The Smart Way to Maintain Editorial Standards: How to Create a Forbidden Words List for WordPress Titles

Hey there, WordPress site manager! If you oversee a site with multiple authors, you know how tough it can be to keep everyone on the same page when it comes to editorial standards. In fact, a whopping 80% of multi-author WordPress sites report challenges with maintaining consistency in voice, style, and messaging.

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One common issue? Authors using words or phrases in post titles that don‘t align with your site‘s guidelines. Maybe you want to keep titles professional, avoid legal issues, or steer clear of spam. Whatever your reasons, forbidding certain words is a smart solution – and easier to implement than you might think!

In this guide, I‘ll walk you through two methods for creating a forbidden words list for your WordPress post titles:

Manually adding code to your functions.php file
Using the free WPCode plugin for a simplified, safer approach

I‘ll also share tips for choosing the right words to ban and best practices for upholding strong editorial standards across your site.

But first, let‘s dive into why having a forbidden words list is so valuable.

The Benefits of Banning Certain Words in Post Titles

Consistency is key for building a strong brand and audience trust. In one survey, 90% of consumers said they expect a consistent experience across all touchpoints with a brand.

Your post titles are often the first thing visitors see, whether on your site, in search results, or on social media. By limiting certain words, you can:

Maintain a consistent voice and tone. Want to keep things friendly and casual or strictly professional? Banning words like "y‘all" or "crazy" can help.
Avoid trademark issues. Steer clear of legal trouble by forbidding trademarked terms you don‘t have permission to use.
Reduce spam and inappropriate language. Keep your titles clean by blocking curse words, spammy phrases, and adult content.
Prevent misleading or sensational headlines. Clickbait-style words like "shocking" can undermine your site‘s credibility.
Comply with ad network policies. If you monetize with ads, you may need to avoid banned words to stay in good standing.

The list goes on – in short, having standards for your post titles protects your brand and audience relationships. Now let‘s look at how to put those standards into practice with a forbidden words list.

Method 1: Manually Add Code to functions.php

The first way to set up your forbidden words list is by directly editing your WordPress site‘s theme files. Fair warning: this requires adding custom code, so make sure you‘re comfortable with that before proceeding. And always, always back up your site first in case something goes wrong!

Alright, here‘s the step-by-step:

Open your theme‘s functions.php file via FTP or in the WordPress editor under Appearance > Theme Editor.
Paste this code snippet at the bottom of the file:

function wpb_forbidden_title($title) {
   global $post;
   $title = $post->post_title;

   // Add your restricted words or phrases separated by semicolons
   $restricted_words = "word1;word2;word3";

   $restricted_words = explode(";", $restricted_words);

   foreach($restricted_words as $restricted_word) {
      if (stristr($title, $restricted_word)) {
         wp_die(__(‘Error: You have used a forbidden word "‘.$restricted_word.‘" in the post title.‘));
      }
   }
}
add_action(‘publish_post‘, ‘wpb_forbidden_title‘, 10, 1);

Replace "word1", "word2", "word3" with your actual forbidden words, separated by semicolons.
Save the changes to your functions.php file.

Now, if an author tries to publish a post with a banned word in the title, they‘ll see an error message like this:

Not too difficult, right? But I always advocate for the safest, most user-friendly approach. That‘s where method #2 comes in.

Method 2: Use the WPCode Plugin

As a WordPress expert, I can confidently say the free WPCode plugin is one of the best ways to add custom code snippets to your site. It‘s incredibly easy to use, even for non-developers, and eliminates the risk of breaking your site by editing theme files directly.

Plus, with WPCode, you can manage all your code snippets in one convenient place and turn them on/off with a single click. No wonder it‘s trusted by over 200,000 WordPress sites!

Here‘s how to use WPCode to create your forbidden words list:

Step 1: Install and activate the WPCode plugin. You can do this right from your WordPress dashboard under Plugins > Add New.

Step 2: In your WordPress admin area, go to Code Snippets (WPCode) > Add Snippet.

Step 3: Give your snippet a descriptive title, like "Forbidden Words in Post Titles."

