In our content Modeling basics topic, we saw how content strategists define content types and what content they would support. We saw that content types create a common structure and purpose that enables us to reuse content. We also saw how the content is broken down and grouped and how each content is associated with a content block type. Now let's see how to create those content types In Acoustic content.

Creating a content type

Hub managers are responsible for creating and managing content types. When you create a content type, you start with an empty canvas. Your goal is to add structure to your new content type for content composers to use when they create content. You add the element blocks that you want composers to use when they compose their content.

Figure 1. Add elements to create a content type

You might create a content type named Product that contains the following elements:

• A text element to store text for use on a website.
• A text element to store text for use in an email.
• A text element to store text for use in social media.
• A file element to store a PDF of product specifications.
• A file element to store a PDF of a user manual.
• A video element to store a promotional video.

1. To create a new content type, go to Content model > Content types from the ribbon. Then, click Create content type.
2. You can access the elements from the palette that slides out from the side of the screen. You can hide the palette when you don't need it, and show it again when you do. Click on the element you need to add it to the content type.
3. You can click and drag each element block to reposition it on the page.
4. There should be a one-to-one relationship between the pieces of content defined in your website design, the elements defined in a content type, and the templates and layouts used by your developer to build your website, landing page, or app.
5. Each element type includes a set of configuration options that allows you to tailor each element for your composers. Add meaningful labels and help text, define mandatory fields, enable multiple entries, and more.
6. Some content types are designed specifically for use as page types with sites, or landing page types.
7. Page types are a specialized form of content types and are used to define what pieces of content a composer will use when composing pages. Your hub manager, in collaboration with your site designer and developer, creates the different page types used by your business. Any page type you create can be used in any of your websites or website templates.
8. Add placeholder text for each element in the Placeholder information tab of their configuration settings. Your placeholder text is used as a prompt for your composers and disappears as soon as your composer starts typing. For example, you might add a placeholder of Give your post an exciting headline to the heading of a blog page.

You can drag and drop the element blocks from the panel on the left of your composer. You can click and drag each element block to reposition it on the page.

If you edit a content type, your changes affect all content items created from your content type. Your changes are applied to a content item only after a composer opens and edits a content item. Content composers are notified of your updates when they update a content item.

You can delete a content type only if all content items that are created with that content type are already retired or deleted.

Integrating with other content models

When you develop your content model, you also need to consider how your content is classified, and how images are displayed in different media and channels.

To allow composers to classify content using categories from your hub-managed taxonomies, add a category element to each content type you create.

Plus, when you add image elements to your content types, you can select which image profiles to use so that each image uploaded or selected in an image element is perfectly rendered on a website or app.

Content types come in different flavors

Content types can be used to create content, pages, landing pages, and custom elements. You define how your content type is used on the information tab of the content type form.

• Standard content types are displayed in the compose content menu.
• Custom elements are displayed in the element palette.
• Page types are displayed in the site manager when adding new pages to a site. Your developer must have mapped your content type to a layout before you can define a content type as a page type.
• Landing Page types are displayed in the landing page manager when creating new landing pages. Your developer must have mapped your content type to a layout before you can define a content type as a landing page type.

Finally, give your content type a unique identity

The content-type thumbnail is used to visually identify content types in lists and searches. This thumbnail can also be used as the default content thumbnail when no image is available in a content item.