< Back Main Content Manipulation System Static Blocks Print PostedDecember 26, 2025 UpdatedDecember 26, 2025 ByTSDadmin Static blocks function similarly to overlays but with one crucial difference: instead of displaying as popups, static blocks insert text or content directly into your article content. The position where the block appears depends on the location settings you configure when creating the static block placement. Key Difference from Overlays: Overlays: Appear as popups on top of content Static Blocks: Inserted within the article content flow Understanding Static Blocks Purpose: Inject content directly into articles at specific positions, such as calls-to-action, disclaimer text, promotional content, or informational boxes. Common Use Cases: Adding affiliate disclaimers at specific positions Inserting calls-to-action mid-article Placing promotional content between sections Adding related product information Including author bio boxes Inserting newsletter signup forms within content How Static Blocks Work: Create the block content (your text/HTML) Create a placement defining where and how it appears The system automatically inserts the block into matching articles Navigate to Content Manipulation → Static Blocks to access static block management. The Static Block System Structure The Static Block system has three main sections: Static Block Placements Tab: Configure where and how blocks appear 2. Add/Edit Placement Tab: Create or modify placement rules 3. Manage Static Blocks Tab: Create and store block content library Creating Static Block Content Step 1: Navigate to Manage Static Blocks Click the Manage Static Blocks tab within the Static Blocks section. Step 2: Create New Static Block Click the Add New Static Block button. A new editor tab opens with two main fields: Title Field: Enter a descriptive title for internal identification This title only appears in the Manage Static Blocks list Example: “Affiliate Disclaimer,” “Mid-Article CTA,” “Product Recommendation Box” Content Editor: Add your static block content using the visual editor or HTML Full WordPress editor with formatting toolbar Support for text, links, images, HTML Can include shortcodes if needed Example Static Block – Affiliate Disclaimer: Title: Affiliate Disclaimer Content: ⚠️ Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we personally use and believe will add value to our readers. Example Static Block – Newsletter CTA: Title: Newsletter Signup Mid-Article Content: 📧 Love this content? Get expert tips delivered straight to your inbox! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive insights, how-to guides, and industry updates. [Subscribe Button/Link] Step 3: Publish the Block Click the Publish button to save your static block. The block now appears in the Manage Static Blocks dashboard, showing: Block title Content preview (first few lines) Last updated date Edit and Delete options Example from screenshot: “TSD Tutorial-New Static Block” appears twice in the list with the same content preview: “This is the new static block. This function is similar to Overlays, the main difference in this function allows you to add a static text block in the article content…” Managing Your Static Block Library The Manage Static Blocks section displays all your created blocks in a list format: Information Shown: Title: Block name for identification Content Preview: First 150-200 characters of the block Last Updated: Date and time of most recent modification Actions Available: Edit: Modify block title or content Delete: Remove block from library Organizational Tips: Use clear, descriptive titles indicating block purpose Consider prefixes for categories (e.g., “CTA-Newsletter,” “CTA-Product,” “Disclaimer-Affiliate”) Regularly review and update blocks to keep content current Delete unused blocks to keep library organized Note: Deleting a block from the library does NOT remove it from existing placements where it’s being used. However, those placements will no longer function correctly, so update or delete associated placements first. Creating Static Block Placements Once you have blocks in your library, create placements to define where they appear. Step 1: Navigate to Add/Edit Placement Click the Add/Edit Placement tab or Static Block Placements tab, then click Add New Placement. Step 2: Configure Placement Settings The placement form contains several key settings: Basic Configuration Title (Required): Enter a descriptive title for this placement This helps you identify the placement in the dashboard Example: “Affiliate Disclaimer – Product Reviews,” “Newsletter CTA – Tutorial Articles” Description (Optional): Add notes about this placement’s purpose Helps you remember strategy later Example: “Inserts affiliate disclaimer after first paragraph in all product review articles” Tags (Optional): Add tags to organize placements Can filter placements by tag later Example tags: “affiliate,” “cta,” “legal” Status: Inactive (default): Placement is saved but not active Active: Placement is live and inserting blocks Important: New placements default to Inactive. You must change status to Active for the block to appear on your site. Position Control – The Key Setting Position field determines exactly where the block appears: Position: 0 Block appears above the first paragraph Becomes the opening element of the article Use for: Important disclaimers, introductory notes Position: 1 Block appears below the first paragraph After opening content, before second paragraph Use for: Early CTAs, context-setting information Position: 2 Block appears after the second paragraph Mid-article placement Use for: Newsletter signups, related content Position: 3, 4, 5, etc. Block appears after the corresponding