Blog Articles Section
For Plain Jane and Plain Jane Interactive
What You'll Learn
How to display blog articles in a customizable card layout with advanced styling options
Configuration options for article alignment, colors, dates, and animation effects
How to create engaging blog article grids with fade-in animations and custom styling
Best practices for blog page layout optimization and content presentation
🎯 What is the Blog Articles Section?
The Blog Articles Section is a sophisticated article display system designed specifically for blog pages that showcases blog posts in a visually appealing card-based grid layout. Unlike the simple Blog Feed Section, this section provides extensive customization options for card styling, animations, alignment, and visual effects to create a professional, magazine-style blog presentation.
Key Features:
Customizable article card layouts with rounded corners
Advanced alignment options for titles and dates
Fade-in animations with adjustable duration
Comprehensive color customization for cards, headers, and dates
Responsive design optimized for blog browsing
Automatic article pagination (up to 600 articles)
Integration with article images, titles, and creation dates
Professional card-based layout system
Available in:
✅ Plain Jane v3.1+
✅ Plain Jane Interactive v2+
💡 Note: This section is specifically designed for blog template pages and automatically pulls articles from the current blog context.
🔧 How to Add Blog Articles Section
Go to Online Store > Themes > Customize
Navigate to Blog posts > [Your Blog] or create a blog template page
Click Add section
Select Blog Articles section
Configure the styling, colors, and animation options
Position the section where you want articles to appear
⚠️ Important: This section only works on blog template pages and requires existing blog articles to display content.
📄 Article Display & Layout
Automatic Article Loading
Article Source
Automatically loads articles from the current blog
Displays up to 600 articles with built-in pagination
Shows article images, titles, and creation dates
Links each article card to the full article page
Article Card Structure
Article Image: Featured image from each blog post
Article Title: Customizable alignment and color
Creation Date: Optional display with custom color and alignment
Card Background: Customizable background color and corner radius
Grid Layout
Responsive grid layout that adapts to screen size
Automatic spacing and alignment for professional appearance
Touch-friendly cards optimized for mobile browsing
Hover effects for better user interaction
🎨 Alignment & Typography
Article Title Alignment
Title Positioning Options
Left: Traditional left-aligned titles with left margin
Center: Centered titles for balanced appearance
Right: Right-aligned titles for alternative layout
Title Styling
Article Header Color: Custom color for article titles
Text automatically adjusts position based on alignment choice
Consistent typography across all article cards
Responsive text sizing for mobile devices
Date Display Options
Creation Date Settings
Display Article Created Date: Toggle to show/hide publication dates
Article Date Color: Custom color for date text
Date Alignment: Coordinated with title alignment for consistency
Date Format: Uses Shopify's abbreviated date format (e.g., "Jan 15, 2024")
🎨 Card Styling & Colors
Article Card Customization
Card Background
Article Card Color: Background color for each article card
Default: White (#FFF) for clean, readable appearance
Supports any hex color or theme colors
Consistent background across all cards
Card Shape & Corners
Card Curve: Adjustable border radius (0-10px)
Range from sharp rectangular cards to rounded modern cards
Default: 0px for clean, professional appearance
Creates consistent visual style across blog layout
Color Scheme Options
Comprehensive Color Control
Article Header Color: Title text color (default: Black #000)
Article Date Color: Date text color (default: Black #000)
Article Card Color: Card background color (default: White #FFF)
All colors support transparency and custom hex values
Visual Hierarchy
Color choices create clear information hierarchy
High contrast options for accessibility compliance
Consistent color application across all article cards
✨ Animation & Effects
Fade-In Animation
Animation Configuration
Fade-In Duration: Adjustable from 0-8 seconds
Default: 2 seconds for smooth, noticeable effect
Creates professional page loading experience
Applies to entire article grid simultaneously
Animation Behavior
CSS-based fade-in animation for performance
Triggers when section becomes visible
Smooth transition from transparent to full opacity
No impact on page load speed or SEO
Animation Timing
0 seconds: Instant display (no animation)
1-3 seconds: Quick, subtle animation
4-6 seconds: Slow, dramatic animation
7-8 seconds: Very slow, cinematic effect
📱 Mobile Optimization
Responsive Design
Mobile Layout
Article cards automatically resize for mobile screens
Touch-friendly card size and spacing
Optimized image loading for mobile performance
Consistent typography scaling across devices
Mobile-Specific Features
Fast loading article images
Touch-optimized card interactions
Responsive grid layout adaptation
Mobile-friendly date and title formatting
Performance Considerations
Optimized image loading for mobile bandwidth
Efficient CSS animations that don't impact scrolling
Fast card rendering for smooth mobile browsing
Minimal JavaScript for better mobile performance
🔄 Integration with Blog System
Shopify Blog Integration
Automatic Content Pulling
Seamlessly integrates with Shopify's blog system
Automatically displays published articles
Respects article publication dates and status
Links directly to individual article pages
Article Metadata
Displays article featured images
Shows article titles with custom styling
Includes publication dates with formatting options
Maintains article URL structure for SEO
Content Management
Blog Management
