Informational posts let you create and share content with clients through your web portal, providing a unique link for each post that can be included in messages or shared on social media.

### Overview

- Posts are content pages that live on your agency's web portal and can be shared with clients and the public
- Each post generates a unique URL that you can include in text messages, emails, or social media
- Posts support multiple visibility levels: Draft (internal only), Private (link-only access), and Public (visible to all portal visitors)
- You can organize posts by portal, set a default language, and customize the URL
- Post sections allow you to build structured content with different content types
- Posts are managed under **Admin** > **Portals** > **Posts**

### Prerequisites

- You must have an active eCourtDate account with access to your agency
- You must have admin or portal management permissions
- You must have at least one portal set up for your agency (see [How to Create Web Portals](/how-to-create-web-portals))

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Navigate to Posts

1. Go to **Admin** > **Portals** > **Posts**
2. You will see a list of existing posts and the **Add a Post** section

#### Step 2: Create a New Post

1. Enter your post title in the **Title** field in the **Add a Post** section
2. Click **Create** to add the post
3. Click on your newly created post in the table to open it for editing

#### Step 3: Configure Post Options

1. Set the **Status** for your post:
   - **Draft**: Only visible within your agency (not published)
   - **Private**: Only accessible with a direct private link
   - **Public**: Visible to any visitor on your portal
2. Select the **Portal** where the post will be displayed
3. Select the **Default Language** for the post
4. Enter a **Summary** (we recommend 155 characters for optimal search engine display)
5. Enter the post content in the **Description** field
6. Customize the **URL** if desired (defaults to an auto-generated URL)
7. Configure sharing options:
   - **Allow Comments**: Enable public comments on the post (coming soon)
   - **Allow Sharing**: Display social media share buttons on the post

![Informational Posts Edit Screen](https://ecdassets.s3.amazonaws.com/images/articles/informational-post.png)

#### Step 4: Add Post Sections

1. Scroll down to the **Post Sections** area
2. Select a section **Type** to add structured content blocks
3. Fill in the content for each section
4. Add additional sections as needed to build out your post

![Add Post Sections](https://ecdassets.s3.amazonaws.com/images/articles/add-post-sections.png)

#### Step 5: Publish the Post

1. Review all post content and settings
2. Change the **Status** to **Public** (or **Private** if you only want to share via direct link)
3. Click **Save** to publish your changes
4. Copy the post URL to share it in messages, emails, or on social media

### What to Expect

After saving your post, it will be available at the unique URL generated for it. Public posts will appear on your portal for all visitors. Private posts will only be accessible through the direct link. Draft posts remain internal and are only visible to agency users. Changes to the post take effect immediately after saving.

### Best Practices

- Write a clear, concise summary of 155 characters or fewer to optimize how the post appears in search results and link previews
- Use the **Private** status for posts you want to share with specific clients without making them publicly visible on the portal
- Keep post titles descriptive and specific so clients understand the content at a glance
- Add structured post sections to break up long content and improve readability
- Enable **Allow Sharing** on public posts to encourage clients to share useful information on social media

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What is the difference between Draft, Private, and Public statuses?**
A: **Draft** posts are only visible within your agency and are not published. **Private** posts can only be accessed by anyone with the direct link. **Public** posts are visible to all visitors on your portal.

**Q: Can I customize the URL of my post?**
A: Yes. By default, a URL is auto-generated based on the post title, but you can customize it in the **URL** field when editing the post.

**Q: How do I share a post with clients through messaging?**
A: Copy the post URL and include it in your text messages, emails, or auto messages. Each post has a unique link that can be pasted directly into your messaging templates.

**Q: Can I assign a post to multiple portals?**
A: Each post is assigned to one portal. If you need the same content on multiple portals, create a separate post for each portal.

**Q: Are post comments available?**
A: The **Allow Comments** feature is coming soon. When enabled, it will allow public visitors to leave comments on your posts.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** The post does not appear on the portal
**Symptoms:** You created and saved a post but it is not visible on your web portal.
**Solution:**

1. Verify the post **Status** is set to **Public** (Draft and Private posts do not appear on the portal listing)
2. Confirm you selected the correct **Portal** for the post
3. Check that the portal itself is active and published
4. Try refreshing the portal page or clearing your browser cache

**Issue:** The post URL returns a 404 error
**Symptoms:** Clicking the post link shows a "page not found" error.
**Solution:**

1. Verify the post **Status** is not set to **Draft**
2. Check that the **URL** field does not contain special characters or spaces
3. Confirm the portal associated with the post is active
4. If the issue persists, contact support by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen

### Related Articles

- [How to Create Web Portals](/how-to-create-web-portals)
- [How to Create a New Agency](/how-to-create-a-new-agency)
- [How to Set Up a New Agency](/how-to-set-up-a-new-agency)
- [How to Manage Users](/how-to-manage-users)
- [Roles and Permissions](/roles-and-permissions)