#  Use the News Content Type for Story-Driven Content 

 



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The News content type in HarvardSites is built for more than time-stamped updates. You can use it to publish stories that highlight projects, people, or milestones. When combined with the right layout components, News entries can form the foundation of a rich, thematic page or report.



 

##  Why it matters 

 



 

- **Flexibility:** One content type can support both timely updates and longer narratives.
- **Consistency:** Using News entries ensures a standard structure and styling across your site.
- **Discoverability:** News content appears in News Lists, archives, and filtered views, making it easy to feature and cross-link.



 



      ![News content type](/sites/g/files/omnuum631/files/styles/hwp_1_1__480x480/public/2026-03/images_news.png?itok=fuoBjcJ1) 

 

 

  

 



 

 

 

##  How to do it 

- **Choose News when writing narrative content.**
    
    Use News entries for profiles, initiative updates, or annual reflections.
    
    Avoid defaulting to Basic Page when the content is story-based.
- **Remove the publish date when appropriate.**
    
    If the story is evergreen, you can hide the date from display in the component settings.
    
    This keeps the content relevant without looking outdated.
- **Add a strong title and excerpt.**
    
    Keep titles concise and descriptive.
    
    Use the excerpt field to summarize the story and encourage clicks when it's featured in a list or card.



 

##  Accessibility tip 

- Write headlines and excerpts in plain language.
- Don’t use formatting to style the title inside the body, use the proper title and summary fields instead.
- Add alt text and descriptive captions to any images within the News body content.



 

##  Resources 

- [HarvardSites News Component Overview](https://drupal.harvardsites.harvard.edu/news)
- [Harvard Library Writing Guide](https://library.harvard.edu/writing-guide)



 

 



 

 See also:- [ Storytelling ](/how-guides-topics/storytelling)
- [ Content Clarity ](/how-guides-topics/content-clarity)
- [ How-To Guides ](/page-categories/how-guides)