Blog Management Guide

Blog Management Guide

Quick Start - Creating New Posts

./new-post.sh "Your Amazing Blog Post Title"

This creates a new post file with:

  • Proper filename format (YYYY-MM-DD-title.md)
  • Complete front matter template
  • SEO-optimized structure
  • Placeholder content sections

2. Manual Creation

Create a file in _posts/ with format: YYYY-MM-DD-title.md

Post Front Matter Template

---
layout: post
title: "Your Post Title"
subtitle: "Brief description that appears in previews"
date: 2026-01-19 13:30:00 +0300
author: Titus Kores
tags: [SEO, Digital Marketing, Technical SEO]
categories: [Blog, Tutorials]
image: /assets/img/your-post-image.jpg
description: "SEO meta description (150-160 characters max)"
---

Required Fields

  • title: Main post title
  • date: Publication date with timezone
  • layout: Always use post
  • subtitle: Shows in blog listing and post header
  • image: Featured image (16:9 aspect ratio recommended)
  • description: Meta description for SEO
  • tags: For categorization and SEO
  • categories: Broader groupings

Image Guidelines

  • Size: 1200x675px (16:9 ratio)
  • Format: JPG or PNG
  • Location: /assets/img/
  • Naming: Use descriptive names (e.g., seo-audit-checklist.jpg)

Image Optimization

  • Compress images before uploading
  • Use descriptive alt text
  • Consider lazy loading for performance

Content Structure Best Practices

1. Introduction Hook

Start with a compelling opening that addresses the reader’s pain point.

2. Clear Headings

Use H2 and H3 tags for structure:

## Main Section
### Subsection

3. Actionable Content

  • Include practical tips
  • Use bullet points and numbered lists
  • Add code examples when relevant

4. Call-to-Action

End with engagement:

---
*What's your experience with [topic]? Share your thoughts in the comments below!*

SEO Optimization

Tags Strategy

  • Use 3-5 relevant tags
  • Mix broad and specific terms
  • Examples: [SEO, Technical SEO, Google Analytics, Website Optimization]

Categories

  • Keep to 1-2 categories per post
  • Use consistent category names
  • Examples: [Blog, Tutorials, Case Studies]

Meta Description

  • 150-160 characters
  • Include target keyword
  • Make it compelling for click-through

Publishing Workflow

  1. Create Post: Use ./new-post.sh "Title"
  2. Add Content: Write your post content
  3. Add Image: Upload featured image to /assets/img/
  4. Update Front Matter: Complete all fields
  5. Preview: Run bundle exec jekyll serve to preview
  6. Commit & Push: Git commit and push to publish

Local Development

# Install dependencies
bundle install

# Start development server
bundle exec jekyll serve

# View at http://localhost:4000

Post Layout Features

New Layout Includes:

  • ✅ Featured image display
  • ✅ Reading time calculation
  • ✅ Author bio section
  • ✅ Social sharing buttons
  • ✅ Previous/next navigation
  • ✅ Tag and category display
  • ✅ Mobile-responsive design
  • ✅ SEO optimization

Blog Listing Features:

  • ✅ Card-based grid layout
  • ✅ Image previews
  • ✅ Reading time estimates
  • ✅ Tag previews
  • ✅ Hover effects
  • ✅ Mobile-responsive

Content Ideas for Your Blog

Technical SEO

  • Site speed optimization
  • Core Web Vitals guide
  • Schema markup tutorials
  • Technical audits

Growth Marketing

  • Conversion optimization
  • A/B testing strategies
  • Analytics setup guides
  • ROI measurement

AI & Search

  • AI impact on SEO
  • ChatGPT for content
  • Voice search optimization
  • Future of search

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  1. Images not showing: Check file path and case sensitivity
  2. Date format errors: Use YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +TIMEZONE
  3. Build failures: Check YAML front matter syntax

Getting Help

  • Check Jekyll documentation
  • Validate YAML syntax online
  • Test locally before pushing

Happy blogging! 🚀