How to add Related Posts in Squarespace: A Simple Guide
When a visitor arrives at one of your blog posts on your website, it's a reason to celebrate. All the effort you've put into driving website traffic has yielded results. However, it's crucial not to let them simply exit after reading the post.
A strategic approach to maintain visitor interest in your website content is to include a "Related Posts" section at the end of each blog post. This feature encourages visitors to explore additional posts on your site that are likely to be both relevant and helpful to them.
Adding Related Posts
To add a carousel gallery featuring related posts, follow these steps:
Navigate to the end of the desired blog post.
Click on the insertion point where you want to add the carousel.
Under the "Summary" section, choose "carousel" from the options.
This approach allows you to seamlessly integrate a carousel gallery of related posts at the end of your blog post.
Proceed to the Content tab and choose the Blog page from which you wish to feature related content. In this instance, our designated Blog page is labeled "Blog."
Proceed to the "Layout" panel. Here, you can configure the display settings for the related posts section. Follow these steps:
Set the number of posts you wish to showcase (3 is recommended for a balanced display).\
Adjust the heading that appears above the gallery. In this example, it has been changed to "Related Posts."
Maintain or customize the aspect ratio based on your photo orientation (3:2 is suitable, but select differently if you have square or vertical photos)
Opt for a text size; for instance, "medium."
Keep all other options unchanged unless you have specific preferences.
By adjusting these settings, you can tailor the appearance of your related posts section to enhance the visual appeal and user experience.
In the "Display" panel, determine the maximum number of posts to be shown, with navigation arrows for users to scroll through. Although Squarespace allows up to 30 posts using a summary block, it's advisable to keep it to 12 or fewer for better presentation. Ensure this number aligns with a multiple of the items per row. Since we're displaying 3 posts per row, choosing 9 posts is suitable.
Customize the display by:
Checking "Show Title" and "Show Thumbnail."
Unchecking "Show Excerpt" and "Show Read More Link" unless you specifically want to display them.
Optionally, turn off the date. Under "Primary Metadata," click the dropdown and select "None" for a cleaner look.
These settings contribute to a visually appealing and streamlined presentation of your related posts.
To apply this to all your blog posts efficiently, you can create a blog post template in Squarespace with the summary carousel block preset. Follow these steps:
Create a Blog Post Template:
Start a new blog post on the Blog page by selecting the "+" sign.
Name it something like "Blog Post Template - Copy and Save."
Insert the Related Posts Carousel:
Add the related posts carousel as per the instructions provided earlier.
Duplicate the Template:
When you want to use the template for a new blog post, select the template, and at the bottom of the panel, choose "Duplicate."
Replace Title and Content:
Replace the template title with the correct blog post name.
Add your blog post content above the Related Posts carousel gallery.
Set Category and Options:
Set the category name to match the category of the new blog post.
In the options panel, add a thumbnail image.
Ensure the URL has the correct name.
Optionally, add an excerpt on this panel.
By creating and duplicating this template, you streamline the process of adding the related posts carousel to each new blog post. This approach ensures consistency and saves time when updating your website with fresh content.