This post is going live early Monday, June 7th, but I’m writing it Wednesday night, June 2nd. How’s that happen? Scheduled posts!
Here’s how to schedule a post in WordPress:
- Create your new blog post like usual (enter your title, post, keywords, categories, and anything else you usually add)
- On the right side in the publish box look for the “Publish immediately Edit” text and click on “Edit”
- Now you can enter the date and time you would like your blog to publish the post, then click the OK button
- You’ll notice when you do this that the blue “Publish” button switches to “Schedule” – click on “Schedule”
Here’s a screen shot of that area of your posting page:
That’s it! Now, instead of publishing immediately, your blog will make your post live on the date and time you set it for.
Scheduling your blog posts is a great way to save time. You can write several posts at once and schedule them to go live over several days. I tend to do this on weekends and write up anywhere from a couple of posts to a full week of daily posts, then I schedule them to appear throughout the week so that my blog content stays fresh without requiring me to sit down and write every day. By writing several posts at once I only have to get in that “writing mood” once (instead of once for each post) and once I’m focused I can knock out a couple of posts much quicker. Works great!
Jeanine Byers Hoag says
I have been doing this, too, although I don’t have WordPress and with the blog I am using for this challenge, I have to look amongst the saved drafts for the post I want to publish that day.
Awesome advice, though, and I am doing it with all of my blogs!
Jeanine
MichelleShaeffer says
Definitely makes it easier, doesn’t it? I love knowing my content is done. I can relax a little and focus on promotion and interaction that way.
Melanie Kissell says
This is fantastic advice for all bloggers, Michelle, but especially for people who have joined the 30-day blogging challenge!
I consider advanced posting a super organizing tool and a stress reliever. However …
When I participated in the previous blogging challenge, I didn’t do quite ENOUGH advanced posting. I thought I would keep myself in the “safety zone” by staying one or two blog posts ahead of the game. But guess what? Sometimes life strikes! And I got more than my fair share of wrenches thrown into the works! So I found myself up very late some nights just frantically trying to get caught up. Not a good feeling or scenario, especially since I also work offline in addition to my online business.
Thanks for sharing a really nice “how-to” on pre-scheduling blog posts!
Melanie
#blgo30
Michelle Shaeffer says
“Life strikes” – oh isn’t that the truth!
Inspiring Speaker Kevin Thompson says
Hi Michelle,
This is a great process that I am starting to use more and more as part of the blog challenge. My problem up to know was being able to write enough post to be in a position to have to use it. LOL
Thanks so much,
Kevin
Michelle Shaeffer says
LOL Yep, only works if you’ve got posts ready. But it’s great to be able to use once you’re there.
MichelleShaeffer says
It can be challenging to block out the time. I tend to login whenever I’m thinking of a topic and start a draft with a title and some thoughts. That way on weekends when I’m ready to write, I’ve already got the ideas done and I can polish the posts up quicker and get them scheduled.
Ria Wallace says
Sounds like a great idea. Now I just have to schedule it in.
Michelle Shaeffer says
I got that – “schedule” in the “scheduling” of blog posts! hee hee
Kristen Robinson says
This really saved my blogging life. Thanks so much!
Michelle Shaeffer says
You’re welcome! I know it makes it easier for me to keep up.
Nicole Bandes says
This feature was THE MAIN reason I switched from Blogger to WordPress way back when. It is a life saver!
Michelle Shaeffer says
It really is. My blog would have bursts of posts followed by long periods of silence without this feature. I <3 WordPress.