The ability to create a post is the essential thing every blogger needs to learn. Well-formated content will not only draw more visitors to your blog, but it will also keep them longer. Because of that, the first thing every new WordPress blogger should do is learn How to add a new blog post on WordPress.
Back in 2011, we created a guide on how to create a post in WordPress (with classic editor); however, since then, the WordPress post editor has been rebuilt entirely. You can still use the old post editor using WordPress plugins; however, this solution is not permanent. Classic post editor will eventually become unsupported, and you will need to learn how to use the new one which is now using blocks.
In this quick guide, I’ll walk you through how to add and edit your own blog posts. Let’s dive right in!
#1 Add a new blog post on WordPress
To add a new post to your blog, head over to your WordPress Dashboard and find the “Posts” tab on the left-hand side. Click on it, and then select “Add New Post” from the dropdown menu.
Once you click that, you’ll be taken to the post editor. On the left, you’ll have a big space for your post content. On the right, you’ll find a toolbar with all sorts of extra options. If you don’t see the toolbar, make sure the ‘Settings’ button is active.
Your posts (and pages) are built from blocks. You can add those blocks by clicking on any plus symbol in the post area and the top bar.
The top bar plus button is better for beginners because it includes a description of each block. Most are straightforward; however, you can always learn something new by browsing block descriptions.
#2 Managing your blocks
Once you add a block to your post, it will appear under the title area. Select your new block to reveal even more options!
There is no limit to the number of blocks you can have in your post. To make your blog post more appealing, make sure to use different blocks, for example, images or headings.
TIP: Use the six-dots icon to drag and drop your block, or use the up and down arrows to move it
If you plan to work on your post for a longer time, remember to hit ‘Save Draft’ in the top right corner to save your progress for later.
#3 Assign your post to a category
With the post ready to publish, it is time to assign it to the proper category and add some tags.
Categories vs. Tags – What’s the difference?
Use the right column settings to add new categories or pick an existing one. Both categories and tags help your visitors find the content they seek, so you should never skip this step.
First, make sure that your right settings panel view is switched from Block to Post and Look for the Categories section
Click on the tab name to expand it and find all the options.
If you’ve already got some categories, just pick the ones that fit your post. If you don’t have any yet, or need to add some new ones, click ‘Add New Categories‘ first.
#4 Add a featured image
Another essential part of each post is your featured image, also known as a cover photo of your post. The picture that you will upload here is used for your post excerpts (short post snippets on the homepage) and when you share your post, for example, on social media.
To add a featured image, find the ‘Featured Image’ section in the settings panel on the right. And don’t forget to switch the settings view to ‘Post’ instead of ‘Block’.
Select an image that best represents the content of your post, and choose one that is visually appealing. Make sure it is not too large, as it may impact the loading speed of your website.
#5 Publish your post
Is your post ready? Let’s do a quick check! You should already have:
- Post Title
- Post content (build from blocks)
- At least one post category
- Featured Image
With all those elements in place, head to the top of the right column. Before you hit the ‘Publish’ button, it is worth taking a look at the options below it.
Clicking on underlined elements lets you change some basic options for your post. For example, if you click ‘Immediately’ next to ‘Publish,’ you can choose when you want your post to go live. This is handy if you want to write a few posts in advance and schedule them to be published later.
Remember to preview your post before publishing it!
If the preview is alright and you are happy with what you see, you can finally click ‘Publish’ and create your post in WordPress. The post editor will ask you to double-check everything and suggest options you may want to look through.
You must click ‘Publish’ again to confirm that everything is double-checked and that you want to publish your post.
Congratulation! You have created your first post!
I hope this guide was helpful and you learned how to add a new blog post on WordPress! Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or if there are any topics you would like me to cover in the next guides.
Remember – there are no stupid questions!
We have all been there. In the beginning, even the most natural and obvious things for everyday WordPress users can look complicated.
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