It’s not as difficult as it seems, but there are a few things you need to know to publish a blog post that will be successful.

In this article, we’ll teach you the basics of how to publish a blog post.

We’ll cover the following items for you.

• The main parts of a blog post
• How to decide what to write about
• How to optimize for the search engines
• How to optimize for your readers
• How to share your posts on social media
• How to track the results of your efforts

The Basics of Blog Publishing

If you’re new to blogging, you might wonder about the basics.

Let’s dig in.

What Does It Mean To Publish a Blog Post?

Publishing a blog post simply means making your article live on the internet for anyone to read.

When you hit “publish” on your blog post, it will go live on your website for the world to see.

Google can now start tracking the post to determine where to rank it for its primary keyword.

What Should I Publish on My Blog?

The best way to figure out what to write about is to think about your audience.

Who are you writing for?

What would they like to read about?

Once you’ve considered these things, it will become easier to come up with ideas for blog posts.

Is It Free to Post a Blog?

If you want to create a blog, you can try one of the available free platforms.

For instance, you might try using WordPress.com or Wix.

However, you might decide that using a custom domain name makes the most sense.

You’ll need to pay for hosting when using a custom domain to gain more control over your blog.

What Are the Main Parts of a Blog Post?

The main sections of a blog post include the following.

1. Overall Theme of the Post

The overall theme or main idea of your blog post can be something like “How to Make a Pizza” or “The Five Best Beaches in Hawaii.”

2. The Goal of the Blog Post

Once you’ve decided on a theme, you need to figure out the goal of your blog post.

• Are you teaching your readers how to do something?
• Are you reviewing a product?
• Are you sharing your own experiences?

Your goal will determine the tone and structure of your blog post.

3. Title of the Blog Post

The title of your blog post should reflect the main theme.

For instance, a title like “How to Make a Pizza” tells the reader what they can expect from the article.

4. Blog Post Content

Blog post content represents the meat of your blog post.

It is where you’ll share your how-to’s, product reviews, or personal experiences.

Strive to create well-written, engaging, and informative content.

5. Call to Action

At the end of your blog post, always include a call to action.

It could be something like “subscribe to our newsletter” or “follow us on social media.”

How To Publish a Blog Post

Now that you understand the basics of blog publishing, let’s look at how to publish a blog post.

1. Decide What To Write About

The first step in publishing a blog post is deciding what to write about.

As we mentioned above, the best way to come up with ideas is to think about your audience and what they might want to read.

You can also look at other blogs in your niche and see what topics they’re writing about.

Additionally, use keyword research to guide your topic selection.

You can use a tool like the Google Keyword Planner to see how many people search for keywords.

Use those keywords to help you decide what to write.

Once you’ve come up with a few ideas, it’s time to start writing.

3. How To Write and Publish the Post

If you’re using WordPress, writing and publishing a post is simple.

Follow these steps.

Add New Post

To start, log in to your WordPress dashboard and click on “Posts” > “Add New.”

It will take you to the page where you can write your blog post.

Add a Title

The next step is to add a title. Create a catchy title that reflects the topic of your article.

Use the primary keyword in your title.

Doing so will help people find your post when they search for that term.

Write the Blog Post

After you’ve added a title, it’s time to start writing the body of your blog post.

Write about your chosen topic in an engaging and easy-to-read way.

Sprinkle the primary keyword throughout the post.

Be sure to include other relevant keywords throughout the post.

Over time, it will help you get found in Google.

Google will scan the article and rank it for several keyword phrases.

As you’re writing, be sure to break up your text with subheadings.

Most people like to skim articles rather than read them word for word.

Subheadings make it easy to find the information they’re looking for.

Include the post’s primary keyword in a few subheadings.

Add Internal Links

You should add internal links to and from your blog post.

Internal links are links that point from one page on your website to another page on your website.

They help people navigate your site and keep them engaged.

To add an internal link, highlight the text you want to link and click on the “Insert/edit link” icon.

In WordPress, a pop-up window will appear where you can enter the URL or the keywords from the page you want to link to.

Using a tool like Link Whisper can speed up your internal linking process.

It helps you easily find internal linking opportunities and add them with just a few clicks.

Add a Featured Image

Adding a featured image is optional but it’s something we recommend doing.

A featured image is the main image that appears at the top of your blog post.

It helps make your post more visually appealing and can help it stand out in search results.

Click on the “Add Media” button to add a featured image.

A pop-up window will appear with all of the images on your site.

You can upload a new one or select one already on your site.

Once you’ve selected an image, click on the “Set featured image” button.

Click Publish

After you’ve written the blog post and added a featured image, it’s time to hit the “Publish” button.

Your post will now appear live on your website.

3. Optimize the Post

Optimizing a post using on-page SEO techniques is a must when you want to rank your blog post in search engines.

On-page SEO includes optimizing your title, meta description, and header tags.

You can also optimize your blog post for certain keywords.

Use Rank Math or Yoast To Optimize for On-page

If you’re not sure how to do on-page SEO, we recommend using a plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math.

These tools will help you optimize your blog post by making sure you’re using each keyword appropriately throughout your meta tags and content.

Optimize the Post for Semantic Search

In the last few years, semantic search has become a crucial element of SEO.

Semantic search is the process of understanding the user’s intent behind their search query.

To optimize your blog post for semantic search, you need to use related keywords and phrases throughout the post.

For example, if someone searches for “how to bake a cake,” you might want to use related phrases like “baking a cake from scratch” or “easy cake recipes.”

You can use tools like Clearscope or Surfer SEO to help you find related keywords and phrases as you work to optimize for semantic search.

Share Your Blog Post

Some bloggers think that publishing a post is where the work ends.

However, if you want people to read your post, promote it.

There are a few different ways you can share your blog post.

Best Places to Share a Blog Post

Here are three main places to share each new blog post.

Email List

Your email list is a group of people who have signed up to receive updates from you.

When you publish a new blog post, you should let your email subscribers know about it.

You can do this by sending an email or adding a link to your latest post in your weekly newsletter.

Social Media

You can also share your blog post on social media.

Using this strategy represents a way to reach new people who might want to read your blog.

You can share your post on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Use a little strategy when posting on social media.

Think about what you can entice your social media followers with so they’ll become excited to read the blog post.

For example, if you’re sharing a blog post about how to make the perfect chocolate cake, you might want to include a photo of the cake in your social media post.

Outreach To Other Bloggers

Finally, you can partner with other bloggers in your niche to get the word out about your latest blog post.

Again, this requires some strategy to do successfully.

Ask yourself why another blogger might want to promote your work.

Think about how you can help them as well.

Here are a few ideas when reaching out to bloggers.

• Write a guest post for their blog
• Feature them in your latest blog post
• Invite them on your podcast
• Promote one of their posts on social media

If you can offer something of value to another blogger, they’ll more likely want to help you promote your blog posts.

What Is the Best Time to Share Your Blog Post?

The answer to when to share a blog post isn’t a straightforward one.

Consider the timezone of your audience, when you’re most active on social media, and how quickly you want your post to gain traction.

As a general rule of thumb, we recommend sharing your blog post as soon as it goes live on your site.

Then, share it again a few days later.

You can also share your blog post when you publish other content on your site.

For example, mention your latest blog post in your show notes if you run a podcast.

Track Your Results

Pay close attention to tracking your results when publishing blog posts.

Tracking includes everything from how many social media shares you get to how much website traffic your post generates.

Importance of Tracking Results

It’s important to track the progress of your blog post for a few reasons.

First, it can help you understand what content resonates best with your audience.

You can then use this information to figure out the most effective topics for future blog posts.

Additionally, tracking the progress of your blog post can help you identify any areas where you need to improve.

For example, if you see that your blog post isn’t getting any social media engagement, you might want to rethink your chosen target audience, keyword selection, or blog post headlines.

How to Track a Blog Post’s Progress

There are a few different ways you can track the progress of your blog post.

Traffic to the Post

One way to track how well your blog post is doing is by looking at how much traffic it’s getting.

You can do this using Google Analytics. Create a free account and add your blog to the platform.

Google Analytics will start tracking how much traffic your blog post gets, where that traffic comes from, how long people stay on your site, and what they do while they’re there.

Ranking for Keywords

Another way to track your blog post’s progress is by looking at how well it’s ranking for its keyword.

You can do this using a tool like Semrush or Ahrefs.

Both platforms offer free trials, so you can sign up and use them to see how well your blog post ranks for your chosen keywords.

Each of these options provide a keyword ranking report that provides insight into how to more effectively rank your website’s posts.

Ahrefs and Semrush will also show you how well your competitors are doing for the same keywords.

Using this information can give you insights into how to improve your blog post and outrank your competition.

Social Shares and Engagement

Another metric you can track is social shares and engagement.

Data in this area might include how many times people share your blog post on social media, how much engagement (likes, comments, etc.) your post gets, and what kind of sentiment people have towards it.

You can track social shares and engagement using a tool like BuzzSumo or Hootsuite.

They will help to track how often social media fans and followers share your blog posts.

Additionally, you can use Hootsuite or BuzzSumo to see how much engagement your post gets.

The tools will also reveal what kind of sentiment people have towards it.

Hootsuite and BuzzSumo offer paid plans that provide more in-depth data.

However, the free plans should give you enough information to get started.

Best Practices for Publishing a Blog Post

Now that you know how to publish a blog post, let’s go over some best practices.

Create Quality Content

One of the most important things you can do when publishing a blog post is to make sure to focus on creating high-quality content.

It includes producing content that provides value to your readers.

It’s also crucial to put together well-written content, meaning it remains free of grammar and spelling errors.

If you’re not a great writer, you can always hire a freelance writer to help you create quality content.

Additionally, research your content.

Back it up with data.

It will help you create more authoritative content that people are more likely to trust and share.

Going deeper, work hard to create compelling headlines.

Your headline is the first thing people will see when they come across one of your blog posts.

Use tools like CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer to help you write headlines that are more likely to get clicks.

You can also use the Moz Title Tag tool to prevent creating titles that get cut off on Google’s search engine results pages.

Getting your blog post’s title clicked on is a big part of effective search engine optimization.

Google pays close attention to how many times your blog post titles get clicked compared to your competitors’ titles.

If your post receives more clicks while sitting in position three on Google, for instance, you’re more likely to start ranking higher than a competitor in position one with fewer clicks.

One last tip when creating content: Write in the second person.

Using “you” and “your” helps your reader visualize themselves inside the stories you tell or examples you present to them.

Don’t Copy Others: Remain Unique

It’s essential to always remain unique when writing blog posts.

Copying others can hurt your blog in two ways.

For one, it can make your blog seem unoriginal, which can turn readers away.

Additionally, Google may penalize your blog for duplicate content.

When it comes to creating unique content, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel with each post.

Instead, focus on building out quality content that’s helpful and informative.

Also, use your unique voice.

Write as you speak.

It will help your blog posts seem more personal and relatable, which can make readers more likely to connect with you.

Get the Target Audience Correct

When writing a blog post, always keep your target audience in mind.

Write content that appeals directly to them.

Doing so will help ensure that they read your entire post and take actionable steps based on the information you provide.

To help you better understand your target audience, consider creating buyer personas.

These are fictional representations of your ideal reader.

Once you have a few buyer personas created, it will be much easier to produce content that appeals directly to them.

Here are tips to use when creating a buyer persona.

• Give your persona a name: Sarah
• Write down their demographics: Sarah is a 27-year-old female. She has a college degree and works as a marketing assistant.
• Determine what their pain points are: Sarah’s main challenge is that she doesn’t have a lot of experience in marketing. She needs to produce results quickly but doesn’t know how to go about it.
• Figure out how your product or service solves their problem: Sarah can use our marketing course to quickly learn the basics and start producing results.
• Consider what kind of content they will find helpful and informative: Sarah would find blog posts about how to create a marketing plan and how to measure results helpful.
• Find out where they hang out online: Sarah hangs out on social media, specifically Twitter and Instagram. She also reads a lot of blogs.
• Determine what their goals are: Sarah’s goal is to quickly learn how to market so she can produce results for her company. She also wants to develop long-term skills so she can further her career. Use this fictional “Sarah” persona to write content that more effectively resonates with all of your blog readers.

Wrapping Up

Publishing blog posts is a fantastic way to start driving relevant traffic of targeted leads into your sales funnel.

In this article, we’ve covered the basics of how to publish a blog post, including the different parts of a post, how to optimize it for search engines, and how to track its results.

We hope you found this information helpful and that you will put these tips into practice to create successful blog posts that reach your target audience.

Do you have any questions about the blog publishing process?

Please ask us in the comments below so we can provide you with the answers you need.

If you don’t have any questions and feel confident that you now know how to publish a blog post, why don’t you dive into WordPress and get started?

Wondering what WordPress widgets are, and how you can use them to improve your blog?

Widgets offer an easy way for you to customize your blog’s appearance and functionality, without having to know how to code.

In this article, we’ll introduce you to widgets, and show you how to add and configure them on your blog.

We’ll also recommend some of our favorite WordPress widgets for bloggers.

Let’s get started!

What Are Widgets and What Do They Do?

Widgets are small tools or pieces of code that add functionality to a WordPress site.

There are widgets for just about everything, from adding social media links to displaying the latest news headlines.

While some WordPress themes come with pre-installed widgets, others allow you to add or remove widgets as needed.

In most cases, widgets can be added simply by dragging and dropping them into the desired location on your WordPress site.

What Are WordPress Widgets Used For?

A WordPress widget can be used to display information, engage with visitors, or even help you generate

more traffic and subscribers.

For example, a social media widget can help you grow your social media following, while a contact form widget can make it easy for visitors to get in touch with you.

Readable: How To Write A Blog Post

However, if you’re not sure how to add or remove widgets, there are plenty of online tutorials that can help you get started.

Generally speaking, widgets are an easy way to add extra features to your WordPress site without having to edit any code.

So whether you’re looking to add social media links, display the latest news headlines, or just want an easy way to change up the look of your site, widgets are a great option.

The Different Types of Widgets Available

There are literally hundreds of different widgets available for WordPress.

And new ones are being created all the time.

This means that no matter what type of functionality you’re looking to add to your site, there’s likely a widget that can help you do it.

Some of the most popular widgets include:

1. Social Media Widgets

Social media widgets are tools that allow users to interact with social media content on websites other than the social media platform itself.

For example, a Twitter widget might allow a user to Tweet directly from a blog post or see how many people have shared the post on Twitter.

Social media widgets provide an easy way for users to engage with social media content, and they can be a valuable tool for driving traffic to a website.

However, it is important to use social media widgets sparingly and only in places where they will be most effective.

Otherwise, they can become a distraction and deter users from engaging with the content on your website.

2. News Headline Widgets

As anyone who spends any time online knows, news headlines are everywhere.

They appear on websites, in social media feeds, and in email inboxes.

And while they can be a useful way to stay up-to-date on current events, they can also be overwhelming and even intrusive.

