Blog System Guide for Adelante Landscapes
✅ What We’ve Built
Your website now has a fully dynamic Jekyll-powered blog system that automatically:
- 📝 Displays all blog posts without manual updating
- 🏷️ Shows categories dynamically based on your actual posts
- 🔍 Filters posts by category with working JavaScript
- 🖼️ Features beautiful post layouts with navigation between posts
- 📱 Works responsively on all devices
- 🔗 Automatically generates post links - no more manual URL updates needed!
🚀 How to Add New Blog Posts
Step 1: Create the File
- Go to the
_postsfolder - Create a new file named:
YYYY-MM-DD-your-post-title.md- Example:
2025-08-04-fall-planting-guide-texas.md
- Example:
Step 2: Copy the Template
Use the BLOG_POST_TEMPLATE.md file as your starting point. Copy this structure:
---
layout: post
title: "Your Engaging Blog Post Title"
date: 2025-08-04 10:00:00 -0500
categories: [gardening, seasonal]
excerpt: "A compelling preview of your post under 160 characters."
featured_image: "/assets/images/portfolio/Edible Gardens/YourImage.jpg"
---
## Your Content Here
Write your blog post content using Markdown formatting.
### Use Headers to Organize
- Include practical tips
- Share your expertise
- Add a call to action at the end
Step 3: Choose Your Categories
Pick from these available categories:
- gardening - General gardening advice
- maintenance - Care, pruning, pest control
- design - Landscape design concepts
- edible - Edible landscaping content
- sustainable - Eco-friendly practices
- native - Texas native plants
- seasonal - Season-specific advice
Step 4: Select a Featured Image
Choose an existing image from:
/assets/images/portfolio/Edible Gardens//assets/images/portfolio/Naturalistic//assets/images/portfolio/Modern//assets/images/Projects/Garden/
Step 5: Publish
- Save your file in
_posts - Run
bundle exec jekyll build - Your post automatically appears on the blog page!
🎯 Blog System Features
Automatic Post Display
- ✅ Blog page shows all posts automatically
- ✅ Posts display with real dates, categories, and excerpts
- ✅ Newest posts appear first
- ✅ No manual updating of blog.html needed
Dynamic Categories
- ✅ Category section updates based on actual posts
- ✅ Shows real post counts per category
- ✅ Lists actual post titles under each category
Smart Filtering
- ✅ Click category buttons to filter posts
- ✅ “All Posts” shows everything
- ✅ Smooth animations and interactions
Beautiful Post Layout
- ✅ Individual post pages with full layout
- ✅ Featured images display properly
- ✅ Navigation between posts (Previous/Next)
- ✅ Related posts suggestions
- ✅ Social sharing buttons
- ✅ Author sidebar with your bio
SEO Optimized
- ✅ Proper meta descriptions from excerpts
- ✅ Structured data for search engines
- ✅ Clean, descriptive URLs
📋 Quick Publishing Checklist
When creating a new post, check:
- Filename:
YYYY-MM-DD-title-with-hyphens.md - File location: Saved in
_postsdirectory - Front matter: All required fields filled out
- Categories: Selected from approved list
- Featured image: Path points to existing image
- Excerpt: Under 160 characters, compelling preview
- Content: Practical, actionable advice for readers
- Call to action: Encourages consultation or service inquiry
- Build site: Run
bundle exec jekyll buildafter creating post
🛠️ Behind the Scenes
What Changed from Manual System
Before:
- Had to manually add each post to blog.html
- Static categories that didn’t reflect actual content
- Hard-coded post links that could break
- No filtering or search functionality
Now:
- Jekyll automatically processes all posts in
_posts - Dynamic categories based on actual post categories
- Automatic URL generation for all posts
- Working category filtering with JavaScript
- Rich post templates with navigation and related posts
Key Files
blog.html- Main blog index page (now fully dynamic)_layouts/post.html- Template for individual blog posts_posts/*.md- Your blog post content filesBLOG_POST_TEMPLATE.md- Template for creating new posts
How It Works
- Jekyll processes all files in
_postsdirectory - Blog page automatically lists all posts using
site.posts - Categories dynamically display using
site.categories - JavaScript filtering allows visitors to filter by category
- Individual post pages use the
post.htmllayout template
💡 Pro Tips for Great Blog Posts
Content Strategy
- Share your 30+ years of experience with specific examples
- Include practical, actionable tips readers can use immediately
- Address common North Texas gardening challenges
- Use your expertise to solve reader problems
SEO Best Practices
- Include “North Texas”, “Dallas area” in content naturally
- Use descriptive headers with gardening keywords
- Write compelling titles that include your target keywords
- Keep excerpts under 160 characters for search snippets
Engagement Tips
- End posts with questions to encourage comments
- Include clear calls to action for consultations
- Reference your services naturally within helpful content
- Share seasonal advice that brings readers back regularly
Image Selection
- Use high-quality images from your portfolio
- Choose images that directly relate to your content
- Showcase your actual work and results
- Consider before/after shots when relevant
🔄 Workflow Summary
Your new blog publishing process:
- Write post using template → 2. Save in _posts → 3. Build site → 4. Post appears automatically
That’s it! No more manual blog page updates, no more broken links, no more static content. Your blog system now grows automatically with every post you add.
🎉 Ready to Blog!
Your dynamic blog system is ready to go. Start creating valuable content for your audience, and watch your expertise attract new clients through search engines and social sharing.
Need help? Refer to BLOG_POST_TEMPLATE.md for detailed examples and guidelines.