New to managing a pdx.edu site? Start here to get some basic information on getting started with your site, including logging in and making your first page.
On this page
Login & access
Login to your site using these instructions; check the Overview for instructions on requesting site access.
Add /login to the end of your site’s URL to login to your site. Do not edit your account details, including your email address. Doing so will remove your Single Sign On (SSO) access for that account, thereby preventing you from properly accessing the site.
If this is your first time logging in, notify the Site Dev Team so we can give you the appropriate permissions.
If you get an “Access Denied” error when logging into your site, it just means you are already logged in so are denied from accessing the login page a second time.
Admin menu
Provided you have editing permissions, when logged into your site you’ll notice an admin menu at the top of the page. Feel free to explore the admin menu to determine the function of each area, however there are a few tips to note:
Toggle menu visibility by selecting “Manage” in the top left of the menu.
The search box allows you to search through available functions in the admin menu.
Toggle the admin menu between horizontal and vertical display by selecting the orientation button: ⇤.
Select the Acquia logo, which looks like a flame, to navigate to your site’s homepage.
Accessibility
It’s both a legal requirement and best practice to ensure all content on your site is accessible to users with disabilities. With that in mind, here are a few basics to remember:
Headings:
Use only for section titles to create an outline and organization of your pages; these are not for design or emphasis.
Structure appropriately. For example, use Heading 2 for main section titles and Heading 3 for sub-sections.
Links & Call to Action (CTA) buttons:
Generic text (eg. “Learn More”, “Read More”, etc) should not be used.
Verify links and CTAs make sense out of context; read just the linked text. Would you know where it goes?
Never use full URLs as link text unless the link is on a page intended to be printed.
Images:
Add purpose-based alt text for images that provide content and information or a short description of the image if decorative.
Never put text in images.
Videos:
All videos must have accurate closed captioning and transcripts.
Videos also require sound and video controls, such as those provided by YouTube.
For additional information, review the W3C Accessibility fundamentals, reach out to the Accessibility & Content Team (ACT), or review the ACT’s information on digital accessibility.
Best practices
The Site Dev Team does not provide consulting on best practices for effective content, SEO, or marketing. However, there are many online resources you can use to guide your content creation.
We are including some sample resources, but do be aware that the recommendations in these resources are limited to the existing site structure. For example, you can control the content in your site’s navigation, but not the look or function of the navigation
Writing for the web
Site navigation
Design and layout
For additional support and resources, review the Web Communications page from University Communications.
Adding your first page
Use these instructions to practice making a draft (unpublished) page on your site which you will then delete.
Login to your site.
Using the admin menu, go to “Content ￫ Add Content ￫ Landing Page”.
Enter “Test Page” into the “Title” field.
All pages are required to have a title.
In the “Paragraph Type” dropdown, choose “H1 Header: Page Title” then select “Add Paragraph”.
All pages are required to have one H1 Header paragraph block.
A paragraph block is a section of the page; landing pages are built using multiple paragraph blocks.
Choose “Draft” in the “Save as” dropdown, then select “Save”.
Selecting “Published” will make the page publicly visible.
If you accidentally publish the page, select “Archived” to remove it from public view.
Changing a published page to “Draft” leaves the published version publicly accessible while a second draft version is edited. When the draft is ready, selecting “Published” replaces the previously published version with the new one.
Select “Edit” to continue modifying the page.
Add more page elements using the “Paragraph Type” dropdown.
Use the Paragraph Blocks by Type documentation to view other paragraph block types and what they look like.
Reorder paragraph blocks using the crosshairs to the left of each paragraph block.
View new changes by selecting “Save” or “Preview”.
If you get an error message, review the message to determine and fix the cause. Some paragraph blocks have required elements that might be missing.
When done, select “Delete” near the top of the page to delete the page.