One way to deal with the onslaught of news headlines is to use a news headline widget.

These handy little tools allow you to customize the news headlines that you see, so that you only see the ones that are most relevant to you.

You can choose to see headlines from your favorite news sources, or from specific topics that you’re interested in.

And you can often control how often the headlines are updated so that you’re not bombarded with too much information at once.

Also related: How To Monetize A Blog In 2022

3. Weather Widgets

Another type of widget that can be useful is a weather widget.

These allow you to see the current weather conditions for a specific location, as well as the forecast for the coming days.

This can be helpful if you’re planning a trip or if you just want to know what the weather is going to be like in your area.

4. Image Widgets

An image widget is a tool that allows you to display images on your website.

This can be useful if you want to showcase photos from a recent event or if you just want to add some visual interest to your site.

5. Calendar Widgets

A calendar widget is a tool that allows you to display a calendar on your WordPress website.

This can be helpful if you want to keep track of upcoming events or if you just want to add some visual interest to your site.

6. Maps Widgets

A map widget is a tool that allows you to display a map on your website.

This can be helpful if you want to show visitors where your business is located or if you just want to add some visual interest to your site.

Useful blog: 7+ Free Tools to Help You Increase Website Traffic Exponentially

How to Add a Widget to Your WordPress Site

If you’re using WordPress, chances are you want to be able to customize your site to suit your needs.

One way to do this is by adding widgets.

Widgets are small pieces of code that can be added to your site to perform a specific function.

For example, some widgets display your latest tweets or show a calendar of upcoming events.

Adding a widget to your WordPress site is easy.

Follow the tips below.

Step 1: Log In To Your WordPress Dashboard:

The first thing you need to do is log in to your WordPress dashboard.

This is where you’ll be able to access and edit all the settings for your WordPress site.

Step 2: Navigate To The Widgets Page:

Once you’re logged in, navigate to the widgets page.

This can be found by hovering over the appearance tab in the left-hand sidebar and then selecting widgets.

Step 3: Choose The Widget You Want To Add:

On the widgets page, you’ll see a list of all the available widgets.

Scroll through this list and choose the widget you want to add to your site.

Step 4: Drag And Drop The Widget Into The Desired Location:

Once you’ve found the widget you want to add, simply drag and drop it into the desired location on your site.

For example, if you want to add a calendar widget, you would drag and drop it into the sidebar.

Step 5: Configure The Widget’s Settings (If Needed):

Some widgets will have additional settings that you can configure.

For example, you may be able to specify the number of tweets that are displayed or choose which events are shown on the calendar.

To access these settings, simply click on the widget and then make any changes that you want.

And that’s it! You’ve now successfully added a widget to your WordPress site.

If you are new blogger the read the blog post “What Is A Blog? Definition, Types of Blogs, Examples & More”

How To Configure A Widget’s Settings

Most widgets will have some sort of settings that you can configure.

For example, you may be able to specify the number of tweets that are displayed or choose which events are shown on the calendar.

To access these settings, simply click on the widget and then make any changes that you want.

Keep in mind that not all widgets will have settings that you can configure.

And even if a widget does have settings, they may be limited.

So if you’re looking for a widget with specific features, it’s best to do some research beforehand to make sure that the widget you’re interested in has the options that you need.

How To Use WordPress Widgets

As the name suggests, free widget plugins are WordPress plugins that are available for free.

These plugins provide a simple way to add static content to your WordPress site without having to edit your theme’s code.

When it comes to adding widgets to your WordPress site, there are two methods you can use.

The first method is to use the WordPress Customizer.

The second method is to use the WordPress dashboard.

Using The WordPress Customizer

The WordPress Customizer is the recommended way to add widgets to your WordPress site.

This is because it allows you to preview your changes before you publish them.

To use the WordPress Customizer, you need to first log in to your WordPress website.

Then, go to the Appearance section and click on the Customize link.

Next, you need to click on the Widgets tab.

Here, you will see a list of all the available widgets.

You can drag and drop these widgets into the widget areas on your website.

Using The WordPress Dashboard

If you want to use the WordPress dashboard to add widgets to your WordPress site, you need to first log in to your WordPress website.

Then, go to the Appearance section and click on the Widgets link.

Next, you need to drag and drop the widgets you want to add into the widget areas on your website

Tips For Using Widgets Effectively On Your WordPress Site

Widgets can be a great way to add functionality to your WordPress site.

But it’s important to use them wisely.

Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of widgets on your website.

1. Only Use Relevant Widgets

It is important to only use relevant widgets on your website.

Relevant widgets are those that pertain to the specific topic of your website, and that is likely to be of interest to your visitors.

Adding too many irrelevant widgets can actually deter visitors from returning to your site, as it can appear cluttered and confusing.

Furthermore, unnecessary widgets can slow down the loading time of your pages, which can also frustrate visitors.

So how can you determine which widgets are relevant to your site?

First, take a look at the content of your site and determine what topics are most commonly addressed.

Then, research popular widgets that relate to those topics.

Finally, add a few select widgets to your pages and monitor their performance; if they’re not generating clicks or providing valuable information, remove them.

By following these steps, you can ensure that only relevant and useful widgets appear on your site.

2. Place Widgets In Strategic Locations

Placing widgets in strategic locations can be a great way to increase profits.

But what exactly is a widget?

A widget is a small device that performs a specific function.

They are usually placed in high-traffic areas where they can be easily seen and used by customers.

There are many different types of widgets, ranging from simple coin-operated machines to more complex electronic devices.

The key to placing widgets in strategic locations is to choose the right type of widget for the location and to make sure that it is visible and easy to use.

If placed correctly, widgets can bring in a lot of extra revenue.

For example, a vending machine placed in a high-traffic area can generate a significant amount of income.

However, if the machine is difficult to find or use, it will likely not generate much revenue.

Similarly, an ATM placed in a busy area can generate a lot of income if it is easy to find and use.

However, if the ATM is hidden or difficult to use, it will likely not generate much income.

The key to placing widgets in strategic locations is to choose the right type of widget for the location and to make sure that it is visible and easy to use.

3. Don’t Use Too Many Widgets

While widgets can be a great way to add functionality to your website, it’s important not to use too many.

Using too many widgets can actually deter visitors from returning to your site, as it can appear cluttered and confusing.

Furthermore, having too many widgets can slow down the loading time of your pages, which can also frustrate visitors.

So how can you determine how many widgets to use on your website?

First, take a look at the content of your site and determine what topics are most commonly addressed.

Then, research popular widgets that relate to those topics.

Finally, add a few select widgets to your pages and monitor their performance; if they’re not generating clicks or providing valuable information, remove them.

By following these steps, you can ensure that only relevant and useful widgets appear on your site.

4. Use Widgets That Are Easy To Use

It is important to use widgets that are easy to use.

If a widget is difficult to use, it is likely that visitors will not use it.

Furthermore, if a widget is difficult to use, it can actually deter visitors from returning to your site.

So how can you determine which widgets are easy to use?

First, take a look at the content of your site and determine what topics are most commonly addressed. Then, research popular widgets that relate to those topics.

Finally, add a few select widgets to your pages and monitor their performance; if they’re not generating clicks or providing valuable information, remove them.

By following these steps, you can ensure that only relevant and useful widgets appear on your site.

You might even have heard that over 43% of websites run on a WordPress platform.

But what is WordPress?

At its most basic level, WordPress is a website-building tool.

On a deeper level, it’s an open-source content management system (CMS).

Because it’s open-source, anyone can download, use, or modify it for free.

Sounds complicated? It’s simpler than it sounds.

Let’s take a closer look at WordPress, how it works, and what it’s capable of.

WordPress Basics

WordPress is a tool designed for individuals and businesses to build their own websites.

There’s no coding required, and the software itself is free.

Many people confuse WordPress with an ordinary website builder.

A traditional website builder isn’t very flexible, though.

You may have several templates to choose from, but not much else.

These tools are fine for personal websites or local clubs.

But if you want a more polished site, you’ll want more flexible software.

That’s where a CMS comes in.

A CMS provides more powerful tools and more customization options.

In addition to pictures and text, you can integrate plugins, eCommerce tools, forums, and more.

This makes for more complex software, with a bit more of a learning curve.

Regardless, WordPress has made the most basic functions easy for beginners to master.

Even a novice can build a basic blog in just a few minutes.

Because of its flexibility, you can use WordPress to create any kind of website.

Many people use it for blogs, but it can also create eCommerce sites, news websites, and anything else you can think of.

The New York Times, Time magazine, and the White House use WordPress.

If you visit one of those sites, they certainly don’t look like they were built with a free tool!

Keep in mind that there are two WordPress websites.

WordPress.org is the site for the WordPress project. It’s where you download the software, and it has developer support and user forum sections.

WordPress.com, on the other hand, is the official WordPress hosting site.

It’s a paid service that provides hosting and management, along with website creation.

Key WordPress Features

So, how does WordPress work?

Let’s take a look at its basic features, and how you can put them to use.

WordPress Dashboard

When you log into WordPress, you’ll land on the dashboard screen.

This screen contains links to all of your website tools and functions.

At first, it can seem confusing. But it’s simple enough once you get the hang of it.

Keep an eye out for the following elements.

• The Dashboard Menu – This is a vertical menu on the left side of your screen.
  It consists of a series of quick links, so you can access your posts, pages, media files, and user comments.
• Screen Options – This is a wide menu across the top of the page.
  Here, you can choose to hide other on screen elements, or even customize them.
• Welcome – This is the main part of the screen, where you can create posts and pages.
  You can also customize your theme, install plugins, and fiddle with your site’s widgets.
  You’ll also find links to some basic help files.
• At a Glance – Below and to the left of the Welcome panel, there’s an “At a Glance” section.
  This area shows your site’s basic stats, including the number of posts, pages, and comments.
• Quick Draft – To the bottom right of the Welcome panel is the Quick Draft panel.
  This area allows you to jot down a draft version of a post.
  It’s not a full editor, but it’s a way to get your thoughts down quickly.
• Activity – This area, at the bottom left of the screen, is similar to a social media feed.
  You’ll see all of the latest comments.
  You can respond to them, approve them, deny them, or delete them altogether.
• WordPress News – The bottom right of the screen has a little news section with updates on the status of WordPress software.
  You’ll get alerts for any new updates, along with any posts from the official WordPress blog.

Content Management

As we discussed, WordPress is a content management system.

Beyond simply editing your site, you’ll have full access to all of your files.

You can update photos and videos and arrange them in a file structure.

You can also distribute new posts via an RSS feed.

In this way, your WordPress site serves as a distribution system.

Gutenberg Editor

WordPress recently released a new interface called the Gutenberg Editor.

This is a revamped editor designed for modern web pages.

Instead of being built entirely around text, WordPress engineered it to allow easy incorporation of multimedia content.

The core of the Gutenberg Editor is the “block” system.

You can draw out blocks of space on your page and insert content into them.

You can then resize individual blocks or even rearrange them.

This system is far more simple and intuitive than most web page editors.

Themes

WordPress themes are packages that alter your site’s look and feel.

You’ll have access to a handful of themes right out of the box.

But there are thousands of more free options in the WordPress.org repository.

Some themes include two or more page templates.

For example, suppose you run an eCommerce site with an attached blog.

Your eCommerce pages could have one layout, while your blog posts could have another.

We should note that you can dig deep into the code if you want to.

Advanced users can create custom style sheets and customize individual pages.

But themes are a helpful shortcut for anyone who doesn’t want to build a page from scratch.

Plugins

Plugins are tools that add additional functionality to your site.

They allow you to do things you can’t do with ordinary HTML or PHP.

Ecommerce is an excellent example of this.

Using a plugin, you can accept secure payments without building a secure portal from scratch.

Social media plugins are also popular.

Those little Facebook and Twitter share buttons at the bottom of your favorite website are plugins.

Another frequent use of plugins is the creation of forms.

If your site has a forum or subscriptions, you’ll want people to be able to create accounts and log in.

You can achieve this by using a plugin.

WordPress User

Within WordPress, you can set different permissions levels, or “roles,” for individual users.

This lets you work with a team of content creators while maintaining overall control.

Here’s an overview of the available roles:

• Subscriber – Subscribers can log into your website and change their profiles and passwords.
  They can also leave comments.
  This role is useful for any site with a membership, whether it’s an eCommerce site or a forum.
• Contributor – Contributors can create new posts and edit posts they have written.
  They can assign their posts to categories and apply tags to them.
  However, they can’t upload files; someone else will need to add images to their posts.
  Contributors can also read pending comments, but not approve or deny them.
• Author – Authors can do everything contributors can do, but they can also publish their own posts.
  In addition, they’re allowed to upload files.
  As a result, they can add pictures and other media to their posts.
• Editor – Editors have complete control over your site’s posts and pages.
  They can publish pending posts from authors and contributors, as well as their own content.
  They can also approve or deny comments, and delete offensive ones.
• Administrator – An administrator controls not just the site’s content, but also the background software. They can install, delete, or update plugins and themes.
  Moreover, they can assign roles to other users.
  For example, they can make a subscriber into an author, or an author into an editor.
  Be careful about giving administrator privileges to anyone else.
  You’re giving them the ability to delete your website.
• Super Admin – The super admin role is a specialized role available on multi-site WordPress networks.
  A user with this role has administrator privileges on all sites in the network.

Basic WordPress Definitions

To understand how WordPress works, we’ll need to define some basic terms.

Here’s an overview of WordPress terminology.

What is a WordPress Post?

A WordPress post is text-based, similar to a blog, although it can also incorporate pictures.

Posts can be straightforward blog posts, or they can be news or informational articles.

By default, posts will appear on your site in reverse chronological order, like a social media news feed.

However, you can sort posts into categories, display them on separate pages, and tag them for easy searching.

If you’re running a blog site, your posts are the part of the site that goes into your RSS feed.

When someone subscribes to your site, they’ll automatically receive updates on these posts.

Posts are ideal for news, updates, and informational articles.

They’re a poor way to list products or for content that evolves over time.

What is a WordPress Page?

Pages are similar to posts in some ways.

They’re a single page on your screen, with text, images, and other elements.

However, there are also some differences.

To begin with, you can nest pages within a hierarchy.

A good example is the home page you’ll find on just about any website.

This page is full of links to other pages within the website.

There may even be menus on the main page, with lists of multiple sub-pages.

Many pages are static, like your site’s “About” or “Contact” page.

These pages will rarely, if ever, require updating. Other pages can be dynamic.

Your home page, for example, might have a list of your latest blog entries and change as you add new posts.

Pages won’t appear in your subscribers’ RSS feeds, so you can add them without alerting all your subscribers.

However, you also can’t categorize or tag them, so it’s harder to search through them.

What is WordPress Hosting?

WordPress is great for building a site.

But to put your site on the internet, you’ll need to subscribe to a host.

A host is a service that stores your website on a server and makes it available to the public.

