All Reference Articles

Post Type

Academic Programs Post Type

The Academic Programs post type allows you to easily create a filterable and searchable listing of programs offered. It also allows you to create individual program pages that are designed and optimized to help move prospective students towards applying to NC State. Creating Entries An individual program page is created by the post type. Based…

Block

Accordion Block

Use Cases The Accordion block is a sort of styled list that grants site maintainers the option to have information nested through a collapsible drop down. An example of several blocks within a block, the Accordion block allows for several lines of text through its “Add an item” feature which provides the option of adding…

Special Configuration

Adding Custom Width Classes to Blocks

The NC State Theme uses a six-column (50%) width for its main body copy, but there are times when you may want content like embeds, social media feeds, or Smash Balloon content to extend beyond this default width. This can be achieved by adding custom CSS classes to your blocks. Available Width Classes The NC…

Site Settings

Adjusting Page and Post Visibility

Page and Post Visibility When building out content in a WordPress site, there will be times when the content does not need to be made public immediately. If a page or post is being worked on over an extended period of time by an individual, the content therein may want to be kept entirely private.…

Accessibility

Alt Text

Introduction: What is Alt Text? Alternative text (alt text) provides a written description of content for visually impaired users who may use a screen reader. Adding alt text for images is a foundational principle of web accessibility. It can be challenging to implement alt text correctly and in a way that most benefits end users.…

Block

Aside Widget Block

A part of the Immersive Template, the “Aside Widget” is a sleek alternative to standard “Fact” and “Pullquote” blocks. Instead of traditional center alignment, the “Aside Widget” affords site managers the option to left or right align specific, important content in order to give the body of work a feature feel while not distracting away…

Block

Audio Player Block

This block allows content maintainers to embed audio content directly into their posts. This block is ideal for sharing a speech, a piece of music, or a conversation captured on a podcast. Not only does it allow for the upload of audio, this block also includes a custom header, title, teaser, and thumbnail along with…

Block

Big Fact Block

Use Cases The Big Fact block is another striking way that content creators can break up long bodies of text on a webpage. In addition to helping pace readers as they work through the text of a page, the Big Fact block is useful for drawing an audience’s attention to an interesting and relevant fact…

Block

Blockquote Block

Overview Often confused with the Pull Quote and a Testimonial blocks, the Blockquote block is their lesser used cousin. A block quote is used to display an extended excerpt from another body of work such as a research article, annual report or strategic plan. A good rule of thumb is to use a block quote…

Block

Button Block

Use Cases The Buttons block is a nice way to include styled hyperlinks on a page or post. Effective in grabbing a reader’s attention at the end of paragraph or story, the Buttons block can be a good way to prompt users to dig deeper into a site and explore other relevant content. That said,…

Block

Button Spotlight Block

The Button Spotlight block is a visually engaging way to highlight a call-to-action (CTA) within the NC State Theme. It combines a bold button with optional supporting content to draw attention and encourage user interaction. How to Use Best Practices Example Here’s how the Button Spotlight might appear: Accessibility Notes The Button Spotlight block makes…

Site Settings

Compact Masthead Option

The Compact Masthead is a shorter and more streamlined masthead and menu option for sites within the premium tier of the NC State Theme. Multiple color options are available — all white, red/white, and all red. The masthead can be enabled by going to NC State Settings -> Premium Add On -> Navigation and toggling…

Block

Contact Us Block

Use Cases The Contact Details block is helpful for content creators to provide users with relevant information on how a unit can be contacted, where they are located and the unit’s business hours. Within the Contact Details block, five types of information can be included: “Email”, “Hours”, “Phone”, “Mailing Address” and “Office Location”. These cards…

Block

Course Catalog Block

To get started using the block, insert the “Grad Catalog” block. You will then be presented with a settings panel asking for the catalog.ncsu.edu URL to the page with degree/program requirements or course listing. You will also need to indicate if you are trying to add degree/program requirements or a course listing. Once these settings…

Post Type

Courses Post Type

The Courses post type allows you to manually populate available courses on your website. Courses are filterable and sortable by category, department and semester. An individual course page is also created with fields for a course description, semesters usually offered and instructor. Coming Soon Currently courses must be manually populated, but a long-term plan is…

Creating and Editing Menus

Why Use Menus? Menus are useful for keeping a site better organized, and can be beneficial for users as it helps them navigate the site more easily. Many, if not most, sites feature a navigation menu at the top of the homepage that directs users to specific pages across the website. Some examples of menu…

