Blog posts and articles are the most familiar content types for most people. This content type is frequently used to convey specific, helpful, even time sensitive information to a specific audience.
Use Case Information
In Thought Industries native authoring tool, articles are used to display informative material to be read as a single page. The article template creates a standalone, scrollable text page with multiple settings and features available.
Learner View:
Creating an Article Template
By default, your platform provides for you with an out-of-the-box Article template to create and build your articles off of. Before you start creating your articles, first determine if "article" is in fact the Content Type language that should be reflected to your learners. For instance, you would rather your learners see Blog as the Content Type rather than Article.
To change the Content Type based on the Article template, please follow the below steps:
Tip
If you've already completed this step, skip ahead to creating Articles!
- Go to Settings and then Content.
- Select Content Types.
- Click Add Content Type.
- Add a Name and an optional Description (maybe explaining when your content authors should be using this template).
- Choose the Article Template.
- Click Save.
Creating an Article Content Item
Now that you've set up an Article Content Type, you'll see it as an option when you go to add a new content item.
- From your homepage, select Content and then Manage Content.
- Click the blue plus icon in the top right corner to Add New Content.
- Choose your Article Content Type by clicking the Add button.
- Title your Article and click Save.
- Select the Language.
- Enter copy to be displayed for Subtitle, Body, and Copyright.
- Other options:
- Upload PDF for Download: This will create a "Download PDF" button on the left menu.
- Add Audio Narration File: This will create a "Play Audio" button on the left menu.
- Enter External URL and Call To Action: This will create a "Purchase" button on the left menu.
- Click Save Language Variant.
- If you need to add additional language variations of this article, click "Add Language Variant" and follow the above instructions to continue building out your article.
Admin View:
Notes, Tips, and Considerations
Publish Changes
To make new content or edits visible to learners, you must save the language variant and click Publish Changes at the top of the screen.
Release to Catalog / Unrelease from Catalog
To make the article visible in the catalog, click Release at the top of the screen. Note that you can hide the article from the catalog anytime you want. You can also schedule content to show on a specific date by clicking the small clock icon to the left of the Release button.
Preview Article
To preview the article as a learner would see it, click Preview Article at the top of the screen.
Multiple Languages
If multiple language variants are created, a drop-down will appear on the left menu of the learner view allowing learners to select a language.
Edits
Like any other content, changes can be made to design, pricing, availability, testimonials, etc. by clicking on the Article title and applying the necessary edits in steps 1 through 5.
Completion Criteria
Currently, articles are considered complete once the learner has spent a minimum of 60 seconds on the page and scrolled through 75% of the page. If scrolling isn't necessary and the entire short article is visible, the second criteria will not apply, and the learner only needs to spend 60 seconds on the page.
You can modify the completion criteria by clicking Completion > Add Completion Criteria and selectin the criteria you'd like to apply: Percentage of Page Viewed, which you will enter in the % Required Field or Time Spent Viewing, which you will enter in the MM:SS Field as many minutes and/or seconds you'd like your learners to spend on the article before it is marked complete.