WordPress hosting comes in two varieties: self-hosted (unmanaged) and managed.

Each method has its merits, and both are worth considering.

Self-Hosted WordPress

Self-hosting is a more barebones hosting plan.

In most cases, you’re just renting space on a server with an operating system.

To build your site, you’ll have to install more software.

This doesn’t just mean installing WordPress.

It also means installing any other software necessary to run your site.

Most sites these days are going to use PHP, which you’ll have to install.

If you’re using Apache or other server-based software, you’ll have to set all that up.

The reason people call this hosting “unmanaged” is that there are no other services.

If you want to make any changes or updates to your server, you’ll need to do it yourself.

Managed WordPress Hosting

Managed hosting is a hosting plan with extra services.

This starts with the server itself.

In addition to the operating system, the hosting service will typically install additional back-end software like PHP.

Beyond that, managed hosting companies often provide malware protection, intrusion detection, and automated backups.

This has a couple of benefits.

To begin with, you don’t have to spend time or money on security.

Moreover, security can be tough to manage for beginners.

If your host is handling it, so much the better.

That said, managed hosting tends to cost more than unmanaged.

That’s only natural, considering all the added value.

What is a WordPress Plugin?

A WordPress plugin is an extra piece of software that integrates with your website.

A secure payment system is a good example. It’s something you wouldn’t want to program yourself, but you still might need it.

As of June 2022, WordPress offers more than 50,000 free plugins on its website.

If that’s not enough, you can buy thousands of more plugins from third-party developers.

Be careful, though. Some third-party plugins are nothing but malware disguised as legitimate software.

What is a WordPress Theme?

A WordPress theme is a set of files that defines your website’s look and feel.

These files can include style sheets, graphics, or code to control more complex site behaviors.

Your theme can make big or small changes.

It can be as simple as changing your font size for H2 headers or as complex as rearranging your entire site.

Free Themes vs. Premium Themes

Much like plugins, WordPress.org hosts thousands of free themes.

To be hosted in the WordPress directory, themes must pass a strict review process.

They need to demonstrate that they’re stable, functional and don’t create any security issues.

The downside of free themes is that support is usually poor.

If you’re lucky, the developer will have a website with some documentation.

If you’re unlucky, you can get stuck looking for help on user forums.

To make things worse, developers may not keep good version notes.

Your theme might update and break your site, and you’ll have no support on the back end.

Premium WordPress themes cost money, but they offer better support.

You also get access to more complex themes with more advanced functionality.

If you can’t find what you need in a free theme, it pays to find a premium option.

Premium themes can cost a one-time fee, or they may charge a subscription.

In the case of a subscription model, the fees cover the cost of ongoing development.

As a result, premium themes tend to be more up-to-date.

You don’t have to worry about a developer suddenly dropping support and leaving you in the lurch.

Neither kind of theme is objectively “better” than the other.

It depends on what you need as well as your site’s budget.

WordPress Versus Other Platforms

WordPress has the most name recognition of any website-building suite.

But there are other services available, each with its unique benefits.

Here are a few of the more popular options.

WordPress vs. Wix

Wix is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) website builder.

When you construct a page, it feels similar to WordPress, at least in broad terms.

Unlike WordPress, Wix is not free, but it does include hosting and domain registration.

On the other hand, it doesn’t support as many plugins or features as WordPress.

WordPress vs. Shopify

Shopify is a purpose-built platform for eCommerce sites.

It’s engineered from the ground up to support online sales and transactions.

Security is their top priority, to prevent fraud and maintain their clients’ good reputation.

If eCommerce is your only goal, Shopify is an effective hosting service.

That said, even their “basic” service level is expensive.

And if you want to use a third-party payment platform, you’ll have to pay Shopify a 2% fee.

WordPress vs. Ghost

Ghost is a quick and dirty platform for building a blogging site.

It’s like a slimmed-down version of WordPress, built specifically for the blogging community.

It’s easy to use, even if you’re a total beginner.

On the downside, there aren’t many customization options, and monetization is limited.

How Much Does WordPress Cost?

How much WordPress costs depends on what you’re doing with it.

Theoretically, it can be 100% free.

In practice, you’ll end up paying at least some fees.

Is WordPress Free?

The WordPress software itself is open-source.

It’s free on WordPress.org, where you can download it any time.

If you’re skilled at coding, you can even modify it to meet your personal needs.

That said, this is only the cost for WordPress itself.

To build a functioning website, you’ll still have to register a domain name and pay for hosting.

Are There Fees Associated With Using WordPress?

Depending on what you want to do, you may pay additional WordPress costs.

For example, suppose you want to buy a premium theme.

In that case, you can spend anywhere from $29 to upwards of $80.

If you’re a business, this can easily be worth the investment.

You want a professional-looking design that gives credibility to your company.

You may also want third-party plugins that aren’t available for free.

Pros and Cons of Using WordPress

Like any other software, WordPress has its upsides and downsides.

Let’s talk about those pros and cons.

Benefits of Using WordPress

Open-Source

WordPress is open-source software.

First and foremost, this means it’s free to use and download.

But it’s also free to modify and redistribute.

Many third-party modifications have even made their way into the official software.

You won’t find this kind of community involvement with commercially-developed software.

Scalable

WordPress users can build and manage any website, large or small.

With the correct server and infrastructure, a WordPress site can support tens of thousands of simultaneous users.

You’ll also get lightning-fast search results, even if you’re searching oodles of pages.

Easy to Install and Use

A lot of CMS software is overly complicated.

You might be able to build an impressive website, but you’ll need a degree in computer science to do it.

WordPress makes things easy.

The interface is straightforward, with a shallow learning curve.

Meanwhile, customizing your site is a breeze.

If you want to change the look, you can install a new theme.

If you want to add new functions, you can download a plugin.

And because everything is designed with WordPress in mind, you spend less time troubleshooting.

Huge Community of Developers and Support

WordPress.org has an entire section devoted to user support.

It’s packed with tutorials, overviews, and all kinds of technical documents.

If you can’t figure something out, the answer is probably here.

But what if there’s nothing in the support documentation to solve your problem?

In that case, you can visit the forums, where site owners like you can share tips and help each other out.

Disadvantages of WordPress

Changes Can Become Time-Consuming on Large Sites

When you propagate a change across a large site, it can take time to implement.

Let’s say you install a new theme. It can take several minutes to affect all pages on your site.

In the interim, different pages will have different themes, marring the unified aesthetic.

Plugins and Themes Must Be Updated Constantly

WordPress plugins and themes are subject to the same risks as other software.

They need to be updated periodically to address security threats and fix bugs.

When you log in to manage your site, you might find yourself running 20 minutes of updates.

Not only that, but updates can change how your site looks and feels.

If this happens, you might have to roll back to an earlier version, which comes with risks of its own.

Slow Page Speeds Can Be Frustrating

A lot of WordPress themes contain way too much code.

There’s a lot of unnecessary fluff that does nothing for your site but makes it slower to load.

Unless you’re an experienced web developer, it’s tough to tell what code is disposable, and what’s not.

Our Recommendation: Sign Up For WP Engine

A good host can make all the difference between a frustrating WordPress experience and a satisfying one.

There are plenty of hosting sites out there, and most web hosts support WordPress.

But if you want a host that’s perfectly optimized for your WordPress site, look no further than WP Engine.

WP Engine is a managed hosting service that’s purpose-built for WordPress site management.

Let’s talk about some of the ways this service stands out from the competition.

Benefits of Using WP Engine for WordPress

Super-Fast Hosting

WP Engine is optimized to provide lightning-fast load speeds.

They guarantee load times of three seconds or less, regardless of the size of your site.

This includes remote locations like New Zealand, where loading times are typically longer.

How do they do this?

They start by using SSD drives, which read and write faster than older hard drives.

They also use more advanced networking technology to boost speeds.

For example, WP Engine can detect whether a user is a real person or a bot.

It prioritizes requests from real people and responds to bots when it has enough free resources.

Great Support When You Need Help

When your business website goes down, it’s more than a minor frustration.

You’re actively losing money, especially if it’s an eCommerce site.

In that case, it’s accurate to say that your entire business is out of action.

Thankfully, WP Engine provides 24/7 customer support.

First, you’ll connect to a chatbot that can solve the most common issues.

If the chatbot can’t solve your problem, the system will hand you over to a human agent.

There’s a queue system, so you can wait for your agent online.

Or, you can have the agent call you on the phone when your number comes up.

Simple and Quick Installation

Setting up a website with WP Engine is quick and painless.

There’s a simple workflow, where a page moves through three stages of development.

These are labeled “Production,” “Staging,” and “Development.”

Instead of all your drafts being in one place, they’re stored according to their place in the process.

At the same time, professionals will still find plenty of useful features.

There are plenty of sidebar menus and controls for power users to take full control of their site.

Secure, Safe, and Efficient

WP Engine provides many safety and security features.

To begin with, even the base package includes an SSL certificate.

An SSL certificate is required for any website that gathers personal information.

And in many cases, hosting services charge extra for one.

In addition, WP Engine boasts an enterprise-level firewall that can block almost any threat.

If for some reason your site gets attacked anyway, they provide a free hacking remediation service.

They also back up your site automatically every 24 hours.

Even if the hack can’t be fixed conventionally, WP Engine can roll you back to yesterday’s site version.

WP Engine runs additional backups any time they upgrade their in-house software or the software on your server.

That way, they can immediately revert the changes if something goes wrong.

Their attention to detail allows WP Engine to guarantee an impressive 99.95% uptime.

With their enhanced SLA, you can improve this to 99.99% uptime, on par with the web’s top enterprise hosts.

Tons of Time-Saving Tools

WordPress is already easy to use.

But WP Engine makes it easier by providing an array of extra management tools.

For example, it automatically checks your plugins for updates every day.

You don’t have to update them yourself, and your site won’t go down because you forgot to run an update.

You do this by installing your plugins through the Smart Plugin Manager.

It takes a few extra seconds to perform the initial setup.

But once you’re set up, you can forget about managing your plugins.

WP Engine does it for you.

You can even set up automatic updates from private repositories!

Along the same lines, WP Engine doesn’t update to the latest version of WordPress right away.

They thoroughly test each new version to make sure that it’s stable.

This shouldn’t be necessary, since WordPress has a strong track record for stability.

But it never hurts to have a second layer of protection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrapping Up

WordPress is a powerful CMS for building websites.

Beginners can have a basic site online in a few minutes, and advanced users can build even more impressive sites.

You can run the site yourself, or host it on a managed platform like WP Engine.

Have you used WordPress?

What are your thoughts?

Let us know in the comments!

WordPress is a great way to build all kinds of sites, from blogs to eCommerce.

And since it’s free, there’s no risk in trying it out.

Blogger dashboard is the place where you as a site owner can see all of your posts, comments, and stats.

But what do all of those buttons and icons mean?

And what should you be doing in your dashboard to keep your blog running smoothly?

In this post, we’ll explain everything you need to know about the blogger dashboard.

We’ll tell you what each button does, and we’ll give you some tips on how to use it effectively.

So whether you’re a beginner or an experienced blogger, this post is for you!

Read on to learn more.

What is a Blogger Dashboard?

The dashboard is the control panel for your blog.

From here, you can manage all aspects of your blog, including writing and publishing posts, moderating comments, managing your blog’s appearance, and viewing your blog’s traffic statistics.

You can also use the dashboard to connect your blog to social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

It is like a reading list for your blog where you can see all of your posts in one place, as well as any that are scheduled or drafted blogs.

To access your dashboard, simply login to your Blogger account and click on the “Dashboard” link at the top of the page.

On the dashboard, you’ll see a menu on the left-hand side that contains all of the different sections of the dashboard.

We’ll go over each of these sections in more detail below.

Read the blog post: Naming A Blog: 10 Effective Ways On How To Come Up With A Blog Name

The Different Sections of the Blogger Dashboard

When you access your dashboard you will see the following sections.

1. Posts

This is where you can create new posts, edit existing posts, and view a list of all of your published and draft posts.

You can also use this section to schedule or publish posts, and to delete posts that you no longer want on your blog.

2. Comments

This is where you can moderate comments on your blog.

You can approve or delete comments, and you can also mark comments as spam.

This section is very important because it allows you to keep the comment section of your blog clean and tidy.

Here you see the comments of those followers who follow publicly as it is done on youtube.

3. Stats

This is where you can view detailed statistics about your blog’s traffic.

You can see how many people have viewed your blog, what countries they’re from, what posts they’ve read, and more.

This section is helpful for understanding who your audience is and what kinds of content they’re interested in.

4. Earnings

If you have a self-hosted blog, then you can use this section to view your blog’s earnings.

This section is only available if you have connected your blog to an advertising program like Google Adsense.

5. Layout

This is where you can customize the appearance of your blog.

You can change your blog’s theme, add and remove gadgets, and edit your blog’s HTML code.

6. Settings

This is where you can manage all of the settings for your blog.

You can change your blog’s URL, title, and description.

You can also control who can comment on your blog, and who can access your blog’s Dashboard.

7. Profile

This is where you can edit your profile information.

You can change your username, password, and email address.

You can also upload a profile photo and edit your bio.

8. Design

This is where you can choose a new theme for your blog.

You can browse through the available themes, and you can preview how each theme will look on your blog before you activate it.

9. Pages

This is where you may post and modify your blog’s pages.

Pages are static pieces of content that you can use to add information about yourself, your blog, or anything else you want.

10. Help

This is the section where you can find help and support for Blogger.

You can view the Blogger Help Center, contact Blogger Support, and join the Blogger Forum.

Also read: How To Monetize A Blog In 2022: 13+ Lucrative Ways

How to Use the Blogger Dashboard Effectively

Now that you know what each section of the dashboard does, let’s take a look at some tips on how to use it effectively.

1. Publish New Posts Regularly

One of the best ways to keep your readers engaged is to publish new posts on a regular basis.

If you only post once in a while, your readers will likely forget about your blog and move on to other things.

But if you post regularly, they’ll keep coming back for more.

2. Use The Stats Section To See What’s Working

The stats section of the dashboard is a valuable tool that can help you understand what kind of content your readers are interested in.

Take a look at which posts are getting the most views and comments, and try to replicate that success in future posts.

3. Keep Your Design Fresh

Another way to keep your readers engaged is to keep your blog’s design fresh.

If your blog looks the same day after day, it will become boring and stale.

But if you change things up from time to time, it will stay interesting and intriguing.

Related: 7+ Free Tools to Help You Increase Website Traffic Exponentially

4. Take Advantage Of Pages

Pages are a great way to add static content to your blog.

If you have information that you want to share with your readers but don’t want to include in a post, consider creating a page for it.

Pages are also a good place to put contact information, an About page, and other information that you want your readers to be able to find easily.

5. Use the Help Section

If you’re ever having trouble with Blogger, be sure to check out the Help section.

This is where you can find answers to common questions, contact support, and join the Blogger Forum.