Block

Email Signup Block

Use Cases An effective way for content creators to ensure repeat visitors to their site, is through the use of an email signup. Whether that be for a monthly newsletter, quarterly departmental updates, or some other specific need, the Email Signup block offers site maintainers a way for them to intake user emails while having…

Block

Embed Block

Overview Including content from third-party platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter can help you better tell your story to users. The Embed block makes it easy to include this content within a page on your site. You can add the Embed block itself, but the easiest way to embed content is to…

Embedding Links

Embedding links on web pages is a fundamental aspect of building a website. and content creation. It contributes to seamless site navigation and user engagement. It is a crucial part of your site’s overall effectiveness of online communication. How to Embed a Link Embedding links in WordPress is easy. The video above and the instructions…

Block

Events Block

Overview This block will display the next three events on your calendar. It can pull data from Localist (the main university calendar) or The Events Calendar plugin. The Events Calendar plugin allows you to import events from Google Calendars and other calendaring platforms. With both Localist and The Events Calendar, you can filter what types…

Block

Fact Row Block

Use Cases The Fact Row Block is a useful tool for providing users with important information about a site while also breaking up paragraphs of text. Intended to catch a user’s eye as they skim a web page, the Fact Row block should contain information that site visitors must see before they navigate elsewhere. Furthermore,…

Block

Fancy Paragraph Block

Use Cases The Fancy Paragraph block supports basic text content and supplemental information in a two column format. The Fancy Paragraph block highlights content inline with your copy and ensures that this content displays correctly across all devices. Benefits of the Fancy Paragraph’s two column layout include: Highlighting Content Perfect for highlighting important information Visual…

Block

Featured Content Block

Use Cases The Featured Content block is a useful tool for pointing users towards important, and sometimes timely, pages and stories across a site. In addition to being an effective way to break up long bodies of text, the Featured Content block can be a useful way for content creators to leverage interesting pages and…

Block

Featured People Block

Use Cases The Featured People block is a great way to spotlight individuals. You can display a headshot, name, title, and even link to an external resource. While it’s often used to highlight a single person, the block also supports multiple profiles. This makes the block useful for showcasing an entire team, or group of…

Block

Floated Fact Block

Use Cases The Fact block provides content creators with an additional way to add interesting information to their site. The Fact block should be used to draw attention to content relevant to the page it is on, and should link out to further information concerning the provided fact. The block allows for both floated and…

Block

Floated Gravity Form

This block is only featured in the Landing Page Builder. Use Cases The Floated Gravity Form allows you to embed a colorful, eye-catching version of any Gravity Form on your landing page, “floated” to the side of your page content. This block is useful for pages built with the Landing Page Builder where maximizing conversion…

Block

Floated Spotlight Block

Use Cases The Floated Spotlight block is useful for content creators to point users to another page or story that is relevant to the content they are already viewing. The Floated Spotlight block is a floated block, which allows it to nest nicely into a body of text. With this in mind, it’s recommended to…

Block

Form Block

Overview The Form block works with the Gravity Forms plugin. It allows you to embed a Gravity Form on a page. The block itself is simple. It allows you to select which Gravity Form you would like to embed and whether or not you would like to display the form’s title and/or description. The form…

Block

Giving Form Block

Use Cases The Giving Form block utilizes the Advancement Online Giving Link Builder to embed a gift intake form directly into a WordPress site. This block can be an effective way to facilitate giving in association with a specific page or story. As seen in the example below, the giving form can even be floated…

Block, Third Party Plugin

Gravity Forms

Introduction Gravity Forms is a powerful tool used to create professional looking forms embedded directly into a WordPress page or post. The easy to use form building platform helps to save time while also allowing users to preview their forms before taking them live on their site. Through its configuration settings there is a great…

Gravity Forms Slate Integration

You can submit prospective student leads to Slate by creating a Gravity Form on your site. The information below discusses how to implement this integration on your site.

Block

Heading Block

Overview Heading blocks are used on almost all types of pages. Most web users do not read everything on a web page word-for-word. Rather, they skim to try to find the section of content that might answer the question that they have. Well-structured headings help with this navigation process. Web pages have six “levels” of…

Block

Highlight Block

One of the most flexible blocks within NC State Stories, the Highlight block allows an author to link out to related stories, supplemental information and resources, or other online resources such as an event RSVP. Almost all fields within the block are optional other than a heading and URL. Additional fields include a subtitle area…

Site Settings

Homepage Configuration

Overview A custom-looking homepage can be easily built through creative configuration of regular theme blocks and special homepage blocks. Changing the Page Template The homepage uses a different page template. To change the template, go to “Document” in the right-hand settings panel. Then go to Page Attributes -> Template and change the template to “Homepage.” Header There…

