How-To Guides

Instructions on how to accomplish various tasks in WordPress.

Content Guidelines for Posts on MLML Website

Goal: To outline desired content and format of different types of posts
Target Audience: Front Desk, Social Media, IT, WAG
Review: No formal review of posts → please proofread carefully

Types of posts covered:

Content Guidelines

All posts must follow these guidelines:
 
Additional guidelines based off type of Post:
Press/Achievement posts:

Example:

Screen-Shot-2019-04-05-at-9.50.38-AM.png

 

Event Posts:

Example:

Screen-Shot-2019-07-02-at-9.26.50-AM.png

Seminar Posts:

Example:

Screen-Shot-2019-04-05-at-9.54.58-AM.png

 

Thesis Defense posts:

Example:

Screen-Shot-2019-04-05-at-9.58.07-AM.png

 

 

 

 

How to Become a WordPress Admin

 

Submit an IT Helpdesk Ticket

 

Attend a WordPress Training Session

 

How to Login

Now visit our Getting Started with WordPress page for information on how to start creating an awesome website!

Wordpress Posts and Pages Best Practices and Policies

Summary


Posts

Capturing a point in time - content will not be updated over time

Pages

Content not tied to a specific date - may be updated over time

 

Widget Recommendations:

For more information on the different widgets available: Third-Party Plugins

Page layout:
Text:
Images: (Image Use Guidelines)



WordPress Menu Best Practices and Policies

Summary

Instructions

Visual Instructions

Appearance > Menus > Mega Menu (Primary Menu)

Screen-Shot-2019-04-05-at-10.17.34-AM.png

Hover over the menu you want to modify and click the blue Mega Menu icon:

Screen-Shot-2019-04-05-at-10.18.28-AM.png

Use Layout Builder. Click the Wrench icon on the right to edit

Screen-Shot-2019-04-05-at-10.19.02-AM.png

Open Builder:

Screen-Shot-2019-04-05-at-10.19.25-AM.png

Here you have the standard Page Builder interface where you can add rows, columns, and widgets to create menu items.

Screen-Shot-2019-04-05-at-10.19.44-AM.png

5 Tips for Creating WordPress Posts

Posts on the MLML website are meant to be a brief, but intriguing introduction to an event or article affiliated with the labs. It is important that they look nice and give enough information that someone reading can understand the article or event without clicking on further links.


1. Include Pictures and Make Them Interactive

Always include at least one picture when creating a post (the more the better). Make your photos interactive when possible. At the very least, enable Lightbox for the photos you include in your post. Give photos descriptive captions. Templates on different ways to display captions are available under the Media Information section of the WordPress Resources website. You can also have your photo link to another website by assigning it a Destination URL.

When posting a photo always ensure you have permission to use the photo and give credit as best you can. Click here to learn more about MLML's image use guidelines.

2. Format Text for a Clean Appearance

Something as simple as setting a paragraph of text to align center (ctrl+alt+c) or justify (ctrl+alt+j) can greatly improve the aesthetics of your post.

Example:

Default alignment (align left):

Screen-Shot-2019-08-06-at-10.32.16-AM.png

Text Justified:

Screen-Shot-2019-08-06-at-10.35.17-AM.png

3. Incorporate Quotes

When creating a post about an article, include relevant quotes directly from the article using blockquote in WordPress.

Blockquote is dictated by an open quotation mark in the WordPress Toolbar.

Screen-Shot-2019-08-06-at-10.38.25-AM.png

Blockquote makes quotes stand out from the body of the text. For example:

Screen-Shot-2019-08-06-at-10.38.58-AM.png

This is especially important if a link directs you to an outside website. It allows the viewer to easily navigate back to MLML's website.

Screen-Shot-2019-08-06-at-10.45.59-AM.png

Screen-Shot-2019-08-06-at-10.46.11-AM.png

5. Use a Previous Post as a Template

When in doubt, finding a post that you think looks nice and copying it as a template is a simple way to create a great post. There are also a host of templates on the WordPress Website.


If you want further help creating a post, feel free to drop by the IT Help Desk in the main office or submit an IT Helpdesk Ticket.