Shopify content platform (CMS)

How is the new content management system used and what new features are there?

Content Management System, CMS for short, is the new content platform from Shopify. With it, you can easily create individual content and publish it in your desired position in the online store. In this article, we'll show you how it works and what you need to keep in mind. We will also explain what content models are and how they can be created with content.

What is the Shopify content platform?

The Shopify Content Platform helps you structure and create content to match your online store. The content can be added, managed, and reused in the Shopify admin area. Content models contain important information, such as the name of the model or the relevant meta fields that need to be defined for the content.

Important: An Online Store 2.0 theme or a compatible third-party theme is required to display content in your theme without modifying the code.

What are content models/entries and how can meta fields help?

A content model is composed of different components (e.g. text, date or image). The models help you create a consistent and reusable content. This is less about the look and feel and more about the components you want your model to have. For example, if you want to create a content model for testimonials, you can include fields for text, image, and rating, as these form a basic structure for customer testimonials. Subsequently, you can make different entries for testimonials in this content model and publish them afterwards.

How many models can I create and how many fields can I add to a single model?

In Shopify Content Platform, you can create up to 50 custom content models and manage them from the content dashboard in your admin area in Shopify. You can also add up to 40 different fields in the model and finally populate the models with entries.

5 steps to create a content model in Shopify's content management system:

Step 1: Build a content model

In your Shopify admin area, click the Content tab and select "Create Content Model". You can also create the model from the "Metafields" section. Next, you can give your content model a name.

Then click Add Fields and select the type of content (e.g., single-line text, multi-line text, images) you want to display in this model.

Now you can start configuring your content model.

Once you have saved your content model, you can start making entries in your model.

Step 2: Create content entries

Content entries are created from content models that you have previously set up. Here you can create up to 50,000 content entries per online store.

To create an entry, click Content in your admin area in Shopify. Then click Add Content, and then select the content model in which you want the content entry to appear. Add your desired content, of course you can edit the entries at any time.

Step 3: Decide where you want your content to appear

Once you have created and saved your content model and content entries in the Shopify Content Platform, you can decide whether you want them to appear only in your store or on other channels as well. Also, as long as you are working on the entries, you can set them as draft until you are satisfied.

Step 4: Selecting content entries for individual products

After you have set up your content model, added some content entries, and created the metafield reference definition, you need to link each entry to the parts of your store where you want it to appear. To link a content entry, you need to go to your admin area in Shopify and click on the section (for example, a product or page) where you want your entries to appear.

You can use metafields with your content models to display dynamic content in your online store. When you create a metafield content reference, you can display different content entries in different areas of your store

Step 5: Publish the content

Once you have created a content model and added a content entry in the Shopify Content Platform, you can set the content entry active and display it in your store using Liquid.

Soon, there will be an option to connect the content directly to your online store via the online store editor. Until then, the only way to insert it is through the Liquid code.

When the entry is published to your store, your changes will automatically be applied wherever the content entry is used.

Important: If you delete your content entry, it will be removed everywhere it appears in your store or on other channels.

How do I add brand elements?

Brand elements can be added in Brand settings and then used in multiple applications and sales channels. For example, you can add a logo that will be displayed in the store or in additional sales channels. After you create your brand elements, you can edit them at any time. Saved changes are automatically applied to the channels for which you use the brand elements. This way, you can ensure that your brand has a consistent recognition value.

Conclusion

The new Shopify Content Platform helps you create your content quickly and easily. Thanks to the many customization options, you can create your content completely individually and publish it in the sales channels you choose. In doing so, you can design the content to match your brand. Moreover, the new Shopify content platform allows you to create content on static, as well as dynamic pages. And it's easy to do, without programming.