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Help With My Blog Layout

  1. followmyfilm
    Member

    Hey, Folks.

    I am a filmmaker. With my blog, I need to do three primary things: 1) Introduce myself and my work to the world, 2) Write captivating and insightful posts regarding filmmaking, & 3) Update the progress of my projects.

    I'm using a Page-based approach. So I will have a HOME page (introduction), a BLOG page (insightful posts), an ABOUT page, and multiple project pages named after the project titles themselves, e.g., JAWS, GREMLINS, etc..

    Here is my issue: correct me if I'm wrong, but I can only have one page with a posts feed, right? So, if I use my BLOG page for posting, then all I can do is update my individual projects page, right?

    If so, then the problem with that is subscribers will not know that individual projects pages have been updated.

    I guess my main question is how do I best use one blog to update multiple projects while contributing general thoughts/articles on a particular subject (filmmaking, in my case)?

    Thank you and I hope this makes sense :)
    -Christopher

    The blog I need help with is followmyfilm.com.

  2. timethief
    Member

    Here is my issue: correct me if I'm wrong, but I can only have one page with a posts feed, right? So, if I use my BLOG page for posting, then all I can do is update my individual projects page, right?

    Every time we publish a post that posts automatically appears in the Archives pages. And when we assign categories to it that post also appears on the Categories pages. Bu choosing a theme that has the custom menu feature we can accomplish changes in the top navigation menu. You can use this feature to place Categories tabs in your top navigation menu and if you make each Category a Project then all your readers will have to do is click the link and they will find the most recent posts in the Category (Project).

    Have you ever wanted to have a different title for one of your pages than the label displayed in your site’s navigation? Ever wanted to change the order of the list of pages to an order you chose yourself? Ever wanted to be able to mix pages, categories, and random links in your navigation instead of your theme deciding for you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re in luck! The new custom menus feature will do all those things.

    http://en.support.wordpress.com/menus/

    See also > http://onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/2010/05/12/better-blogging-at-wordpress-com-pages-and-posts/
    http://onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/2010/06/17/custom-menus-arrive-at-wordpress-com/

  3. auxclass
    Member

    A couple of ways - have a Text Widget at the top of the Sidebar "Project Updates" and put a note with a link to the updated Page in the Widget and/or a short note in a blog Post that "project xyz has been updated with good news" or whatever.

    I would probably do both.

  4. followmyfilm
    Member

    Thank you for the help! I've decided to simply go with a page and update periodically. I really want a cleaner look and using a category in the menu will result in a bunch of posts that might get confusing to the visitor.

    I feel for my purposes a single page with a bit of introduction to the project will be best and I can just periodically update it.

    So it goes with using a blog theme as a website...

    -Christopher

  5. timethief
    Member

    Thanks for telling us what your final decision was and best wishes with the blog. :)

  6. justjennifer
    Member

    @followmyfilm New Posts are what drive your RSS feed and subsequent email subscriptions. When you update a Page, no "ping" is sent out.

    Perhaps consider adding a "Site Announcements" category to your blog posts to let your subscribers know that something on the site has been updated.

  7. followmyfilm
    Member

    @ TT, I've been working really hard on my "website" using the Page approach. Thank you again for your great guest post regarding the issue: http://wp.me/paTVO-2Hq

    @JustJennifer - Thanks for the tip!!! That's a great category suggestion...

    -Christopher

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