Works with any blog created in Shopify Admin
Automatically updates when new articles are published
Respects article visibility settings
Maintains proper SEO structure for blog content
Article Requirements
Articles need featured images for optimal appearance
Article titles display automatically
Publication dates show creation time
All published articles appear in chronological order
🎛️ Advanced Customization
Design Strategy
Professional Blog Layouts
Use left alignment for traditional blog appearance
Choose center alignment for modern, magazine-style layout
Apply subtle corner radius (2-4px) for contemporary feel
Use high contrast colors for better readability
Color Coordination
Match card colors with overall blog theme
Ensure title colors have sufficient contrast
Use consistent date colors across all cards
Consider brand colors for cohesive appearance
Animation Strategy
Loading Experience
Use 2-3 second fade-in for professional feel
Avoid very long animations (>4 seconds) for user experience
Consider no animation (0 seconds) for content-heavy blogs
Test animation timing on actual devices
Performance Balance
Shorter animations reduce perceived loading time
Longer animations can create dramatic effect but may feel slow
Consider your audience and content style when choosing duration
🔧 Troubleshooting
Articles Not Displaying
Common Issues
No published articles in the current blog
Section added to non-blog template page
Blog articles missing featured images
Section settings need to be configured
Solutions
Ensure blog has published articles with featured images
Verify section is added to correct blog template
Check article publication status in Shopify Admin
Configure section colors and settings properly
Test section on actual blog page, not in theme editor
Card Styling Issues
Potential Problems
Cards appearing with no background or borders
Text colors too light to be visible
Corner radius not applying correctly
Inconsistent card appearance
Solutions
Set card color to contrast with page background
Increase color contrast for title and date text
Adjust corner radius settings and save changes
Clear browser cache after making style changes
Test card appearance with actual blog content
Animation Problems
Common Problems
Fade-in animation not working
Animation too slow or too fast
Animation causing performance issues
Animation not displaying on mobile
Solutions
Verify fade duration is set above 0 seconds
Adjust animation timing for better user experience
Test animation on different devices and browsers
Consider reducing duration if performance issues occur
Check for CSS conflicts with custom code
Mobile Display Issues
Potential Issues
Cards too small on mobile devices
Text not readable on mobile screens
Images not loading properly on mobile
Layout breaking on different screen sizes
Solutions
Test section on actual mobile devices
Ensure sufficient color contrast for mobile viewing
Verify article images are high-quality and properly sized
Check mobile layout in different orientations
Test loading speed on mobile connections
📊 Performance Impact
Loading Efficiency
Optimized Performance
CSS-based animations for smooth performance
Efficient article loading with pagination
Optimized image loading for featured images
Minimal JavaScript overhead
SEO Benefits
Proper article linking structure
Clean HTML markup for search engines
Semantic article markup for better indexing
Fast loading times support SEO rankings
User Experience
Smooth animations enhance perceived performance
Quick card interactions improve engagement
Responsive design ensures accessibility
Professional appearance builds trust
🎯 Best Practices Summary
Setup Checklist
✅ Ensure blog has published articles with featured images
✅ Add section to blog template page (not homepage)
✅ Configure article title alignment for your blog style
✅ Set card colors with sufficient contrast for readability
✅ Choose appropriate corner radius for your brand aesthetic
✅ Configure fade-in duration for good user experience (2-3 seconds recommended)
✅ Test article date display and formatting
✅ Verify mobile appearance and touch interactions
✅ Check color contrast for accessibility compliance
✅ Test loading performance with multiple articles
✅ Ensure article links work properly
✅ Verify animation performance on different devicesContent Strategy
Article Optimization
Use high-quality featured images for all blog articles
Write compelling article titles that work with your chosen alignment
Maintain consistent publishing schedule for fresh content
Optimize article images for fast loading
Visual Consistency
Use consistent color scheme across all blog articles
Maintain uniform image dimensions for better grid appearance
Apply consistent corner radius settings throughout blog
Create cohesive visual experience with other blog sections
🚀 Advanced Use Cases
Magazine-Style Blogs
Professional Publishing
Use center alignment for modern magazine layout
Apply subtle corner radius (3-5px) for contemporary feel
Choose sophisticated color schemes for professional appearance
Implement moderate fade-in animation (2-3 seconds) for elegance
Content-Heavy Blogs
Information-Dense Layouts
Use left alignment for traditional reading patterns
Minimize animation duration for faster content access
Ensure high contrast colors for optimal readability
Focus on clean, efficient card layouts
Brand-Focused Blogs
Brand Integration
Coordinate card colors with brand color palette
Use brand fonts through theme typography settings
Apply brand-appropriate corner radius styling
Create cohesive experience with other site sections
The Blog Articles Section provides sophisticated article display capabilities that transform basic blog listings into engaging, professional content presentations with extensive customization options for alignment, styling, and animation effects.
Need Help?
💬 Join our community on Discord: https://discord.gg/hcc2GvgZc6
📧 Email us at: [email protected]
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