Tips for structuring long CMS collection pages

[WillPrice]

Hello.

On the page shared below, I will quickly run out of custom fields (60).

It makes sense to split these sections out and use reference fields. However, this will make it more complex for the client to update.

Ideally, I’d want all this content on one collection page—nice and simple—unless I’m missing something. How would you recommend structuring this page?

Each one requires quite a lot of content unique to each (tour). I’ll have 20-30 in total.

At this point, I’m wondering if it would be easier for them to edit static pages with a Webflow account. It seems counterproductive.

Does anybody have any best-practise thoughts for structuring long pages?

Thanks,
Will

Share link:
https://preview.webflow.com/preview/jon-baines-tours?utm_medium=preview_link&utm_source=designer&utm_content=jon-baines-tours&preview=ce29339e49d57fc4f3cd9b34011f260e&pageId=65e5f573069d22c2863f2c07&itemId=65e5f57c3d839af29a28e5fd&locale=en&workflow=preview

[WillPrice]

I found this article useful; How to structure your Webflow CMS Collections | Webflow Blog

If anyone can recommend any good video walkthroughs, I’d be grateful.

Thanks,
Will

[WillPrice]

Unless I’m mistaken, I cannot build these pages dynamically in Webflow. To make this page work, I need 110 custom fields.

So, I have to dump parts of the design or build the pages individually and ask the client to maintain them manually.

Could somebody with a bit more know-how explain if I’ve got this correct?

Thanks,
Will

[WillPrice]

Right. You build many separate databases and link them to collection pages. I think I’ve figured it out.

[memetican (Michael Wells)]

The Webflow approach allows for a simplistic relational schema. You should be able to build this in 30 fields, and leverage refs, multi-refs, gallery fields and rich text to build out the full page.

The trickier parts are the sub-content sets, for example if you wanted details on each tour stop within the tour, you’d store that in a separate collection, and multi-ref to it.

Essentially you decide piece-by-piece;

• Is part of the main Tour collection as fields
• Is it in a separate collection, and ref’d to ( e.g. tour guide )
• is it in a separate collection, and multiref’d to ( or reverse single-ref’d ), e.g. tour stops
• Is it formed by content + JS in some other means, e.g. a rich text element converted into FAQs

You have to weigh the pros and cons of the administrative process v. the resulting page design v. the build/dev work.

There isn’t a “right” answer or even a “usually”, it really depends on what your goals are.

[WillPrice]

Thanks for the reply, Michael. I can split this into three databases and still make it work for the client.

Main tour content, the itinerary and accommodation. This makes the most sense for them.

I’d like to keep this all in Webflow; I’m not confident with using JS or embedding stuff yet.

A bit of a learning curve, but it’s worth it.

My next challenge is working out if I can find a slider component that works with a collection. My current guess is no.

Anyway,
Thanks again.

[WillPrice]

Actually, I could do with your help.

I can’t get this to work logically on the tour stops specifically.

Here’s what I was thinking.

1. Produce an itinerary collection with a field for each day (1 to 14).
2. Link each text field to the corresponding CMS field.

It works perfectly. However, not all have a fixed amount. So, I get blank panels. No good.

Trying a collection list.

1. Produce an itinerary collection with a field for each day (1 to 14).
2. Put a Collection list on the Collection page and reference each one (tour name).

This only brings in the first item for each collection.

Should I make a collection for each day and then multireference those in the collection? It’s very confusing.

[memetican (Michael Wells)]

I personally prefer this approach;

Coll 1 contains Tours

Coll 2 contains Itinerary steps

• A numeric sequence field contains the tour step / day, e.g. 1-14
• A single ref identifies the related Tour

In your Tour collection page;

Drop a collection list and bind it to Itinerary
Filter it to where Tour = current Tour
Sort it by your sequence field

You’ll get all of them that way.

[WillPrice]

Genius. I’ll give that a go, Michael. Thanks again.

[WillPrice]

Nope. I’m even more confused.

Have I built my collection list the wrong way around?

My Tours Itinerary list is ordered by each tour name, with a field for each day and a tour reference:

The Collection list is bound to the Tour Itineraries collection:

If I add a filter to the collection list to display the current tour, it only brings in one item:

If I remove the filer, it only brings in the Tour References for each tour:

When I try to bind each element to each day, it changes them all to the same one:

I have no idea how to configure this, and it’s melting my brain.

If you could give me a step-by-step, I’d be very grateful.

Here’s my share link: Webflow - Jon Baines Tours

[webdev (Jeff Selser)]

@WillPrice - I am sure if you engage @memetican he can teach you how to solve your particular problem. He does provide consulting.

[WillPrice]

Thanks Jeff; I’ll reach out if I can’t figure this out myself.

[memetican (Michael Wells)]

Hi Will currently your Tour Itineraries collection contains only one row per tour. You’d do one row per day, with only that day’s information.

This structure could be made to work but it;

• is not collection-list-friendly
• Is inflexible
• Requires more layout work
• Limits expansion, e.g. for SEO you could have a page all about Day 6 alone, with photos, etc that really sells that part of the tour.

I’d recommend breaking that up, one row for each Itinerary day.

[WillPrice]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, Michael. I think I’ve got you.

Collection (tour name itinerary) > Rows (Day 1/2/3/5/6/etc.) > Fields (Reference/Title/Location/Text)

Would I place a collection list on the collection page template and filter it using the reference field to the current tour?

It does seem clunky to have so many collections. I’m struggling to get the concept. In my head, one collection for each template would be so much neater and more accessible to update.

I’ll give it a go.

[memetican (Michael Wells)]

@WillPrice

Would I place a collection list on the collection page template and filter it using the reference field to the current tour?

Yes, just as I described above, then you’d see 10 items in your list, for a 10-day itinerary.

@WillPrice

It does seem clunky to have so many collections. I’m struggling to get the concept. In my head, one collection for each template would be so much neater and more accessible to update.

Only 2 here, but splitting the tables in a “normalized” data schema is generally the approach you want for a master-detail structure like this.

Take advantage of Webflow’s CMS design to build yourself some great SEO here, I use this a ton. Add photos to your itinerary days, longer descriptions, maybe comments at some point, small video clips, and a big button “book this tour” which takes them back to the master tour booking page.

[WillPrice]

Yes, we want to expand this in the future to juice up the pages. Video should be on our wish list here; that’s a good call. When you say only 2, the penny dropped. I think I’ve got it now.

I’ll see how I get on. Once this is done, I’ll be in touch. I appreciate the help.