How to use the CMS to create your Promotional page

Notes from the creating a Promotional page session.

We’ll start by going through the front and back end of a couple of sample Promotional pages I’ve made.

Example 1: Register for the User Group Meeting

This is the most classic/traditional approach. The key message area is at the top, with a large photo, and obvious button. Then the feature section, with 3 links and 3 photos. Then a key message area again, but just the button this time.

Let's take a look at the backend of this page.

Overview tab

• Title. Note this title does not appear on the page – it’s the title that appears in search engines, the browser tab, and bookmarks

• Then description, again only for search engines

• Then organization, just like other pages

Content tab (the main section)

• Header area. In this case it’s using a key message.

• Starts with a title – this will appear on the page, in the box that overlays the photo

• Then subtitle and description. We strongly recommend one or the other, not both – otherwise it’s too wordy.

• Then the button: The main call to action, whatever that may be. It says it’s optional, but you really should have one.

• Then choose your image, or if you’re not using one, a solid color. We strongly recommend using an image in the header section, something that’s specific to your promotion, too. You’ll probably have something as part of your campaign already but if not, ask us; Mass Digital may be able to help.

• It can be tricky to choose and edit/size the image. Start with one that’s not cropped too tightly. You’ll need to play around with it. We’ll be publishing more guidance about that.

• Then you choose the color for the overlay box (what the button appears against). Blue, Green, Gray.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• There are 5 choices. You must choose at least 1, and a maximum of 3.

• You may not know what your goals are, but just give a guess so you start getting an idea

• Video play vs video watch. Play is anyone who hits play. Watch means the viewer got to a minimum percent watched (50%).

Example 2: Register for the User Group Meeting

Uses a video for the header. A video gets a name, which does display on the page above the video. Then a text area for the transcript if you have one. You can also can add a description – this appears on the page below the title.

Back to Example 1

Feature section

A grid: 3 images, a little text, and links to supporting pages or other information. You don’t have to put a feature section on a Promotional page, but if you have supporting information, this is where you put it typically.

Images here aren’t as tricky as in the key message area – they’re pretty straightforward.

The title for the section applies to all 3 subparts.

The primary item is full width, on top; with a title (hyperlinked), and a short description. And an image is required. Secondary items also get a title, link, description, photo. There are 2 items. A feature section requires all 3 elements – you can’t do just 2, say.

Another key message area

In the third section there’s another key message area but it’s very streamlined. Here it’s just the button. No title, subtitle, description, or photo required. Keeping it minimal helps focus the page and orient the visitor.

Example 3: Register for the User Group Meeting

This is an example of what not to do! There’s too many sections, too many colors, too much repetition, too much scrolling.

If it gets hard to title the sections, that’s a warning that you may have too many sections on the page.

Note: the button is very long, but it’s now limited to 35 characters so you can’t even do what I did.

You can create a horizontal list in a key message section (but not when it’s in the header). You can’t link the words. EOTSS HR used this for types of jobs, for example. It’s purely informational.

Questions and answers

In the featured area, are the photos optional?

No. The featured section is optional, but if you have one, photos are required, as are all 3 pieces of it.

What kinds of pages can you link to from the Promotional page?

Anything. But, don’t create a page that isn’t linked to anything else just for the Promotional page. Often you’ll link to an Info Detail, or a Service, or another content type. But make sure the pages you’re linking to are part of your main body of content and linked in all the places they should be. You can also link something off Mass.gov like Taleo, for example.

The featured module: If someone only has 2 items, is there another way to add 2 links?

You could use 2 key message areas.

You have to put in an unpublish date. Is there a reminder about expiring pages?

Currently no, but it is something we have discussed and may do it in the future. For now, we recommend you schedule a reminder for yourself.

If I have an annual event, can I reuse the same Promotional page every year?

Yes, just unpublish, then republish, resetting the unpublish date. But you probably should also refresh the content.

What does it look like on mobile?

(Demonstrated.) Good reason to keep the page short. It will get long, when stacked vertically. In the feature area, all three items are the same size.

Can you have a different button/link at the bottom from the one at the top?

Technically, yes, but that can be confusing for the reader. The point of the page is to funnel people to read or do a particular thing. This is really about driving folks to one thing.

Is there an “offered by” section on the page? If someone gets confused, you might want a way to offer them more.

No there isn’t. You could include the name of the organization on the page, of course. But the page is intended for people who are new to the information and are likely not familiar with state organizations. If you’re linking to other Mass.gov pages, your organization information will be there.