Set up your SharePoint Communication site for blogging

Student Guide: This guide shows you how to set up and personalise your SharePoint Communication site for blogging. It explains how to publish posts, manage permissions, make your content accessible, receive notifications, and export your work.

Before you start

Your module team has already created your SharePoint Communication site.
The site name will follow this format:

Module code: Module name Academic Year blog – Your name
For example:
FILM3018: Framing the past (25/26) Blog – tms2g12

You can personalise your site, including the header, footer, and navigation.

This guide shows you how to:

• Publish your blog posts as SharePoint News.
• Personalise the look of your site.
• Manage permissions and sharing.
• Add images, videos and links correctly.
• Receive notifications about new content.
• Save and export your work.

Create a News post

Use News posts to publish your blog entries.

• On your site, select New.
• Select News post.
• Choose a layout.
  • Notice that it’s also possible to choose ‘Create blank’.
• Add a meaningful title.
• Select the + icon to add new sections, text, images or media.
• Select Post and send when you are ready.

Personalise your site

You are welcome to change:

• The header.
• The navigation (for example, adding links to your posts or sections of your site).
• The footer.

It is not possible to change the theme and font as these are associated with the hub site.

To personalise your site:

• Select Settings (the cog icon at the top right).
• Select Change the look.
• Choose Header, Navigation or Footer.
• Adjust the settings you want.
• Select Save.

Be aware: These changes affect only your individual Communication site, not the Hub or module site.

Use headings to structure your post

Use headings so readers can follow the structure.

• Use Heading 2 for main sections.
• Use Heading 3 for subsections.
• Do not skip heading levels.
• Do not use headings for sizing or styling.

SharePoint supports keyboard navigation and screen readers, so the correct heading order is important.

Add images and videos

Add an image.

• Select the + icon within a section (or choose the Toolbox icon).
• Select Image.
• Upload a file or select one from your site.
• Use Edit properties to change your image.
• Add a caption by toggling the Show image caption on.
  • Space for a caption appears below the image.
• In the Accessibility section, add alternative text.

Alt text is essential. Add a short description such as “A student filming on location using a DSLR camera.” Consider why you’ve included the image. If the image is purely decorative, then you can mark it as such.

Consider crediting the image in the caption. (The copyright symbol © is Alt+G on a Mac and Alt+0169 on a PC).

Add a video

You can add a video in three ways:

1. Embed a YouTube video

• In a separate tab in your browser, navigate to YouTube.
• Find the video that you want. If there are multiple versions, find one with captions/transcript.
• Select Share and copy the URL.
• Return to SharePoint.
• Select the + icon within a section (or choose the Toolbox icon).
• Select the YouTube icon.
• A box will appear. Select Add video.
• Paste the URL into the YouTube link or embed code box.
• You can decide the point where you want the video to start playing and whether you want the plater controls to be visible. You can choose to add a caption below the video.

2. Embed a Vimeo video

• In a separate tab in your browser, navigate to Vimeo.
• Log in to Vimeo.
• Find the video that you want. If there are multiple versions, find one with captions/transcript. Select Share.
• Select the Embed tab and then Copy embed code.
• Return to SharePoint.
• Select the + icon within a section (or choose the Toolbox icon).
• Choose Embed.
• Paste the Vimeo link into the Website address or embed code box.
  • You can choose to add a caption below the video.

3. Upload your own video

• Open a new tab in your browser and go to Microsoft Clipchamp.
• Within Clipchamp, you can upload a video, create a screen recording, create a camera recording, create a video project, or create a playlist.
• Selecting the three dots icon in Clipchamp will allow you to Copy link.
• Return to SharePoint.
• Select + or the Toolbox icon.
• Select Video.
• Choose Select Video.
  • You can navigate to something in OneDrive or go to From a link and paste in the URL of your video.

Videos should have captions or a transcript.

Make your writing accessible

Follow these principles:

• Consider the style of your writing. It may be appropriate to:
  • write in short sentences.
  • use plain English.
• Add alt text to all images.
• Use meaningful link text that describes what the text is linking to.
  • Do not write “click here”.
  • Do not just paste in the URL.
• Left-align all text.
• Use headings correctly.
• Check colour contrast if you use coloured sections or backgrounds.
• Use the Accessibility assistant in SharePoint to check your work.

Manage who can see your site

Your classmates and tutors can see your posts. To allow other people to read your posts:

• Select Settings.
• Select Site permissions.
• Add users to Visitors (read‑only access).

Other people should be added as Visitors, not Members, because Members can edit any content on the site. This keeps your work safe for assessment.

Receive notifications about new posts and comments

SharePoint can send notifications when:

• A new News post is published on a site you follow.
• Someone comments on your post.
• Someone likes your post.
• Someone @mentions you.

To receive notifications:

1. Follow your classmates’ sites

• Open a classmate’s site.
• Navigate to Not following (top right) and select it.

2. Join the Viva Connections team in Microsoft Teams

This enables SharePoint News notifications through Teams.

• Open Microsoft Teams.
• Go to your Teams and select Join or create team, then Join team
• Search for Viva Connections.
• Join the team.

3. Turn on SharePoint and Teams notifications

• Go to Teams settings
• Select Settings.
• Choose Notifications and activity.
• Enable Viva Connections.

4. Check your quiet hours

• Go to Viva Insights in Teams.
• Select … at the top right.
• Select Settings (you may need to select Settings again).
• Choose Protect time.
• Configure your quiet time.

Save and export your work

Your SharePoint site will remain in the system even after you leave the University.
However, your access may stop once your University login expires.

You should save copies of your work.

Save a post as a PDF

• Open your published post.
• Select Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac).
• Under Destination, select Save as PDF.
• Select Save.

Copy your content into Word

• Open your published post.
• Select your text and images.
• Select Copy.
• Paste into a Word document.
• Save the file.

Export your page as a webpage (browser-dependent)

Some browsers allow you to save a single‑page archive:

• Open your post.
• Select File > Save page as.
• Choose Webpage, single file (if available).

This saves the full layout.