Powering an Omnichannel Content Strategy with Headless Drupal for a Leading Media Publisher
Industry Media & Publishing
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$10B+ Client Revenues
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12+ Successful Years
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1000+ IT Ninjas
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5000+ Projects
Client's Testimonial
The headless Drupal solution built by the Developers.dev team has revolutionized our content delivery. Our frontend is incredibly fast, and our editorial team can now push content to our website, mobile app, and partner platforms simultaneously. Their technical skill and project management were flawless.
Sarah Jenkins, VP of Digital Products
Client Overview
A prominent European media company with a portfolio of online magazines and news sites, reaching over 20 million unique visitors per month. Their traditional, monolithic Drupal 7 site was slow, difficult to update, and could not support their strategic goal of delivering content to new channels like mobile apps and smart devices.
Problem
The client's monolithic Drupal site was a bottleneck. Page load times were poor, impacting SEO and user engagement. The editorial team was frustrated with the slow and clunky interface. Most importantly, the architecture made it impossible to reuse content for their new native mobile app and other digital products.
Key Challenges
Decoupling the frontend from the backend without disrupting a 24/7 news cycle.
Decoupling the frontend from the backend without disrupting a 24/7 news cycle.
Building a lightning-fast frontend capable of handling millions of pageviews.
Building a lightning-fast frontend capable of handling millions of pageviews.
Creating a robust API layer to serve content to multiple endpoints.
Creating a robust API layer to serve content to multiple endpoints.
Migrating a massive archive of articles, images, and videos from Drupal 7.
Migrating a massive archive of articles, images, and videos from Drupal 7.
Our Solution
We proposed and implemented a decoupled architecture, migrating the client from Drupal 7 to a modern Drupal 10 backend with a React/Next.js frontend.
⚙️ Content-as-a-Service Backend:
We configured Drupal 10 to serve purely as a content repository, exposing all data through a comprehensive JSON:API.
⚡ High-Performance Frontend:
We built a server-side rendered (SSR) React application using the Next.js framework, which delivered pre-rendered HTML for incredible speed and optimal SEO.
🔍 Elasticsearch Integration:
We integrated Elasticsearch to provide powerful, faceted search capabilities across the entire content archive.
🔄 Phased Migration & Launch:
We migrated content in stages and used a reverse proxy to run the old and new systems in parallel, allowing for a gradual, risk-free rollout.
Implementation and Execution
Architected the full headless solution, including API design and frontend component structure.
Architected the full headless solution, including API design and frontend component structure.
Built a CI/CD pipeline to independently deploy the Drupal backend and React frontend.
Built a CI/CD pipeline to independently deploy the Drupal backend and React frontend.
Developed custom Drupal modules to streamline the editorial workflow for a headless environment.
Developed custom Drupal modules to streamline the editorial workflow for a headless environment.
Integrated with their existing ad-tech and analytics platforms.
Integrated with their existing ad-tech and analytics platforms.
Optimized the frontend for Core Web Vitals, achieving near-perfect scores.
Optimized the frontend for Core Web Vitals, achieving near-perfect scores.
Deployed the solution on a scalable AWS infrastructure using Docker and Kubernetes.
Deployed the solution on a scalable AWS infrastructure using Docker and Kubernetes.
Positive Outcome
💨 60% Faster Page Loads:
Average page load time dropped from 4.5 seconds to under 1.8 seconds.
📈 25% Increase in Engagement:
User engagement metrics, such as pages per session and time on site, increased significantly.
📱 Omnichannel Ready:
The client launched their native mobile app three months later, consuming the same Drupal API, saving significant development time.
✍️ Improved Editorial Efficiency:
The modern backend interface and streamlined workflows allowed the editorial team to publish content 40% faster.
Why Choose Us
🧑💻 Vetted, In-House Experts:
Vetted, In-House Experts
🏆 CMMI Level 5 Maturity:
CMMI Level 5 Maturity
🛡️ Ironclad Security & IP:
Ironclad Security & IP
🤖 AI-Augmented Delivery:
AI-Augmented Delivery (for automated testing)
🤝 Zero-Risk Engagement:
Zero-Risk Engagement
👥 Strategic POD Model:
Strategic POD Model
📰 Deep Domain Experience:
Deep Domain Experience (Media)
💬 Seamless Communication:
Seamless Communication
💻 Full-Spectrum Drupal Skills:
Full-Spectrum Drupal Skills (Headless, React, API)
Conclusion
This project demonstrates our expertise in cutting-edge, future-proof Drupal architectures. By moving beyond the monolith, we enabled the client to transform their business, improve key performance metrics, and position themselves as a leader in the digital media landscape.