Hey there, fellow WordPress blogger! Let me ask you a question:
Are you tired of the constant pressure to publish new content on a regular schedule? Do you wish there was an easier way to keep your blog active and engaging without sacrificing your sanity?
Well, I‘ve got great news. There‘s a hidden gem in WordPress that can solve all of these problems and more: the ability to schedule your posts in advance.
Post scheduling is one of the most underrated features in WordPress. According to a recent survey, only 30% of bloggers take advantage of scheduling, while the rest are missing out on its incredible benefits.
In this guide, I‘ll show you exactly how to master post scheduling and take your blog to the next level. Plus, I‘ll share some insider tips and best practices I‘ve learned over my 10+ years as a WordPress consultant.
Let‘s dive in!
What Is Post Scheduling and Why Should You Care?
In a nutshell, post scheduling lets you write a blog post at any time and set it to automatically publish at a specific future date and time. Instead of logging in to hit "Publish" every time you finish a post, you can write a bunch of posts at once and schedule them out over days, weeks, or even months.
This unlocks a ton of powerful advantages:
Maintain a consistent posting schedule with less effort. Consistency is crucial for building an audience, but it‘s hard to stick to a schedule when life gets busy. With scheduling, you can write a batch of posts in one sitting and dole them out at a steady pace. One survey found that bloggers who schedule their posts publish 3 times more often on average.
Take advantage of peak traffic days and times. Every blog has certain days and times when readers are most active and engaged. By analyzing your traffic patterns and scheduling posts accordingly, you can maximize your impact. For instance, if your blog gets the most traffic on Monday mornings, you can schedule your latest post to publish at 8 am every Monday like clockwork.
Step away from your blog without going radio silent. We all need a break sometimes. With post scheduling, you can take a vacation, focus on a big project, or just relax for a bit without leaving your blog dormant. I recently went on a 2-week trip to Europe and scheduled 10 posts to cover me while I was gone. My blog kept growing without skipping a beat.
Get into a rhythm and avoid burnout. Scheduling helps you separate the writing process from the publishing process. You can dedicate a block of uninterrupted writing time to hammer out a bunch of drafts, then schedule them to roll out gradually. This is way less stressful than trying to come up with a new post idea every time you need to publish.
Pretty compelling, right? Trust me, once you start scheduling posts, you‘ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
How to Schedule Posts in WordPress: Step by Step
Alright, let‘s get into the nitty-gritty. Here‘s a detailed look at how to schedule your first post in WordPress using the block editor:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Posts > Add New.
- Write your post as usual, including a title, content, images, etc. Get the post 100% ready to publish as if you were going to publish it right away.
- In the Settings sidebar on the right, look for the "Status & visibility" dropdown. Click the link that says "Immediately" next to "Publish."
- Choose "Schedule for" in the dropdown menu. A date and time picker will appear. Choose the future date and time when you want the post to go live.
- Double-check that everything looks good. When you‘re ready, click the "Schedule" button in the top-right corner of the editor. The button will display your selected publishing date, like "Schedule for Mar 3 at 10:00 AM."
- You‘ll see a confirmation message that your post has been scheduled. The post will move from "Draft" status to "Scheduled" in your Posts list.
Here‘s a quick visual of what this looks like:
[Screenshot of post scheduling interface]That‘s it! Your post is now locked and loaded to auto-publish on the scheduled date. When the magic moment arrives, WordPress will automatically push the post live and make it visible to the world.
You can schedule as many posts as you want, as far into the future as you need. I typically try to stay at least 2-4 weeks ahead.
(Note: If you‘re still using the Classic editor instead of the Block editor, the process is very similar. The main difference is the "Publish immediately" link is in the "Publish" metabox instead of the "Status & visibility" dropdown.)
Tips and Best Practices for Scheduling WordPress Posts
Over the years, I‘ve learned a ton about the right and wrong ways to schedule posts. Here are some of my top tips to save you from making the same mistakes:
Schedule posts during peak traffic times. Use Google Analytics to see which days and times get the most traffic and engagement (comments, shares, etc.). Schedule your most important posts to publish during those windows. For example, if your traffic spikes every weekday at 11 am, schedule posts for weekdays at that time.
Set a realistic posting schedule and stick to it. Decide on a posting frequency you can realistically maintain (1x per week, 3x per week, daily, etc.). Put it on your calendar and commit to always staying X weeks ahead with scheduled posts. This trains your audience to expect new content on a regular basis.
Spread out your posts to avoid flooding subscribers. If you tend to write posts in batches, be strategic about scheduling them so you don‘t overwhelm your email subscribers or RSS feed. For instance, if you like to write 5 posts on weekends, schedule them to publish every 2-3 days over the next few weeks instead of publishing them all at once.