10 Important Things You Need To Know About A Blogger’s Dashboard

For your additional information, here are 10 important things that you need to remember about a blogger’s dashboard:

1. The blogger dashboard is the control panel for your blog.
2. You can use the dashboard to create and publish new posts, manage your blog’s settings, and more.
3. The dashboard is divided into different sections, each of which serves a different purpose.
4. You can access your dashboard from any computer or mobile device with an Internet connection.
5. To use the dashboard effectively, you need to understand what each section does and how to use it.
6. The stats section of the dashboard is a valuable tool that can help you understand what kind of content your readers are interested in.
7. Keep your blog’s design fresh by changing things up from time to time.
8. Pages are a great way to add static content to your blog.
9. 9. If you’re ever having trouble with Blogger, be sure to check out the Help section.

A dashboard is a powerful tool that can help you manage your blog effectively.

But it’s also important to remember that it’s just one part of the blogging process.

You also need to promote your blog, interact with your readers, and create quality content if you want to be successful.

Also read: Best WordPress Hosting: Which One Should You Choose For Your Blog?

How To Use Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is a powerful tool that can help you track your blog’s traffic and understand your audience.

But it can be tricky to set up and use effectively.

Here are some tips on how to get the most out of Google Analytics:

• Create a Google Analytics account and add the tracking code to your blog.
• Use the reporting features to understand your audience and track your blog’s traffic.
• Use the data to improve your blog.
• Try different tracking options to get more detailed information.
• Use Google Analytics in conjunction with other tools, such as Google Search Console, to get a complete picture of your blog’s performance.

Google Analytics can be a valuable tool for understanding your blog’s audience and traffic.

But it’s important to remember that it’s just one part of the puzzle.

You also need to promote your blog, interact with your readers, and create quality content if you want to be successful.

If yes, then you must know how much it costs to build a blogging website.

So, keep reading this blog post, here we will tell you about WordPress website costs and everything you need to know about WordPress.

Further, we will also read about WordPress themes, a custom WordPress website and search engine optimization, and many more.

What Is WordPress?

WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that is used by millions of people around the world to create beautiful websites and blogs.

It is free and open-source software released in 2003.

You can get free domain names and web hosting for your WordPress website.

Types of WordPress

There are two types of WordPress available – wordpress.com and wordpress.org.

In this article, we will be discussing WordPress.org as it is the one used for creating self-hosted websites.

i). WordPress.org

This WordPress is used for creating self-hosted websites.

This means that you need to buy a domain name and web hosting to store your website’s files.

Once you have done that, you can install WordPress on your web server.

ii). WordPress.com

This WordPress is a hosted platform provided by WordPress itself.

You do not need to buy a domain name or web hosting as WordPress will provide you with a sub-domain.

For example, yourwebsite.wordpress.com.

This is the easiest way to create a website as everything is taken care of by WordPress.

How Much Does It Cost To Set Up A WordPress Website?

You read about WordPress and its types above.

Now, let us see how much it would cost you to set up a WordPress website.

The cost of setting up a WordPress website depends on 3 factors – domain name, web hosting, and themes/plugins.

i). Domain Name

A domain name is your website’s address on the internet.

For example, Google’s domain name is google.com.

India’s domain name is in.

However, free domain name providers like WordPress.com will give you a sub-domain.

For example, yourwebsite.wordpress.com.

If you want a custom domain name, then you will have to buy it from a domain name registrar like GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.

The cost of a domain name is around $10-$15 per year.

ii). Web Hosting

Web hosting is where you store all the files of your website.

It is like renting a space on a server to store your website’s files.

Web hosting plans usually start from $3-5 per month.

However, you can get web hosting for as low as $0.80/month if you buy it 3 years in advance.

iii). Themes and Plugins

Themes and plugins are optional but they help to make your website look better and more functional.

There are many free themes and plugins available but if you want something premium, it would cost you around $50-100.

You can also find free WordPress themes that may suit your WordPress site.

The premium WordPress plugins are available for purchase on their official website.

So, the total cost of setting up a WordPress website would be around $13-118.

The exact amount depends on the factors mentioned above.

How Much Does It Cost To Maintain A WordPress Website Or WordPress Websites?

Another question you might ask is the cost of maintaining a WordPress website, or WordPress websites right?

The cost of maintaining a WordPress website is around $9-10 per month.

This includes the cost of web hosting, domain name, and security.

However, if you want to add more features to your website, the cost would increase.

For example, if you want to add an eCommerce site or store to your website, the cost would be around $30-40 per month.

Actually,An an eCommerce site or store requires a lot of resources, so the cost is higher.

How To Make Your WordPress Website More Affordable?

There are many ways to make your WordPress website more affordable.

1. Use a free theme or plugin:

As mentioned earlier, there are many free themes and plugins available.

You can use these to save money.

However, premium WordPress plugins with WordPress themes and WordPress plugins make your website more professional.

2. Buy web hosting and domain name in advance:

You can get discounts of up to 50% if you buy web hosting and domain name in advance.

This will help to reduce the cost of your WordPress website.

3. Use a CDN:

A content delivery network (CDN) is a system of servers that delivers content to users based on their geographic location.

This can help to improve the speed of your website and reduce the cost of hosting.

4. Use a caching plugin:

A caching plugin stores a copy of your website’s files and serves them to users when they request it.

This can help to reduce the load on your server and improve the performance of your website.

5. Optimize your images:

Images are one of the biggest factors that affect the size of a web page.

By optimizing your images, you can reduce the size of your web pages and improve the performance of your website.

6. Use a content management system:

A content management system (CMS) is software that helps you to create and manage your content.

WordPress is a popular CMS that can help you to save time and money.

7. Use a shared host:

A shared host is a type of web hosting that allows you to share the server with other websites. This can help to reduce the cost of your WordPress website.

8. Use a managed WordPress host:

A managed WordPress host is a type of web hosting that provides WordPress-specific features.

This can help to improve the performance of your website and save you money.

9. Use a free SSL certificate:

SSL is a type of security that encrypts data between your website and its visitors.

A free SSL certificate can help to improve the security of your website and save you money.

10. Use a WordPress developer:

If you want to save time and money, you can hire a WordPress developer to help you with the development of your website.

These are some of the ways that you can make your WordPress website more affordable.

Read: How to start a blog?

Other Costs Associated With Creating And Maintaining A WordPress Website

Apart from the costs mentioned above, there are other costs associated with the creation and maintenance of a WordPress website:

1. Domain Name:

The cost of a domain name depends on the extension you choose.

For example, a .com domain name would cost around $10 per year.

A .com alternative could cost a little more or a little less, depending on which extension you choose.

2. Web Hosting:

As mentioned earlier, the cost of web hosting depends on the type of host you choose.

A shared host would cost around $5-10 per month, while a managed WordPress host would cost around $25-30 per month.

3. SSL Certificate:

If you want to add an SSL certificate to your WordPress website, it would cost around $50-100 per year.

4. Maintenance:

The cost of maintenance depends on the type of support you need and the number of hours you require.

For example, a basic monthly support plan would cost around $50 per month.

5. Backup:

Backing up your WordPress website is important to ensure that your data is safe in case of any unforeseen events.

The cost of backup depends on the type of backup service you choose.

For example, a basic monthly backup plan would cost around $5-10 per month.

6. Security:

Adding a security plugin to your WordPress website is important to keep your site safe from hackers.

The cost of a security plugin depends on the features you require.

For example, a basic security plugin would cost around $50-100 per year.

7. Updates:

Keeping your WordPress website up-to-date is important to ensure that your site is compatible with the latest version of WordPress.

The cost of updates depends on the number of plugins and themes you have installed on your site.

For example, a basic update plan would cost around $25-50 per month.

8. Advertising:

If you want to generate revenue from your WordPress website, you can do so by displaying ads on your site.

The cost of advertising depends on the type of ad you choose to display.

For example, a basic ad plan would cost around $5-10 per month.

9. Customization:

If you want to customize your WordPress website to match your brand, you can do so by hiring a developer.

The cost of customization depends on the number of hours required.

For example, a basic customization project would cost around $500-1,000.

10. Migration:

If you want to move your WordPress website to another host, you can do so by hiring a developer.

The cost of migration depends on the number of hours required.

For example, a basic migration project would cost around $500-1,000.

Also read: Free Blog Sites

Important Advantages Of Blogging Website

You read about WordPress, blogging websites, and the costs associated with it.

Now let’s read some advantages of blogging websites before we end this article.

1. Helps You Connect With Other People:

One of the great advantages of having a blog is that it helps you connect with other people who share similar interests.

When you post on your blog, you can include a link to your social media profiles so that readers can connect with you on those platforms as well.

2. Helps You Generate Traffic:

Another advantage of having a blog is that it can help you generate traffic to your website.

When you post new content on your blog, people who are interested in that topic will be more likely to visit your website.

In turn, this can lead to more sales or leads for your business.

3. Helps You Build Your Reputation:

If you provide valuable information on your blog, it can help you build a reputation as an expert in your industry.

When people see that you know what you’re talking about, they will be more likely to do business with you.

4. Helps You Rank Higher in Search Engines:

One of the benefits of having a blog is that it can help you rank higher in search engines.

When you post new content on your blog, it allows you to include relevant keywords that people are searching for.

If you use those keywords strategically, it can help your website rank higher in search results.

Related: How to monitize your blog?

5. Helps You Stay Up-to-Date:

Another advantage of having a blog is that it can help you stay up-to-date on the latest industry news.

When you read blogs related to your industry, you can quickly learn about new trends and technologies.

This knowledge can help you make better decisions for your business.

6. Helps You Connect With Influencers:

If you write quality content on your blog, it can attract the attention of influencers in your industry.

These are people with a large following who can help promote your business.

When you connect with influencers, it can help you reach a larger audience.

If you want to know about your blog growth, click here.

7. Helps You Make Money:

Another advantage of having a blog is that it can help you make money.

There are several ways to monetize your blog, such as selling advertising space, selling products or services, or creating a membership site.

If you can drive traffic to your blog, you can make money from it.

One of the more essential factors to consider when strengthening your website is the content management system (CMS).

Two primary examples of a CMS software would be WordPress and Drupal.

WordPress is one of the more popular options as it is standard for beginner website creators to use when designing and managing their content.

It has a wide variety of plugins to choose from and has an organized, creator-friendly dashboard so that you can create content with ease.

Drupal is another option that website or blog creators choose to manage their content.

Of course, this type of CMS is for experienced creators as it features more advanced options to edit and create, so it might not be the best option for those beginners just starting in website or blog management.

With Drupal and WordPress, it might be challenging to determine the best CMS for you due to their similar features and uses.

Here we will go over the differences, similarities, and features these systems offer and determine which one is right for you.

Drupal vs. WordPress Overview

When choosing the ideal content management system, aside from alternatives, both Drupal CMS and WordPress CMS are the primary choices in creating a website or a blog.

However, even though they have their similarities, both offer different features.

What is Drupal?

Drupal is a free content management system that website or blog creators use to develop and manage their sites.

Drupal users have access to unlimited features, creating flexible customization methods with its plugins, add-ons, themes, and functionalities.

However, as previously mentioned, due to its complex yet flexible features, the Drupal platform might be difficult to manage if you are a beginner instead of an experienced developer with website design and management.

Despite having to learn the inner workings of the Drupal site, they strive to establish user-friendly solutions for both beginner and experienced Drupal users.

For instance, they implement an installation package to help navigate and edit your content easily.

Another factor is that their new releases help beginner Drupal users figure out hypertext preprocessor (PHP), HyperText Markup Language (HTML), and other features in web design.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is another popular CMS software that developers often use to create their blogs or website.

Its primary features are making web design or establishing your blogging platform easy with its five-minute installation process.

They also strive to promote a user-friendly platform and provide extensive guidance for its WordPress community.

By implementing an easy-to-use software for its users, most beginners or experienced developers prefer this CMS as it’s less complex and more straightforward in its available features and how to navigate and edit content.

Drupal vs. WordPress Advantages

WordPress and Drupal are among the many popular options when choosing CMS software for your website or blog.

However, the advantages of both CMS are often different from one another.

Drupal Advantages

Drupal, most notable for its complex yet innovative software, has various advantages that users can benefit from.

Some of those include the following:

Drupal Commerce

Drupal Commerce is a type of e-commerce software specializing in helping its Drupal user’s content gain more engagement, especially if they are an e-retailer.

It is perfect if you have a small business.

It does feature various Drupal modules further to enhance your engagement activity by offering a variety of ways to customize your content.

Open Source Network

Usually, open source refers to a type of software that’s code is free to edit and modify and is readily available to the public.

It grants Drupal website creators and their developers the opportunity to work in unison, ensuring an efficient work environment and enhancing the drupal community.

Also, since it is open-source, it allows the software to be downloaded without the hassle of purchase, license, or other unneeded fees.

Flexible Content Management

The primary focus of the content creator and developer is that the content itself is adaptable.

In this case, Drupal offers its users the ability to create their content and any add-on functions that might strengthen it overall.

Overall, it provides more than 2,000 drupal themes and over 40,000 drupal modules, so there are plentiful options to choose from that will enhance your content to the fullest!

Ever-Growing Community

Although their software is a bit difficult to navigate if you are a novice, the drupal community provides active forums, upcoming events, news, and a handy guide on managing your content.

You can also ask for guidance from specialists, long-time members, and contributors if you are unsure about some of the features Drupal offers or if you’re having trouble with particular issues and functions.

Efficient and Convenient Software

Aside from its new releases making it convenient to use their software for website or blog content, regardless of experience, Drupal also assists with working with the source code.

With the help of its developers, it’s easier to navigate the more complex features and modify them.

WordPress Advantages

WordPress is synonymous with being the most popular CMS software for websites or blog development.

So, it should go without saying that there are several advantages to using this software for your content.

User Friendly for Beginner Content Creators

Typically, when first working with WordPress, its software is easy to install and manage as it guides you through setting up your website and domain name.

Afterward, you can navigate with ease in managing your content by using their organized dashboard.

This way, customizing your posts, pages, and themes is easily manageable.

Not only that, but WordPress supports any hosting provider, so installing isn’t a hassle to handle.

Enhances Content with Built-In Blog

WordPress is known for its simple customization process for creating content for websites.

However, its software does support customizing blogs as well.

One of the features that enhances this is the built-in blog system.

This helps promote your content’s search engine optimization (SEO).

With strengthening the WordPress SEO, the built-in blog feature helps create new blog posts for updates or new announcements.

Regular Updates and Website Maintenance

One of the benefits of using WordPress for your content is that the software comes equipped with regular upkeep and updates to ensure your website or blog functions properly.

With the updates feature on the dashboard, it will determine what plugins, themes, or add-ons need to be updated without having to troubleshoot on your own.

Easy to Function Plugins for your Content

WordPress offers a copious amount of plugins, precisely over 59, 296, for your content.

The best part about it is that you don’t necessarily have to use their plugins.

