.This feature is available only in Sydney Pro. To learn more about Sydney Pro, please go here.
The Extended Blog module adds a new set of blog-related features to your Sydney Pro-powered website. Please note: you have to activate this module in order to get access to its features.
How to activate the Extended Blog module
To activate the Extended Blog module, please go to your admin area and from there go to Appearance > Theme Dashboard. Once you’re here, locate the Extended Blog module and click on Activate.
Extra blog layout
One new blog layout is available as part of the Extended Blog module. You can find it by going to Customize > Blog > Blog Archives > Blog Layout.
Blog hero: Featured posts
You can display some featured posts in your blog’s hero area. To enable this feature, please go to Customize > Blog > Blog Hero and click on Enable Featured Posts.
You can choose one of the three available layouts, keep the hero contained or make it full-width, control the margins and also show or hide the categories and the post date.
By default, the featured posts grid shows the latest posts but you can use the Choose Your Posts option to display specific posts.
Featured boxes
The featured boxes in Sydney Pro show up right before your posts loop and can be used to display custom links to the pages you want. For example, you can link these boxes to category archives. Enable this feature by going to Customize > Blog > Featured boxes. Click on the Enable Featured Boxes toggle and you will be presented with three sets of options, one for each featured box.
Archive headers
Extra options for your archive headers are present in the Extended Blog module. One of these options is the ability to disable the label from your archive titles (e.g. Category: Travel => Travel).
Furthermore, you can use the new options that let you configure your archive header layout.
If you’ve selected the second layout for your archive headers, you can edit each category and add a cover image for it.
New pagination options
With the Extended Blog module, you can choose between a total of three pagination types for the archives: numeric, infinite load, and load-more button.
Other archive options
Other options found in the Extended Blog module for your archive pages include:
- hover effects for your featured images
- New choices for category display: you can now display your categories as links (default) or as solid pills;
- A new way of displaying your Read more link: either as a link or as a button.
Reading progress and reading time
The reading progress is a bar that shows up at the top of the screen which gives the user an indication of how far he’s progressed with your article. To enable it, please go to Customize > Blog > Single Posts and scroll down to find the Reading progress section. After you enable it, it is also recommended that you go to the Style tab and change the progress’ bar color.
The reading time shows up in your meta elements and can be enabled for both your archives and your single posts. Locate the Meta Elements option from your Blog Archives or Single Posts section and click on the eye icon to enable it.
Last updated date
If you want, you can display the last updated date for your post, either in addition to the original published that or instead of it. The updated date can be displayed for both your archives and your single posts. Locate it in the Meta Elements option and enable it.
Post sharing
Easily enable post sharing without an additional plugin! Go to Customize > Blog > Single Posts and scroll down to the Enable Post Sharing to enable it. Click on it and you’ll be presented with all the social networks that are supported for sharing, as well as the title for the sharing section. Click on the eye icon to enable the networks you want and drag and drop to rearrange them.
Post headers
Enabling the Extended Blog module instantly grants you access to a new set of options for your single post headers. Use the Post Header Layout option to try one of the three available header layouts. If you choose the second and third layouts (with the big featured images), you also have access to new options that allow containing or expanding the post header, as well as a responsive height setting.
Extra layout options for your related posts
If you choose to display related posts after each of your single posts, you can also control the number of related posts to show as well as the number of columns.
