Module for Setka Editor, easy magazine-quality layouts for Drupal sites

Setka Editor is WYSIWYG post builder - a user-friendly editorial design tool for creating beautiful layouts that attract, engage and convert. It’s a design-driven editing module that anyone can use to make magazine-quality layouts, without having to deal with CSS or HTML. With this tool, brands, companies, and all kinds of publishers can design everything from visual-first blogs, articles, and posts to landing pages. And its sole purpose is to create beautiful content as effortlessly as possible.

How we found the project

Our developers are active members not only of the international Drupal community. They met creators of Setka Editor and noticed their keen interest in integrating their product with Drupal. After some discussion, we let them know that we were glad to help. It was an easy decision, given our aligned interests and competencies. After all, integrating different services with Drupal is one of our advanced skills. In 2015, we even started a department devoted to such integrations called DruAPI. It’s already developed a number of integration modules, including ones for AmoCRM, WebPurify, and others.

Setka Editor is particularly interesting because it was launched within a leading publishing house turned media agency as a tool built to simplify editorial and content creator needs. It’s made by publishers, for publishers, so the project team is very well-versed with the needs of its target audience.

After an in-house test period, Setka Editor’s founders decided to share it with the world. The tool powers award-winning content projects for over 800 brands and companies around the globe and the team is actively working on extending its audience and developing integrations across content management systems (CMS) and frameworks (CMF). Which is why a partnership with Drupal - one of the world’s most popular platforms - was so crucial.

Objectives of the project

Our main objective was the development of a Drupal integration module for Setka Editor’ services. We needed to make the integration process as simple and as seamless as it is possible, while also ensuring that the user experience remained as convenient and transparent as ever.

Our approach and the project stages

We decided to use “progressive JPEG management method” for the project so the partner could use and test the module at any stage. The first step was creating a minimum viable product (MVP), after which the project acquired a few new features for improved user experience.

Stage 1. Priority functionalities to start using the module: plugin settings for test usage, Editor launch, image uploading, content saving, and a created content display.

Stage 2. We developed final plugin settings to allow module usage with license key. We also developed a synchronization with Setka Editor’s Style Manager, where users can create their own styles and upload fonts to later employ via the module.

Stage 3. We developed the plugin setup and published the module to Drupal’s marketplace.

Stage 4. We refined the Style Manager synchronization and developed file storage while checking for updates and new file versions post-integration.

The outcome

As a result of our development efforts, Setka Editor’s WYSIWYG post builder is now compatible with Drupal 7 and Drupal 8.

In the following video, you can see an example of an article created with a help of the module.

Setka Editor has all the easy-to-use tools you need to do the same with any of your posts, articles, or landing pages. With some help from the module, you can make animations, add illustrations and attractive backgrounds, design stunning layouts, and create content that looks just the way you want it to.

Setka Editor is a tool for editorial teams of one up to 100 or more members. It helps to focus on the editors' main task: creating quality, well-designed content that engages audiences and gets readers to scroll to the end. Setka Editor - WYSIWYG post builder lets publishers and content marketers design unique layouts that fit each story perfectly, while easily customizable design elements let brand style and personality shine through with minimal time spent.

You can find the installation manual on the module’s page.

Why use the module

Adaptive slicing for different screen sizes. Your post will look great on a large horizontal screen as well as on a smartphone.

Team collaboration and access management. Setka Editor features everything you need to work effectively as a group. Add multiple users to posts, set varying user rights and communicate through comments for better workflow.

The grid. The module lets you place content in four, six, or more columns for a beautiful layout and an enhanced reading experience.

It is user-friendly. Setka Editor is much easier to use than other WYSIWYG tools. It turns any CMS into an intuitive visual design and content editor that allows you to create without having to code.

You can reuse templates and styles. Set your preferences once and reuse across posts as many times as needed. This ensures your articles always include elements of your brand personality or corporate identity, which boosts awareness and recall.

Preview mode. You can check out how your future article will look at any moment during editing.

Interactive design. Increase the time readers spend with your content by entering a new level of interactivity. Add animation, anchors or full- width and background images to your layouts on the fly to make your posts more engaging.

SEO best practices. Setka Editor’s code is structured in line with HTML5 standards, working directly within post content to achieve a lower level of nesting and, as a result, faster load times. The tool also supports header tags and alt text for all images.

Great user experience. The module has a clear set of instructions and tips available right within the editing field, as well as in the Help Center on Setka’s website.

In conclusion

The integration with Drupal allowed Setka Editor to attract a new audience. The module has garnered over 100 downloads in the six weeks since its release. And we’ve so enjoyed working with such a skilled partner on one of our favorite kinds of tasks.

We believe that Drupal is the world’s most powerful CMS, and any service will benefit from integrating with it. If you have a project that needs a Drupal module, don’t hesitate to call DrupalJedi!