This CMS software supports third party plugins as well. WordPress plugins can help your SEO, wp engine, wp core, and other customization options.

Numerous Themes to Choose From

Acquiring a WordPress theme for your website or blog grants you the ability to customize your content however you want.

In contrast to Drupal, WordPress has over 9,630 free themes, but there are premium options if you’re going to enhance your SEO.

It is crucial to know that even though most of their themes are free to use, they might not include essential features that a premium theme would for your WordPress site.

Drupal vs. WordPress Ease of Use

One of the more essential factors to consider when choosing A CMS software is that it’s easy to use.

Some features might be too overwhelmingly tricky, causing the process of creating a website to be intimidating.

Fortunately, there are factors that both Drupal and WordPress include.

Drupal Ease of Use

For Drupal, beginner creators or developers might be overwhelmed due to the complexity of the software itself.

It will require you to train yourself on the inner workings to maneuver Drupal properly.

However, they have recently released new versions of this software, implementing a layout builder feature, so it’s easier to navigate and manage content whether you are a content editor, creator, or developer.

WordPress Ease of Use

As previously mentioned, WordPress is ideal for those who are at the beginner level at creating a website or blog.

You don’t necessarily have to be a developer, as it helps guide you through building your website and learn about the functions and features to use to your advantage.

Some of the features they include would be a user-friendly dashboard, built-in blog, and drag and drop functionality.

Drupal vs. WordPress Customization

The ability to customize your content is essential, making it unique and functional for those viewing your website or blog.

Both Drupal and WordPress offer various customizing options such as plugins, themes, templates, and extensions.

Drupal Customization

Although they have fewer modules and themes to choose from than WordPress, Drupal offers an extensive amount of options for customization.

Their amount of modules are standard, and they can support and strengthen the functions and speed of your website or blog.

However, if you are looking to customize based on your content fully, it will require you to work more on the commanding-line interface.

WordPress Customization

With the help of its plugins and themes, WordPress guides you in creating your content with ease.

Due to its simple and user-friendly dashboard and functions, it is easier for you to edit, create and manage posts and pages without worrying about coding.

You can also modify and edit them to suit your content needs.

Drupal vs. WordPress Security

Advanced security is crucial for any website or blog creator because it prevents technical issues and protects your content from hackers and other harmful malware.

With this in mind, Drupal and WordPress have their solutions when dealing with this factor.

Drupal Security

Drupal might be the leading contender for security because of its high-quality security system.

This is primarily because of its strict, thorough processing of coding, releases, and many factors that deal with plugins and themes.

Even if it has a robust security system, your website or blog is still at risk of hackers or other technical issues if not properly maintained and updated.

WordPress Security

WordPress provides an excellent standing security system.

However, it is known for its vulnerability to cyber-attacks.

Since most platforms use WordPress, it’s more prone to cyber security issues.

Also, since this system is user-friendly for beginners, sometimes, when editing your pages and sites on your own, minor technical issues can lead to hackers.

Drupal vs. WordPress Features

Having features for your website or blog will help in enhancing your content and its engagement.

In comparison, both Drupal and WordPress have features to strengthen your content.

Drupal Features

Due to it complexity, this CMS software has an array of features for your website or blog.

Some of those features include:

• Provides Advanced Security for your Content.
• Enhances personal customer data to strengthen engagement activity.
• Has 2,000 themes and over 40,000 modules to offer.
• New software releases to guide new users.

WordPress Features

Even though it’s software is simplistic, it does offer an assortment of features.

Several of them include:

• User-Friendly Software for Beginner Content Creators and Developers.
• Regular updates and maintenance to maintain content functionality.
• Has 9,630 themes and 59, 296 plugins to offer.
• Built-In Blog feature.

Drupal vs. WordPress Costs

As for costs, both Drupal and WordPress are free to install and use for content creation.

However, if you are looking to enhance your website or blog, there are premium options that do require you to pay.

Final Verdict

So which is best, Drupal or WordPress?

It depends on your level of expertise on website or blog management.

WordPress is better for beginners, while Drupal is better for tech-savvy bloggers.

We suggest doing further research in both of these options to determine which is the right fit for you.

We hope this guide helped you out!

One of the most important, yet often overlooked, is understanding and using the roles available inside a WordPress account.

In this article, we will discuss what roles are, how they work, and how you can customize them to fit your specific needs.

We will also show you how to create custom roles and manage all of your WordPress users effectively.

Before we dive into the details of managing user roles, let’s first take a look at what they are and how they work.

What Are WordPress User Roles and Permissions?

In WordPress, user roles determine what someone can do on your website.

There are six default user roles.

• Subscriber
• Contributor
• Author  
• Administrator
• Editor
• Super Admin

Each user role uses a specific set of capabilities.

These capabilities represent permissions that allow users to perform certain actions on your website.

For example, the Super Admin role can manage all aspects of a WordPress network.

An Editor role can create, edit, and publish posts.

In most cases, the user roles provided by default should fit all your needs.

However, there may be times when you want to create a custom role with specific capabilities.

To fully understand the benefits and conveniences of having user roles, you’ll first need to know what each of them includes.

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If you’ve ever gotten an error that says “Sorry, you are not allowed to access this page” while working in WordPress, you’ve likely faced the limitation of your user role.

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What Are the Different User Roles Available in WordPress?

Let’s take a more detailed view of each of the six user roles in WordPress.

1. WordPress Subscriber Role

A WordPress subscriber role comes with the least website access.

What Is a WordPress Subscriber Role?

Subscribers can create an account and log in to your website.

However, they cannot access the WP administrator area or make any changes to your website.

Use this role if you offer content that users can subscribe to.

Keep in mind that you can’t send emails to people using this role.

You will need to use an email service provider for that purpose.

For example, you might use Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign to collect email subscribers from your blog’s sidebar.

Subscriber Capabilities

Here is a list of the default capabilities assigned to Subscribers:

• Read
• Edit personal profiles

Who Should Have the Subscriber Role?

The WordPress subscriber role is best suited for people who will consume the content on your website.

This option could represent anyone from casual readers to dedicated fans.

If you are running a membership website, this role would also work for members who do not need access to the admin area.

The Pros of WordPress Subscriber Roles

As a basic role, the subscriber option works well for websites that offer content that users can subscribe to, such as a blog or newsletter.

It’s also advantageous when building a membership website.

The role keeps your website secure by limiting access to the admin area.

It helps prevent unauthorized changes to your website by controlling who can see and edit your content.

Editor’s Take

As the lowest tier of user roles, Subscriber is a title that’s typically reserved for your dedicated readers. With a Subscriber title, individuals can create an account and make a profile page that makes them identifiable.

These individuals will be able to edit and add content to their profiles and change their passwords. However, they don’t have access to any parts of your website, aside from being able to leave a comment.

Subscribers cannot add posts, edit comments, or access the behind-the-scenes areas of your site. Instead, it’s simply a way to make an account so that they can leave a comment on your posts.

2. WordPress Contributor Role

Stepping up from the subscriber role, we get the WordPress contributor role.

What Is a WordPress Contributor Role?

Contributor roles are similar to the subscriber role in that contributors can create an account and log in to your website.

However, contributors can also write and submit posts for review.

Once a contributor submits their blog post, an administrator or editor must approve and post it.

Contributor Capabilities

Here is a list of the default capabilities assigned to Contributors:

• Delete posts
• Edit posts
• Read posts

Who Should Have the Contributor Role?

The contributor WordPress role is best suited for people who create content for your website.

You might give this access to guest writers, expert contributors, or even employees.

If you run a membership website, this role would also allow members to submit content.

The Pros of WordPress Contributor Roles

The contributor WordPress role is beneficial because it allows multiple people to place content onto your website without giving them access to the WP administration area.

It saves time by eliminating the need for you or an editor to copy and paste content from a word processing document.

It’s also a great way to get content from guest writers or experts in your industry.

By submitting their posts for review, you can ensure that the quality of your content remains high.

Editor’s Take

Contributor posts are booming in popularity because it’s a great way to network, backlink, and attract new audiences. If you’re a site owner interested in working with another blogger, this role will prove to be particularly useful. Individuals can write and save their own posts on your site as a Contributor but cannot publish them.

An Editor will be required to approve and publish a post, making it a great way to ensure you’re posting quality content. In fact, even Authors cannot manage a Contributor’s content, as they can only edit and adjust their own posts.

Another factor to consider with this user role is that Contributors can’t categorize their posts, but they can add tags. One of the downfalls of this role is that they don’t have the opportunity to upload files. If you want them to add images or videos to their posts, for example, you’ll require an Editor for this task.

3. WordPress Author Role

The WordPress author role is similar to the contributor role in that authors can write and submit posts for review.

What Is a WordPress Author Role?

WordPress authors can build, edit, and publish their posts.

An author can delete their posts.

Authors can’t gain access to other user’s posts.

Author Capabilities

Here is a list of the default capabilities assigned to Authors:

• Edit published posts
• Delete published posts
• Upload files
• Create reusable blocks
• Edit reusable blocks

Who Should Have the Author User Role?

The WordPress author role is best suited for people who regularly create content for your website.

It could represent anyone from guest writers to employees.

The Pros of WordPress Author Roles

There are a few advantages to using the author role.

Authors can help with proofreading and catching errors before publishing posts.

An author can help you gather content from other people for a post.

By having access to the post editor, authors can format their posts before publishing them.

Editor’s Take

Another role that you can assign to the individuals providing content to your site is the Author role.

With this task, writers can create and publish their own content and delete their own posts.

This role is unique to other platforms because they can still delete their posts even after publishing.

It’s best if this role is reserved solely for the better writers for your site who create your blog posts.

You will also need to assign Editors still, as Authors cannot categorize their posts outside of using tags.

Another difference between Authors and Editors is that Authors can’t moderate comments or delete them.

As expected, this role cannot work with the plugins, themes, or settings of your site, making it a low-risk user role.

The maximum amount of power these individuals have is deleting and adding their own posts.

4. WordPress Administrator Role

The WP administrator role is the highest level of access available.

Administrators have full control over a WordPress website.

What Is a WordPress Administrator Role?

WordPress administrators can start a website on WordPress from scratch.

They can also create, edit, and delete posts and pages.

They can also install plugins, add users, install WordPress themes, and manage all settings on a WordPress website.

If desired, they can delete the website.

Who Should Have the Administrator Role?

Reserve the WP administrator role for people who need full access to important areas of a WordPress website.

You would include website owners, administrators, developers, and editors in this role.

The Pros of WordPress Administrator Roles

Administrators maintain complete control over a WordPress website.

If you’re the administrator, you can add and remove users, change settings, and manage all aspects of your website.

5. WordPress Editor Role

The WordPress editor role is similar to the administrator role in that editors have full access to posts and pages.

What Is a WordPress Editor Role?

WordPress editors can manage and edit content, but can’t gain access to website settings.

Editors can add, delete, and edit posts and pages, as well as moderate comments.

Editor Capabilities

Here is a list of the default capabilities assigned to Editors:

• Delete pages and posts
• Edit published and unpublished pages
• Manage links, comments, and categories
• Read private and public posts
• Upload files

Who Should Have the Editor Role?

The Editor role works for someone who needs to manage and publish content but doesn’t need access to the more technical aspects of the site.

For example, if you have a small business website, you might want to give the editor role to your assistant.

Or, you can ask an employee to keep the site up-to-date using this role.

If you have a blog that multiple people contribute to, the Editor role might work for senior writers.

You can allow them to create, edit, and publish their posts.

However, they can’t make any major changes to the site itself.

The Pros of WordPress Editor Roles

You gain the following advantages when assigning others as editors:

• Editors can help manage and publish content
• They can moderate comments
• Editors can gather content from other team members for a post

Editor’s Take

When designing a website, content is king, which is something that many specialists agree on. Your Editor likely has one of the most important tasks: managing the content directly on your site.

Their tasks will typically revolve around editing, publishing, and deleting posts as necessary. However, as they have control over the content, this is also a role that you’ll want to assign to a trusted individual.

Not only will Editors be able to work on their own published content but other Editors’ content as well. Another facet of this role is managing comments, such as moderating, editing, and deleting them.

This role isn’t as intense as some of the others, as these individuals cannot access the settings for your site. They also don’t have control over plugins, so they cannot adjust or change your theme, nor can they assign new roles.

6. WordPress Super Admin Role

The WordPress super administrator role is available on WordPress multisite networks.

What Is a WordPress Super Admin Role?

On a multisite network, the super administrator role has complete control over every site inside a network of sites.

They can add, delete, and edit posts and pages.

They can also install plugins and themes, add users, and manage all settings on a WordPress website network.

A super administrator can even delete an entire website.

Super Admin Capabilities

Here is a list of the default capabilities assigned to Super Admins:

• Create and delete sites
• Manage networks
• Manage sites
• Manage network users
• Manage network plugins
• Manage network themes
• Upgrade networks
• Set up new networks
• Manage network options

Who Should Have the Super Admin Role?

Only people you trust with an entire network of WordPress websites should get access to the super administrator role.

The super administrator role supersedes the normal administrator role.

For instance, the admin role can decide to activate a plugin while the super admin decides whether to install or delete the plugin.

The Pros of Super Admin WordPress Super Admin Roles

There are a few advantages of being a super administrator.

• You can manage an entire network of WordPress websites
• You can add, delete, and edit posts and pages
• You can install plugins and themes

Editor’s Take

As a Super Admin, there’s no one positioned above you on the website food chain.

This role allows you to perform every possible capability assigned to your site, from posting to editing comments.

As the most senior position, this role should be reserved for yourself or a co-owner of the site.

It’s also important to note that the Super Admin doesn’t only have access to the front-end of your site.

They will also get access to the back-end and complete tasks, such as accessing all sites in your network.

With that said, this role must be assigned to someone on your team who you trust the most.

How Do I Find User Roles in WordPress?

In the WordPress admin panel, go to Users > All Users.

You’ll see a list of every user on your website.

Next to each username, you will notice the user’s role.

How Do I Customize Existing User Roles and Permissions in WordPress?

You can easily customize user roles and their permissions in WordPress.

Go to the Users and area.

Find the option to add a new role.

You can then select the capabilities you want to add or remove from that role.

It’s possible to use plugins to change the capabilities of an existing user role.

The User Role WordPress Editor plugin will allow you to make these user customizations.

With this plugin, you can add or remove capabilities from any user role.

You can also create new user roles and assign them specific permissions.

How Do I Create Custom User Roles in WordPress?

Creating custom user roles in WordPress is a two-step process.

First, you should create the role using a plugin or code.

Then, you can assign capabilities to that role.

There are a few plugins you can use to create custom user roles in WordPress.

The User Role WordPress Editor plugin mentioned earlier can also help to build out new roles.

Another option is the Members plugin.

The Members WordPress plugin allows you to build new roles and assign capabilities to those roles.

You can also create custom user roles in WordPress without a plugin.

However, this method requires you to add code to your site.