Block

Icon Links Block

Use Cases The Icon Links block can be a useful alternative to the Link List block, Featured Content block, and Button block when trying to display an assortment of various resources. The Icon Links block allows content maintainers to build out a grid of related links that help catch a reader’s attention via a spot…

Block

Image Block

Source Images contained within the image block may be sourced from 3 different locations: Uploads from one’s computer (which will be placed in the Media Gallery for reuse) Existing images already uploaded to the Media Gallery URLs from images hosted elsewhere Alignments Several alignment options are available for images displayed in posts, which affects how…

Accessibility, Third Party Tool

Image Format and Size

Formats The format of an image refers to the filetype. The most common filetypes are: .jpeg/.jpg, .png, and .gif. The filetype, size, and resolution are all contributing factors to the overall quality of an image. WordPress supplies a good article on Image Size and Quality detailing each facet and how it contributes to image display.…

Block

Image Grid Block

Overview This block allows you to display images in a grid format of one image across or two images side-by-side. You can add as many rows of images as you’d like. It is a good way to show a lot of prominent photography. The images within the Image Grid block can also become part of…

Block

Instagram Feed Block

The Instagram Feed block is a good option for displaying visual content from an Instagram feed, as well as driving users to view and engage with Instagram channel content. This block depends on installation and configuration of the Instagram Feed Pro plugin from Smash Balloon. Feed Settings Source Users may select from one of a…

Special Configuration

Jump Links

Jump links, or anchor links, refer to links that direct to specific parts of a page, rather than the entire page itself. This may be useful for linking to elements further down the page for faster access, or for linking from external pages to direct readers instantly to a specific part of the page. To…

Block

List Block

While this is a fairly straightforward block, it can be an important part of your content. When interspersed with paragraph blocks, it can help users more easily skim your content to find a specific piece of information. User research has also shown that online readers are particularly drawn to lists when consuming content, so they…

Third Party Tool

Localist Calendar Widgets

Keeping one’s audience up-to-date about campus events on the web can be a challenge. And building web content that displays this information in a clear and concise manner can be a big time sink. The Localist Calendar Widget builder aims to address both of these issues. Posting relevant campus event information in a thoughtful manner…

Block

Magazine Preview Block

The Magazine Preview block is specially created for showcasing other content within a selected Magazine issue. Upon selecting a magazine issue to show posts from, this block will automatically populate with other stories from the same issue. The order of the stories is determined by the story ordering set within the issue configuration page relative…

Block

Media Divider Block

Use Cases The Media Divider block is best used to break up large bodies of text while simultaneously making a page more interesting to the reader. The Media Divider block stylizes images in an eye catching, wider format that sprawls across the page in a more captivating fashion than a standard Image block. This block…

Menu Display Locations

The items contained within all menus can be edited by navigating to the main Menu page, found via the Dashboard > Appearance > Menus. From here, multiple menus may exist at the same time. Use the dropdown selector near the top of the page to select which menu to edit. Towards the bottom of this…

Block

Newswire Feed Block

Use Cases The Newswire Feed block allows content maintainers to more easily set up a feed of posts from Newswire directly on their web pages. Similar to the Posts Feed block, the Newswire Feed block automates the process of pulling in numerous stories at once instead of sharing them each individually. Unlike the Automated Posts…

Post Type

Non-Credit Programs Post Type

The Non-Credit Programs post type allows you to create a filterable and searchable database of programs that do not lead to credit towards an academic degree. The post type is a good option to showcase programs such as workshops and summer camps, and it is possible to change the post type name to something more…

Site Settings, Special Configuration

Page and Post Metadata

Search Engine The search engine meta description represents the blurb of text that will appear when search engines return that particular page as a search result. Describe the purpose of the page, including (in natural language) any keywords that might be of interest to a user searching for specific information that might be found in…

Page Header Options

With the NC State theme, there are three header options available: Default, Split, and Floating Box. Each header is treated as the page title. The page title is the beginning of the heading structure that should outline a site. In HTML, the page title is considered heading level one, or “H1”. All subsequent headings make up…

Post Type, Site Settings, Special Configuration

Pages vs Posts: Understanding Content Types in the NC State Theme

WordPress Pages: The Foundation of Your Site Pages are the building blocks of your website’s permanent structure. Think of them as the “rooms” in your digital house that visitors will navigate to find specific types of information. Characteristics of Pages: When to Use Pages: Page Header Options in NC State Theme: The NC State Theme…