paragraph number Higher numbers = lower in article Strategic Position Examples: Legal Disclaimers: Position 0 or 1 (readers see immediately) Newsletter Signups: Position 2 or 3 (after reader is engaged) Product CTAs: Position 3-5 (after providing value) Summary/Conclusion Blocks: High position number (near article end) Important Note: If an article has fewer paragraphs than the position number, the block may not appear or will appear at the end. Choose positions appropriate for your typical article length. Rotation Configuration Enable Rotation Checkbox: Unchecked (default): Display one static block consistently Checked: Randomly display different blocks from a selection When to Use Rotation: A/B testing different CTAs Varying content to prevent “banner blindness” Displaying seasonal or rotating offers Without Rotation (default): Leave Enable rotation unchecked Static Block dropdown: Select one block from your library That block consistently appears in this placement With Rotation enabled: Check Enable rotation Multiple block selection fields appear Add blocks using the plus (+) button Select a block from each dropdown System randomly selects which block to display Example Rotation Setup: Block 1: “Newsletter Signup Option A” Block 2: “Newsletter Signup Option B” Block 3: “Newsletter Signup Option C” System randomly chooses one for each page view Additional Block Content Additional Block Content/HTML field: Add supplementary content specific to this placement Combines with the main static block content Useful for placement-specific variations Example Use Case: Main block: Generic newsletter signup form Additional content: “Special offer for readers of [Subdomain Name] articles!” Result: Generic form + placement-specific message The editor provides: Add Media button: Insert images Instant Images button: Quick image insertion Full formatting toolbar: Bold, italic, lists, links, alignment, etc. Visual/Code tabs: Switch between visual editor and HTML code Location Targeting for Static Blocks After configuring the block and position, choose where the static block appears: Location Dropdown Options: All Subdomains Block appears across all subdomain articles Use for: Universal disclaimers, site-wide CTAs Selected Subdomains Choose specific subdomains for block placement Select Subdomains box appears when chosen Use Ctrl+Click (Windows) or Cmd+Click (Mac) to select multiple Use for: Niche-specific content, targeted promotions Selected Posts Target individual articles Most precise control When selected, additional filtering options appear: Keyword filter: Search posts by keyword Date filter: Select posts before specific date Select Subdomains: Choose which subdomains to search Search Posts button: Generate list of matching posts Select Posts: Choose specific articles from the list Example Location Strategies: Scenario 1: Affiliate Disclaimer Location: All Subdomains Reasoning: Legal requirement across entire network Scenario 2: Product-Specific CTA Location: Selected Subdomains Selected: Product review subdomains only Reasoning: CTA only relevant to product content Scenario 3: Special Promotion Location: Selected Posts Keyword: “best tools 2025” Selected: Top 20 tool comparison articles Reasoning: Promotion specifically for tool-focused content Advanced Filtering for Selected Posts When using Selected Posts location: Keyword Filter: Enter keyword(s) in the filter field System searches post titles and content Only matching posts appear in selection list Date Filter: Articles Before: Select a date Only posts published before this date are eligible Useful for targeting older content that needs updates Subdomain Selection: Choose subdomains to search within Multiple selection available (Ctrl/Cmd+Click) Narrows down which subdomains’ posts appear Search Posts Button: Click after setting filters System generates list of matching posts Posts appear in Select Posts box below Select Posts Box: List of all posts matching your criteria Select specific posts (Ctrl/Cmd+Click for multiple) Only selected posts will display the static block Example Complete Setup: Goal: Add affiliate disclaimer to product review articles published before Jan 2025 Configuration: Title: “Affiliate Disclaimer – Old Product Reviews” Position: 0 (above first paragraph) Static Block: “Affiliate Disclaimer” (from library) Status: Active Location: Selected Posts Keyword filter: “review” Articles Before: 01/01/2025 Select Subdomains: Product-Review-Subdomain, Tech-Review-Subdomain Click “Search Posts” Select all matching posts from results Click Submit Result: Affiliate disclaimer appears at the top of all product review articles published before January 2025 in the selected review subdomains. Submitting and Activating Placement After configuring all settings: Review all configuration details Ensure Status is set to Active (if ready to go live) Click the Submit button The placement saves and becomes active if status is set to Active. Testing Your Placement: Navigate to an article that should show the block Check the specified position (e.g., after first paragraph) Verify block content displays correctly Test across different articles/subdomains as applicable Managing Static Block Placements Navigate to Static Block Placements tab to view all placements. Placements Dashboard shows: Title: Placement identifier Tags: Any tags assigned Status: Active or Inactive (with colored indicator) Location: Where placement applies (e.g., “Only Selected Posts”) Static Blocks: Which block(s) are used (e.g., “At positions 1”) Created At: Date and time created Edit: Blue button to modify placement Delete: Red button to remove placement Example from screenshot: “TSD Tutorial- Static Block Placement” | Active (green) | Only Selected