Blog and Blog Categories

The Blog feature in WebCommander allows you to create, manage, and publish blog posts on your website. With built-in category management, you can organise your content effectively and help visitors find what they need easily.

Understanding Blogs

A blog is a regularly updated section of your website where you can publish articles, news, updates, or written content. Blogs help you share valuable information, improve search visibility, establish expertise, and build customer relationships. In WebCommander, you have complete control over your blog posts, including when they're published, who can see them, and how they're organised.

Accessing Blog Management

To access the blog management area:

1. Log in to your WebCommander admin panel
2. Navigate to Website from the main menu
3. Click on the Blog tab in the top navigation
4. You'll see your blog dashboard with all existing posts

From here, you can view, edit, or create new blog posts.

Creating a New Blog Post

Follow these steps to create and publish a blog post:

Step 1: Start Creating Your Blog

1. From the Blog dashboard, click the + Create Blog button (located in the top-right corner)
2. The blog creation form will open

Step 2: Add Blog Information

The Blog Information section contains the essential details for your post:

Title (Required)

• Enter a clear, descriptive title for your blog post
• This will appear as the main heading on your blog page

Category

• Select one or more categories for your blog post
• If you need to create a new category, you'll need to do this first (see Blog Categories section below)

Date (Required)

• The system automatically sets today's date, which you can change to schedule posts for the future or backdate if needed.

Status

• Published: The blog post is live and visible to visitors
• Unpublished: The blog post is saved but not visible on your website

Visibility

• Open: Anyone can view this blog post
• Restricted: Only specific user groups can view it
• Hidden: The post is hidden from public view

Step 3: Add Blog Images

You can add visual elements to make your blog post more engaging:

Image and Banner Image Tabs

WebCommander provides two image options:

• Image Tab: Uploads appear on blog listing pages
• Banner Image Tab: Uploads appear on blog detail pages

Uploading Images

1. Click on the Image tab
2. Click "Upload from your computer" or drag and drop an image
3. Once uploaded, you'll see a checkbox: "Use this image as banner image as well"
4. Enable this checkbox to use the same image for both listing and detail pages

• When checked, the Banner Image tab becomes disabled
• Uncheck it if you want to upload a separate banner image

Using Separate Images

If you want different images for listing and detail pages:

1. Upload an image in the Image tab (don't check the checkbox)
2. Switch to the Banner Image tab
3. Upload a separate banner image
4. Each image will display in its respective location

Step 4: Create Your Content

The Content section is where you write your blog post:

1. Use the rich text editor to format your content
2. Available formatting options include:
   • Bold, italic, and underline text
   • Headings and subheadings
   • Bullet points and numbered lists
   • Links and images
   • Text alignment
   • And more
3. Write your content clearly and break it into readable sections
4. Use headings to structure your post
5. Add images or media as needed to support your message

Step 5: Save Your Blog Post

1. Review all the information you've entered
2. Make sure the Status is set correctly:
   • Choose "Published" if you want it live immediately
   • Choose "Unpublished" if you want to save it as a draft
3. Click the Save button
4. Your blog post will now appear in your blog listing

Managing Blog Categories

Categories help you organise your blog posts into logical groups, making
it easier for visitors to find related content. For example, you might
have categories like "Company News", "Product Updates", "Industry Tips",
or "Customer Stories".

Accessing Blog Categories

1. From the Blog dashboard, click on Blog Category in the left sidebar
2. You'll see a list showing category names, creation dates, and the number of posts in each category

Creating a New Category

To add a new blog category:

1. Click the + Create Blog Category button
2. The category creation form will open

Category Information

Title (Required)

• Enter the name of your category

URL Identifier

• This creates the web address for the category page and is automatically generated from your title
• You can customise it using lowercase letters and hyphens instead of spaces

Category Image

1. Add an image to represent this category (optional)
2. Click "Upload from your computer" or drag and drop

Category Description

1. Write a brief description of what this category contains

Blogs

1. Assign existing blog posts to this category by clicking Add Blogs in the Blog Posts section.

Saving Your Category

1. Click the Save button
2. Your new category is now available when creating blog posts

Searching and Filtering Blogs

The Blog dashboard includes powerful search and filter tools:

Basic Search

1. Use the search box at the top of the blog list
2. Type keywords from the blog title or content
3. Results appear instantly as you type

Advanced Search

Click the filter icon to access advanced search options:

Name

• Search by blog title

Status

• Filter by Published or Unpublished posts
• View "Any" to see all posts

Visibility

• Filter by Open, Restricted, or Hidden posts
• View "Any" to see all posts

Category(s)

• Filter blogs by specific categories
• Select one or multiple categories

Created By

• Find blogs created by specific team members

Post Date

• Filter blogs by their publication date
• Set a date range to find posts from specific periods

Created Between

• Filter by when the blog was created in the system
• Useful for finding recently added content

Updated Between

• Find blogs that were recently edited
• Set a date range for last modification

After setting your filters, click Search to apply them, or Cancel to return to the full list.

Editing Existing Blogs

To modify a published or unpublished blog:

1. Find the blog post in your blog list
2. Click the three dots menu (⋮) on the right side of the row
3. Select Edit Blog from the dropdown menu
4. Make your changes in the blog editor
5. Click Save to update the post

Changes to published blogs take effect immediately.

Managing Blog Visibility

You have flexible control over who can see your blog posts:

Publishing Status

• Published: The post is live and visible (according to visibility settings)
• Unpublished: The post is hidden from all visitors but saved in your system

Visibility Options

• Open: Anyone visiting your website can read this post
• Restricted: Only logged-in users or specific user groups can access it
• Hidden: The post won't appear in blog listings, even if published

Use these options strategically to control content access based on your business needs.

Best Practices for Blogging

To get the most from your blog:

Content Quality

• Write clear, valuable content with short paragraphs and proper structure
• Check spelling and grammar before publishing

Visual Elements

• Include at least one high-quality, relevant image with each post
• Ensure images are properly sized for web use

Categories

• Create logical, broad categories that make sense for your content
• Assign appropriate categories to each post

Consistency

• Publish regularly and maintain a consistent tone
• Update old posts when information changes

SEO Considerations

• Use descriptive titles with relevant keywords
• Structure content with headings (H2, H3)
• Include internal links to other relevant pages