Dawn Theme Tweaks: Adding Buttons to Your Shopify Pages

Adding a Button to a 'Default' Page in Shopify's Dawn Theme

Hey everyone! I was browsing the Shopify Community forums the other day and came across a question that I thought a lot of you might find helpful. A user named HowLove wanted to add a button to a supplementary page on their Shopify store, which was built using the 'default' page template in the Dawn theme. It's a pretty common scenario, so let's dive into how you can tackle this.

Understanding the Challenge

The default page template in Shopify themes is often quite basic. It's designed to display content, but it might not always include all the fancy elements you want, like a prominent call-to-action button. So, how do you go about adding one without messing things up?

The Community's Solutions

Thankfully, the Shopify Community is always buzzing with helpful suggestions. Here’s a breakdown of the approaches suggested in the thread:

Option 1: Custom Liquid Block (No Code!)

Adrian.Nathalia suggested using a Custom Liquid block within the page template. This is a fantastic option if you want a quick and easy solution that doesn't require you to delve deep into the theme's code. It's also considered a safe approach because it minimizes the risk of conflicts when you update your theme in the future.

Here's how you might implement it:

1. In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes > Customize.
2. Navigate to the page where you want to add the button.
3. In the page editor, add a Custom Liquid block.
4. Inside the Custom Liquid block, paste the HTML code for your button. Here's a simple example:

Click Me!

5. You might need to add some CSS to style the button to match your theme. You can add this CSS in the theme settings or in a separate CSS file.

Option 2: Creating a New Page Template

Both Adrian.Nathalia and Dan-From-Ryviu proposed creating a new page template specifically for pages that need a button. This is a more robust solution if you plan to reuse the button on multiple pages. It involves a bit more work upfront, but it can be worth it in the long run.

Here's how to create a new page template:

1. In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes > Edit code.
2. Under the Templates directory, create a new file named something like page.with-button.json.
3. Copy the contents of your existing page.json file into the new file.
4. Now, edit the new template file to include the button section. This might involve adding a new section or modifying an existing one.
5. In your Shopify admin, go to the page where you want to use the new template and select it from the Template dropdown.

Dan-From-Ryviu even included some helpful screenshots to illustrate the process:

A Word on Customization

Remember that when you're customizing your Shopify theme, it's always a good idea to create a backup first. This way, if something goes wrong, you can easily revert to the previous version. Also, be careful when editing theme files directly, as mistakes can break your site. If you're not comfortable working with code, consider hiring a Shopify expert to help you out.

Which Option is Right for You?

The best approach depends on your specific needs and technical skills. If you just need to add a button to a single page and don't want to touch any code, the Custom Liquid block is the way to go. If you need to add buttons to multiple pages and are comfortable editing theme files, creating a new page template is a more scalable solution.

Hopefully, this breakdown helps you add that button to your Shopify page! Remember to test your changes thoroughly and always back up your theme before making any major modifications. Happy selling!