WordPress is the world’s most popular content management system, powering over 40% of all websites. It’s flexible, user-friendly, and built to scale with your business.
This guide walks you through everything you need to get a blog post from draft to published, plus a few extra tips to help your content get noticed. You’ll learn how to log in, set up your post with the right content and SEO settings, format your writing effectively, edit a post after it’s live, and confirm that everything is published correctly.
Whether you’re new to WordPress or just want a reliable guide, this walkthrough has you covered.
Step-by-Step: Publishing Your Post
Step 1: Log In
Go to your website’s WordPress login page.
This is usually found at yourwebsite.com/wp-admin.
Enter your username and password, then click Log In.
Step 2: Navigate to Posts
Once inside your WordPress dashboard, look for the Posts menu on the left-hand sidebar. Click on it, then select Add New Post to open a blank editor.
Step 3: Add Your Title
Click “Add title” at the top of the editor and type in your post title. Make it clear and descriptive.
Step 4: Write or Paste Your Content
Click into the main content area and start writing, or paste in pre-written content. Use the block editor to add paragraphs, headings, images, lists, and other elements as needed.
Step 5: Add a Featured Image
In the right-hand sidebar, click on the Post tab and scroll down to find Featured Image.
Click Set featured image, then upload your image or select one from the media library. Add alt text before confirming.
Step 6: Save as Draft
Click Save Draft in the top right corner. This saves your progress without making the post public. Do this regularly as you work.
Step 7: Set Your Permalink
Note: if your website is equipped with Yoast SEO, skip this step for now.
On the right panel, you’ll see your URL slug.
Click to edit if needed. Keep it concise and keyword-relevant, remove any filler words like “and,” “the,” or “a.”
Step 8: Add a Category and Tags
In the right-hand sidebar, scroll to the Tags section. Type in relevant tags and press Enter after each one. Stick to tags that are specific to your post topic.
Step 9: Fill In Your Yoast SEO Settings
If your website uses Yoast, scroll down to the SEO panel below the editor.
Enter your focus keyphrase, edit your slug, and write your meta description (under 140 characters long).
Check both the SEO and readability scores. Address any red or orange flags before moving on.
Step 10: Add Your Excerpt
Scrolling back up to the right-hand sidebar, find the “Add an excerpt…” field.
Write a short summary of the post (you can paste your meta description here). This will be used by your theme to display a preview of the post.
Step 11: Preview Your Post
Before publishing, click Preview in the top right corner to see how your post will look on the live site.
Check for formatting issues, typos, or anything that looks off.
Step 12: Publish
When you’re happy with everything, click the blue Publish button in the top right corner. WordPress will ask you to confirm. Click Publish again. Your post is now live.
Need WordPress Help?
Our team at Ripple Design & Marketing specializes in designing and building WordPress websites that drive results.
If you’re ready to take your website experience to the next level, reach out.