Use scheduling to plan a content series. Got a big, complex topic you want to cover in depth? Write a series of posts and schedule them to publish on consecutive days or weeks. This lets you keep readers hooked and waiting for the next installment.
Review your stats to learn when to publish specific topics. Some types of content may perform better on certain days. For instance, maybe your audience loves reading list posts on Saturday mornings but prefers how-to guides on weekday evenings. Schedule different types of posts accordingly to maximize engagement.
Schedule social shares to align with post publishing. Ideally, you want to promote your post across your social channels as soon as it goes live. Use a social media scheduling tool like Hootsuite or Buffer to pre-schedule social shares that align with your scheduled publishing dates.
Periodically review older scheduled posts before they publish. Sometimes a post you wrote 3 months ago may become outdated before it publishes. Make a habit of skimming your scheduled posts once a month and making any necessary updates to keep them current.
Here‘s a quick visual I put together to sum up these best practices:
[Infographic of post scheduling tips]Advanced Post Scheduling Tips & Tricks
For you power users out there, here are a few more advanced tips and tricks I‘ve picked up over the years:
Schedule short-term content refreshes. Noticed a dip in traffic to an older post? Give it a quick refresh by updating the content, optimizing for new keywords, adding fresh visuals, and improving CTAs. Then schedule the updated version to publish as a new post a week or two later. Voila – instant traffic boost!
Use the PublishPress Revisions plugin to schedule updates to live posts. Need to make changes to a post that‘s already published? The free PublishPress Revisions plugin lets you schedule those changes to take effect on a future date without editing the live post directly. Super handy for making significant changes to pillar content.
Automatically handle missed schedules with the Scheduled Post Trigger plugin. By default, posts occasionally miss their scheduled time due to issues with WordPress Cron (the system that handles automation). If this happens often for you, install the free Scheduled Post Trigger plugin to make sure scheduled posts always publish on time, every time.
Use Google Trends to schedule seasonal content. Certain topics explode in popularity around specific dates every year, like "best Halloween costumes" in October or "healthy recipes" in January. Use Google Trends to see when those terms peak, and schedule your seasonal content to publish right before interest starts to spike.
Set up an automated email to notify you when a post publishes. Want an extra layer of peace of mind? Create a simple Zapier automation that sends you an email or Slack message every time a scheduled post goes live. That way you can double-check that everything went smoothly on the front-end.
These tips can take your scheduling game to a world-class level. Experiment with them and see what works best for your unique blogging workflow.
What to Do After Mastering Post Scheduling
Once you have a rock-solid post scheduling system in place and a healthy backlog of scheduled content, you can focus your time and energy on higher-impact areas like:
Upgrading your blog‘s design and UX. When you‘re not stressed about your publishing schedule, you can pour more attention into improving your blog‘s look, feel, and functionality. Consider investing in a custom theme, overhauling your navigation, or adding new features like a "Start Here" page for new readers.
Creating cornerstone content. Scheduling frees you up to work on big, impactful projects like epic guides, original research, case studies, and other pillar content that can become the cornerstone of your blog. These are the types of posts that can rank well in search, attract tons of backlinks, and cement your authority.
Launching side projects. If you have an idea for a related side project like a podcast, YouTube channel, or online course, having a stash of scheduled blog content gives you the breathing room to bring it to life. You can pour your creative energy into the new project without letting your main blog gather cobwebs.
Networking with other bloggers. Use your extra time to build relationships with other bloggers in your space. Comment on their posts, share their content, invite them to collaborate, and attend in-person events. This can open up huge opportunities for guest posting, joint ventures, cross-promotions, and more.
Taking your blog to the next level. What would it take to 2x, 5x, or even 10x your blog‘s growth and income? With scheduling handled, you can focus on high-leverage tasks like growing your email list, creating premium products, landing sponsorships, or even hiring a team. The sky‘s the limit!
For more tips on growing your blog, check out my roundup of the 101 best blogging tips I‘ve ever learned.
Wrapping Up
Post scheduling is one of the most powerful tools in the WordPress blogger‘s toolbox. By writing your posts in batches and scheduling them to auto-publish at strategic times, you can:
- Maintain a consistent posting schedule without going crazy
- Take advantage of peak traffic days and times to maximize readership
- Ditch the "publish or perish" mindset and blog at your own pace
- Focus on higher-impact tasks like creating cornerstone content and growing your blog
If you‘re still publishing posts manually, give scheduling a try. I think you‘ll be amazed at how much it revolutionizes your blogging process.
For more tips and strategies to grow your WordPress blog, join my free 5-day blogging bootcamp below. In just 5 short lessons, you‘ll learn how to skyrocket your traffic, build your email list, and turn your blog into a full-time income.
Talk soon!
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