Customizing Astra’s Blog Layout: A Detailed Guide with Elementor

Preface

Welcome to Start Making Websites, your ultimate resource for mastering the art of website creation! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to customize Astra’s blog layout using the powerful Elementor page builder. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced web designer, this tutorial will provide you with the knowledge and skills to create a unique and engaging blog layout that reflects your brand and captivates your audience.Let’s dive in and unleash your creativity!

Introduction: Why Customize Your Astra Blog Layout?

Your blog is the heart of your online presence. It’s where you share your expertise, connect with your audience, and drive traffic to your website. A well-designed blog layout not only enhances user experience but also reinforces your brand identity. Astra, known for its speed and customization options, combined with Elementor‘s drag-and-drop interface, offers unparalleled flexibility in creating a blog that stands out.

Why Astra and Elementor?

• Astra: A lightweight and highly customizable WordPress theme known for its performance and SEO-friendliness.
• Elementor: A visual page builder that allows you to create custom layouts without coding knowledge.

Info: Check out this blogpost to get started with Elementor

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have the following:

1. WordPress Installation: A self-hosted WordPress website.
2. Astra Theme Installed: The Astra theme should be installed and activated.
3. Elementor Plugin Installed: The Elementor page builder plugin should be installed and activated. Consider Astra Pro and Elementor Pro for advanced features.
4. The Astra theme installed. If not check out: How to Install Astra Starter Templates

Step-by-Step Guide to Customizing Astra’s Blog Layout with Elementor

Let’s walk through the process of customizing your blog layout.

1. Setting Up a Basic Blog Layout with Astra

First, let’s configure the basic blog layout options provided by Astra.

1. Navigate to Appearance > Customize: In your WordPress dashboard, go to “Appearance” and then “Customize.”
2. Go to Blog > Blog/Archive:
   Here, you’ll find options to customize the general layout of your blog.
3. Choose Your Layout:
   • Content Layout: Select from options like “Grid Layout,” “List Layout,” or “Masonry Layout.”
   • Sidebar Options: Decide whether to display a sidebar on the left, right, or not at all.
4. Customize Meta Data: Enable or disable meta elements like author name, post date, and categories.
5. Adjust Featured Image: Control the visibility and size of featured images.

2. Creating a Custom Blog Archive Template with Elementor

Now, let’s create a custom blog archive template using Elementor. This will override the default Astra blog layout.

1. Install and Activate Elementor Pro:
   Ensure you have Elementor Pro installed, as it provides the necessary theme builder features.

2. Go to Templates > Theme Builder:
   In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to “Templates” and then “Theme Builder.”

3. Add New Archive Template:
   Click on “Archive” and then “Add New.”

   Hint: You can also get there when hovering over the Elementor Menu Item in the backend and clicking on Theme Builder!

4. Choose a Pre-designed Template or Start from Scratch:
   Elementor offers a variety of pre-designed archive templates. You can choose one and customize it, or start with a blank template.

5. Design Your Custom Archive Template:
   Use Elementor‘s drag-and-drop interface to design your archive template. Here are some essential elements to include:

   • Posts Widget:
     Drag and drop the “Posts” widget onto your template. This widget displays a list of your blog posts.

   • Customize the Posts Widget:

     • Layout: Choose from options like “Grid,” “List,” or “Carousel.”
     • Columns: Adjust the number of columns for the grid layout.
     • Image Size: Set the size of the featured images.
     • Meta Data: Choose which meta data to display (date, author, comments).
     • Excerpt Length: Control the length of the post excerpts.
     • Pagination: Add pagination to allow users to navigate through multiple pages of posts.

