If you have clients that want you to upload, format, and publish your work directly, then you’ll have to know how to use WordPress. It’s arguably the most popular content management system (CMS) out there right now and powers a huge portion of the internet, from personal blogs to complex websites for large corporations.
Its flexible and super user-friendly interface makes it a top choice for freelance writers who need to upload, format, and publish content directly on clients’ websites.
Plus, ever since it switched to a simple block editing mode, it’s even easier to use for those who aren’t as tech-savvy.
Pros
Cons
- Customizable: Thousands of themes and plugins allow for nearly limitless customization.
- SEO-Friendly: Built with SEO in mind, with numerous plugins available to further optimize your content.
- Small Learning Curve: It has a ton of features and tools. You just have to know where to find them.
For Freelance Writers: Navigating WordPress
Many clients will ask freelance writers not only to write content but also to upload and format it directly in WordPress. Here’s what you need to know:
Key Parts for Writers:
- Dashboard: It’s the main control panel in WordPress. From here, you can navigate to all other areas, including posts, pages, and settings.
- Block Editor: It’s introduced to make adding, editing, and arranging content intuitive. Each piece of content (text, image, video, etc.) is added using blocks, making layout adjustments a breeze.
- Media Library: This is where all uploaded images, videos, and files are stored. You can add, edit, and insert media into your posts and pages from here.
Using Key Tools and Features
- Creating a New Post: Navigate to Posts > Add New to start writing. Use the Block Editor to add text, headings, images, and other elements.
- Formatting Content: Utilize the toolbar in the Block Editor for basic formatting (bold, italic, lists) and layout adjustments. For text, you’ll often use Paragraph, Heading, and List blocks.
- Adding Images: Use the image block to plunk any pictures from your Media Library or you can upload new ones. Remember to add alt text for SEO and accessibility.
- Using Categories and Tags: These help organize your content and improve site navigation. Categories are broader than tags and should be used to group your posts into general topics.
- SEO Optimization: If the client has an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO installed, fill out the focus keyword and meta description and follow suggestions to improve the SEO score before publishing.
- Publishing: Once your post is ready, either publish it right away or schedule it for a future date through the Document settings panel. Most clients will ask you to save it as a draft so that they can review it first.