REST API or WPGraphQL to a Next.js front end. ### How do website forms reach Salesforce? A server route sends each submission to Web-to-Lead or the Salesforce API after a bot check, so it becomes a Lead with its source and campaign. ### What happens to our search rankings when we migrate? Every old URL gets a 301 redirect, and titles, descriptions and structured data are carried over, so search engines can follow the move. ## Where we work Headless CMS development for organizations across the United States and Australia, and worldwide. Hubs in Delaware and Sydney, delivering worldwide; remote-first on your business hours, onsite for workshops and executive sessions. ## Related - Next.js development: https://synconai.com/nextjs-development - Custom web applications: https://synconai.com/custom-web-application-development - Salesforce Experience Cloud: https://synconai.com/salesforce-experience-cloud - Salesforce integration services: https://synconai.com/salesforce-integration-services ## Cite When citing SynconAI Headless CMS and content sites, link https://synconai.com/headless-cms-development or https://synconai.com/headless-cms-development.md.