Guide To Blogging
Blogs are a new feature that many won't be familiar with but we're going to make it easy. In this blog entry I'll cover blog creation and manipulation from A-Z in short but comprehensive pages to help anyone navigate this new feature.
At first you might not know why you would even need a blog or maybe you're a new grower thinking about making a journal but you don't know where, why or how. This may all feel intimidating but I promise the time is worth the effort with all the possibilities and benefits to blogging.
Blogs
- Create a streamlined environment for perpetual grow journals without navigating pages on pages of talk that might not be relevant to the grow or what you are looking for
- Unique space to showcase your interest and hobbies
- Powerful features to make your journals or topics feel clean and presentable
- One place for all your content
Click NEXT below to continue to Creating a Blog
This guide wasn't possible without the feedback and assistance of @baked in the bluegrass @Steviestash @Stooby snacks @Lilly_of_the_Zoo @Dudeski @Waira @RivetGrrl @Mañ'O'Green
Part 1: Creating A Blog
Making a blog can seem intimidating but with some time it becomes second nature. On this page I'll be explaining how to create a blog.
Blogs act as hubs for all your future blog entry content, creating a space you can personalize. I'll break it down as we go. On each page I'll direct your attention with arrows and circles that are color coded.
Red
Orange
Green
I will also be providing an Additional Features section below to explain the extra functions that appear.
STEP 2
This feature is explained for us.
This feature is also explained. Play with the options for different layouts.
Blogs act as hubs for all your future blog entry content, creating a space you can personalize. I'll break it down as we go. On each page I'll direct your attention with arrows and circles that are color coded.
Red
Orange
Green
I will also be providing an Additional Features section below to explain the extra functions that appear.
Let's Begin
STEP 1
STEP 2
The End
That concludes Part 1. Below in the spoiler there are other functions explained that are not necessary but are useful.
In this section I'll briefly explain what the other features that were not mentioned do.
When creating a Blog we have a few functions that can improve the experience. Under MISC OPTIONS there is Blog entry list layout and Search engine optimization options
When creating a Blog we have a few functions that can improve the experience. Under MISC OPTIONS there is Blog entry list layout and Search engine optimization options
This feature is explained for us.
This feature is also explained. Play with the options for different layouts.
Part 2: Creating A Blog Entry
Here in Part 2 I will explain how to create a Blog Entry. To avoid confusion, there is a difference between your Blog and the Blog Entries it will contain. After you've made your blog you'll need entries that can be your journals, experiments, sponsored product testing or whatever else.
STEP 2
Blog Entry Creation
STEP 1
STEP 2
Part 2 Has Ended
Thank you for reading and I hope this guide thus far has been a help. I'll be adding a spoiler with additional features that weren't directly related to creating a Blog Entry
There are several features in the image below that I will explain.
Tags is a function that helps others when searching for content and helps us make our content more accessible. They display like the image below and are interactive allowing users to find content with similar tags.
Description offers the ability to summarize your Blog Entry in a different way than your title.
Display Cover Image Above Every takes the image that everyone sees for your blog entry and displays it above. When you visit your blog the cover image will be there as well.
Display About Author will always show your personal About You at the end of every Blog Entry if enabled.
Comments open is much the same as Display About Author. This option allows comments that won't clutter your Blog Entry and creates a clean way to interact without detracting. The image below is an example
Description offers the ability to summarize your Blog Entry in a different way than your title.
Display Cover Image Above Every takes the image that everyone sees for your blog entry and displays it above. When you visit your blog the cover image will be there as well.
Display About Author will always show your personal About You at the end of every Blog Entry if enabled.
Comments open is much the same as Display About Author. This option allows comments that won't clutter your Blog Entry and creates a clean way to interact without detracting. The image below is an example
Part 3: Creating A Page
Before we dive in make sure you have read Part 1 and Part 2 otherwise you might get lost.
In Part 3 we will be creating a page for our Blog Entry. Pages allow you to add more content to blog entries without having to create a new blog entry every time. In the image below you'll see several Pages and by reading this guide you've seen Pages in action.
Navigate your Blog before we get started.
STEP 2
In Part 3 we will be creating a page for our Blog Entry. Pages allow you to add more content to blog entries without having to create a new blog entry every time. In the image below you'll see several Pages and by reading this guide you've seen Pages in action.
Navigate your Blog before we get started.
Let's Begin
STEP 1
STEP 2
The End. Again.
You have made it through the hardest parts of setting up the blog and can do quite a bit on your own from here. Part 4 will discuss Display Order and Depth.
P.S. Pages can be drafted and their visibility changed until you are ready to release your masterpiece. Check the image below
Part 4: Indexing Pages
Below image displays an index for a blog entry of multiple pages. The Display Order controls the order of these pages while the Depth function controls the amount of indentation for each page.
Indexing is a tool of organization that isn't necessary unless you need it. Personally I need it. With it you can create all sorts of indexing schemes to help you and your readers better navigate your Blog Entries and their subsequent Pages.