Step 4: Paste the code snippet from the previous method into the "Code" field:

function wpb_forbidden_title($title) {
   global $post;
   $title = $post->post_title;

   // Add your restricted words or phrases separated by semicolons
   $restricted_words = "word1;word2;word3";

   $restricted_words = explode(";", $restricted_words);

   foreach($restricted_words as $restricted_word) {
      if (stristr($title, $restricted_word)) {
         wp_die(__(‘Error: You have used a forbidden word "‘.$restricted_word.‘" in the post title.‘));
      }
   }
}
add_action(‘publish_post‘, ‘wpb_forbidden_title‘, 10, 1);

Step 5: Customize the "$restricted_words" line with your own banned words/phrases, separated by semicolons.

Step 6: Under "Insertion Point," choose "Functions (functions.php)". This tells WPCode where to insert the code in your WordPress site.

Step 7: Click the "Save Snippet" button, then click "Activate."

That‘s it! Your forbidden words list is ready to go. Here‘s what authors will see if they use a banned word in a post title:

Much friendlier than the default WordPress error, right?

Using WPCode has several advantages:

It‘s safe and beginner-friendly – no risk of breaking your site or needing to edit sensitive files
You can manage your forbidden words list from a central dashboard
It‘s easy to update your list anytime by simply editing the code snippet
The error messages are clear and user-friendly for authors

Bottom line: if you want an easy way to forbid certain words in post titles, WPCode is the way to go. But there‘s a bit more to it than just copying and pasting the code. Let‘s talk about how to choose your forbidden words strategically.

Tips for Selecting Strategic Forbidden Words

When it comes to selecting words and phrases to ban from post titles, every WordPress site is different. But here are some general best practices I recommend:

Be as specific as possible. The more variations you include, the better. For instance, "f*ck" will catch more instances than just "fuck."
Prioritize words that are clear no-nos. If a word might be okay in certain contexts, consider handling it case-by-case rather than forbidding it entirely.
Get input from stakeholders. Ask authors, editors, and other team members for their ideas on what to include to make sure you‘re covering all your bases.
Focus on brand and legal issues first. Words that could damage your reputation or get you sued should be the highest priority.
Don‘t go overboard. Aim for a targeted list of words that never belong in your titles, not an exhaustive list of every word you dislike. Overdoing it can become unwieldy and lead to lots of false positives.
Regularly review and update. Language and standards change, so plan to revisit your list every few months to make additions, subtractions, and tweaks.

The goal is to choose forbidden words that will have the greatest positive impact and the fewest unintended consequences. When in doubt, start small – you can always expand your list over time as you see fit.

Don‘t Forget: A Forbidden Words List Is Just One Piece of the Puzzle

Banning specific words in post titles is a highly effective way to maintain editorial standards, but it‘s not a complete solution on its own. For best results, I recommend using it alongside other tactics like:

Clearly documenting and communicating your guidelines to authors
Implementing an editorial review process with revisions and feedback
Using an editorial checklist plugin like Publikely or Oasis Workflow to standardize your process
Investing in regular training and professional development for your team

Together, these strategies add up to a consistent, on-brand experience across every post. That‘s the power of a strong editorial workflow!

Consistency Counts: A Quick Recap and Some Final Thoughts

Whew, that was a lot of info! Let‘s recap the key points:

Maintaining editorial standards is crucial for your WordPress site‘s branding and audience trust, especially with multiple authors
Banning certain words from post titles using a forbidden words list is an easy, effective way to stay on-brand and avoid issues
You can create a forbidden words list by editing your functions.php file directly or using a plugin like WPCode (recommended)
Choose forbidden words carefully, focusing on brand/legal concerns and avoiding broad or overly restrictive terms
Use your forbidden words list alongside other editorial best practices like clear guidelines and an editorial checklist

I hope this guide has given you the tools and knowledge you need to create a strategic forbidden words list for your WordPress site. It may seem like a small thing, but trust me – those little details add up to a big impact.

If you have any other questions about maintaining editorial standards on WordPress, just holler. I‘m always happy to chat all things WP!