Payload CMS Agencyfor Next.js websitescustom-built.
Scroll designs Next.js websites with Payload CMS for projects that require more than a standard CMS: structured content, editorial components, roles, SEO, GEO, integrations, open source, and an AI page generator based on pre-validated components.
A CMS shaped
like the rest of your project.
Payload CMS is an open-source, code-first headless CMS built with TypeScript, designed for modern stacks like Next.js. Instead of forcing your content into a generic model, it lets you build a custom, typed, and versioned back-office, directly integrated into the application serving your site—without relying on a closed builder.
A headless CMS separates content management (the back-office) from the site’s rendering (the front-end). Payload takes this a step further by defining the content model directly in the project’s code.
The result: the CMS is consistent with the rest of the Next.js application. Content, permissions, fields, and rules are designed from the start for your business, not a generic template.
Payload isn’t just a headless CMS: it’s a Next.js foundation for building an editable, versioned, production-ready site.
Payload becomes relevant
when the site must stand the test of time.
Payload becomes relevant when your site needs to be more than just visually appealing and manageable—it must also be structured, maintainable, localized, integrated with your tools, and capable of evolving into new workflows, including AI. Our recommendation remains pragmatic: the right tech depends on the project.
Payload is relevant if you want…
Recommended- A Next.js site with a cleanly integrated CMS
- A back office tailored to your business content
- Structured content for SEO
- Content readable for GEO and AI responses
- Versioned, testable, and maintainable code
- Mastery of data and deployment
- Reusable editorial components
- Custom integrations
- An AI page generator based on validated components
Payload is likely overkill if…
To be assessed- A small site to launch very quickly
- 100% visual editing as a priority
- No need for logic or structured content
- An all-in-one solution with no technical management
- A team that prefers to stick with a familiar tool
Four domains, one stack.
We use Payload to build bespoke sites that must remain editable, high-performing, and maintainable—from marketing sites to scalable application foundations. This is a page for teams seeking genuine Payload expertise, not just a quickly installed CMS.
B2B & marketing sites
Service pages, sector pages, resources, blog, case studies, landing pages, forms, proofs, FAQ, and SEO/GEO content.
Editorial sites
Articles, authors, categories, features, resources, dynamic pages, fine media management, translations, and SEO/GEO fields.
Custom admin panels
Admin interfaces designed for the client team: clear fields, roles, drafts, previews, simple workflows, and less risk of breaking the design.
Scalable foundations
When the site needs to host more logic: search, client area, automations, integrations, business data, advanced workflows, or AI-generated pages.
An editable site
without sacrificing code.
Our work involves designing the CMS as an internal product: simple for publishing, robust for maintenance. Payload helps strike a better balance between editorial autonomy, technical quality, user permissions, localization, and AI evolutions.
The risk of a custom site is becoming too dependent on developers for the smallest change.
The risk of a closed tool is blocking the project as needs evolve. Payload sits between the two.
The right CMS depends on the use case.
Payload CMS isn’t always the best choice. It becomes relevant when you need a coded site, a custom CMS, and genuine technical control. Here’s a comparison by use case, then criterion by criterion.
| Criterion | Payload CMS | WordPress | Strapi | Sanity | Contentful | Directus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Headless, code-first | Coupled (themes/plugins) | Headless | Headless SaaS | Headless SaaS | Headless data-first |
| Language | TypeScript / Node | PHP | JavaScript / Node | JavaScript | Proprietary (SaaS) | JavaScript / Node |
| Hosting | Self-hosted or cloud | Self-hosted | Self-hosted or cloud | SaaS (cloud) | SaaS (cloud) | Self-hosted or cloud |
| Next.js integration | Native (same app) | Via API / headless | Via API | Via API | Via API | Via API |
| Custom back-office | Very high (code) | Medium (plugins) | High | High (Studio) | Medium (governed) | High (data) |
| Open source | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | Yes |
| License cost | None (open source) | None (core) | None (core) | SaaS tiered pricing | SaaS tiered pricing | None (core) |
Choose Payload CMS when the CMS needs to become a proprietary foundation integrated with Next.js, not just a publishing interface.
Concrete proof, on Payload.
For Parallaxe Studio, we transformed a static POC into a full editorial showcase site, managed with Payload CMS. The public site covers the entire journey of a premium client; the back office allows content management without touching the code. The new Scroll site follows the same direction: content, translations, blog, client cases and visible texts all driven by Payload.
- Projects
- Articles
- Services
- Media
- Users
- Site settings
- Page contents
- Next.js 16
- TypeScript
- Tailwind 4
- Payload 3 — same application
- Server-side content reading
- Cache & automatic revalidation
- PostgreSQL
- Docker standalone
- GHCR image
- OVH VPS deployment
- nginx, healthcheck, migrations, rollback
- CI: lint, typecheck, tests, build, E2E
- Encrypted Postgres backups, restore drill & runbooks
- Contact form
- Zod validation
- Anti-spam
- Rate limit
- Resend
- PostHog
- Error capture
- Consent banner
- Technical SEO
- Sitemap & robots.txt
- Open Graph
- JSON-LD
Your teams compose
their pages using blocks.
The core capability is a manual page builder already in production. AI assistants can speed it up: page drafts, SEO/GEO suggestions, content variants, and generation from pre-validated components. Publication remains human-approved.
The manual builder — delivered capability
Developed and tested on Parallaxe Studio. In the Payload admin, a Pages collection lets you compose a page by assembling predefined sections, without touching the code. The page is rendered via its slug.
AI Text / AI Assistant
Editorial audit, SEO/GEO and content suggestions, field-by-field or section-by-section improvements. The assistant proposes; the team decides and validates.
AI Page Generator
From a brief, it generates a full page draft using your pre-validated components: title, slug, sections, initial content, and SEO/GEO suggestions. The team reviews, adjusts, and publishes.
Not just an admin
that works — a site you can operate.
A Payload page must reassure on production, not just editing. The stack may vary per project, but the goal remains the same: deliver a site that can be operated, corrected, and evolved cleanly.
Six steps, from scoping to autonomy.
A dedicated team from scoping to delivery with a dedicated project manager
Understand the project.
We clarify business objectives, target audience, content, SEO, expected autonomy, integrations, and technical constraints.
Design the content model.
We define collections, fields, relationships, roles, editorial components, and publishing workflows.
A system, not a patchwork.
We design reusable pages and blocks to avoid inconsistent content and speed up future publications.
Next.js + Payload.
We build the website, back-office, useful APIs, forms, technical SEO, and integrations.
Test before launch.
We test content, forms, redirects, performance, tracking, roles, and deployment.
Make you autonomous.
We train teams, document the CMS, and can handle post-launch evolutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common questions we get during scoping. If yours isn’t here, get in touch!
Considering Payload CMS for your site?
We can help you define the right content model, the right Next.js architecture, any potential AI generator, and the right level of autonomy for your teams.
75011 Paris