News/Blog Working with Site Templates

The new templates include several design options for customization - before building your site, it is recommended that you choose which base style you would like to use for your site masthead and footers.

• Masthead Options - Crimson or White

• Footer Options - Crimson, White, Standard (Sand Background) or Simple

Table of Contents

Getting Started with Site Configurations

The "_Site Configuration" folder is the location where you will find your initial set up blocks. This folder should be the location for any other specialty blocks that you might want to add. The two required blocks that you must configure are the site masthead and the footer.

Overview of the Masthead

The new templates include several design options for customization - before building your site, it is recommended that you choose which base style (crimson or white background) you would like to use for your site header. The masthead contains four main areas:

• The Global Navigation - The global navigation is a page element that is required for all NMSU websites. It includes important links and the dropdown search field.

• Logo and Site Name - You can the option to customize what is presented in above your site name. Include the name of the university or create a hierarchy and list the reporting department or college.

• Call-to-Action (CTA) Buttons - You have the option to include buttons to highlight important actions you want your audience to take.

• Top Navigation - Your primary site navigation.

➡️ For more information, see Build the Masthead.

Overview of the Footer

The new templates include several design options for customization - before building your site, it is recommended that you choose which base style you would like to use for your site footer. The default options for the site footer include a crimson or white background. In addition to the default options, you can also select the standard (sand background) or a simple footer set up. It is recommended that your footers are consistent across your website, but you do have the option to select a different footer on a page-by-page basis if it is needed. The footer contains three main areas:

• Site Identifiers - Every footer includes an NMSU logo setup, your site name, and an optional address block and social media icons.

• Call-to-Action (CTA) Buttons - You have the option to include buttons to highlight important actions you want your audience to take.

• Optional Footer Navigation - Most footers include an option to include a maximum of three link columns.

➡️ For more information, see Build the Footer.

Finalize other customizations

The "_Theme Customizer" block is the location where you will set your Masthead and Footer and include any other files that you might need. This can include CSS, JS, or Google Analytics code. Please follow these steps to finalize your theme customizations:

1. Select the _Theme Customizer block.

2. Click Edit.

3. Confirm the correct Masthead Setup and Footer Builder blocks are selected.

4. Include any additional files or code and select Preview Draft.

5. Click Submit.