Blogs
Blogs are a powerful way to connect with customers, share your brand story, and improve your store's visibility in search engines. Whether you're announcing new products, sharing industry insights, or building trust through helpful content, blogs help turn visitors into loyal customers.
This guide will show you how to create and manage blogs in Soppiya, regardless of your technical background.
Location: Content → Blogs
What Are Blogs?
In Soppiya, the blogging system has two main components:
- Blogs (The Containers): Think of these as categories or folders that organize your content. Examples: Company News, Product Guides, Industry Tips.
- Articles (The Content): Individual blog posts published within a blog. Examples: "Announcing Our Summer Collection", "How to Choose the Right Size".
This structure keeps your content organized, searchable, and easy to manage. Common uses include:
- Marketing & SEO - Drive organic traffic from search engines
- Customer Education - Share product guides, tips, and how-tos
- Brand Building - Tell your story and establish expertise
- Announcements - Share company news, product launches, or events
Start with one or two focused blogs (like "Company News" and "Product Guides") rather than creating many empty categories. You can always add more as your content strategy grows.
Blogs Overview
The Blogs landing screen shows all your blog categories in one place.
What You'll See
When you navigate to Content → Blogs, each blog entry displays:
- Title - The name of the blog category
- Updated - When the blog settings were last modified
- Published - When content was last published to this blog
- Action - Link to view all articles in this blog category
What You Can Do
From this page you can:
- Search & Filter: Find blogs quickly by title or template
- View Articles: Click the Articles link to see its posts/articles
- Edit Settings: Click a blog to modify its settings, SEO, and appearance
- Create New: Click to create a new category
Quick Start Guide
If you're setting up blogs for the first time, follow these steps:
- Create your first blog - Start with a general category like "Company News"
- Configure SEO settings - Set up your meta title and description
- Write your first article - Keep it simple and publish when ready
- Add to your menu - Link your blog in your site navigation so customers can find it
- Test on mobile - Make sure your blog looks good on smaller screens
For detailed instructions, continue reading below.
How to Create a New Blog in Soppiya
To create a blog category that will hold your articles:
- Navigate to Content → Blogs.
- Click the button in the top-right corner.
- Complete the blog details form (explained below).
- Click to create the blog.
Blog Configuration
View Blog Settings Details
Title
What it is: The name of your blog category.
Where it appears: Blog listings, navigation menus, and page headers.
Best practices:
- Use clear, descriptive names like "Company News" or "Product Guides"
- Keep it short (2-4 words maximum)
- Avoid generic names like "Blog" or "Posts"
Examples:
- ✅ "Skincare Tips"
- ✅ "Behind the Scenes"
- ❌ "Blog" (too generic)
- ❌ "All The Latest News And Updates From Our Team" (too long)
Featured Image
What it is: A visual representation of your blog category.
Where it appears: Blog listing pages, social media previews, and landing pages.
How to set:
- Click Add media to upload a new image
- Click Change to replace the image
- Click Remove to delete the current image
Technical requirements:
- Supported formats: HEIC, WEBP, SVG, PNG, JPG
- Size: No minimum or maximum limits. You can upload any resolution.
- Aspect ratio: 16:9 or 1:1 works best for most themes
Use branded images or category-specific visuals. For example, a "Recipe Blog" might show cooking ingredients, while a "Tech News" blog might show a modern workspace.
Theme Template
What it is: Controls how the blog appears on your storefront.
Default option: Most stores use the standard Blog template.
When to change: If you have custom templates designed by a developer for specific blog styles (e.g., grid layout vs. list layout).
Changing the template updates the visual layout without affecting your blog content or articles.
Search Engine Listing (SEO)
These settings control how your blog appears in search results like Google.
Meta Title
- The headline shown in search engine results
- Character limit: 60 characters recommended (up to 70 may display)
- Best practice: Include your main keyword and brand name
- Example: "Skincare Tips & Advice | Beauty Brand"
Description
- A short summary shown below the title in search results
- Character limit: 160 characters recommended (up to 320 may display)
- Best practice: Make it compelling to encourage clicks
- Example: "Expert skincare advice, product recommendations, and beauty tips from our team of dermatologists. Learn how to achieve healthy, glowing skin."
