Navigating the story editor

All story editors are the same on each platform. And since your campaign’s story is arguably the most important part, let’s ensure you can navigate the story edit functions like a pro!

This editor has MANY awesome features to create a powerful story. So, let’s go!

We’ll go through the following features:

1. Getting to the story edit menu
2. Formatting for all devices
3. Why does everything move when I switch screens? Or browsers?
4. Adding tabs
5. Inserting and scaling pictures in the story editor
6. Embedding links
7. Anchors
8. Videos
9. Fonts
10. Can I edit the story after I’ve launched the campaign?

Part 1: Getting to the story edit menu #

You can get to the editor in two ways. Either the pencil icon right in the campaign:

Or from the Edit menu in the sidebar:

The ‘Story’ section is the first item in this menu (scroll passed the title and URL edit sections):

Part 2: Formatting for all devices. #

Make sure your story looks great on ALL devices: Desktop, Tablet, and Mobile views.

Most of your supporters will view your campaign on their phones, so ‘Mobile view’ is the most important to check. We’d hate for you to spend an hour making sure your campaign looks perfect on a desktop only to have the mobile version look not so great…

ALL pictures and columns will be lined up one on top of the other in mobile mode, so be careful of big spaces, squished lettering, and other general funkiness that might appear if you haven’t been factoring this in. 

The preview options are at the top left corner of your campaign, directly to the right of the sidebar menu (if it’s open):

Desktop view:

Mobile view:

Part 3: Why does everything in the story editor move when I switch screens? Or browsers? #

These editors are responsive, meaning they will shift and change to fit the screen they’re viewed on. So your formatting might look slightly different on your desktop screen than on someone else’s. 

Part 4: Adding tabs to the story #

You may add up to two custom tabs into the story section. This is great for ensuring your campaign story isn’t cluttered with tons of information. You can insert links to these tabs in your main story if you are concerned about supporters missing the information (see part 6 for how to insert links). 

Click Edit in your sidebar menu as described above. Then click “Tabs” in the new menu, and your tab options are there:

This will open up the same story editor with an option to name your tab.

And as always, don’t forget to click on the Save button!

Part 5: Inserting and scaling pictures #

Our story editors are rich text editors, meaning you cannot grab the sides of a picture and scale it with your cursor. 

So you might feel a bit stuck when you find yourself with only large photos like the example below:

While this bunny is ADORABLE, this picture is a bit oversized.

There are two options we have to scale him down a little.

1. Resize the photo using an outside source. You don’t need anything fancy; Microsoft Paint or Mac Preview will work fine. Here’s our little buddy scaled back to a much more acceptable 10% of the original:
   

2. Insert photos into a column. You can put words and even other pictures side by side. It’s also the quickest way if you aren’t too fussed about sizing. The picture will match the width of the column if it is bigger than the column (and fit inside the column with spaces if smaller).
   
   Insert a column by clicking its icon in the story editor:

Which opens up the column options. Choose whatever works best for you:

Once the grid is inserted, click on the column you want the picture to go into, then the ‘Insert picture’ icon in the menu. We’re going to insert Georgie’s picture into the middle column:

Et voilà! Appropriately-sized bun:

Here’s a handy feature that you may need after doing this:

When your cursor is in the column, click the menu to move it above or below the grid.

Part 6: Embedding links #

Links to outside pages can be beautifully embedded into your story. Click the ‘Insert link’ icon to begin:

You have many options depending on what you’d like to embed.

1. Text link. This is the simplest option. Enter the URL, then if you want the text in the link to say something other than the site address, enter it as a Label:
   

You can edit or remove this link at any time by clicking the link, then the Insert/Edit or Remove icon:

2. Button. To create an actual button with a link, choose ‘Button’ in the drop down menu for the ‘Display as’ option:
   

3. Embedded site. Much nicer representation of a website than a text link. Note: for most, you will have to ‘Apply’ and then save your changes before viewing, as a preview cannot be shown.

4. Campaign link. You can also direct your readers to a tab in your story or the donation flow!
   
   There is a ‘Generate campaign link’ option tucked under the URL box:

Choose whether to insert a Tab to your story (default), updates, or activity:

OR directly to your campaign’s donation flow:

The ‘Amount’ is what the platform will pre-select for the donation amount – a ‘suggested’ donation. The supporter can always change it.

Note for FundRazr users: You can create a link to your Registration page for multi-tier campaigns as well!

Part 7: Anchors #

If you want to direct a visitor to a specific part of the page immediately, you can use the anchor feature (also sometimes called a bookmark). This creates a link in one part of your story to another part of your story in the same tab.

First, click somewhere in the line that you want to link to. Then click the anchor icon, as shown above. This box will appear:

Enter an ID for your anchor. This is your choice, but it can’t have any spaces. All one word! You can use letters and numbers.

When you click ‘Ok’ you’ll see a little anchor icon beside the section you clicked:

Next, highlight the word or phrase you want to be the physical link. Then click the link icon in your story editor:

In the window that pops up, enter the hashtag/pound sign (this one: # different generations call it different things! :), followed by your anchor ID:

Then click ‘Apply,’ and make sure to save your changes!

Part 8: Videos #

One limitation of the editor is videos can only be uploaded via YouTube or Vimeo. 

Note: You can upload videos from your computer or record them directly onto the campaign in your media gallery, though!

Insert a video by clicking the icon in the story editor:

Then simply enter the link to your desired video:

The video will be posted as a thumbnail – if it’s too big for your liking, insert it into a grid much as we outlined in section 5. 

Part 9: Fonts #

Font sizes can be changed in the editor, but not font types. Only organizations can set a custom font for their campaign content (see our help article on Organization Themes). 

Use ‘Format’ to change the size of your font. Choose whether this is a Header or Paragraph, then the size you’d like.

Bolding or italicizing the font can be done right on the editor with those buttons. Underlining can still be done, but you have to use Ctrl/Cmd + U.

You can also set the colour:

Take some time and play around with the editor and the rest of the options to get a story that visually coincides with the emotion of your campaign.

Part 10: Can I edit the story after I’ve launched? #

You sure can! A campaign’s story is editable at any time before and after launch. After a campaign is finished, however, you will not be able to change it. 

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