Posts | At positions 1 | 2025-12-20 05:59:22 GMT Display Options: Show dropdown: Control entries per page (10, 25, 50, etc.) Filter by Tags: Search box to filter placements by tag Search: Find placements by title or other criteria Editing Existing Placements To modify a placement: Click the blue Edit button next to the placement The placement configuration form opens with current settings Modify any settings (position, block, location, status, etc.) Click Submit to save changes Common Edits: Changing position number (moving block higher/lower in articles) Updating status (Inactive ↔ Active) Switching to different block content Adjusting location targeting Adding/removing selected posts Deleting Placements To remove a placement: Click the red Delete button next to the placement Confirm deletion when prompted Placement is permanently removed What happens when you delete a placement: Block immediately stops appearing on affected articles Placement configuration is deleted The block content itself remains in Manage Static Blocks library No articles or content are deleted Best Practices for Static Blocks Strategic Position Selection Match position to content purpose: Position 0-1: Critical information, legal disclaimers Position 2-3: Engagement elements, early CTAs Position 4+: Deeper engagement, conversion elements Keep Blocks Concise Static blocks interrupt reading flow: 2-4 sentences maximum for most blocks Use clear, compelling language Make CTAs obvious and actionable Avoid lengthy explanations Design for Readability Format blocks to stand out appropriately: Use emoji or icons for visual distinction (✓, ⚠️, 📧, 💡) Apply background colors or borders (via HTML/CSS) Bold key information Keep line breaks for readability Test Position Impact Monitor engagement metrics: Try different positions with rotation Track which positions get more clicks Adjust based on user behavior Maintain Consistency For similar content types: Use same positions for same block types Keep formatting consistent across network Update all related blocks when making changes Regular Content Updates Keep blocks current: Update offers and promotions regularly Refresh CTAs to prevent staleness Review legal disclaimers annually Remove outdated seasonal content Use Rotation for Testing When unsure which content works best: Create 2-3 variations Enable rotation Monitor performance over time Keep the winner, retire losers Consider Article Length Match position to typical article length: Short articles (300-500 words): Position 1-2 Medium articles (500-1000 words): Position 2-4 Long articles (1000+ words): Position 3-6+ Combine with Overlays Strategically Don’t overwhelm users: If using overlays, use fewer static blocks Space out interruptions Test combined impact on engagement Example Real-World Scenarios Scenario 1: SEO Agency Managing Client Sites Challenge: Need to add affiliate disclaimers across 500 subdomains Solution: Create one “Standard Affiliate Disclaimer” block Create one placement: Position: 0 Location: All Subdomains Status: Active Disclaimer now appears on all articles across all 500 subdomains Future updates require editing only one block Scenario 2: Seasonal Promotion Campaign Challenge: Promote holiday sale on relevant product subdomains only Solution: Create “Holiday Sale 2025” static block with promo details Create placement: Position: 2 (mid-article engagement) Location: Selected Subdomains Selected: Product-Reviews, Shopping-Guides, Best-Deals subdomains Status: Active Run during promotion period Change Status to Inactive when promotion ends Reactivate next year with updated content Scenario 3: Newsletter Growth Initiative Challenge: Increase newsletter signups without being too pushy Solution: Create three newsletter CTA blocks with different copy Create placement with rotation enabled: Position: 3 (after reader is engaged) Blocks: All three newsletter CTAs rotating Location: All Subdomains Status: Active System shows different CTA to each visitor Monitor which version gets most signups After testing period, disable rotation and use best performer Scenario 4: Legal Update Across Network Challenge: GDPR requires updated privacy notice on EU-facing content Solution: Create “GDPR Privacy Notice” block Create placement: Position: 0 (must be visible immediately) Location: Selected Subdomains Selected: All EU-focused subdomains Status: Active Compliance achieved across relevant subdomains instantly Easy to update notice in one place if regulations change Troubleshooting Static Blocks Issue 1: Block Not Appearing Possible Causes: Status is Inactive Position number exceeds article paragraph count Location targeting doesn’t match article Block was deleted from library Solutions: Verify Status is Active Reduce position number Check location settings match article’s subdomain/category Ensure block exists in Manage Static Blocks Issue 2: Block Appearing in Wrong Position Cause: Position number doesn’t match expectation Solution: Edit placement and adjust Position field Remember: 0 = above first paragraph, 1 = after first paragraph, etc. Issue 3: Multiple Blocks Appearing Cause: Multiple active placements targeting the same articles Solution: Review all placements in dashboard Check location targeting overlap Deactivate or adjust conflicting placements Issue 4: Block Content Looks Wrong Possible Causes: HTML formatting issues Theme CSS conflicts Special characters not encoding properly Solutions: Edit block in Manage Static Blocks Check HTML code for errors Test with simple text first, then add formatting Use Code view in editor to inspect HTML This completes the comprehensive Static Blocks section with detailed explanations, practical examples, and real-world implementation guidance!