If you’re not comfortable with code, we recommend using a plugin instead.

Once you’ve created a custom user role, you can assign it to any user on your website.

To do this, go to Users > All Users.

Then, click on the user you want to change and select the new role from the drop-down menu.

Managing WordPress User Roles Effectively

Now that you know all about WordPress roles, let’s talk about how to manage them effectively.

Why Manage WP User Roles and Permissions?

There are a few reasons you might want to manage WordPress user permissions and roles.

1. To improve security

By managing user roles, you can ensure that only people with the appropriate permissions maintain access to sensitive areas of your website.

Using this option can help reduce the risk of a security breach.

2. To improve team collaboration

By assigning specific roles and permissions to team members, you can give them the ability to work on website areas relevant to their skills and expertise.

With this option, you can help improve collaboration.

It also prevents team members from accidentally making changes they’re not supposed to make.

3. To improve efficiency

By managing user roles and their permissions, you can ensure that people get access to only the areas of the website they need to access.

It can help reduce confusion and increase efficiency.

What Are the Best Practices for Managing WordPress User Roles and Capabilities on Your Site?

Here are a few best practices for managing WP user roles and capabilities on your website:

• Define clear roles and responsibilities
• Assign roles and permissions based on responsibilities
• Review the roles and permissions regularly
• Consider using plugins to manage user roles

If you have a large number of users, it’s helpful to create custom roles with specific capabilities tailored to each user’s needs.

Doing so will help reduce the risk of accidental changes.

It makes it easier to manage your site.

Test all new custom roles thoroughly before making them live on your website.

You want to avoid unexpected changes or problems.

Finally, keep in mind that user roles and capabilities are not set in stone.

You can always change them later.

Communicate any changes to your users so they know what to expect.

What Are the Practices To Avoid as You Manage WordPress User Roles Effectively?

As you manage WP user roles, there are a few practices you should avoid to remain effective.

One such practice is creating different roles for users who serve the same purpose.

Your team members may become frustrated if they find out they have different permissions than others in their roles.

Another practice to avoid is giving too many permissions to a single user role.

Don’t give everyone the same role and permissions.

These activities can create security risks.

It also makes it difficult to manage the different users and their roles.

Avoid changing a user’s role too frequently.

Otherwise, you’ll confuse your employees or freelancers.

Adding, Removing, and Changing Capabilities to a User Role

When adding or removing capabilities from a user role, it’s important to understand the potential implications.

For example, if you remove the “read” capability from a user role, that user can no longer see content on your website.

Before making any changes, it’s always a good idea to test the new role on a staging site.

That way, you can see how the changes will affect your site before making them live.

When you’re ready to make the changes, log in to your WordPress site and go to Users > Roles.

How Do I Add a New User Role to WordPress?

To add a new user role, click the button that lets you add a new role.

Enter the name of the role in the “Role Name” field.

In the “Role Description” field, you can enter a brief description of what this user role can do.

Then, select the capabilities that you want to assign to this user role.

Once you’re finished, click the “Add Role” button.

You’ve created your new user role and it’s ready for use.

How Do I Remove Capabilities From a User Role?

To remove a capability from a user role, use the `remove_cap()` function.

This function takes into account two parameters: the name of the role and the name of the capability you want to remove.

For example, to remove the “edit_posts” capability from the “Contributor” role, you would use the following code.

`remove_cap( ‘contributor’, ‘edit_posts’ );`

Once you’ve removed a capability from a user role, those users can longer perform the corresponding action on your website.

In the above example, users with the “Contributor” role can no longer edit posts.

It’s important to note that you should only use the `remove_cap()` function when necessary.

Removing too many capabilities from a user role can make it difficult for those users to perform their desired actions on your website.

You can also use a plugin.

You might decide to use the WPFront User Role Editor plugin, for instance, to manage user roles and capabilities.

How Do I Change User Roles in WordPress?

If you want to change a user’s role, you can do so by going to the “Users” section of your WordPress dashboard.

From there, find the user you want to modify and click on the “Edit” link next to their name.

On the next screen, scroll down to the “Role” field and select the new role you want to assign to the user.

Once you’ve made your selection, click on the “Update User” button to save your changes.

How Do I Duplicate a User Role?

There may be times when you want to duplicate an existing WP user role.

For example, if you have a “Contributor” role and you want to create a similar role with different permissions, you can do so by duplicating the “Contributor” role.

Once again, the User Role WordPress Editor plugin will help you accomplish this task.

After installing and activating the plugin, go to Users > User Role.

On the Roles tab, select the role you want to duplicate from the drop-down menu.

Then click on the “Copy” button next to that role.

A new pop-up window will appear asking you to enter a name for the duplicated role.

Enter a name and click on the “Copy Role” button.

What Are the Best WordPress User Roles and Capabilities Plugins?

If you’re looking to add or edit user roles and capabilities on your WordPress site, then you’ll need one of the available plugins to help you with that.

Here are some of the best plugins for managing WP user roles and capabilities.

• WP User Manager: Here’s an option that lets you manage your user roles and capabilities from within the WP admin panel.
• Members: The Members plugin gives you a lot of control over your user roles and capabilities, as well as other features like member directories and custom registration forms.
• User Role Editor: With its easy-to-use interface, this plugin works well for managing user roles and capabilities. It lets you add, edit, or delete roles and capabilities.
• Capability Manager Enhanced: Another great plugin for managing user roles and capabilities. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to add, edit, or delete roles.
• Advanced Access Manager: This plugin helps when you want to manage a large number of user roles and capabilities.

WordPress User Security

There are a few things you can do to help secure your WordPress users:

• Use strong passwords: Make sure your users are using strong passwords that are difficult to guess. You can use a plugin like WP Strong Password to help enforce this.
• Use two-factor authentication: Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of WordPress security to your login process. It requires users to enter a code that two-factor authentication systems send to their phone or email in addition to their password.
• Use a security plugin: A WordPress security plugin like Wordfence can help protect your site from malicious attacks.
• Keep your WordPress site up to date: Be sure to keep your WordPress site and plugins up to date. It will help ensure that your site is as secure as possible.

Wrapping Up

Managing WordPress roles and capabilities can seem like a daunting task.

However, using the proper tools can make it easier to do.

In this article, we’ve looked at some of the best plugins for managing user roles and capabilities.

We’ve also talked about how to use those plugins to duplicate or change existing user roles, as well as how to secure your WordPress users.

Take the next action by selecting your favorite plugin.

Then, use it to organize your blog’s users.

People use them every day when creating content, surfing the internet, or more.

However, do you know what they are?

How do they get the job done?

What are the best plug-ins?

Let’s take a closer look at what plug-ins are.

What Are Plugins?

A plug-in can be defined as a software component or addition included on another software to improve its performance, customize it, and improve its performance.

They are used in computer programs, web browsers, applications, etc.

However, it is essential to note that even though plug-ins are handy for many people, they are gradually being replaced by website extensions, especially web browsers.

These are more popular on platforms such as google chrome.

Such browser extensions, like plug-ins, are famous for their easy installation.

 However, their decline in use has not affected their performance, and people still rely on them.

Both of them have their selling points and downsides, and it is up to you to make an informed choice when caught between decisions.

The little add-ons used by content creators to optimize their content are also plug-ins.

For consumers, such plug-ins provide you with a whole new experience, from the images you come across to the sounds and videos you see.

They improve the appearance of a website, customize the fonts, open pdf documents, and even help content rank better on ranking platforms.

For instance, some websites will only allow you to view videos with a plug-in.

This problem mainly occurs when a website has videos from other platforms, such as Vimeo and YouTube.

If it is not installed, the browser might not even understand how to play it.

Also, You can use some plugins to add effects to audio recording and sequencing programs.

A good example of such a plug-in is the VST plug-ins (Virtual Studio Technology).

There are different types of plug-ins.

However, they can be divided into two major groups: those shipped with the program and those that third parties develop.

Third-party plug-ins might be sold separately from the program.

The main difference is that most built-in plug-ins have basic functions that require them to be there.

Their unavailability might affect the simple functions of the program.

On the other hand, third-party plug-ins might not be necessary for basic operations.

However, they might make your time easier online when using the program.

It is possible to get hold of these plug-ins for free online.

Most of these plug-ins are made by companies competing for standards.

However, there are still premium plug-ins in the market.

How Do Plug-ins Work?

Every plug-in is specifically designed to serve a specific purpose.

Therefore, it is safe to say that they are used to add functionality that was initially missing in a platform.

They integrate into the forum and blend with the User Interface.

You might even notice them as they sometimes look like a part of the platform.

The best thing about such plug-ins is that the developers can conveniently update them without changing something on their hosting applications.

Plug-ins interact with a website due to Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

If the API used is stable enough, the plug-in will run seamlessly.

For example, the os x plug-in manages endpoints that run on Mac and OS X operating systems.

Plug-in Pros and Cons

There are many pros to using plug-ins, including:

• They can save you time by automating tasks that would otherwise be manual.
• Plug-ins can also improve your workflow by providing features and functionality not available in your default application. You can even use them on a web browser (such as Microsoft Edge or internet explorer) and applications such as Adobe Photoshop.
• Installed plug-ins can increase your productivity by allowing you to work with more data or files at once. Better still, you can install multiple plug-ins for more features.
• They help you manage and organize your data by providing sorting, filtering, and searching tools.
• Plug-ins can make your work more efficient by providing shortcuts and customizations.
• Like an extension, a plug-in will improve the quality of your work by providing features for previewing, testing, and debugging.
• They make your work more reliable by providing backup and recovery features.
• They can make your work more portable by providing features for exporting and importing data.
• Plug-ins can improve the security of your work by providing features for encrypting and password-protecting data.
• They can extend the life of your work by providing features for compatibility with newer versions of your default application.

There are a few potential negatives to using plug-ins:

• They can introduce extra complexity to your project, as you need to manage both the plug-in and your code.
• They can be a source of bugs, as any code has the potential to contain errors.
• They can be a security risk, as third-party code can introduce vulnerabilities. This problem is more common in browser plug-ins.
• They can be challenging to customize, as you may need to understand the browser plug-in code to make changes.
• They can be challenging to update, as you may need to wait for the plug-in author to release a new version before you can get the latest features or bug fixes.

WordPress Plugins: The Basics

1. What Are WordPress Plugins?

A WordPress plug-in is software containing a group of functions that you can add to a WordPress website.

They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites.

These plug-ins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress.

Once a WordPress plug-in is installed on your site, you can activate it by going to the Plug-ins page in your WordPress admin area and clicking the Activate link under the plug-in.

Once a plug-in is activated, you can configure its settings by going to the Settings page for that plug-in.

1. Are WordPress Plugins Safe?

Yes, WordPress plug-ins are safe for your WordPress site.

However, it is essential to remember that not all plug-ins are created equal.

Some plug-ins are better than others, and some are more secure than others.

When choosing a plug-in, be sure to research the plug-in thoroughly.

Read reviews and check out the developer’s website to learn more about the plug-in.

In addition, always keep your plug-ins up-to-date.

Plug-in developers regularly release updates that address security vulnerabilities.

By keeping your plug-ins up-to-date, you can help protect your website from potential attacks.

4. How to Find WordPress plug-ins

There are a few ways to find WordPress plug-ins to add a new feature to your WordPress site.

1. Go to the official WordPress website and search for plug-ins in the search bar.
2. Go to a website specializing in WordPress plug-ins, such as wpbeginner.com or wpmudev.org. This method is suitable if you already have a specific plug-in in mind.
3. Use a search engine like Google Chrome Web Store to search for WordPress plug-ins. This method is suitable, especially if you are looking for a specific feature.

5. How to Install a WordPress Plugin

Choosing a suitable WordPress plug-in is one thing, and installing it is another.

These plug-ins are like applications for your WordPress website.

You can use them to add new features such as contact forms, shopping carts, slideshows, etc.

Below is the procedure followed to install WordPress plug-ins.

1. Download the new plug-in from the WordPress plug-in repository.
2. Extract the plug-in files to your computer.
3. Upload the plug-in folder to your WordPress website. Activate the plug-in from the WordPress plug-in page.

6. How to Update WordPress Plugins

There are two ways to update WordPress plug-ins; you can update them manually or automatically.

To automatically update your plug-ins, you’ll have to log in to your WordPress Dashboard.

Hover over the “Updates” link and click “Update Plug-ins” on the left-hand sidebar.

On the Updates page, you will select the checkbox next to the plug-in you want to update and click the “Update Plug-ins” button.

What Are the Best WordPress Plug-ins?

The best WordPress plug-ins improve the functionality of your website while maintaining a high level of security.

WordPress has thousands of plug-ins available, so finding the best ones can be challenging.

Here are a few of the best plug-ins for WordPress:

1. WordPress SEO (Search Engine Optimization) by Yoast

This plug-in is designed to help you optimize your website for search engines.

It includes title and meta tag optimization, XML sitemaps, and social media integration.

Jetpack

Jetpack is a plug-in that provides various features for WordPress websites, including social media integration, security, and performance enhancements.

1. Gravity Forms

Gravity Forms is a plug-in that allows you to create, manage, and publish forms.

It includes features such as conditional logic and integration with third-party services.

1. WP Smush

WP Smush is a plug-in that optimizes images for faster loading times.

It includes features such as bulk smushing and automatic resizing.

1. Yoast SEO for WordPress

Yoast SEO for WordPress is a plug-in that helps you optimize your website for the search engines.

It includes features such as title and meta tag optimization.  

Wrapping Up

WordPress plug-ins are a great way to add features to your website without coding them yourself.

There are plug-ins for almost everything, from social media integration to security.

And best of all, they’re easy to install and use.

So what are you waiting for?

Start browsing the WordPress plug-in directory today and find the perfect plug-in for your website.

1. WordPress.com
2. WordPress.org

Both platforms have their unique benefits and drawbacks.

This fact can make it difficult to decide which one is right for you.

In this article, we will discuss the similarities and differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

Our goal is to help you make an informed decision about which platform works best for your needs.

WordPress.com vs WordPress.org Comparison

WordPress.com and WordPress.org are both popular content management systems (CMS).

They each come with their pros and cons, which we will discuss in more detail below.

What Is WordPress.com?

WordPress.com is a blogging platform owned and operated by Automattic.

It’s a free and open-source CMS based on PHP and MySQL.

WordPress.com launched in 2003 as a simple blogging platform.

It has since evolved into a powerful CMS.

WordPress.com

WordPress.com operates as a hosted platform.

It means that you don’t need to worry about hosting your website.

The platform takes care of all of the technical aspects of running a WordPress site for you.

WordPress.com Pros

WordPress.com is easy to use.

You don’t need any technical skills or knowledge to set up a website on WordPress.com. WordPress.com offers a free plan.

You can create a website on WordPress.com without having to pay any money.

WordPress.com provides a secure platform.

The team at Automattic takes care of all the security updates and patches for you.

Finally, WordPress.com offers quality customer support.

