Genx Notes

Genx Notes > Tech > Ghost.org

Tech Tag: Ghost.org

  • What Using ghost.org Taught Me About Staying True to Myself as a Creator

    What Using ghost.org Taught Me About Staying True to Myself as a Creator

    Tried out ghost.org. It’s definitely faster than WordPress, this was surprising. Plus, you don’t have to write in Markdown like hugo, so it’s super easy to create articles. Newsletters can be sent out automatically too. It felt like I could just focus on writing.

    But reality was different. As soon as I got a subscriber for my newsletter, questions started popping up. “This subscriber probably wants to hear more about this topic. Is it bad if I write about something else? But if I publish, the newsletter goes out automatically, and while I can manually turn off the newsletter, isn’t that missing the point of using ghost.org?” As followers increased, I started feeling like I should only post about popular topics. The number of things I talked about narrowed, and it wasn’t as fun anymore.

    I hated the newsletters going out automatically. But I didn’t want to turn them off manually either. And I didn’t want to limit my blog topics. That’s where the frustration kicked in.

    With WordPress, you can create custom post types, so you can keep adding new types of posts without mixing them up with regular ones. ghost.org doesn’t have that concept.

    Eventually, I got tired of it all and decided to go back to WordPress.

    What I felt from using ghost.org is this: every time I tried to talk about something new, I started worrying, “What if I lose followers?” Sure, it’s not the end of the world if someone unsubscribes, but once you start thinking about it, even things you enjoyed become less fun. That’s why, in times like these, what really matters is expressing yourself and having fun, and picking a platform that lets you do just that.

    in , , , ,

  • Why I Switched from Categories to Tags

    Why I Switched from Categories to Tags

    For years, I ran my WordPress website using the classic combination of categories and tags to organize my content. Each post would find a home in one main category—and then gather a handful of tags for good measure. But recently, after spending some time exploring Ghost.org and its elegant approach to publishing, I realized there might be a better way.

    Inspired by Simplicity

    Ghost’s platform immediately struck me with its minimalistic and focused user experience. One thing I noticed was the absence of rigid, hierarchical categories. Instead, Ghost leans on tags as the main way to group and discover content. This led me to a simple question: What if I ditched categories altogether and made tags my core content taxonomy?

    Making the Switch

    The migration wasn’t difficult. I removed categories from my WordPress setup and started organizing everything by tags. Suddenly, posting felt more flexible. Instead of worrying about which category a post belonged in, I could simply assign tags that best described what the article was about.

    What Changed?

    • Navigation became cleaner, both for me and my readers.
    • Adding new topics was as simple as creating a new tag, with no need to reshape an entire category tree.
    • Discoverability improved: Readers can now click on a tag and instantly see every post on that topic, with no extra steps.

    A Fresh Start

    This approach won’t be for everyone—some sites still need the structure that categories provide. But for me, tags have opened up a new, modern way to organize and explore my content. If you’re looking for a flexible, user-friendly taxonomy, give tags a try—you might be surprised by how much simpler things become.

    in ,

  • How to Use Your Own Domain Name with Ghost.org (and Why Cloudflare Helps)

    How to Use Your Own Domain Name with Ghost.org (and Why Cloudflare Helps)

    Do you want to use your own .com or .net for your Ghost blog? It’s actually pretty easy, but there’s an important step: You should use a service called Cloudflare for your domain’s settings. Let’s break down why and how to do it!

    Why Do You Need Cloudflare?

    Normally, when you set up a website, you can point your domain to a server in two ways:

    • You use something called an “A record” for root domains (like mysite.com).
    • You use a “CNAME” for subdomains (like www.mysite.com).

    But Ghost.org needs you to use a “CNAME” for your main (root) domain. Here’s the problem: most companies won’t let you do this for the root domain! This is because of how the old rules of the internet work. Cloudflare is special because it has a tool called CNAME flattening.

    What is CNAME Flattening?

    This just means Cloudflare lets you add a “CNAME” for your main domain. When someone visits your site, Cloudflare automatically handles all the tricky parts. Your site still shows up at your own domain, and it all works smoothly.

    What’s the Big Deal?

    Without Cloudflare, you can’t use a CNAME with your main domain. Your blog might not work the way you want, or you would be stuck using “www.” in front of your address. Cloudflare makes it simple, and you don’t have to worry about the old rules of the internet.

    Easy Steps: How to Connect Your Domain to Ghost with Cloudflare

    1. Move your domain’s DNS to Cloudflare. (First, go to the company where you bought your domain, like GoDaddy or Namecheap. There, update your nameservers so they point to Cloudflare. This lets Cloudflare control your domain’s settings.)
    2. Log in to Cloudflare. Once your nameservers are set up, sign in and go to your domain.
    3. Add a CNAME record for your main domain (@). Set the “@” (which means your main address, like yourdomain.com) Point it to the Ghost address given to you by Ghost (it looks like yourblog.ghost.io).
    4. Add an A record for www A. Add a new A record. B. For “name,” type www C. For “IPv4 address,” use the special IP address Ghost told you to use for www (find this IP in your Ghost setup instructions).
    5. Make sure CNAME Flattening is ON in Cloudflare. Cloudflare usually turns this on for you. This makes your domain work with Ghost even if old internet rules say you can’t use CNAME at the root. Double-check to be sure.

    On Ghost’s side, it’s just three steps:

    1. Enter the domain you want to use.
    2. Create your DNS records (with Cloudflare).
    3. Activate your custom domain!

    Now your Ghost blog will show up at your custom web address!Here is your original step-by-step list, revised for a middle school reading level with your notes included, more line breaks, and simple words:

    Bottom Line

    If you want to use your main domain (like mysite.com) for your Ghost blog, use Cloudflare and CNAME flattening. It’s the easy way to get your custom address working—even when other companies say it’s not possible. Ghost.org and Cloudflare together make your blog easy to find.

    in , , , ,