URL Handle
- Defines the blog's web address
- Automatically generated from the title, but you can edit it
- Format:
yourdomain.com/blogs/your-handle - Best practice: Keep it short, use hyphens between words, no special characters
Example:
- Blog title: "Company News"
- URL handle:
company-news - Final URL:
abc.soppiya.xyz/blogs/company-news
Tags
- Keywords used for SEO and content organization
- Multiple tags can be added (comma-separated)
- Examples: skincare, beauty, tips, how-to
Well-optimized SEO fields can significantly improve your blog's visibility in search engines, driving more organic traffic to your store.
Meta Fields
If metafields are defined for blogs in your store:
- They will appear in the Meta fields section
- Use them to store additional structured data specific to the blog
- Common examples: Author bio, category color, custom sorting order
Metafields allow you to extend blog functionality without modifying theme code. Define custom fields in your store settings, then reference them in your theme templates.
Editing a Blog
You can update your blog's settings, appearance, and SEO at any time without affecting published articles.
How to Edit
- Go to Content → Blogs
- Click the blog title you want to edit
- The Blog Details page will open
- Make your changes
- Click button to apply
What you can edit:
- Title and featured image
- Theme template
- SEO settings (meta title, description, URL handle)
- Tags and metafields
If you change the URL handle of an established blog, make sure to set up redirects to avoid breaking existing links from search engines or other websites.
Deleting a Blog
To permanently remove a blog category:
- Open the blog you want to delete
- Scroll to the bottom of the page
- Click button
- Confirm the action
This action cannot be undone. Deleting a blog will immediately delete all articles associated with it. If you want to keep the articles, you must move them to a different blog category before deleting this one.
Managing Articles
Articles are the individual blog posts you publish within your blog categories.
Articles Overview
To access all your articles:
- Go to Content → Blogs
- Click the button in the Action column of a specific blog to see only that blog's posts.
From the Articles page you can:
- View all articles with their title, author, blog category, last updated time, and publish time
- Sort articles by Title, Status, Blog, Date, or ID to organize your view.
- Filter the list to find specific content (e.g., show only "Drafts").
- Search for specific articles
- Create custom views for better organization
- Bulk edit or delete multiple articles at once
Creating a New Article
To write and publish a blog post:
- Navigate to Content → Blogs, then Click the button in the Action column of a specific blog
- Click button in the top-right corner
- Complete the article details (explained below)
- Choose your publishing status (Draft or Active)
- Click button
Article Configuration
Essential fields:
- Title - The article headline
- Content - Write and format your article using the rich text editor
- Status - Choose Draft (hidden) or Active (published)
- Blog - Select which blog category this belongs to
View All Article Field Details
Title
The article headline.
This appears as the main heading on the article page and in blog listings.
Best practices:
- Keep it clear and descriptive (50-60 characters)
- Include your main keyword for SEO
- Make it compelling to encourage clicks
Examples:
- ✅ "5 Skincare Mistakes That Are Aging Your Skin"
- ✅ "How to Choose the Perfect Running Shoes"
- ❌ "Blog Post #1" (not descriptive)
Content Editor
Use the rich text editor to write and format your article.
Available formatting:
- Headings (H2, H3, H4 for structure)
- Bold, italic, underline
- Bullet and numbered lists
- Links (internal and external)
- Images and videos
- Blockquotes
- Code snippets (for technical blogs)
Content writing tips:
- Start with a strong introduction that hooks the reader
- Use headings to break up long sections
- Include images every 2-3 paragraphs for visual interest
- Keep paragraphs short (2-4 sentences) for readability
- End with a clear call-to-action (e.g., "Shop Now," "Learn More")
Write for your audience, not search engines. Natural, helpful content performs better than keyword-stuffed text.
