> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.hoopai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Blog settings

> Configure blog domain, SEO settings, XML sitemap, RSS feed, authors, and categories for each blog site.

Each blog site has its own settings panel where you control the domain, SEO configuration, RSS feed, sitemap, authors, and categories. Access blog settings by opening a blog site and clicking the **gear icon** (Settings) in the top-right corner.

## Domain setup

Every blog site needs a connected domain before posts are publicly accessible. Under **Domain Setup**, you can assign:

* **Subdomain** — use a subdomain of a domain already connected to your account (e.g., `blog.yourdomain.com`)
* **Custom domain** — connect an entirely separate domain dedicated to the blog (e.g., `yourblog.com`)

After assigning a domain, click **Update Domain** to save. If you are using a custom domain, add the required DNS records at your domain registrar and allow 24–48 hours for propagation before the domain goes live.

<Note>
  A blog site without a connected domain can still be edited and posts can be drafted, but the blog and its posts will not be publicly accessible until a domain is configured and propagated.
</Note>

## RSS feed

Every blog site automatically generates an RSS feed once a domain is connected. The RSS feed URL follows this format:

```
https://yourblog.com/rss.xml
```

The RSS feed updates automatically whenever a post is published or updated. Readers and podcast/newsletter tools can subscribe to the feed to receive new content automatically.

You can configure RSS feed settings — including feed title, description, and item limit — from the **RSS Settings** section inside the blog settings panel.

### RSS feed use cases

* **Email newsletters** — use an RSS-to-email workflow in the Automation builder to automatically send new posts to your subscriber list
* **Content syndication** — submit your RSS feed URL to content aggregators and industry directories for additional distribution
* **Podcast platforms** — if your blog includes audio posts, submit the feed to podcast directories

<Tip>
  Connect your blog RSS feed to an automation workflow that triggers when a new post is published. The workflow can send an email broadcast to your list, post a social media update, and add the contact to a follow-up sequence — all automatically.
</Tip>

## XML sitemap

The HoopAI platform generates an XML sitemap for each blog site automatically. The sitemap is updated every time a post is published, updated, or removed. Search engines use the sitemap to discover and index your blog posts faster than through link crawling alone.

### Generating or viewing the sitemap

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open blog settings">
    Navigate to your blog site and click the gear icon.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go to the SEO or Sitemap section">
    Look for the sitemap option in the settings panel. The sitemap URL follows the format:

    ```
    https://yourblog.com/sitemap.xml
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit to search engines">
    Copy the sitemap URL and submit it in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. This accelerates indexing for new posts.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## SEO settings

Blog-level SEO settings apply across the entire blog site rather than individual posts. Configure:

| Setting                 | Description                                                                                                                                                  |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Blog title**          | The name of the blog, used in browser tabs and as the default title for the blog home page                                                                   |
| **Blog description**    | A summary of the blog's topic and audience, used as the meta description for the blog home page                                                              |
| **Canonical domain**    | The primary domain to use in canonical link tags across all posts. Set this to prevent duplicate content issues when the blog is accessible at multiple URLs |
| **Default cover image** | Fallback image used when a post does not have its own cover image                                                                                            |

### Canonical URLs

Canonical links tell search engines which version of a page is the preferred one when the same content is accessible at multiple URLs. Blog-level canonical settings affect:

* **Blog home page** — sets the canonical for the main blog listing page
* **Category pages** — sets the canonical pattern for all category archive pages
* **Author pages** — sets the canonical pattern for all author archive pages

For individual posts, the canonical URL is configured in the post details panel when publishing.

## Blog search and category navigation

The blog site editor supports adding a **Search** element and a **Category Navigation** element to the blog layout. These features improve user experience and help readers find related content:

* **Blog search** — a search input that filters posts by keyword
* **Category navigation** — a menu or tag cloud listing all available categories, each linking to a filtered post list

Both elements are added through the drag-and-drop blog site editor. Enabling category navigation also strengthens internal linking, which is beneficial for SEO.

## Managing authors and categories

Authors and categories are managed from the blog settings panel:

* **Authors** — see [Blog authors](/blogs/blog-authors) for full instructions
* **Categories** — see [Blog categories and tags](/blogs/blog-categories-tags) for full instructions

<Note>
  Blog settings apply per blog site. If you manage multiple blog sites, configure the domain, RSS feed, and SEO settings separately for each one.
</Note>

## Blog sitemap

The HoopAI platform generates an XML sitemap for each blog site automatically. See [Generating or viewing the sitemap](#generating-or-viewing-the-sitemap) above for instructions on finding your sitemap URL and submitting it to search engines.

### Submitting the sitemap

After generating the sitemap:

1. Copy the sitemap URL (e.g., )
2. Open [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console) and navigate to **Sitemaps**
3. Paste the URL and click **Submit**
4. Repeat for Bing Webmaster Tools if you want Bing indexing coverage

<Tip>
  Resubmit the sitemap after publishing a batch of new posts to accelerate indexing. Google typically processes sitemaps within a few hours of submission.
</Tip>

## Subscribe to blog

Enable email subscriptions so readers are notified when new posts are published.

1. In the blog site editor, add the **Subscribe** element to the blog layout (sidebar, footer, or dedicated section)
2. The subscribe widget collects the visitor's email address and creates or updates a contact in the CRM
3. When a new post is published, an automatic notification email is sent to all subscribers

Pair the subscription with a workflow: trigger on the subscribe form submission to add the contact to a "Blog Subscriber" tag and enroll them in a welcome sequence.

## Blog auto-save

Toggle **Auto-Save** on in the blog post editor to automatically save your content at regular intervals. Auto-save prevents content loss from unexpected browser closures, internet disruptions, or accidental navigation.

When auto-save is enabled:

* Content is saved every few seconds as you type
* A "Last saved" timestamp appears in the editor toolbar
* You can still save manually at any time using **Save and Continue**

<Note>
  Auto-save applies per post and must be toggled on in each post's editor. It does not affect blog site-level settings.
</Note>