If you ever have any questions or run into any problems, you can contact the WordPress.com support team.

They’re happy to help you out.

WordPress.com Cons

Although WordPress.com is easy to use, it does have some limitations.

You don’t gain full control over your website when using WordPress.com.

Automattic owns and operates WordPress.com, which means they can make changes to the platform at any time.

WordPress.com includes strict guidelines about the type of content you can publish on your website.

If you violate their terms of service, they can delete your website without warning.

Using WordPress.com means that you’re limited in terms of customization.

You can’t install some types of themes or plugins on WordPress.com.

Although known as a free platform, WordPress.com is truly a paid platform.

It does offer a free plan.

However, the free plan only allows you to create a basic website.

If you want to unlock all of the features, you need to upgrade to a premium plan.

When To Use WordPress.com

Consider using WordPress.com when you want to create a simple website or blog.

It’s also a nice option if you desire a free option for that basic site setup.

WordPress.com is not a good option if you need to customize it beyond the limits of what WordPress.com allows.

What Is WordPress.org?

WordPress.org is a CMS that you can download and install on a third-party web host’s server.

It is also a free and open-source platform.

Unlike WordPress.com, with WordPress.org, you take responsibility for your website’s setup process.

You need to find a web hosting provider and install the WordPress content management system on your server.

WordPress.org Pros

You maintain full control over your website when creating a blog.

It includes the content, themes, plugins, and everything else you may need.

There’s no need to worry about customization limitations.

Every WordPress.org website uses a custom domain without WordPress advertising on it.

The free WordPress.com we mentioned above provides 1 GB of storage space.

In contrast, most hosting companies you would use with a WordPress.org website provide increased storage space.

Using WordPress.org provides improved email capabilities.

The WordPress.com Pro plan offers free email functionality for three months only.

Most hosting companies you will use with WordPress.org offer unlimited free email accounts.

WordPress.org Cons

Using WordPress.org requires some technical knowledge and skills.

You need to install WordPress on your server and keep it up to date.

WordPress.org is generally more expensive than WordPress.com.

Factor in the cost of web hosting, the custom domain name, and other items such as premium themes or plugins.

When To Use WordPress.org

WordPress.org works great in situations where you want to avoid any limitations in terms of website design, functionality, and content rights.

If you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner with plans to steadily grow the company, then WordPress.org is the best option for you.

It’s also a good option if you want to create a complex website, such as an online store.

WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: Hosting Requirements

When looking at the similarities and differences inside the WordPress.com vs WordPress.org debate, you need to understand the hosting service requirements.

WordPress.com: Managed Hosted

Managed WordPress hosting is a service type where the provider manages the technical aspects of the website for you.

It includes things like security, speed, updates, and uptime.

With managed hosting, you don’t need to worry about these technical details.

You can focus on creating content and publishing it on your website.

WordPress.com is a managed hosted platform, which means that Automattic manages all of the technical aspects of your website for you.

Why Do I Need Managed Hosting?

Managed hosting works well for people who don’t want to deal with the technical side of website building.

It’s also a good option if you don’t have the time or skills to manage your website yourself.

It can save money spent on developers or designers.

What Is the Cost of Managed Hosting?

The platform keeps things simple by offering two plans to its customers.

You can choose between the WordPress Free plan and the WordPress Pro plan.

You won’t pay any money when starting the WordPress Free plan.

However, it includes ads on your website and offers limited storage space.

If you want to increase your storage space and gain additional functionality, you need to upgrade to the WordPress Pro plan.

The Pro plan costs $15 per month and bills annually.

It unlocks the following features that the WordPress Free plan doesn’t provide.

• Free custom domain for one year
• 50 GB of storage space
• Well-rounded Premium theme selection
• A menu of plugins to choose from
• Premium support
• Removal of ads from the website
• Social media tools
• SEO tools
• Free email for three months
• Website backups

The WordPress Pro plan includes a 14-day money-back guarantee.

WordPress.org: Self-hosted

WordPress.org is a self-hosted platform, which means that you need to find a web hosting provider and install WordPress on your server.

After installing WordPress, you can manage all of the technical aspects of your website.

You will manage activities such as security, speed, and updates.

Why Do I Need to Self-host?

Self-hosting works best if you value the control you gain over your website.

You won’t run into any restrictions as you build on a self-hosted WordPress website.

With this option, you can upload anything you desire to the site.

It’s a process that makes it simple to directly fix all issues as challenges arise.

Traffic monitoring becomes easier.

You’ll find plenty of options that help view traffic numbers.

It’s critical to monitor this metric over time.

Use the information to adjust your search engine optimization in ways that meet your search ranking goals.

Other reasons to go the self-hosting route include the following.

• Access to a larger number of plugins and themes
• More storage
• Improve technical support
• Free email accounts

What Is the Cost of Self-hosting?

The cost of self-hosting will depend on the web hosting provider you choose and the type of plan you select.

Generally, shared hosting plans are the most affordable.

They start at around $50 per year.

They can increase to a few hundred dollars annually, depending on the features you need.

If you want more control over your website, you may need to select a VPS hosting plan.

These plans give you a virtual private server, which means that your website will have its own space on the server.

You can expect to pay around $100 per month for this type of hosting plan.

For high-traffic websites, you’ll need to select a dedicated server.

With this type of plan, your website will gain a physical server.

The price tag is much higher than other hosting plans, starting at $500 per month.

You can also find WordPress hosting providers that offer all-inclusive plans.

These plans include hosting, a domain name, support, and security features.

The costs of these plans will start at around $25 per month.

Here are two examples of quality hosting companies and the plans they offer.

We’ll focus on shared hosting here.

It’s usually the best way to begin a WordPress.org website while keeping costs down.

SiteGround hosts almost three million WordPress.org websites.

It comes with built-in security features and quality website speed features.

The website hosting company offers three main plans.

1. StartUp: $3.99/mo introductory price ($14.99/mo after the first year)
2. GrowBig: $6.99/mo introductory price ($29.99/mo after the first year)
3. GoGeek: $10.69/mo introductory price ($39.99/mo after the first year)

Bluehost offers 1-click WordPress installations and a free SSL certificate.

It offers these four shared hosting plans.

1. Basic: $2.95/mo introductory price ($10.99/mo after the first year)
2. Plus: $5.45/mo introductory price ($16.99/mo after the first year)
3. Choice Plus: $5.45 introductory price ($20.99/mo after the first year)
4. Pro: $13.95 introductory price ($32.99/mo after the first year)

WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: Which Is Better?

The most effective way to select the appropriate WordPress platform is by evaluating your needs and budget.

If you want a simple platform with limited features, WordPress.com is the best option.

The costs are reasonable.

You won’t need to manage any technical aspects of the website.

If you’re looking for more control over your website or want to add customizations, self-hosting with WordPress.org is the better solution.

Which Is Better for eCommerce?

To set up an online store, self-hosting with WordPress.org is the preferred option.

With this platform, you can select from a range of eCommerce plugins and themes.

You’ll also have more control over the security and performance of your website.

WordPress.org allows you to integrate your website with the following eCommerce solutions.

• WooCommerce
• Ecwid eCommerce Shopping Cart
• Shopify
• WP eCommerce
• Cart66 Cloud
• Easy Digital Downloads
• WP EasyCart
• BigCommerce for WordPress

You need these tools to set up a functional online store.

They allow you to add features such as a shopping cart, checkout process, and payment gateway.

Which Is More Secure?

Both WordPress.com and WordPress.org are secure platforms.

However, self-hosting with WordPress.org gives you additional security options.

You can install more advanced security plugins to protect your WordPress website.

If you host your website with a reputable WordPress hosting provider, they’ll take additional steps to secure your website.

For example, WP Engine provides customers with a managed WordPress security solution that includes firewalls and malware scanning.

Which Is Cheaper?

The costs of both WordPress.com and WordPress.org will depend on the features you need.

If you want a simple website with limited features, WordPress.com will cost less.

When you want to add design customizations, advanced security plugins, and SEO options, you’ll spend more on your website with WordPress.org.

Which Is Easier To Use?

WordPress.com is ideal for beginners who want to set up a website without any fuss.

You get a more structured way to build your website.

Fewer bells and whistles typically equate to greater ease of use.

At the same time, you shouldn’t think that using WordPress.org requires a rocket science degree.

Most website hosts now provide a 1-click WordPress install option.

Once you log into the WordPress.org back office, it’s relatively straightforward.

The key is that WordPress.org offers more options inside its CMS area than WordPress.com.

Suffice it to say that both platforms make it easy to build a site.

You might consider WordPress.com as the option offering the simpler option.

Themes: Which Is More Customizable?

When it comes to themes, WordPress.org is the clear winner.

The platform provides access to thousands of free and premium themes.

By comparison, WordPress.com offers a more limited selection of themes.

With WordPress.org, you can also upload custom themes that you create yourself or purchase from third-party developers.

If you want maximum control over the appearance of your website, self-hosting with WordPress.org is the better solution.

Plug-ins: Which Is More Flexible?

Like themes, plugins are more plentiful on WordPress.org.

With over 54,000 plugins available, you can find a WordPress plugin for just about anything you want to do.

On WordPress.com, you’re limited to a few dozen plugins.

WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: Final Verdict

As you can see, WordPress.com and WordPress.org both have their strengths and weaknesses.

The best way to decide which platform is right for you is by evaluating your needs and budget.

Before making a decision, you should invest time in thinking about your long-term goals.

• Are you building a website for personal reasons?
• Would you rather use something easy to use “out of the box”?
• Is turning a profit with your blog unimportant to you?

If the above questions describe your situation, you should strongly consider using a WordPress.com website.

On the other hand, your long-term goals might include business-oriented goals.

Do you plan to steadily grow any of the following types of businesses?

• Coaching program
• Online course
• Affiliate marketing
• e-Commerce store
• SaaS company
• Local business
• Network marketing
• Digital marketing agency

If this is why you’re considering building a website, then you need to choose WordPress.org.

For business, WordPress.org is your winner.

As an entrepreneur and website owner, you need the WordPress.org customization options we described above.

You need the option to connect your hosting account to SEO plugins that improve website speed, for example.

Google takes website speed quite seriously when ranking you against your competitors.

You’re also going to want advanced design options as your business grows.

In the beginning, any WordPress theme will work well.

However, you will want the ability to hire designers down the road.

If you’re locked into a WordPress.com website, it will create a hassle to change it over to WordPress.org.

If you know you have big business and website dreams, it doesn’t make sense to think small now.

Invest in a self-hosted WordPress.org website from the beginning.

Doing so means you’re starting your business correctly.

Wrapping Up

The WordPress.com vs wordpress.org debate won’t end anytime soon.

Make your choice after weighing the pros and cons of each option against your long-term goals.

If you need a simple personal WordPress blog, consider WordPress.com.

If you’re an entrepreneur, choose the clear winner for business needs: WordPress.org.

One way to do that is with a featured post.

If you’re running a website or working at a digital marketing job, at some point you will probably be wondering what featured posts are and how they work.

In this post, we’ll take a look at what featured posts are, and when you should use them.

What Is Featured Content?

Featured content is the highlighted text, images, or posts on a page that entice visitors to read on.

Feature quality content to get new visitors when people view it and share it with others.

Featured posts are a version of that type of featured content.

What Is a Featured Post?

A featured post is a blog post that is featured on your home page or in another prominent location on your blog.

Featured posts are typically your most popular or most recent articles, and they can help new readers discover your best content.

They are a great way to draw attention to your best content and help new readers find your most popular articles.

While these types of posts are well-known to bloggers, they also appear on eCommerce platforms, social media platforms, email templates, and anywhere else that provides digital content.

Types of Featured Posts

What Is A Featured Post on a Blog?

When you visit a blog, you may see a post that is marked “sticky,” “featured,” or labeled with a pushpin icon.

This is a featured post.

Usually, the featured post tells more about the blog or offers the knowledge for which most people visit the blog.

It may have a different color background or maybe be in a box by itself, or it may welcome visitors or be an announcement.

Most blogs can feature only one post at a time, so make the featured post count.

What Are Featured Posts in WordPress?

A featured post in WordPress is a specific post that may not be one of your recent posts and is shown in the featured posts section of the main content on your website.

You may need a featured post plugin or a different method to get the featured post to display correctly.

Examples of Featured Posts on Our Website

On bloggingtips.com, we have several places where we produce featured posts.

The first is on our homepage.

As you can see, there are callouts for specific posts that we’d like our readers to take note of.

We think the posts we have called attention to are some of the most helpful and interesting pieces of content on our blog.

Second, we’ve included featured posts within our category archive pages.

As you can see from this example from our website Growth archive page, we’ve included another callout for some helpful resources that we think are most interesting from this category.

What Is a Featured Post on Instagram?

Instagram does not offer a featured post option, but Facebook (which is the same parent company) does.

To set a featured image or gallery on Facebook, choose “Featured” when looking at your own page (not your news feed).

You can then use photos that you have already uploaded or you can upload new ones.

Give your Featured album a title, and then all your friends can see it.

What Is a Featured Image in a WordPress Post?

A WordPress featured image is the image within a post that is associated with that post when looking at a list of posts.

It is shown at the top of the posts page in most WordPress theme layouts.

Sometimes, the featured image can be used to show the theme or type of the post.

Custom post types can be paired with featured images to organize the blog and its layout.

If the WordPress theme you chose does not support featured images, you can get plugins that will add this functionality.

Choose an image that illustrates the message in the post to help readers know what to expect.

Characteristics of a Featured Post

Choosing the right post to feature can be challenging.

Choose a blog post or write a new post that includes the following characteristics, for best results.

1. Engaging

A post that promotes discussion and encourages interaction will draw in more people.

Using a descriptive post title can encourage a person to click through and access the content.

For example, people are concerned about the security of a program.

They will be more likely to click on a post titled “Essential Security Features” than one that says “Features” alone.

2. Good Length

It is difficult to say what the exact length should be.

Generally, between 500 and 1,500 words are the recommended length, but it depends on the content.

It may be possible to fully express a thought or concept in fewer words, or it may take more words to do it justice.

Focus on quality, not quantity.

• Related: How long should a blog post be?

3. Readable

If your visitors are unable to read your content, it will not matter how much content you have.

Avoid personal information and confusing embedded content and stick with simplicity.

4. Relevant

Avoid content that is no longer relevant.

Your readers will lose interest quickly without fresh content that relates to their life.

5. Useful

For a user to find value in your content, the content needs to be useful.

Plenty of websites offer random strings of keywords in an attempt to boost traffic, but people get irritated with sites like that.

Offer data or instruction that they can use.

Benefits of a Featured Post in WordPress Sidebar

You can feature a post in the sidebar widget area using a WordPress plugin or the basic functionality that comes with WordPress hosting.

If you use a featured tag on a few top-quality posts, you may be able to use a module to rotate the featured item.

Some website templates have code included that allows you to use a shortcode to embed a featured post into other pages.

