Each content type has its own requirements and purpose. Understanding the different use cases and carefully selecting the content type best suited for what you need to communicate is critical to helping users find information.
How Content Types Work
Every content type is a template for a webpage, or part of a webpage. You will use the Drupal editing screen to enter your draft content. The content type defines how it will look on the front end for your audience.
The Drupal editing screen for each content type is different. Some content types provide you with specific fields to enter data into. Other content types have one or more content blocks that allow you to enter content in different ways.
The Drupal editing screen may also provide different settings for you to configure before you publish. The settings are different for each content type.
Some of the publishing management settings impact how the content you enter into the Drupal editing screen appears to site visitors. Other settings and information will organize the page for content managers in a way that makes it easy to find, edit, review, approve or perform other content management tasks.
Best Practices
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When you draft your content, follow best practices for writing for the web and using plain language when writing and organizing information.
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Refer to the Content Structure and Formatting guidelines for titling, organizing, and structuring your content into sections, lists, or tables.
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Apply ACF Website Styles to ensure the structure and organization of your content is accurately communicated on the page.
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Remember that files and media like images, podcasts, and videos are not the only means to distribute content. They must be 508 compliant.
Entering Content into Drupal
The fields available to collect information to display for site visitors, or to organize content in Drupal, is different for each content type.
However, you can expect to encounter the following fields on all content types.
Title
In relationship to the content structure and formatting of draft content, the Title is the main topic, and is equal to a level 1 section heading.
On the Drupal editing screen, the title is a required field and must be entered in the Title edit box.
For site visitors the title Clearly, concisely, tells them what they will find on the page and Is easy to reference, appearing in three places:
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The Title Bar of the browser
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The Tab of the browser
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The top of the content
Permalink
The permalink reflects the location of the page within the site menus and infrastructure. Refresh your understanding about ACF menus and infrastructure .
In the Drupal editing screen the “Permalink” field is required. It is automatically populated based on the title you give the page. You can modify it.
For the site visitor the permalink is what they will see after the “.gov/” in the browser Address Bar.
What-you-see-is-what-you-get Editor (WYSIWYG)
The WYSIWYG Editor is a flexible rich text editor that functions like a text processing program. Make sure you know how to get the most out of the WYSIWYG Editor .
In the Drupal editing screen there may be one, or more, WYSIWYG fields, and one or more may be required. the WYSIWYG may appear as a “Body” field with the Title and Permalink fields, or it may appear inside of a content block. It is easily recognizable by the toolbar that appears before the text box.
For site visitors the content entered appears on the page according to how it was formatted. Much like a printed page would look after you finished it in desktop text processing software.
Save, Preview or Delete
There are three buttons at the end of the Drupal editing screen that you will use to save your changes, preview your changes, or delete your work. One action must be taken when you are finished entering content into the Drupal editing screen.
If any required information is missing from the content type, you will be notified when you try to save or preview the content.
Use These Content Types to Create Pages
The Blog Post content type is for blog posts only. Use this content type if there is an active blog on your site.
Content blocks are flexible content containers that you can use for a wide variety of content. You can easily mix text with images to highlight and amplify information on your page(s).
Use the Event content type when you want to create a listing for an event intended for external audiences e.g. grantees, partners or public attendees.
The Fact Sheet content type provides target audiences with compelling information and overviews about ACF programs, initiatives, campaigns, and other mission-related topics.
Use this content type to organize and display content in a question and answer format to provide responses to frequent or anticipated questions about your programs, initiatives, grants or other business operations.
The Form content type features relevant forms and related instructions that support ACF programs or grants.
This content type allows you to display grant-related information including grantee profiles, lists of awards, and grant descriptions. Do not use this content type to provide training or guidance to your grantees.
Your home page provides a first impression of your program office. Home page content needs to be clear, engaging, and contextualizing.
The infographic content type allows you to feature a collection of illustrations, charts, and minimal text for an easy-to-understand overview of a topic.
The Landing Page content type creates a structured high-level page to display dynamic views (feeds) or groups of related content on a topic with context. This page usually connects to more detailed internal pages.
The Law & Regulation content type features legislation, statutes, rules or regulations related to administering ACF grants, initiatives, or programs.
The Map content type creates customizable maps featuring data and information by state or ACF regions.
Media, formerly referred to as "assets", allows you to enhance your content with visual, audio, and other document files that support your subject matter and messaging strategies.
The Newsletter content type creates customizable newsletters for offices to feature various site content or embed structured newsletters from external newsletter platforms. It can also produce an HTML output for email distribution.
The Page content type is for static site content. It is used mainly for internal, informational pages, but is also flexible and can be used in other creative ways.
The Policy & Guidance content type features official documents that clarify how ACF understands and implements existing laws and regulations. It includes documents like program instructions, instructional memos, dear colleague letters, and other guidance to administer ACF grants and programs.
The Project content type is describes a specific OPRE project often associated with broader OPRE research topics. Projects display on topic landing pages and project indexes once published.
The report content type is a structured landing page that displays a visually appealing, plain-language overview of ACF research. Use for research publications, briefs, Annual/Congressional reports, and analysis.
Teaching Materials allow you to create a grouping of training materials for a specific topic.
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/digital-toolbox/drupal/creating-content/content-types/teaching-materials
The testimony content type features remarks given by ACF officials/staff before Congress.
A toolkit is a collection of authoritative and adaptable resources that provides practical advice, guidance, and information on a particular topic, practice, or issue. Only use this content type, when you need to compile robust content meant to offer practical advice and guidance about an issue of concern or priority—especially when the issue is emerging or evolving, and well-established processes for addressing them are not yet widely adopted.
A Topic describes an OPRE research portfolio on a broad subject area (e.g. Abuse, Neglect, Adoption & Foster Care). Topics can contain multiple projects.
The TTA content type allows you to feature resources intended to provide training and technical support to grantees/partners/stakeholders. This includes things like webinars, tutorials, and guides etc.