Using magento as a content management system
We all know,Magento can handle content like products, categories etc. Now what, if you want to place banner on your home page, or you want to create new page about your store? Magento has some awesome features for managing those content.
Using magento as a content management system
1) Static Blocks – (Admin > Cms > Static Blocks)
You can store any of your content with this block like banner images,your store address/timings, brief information about something etc.
In short, Use static blocks where same content will be used in several pages of website or content will not be fixed like banner, so that you can update it easily in less time.
How to use static block in magento:
You can use these blocks in magento by different ways.
1) Category : You can add banner or some information using static block in particular category.
- Create a new static block with some content, Name it related to category to which block will be assigned. Now go to that category (catalog > Manage Categories).
- Select static block, which you have created in “CMS Block”. and Save that category.
- You can also show static block content only,without list of the products. For that Select “Static Block Only” in Display mode. This is useful when you want to advertise some of sub categories. (see image)
2) Cms page : You can also call static block in cms pages. Use this code in cms page: {{block type=”cms/block” block_id=”your-block-id”}}. This will be useful,when same content is used in more than one page like your store address or contact details.
3) Template files : You can call static blocks in template files(.phtml files).However for this some coding knowledge is required. Use this code: <?php echo $this->getLayout()->createBlock(‘cms/block’)->setBlockId(‘block-id’)->toHtml();?>
4) Widget : Static blocks can be assigned to widgets, read more about widgets below.
2) Pages – (Cms > Pages)
Cms pages can be used when,you want to dedicate whole new page for particular content such as information about your store, some policies like privacy policy or cancellation policy or customer services information page.
You can create a different url for each page,i.e. page can be accessed through unique url, like for about your store page,you can create page with “about-us” identifier so that that page will be accessed through yourWebsite.com/about-us.
You can insert/edit your content in wysiwyg editor in cms pages, so you can format that content easily.
3) Widgets
By using widgets you can insert some useful blocks in any position of any page.
– For example if you want to show block of new products in home page only, go to cms > widgets > create new widget.
– Select ‘Catalog New Products List’ in type.and select your theme. Now click on continue. In next screen, give proper title,select store and click on “Add Layout Update”.
– Here you can select particular pages,where you want to show list of new products.
– By default, magento has created some blocks like new product list,recently viewed products,recently compared products etc. You can find them while creating a widget.
So this is how you can use the content management system of Magento. These are default functionality provided by magento. You can also use extensions to manage content more efficiently like this blog extension.
Next Read : Useful Magento Extensions
Ankur Dholakia
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