Status
Controls whether the article is visible to customers.
| Status | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Active | Published and visible to everyone on your website |
| Draft | Saved but hidden from the public; only visible to staff |
When to use Draft:
- While writing or reviewing content before publishing
- For scheduled posts you'll publish later
- For articles that need approval from your team
You can switch between Draft and Active at any time. Saving as Draft lets you work on articles gradually without publishing incomplete content.
Blog Assignment
Select which blog category this article belongs to.
This determines:
- Where the article appears in your blog navigation
- The URL structure (
/blogs/blog-name/article-title) - Which themed template is used
Example:
- Blog: "Skincare Tips"
- Article: "5 Morning Skincare Routine Steps"
- URL:
yourdomain.com/blogs/skincare-tips/5-morning-skincare-routine-steps
Featured Image
The main image that represents your article.
Where it appears:
- Top of the article page
- Blog listing pages
- Social media previews when shared
- Search results (as rich snippets)
How to set:
- Click Add media to upload a new image
- Click Change to replace the image
- Click Remove to delete the current image
Technical requirements:
- Supported formats: HEIC, WEBP, SVG, PNG, JPG
- Size: No minimum or maximum limits. You can upload any resolution.
- Aspect ratio: 16:9 or 1:1 works best for most themes
Best practices:
- Use high-quality, relevant images
- Include people when possible (increases engagement)
- Ensure images are properly licensed or your own
- Optimize file size for fast loading (use tools like TinyPNG)
Theme Template
Choose how the article appears on the storefront.
Most stores use the default Article template, but you may have custom options if:
- Your theme includes multiple article layouts
- A developer has created specialized templates
- You want different styles for different content types
Excerpt
A short summary or preview of your article.
Where it appears:
- Blog listing pages (alongside the article title)
- Homepage blog sections
- Search results within your site
- RSS feeds
Best practices:
- Keep it to 1-2 sentences (100-150 characters)
- Summarize the main benefit or hook
- Don't just copy the first paragraph
- Make it compelling to encourage clicks
Examples:
- ✅ "Learn the five essential steps dermatologists recommend for healthier, glowing skin in just minutes each morning."
- ❌ "In this blog post, we will discuss skincare routines." (too vague)
Search Engine Listing (SEO)
These settings control how your article appears in search results.
View SEO Settings Details
Meta Title
- The headline shown in Google and other search engines
- Character limit: 60 characters recommended (up to 70 may display)
- Best practice: Include your main keyword and make it click-worthy
- Example: "5 Skincare Mistakes Aging Your Skin | Expert Tips"
Description
- The text shown below the title in search results
- Character limit: 160 characters recommended (up to 320 may display)
- Best practice: Explain what the reader will learn and include a call-to-action
- Example: "Discover the common skincare mistakes that accelerate aging and learn how to fix them with dermatologist-approved solutions. Read now."
URL Handle
- The article's web address
- Automatically generated from the title, but editable
- Best practice: Keep it short, descriptive, use hyphens
- Example:
5-skincare-mistakes-aging-skin
Once an article is published and indexed by search engines, avoid changing its URL handle. Doing so will break existing links and hurt your SEO. If you must change it, set up a 301 redirect.
Tags
- Keywords used for SEO and content organization
- Add multiple tags separated by commas
- Examples: skincare, anti-aging, beauty tips, dermatology
- Uses: Filtering articles, related content suggestions, site search
Well-optimized articles can rank in search engines and drive continuous free traffic to your store for months or years after publishing.
Author (if enabled)
Some stores display article authors.
When to set:
- If multiple people write for your blog
- If you want to build personal brands for writers
- If your theme displays author information
What it controls:
- Author name displayed on the article
- Author bio (if your theme supports it)
- Links to other articles by the same author
Publication Date (if enabled)
Controls when the article was published or should be published.
Uses:
- Schedule articles to publish at a specific time
- Backdate articles if importing from another platform
- Organize articles chronologically
Not all themes display publication dates. Check your theme documentation to see if this feature is supported.