Block

Paragraph Block

There isn’t much to a paragraph block, but it plays an important role nonetheless within your web pages. The bulk of your content will be within paragraph blocks. Basic formatting options are available. Those options include: The text can also be left, center, and right aligned; however, the default of left alignment should almost always…

Block

Parallax Divider Block

This block allows you to add a visually bold statement on top of an image. A parallax effect occurs when the user scrolls down the page. This striking alternative to a standard image or callout box catches users’ attention as they skim the content of a page. Block Customization In addition to the included image…

Patterns

With patterns, you can save sets of blocks to use later on any page or post on your site. This can mitigate the repetition of adding the same groups of blocks to new pages. Creating a Pattern In most cases patterns consist of a group of blocks, but patterns can also be a single block.…

Block

Photo Gallery Block

Use Cases The Photo Gallery block is a useful tool for displaying a set of photos in a gallery format. This block is easy to navigate and affords site maintainers the option to show multiple images in one space while keeping the page real-estate used at a minimum. This block can be particularly effective for…

Block

Post Search Block

This block adds a search field for users to search entries within a specific post type. The block allows content maintainers to choose which post type should be searched. It automatically recognizes all custom post types registered within the site.

Block

Post Summary Block

Use Cases The Post Summary block gives readers a summary of a post’s contents. This makes the post easier to skim and understand at a glance. By offering context beyond the headline, it provides clarity which can spark greater interest from readers. This in turn can help improve reader retention. Features Unlike other blocks, the…

Block

Posts Feed

Overview When building out a page you may want to include timely related news content. The Posts Feed block allows you to display the latest news from a specific set of categories or tags. This functionality also allows you to display content from a specific Newswire collection. The block allows you to choose how many…

Block

Pull Quote Block

Overview Many news posts and stories have memorable quotes and phrases that deserve additional attention. This content can be put into a pull quote so that it receives additional from both readers and skimmers. The Pull Quote block is center aligned and is displayed as a secondary brand color. Quotation marks can optionally be put…

Block

Quote Block

Overview Quotes from students, faculty, alumni and others affiliated with the university allow you to provide a different, third-party perspective to your website’s users. The Quote block provides an opportunity to display these supporting testimonials. The Quote block is similar to the Pull Quote block within the NC State Stories platform. It allows you to…

Block

Resources Post Type

This feature of the NC State Theme allows content maintainers to create filterable and searchable databases. It is the most generic of all the post types included within the NC State Theme. Primarily thought of as a way to list available resources, the post type is very flexible and can be renamed. This allows a…

Block

RSS Block

This easy to use block allows content maintainers to easily embed content from RSS feeds by simply copying and pasting in the URL of their favorite RSS source. Share numerous stories from outside sources (like the CNN news RSS feed provided in the example below) directly on pages with only a few clicks. Customizing Feeds After adding…

Block

Sandwich Narrative Block

While the main post content sets the stage and gives full details on a particular topic, the Sandwich Narrative block allows users to present a secondary, short-but-relevant story embedded directly within the original narrative that can add additional context, emphasize a point, or simply add more interest to the current story. Longer content may be…

Site Settings, Special Configuration

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Best Practices

Built-in Metadata Fields Every page and post in the NC State Theme includes dedicated fields for search engine and social media metadata. These fields appear at the very bottom of the back-end editing page and provide crucial information that helps search engines and social platforms understand and display your content. What is Metadata? Metadata is…

Setting Up Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager helps you include and manage snippets of code on your site. These snippets are often used for analytics and advertising services. As more and more of these code snippets need to be added sites, Google Tag Manager provides a standardized way to organize and add these codes to your site without a…

Sidebars

Sidebar navigation is automatically triggered based on the structure of the main menu assigned to the ‘Website Navigation’ display location, as well as the ‘Sidebar Start Depth’ settings option. Within the menu creation screen (Dashboard > Appearance > Menus), first select the menu assigned to the ‘Website Navigation’ display location, if not already displaying. Add…

Site Search

To configure the search box for your site, go to NC State Settings within the Dashboard of your site. The General section for the NC State Theme will have a box where the Google Custom Search Engine (CSE) ID can be input. How to Acquire Google CSE ID Go to google.com/cse Click ‘Create a custom search…

Block

Slate Form Embed Block

The Slate Form Embed block makes it easier to embed Slate form code within pages. In some cases directly copying and pasting the embed code can be unsuccessful because of code sanitization functionality within WordPress, but this block allows you to embed a Slate form without that concern. When working with different admissions groups at…

