Managing Posts: Writing and Publishing Content

Whether you run a personal blog or a corporate newsroom, managing articles is the heart of any Content Management System. In PolyCMS, "Posts" are dynamic, time-sensitive entries typically displayed in reverse chronological order (newest first).

This guide will show you how to effortlessly create, organize, and publish your posts.

The Posts Dashboard

To view all your articles, navigate to Content > Posts in the main sidebar.

Here you will see a list of all your content. You can quickly filter this list using the status tabs at the top:

All: Displays every post in the system.

Published: Posts that are currently live and visible to the public.

Drafts: Works in progress that are only visible to administrators and editors.

Archived: Old posts that have been taken offline but not permanently deleted.

Creating a New Post

Click the Add New button at the top of the Posts dashboard to open the Editor.

The PolyCMS Editor is divided into two main areas: the Content Area (main left column) and the Settings Sidebar (right column).

1. Writing Your Content

Title: Enter the title of your post at the very top. Make it catchy and descriptive.

The Block Editor: PolyCMS uses a modern, block-based editor. Instead of one giant text box, your content is built using individual blocks (paragraphs, images, headings, quotes).

• Simply click and start typing to create a text block. * Type / (forward slash) on an empty line to open the quick-insert menu and choose different block types like Images, Lists, or Code snippets.

2. Organizing with the Sidebar

The right sidebar contains essential settings to categorize and optimize your post:

Publish Status: Choose to save your post as a Draft or Publish it immediately.

Categories & Tags: Assign your post to relevant Categories (broad topics) and Tags (specific keywords) to help readers find related content.

Featured Image: Upload a high-quality image that represents your article. This image will appear at the top of your post and when the article is shared on social media (like Facebook or X).

Excerpt: Write a brief 1-2 sentence summary of your post. This is often displayed on your blog's homepage or search results.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

PolyCMS includes built-in SEO tools to help your posts rank higher on Google.

Scroll down below the main content editor to find the SEO Settings panel:

Meta Title: This is the clickable headline that appears in search engine results. Keep it under 60 characters.

Meta Description: A short summary (under 160 characters) explaining what the post is about. A compelling description encourages users to click your link.

Meta Keywords: Although less important today, you can list 3-5 focus keywords separated by commas.

OG Image: (Open Graph Image) If you want a different image to appear when sharing on social media than your main Featured Image, upload it here.

Saving and Publishing

PolyCMS has a built-in safety net. You can use the global hotkey Ctrl + S (or Cmd + S on Mac) at any time to instantly save your progress as a draft.

When your masterpiece is ready:

Review your content and sidebar settings.

Click the Publish button in the top right corner.

Your post is now live! If you need to make changes later, simply return to the Posts dashboard, click on the post, make your edits, and hit Update.