How to Create a Blog Site within SharePoint Online

Creating a blog site in SharePoint Online is a great way to share updates, spark discussions, and connect with your team. With its user-friendly tools and customizable templates, setting up a blog is a breeze. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to create an engaging and functional blog site.

The first step is to create a Communication Site.

1. Login to your SharePoint Online account.
2. From the start page, click on “Create Site” and select “Communication Site” from the options.
3. Choose a name for your blog site and click “Create.”

Adding a new column to your SharePoint list or library can help you better organize and categorize your content. Whether you’re tracking project statuses, assigning tasks, or capturing addition data, custom columns can provide more granular control and visibility into your information.

1. Navigate to the site pages library:
   a. Click the settings gear in the upper-right corner.
   b. Select “Site Contents.”
2. Select the “Site Pages” library.
3. Click on the “Add Column” header.
4. Choose “Choice” from the drop-down menu.
5. Name the column “Page category” and add the following choices: “blog,” “news,” and “page.”
6. Save the new column.

SharePoint Online provides a plethora of templates for users to enhance their sites and make their experience more streamlined and personalized. With the modern interface in SharePoint, applying a site template is a simple process that can be done in just a few clicks.

1. Create a page template for your blog posts:
   a. Click the “New” button from the command bar.
   b. Select “News post.”
2. Choose the “Visual” template and configure your page as desired.
3. Click the “Page Details” button and set the page category to “blog.”
4. Save the page as a template.

Now the fun begins! Express yourself in a new blog post.

1. Start creating your blog posts:
   a. Click the “New” button from the command bar.
   b. Select “News post.”
2. Choose the blog template you created in the previous step.
3. Finish your blog post and click “Post news.”

Keeping your team informed is crucial for maintaining engagement and ensuring everyone is on the same page. Adding a “News” web part to your SharePoint site allows you to showcase important updates, announcements, employee birthdays, or stories in a visually appealing format, directly on your homepage.

1. Go back to the homepage and click the “Edit” button in the upper-right corner.
2. Add a news web part:
   a. Hover over the desired area and click the “Add” button.
   b. Select the “News” web part.
3. Configure the news web part:
   a. Click the pencil button to edit.
   b. Select “Page category” as the filter option.
4. Republish your blog site, and your homepage will now show only blog posts under the News section.