Adding featured posts to your WordPress blog can help increase traffic and engagement and showcase your best content. In this post, we’ll show you how to add featured posts to your WordPress blog in a few simple steps.
There are several ways to set featured posts on your website. We have selected a simple, easy-to-follow one that will help your blog stand out. Follow along, and you’ll have featured posts up and running on your site in no time.
What Are Featured Posts?
Featured posts are often your most popular or most recent posts and can help find your best articles for new readers.
For instance, if you want to highlight a new blog entry, you can publish it on your home page or your sidebar. Having a post displayed prominently on your blog will help to ensure that new readers see it, keep your blog top-of-mind for your current readers, and boost its visibility in search engines (SERPs).
Why should you add a featured blog?
Additionally, featuring a blog can assist you in establishing authority and credibility by showing that you are confident in the quality of your content. Ultimately, featuring a blog post is an excellent way to call attention to your best content while helping new readers find your most popular articles.
How To Add Featured Posts on WordPress
There are several methods for adding featured posts to your WordPress blog. Having said that, we will focus on the method with the simplest steps.
Step 1: Create three new posts.
First, select or make three new posts with headings, descriptions, and a featured image. To add a new post, simply click on the “Posts” Click the Posts link in the navigation menu.
Then click “Add New.” You will then be able to add your blog post title in the available field and enter a title for your post. This title will be displayed at the top of your post.
From here, enter your post description and the content of your post in the field below the title and use the editor to format and further outline your content. Once you’ve completed this, click the Publish button and then do the same for your other two posts.
Step 2: Set the featured image.
Click on the Pages or Posts option from the menu on the left. This will open up a list of the posts on your site. Click on the title of the post you want to edit.
Once you’ve opened the editor, you’ll see a button labeled “Set Featured Image.” Click this button to select the image you want to use as your featured image. You can choose an image from your site’s Media Library or upload an image from your computer.
Once you’ve selected your image, click the “Set Featured Image” button at the bottom right. This will set your featured image. Click Update on your post and save your changes.
Step 3: Set the featured posts.
The Appearance menu option in WordPress will take you to a page where your theme options are listed. Clicking here, we can change what posts show up as featured on your page.
Click “Appearance” in the WordPress navigation menu. Click on “Theme Options.” Once that page opens, click on the “Homepage” tab.
Scroll down to the featured post options to select which posts you want to display from the three you have published. Save your changes by clicking “Save Options” at the bottom of the page.
Step 4 – Final check
Your three Featured posts are now ready. Go to your home page by clicking on “Visit Site” at the top of the navigation menu to view and check the featured posts that are now live on your home page.
Finally, ensure they are optimized for different devices to display correctly.
Which Blog Post Should Be Your Featured Post?
Coming up with the right post to feature on your blog or website can be challenging. After all, you want to choose something that will draw in readers and encourage them to interact with the content. Here are a few characteristics to look for when making your selection:
Find the most engaging post
First, choose an engaging topic that will promote discussion. Posts that tackle controversial topics or offer a unique perspective are always good choices. You also want to ensure the post is well-written and free of errors.
Give a catchy title
Next, pay attention to the title. A descriptive title can be the difference between someone clicking through to read your post or moving on to something else.
Finally, consider the length of the post. While there is no magic number, most experts recommend keeping posts between 500 and 1,500 words. Remember, it’s quality that counts, not quantity. So, focus on creating content that is informative and entertaining.
The one with the most traffic
Take some time to review your website and check which articles are getting the most traffic to pick the ideal featured post. Once you’ve chosen a few possible options, analyze each one carefully to see which of them would be the best choice for your website.
Remember that your featured articles should reflect the general tone and content of your website, so make sure that they will have the most impact on your readers.
Conclusion
Featured posts are a great way to show off your best or most recent content. They can also help you find your best articles for new readers. Adding a featured post to your website’s homepage doesn’t need to be complicated or require the use of multiple plug-ins. Simply follow the steps in the article, and your posts will be front and center for your readers to see.
Don’t forget that featured posts look different on different devices, so be sure to test them out before publishing. You can also check out our free eBook on The Ultimate Guide To Speed Up Your Website and Increase Conversions for more tips on how to improve your website’s speed and performance.