Platform 2 Guide — This article applies to the new platform. Looking for classic platform docs? Browse the Platform 1 collection.
Why: Understanding how publishing and visibility work is essential to controlling the member experience and avoiding the common issue of content being invisible when you expect it to be shown.
Navigate: App Station > Content Library
Quick Start
Go to the Content Library in App Station.
Select a content item to edit.
Set the Publish Date to control when it appears.
Choose the Visibility Mode: PUBLIC, MEMBERS, or ASSIGNED.
Assign the appropriate Access Levels to control who can see the content.
The Three Controls
Every content item has three visibility controls that determine when and who can see it:
Publish Date: This controls when the content becomes visible in the library. Content without a publish date is a draft and invisible to members. Content with a future publish date is scheduled and will not be visible until that date arrives. Content with a past publish date is published and visible, subject to access controls.
Content Visibility Mode: This defines who can see the content:
PUBLIC: Anyone, including guests, can see it. This is great for marketing and SEO.
MEMBERS: Only logged-in members with the right access levels can see it.
ASSIGNED: Only members with a direct content grant can access it.
Access Levels: This determines which subscription tiers can view the content. Content can require any of multiple access levels, meaning that if a member has any of the required levels, they can see the content.
All three controls must align for a member to see the content.
Publish Dates
Content items can have different statuses based on their publish dates:
Draft: Content with no publish date is a draft and invisible to members.
Scheduled: Content with a future publish date is scheduled and will not be visible until the date arrives.
Published: Content with a past publish date is published and visible, subject to access controls.
Blog posts also have a separate status field (Draft/Published/Scheduled) that you can manage.
Visibility Modes
Understanding visibility modes is crucial for controlling content access:
PUBLIC: This mode allows anyone, including guests, to view the content. It’s ideal for attracting new members.
MEMBERS: This mode restricts visibility to logged-in members who have the required access levels.
ASSIGNED: This mode is for content that is only visible to members who have been directly granted access.
The Dual Publishing Model
The dual publishing model is essential for users of the weekly schedule. Content in a schedule appears in the "This Week" block, regardless of its publish date. However, library visibility still requires a publish date.
Here’s how the combinations work:
Publish Date | In Schedule | Visibility Outcome |
Not set | Yes | Schedule only |
Set | Yes | Both schedule and library |
Set | No | Library only |
Not set | No | Invisible draft |
Practical Scenarios
Here are some common scenarios for managing content visibility:
I want a recipe to appear in this week's plan but not in the library yet: Leave the publish date unset and add it to the schedule.
I want a recipe in both the schedule and the library: Set the publish date and add it to the schedule.
I want to schedule a blog post for next Tuesday: Set the status to Scheduled and set the scheduled date.
I want public teaser content to convert free visitors: Set the visibility to PUBLIC and set the publish date.
Locked Content and Teasers
When members lack the required access level, they may see locked content as a teaser, displaying the title and image but blocking access. This behavior is configurable per access level, allowing you to decide whether locked content is visible or hidden entirely.
Featured Content
Marking content as featured pushes it to the top of content grids that have 'featured first' enabled. This is a great way to highlight your best content or seasonal picks, ensuring they catch your members' attention.