Adding an article in WordPress
This article will explain how easy adding an article in WordPress is. How to add images, a link and format text. All with a view to maximum readability and for search engine optimisation.
A post relates to a new blog article, while a page is a permanent fixed page.
Once you are logged in on your Dashboard page, you need to go to New > Post. There are two places to do this, both marked in red below.
The top area is for the title. The larger box is for the article content. Ensure your window looks like the window below. If it does not, click ‘Visual’ marked in orange, to see the visual editor.
Formatting your content in WordPress
It is recommended you break up your text with sub headings. This creates an easier to read visual experience for the reader, and gives Google a further idea on how best to index your site. H1 will be the biggest going down to H6 your smallest size of sub heading. H1 to H3 are the most important sizes for Google. (Other search engines are available).
How to add an H3 sub heading (this is an H3 subheading)
Highlight the text you wish to make into the heading, then go up to the drop down ‘Paragraph’, in the graphic above ‘Paragraph’ is just above the word ‘Article’ in green. In the drop down will be all the options, choose ‘Heading 3’.
Just above this area is ‘B’, which in the way described above will make the text bold. I, which will make the text italic ‘. You can try the other options to see what they do.
If you wish to colour a word it is the tool bottom row, third from right. You really should not need this, ever.
How to add a link
Select the text you would like to link then click on the link icon. It looks like a linking chain. The window below appears.
Simply add the URL (link address) to the box next to URL. Add a title if you want – helpful for SEO. If the link is to a website other than your own, click the Open link in a new window/tab box. This ensures the viewer still has a browser window with your website open. Then click ‘Add Link’.
How to add an Email link
Exactly the same as the way to make a link described above, however add ‘mailto:’ in front of the email address, in the URL box. So in the URL field it would say mailto:example@example.com
For both the link to a website and to an email address always check them on the site afterwards.
How to add an image
Just above the formatting tools and below the article title is a box marked ‘Add Media’. Click it.
If your image is already uploaded in your site, you can find it in your Media Library. If it is not, click Upload Files (top left corner just below Insert media) to navigate to your computer and find the image you wish to add. For SEO purposes it is best to have the name of your image as something descriptive of the image’s content/article’s subject matter.
The image above then appears. In the right hand column the text field ‘Title’ is automatically added. Remove this as it is the annoying rollover description tag. Add in the Alt text the description. Where I have written ‘WordPress training’. Again this is for Google.
Further down on the right hand column is ‘Link to’. The default is ‘Media file’. Which means when clicking on the image it will either open the image in a page of it’s own, or possibly open the image in a lightbox depending on your theme. I do not want this so I change it to ‘None’.
Click ‘Insert into post’.
Publishing your article
Depending on how your blog is set up, you can now press ‘Publish’. However typically my sites are set up so certain categories send the articles to different areas of the site. This also gives readers the option of reading articles on one subject matter. Categories is in the right hand column, normally the second box under ‘Publish’.
If your article is not finished use the ‘Save Draft’ option. Your website will save your article for later, without publishing.
Once you have published you have the option to change the date of publication if need be. In the same box as the Publish button. Which will now be entitled ‘Update’.
Enjoy your website.
