SharePoint Editorial Web Part Guide

Key insights

• Editorial Card
  The new SharePoint web part that creates card-style content blocks for pages and news, letting editors add headlines, descriptions, categories, and calls to action without coding.
• Layouts
  Pick from Image Overlay, Color Block, or Split to control visual impact and balance images with overlaid text or bold backgrounds.
• Rich Text Editor
  Format text at the character level, choose fonts and alignment, and build clear, branded headlines and descriptions inside the web part.
• Adding to a page
  Open the page in edit mode, click "+", search for the web part, configure fields like section name and link, and preview changes instantly.
• Benefits
  Boosts visual engagement, speeds page creation, and supports consistent Branding without needing designers or developers.
• Accessibility & rollout
  Built on modern SharePoint standards for responsive and accessible pages; reached general availability worldwide in early 2025 and now fits intranet, team, and communication sites.

Overview of the Video and Its Purpose

The YouTube video from SharePoint Maven Inc introduces the Editorial Card web part for SharePoint and shows how it can quickly upgrade intranet pages. The presenter frames the tool as a simple way to make homepages, department sites, and event pages look more polished without coding. Consequently, the video focuses on practical steps such as choosing layouts, adding background images or color blocks, and creating call-to-action buttons that users might click. Overall, the piece aims to help non-developers make attractive, usable pages fast.

How the Editorial Card Works in Practice

First, the video demonstrates the core building blocks: a section/category name, headline, description, and a call-to-action link, all configurable in the properties pane while editing a page. Then, the presenter shows three built-in layouts—image overlay, color block, and split—that change how text and visuals combine, and the changes preview immediately in editing mode. Furthermore, the web part uses a full rich text editor for styling text, alignment, and fonts, which makes it easier to match brand needs without custom code. As a result, site owners can iterate quickly and see how content will appear to end users.

Benefits Highlighted by the Author

The video emphasizes visual engagement as a primary advantage, arguing that card-based content stands out and improves reader attention on busy intranet pages. Moreover, it notes that the web part reduces the need for separate image, text, and button web parts by packaging them into one flexible container, which speeds up page creation. In addition, the presenter points out accessibility and mobile responsiveness, because the component follows modern SharePoint practices and adapts across devices. Therefore, communicators can produce more consistent, branded pages with less effort.

Tradeoffs and Practical Challenges

However, the video also implies tradeoffs that editors should weigh. For example, rich imagery can boost appeal but may slow page load times and require careful licensing and optimization; in contrast, solid color blocks perform better but can feel less distinctive. In addition, while customization choices let teams match brand styles, too much variety can harm overall consistency across a corporate intranet if governance is weak. Consequently, organizations need to balance creative freedom with template rules and image standards to avoid inconsistent experiences.

Governance, Adoption, and Best Practices

The presenter suggests several practical steps that help adoption: use the web part on high-traffic pages like homepages and campaigns, train site owners on layout selection, and create a small set of approved styles and images. Meanwhile, IT and communications teams should create guidelines that limit fonts and color usage, because centralized rules reduce rework and improve accessibility. Also, the video recommends testing how cards look on mobile and in different languages, since short headlines and concise descriptions often work better across localized sites. Ultimately, a mix of training, templates, and review can help teams scale attractive pages while avoiding governance pitfalls.

When to Extend Versus When to Keep It Simple

Finally, the video frames a clear decision path: use the Editorial Card web part when you need quick, attractive content blocks without development effort, but consider custom solutions when you require complex interactivity or data-driven cards. Moreover, the web part fits most communication needs, yet it has limits—for example, fixed layout choices and constrained field lengths that may not suit every scenario. Therefore, teams should assess whether a polished out-of-the-box option meets their goals or whether a developer-built web part is worth the extra work. In short, weighing speed and ease against long-term flexibility will guide the right approach.

In summary, the video from SharePoint Maven Inc offers a clear, practical walkthrough of the Editorial Card web part and makes a strong case for its role in modern intranet design. While the tool boosts aesthetics and speeds up page creation, organizations must manage image performance, governance, and consistency. By balancing those factors and following simple best practices, teams can use this web part to create more engaging SharePoint pages without unnecessary complexity.

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