Admin Map (Ghost Admin, explained like a control panel)
Ghost Admin is not complicated, but it is sensitive: a small change in the wrong place can impact URLs, SEO, newsletters, or membership access.
This page is a full map of the Ghost dashboard so you always know:
- where a setting lives
- what it affects
- what’s safe to do daily vs what requires caution
The big picture (3 engines inside Ghost)
Ghost behaves like three systems sharing one dashboard:
-
Content engine
Posts, pages, tags, authors, media. -
Distribution engine (email)
Newsletters, segments, sending rules, deliverability. -
Membership engine
Members, access rules, paid tiers, Portal, Stripe.
If you’re only writing, stay inside Posts/Pages and the Publishing panel.
If you’re changing how the site behaves, you’re in Settings, and you should slow down.
Your daily safe area (most common screens)
These are the places you’ll use 90% of the time.
1) Posts
Use this for blog articles and updates.
Common actions
- Create a post
- Edit an existing post
- Add a feature image
- Write an excerpt
- Assign tags
- Publish / schedule
- Send as a newsletter (optional)
Hidden detail
- Publishing options are not “one button”. Ghost lets you choose:
- publish on web only
- publish on web + email delivery
- schedule publish
- schedule email delivery (if enabled)
Changing an existing post’s slug (URL) can break inbound links and SEO unless you add a 301 redirect.
2) Pages
Use this for static content:
- About
- Contact
- Terms / Privacy
- Landing pages (non-blog)
Micro detail Pages often look “the same” in the editor, but the theme may render them differently than posts (different template, no feed, different layout).
If the content is evergreen and should be reachable from the menu, it’s probably a Page. If it’s timely content and belongs in the blog feed, it’s a Post.
3) Tags
Tags are not just labels. They act like structure.
Tags can affect:
- how content groups in the UI
- how content appears on the site (tag pages)
- how users browse collections
- segmentation (in some workflows)
- SEO architecture (tag pages get indexed)
Recommended pattern
- 3–8 top-level tags max
- use tags consistently (avoid “almost duplicates”)
If you see SEO, seo, Search, search-engine, that’s a smell. Pick one naming style and stick to it.
4) Staff (Users)
This is who can log into Ghost Admin.
Roles matter because they limit damage:
- Contributor
- Author
- Editor
- Administrator
- Owner
Giving too many people Admin/Owner access is the fastest way to break SEO, newsletters, or theme settings.
Settings: the “engine room” (where you must slow down)
Think of Settings as switches connected to production.
If you touch something here, ask:
- Does this change URLs or slugs?
- Does this change email sending behavior?
- Does this change membership access?
- Does this change theme code or scripts?
If yes to any: checklist time.
Settings: what each section does (with risk level)
General (Site Identity)
What it controls
- Site title and description
- Branding basics (logo, icon, accent color depending on theme)
- Timezone
- Publication language (depending on setup)
Micro details
- Timezone affects:
- scheduled publishing times
- scheduled email delivery
- “publish date” stamps
If your timezone is wrong, scheduled posts can publish at the wrong hour.
Always confirm timezone before you schedule anything important.
Navigation (Menus)
What it controls
- Primary navigation (header menu)
- Secondary navigation (footer menu)
Micro details
- Menu items should point to:
- pages (
/about/) - tag pages (
/tag/seo/) if you use tag hubs - external URLs
- pages (
Keep the primary menu short (4–7 items).
If you need more, use a Resources page or categories.
Design (Theme + Brand Settings)
Depending on your theme, this can include:
- typography, colors, layout toggles
- homepage layout features
- social icons
Micro detail Theme settings are safe-ish, but still can affect:
- header structure
- homepage content blocks
- performance (some toggles enable heavy components)
Theme settings are “safe” only if they don’t change URLs, scripts, or content visibility.
Membership
This controls:
- whether signup is enabled
- access level defaults
- Portal settings
- paid tiers visibility
Changing access rules can suddenly hide content from members, or expose members-only content publicly. Test after any membership-related change.
Micro checks after changes
- test as logged out user
- test as free member (if enabled)
- test as paid member (if enabled)
- verify what the homepage shows (some themes hide/show based on membership)
Newsletters / Email settings
This controls:
- newsletter lists (you can have multiple)
- sender name/email
- reply-to rules
- subscription defaults
- deliverability settings
If you send to the wrong list, you can’t unsend.
Always double-check:
- audience/segment
- subject line
- preview
- sending mode (web-only vs web+email)
Micro details
- “Preview email” and “Preview web” can render differently
- certain cards/features render differently in email (email clients are picky)
Integrations
This controls:
- analytics integrations
- API keys (Admin API / Content API)
- webhooks
If a key leaks, it can be used to read or write content depending on the key type and permissions. Store keys in secure places, not in public docs.
Micro detail
A webhook can cause automation loops if the receiving system triggers another Ghost action.
If you integrate automations, document the flow.
Code Injection
Used to add scripts/styles into:
- site header
- site footer
Typical uses:
- Google Analytics
- tracking pixels
- chat widgets
- small CSS overrides
One bad script can:
- slow down the site
- break layout
- cause console errors
- interfere with member login or Portal
Safe practice
- keep a copy of the previous code before changing anything
- add one snippet at a time
- test on desktop + mobile
- document: what it does, who added it, date
Labs / Advanced (varies by setup)
You might see features like:
- redirects
- routes
- migrations
- beta features
Redirects/routing changes can break SEO quickly.
Always validate important URLs after editing.
The Publishing panel (inside every post/page)
When you’re editing a post/page, the right-side panel is where most important actions live.
Usually includes
- Status: draft / published / scheduled
- Publish date
- Author
- Tags
- Feature image
- Excerpt
- Access control (public/members-only)
- Email delivery options (if enabled)
- SEO settings (meta title/description, social cards)
Before publishing, scan the panel top-to-bottom once.
It catches 80% of mistakes: wrong tag, missing excerpt, wrong access, wrong date.
Quick “Where do I find…?” index
I want to change the menu → Settings → Navigation
I want to update the logo → Settings → General / Design (theme dependent)
I want to schedule a post → Post editor → Publishing panel
I want to send an email → Post editor → Email delivery (Publishing panel)
I want to change who can access content → Post editor → Access / Membership settings
I want to add Google Analytics → Settings → Integrations or Code Injection
I want to fix broken old URLs → Redirects (Settings/Labs/Advanced, depending on setup)
I want to connect an automation → Settings → Integrations → Webhooks
“Stop signs” (when to pause)
Stop and confirm before proceeding if you’re about to:
- change a slug on an existing post
- modify membership access rules
- edit Code Injection
- change email sender settings
- upload/replace theme files
- edit redirects/routing
- Duplicate the post/page (if safe)
- Test in preview
- Ask for review
- Then publish/change in production
Mini checklist: Admin safety before making changes
- I know what section I’m changing
- I know what it affects (URLs, SEO, email, access)
- I have a rollback plan (copy previous values)
- I will validate results after change:
- web preview
- mobile view
- email preview (if sending)
- member access (if relevant)
Notes (for internal use)
Examples:
- “We use 2 newsletters: Weekly Digest and Product Updates”
- “Do not change theme files without dev approval”
- “Primary tags list: SEO, News, Updates, Resources”