Get client feedback on your Ghost publication

Q: Can stakeholders review a Ghost post before publication?

Yes. Ghost says post previews generate a unique shareable URL that can be sent to the people you choose.

Q: What can a Ghost post preview show?

Ghost supports desktop and mobile previews for web and email, and lets editors preview as a public visitor, free member or paid member.

Q: Does a BugSmash link bypass Ghost private-site mode?

No. A pasted URL does not bypass the shared password. Ghost also states that private-site mode is basic privacy, not secure authentication.

Q: Can reviewers open members-only content?

Only after they complete the Ghost member sign-in flow. Ghost uses a secure magic link and can also provide a one-time login code through Portal.

Q: Do reviewers need Ghost Admin access?

Not when they are reviewing an accessible publication or shareable post preview. Ghost Admin remains the authoring and publishing surface.

Q: Can I review a self-hosted Ghost site?

Yes, when the self-hosted publication is browser-accessible. Ghost officially supports Ghost(Pro) and self-hosting as hosting approaches.

Q: Does BugSmash publish or schedule Ghost content?

No. Publishing and scheduling remain in Ghost. BugSmash records contextual comments and approval on the rendered browser surface.

Paste the publication URL or a shareable Ghost post-preview URL, send one review link, and collect contextual comments on the rendered content.

See how it works

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Ghost previews content. BugSmash organizes feedback on what reviewers see.

Ghost provides publishing controls, live post previews and access settings for publications and members. Those controls remain in effect during a BugSmash review.

Four documented boundaries matter before you share the work:

Ghost Admin is the authoring surface.
Editors create, preview, publish and schedule content in Ghost. Reviewers should receive the rendered publication or shareable post-preview URL rather than an Admin URL.
Post previews have their own shareable URL.
Ghost previews show web and email output across desktop and mobile. A preview can also be viewed as a public visitor, free member or paid member.
Private-site mode uses a shared password.
Ghost describes this setting as basic privacy, not secure authentication. The password still has to be provided to each reviewer who needs access.
Member-only content still requires member access.
Ghost members sign in through a magic link or one-time login code. A review link does not replace that sign-in flow.

BugSmash keeps the review attached to the rendered publication:

share an accessible Ghost page or preview, collect page-specific comments, and keep Ghost publishing and membership access under the publication owner’s control.

How it works

Three steps to a reviewed Ghost publication

Choose the review surface

Use the published ghost.io or custom-domain page, or generate Ghost’s unique shareable URL when the review concerns an unpublished post preview.

Send one BugSmash link

Paste the accessible browser URL into BugSmash and share the generated review link with the client or editorial team.

Revise and verify

Apply approved changes in Ghost, publish or update the content, and review the rendered publication again before sign-off.

Review the rendered Ghost publication, not the Admin screen

Comment on published pages

Attach each note to the exact rendered page and location the reviewer is discussing.

Review shareable post previews

Use the unique Ghost preview URL when stakeholders need to see a post before it is published.

Check responsive presentation

Review desktop, tablet and mobile layouts while keeping the viewport with every comment.

Capture technical context

Keep the page URL, browser, operating system, viewport and screenshot with each website comment.

Preserve Ghost access controls

Private-site passwords and member sign-in continue to decide who can open restricted content.

Keep publication access separate

External reviewers can comment on an accessible publication or preview without receiving Ghost Admin access.

Which Ghost URL should I review?

Use the rendered publication or Ghost’s shareable post preview. Ghost Admin, private-site passwords and member access remain separate controls.

Your URL	Review by URL	What to do
Public Ghost(Pro) ghost.io publication	Works	Paste the public publication URL into BugSmash.
Public Ghost custom domain	Works	Use the active custom-domain page that readers open.
Self-hosted public Ghost publication	Works	Paste the public URL served by the self-hosted Ghost installation.
Unique shareable Ghost post preview	Works	Paste the preview URL Ghost generates and share it with the intended reviewers.
Ghost site in private-site mode	Password required	Provide the shared password separately. A pasted URL does not bypass Ghost’s private-site gate.
Members-only Ghost content	Member access required	Sign in through Ghost’s member flow, or use the Feedback Widget within the authorized publication session.

Using the Feedback Widget on a Ghost publication

Use the BugSmash Feedback Widget on the rendered site when reviewers need to comment while staying inside a private or member-authorized session. Ghost’s password and member controls continue to apply.