How to create pages without links to them in Freestyler CMS

08 July 2008 - By Sean Fishlock

I've had a few customers ask about how to do this lately - how to create web pages using Freestyler that aren't automatically linked to.  How to create standalone pages both is and isn't a strange request.  I've recently  posted about the importance of link integrity to content management systems (and that Freestyler does this automagically using "logical linking", "further information links" and "shortcuts").  Well, these types of pages can be just as important to the savvy Internet marketer.  It isn't yet in any manual, it is more of a tip and technique and is only readily accessible in some configurations of Freestyler, so I'll cover it briefly here and hopefully we'll include step-by-step instructions later.

In technical terms we sometimes refer to these as "orphaned pages".  Generally they should be discouraged (and some content management systems and particularly wikis are plagued by their associated problems) but in business terms, it can be a powerful tool for marketing campaigns, as you can use them as "landing pages" for targetted messages.  In fact, on the Datalink website we have several.

One example from a customer's case is that they had a YouTube video template and they only wanted to enable specific customers to see the URL, though they didn't want to login protect it.  So they wanted a public page that wouldn't have any links to it on the site.  Another example is a product which might not be part of your standard product line which you want to promote directly using a Google advertising campaign.

One consideration is that these types of pages need to be publicly accessible, but only by direct link.  Another consideration is that it isn't always appropriate for these pages aren't retrieved in search results or appear on your sitemap templates.

So before you go pulling your hair out lets have a look at some of the ways you can create them.

The instructions are pretty much the same for all versions of Freestyler.  The best way to achieve landing pages like these is to add nodes (or pages) at the "root level" of your site.  That way the URL is as friendly as possible (see my blog post on the importance of friendly urls).  For example www.datalink.com.au/youthportal is easy to type into a browser and an easy link to remember.

Step 1 - check that the main menu content pages are inside the home node

The first thing to look for is to ensure that your main menu content pages are inside the home node or that the home node is the only node at root level.  If you are lucky (and see something like pictured below), then you might be able to add new pages at the same level as the main menu without any drama. 

Sometimes Freestyler is configured to have the main menu content pages at root level (see picture below, and the newsletter "April/May" picture is such a page/node which doesn't show up on the site).  This is usually done for a variety of reasons (such as when there is a dynamic fly-out type menu, because it is the easiest way for the designers to generate the menu). 

If it is set up this way, then don't panic.  You may not be able to add your landing pages using Freestyler, but they can still be added.  You can still do it directly from the database (or Datalink can do it for you).  In future, you may wish to ask your designers to implement the CMS so that your Home node is at root level - and this might require them to build the site in a slightly different way.

Step 2 - check if/how your main menu dynamically generated

If it is, then the next thing you need to ensure is that your main menu isn't dynamic content.  That is, if you add another page at root level, is it going to automatically show up as a menu item ?  Although it isn't necessary to do so, some main menus are "hardcoded" to a certain information architecture or content structure.  This is designed to remove information architecture decisions from content editors.  You might need to test this first.  If it is dynamic, then still don't panic. The way to go might be to use a different type of template that the menu system doesn't use.  This way it will be bypassed when the menu is generated.  You may have to get your designer/developer to build this template for you however.

Step 3 - consider whether you want no links at all

The sitemap and/or search templates can be modified to filter out certain pages (by a MagicID) or templates (by type).  If you don't want search engines or the world to know the page exists, then make sure you tell your designer or developer this.

Final Step ! - create your orphan or landing page

So there you go, and if any doubt, please contact us.  Tell us about the specifics of your campaign so that we can customise a solution for you.  If you can't do it straight away, then we can always help you to get it going.

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