Publishing basics
What everyone needs to know about publishing in the CMS
How to format and style text
There are many different options for presenting text in the CMS. But your experience as a content creator is essentially the same. That’s because many of the components are built upon the same foundational tool – the rich text editor.
The rich text editor is Howden’s built-in word processor. It’s found in many of the word-based components, either by default or as an option. This includes:
- Body Text
- Section Highlight
- Editorial Block with Sidebar
- Key Points
- Double Call to Action Bar
- Fixed Image and Text Scroll
You can identify the rich text editor by the toolbar at the top of the component.
Sometimes, there’s an option to select it by checking the box.
How to use the rich text editor
The rich text editor has a wide variety of functions. Let’s explore how to use each one.
Headings 
HTML headings break a page into sections. When used correctly, headings provide a logical structure that helps both users and search engines to understand your content.
There’s a logic to HTML headings. To help users and search engines understand how your page is structured, you must follow it.
- Start with an H2 for the main content sections: This is your default heading that signals a new idea.
- Use an H3 for subsections that fall directly under an H2: Rather than introducing a new idea, an H3 explores in more detail an idea you’ve already introduced under an H2.
- Use bold formatting for a subsection of an H3: A subsection of an H3 breaks the original idea down even further. In our CMS, use standard text with bold formatting.
- Introduce a new idea with an H2: Returning to the default heading level makes it clear that a new, distinct section has begun.
Importantly, you must never skip heading levels, such as using an H3 before an H2. This can confuse users and damage SEO performance.
Lists 
/ 
Creating a list helps to draw attention to key information. By breaking up text, lists reduce cognitive load and make the list items stand out – an essential for skim readers.
It’s important to consider how people read lists. They scan the first and last points before deciding if the middle is worth their time. To make the maximum impact, choose your beginnings and endings wisely.
Lists can be either unordered or numbered.
Tips for writing lists:
- Always lead with your most interesting point.
- If the list item is a complete sentence, end it with a full stop.
- Avoid writing multiple line per item – this is difficult for skim readers.
- Don’t include more than seven points.
Three tips for using a numbered list:
- Use a numbered list when items have a sequence or running order.
- Numbers encourage readers to read the full list, as the mind craves completion.
- Don’t use a numbered list if the numbers aren’t relevant.
Tips for using the pastel background lists:
- Use pastel lists to help information stand out.
- The power comes from being unusual and hard to miss. So don't overuse them.
- Don't place one pastel list directly after another. If you need another list, use a standard black and white list.
Tables 
Tables are a useful tool for displaying data, helping you to show relationships and draw comparisons.
Bear in mind that tables built using the rich text editor are not responsive. This means that they won’t adjust to accommodate small screens. Make column headings as short as possible and check the table displays correctly on mobile before publishing.
Step 1: Input your desired number of columns and rows
Step 2: Format the heading cells
You can make the headings bold so that they stand out. Use the ‘headers’ dropdown menu to select which cells to make bold.
Step 3: Add your text
Select 'OK' to create the table. You can now add the text to the cells.
To ensure the table displays correctly on mobile, it's important to keep the amount of text per cell to a minimum. For example:
| Heading 1 | Heading 2 | Heading 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Short text | A number | Or statistic |
Hyperlinking 
Use the hyperlink function to link to related content. You can link to internal pages or external websites.
Highlight the words you want to use for your link text, then select the ‘link’ icon. Copy the link address and paste the link into the pop-up box.
Make sure that the link works and goes to the correct destination before publishing.
To remove a link, highlight the link text and select the 'unlink' icon 
.
Quote 
Highlight key messages and break up text.
Pull quotes are short sentences set apart from the body text, designed to grab the reader’s attention. The quote function can also be used to break up text, helping to reduce cognitive load.
When adding your text, there’s no need to include speech marks – these are built into the function.
If you want to attribute a quote to an individual, use the Quote component.
Publishing best practices
Remove text formatting
The CMS responds best to clean text, free from residual code left by word processing apps such as Microsoft Word and Google Sheets.
Before saving your text in the rich text editor, you must clean it first. There are several ways you can do this.
- In the CMS, highlight the text and select the ‘remove format’ icon
- Paste the text into notepad first, then copy and paste from there into the CMS
You can also use the keyboard shortcut to paste without the formatting:
- CTRL+SHIFT+V (Windows)
- CMD+SHIFT+V (Apple)
Build pages with skim readers in mind
It’s important to break text up with plenty of paragraphs, subheadings, and visual variety. This reduces cognitive load, making the content easier to skim read.
Tips for writing scannable content
- Paragraphs should be no longer than five lines.
- Use a subheading every 400 words or so.
- Make a list whenever there’s the opportunity to do so.
You should also consider breaking the text up with other components. Section Highlight and Editorial Block with Sidebar are good options for adding variety to your page.