Note: Lofty is rolling out in stages. Depending on the version your account is on, some features or screens described in this article may look different or may not yet be available to you.
Introduction
Your Lofty website includes a built-in blog editor that lets you publish content directly on your IDX website. Blog posts improve your site's SEO value, establish you as a local expert, and give visitors a reason to return.
Package requirement: The blog feature is not available on the Starter package.
How to Access the Blog Editor
- Open the Website CMS (from Lofty top nav: Content > Websites, then click your site).
- Click Quick Actions in the CMS menu, then select Blogs.
The Blog editor has two main areas: Categories and Posts.
Managing Categories
Categories help you organize blog posts into topic groups so visitors can easily find related content. They also appear as filter options on your Blog Page.
Viewing your categories
The Category List shows all existing categories with their name and the number of posts in each.
Adding a category
- Click the blue + Add New button in the top-right.
- Enter the category name.
- Click the green checkmark to save.
Editing or deleting a category
Click the Edit or Delete button next to the category you want to modify.
Note: Deleting a category does not delete the posts within it — those posts will move to "Uncategorized."
Controlling Post Display Order
The Blog Page displays posts in the order they appear in your posts list. You have three options:
- Pin a post — Keep one specific post at the top regardless of date.
- Sort by Published Date — Most recently published posts appear first.
- Sort by Updated Date — Most recently edited posts appear first.
RSS Aggregator
The RSS Aggregator pulls in blog content from external sources (other websites, news feeds, industry publications) and publishes it on your blog automatically — useful for supplementing your own posts with relevant industry content.
To access: CMS > Blogs Tab > RSS Aggregator
Adding an RSS feed
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | A label for this feed source |
| URL | The RSS feed URL. Include http:// or https://. For best results, use the feed-specific URL rather than the site's homepage URL |
| Post Type | Not editable — defaults to "Feed Source" |
| Post Status | Choose Published (posts go live automatically) or Draft (posts come in as drafts for you to review before publishing) |
| Post Date | Uses the original publication date from the source |
| Remove featured image from post content? | Yes = removes the source image; social shares use your header logo or first article image. No = the first image in the article is used as the featured image for social sharing |
| Feed Preview | Shows previews of the 5 most recent articles at that RSS feed URL |
Auto-sync schedule
When a feed is toggled ON, new articles sync automatically once daily at 7:00 AM. When toggled OFF, click the manual sync button under Imported Items to pull the latest content.
Feed stats
- Last Updated — The time of the most recent sync and how many items were imported
- Imported Items — Total articles imported from this feed across all syncs
What Visitors See on Your Blog Page
The Blog Page on your website displays:
- Blog Posts — Listed on the left side of the page
- Search Bar — Lets visitors search by keyword within post titles and content
- Categories — Filter links that match the categories you have created
- Recent Posts — A sidebar showing your most recently published posts
You can customize the Blog Page layout using the block editor. See [Working with Blocks in the Page Editor].
Tips
- Set up at least 3–5 categories before publishing posts. Categories help organize your content from day one and make the Blog Page more useful for visitors.
- Use consistent category naming. If you create "Market Updates" and "Market News" as separate categories, visitors and search engines see them as different topics. Keep category names distinct and meaningful.
- Turn RSS auto-sync on only for trusted sources. Imported content appears on your site under your domain — choose sources that represent your brand accurately.
- Set RSS feeds to Draft first. When adding a new RSS feed, start with "Draft" status to review incoming content before it goes live on your site.
Troubleshooting
I can't find the blog editor in the CMS. The blog feature may not be included in your current package. Contact Lofty Support to confirm your package includes the blog feature.
My RSS feed isn't pulling new articles. Check that the feed is toggled ON. If it is, confirm the RSS URL is still valid by pasting it in a browser — the feed source may have changed their URL. Auto-sync runs at 7:00 AM daily; you can also trigger a manual sync.
A category I deleted is still showing on the Blog Page. Click Publish in the page editor after making changes — updates to categories and settings go live only after publishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a blog post belong to more than one category? Yes. When creating or editing a post, you can select multiple categories for a single post.
Can I import all my old WordPress blog posts to the Lofty blog editor? If you previously used the WordPress blog editor within Lofty (only available to accounts from before May 8, 2021), there is a migration tool. Contact Lofty Support at support@lofty.com for assistance.
How many RSS feeds can I add?
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding this topic or any others, please reach out to our Support Team via email at support@lofty.com, by phone at 1 (855) 981-7557, or by chat with us through your Lofty CRM.
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.