Editing an Article
To update a published or draft article:
- Navigate to Content → Blogs, then Click the button in the Action column of a specific blog
- Click the article title you want to edit
- Make your changes in any section
- Click to apply
What you can edit:
- Title and content
- Featured image
- Blog assignment (move to a different blog category)
- Status (switch between Draft and Active)
- SEO settings (meta title, description, URL handle)
- Excerpt and theme template
- Publication date and author (if enabled)
After editing a published article, changes appear immediately on your live website. Consider switching to Draft status if you need to make major revisions to a popular article.
Deleting an Article
To permanently remove an article:
- Open the article you want to delete
- Scroll to the bottom of the page
- Click
- Confirm the action
Deleting an article is permanent. If the article has been indexed by search engines or shared on social media, those links will break. Consider changing the status to Draft instead of deleting if you might need the content later.
Real World Examples
To help you understand how blogs work in practice, here are examples of common blog structures.
Example 1: E-commerce Fashion Store
Blogs Created:
| Blog Name | Purpose | Example Articles |
|---|---|---|
| Style Guide | Fashion advice and trends | "How to Style a Capsule Wardrobe" "2024 Spring Color Trends" |
| Behind the Scenes | Brand storytelling | "Meet Our Designers" "How We Source Sustainable Fabrics" |
| Product Care | Customer education | "How to Care for Cashmere" "Shoe Cleaning Guide" |
Why this works:
- Clear topic separation makes content easy to find
- Covers multiple stages of the customer journey (inspiration, brand connection, product care)
- Each blog can be promoted in different navigation areas
Example 2: Health & Wellness Store
Blogs Created:
| Blog Name | Purpose | Example Articles |
|---|---|---|
| Wellness Tips | General health content | "5 Morning Habits for Better Energy" "Understanding Vitamins: A Beginner's Guide" |
| Product Spotlights | Feature specific products | "Why Our Omega-3 Is Different" "Customer Success Story: Sarah's Journey" |
| Company News | Updates and announcements | "New Product Launch: Vegan Protein Powder" "We're Now Carbon Neutral!" |
Why this works:
- Educational content builds trust and authority
- Product spotlights drive sales without being overly promotional
- Company news keeps customers engaged with the brand
Example 3: Small Business Starting Out
Single Blog Approach:
Blog Name: "News & Updates"
Article Mix:
- Product launches and announcements
- Behind-the-scenes content
- How-to guides and tips
- Customer stories
Why this works:
- Simple structure for small teams
- Easier to maintain consistency
- All content in one place reduces navigation complexity
- Can always split into multiple blogs later as content grows
Start simple with one blog. As you publish more consistently (10+ articles), consider splitting content into focused categories based on what performs best.
Views and Filtering
When you have many articles, filters and custom views help you stay organized.
Using Filters
Filter articles by:
- Blog - Show only articles from a specific blog category
- Status - View all Drafts, Active posts, or both
- Author - See articles by a specific writer (if enabled)
- Publication Date - Find articles from a specific time period
- Tags - Filter by topic or category
How to filter:
- Navigate to Content → Blogs, then Click the button in the Action column of a specific blog
- Click the Filter button
- Select your criteria
- Click Apply
Creating Custom Views
Save frequently used filters as custom views for quick access.
How to create a view:
- Apply the filters you want to save
- Click the + icon next to "Views"
- Name your view (up to 40 characters)
- Click
Useful custom views:
- "Drafts Pending Review" - All draft articles needing approval
- "Published This Month" - Recent active articles
- "Skincare Blog Active" - All published articles in the Skincare category
- "Missing Featured Images" - Articles without images (if you can filter by this)
Custom views are personal to your account and help you quickly access the content you manage most often.