<div class=’elementor-posts elementor-posts–skin-classic elementor-grid-3 elementor-posts–thumbnail-top elementor-posts–read-more-yes’>
<!– Post 1 –>
<article class=’elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-347 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-news’>
<a href=’#’>
<div class=’elementor-post__thumbnail’>
<img src=’image1.jpg’ alt=’Post Image 1′>
</div>
<div class=’elementor-post__text’>
<h3 class=’elementor-post__title’>Post Title 1</h3>
<div class=’elementor-post__meta’>
<span class=’elementor-post__date’>June 14, 2024</span>
</div>
<div class=’elementor-post__excerpt’>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit…</div>
<span class=’elementor-post__read-more’>Read More »</span>
</div>
</a>
</article>
<!– Post 2 –>
<article class=’elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-348 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-news’>
<a href=’#’>
<div class=’elementor-post__thumbnail’>
<img src=’image2.jpg’ alt=’Post Image 2′>
</div>
<div class=’elementor-post__text’>
<h3 class=’elementor-post__title’>Post Title 2</h3>
<div class=’elementor-post__meta’>
<span class=’elementor-post__date’>June 15, 2024</span>
</div>
<div class=’elementor-post__excerpt’>Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua…</div>
<span class=’elementor-post__read-more’>Read More »</span>
</div>
</a>
</article>
<!– Post 3 –>
<article class=’elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-349 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-news’>
<a href=’#’>
<div class=’elementor-post__thumbnail’>
<img src=’image3.jpg’ alt=’Post Image 3′>
</div>
<div class=’elementor-post__text’>
<h3 class=’elementor-post__title’>Post Title 3</h3>
<div class=’elementor-post__meta’>
<span class=’elementor-post__date’>June 16, 2024</span>
</div>
<div class=’elementor-post__excerpt’>Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris…</div>
<span class=’elementor-post__read-more’>Read More »</span>
</div>
</a>
</article>
</div>

*   **Archive Title Widget:**
    Add an "Archive Title" widget to display the title of the archive page (e.g., "Blog," "Category: News").

*   **Sidebar Widget (Optional):**
    If you want to include a sidebar, add a "Sidebar" widget and choose the desired sidebar.

*   **Add Custom Sections:**
    Enhance your archive template by adding custom sections with headings, images, and calls to action.

6. Set Display Conditions:
   • Click “Publish” and then “Add Condition.”
   • Choose “Archive” and then “All Archives” to apply the template to all blog archive pages.
   • You can also apply it to specific categories or tags.

3. Customizing Single Post Layout with Elementor

Next, let’s create a custom template for single blog posts.

1. Go to Templates > Theme Builder:
   Navigate to “Templates” and then “Theme Builder.”

2. Add New Single Post Template:
   Click on “Single” and then “Add New.”

3. Choose a Pre-designed Template or Start from Scratch:
   Select a pre-designed single post template or start with a blank canvas.

4. Design Your Custom Single Post Template:
   Use Elementor‘s widgets to design your single post template. Here are some key elements:

   • Featured Image:
     Add a “Featured Image” widget to display the post’s featured image.

   • Post Title:
     Use the “Post Title” widget to display the title of the post.

   • Post Content:
     Drag and drop the “Post Content” widget to display the main content of the post. Check out these AI Plugins that could help you achieve this in no time

   • Post Meta:
     Add a “Post Meta” widget to display meta information like author, date, and categories.

   • Author Box (Optional):
     Include an author box with information about the post’s author.

   • Related Posts (Optional):
     Add a section to display related posts to encourage further reading.

5. Set Display Conditions:

   • Click “Publish” and then “Add Condition.”
   • Choose “Single Post” and then “All Posts” to apply the template to all blog posts.
   • You can also apply it to specific categories or posts.

4. Advanced Customization Techniques

To take your blog layout customization to the next level, consider these advanced techniques.

• Conditional Display:
  Use Elementor‘s display conditions to show different content based on user roles, dates, or other criteria.

• Custom Fields:
  Incorporate custom fields to add unique data to your posts and display it using Elementor‘s dynamic content feature. Find out more here.

• Custom CSS:
  Add custom CSS to further style your blog layout and elements.

.elementor-post__title {
color: #333;
font-size: 24px;
}

.elementor-post__excerpt {
color: #666;
font-size: 16px;
}

• Animations and Interactions:
  Use Elementor‘s motion effects and interactions to create a more engaging user experience.

Best Practices for Blog Layout Design

Keep these best practices in mind when designing your blog layout.

• Keep it Clean and Simple:
  Avoid clutter and prioritize readability. and if you want to dive deep into the topic you should research How to Choose the Right Fonts for Your Website.

• Use a Consistent Design:
  Maintain a consistent look and feel across your blog.

• Optimize for Mobile:
  Ensure your blog layout is responsive and looks great on all devices.

• Improve your workflow:
  Why not creating high-resolution screenshots in base64 and implement your code directly?

• Test and Iterate:
  Continuously test and refine your blog layout based on user feedback and analytics.

Conclusion

Customizing your Astra blog layout with Elementor offers endless possibilities to create a unique and engaging online presence. By following this guide, you can design a blog that not only looks great but also enhances user experience and drives results. So, start experimenting and unleash your creativity to build the perfect blog for your website!

Remember to regularly update and maintain your website to ensure it remains secure and performs optimally. Happy website building!