What's inside this article:
- Basic information
- Manage categories
- Categories and content pages
- Category pages
- 'Latest news' layout
- 'Multimedia archive' layout
- You Might Also Like (YMAL)
- Landings for TV and radio categories
Basic information
This article provides an overview of how categories work in Pangea CMS and on websites.
What are categories?
Categories organize your website content by topic. For example, your website might have a 'Politics' category for all political content.
Your category structure shapes how visitors navigate your site. Find more details about related functionality in the sections below.
Manage categories
In Pangea CMS, each site has its own list of categories. You can find the list of categories for your site via Settings > Categories.
Click the name of a category to open its edit page. On the edit page, you can review and update the category settings.
Category types
Each category is one of the following types:
- Content: A multipurpose category with general settings, suitable for promoting any type of content.
- TV: A category with special settings, optimized for promoting video content.
- Radio: A category with special settings, optimized for promoting audio content.
For information about the category settings, see the following articles:
Categories and content pages
Every content page must have at least one category but can have multiple categories if needed. For example, an article about Romania's 2024 elections might be categorized under 'Romania', 'Politics', and 'Elections'.
When an article has multiple categories, one serves as the primary category and the others serve as secondary categories.
Primary versus secondary categories
Both primary and secondary categories determine where your content appears. For example, an article with multiple categories will appear on the category page for every category.
Primary categories have additional functions:
- The name of the primary category appears at the top of the page.
- The primary category controls the page layout and which You Might Also Like (YMAL) appears below the content.
Primary category names on content pages.
Add categories for a content page
You can add categories in two ways:
- Via General > Categories on the edit page for any item.
- Via Editor > Add Categories when creating text content.
When you add categories, the primary category appears in a blue chip. To change the primary category, click the chip for a different category. Secondary categories appear in gray chips.
Category pages
Categories have published category pages that act as gateways, allowing visitors to browse the content in the category. These pages are automatically generated and display content by publication date (newest first).
Category page layouts
Pangea offers different layout options for category pages:
- List with images: Suitable for any content type. Shows a title, image, and introduction for each item.
- Blog with big images: Suitable for short, blog-style content. Shows the full text of each item on the page.
- Factcheck list: Only for factcheck content. Shows a summary with key details for each factcheck.
A category page with the 'list with images' layout applied.
Pangea also offers special layouts that apply across the entire category:
'Latest news' layout
Latest news is a special layout for short, news-style content. It applies to the central category page and individual stories, creating a continuous reading experience.
How it works
Content displays as a continuous stream rather than standalone pages. When a reader clicks a link to open a story, the full text appears at the top of the page. They can keep scrolling to browse more stories from the same category. For other stories, just the first paragraph is visible. Readers can expand any story to read the full text.
A category page with the latest news layout applied.
How to use it
The latest news layout can be enabled for any content category, and applies to an item if it is enabled for the item's primary category.
'Multimedia archive' layout
Multimedia archive is a special layout for promoting podcasts and shows. It applies to the central category page and individual episodes, so visitors can browse episodes and discover related material.
How it works
The category displays a header with clickable tabs on every page. Tabs are customizable per category, with the following options:
- Home: A custom landing
- Episodes: Latest episodes (newest first)
- Articles: Related content (newest first)
- About: Information about the podcast or show
An audio clip (left) and the category page (right) with the multimedia archive layout applied.
How to use it
The multimedia archive layout can be enabled for any TV or radio category, and applies to an item if it is enabled for the item's primary category.
The multimedia archive layout is supported for the following content types:
- Audio clip
- Audio feature
- Broadcast program
- Video
For detailed information, see Setting up a multimedia archive.
You Might Also Like (YMAL)
A 'You Might Also Like' (YMAL) is a collection of recommended content that appears on content pages below the main content. An engaging and well-organized YMAL can increase the time spent on your site by encouraging readers to explore other pages.
How it works
A web editor builds each YMAL in Pangea CMS. They add the content and assign the YMAL to one or more categories.
Each content page automatically displays the YMAL that is assigned to its primary category. If the primary category does not have a YMAL assigned, the page does not display a YMAL. All pages with the same primary category display the same YMAL.
For detailed information about how to build and manage YMALs, see the following articles:
- Building a 'You Might Also Like' (YMAL)
- Optimizing 'You Might Also Like' (YMAL) for reader engagement
Landings for TV and radio categories
A landing is a collection of featured content for a particular podcast or show. Landings help you:
- Define the identity of the podcast or show.
- Tell visitors what to expect from the podcast or show.
- Promote popular episodes and related content.
- Announce when new episodes are available.
It appears under the Home tab in the header for a TV or radio category. This applies for categories that use the multimedia archive layout.
A web editor builds each landing in Pangea CMS. They add the content and assign the landing to a single TV or radio category. For detailed information, see Building a landing for a podcast or show.