Troubleshooting
Common issues and how to fix them:
My blog isn't showing on my website
Possible causes:
- The blog isn't linked in your navigation menu
- Your theme doesn't display blogs automatically
- The blog has no published articles
Solution:
- Go to Content → Menus
- Add the blog to your main menu or footer
- Make sure the blog has at least one Active article
- Check your theme settings to ensure blogs are enabled
Articles aren't appearing in the correct order
Possible causes:
- Publication dates are set incorrectly
- Theme is sorting by a different field
Solution:
- Check the publication date on each article
- Verify your theme's blog sorting settings
- Contact your theme developer if custom sorting is needed
Featured images look blurry or stretched
Possible causes:
- Images are too small (low resolution)
- Wrong aspect ratio for your theme
- Images aren't optimized
Solution:
- Use images at least 1200px wide
- Check your theme documentation for recommended image dimensions
- Crop images to match your theme's aspect ratio (usually 16:9 or 1:1)
- Optimize images with tools like TinyPNG before uploading
My article URL changed and now shows a 404 error
This happens when you edit the URL handle after publishing.
Solution:
- Change the URL handle back to the original, or
- Set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new URL
- Contact your developer or support team to implement redirects
- Update any external links pointing to the old URL
Never change URL handles on published articles with existing traffic unless you set up proper redirects.
I can't find the option to add authors or publication dates
These features may not be enabled in your theme.
Solution:
- Check your theme documentation to see if author/date display is supported
- Contact your theme developer to enable these features
- Some themes require code customization to display this information
My blog isn't showing up in Google search results
Possible causes:
- The blog/articles are too new (Google takes time to index)
- SEO settings aren't optimized
- Your site's robots.txt is blocking search engines
- No external links pointing to your content
Solution:
- Wait 2-4 weeks for new content to be indexed
- Optimize meta titles and descriptions with relevant keywords
- Check Settings → SEO to ensure search engines can crawl your site
- Share your articles on social media to build initial links
- Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console
SEO is a long-term strategy. Consistently publishing quality content is more important than immediate results.
If you're still experiencing issues, contact Soppiya support with the specific blog or article title and a description of the problem.
Best Practices
Content Strategy & SEO Best Practices
Content Strategy
- Publish Consistently: Set a realistic schedule (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) and stick to it
- Write for Humans First: Helpful, engaging content performs better than keyword-stuffed articles
- Use Clear Headlines: Your title should immediately tell readers what they'll learn
- Include Images: Visual content increases engagement and time on page
- Add Internal Links: Link to relevant products or other articles to keep readers on your site
Organization
- Keep Blogs Focused: Each blog category should have a clear theme or purpose
- Use Descriptive Titles: "Skincare Tips" is better than "Blog 1"
- Tag Consistently: Use the same tags across articles for better organization
- Clean Up Drafts: Delete or publish old draft articles periodically
SEO & Traffic
- Optimize Every Article: Fill out all SEO fields (meta title, description, tags)
- Use Long-Tail Keywords: Target specific phrases like "how to clean leather boots" instead of just "boots"
- Update Old Content: Refresh popular articles with new information to maintain rankings
- Promote Your Content: Share articles on social media, email newsletters, and in product descriptions
- Monitor Performance: Use Google Analytics to see which articles drive the most traffic
Technical Considerations
- Mobile First: Most readers use phones - keep paragraphs short and images optimized
- Page Speed: Large images slow down your site - compress them before uploading
- Accessible Content: Use proper heading hierarchy (H2, H3) and alt text for images
- Test Links: Check that all internal and external links work before publishing
Maintenance
- Review Quarterly: Check for outdated information, broken links, or seasonal content
- Archive Old News: Move outdated announcements to Draft status or delete them
- Monitor Comments: If your theme supports comments, respond promptly and moderate spam
Summary
Blogs are a powerful tool for building customer relationships, driving organic traffic, and establishing your brand as an authority in your industry.
Key takeaways:
- Blogs are categories that organize content; Articles are the individual posts
- Start with 1-2 focused blog categories and expand as needed
- Optimize SEO settings (meta title, description, URL) for every blog and article
- Publish consistently and write for your audience, not just search engines
- Use featured images, clear headlines, and structured content for better engagement
- Link your blog in your site navigation and promote it across channels
If you're just getting started, create your first blog category, write 2-3 helpful articles, and add the blog to your main menu. You can always refine your strategy as you learn what resonates with your audience.