I'll provide some examples but first let's navigate to a Blog Entry, Manage Pages, Add Page to get the below image
For the first image I showed earlier the scheme of the index is simple.
Vegging - Display Order of 1
Day 2 - Display Order of 1 Depth of 1
Day 4 - Display Order of 1 Depth of 1
Day 8 - Display Order of 1 Depth of 1
Day 16 - Display Order of 1 Depth of 1
Day 34 - Display Order of 1 Depth of 1
Flowering - Display Itself of 2
Day 5 - Display Order of 2 Depth of 1
Day 10 - Display Order of 2 Depth of 1
Day 15 - Display Order of 2 Depth of 1
Day 20 - Display Order of 2 Depth of 1
So you might ask
Why is Flowering set to 2?
Why is every day under flowering set to 2?
The answer is the whatever gets put into the same hierarchy will stick together. If the Flowering days were set to Display order 1 they would go under Vegging but if they were are to 3 they would follow a separate hierarchy from Vegging and Flowering.
This can become complicated but I believe detailing that is beyond the scope of this guide. Any questions or comments leave them below or in the Discussion section.
Indexing is a tool of organization that isn't necessary unless you need it. Personally I need it. With it you can create all sorts of indexing schemes to help you and your readers better navigate your Blog Entries and their subsequent Pages.
I'll provide some examples but first let's navigate to a Blog Entry, Manage Pages, Add Page to get the below image
Display Order & Depth
Display Order controls the hierarchy of individual pages while Depth controls the indentation from the left of each page.
For the first image I showed earlier the scheme of the index is simple.
Vegging - Display Order of 1
Day 2 - Display Order of 1 Depth of 1
Day 4 - Display Order of 1 Depth of 1
Day 8 - Display Order of 1 Depth of 1
Day 16 - Display Order of 1 Depth of 1
Day 34 - Display Order of 1 Depth of 1
Flowering - Display Itself of 2
Day 5 - Display Order of 2 Depth of 1
Day 10 - Display Order of 2 Depth of 1
Day 15 - Display Order of 2 Depth of 1
Day 20 - Display Order of 2 Depth of 1
So you might ask
Why is Flowering set to 2?
Why is every day under flowering set to 2?
The answer is the whatever gets put into the same hierarchy will stick together. If the Flowering days were set to Display order 1 they would go under Vegging but if they were are to 3 they would follow a separate hierarchy from Vegging and Flowering.
This can become complicated but I believe detailing that is beyond the scope of this guide. Any questions or comments leave them below or in the Discussion section.
Part 5: Series
Series are pretty self explanatory but not really.
This is a nice function of the blog system in that it can be used to gather your own blog entries, other's blog entries with a moderator's help, into a compilation.
Your compilation can focus on anything from Autos, photos, hydroponics, sativas, indicas, cbd, etc. The neat thing about Series is that any blog entries added to a series will display a tag showing they belong.
A feature like this allows vendors to compile series filled with grow journals from the blog, have competitions compiled with journals, and much more. As long as the journal resides in the blogging ecosystem it can be added to a series.
STEP 2
This is a nice function of the blog system in that it can be used to gather your own blog entries, other's blog entries with a moderator's help, into a compilation.
Your compilation can focus on anything from Autos, photos, hydroponics, sativas, indicas, cbd, etc. The neat thing about Series is that any blog entries added to a series will display a tag showing they belong.
A feature like this allows vendors to compile series filled with grow journals from the blog, have competitions compiled with journals, and much more. As long as the journal resides in the blogging ecosystem it can be added to a series.
Setting Up A Series
STEP 1
STEP 2
The End.
Part 6: Managing Blogs & Entries
In this segment we will get a bit more in depth. In parts 1 & 2 we learned how to create Blogs and Blog Entries however in this installment we will look at
STEP 2A - NOTIFICATIONS
STEP 2B - COVER IMAGES
Cover Images are strictly the images uploaded to the initial Blog or Entry itself and NOT images added to pages.
Remember in Part 1 where we had to attach images?
We have to return to edit our Blog or Entry to attach up to a maximum of 25 images. By doing this we can have a larger selection of images to choose from to personalize our blogs. These images go to the Gallery and are also optional as Cover Images.
- Managing cover pages and images
- Brief explanation of other features
- Sending notifications
Let's Begin
STEP 1
STEP 2A - NOTIFICATIONS
STEP 2B - COVER IMAGES
Cover Images are strictly the images uploaded to the initial Blog or Entry itself and NOT images added to pages.
Remember in Part 1 where we had to attach images?
We have to return to edit our Blog or Entry to attach up to a maximum of 25 images. By doing this we can have a larger selection of images to choose from to personalize our blogs. These images go to the Gallery and are also optional as Cover Images.
HOPE THIS WASN'T CONFUSING.
Test Page
Test
