HubSpot Multi-Author Blogs: Unlocking Secondary Contributors in Your Content Strategy
Hey there, ESHOPMAN readers! As fellow HubSpot enthusiasts and e-commerce pros, we know the power of compelling content. And nothing says 'authority' and 'diverse perspective' quite like a multi-author blog. HubSpot recently rolled out the fantastic capability to assign multiple authors to a single blog post, which is a game-changer for content teams, guest contributors, and thought leadership. But what happens when that shiny new feature doesn't quite play nice with your existing HubL modules?
That's exactly the dilemma a community member faced in the HubSpot Community forums recently. They highlighted a common pain point that many of us in RevOps and marketing, especially those running an online shopping website builder or a sophisticated e-commerce platform, might encounter. The original poster noticed that while they could assign multiple authors in the blog editor, the blog_recent_author_posts function wasn't returning posts if the author wasn't the primary one. A classic 'works in the UI, not in the code' scenario!
The Multi-Author Mystery: What the Community Discovered
When the original poster brought up this issue, it sparked a valuable discussion. Another community member quickly chimed in, confirming the suspicion: it looked like the API also only returned one author for a blog post, even with multiple added. This pointed to a potential disconnect between the front-end user experience and the underlying technical functions.
It’s a critical observation, especially when you consider how important detailed author profiles are for SEO and building trust. Imagine putting in all that effort to curate diverse voices for your brand, only to find that your custom author pages or 'recent posts by this author' sections aren't reflecting the full picture. For an e-commerce business, this could mean missed opportunities to highlight product experts or guest bloggers who add immense value.
A HubSpot Community Manager acknowledged the post, tagging several other community members and developers to see if they had similar experiences or workarounds. This collaborative spirit is what makes the HubSpot Community such an invaluable resource for solving real-world challenges.
The Official Word & The Workaround
The good news is that HubSpot’s internal teams were already aware of this behavior. A HubSpot staff member provided the crucial insight: this was an area where they were actively working on updates, and the documentation hadn't quite caught up yet. This kind of transparency is always appreciated!
More importantly, they offered a practical workaround for developers and marketers keen to display all their contributors:
You can use the HubL function blog_author_list to grab a list of all authors on your blog. From there, you can loop through this list and display the authors' names and link to their respective posts. While it requires a bit of custom HubL, it ensures you don't miss out on showcasing your valuable secondary authors.
How to Implement the Workaround (Conceptually):
- Identify the Need: Determine where you want to display posts by secondary authors (e.g., on a contributor's profile page, a 'related posts' section, or a general author directory).
- Utilize
blog_author_list: This HubL function provides access to all your blog authors. - Custom HubL Logic: You'll need to write custom HubL code to iterate through the posts and check if the author you're looking for (primary or secondary) is associated with them. This might involve fetching individual blog posts and then checking their author arrays.
- Display: Once you've identified the relevant posts, you can display them as needed, ensuring all contributors get their due credit.
This approach gives you the flexibility to build custom modules that truly reflect your content strategy, even while HubSpot continues to refine its core functions and documentation. It's a testament to the power of HubL for those who want to fully customize their HubSpot-powered websites.
ESHOPMAN Team Comment
We believe this discussion highlights a critical feature for any modern content strategy, especially for e-commerce brands leveraging HubSpot. While the current workaround using blog_author_list is viable for developers, HubSpot should prioritize full native support for secondary authors across all HubL functions and APIs. Showcasing all contributors is vital for SEO, brand authority, and user engagement, which are all crucial elements for any successful online store. We're excited for the upcoming updates that will streamline this experience.
So, if you’ve been scratching your head trying to figure out why your secondary authors weren't showing up, you're not alone! The HubSpot Community once again proves its worth by providing real-time solutions and flagging areas for improvement. Keep an eye on HubSpot's official updates, as they're working to make this even smoother. In the meantime, don't shy away from diving into some custom HubL to give all your amazing content creators the spotlight they deserve!
Happy blogging, and happy selling!