Third Party Plugin

Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed Plugin

With its super simple setup, the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed plugin, when used in conjunction with the Instagram Feed block, is the quickest and easiest way to display your unit’s Instagram content directly on your website. Completely responsive and mobile ready, the Instagram Feed block looks great on any device and is an efficient…

Smash Balloon: Instagram Feed Pro

With its super simple setup, the Smash Balloon: Instagram Feed Pro plugin, when used in conjunction with the Shortcode block, is a quick and easy way to display your unit’s Instagram content directly on your website through the use of shortcodes. Completely responsive and mobile ready, the the Smash Balloon: Instagram Feed Pro plugin allows…

Block

Split Content Block

This special homepage blocks sit within a container known as a Split Content block. Two of of the blocks can be put in the Split Content block because each block has a width of only 50% of the page. You will need to make sure your page has been adjusted from the “Default Template” to…

Block

Spotlight Block

Use Cases The Spotlight block provides content creators another visually interesting way to breakup long bodies of text while pointing their users to additional relevant content. The Spotlight also affords site maintainers the opportunity to showcase unique photography while promoting another page or story. Features In Gutenberg, adding a Spotlight block to a page is…

Starter Content

Certain templates come with a suggested layout of blocks that can be easily populated and edited for your specific needs. Available on certain templates, the starter content system includes a suggested selection of blocks for a particular template type. This can be especially useful as a starting point for creating a new page. Blocks added…

Block

Sticky Form

This block is only featured in the Landing Page Builder. Use Cases Visible to users on mobile devices only, the Sticky Form allows you to add an expandable form to your landing page that stays on the screen as your users scroll. This functionality is ideal for maintaining user engagement by providing easy access to…

Special Configuration

Synced Patterns: Strategic Implementation Guide

Synced patterns are reusable block collections in WordPress that maintain consistency across multiple pages. Unlike regular patterns that simply provide a starting template, synced patterns update automatically across your entire site when edited in one location. This powerful functionality helps maintain design consistency and significantly reduces content maintenance time. Creating a Synced Pattern Creating a…

Block

Table Block

Use Cases The Table block is a sleek, easy to use table builder. Creating tables from directly within WordPress has never been easier with Gutenberg. Create stylized tables to deliver charts and data to various audiences without having to use TablePress. See an example of the Table block below. Features In Gutenberg, adding a Table…

Accessibility, Block

Table of Contents Block

Use Cases The Table of Contents block can enhance the overall experience of visiting a webpage. Certain webpages benefit from the inclusion of a table of contents. In particular, pages that are long-form in nature. Some common examples are: The main goal of including a Table of Contents block is to increase navigability. Below are…

Tabular Data

Table Block For relatively simple data, such as a set of columns each with named headings, the Table Block is easy to use, update, and understand. By default, the Table Block will fit to the width of the page content, but may be extended wider by choosing the ‘Align Wide’ option. This is especially recommended…

Block

Text Links Block

Overview The Text Links block is most often used immediately below a paragraph block, and it provides a way to link out to resources that may have been discussed in the preceding paragraph(s). The block can display links in either one or two columns. It will automatically balance the links between the two columns so…

Third Party Plugin

The Events Calendar

Third Party Plugins

Many websites use the same plugins because of their flexibility and ease of use. Below are several plugins that are often used on NC State websites. Gravity Forms Gravity Forms allows you to create and embed forms on your website. Additional documentation can be found at gravityforms.com. TablePress TablePress allows you to create semi-complex data…

Block

Thumbnail Gallery Block

Overview This block allows you to display many photos in a condensed amount of screen space. This is useful for cases where a large number of images are available for a particular story, but are topically relevant to eachother and best viewed in conjunction with other relevant images. Think a gallery of NC State Fair…

Block

Timeline Block

This unique block grants content maintainers the ability to build out custom timelines on their posts. Add as many dates as needed to outline a specific period of time and then provide a date and description for each timeline entry. This block also allows for various stylings at the start and end of the timeline…

Block

Vertical Video Block

Use Cases This block is perfect for embedding a YouTube video that has a vertical orientation. Unlike a standard video embed, this block is optimized for sharing short-form video content created for YouTube Shorts. The block also allows you to introduce your video with a title and teaser copy, and features a myriad of colors…

Block

Video Block

The Video block can be used to create a clean video embed on a WordPress site. In addition to embedding the video, the Video block allows for a customizable thumbnail that features a play button icon and a wider styling option. At this time the Video block only supports YouTube videos. When uploading video from…