If you have an analytics plugin, you can see which of your featured posts attract the most engagement.

Wrapping Up

Featured posts on a blog or website draw attention to images or content that offers value to the reader.

The visitor might overlook the content if it is not set apart by featuring it.

Use simplicity, readability, and relevance to create a useful post.

Choose relevant images to encourage your visitors to engage with your content.

Place the post on your main page or in the sidebar to keep it visible to your visitors.

With an abundance of themes and plugins to choose from, it allows users to build a website from the ground up and to their specifications.

But, to manage a site, you need to know where and how to use WordPress to the fullest.

In this article, you’ll find out everything you need to know about the functionality of the WordPress Admin Dashboard, how it works, and the options available.

What Is the Admin Dashboard?

The Dashboard is a control panel for your website that allows you to create and manage all your website’s content, add and remove plugins, change themes, and a lot more.

After installing WordPress and logging in, you’ll be greeted by the Dashboard, which is always the starting point for all your WordPress projects.

How to Access the WP Admin Dashboard

You can access your WordPress Admin Dashboard in two ways. The easiest way is to type the URL of your WP installation and add ‘/wp-admin.’

The second is from your WordPress page, where if you choose ‘My sites’ you’ll find the ‘WP Admin’ option that takes you directly to your Dashboard.

The Dashboard Layout

Once you open your WP Dashboard, the default view shows all the important options and details regarding your website.

It has thee essential parts:

• A sidebar on the left
• A toolbar on top
• Central part

What Can You Find in the Sidebar Menu?

The sidebar menu gives an overview of some of the vital services and options needed to create a website.

There you’ll be able to access:

• Posts
• Media
• Pages
• Comments
• Appearance
• Plugins
• Users
• Tools
• Settings

The Center of Your Dashboard

In the central part, you can see your website’s Activity, Quick Drafts, At a Glance info, Stats, What’s Hot, and WordPress Events and News page.

1. At a Glance – A Quick Brief

This module gives a quick look at your pages, comments, theme, and potential spam, and it helps you keep track of the activities happening on your website.

If you want to see new comments, just tap on the icon and you’ll be taken to the comments section.

2. Quick Draft

When you have a good idea for a new post, and you want to write it fast – this is your go-to tool.

You can write posts from your WP dashboard, add a few photos, and go through as many drafts as you want in just a few minutes.

3. Activity

This option allows you to see all your comments and decide if you want to keep them on the profile or not.

You can reply directly from the Dashboard or see the history of that user’s comments.

If you get a comment, you can dislike it, reject it, mark it as spam, or send it to the trash right where you are.

4. WP Events and News

Did you know that WP organizes events?

If not, this is the place where you can find out all about the latest marketing conferences, blogging networking opportunities, or WordPress-related events.

If you’re not interested in seeing this kind of information on your Dashboard, you can easily remove it.

5. What’s Hot

If you’re interested in recent posts from the WP News blog and official WP blog, this section is where you can get all the latest info.

6. Your Stuff

The Your Stuff module is an activity log that displays your recent activity on the WP platform.

Whether you commented, updated your post, or wrote a new one, you’ll be able to keep track of all the changes made.

7. Stats

The Stats module is one favored by many users as it informs you of your website’s traffic.

There you can access your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly numbers, and the two main traffic measurements are based on views and unique visitors.

When you open the graph, you can access daily traffic and pages or posts that got the reader’s attention.

How to Modify Your Dashboard Layout

If your WP Dashboard doesn’t have a functional layout, you can quickly adapt it to your needs. Here’s an easy way to do it:

In the upper right corner of your Dashboard, you’ll find ‘Screen Options.’

When you tap on it, you can check and uncheck boxes depending on what module you want to see on your Dashboard screen.

However, if this didn’t do the trick, have in mind that almost everything you see is changeable.

You can add branding elements like a logo and a new color palette to your Dashboard.

Also, it’s possible to generate new custom menus, hide the WP toolbar, or you can find a plugin that’ll do all the work for you.

The Difference Between a Dashboard and Toolbar?

Beyond the Dashboard, WP also has a feature called WordPress Toolbar that lets you access key admin functions on the website’s front-end.

Regular site visitors can’t see it, but you’ll always have it on top of the screen.

The Toolbar is located above the Dashboard, and it shows:

• Quick links to information about WordPress, help and home buttons
• Quick links to create a new post, page, and link
• Quick links to add new user, review comments, and show update alerts

If you wish to turn off the Toolbar, you can do it with the following few steps:

1. Open the ‘Users’ option on the left sidebar menu.
2. Go to ‘Your Profile.’
3. Uncheck the box for ‘Show Toolbar when viewing the site.’

Put Your Dashboard in Action − Create a New Blog Post

One of the first steps for most users in WP is to make their first blog post, usually followed by many others. Here’s how to make it happen:

• Click on ‘Posts’ in the left menu.
• Click on the ‘Add New’ option.
• A new ‘Add New Post’ screen will open.
• Now you need to enter a title and write your blog post.
• On the bottom right, you’ll see formatting options and options to add images, videos, links, quotes, or audio files to your blog post.
• Once you’ve finished, on the right side of the screen you can decide whether to ‘Save Draft,’ ‘Preview,’ or ‘Publish’ your new post.

Plenty of Reasons to Master Your WP Admin Dashboard

All WP functions are located in the Dashboard, and you should get accustomed to it to use the platform to its fullest.

The more time you spend on your Dashboard, the faster you’ll get around your pages and your performance will skyrocket.

WordPress, a wonderful platform for bloggers, simplifies tags and has an easy-to-use native tag cloud widget.

WordPress plugins also give you greater control over how and where your tags and tag clouds display.

You may be curious about what a WordPress tag cloud looks like and how it works.

This article will explain tag clouds and creating one on your website.

We will also discuss the benefits of tag clouds and offer tips for optimizing them.

What Is WordPress Tag Cloud?

WordPress tags can be used to describe keywords assigned to posts.

Site visitors find them useful in a few ways.

The tags associated with a post are displayed when someone reads it.

These tags can be found at the bottom or in a sidebar and visitor can view all posts associated with a tag by clicking on them.

Tags also make it easier for visitors to search through all topics on your blog.

A tag cloud is a list of all the tags you have defined on your website and can be used to help readers find topics they are interested in.

While tags are about engaging readers, they can also affect your SEO.

In the next sections, we will discuss what tags can do for your blog.

What’s the Advantage of Using a Tag Cloud Block?

Why would you want to use a WordPress tag cloud on your website?

A tag cloud is a great way to improve SEO, increase traffic or make it easier for your audience to find what you need on your website.

There are many advantages to having a WordPress tag cloud on your site, such as:

1. Use Tags To Boost SEO

As we have already mentioned, tags can improve your website’s SEO.

Tag your content with relevant keywords and topics to make it easier for search engine spiders to locate and rank your content.

2. Tags Can Help Improve Navigation

WordPress tags will make it easier for visitors to navigate your website.

Consistent and descriptive tags will allow visitors to quickly scan your site and find the required information in just a few mouse clicks.

3. Tags Can Be Used To Create Visual Hierarchy

If your website has a lot of content, tags can help you create a visual hierarchy that allows visitors to scan the site and find what they want easily.

4. Use Tags To Arrange Similar Content

Tags can make it easier to organize related content on your site.

This can be particularly helpful if there is a large amount of content on your site or if you publish new posts regularly about the same topic.

Why and When You Should Display Most Popular Tags in WordPress

Tags make it easier to navigate your site and organize your content.

You should clearly label each post with tags.

These tags can be used to summarize the content of each post.

Like any feature, tags can be useful and not always necessary.

You might be wondering what to do with tags on your site.

First, you need to know that tags only apply to posts.

You can add tags on pages with some themes.

But others will not allow you to do so.

This is rarely something that people recommend.

You may consider tags unnecessary if your site doesn’t have many posts or you publish them only occasionally.

These tags are also unlikely to be required if your posts only contain news bulletins and company updates.

Tags are unnecessary if you have a personal blog that doesn’t attract a lot of traffic.

Tags are also very useful if your website relies on constant updates.

This is doubly true if your content tends to be on different topics.

We recommend that tags be added to your website and categories in these situations.

Where Should the Tag Cloud Be Placed?

You can place the tag cloud in a post on WordPress in several areas.

You can put your Tag at the beginning of your content, preferably in the first few paragraphs.

Most users also place tag clouds at the end of a page, while it is still okay to place them on your blog’s sidebar.

It will all depend on how you have set up your page and where you want the tag cloud to be displayed.

How to Create a Tag Cloud in WordPress

You need to take several steps to create your WordPress tag cloud.

These are:

1. Find the Most Important Topics and Keywords

Identifying the primary keywords and topics you wish your tags to reflect on creates an effective WordPress tag cloud is essential.

2. Select WordPress Theme or Plugin That is Compatible with Tag Clouds

Many WordPress themes and plugins allow you to create tag clouds.

Choose one that is simple to use and matches your site’s layout.

3. Add Tags to Your Content

After you’ve chosen a theme or plugin, you can add tags to your content.

Use descriptive and relevant keywords to tag your content so visitors can find what they are looking for.

4. Display WordPress Tag Cloud

After you have added tags and content to your website, you need to display the WordPress tag cloud.

You can do this by adding a widget in your sidebar or footer.

5. Monitor WordPress Tag Cloud

It is vital to keep an eye on your WordPress tag cloud.

Make sure the tags are accurate and relevant.

Your tag cloud should change with your website.

How to Display a Tag Cloud Manually

Insert the “wp_tag_cloud()” function wherever you want to display your tags, then set your parameters.

Below is a sample tag that includes some of the parameters.

Style Your Tag Clouds

CSS allows you to make your tags look more than just a list easily.

You will notice that this will alter the appearance of your sidebar widgets because of directly styling the “tag cloud”‘ div class.

Add a contained DIV to style them differently.

How To Display a Tag Cloud With a Plugin

The default WordPress widget, the tag cloud widget, is available for all themes.

Although the default widget is great, it has limited styling and setting options.

You might consider using a plugin to display your most-used tags with a more flexible appearance and functionality.

The cool tag cloud plugin is highly recommendable.

The plugin displays your tags in the same way as paper tags.

It also allows you to adjust the styling options to make them fit into your site.

You can blend in or stand apart.

The tag cloud widget will be available after you activate and install the plugin.

Next, configure the plugin.

Although this plugin offers many options, we will only focus on the most important.

We will start with the Title field.

Our widget will be named Popular Tags.

Next, there are styling options.

These options include font type, size, and weight.

But you can use these options to find the font and options that best suit your website.

Because this theme suits us better, we will change our image style to green.

Scroll down to see more styling options.

The Image alignment will remain on the left.

Select ‘Yes’ for animation on hover and ‘None’ for text transform.

We won’t exceed the maximum tag limit.

However, we will order tags according to the count.

This means the number of appearances and the Tag direction will be descending.

The Taxonomy area will remain at ‘Tags.’

We won’t touch it.

The Tooltip will remain on ‘Yes’ by default.

We will switch the Show Post Count to ‘Yes.’

We will not use any of the other options.

However, we will scroll all that way and then click ‘Save.’

Our footer now has a list of tags that look just like literal tags.

This includes the number and hovers animation.

You can also use the shortcode feature of this plugin.

Copy [cool_tag_cloud], and it will appear where you want.

How To Use the WordPress Tag Cloud

To add the tag cloud block click on the + block inserter icon.

Type “tag cloud” into the search box and click the button to add it to the page or post.

Use your keyboard to quickly add a tag cloud block to your page or post—type/Tag on a separate line and hit Enter.

How To Limit a Tag Cloud in WordPress

Suppose you’re using the tag cloud widget to show all the tags available on your WordPress website, and your site looks messy and cluttered due to too many tags.

In that case, you can limit the tags you want to display.

To limit the number of tags you have, use the methods below.

• Open your theme “functions.php” (Ensure that you are editing an activated theme file).

• Copy the provided code to your functions.php file

• Save the file.

How To Add the Tag Cloud Block to Your Post or Page

Click on Block Inserter and place the Block in the desired location.

You can also click the Block Inserter tool in the upper-left corner of your editor.

Click on ‘Tag Cloud’ to search and then select it.

Alternatively, type /tag cloud to enter the location where you want the Block.

‘Tag Cloud’ will display in the options.

The tag cloud clock is added to your content area.

All tags are automatically displayed.

You can choose from different sizes depending on how many tags you have.

The tags with the most posts will appear larger.

They are displayed alphabetically.

If you don’t have tags, the message will inform you there are no tags.

Clicking on a tag within the cloud brings up the archive page, which contains all the posts that used that Tag.

This function even works with drafts.

Be careful not to click the tags when using the tag cloud block.

Best Tag Cloud Plugin WordPress

WordPress has a number of plugins to make using tag clouds easier.

The best plugins for tag clouds on WordPress are:

1. 8 Degree Easy Tags Pro

8 Degree Easy Tags Pro, a premium WordPress plugin that generates and manages tag clouds.

It’s a fully responsive plugin that allows you to show off your tag cloud in the most attractive manner.

2. Categorized Tag Cloud

The WhileTrue team developed the Categorized Tag Cloud plugin for WordPress.

It generates a sidebar widget with the most popular tags on the website.

You can filter the words in the cloud by category to match your content better by removing unnecessary tag ids.

3. Extended Tags Widget

This advanced widget gives you complete control over the output for your tags.

The Tags widget is an alternative to the default WordPress tag cloud widget.

This version lets the user input all arguments typically found in the function wp_tag_cloud().

4. Tags All in One

Tags all-in-one is a widget and shortcode creator that lets you display tag clouds from post types in WordPress.

You can quickly determine the number of items displayed, the font size, and the display order with the shortcode generator and widget.

5. TagGator Pro

TagGator Pro plugin is a well-known plugin in the WordPress tagging category.

This plugin allows the creation of tags and their assignment based on keywords found in your content.

This plugin has an outstanding feature: auto-tagging.

With this plugin, you don’t even have to tag posts.

They can be automatically tagged when you create them.

6. Page Tag Cloud

This plugin allows you to add tags to pages just like you can to posts.

This plugin adds a widget to display page tags.

7. Simple Tags

The most secure plugin among WordPress tagging plugins is Simple Tags.

This plugin was developed using the latest WordPress version.

It includes all of the necessary functionalities.

This plugin allows you to tag pages and includes them in the tag results.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you still have questions about WordPress tag clouds, check out the frequent queries below.

Wrapping Up

If you’re a WordPress user and want to improve reader engagement, WordPress tags and tag clouds are a must.

With this guide, you’ll be able to create a tag cloud in no time.

And with the plugins mentioned above, you can manage and stylize your tag clouds with ease.

If you have any questions about using WordPress tag clouds, leave them in the comment section.

Tags are an essential part of any successful blog.

WordPress tag clouds improve SEO, make navigation easier, and increase traffic to your posts.