Mastering Dynamic Filtered Blog Posts in Webflow: A Comprehensive Guide

Creating a blog site with dynamic filtered posts is an essential aspect of many Webflow projects. It allows for a more organized structure and an improved user experience as readers can easily find the content they're interested in. However, setting up dynamic filtered blog posts may seem a bit complex, especially when it comes to displaying items that match a specific category on a page. But don’t worry, this guide will walk you through the process, making it easy to master dynamic filtered blog posts in Webflow.

The Problem

Like many Webflow users, you might have already created a two-level structure for your blog: a 'Category' level to define the category of blog posts, and a 'Blog Posts' level linked to the 'Category' using a Reference field. This structure automatically generates two Collection Pages: 'Category' and 'Blog Post'. The logical next step would be to create a blog post collection on a Category Collection Page and display all related posts. But, here is where the challenge comes in - how to dynamically filter the collection items to display only the ones that match the category on the page? This question was raised in the Webflow forum, and we'll provide a solution below.

The Solution

To dynamically filter your blog posts according to their category, you can utilize the collection list settings in your Category Template Page. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Select the Collection List Wrapper

In your Category Template Page, select the Collection List Wrapper or Collection List that you want to filter.

2. Navigate to the Settings Tab

Once the Collection List Wrapper or Collection List is selected, navigate to the settings tab.

3. Add a Filter

In the settings tab, you can add a filter. Click on the plus (+) sign next to 'Filters'.

4. Set the Filter Parameters

Select 'Category' (or the name of your category field) in the first dropdown, choose 'equals' in the second field, and select 'Current Category' in the third field. This will ensure that only blog content associated with the reference Category page selected will be displayed.

5. Save and Publish

Once you've set the filter, save your changes and publish your site. You should now see that the blog posts are filtered dynamically based on the category.

This simple solution, suggested by a Webflow user on the forum, allows you to display only the blog posts that are related to a specific category on the Category Collection Page, enhancing the user experience on your blog site.

Remember, Webflow's power lies in its flexibility and the control it gives you over your website's design. Don't be afraid to explore and experiment with different features to create the perfect blog site for your needs.

Top Tip: Supercharge Your User Experience with Conditional Visibility

Now that you've mastered dynamic filtering, let's take it a step further. A fantastic feature you might not have stumbled upon yet is the use of 'Conditional Visibility' in Webflow. This feature allows you to show or hide elements based on certain conditions. For instance, you can hide a blog post that doesn’t have an image or show a specific message if there are no blog posts in a category.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Select the element you want to apply conditional visibility to

For example, select a 'Collection Item' if you want to hide a blog post that doesn’t have an image.

2. Navigate to the Settings tab

Go to the settings tab and click on the plus (+) sign next to 'Conditional Visibility'.

3. Set the conditions

In the 'When this Collection Item' field, select 'Image' (or the name of your image field) and then 'is set'.

This will hide the Collection Item whenever there isn't an image linked to the blog post, enhancing the overall aesthetic of your blog.

Similarly, you can apply conditional visibility to a text block, showing a message like "No posts in this category yet" when there are no blog posts in a category. Just set the conditions as 'Number of items in the category' and 'equals to 0'.

So, go ahead and explore the power of conditional visibility. It's one of those hidden gems in Webflow that can make a big difference in your website's user experience.