How to build a portal for SMF 2.1

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How to Build a Portal Page in SMF 2.1 with Better Portal

Better Portal was designed to make building custom pages for SMF simple, flexible, and easy to manage.

You do not need to build a separate website, edit template files, or fight with complicated page-builder software.

With Better Portal, you can create pages using rows, columns, and reusable blocks directly from the SMF Admin area.

This guide walks through the basic process.

1. Open the Better Portal Page Builder

From the SMF Admin Center, open Better Portal and go to the Page Builder.

This is where you create and manage Portal pages.

You can either work with an existing page or create a new one from the Pages area.

Screenshot: Better Portal Page Builder

2. Create or select a page

Each Portal page has its own settings and layout.

Typical page settings include:

• Page title
• Slug
• Whether the page appears in Portal navigation
• Menu label
• Menu order
• Who is allowed to view the page
• Whether the page is enabled

This means you can build completely separate pages for different purposes.

For example:

• Home page
• Downloads page
• Gallery page
• Support page
• MOD landing page
• Staff-only page

3. Add a row

Portal pages are built using rows.

Each row can use its own column layout.

Depending on the page you are building, you might choose:

• One full-width column
• Two equal columns
• A narrow sidebar with a wider main column
• A wider main column with a narrow sidebar
• Three-column layouts

This lets you build the page around the content instead of forcing every page into the same layout.

Screenshot: Adding a row and selecting a layout

4. Add blocks to the columns

Once a row exists, choose a block from the dropdown beneath the column where you want it to appear.

Click Add Block, and Better Portal will place that block into the selected column.

Available blocks can include things such as:

• Custom Text
• Latest Forum Posts
• Latest Topics
• Who's Online
• Forum Statistics
• Forum content

If other Better SMF MODs are installed, additional blocks can become available automatically.

Examples can include:

• Better Gallery blocks
• Better Downloads blocks
• Better Chat blocks
• Better Reactions & Likes blocks
• Better Ads placements

5. Configure each block

Every block has its own settings.

Depending on the block, you may be able to change things like:

• Block title
• Column placement
• Whether the block is enabled
• Whether the block title is displayed
• Number of items to show
• Display style
• Selected album, board, category, or other content source

This keeps the page flexible without requiring custom code.

6. Reorder blocks and rows

As the page grows, you can move blocks and rows until the layout feels right.

Better Portal is designed so that page building stays visual and predictable.

You can build the page a little at a time, save it, preview it, and continue refining the layout without rebuilding everything from scratch.

7. Use Custom Text for introductions and landing-page content

The Custom Text block is especially useful for:

• Page introductions
• Product descriptions
• Instructions
• Marketing copy
• Download links
• Support information

Because Custom Text supports SMF BBC, you can use familiar formatting such as:

• Bold text
• Italic text
• Lists
• Links
• Images
• Floated images
• Centered headings and callouts

8. Add screenshots with Better Gallery

If Better Gallery is installed, a useful option for landing pages is the Selected Gallery Album block.

This lets you choose one Gallery album and display its images directly on the Portal page.

That works especially well for:

• MOD screenshots
• Product demonstrations
• Before-and-after examples
• Feature galleries

The images remain managed by Better Gallery, so you can update the album later without rebuilding the Portal page.

9. Save and preview the page

Once the layout and blocks are in place, save the page and use the preview option to see how it looks.

Check the page on both desktop and mobile.

Better Portal layouts are designed to stack cleanly on smaller screens, so multi-column desktop layouts remain usable on phones and tablets.

10. Decide whether the page should appear in navigation

Not every Portal page needs a menu button.

You can choose whether a page appears in Better Portal navigation.

This is useful for things like:

• Landing pages reached through links
• Temporary campaign pages
• Staff-only pages
• Product pages linked from the Downloads area

That gives you control over how visitors discover each page.

A simple example

A product landing page might use a two-column row:

• Left column: Custom Text with the product description and features
• Right column: Selected Gallery Album showing screenshots

Underneath that, you could add a Download link, support information, or related MODs.

That is the same approach used on Better SMF for MOD landing pages.

The goal is to keep it simple

Better Portal is not trying to replace SMF with a complicated content-management system.

It is meant to give administrators an easier way to build useful pages while keeping the site connected to the forum.

You choose the page.

You choose the layout.

You choose the blocks.

Better Portal handles the structure.

Build the page you want. Keep the forum you love.

Want to see everything Better Portal can do?

Learn more about Better Portal for SMF 2.1