Blog post settings and layout
Settings → Blog Post controls how every public article page looks—template, sidebar widgets, hero, footer, and content width—while Posts holds the article body; tune these defaults before editing individual post SEO.
Settings → Blog Post controls how individual published articles look on your live site—the article page visitors open from your blog index, not the index listing itself (that is a Pages → Blog Page job; see Manage your blog index page).
Think of it like the page editor sidebar guide for pages, but for posts: one dashboard tab packs global layout defaults; each post still has its own Edit Post → Settings for slug, SEO, featured image, and display style.
Where to open it
Dashboard → Settings → Blog Post tab (/dashboard/settings?tab=blogPost)
Save Site settings after you change cards on this tab so the public blog picks up updates.
Two tabs inside Blog Post
| Tab | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Settings | Templates, sidebar widgets, content display toggles, hero defaults, post footer |
| Comments | Moderate reader comments when comments are enabled |
Per-post comment on/off still lives under Posts → Edit Post → Comments when you want one article different from the rest.
Global vs per-post (what affects the public article)
[Settings → Blog Post] Global defaults for every published post
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[Posts → Edit Post → Settings] Per-post: featured image, Display Style, SEO, optional hero text color
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[Public URL /blog/your-slug] Rendered article layout
| Control | Where | What visitors see |
|---|---|---|
| Blog Post Templates (Classic, Sidebar, Magazine, Minimal) | Settings → Blog Post | Overall article frame—sidebar column only with Sidebar template |
| Content Display checkboxes | Settings → Blog Post | Date, author line, cover image, reading time, excerpt under the title area |
| Hero Settings | Settings → Blog Post | Alignment, aspect ratio, overlay, excerpt in hero—when the post uses Hero or Split display style |
| Display Style | Edit Post → Settings | Hero / Cinematic, Editorial, or Split Screen for that post’s featured image |
| Hero Text Color override | Edit Post → Settings | Light or dark text on the hero for this post only (or use global) |
| Blog Post Sidebar | Settings → Blog Post (Sidebar template only) | Widgets and ad slots beside the article body |
| Post Footer | Settings → Blog Post | Author bio block and social links after the article |
| Allow Comments (global switch) | Settings → Blog Post | Whether commenting is available site-wide; pair with per-post Comments |
Blog Post Page Settings card
Content Display
Turn metadata on or off for all posts:
| Checkbox | Public effect |
|---|---|
| Show Date | Publication date near the title area |
| Show Author | Author name (studio owner or team author role) |
| Show Cover Image | Featured image in the post header (respects per-post display style) |
| Show Reading Time | Estimated read time |
| Show Excerpt | Excerpt below the title when not shown only in the hero |
Unchecking Show Cover Image hides the featured image in the article header even if the post has one set—useful for text-forward essays.
Comments (global)
Allow Comments enables the comment system for posts that also allow comments in Edit Post → Comments. Use the Comments sub-tab on Blog Post settings to moderate approved and pending threads.
Hero Settings
Applies when a post’s Display Style is Hero / Cinematic or Split Screen (set per post under Edit Post → Settings).
| Control | Public effect |
|---|---|
| Content Alignment | Left, center, or right for title and meta on the hero |
| Aspect Ratio | Cinematic (21:9), ultra-wide (3:1), standard (16:9), or original image proportions |
| Overlay Opacity | Dark scrim behind text on top of the image |
| Show Excerpt in Hero | Pulls the post excerpt into the hero band |
Editorial display style uses title-first layout; hero controls have little effect until you switch that post to Hero or Split.
Blog Post Templates
Choose one layout for every single-post URL:
| Template | Best for |
|---|---|
| Classic | Full-width article column, familiar blog read |
| Sidebar | Article plus a widget column (TOC, newsletter, related posts, ads) |
| Magazine | Large visual header, editorial feel |
| Minimal | Distraction-free reading, fewer chrome elements |
Selecting Sidebar reveals the Blog Post Sidebar card below. Other templates hide sidebar configuration because the column is not rendered.
Blog Post Sidebar (Sidebar template only)
| Setting | Public effect |
|---|---|
| Sidebar Position | Column on the left or right of the article |
| Widget list | Ordered blocks visitors see next to the post body |
Drag rows to reorder. Toggle each row on or off. Edit widget titles (for example change “Subscribe” to “Join the list”).
| Widget | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Table of Contents | Auto links from headings in the article |
| Author Bio | Short author card (can overlap with footer bio—pick one or both) |
| Related Posts | Links to other published articles |
| Categories / Tags | Browse taxonomy from the sidebar |
| Newsletter Signup | Email capture—feeds Analytics → Newsletter; see Newsletter subscriptions |
| Recent Posts | Latest articles list |
| Social Share | Share buttons for the current post |
Ad placement rows (when ads are enabled on your plan) show a published blog sidebar slot from Settings → Integrations → Ad embed.
Post Footer
| Switch | Public effect |
|---|---|
| Author Bio | Bio paragraph and avatar after the article body |
| Social Links in Author Bio | Studio social icons inside that footer bio |
Footer bio is separate from the Author Bio sidebar widget—you can use one, both, or neither.
Per-post settings (Edit Post)
Open Posts → Edit Post → Settings for fields that apply to one article:
- Featured image — also used on the blog index cards and social previews (Categories, tags, and featured image)
- Display Style — Hero, Editorial, or Split (pairs with global Hero Settings)
- Hero Text Color — override global light/dark text on the hero
- Meta title / description / slug — Blog SEO and discovery
- Comments — allow or disable discussion on this post only
How settings reach the live site
[Change Settings → Blog Post]
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[Save site settings]
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[Open a published post URL]
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+--> Template + sidebar + footer from global Blog Post settings
+--> Featured image + display style + SEO from that post’s Edit Post settings
Preview a published post in a private window after saves. The blog index page does not re-read these cards—it only lists posts; layout blocks on that page are edited under Pages.
Related guides
| Topic | Guide |
|---|---|
| Blog index listing | Manage your blog index page |
| Writing and publishing | Write your first blog post, Publish and update blog posts |
| Newsletter sidebar widget | Newsletter subscriptions |
| Big picture | Blog overview |
Next steps & validation
- Open Settings → Blog Post and note your current template.
- Toggle one Content Display option, save, and refresh a live post.
- If you use Sidebar, confirm widget order and enable Newsletter Signup only when ready.
- Open Edit Post → Settings on a test post—switch Display Style to Hero and confirm hero alignment from global settings.
- Scroll the live post to verify Post Footer author bio matches your intent.