How to Edit Pages in WordPress Before and After Publication

Editing pages in WordPress is crucial for maintaining the accuracy, engagement, and presentation of your website’s content. This process is key not only for correcting errors but also for refining layout, optimizing multimedia elements, and keeping information current. Regular updates and edits are vital for user engagement and aligning with SEO practices. 

But how to edit pages in WordPress? This article will guide you through editing WP pages, both pre and post-publication. You’ll learn to use WordPress’s editing tools to enhance content and layout, ensuring alignment with your website strategy. Mastering page editing is essential for both beginners and experienced users to elevate the success and professionalism of your website.

Accessing the WordPress Editor

How to edit existing pages in WordPress? Start by accessing the WordPress editor via the dashboard:

• Accessing the Login Page: Go to your WordPress site’s login URL, usually yourwebsite.com/wp-admin. If you have a custom login URL, use that instead.
• Entering Credentials: On the login page, enter your username or email and password. Use the ‘Lost your password?’ link if needed.
• Navigating to the Dashboard: After logging in, you’ll reach the WP Dashboard, the control center for your site.
• Finding the Pages Menu: In the Dashboard’s main menu, select ‘Pages’ to view all the pages on your site.
• Opening a Page for Editing: Locate the page you want to edit from the list in the ‘Pages’ section and click ‘Edit’ beneath the page title to open it in the WordPress editor.
• Ready to Edit: In the editor, you can modify your page, adding or removing content using various blocks and settings.

These steps allow you to efficiently access and use the WordPress editor for page editing, providing a user-friendly platform for content management.

Editing Pages Before Publication

Creating and refining your pages before they go live is a crucial step in managing your WordPress site. Whether you’re using the Gutenberg editor or the Classic editor, WP offers a range of tools and options for drafting and formatting your content.

Drafting Content Using the Gutenberg Editor or Classic Editor

• Gutenberg Editor:
  • The Gutenberg editor is a block-based editor where you use different blocks for various types of content like text, images, and videos.
  • To add a block, click on the ‘+’ button and select the type of block you want to add.
• Classic Editor:
  • The Classic editor provides a more traditional word processor-like interface.
  • You can add content directly in the editor area and use the toolbar for formatting options like bold, italic, lists, and more.

Adding and Formatting Text, Images, and Other Media

• Text Content:
  • For text, simply type directly into a text block (Gutenberg) or the editor area (Classic).
  • Utilize formatting options like headings, lists, and text alignment for better content structure and readability.
• Images and Media:
  • Add images by using the ‘Image’ block in Gutenberg or the ‘Add Media’ button in the Classic editor.
  • You can adjust image size, and alignment, and add captions directly within the editor.

Utilizing Blocks and Their Various Settings in Gutenberg

• Exploring Block Options:
  • Each block in Gutenberg comes with its own set of options and settings, which you can access by clicking on the block.
  • Look for settings like color, typography, and spacing to customize each block to your liking.
• Advanced Block Features:
  • Utilize advanced block features like columns for layouts, buttons for calls to action, and embed blocks for adding external content like videos and social media posts.

Previewing Changes Before They Go Live

• Using the Preview Button:
  • Before publishing, use the ‘Preview’ button in both Gutenberg and Classic editors to see how your page will look live.
  • This feature allows you to view the page from different device perspectives, like desktop, tablet, or mobile, ensuring responsive design.
• Making Adjustments:
  • If you notice any issues or areas for improvement in the preview, go back and make the necessary adjustments in the editor.
  • Continue previewing and editing until you are satisfied with the result.

Editing your pages before publication is a vital process to ensure your content is polished, well-structured, and engaging. By taking advantage of the various tools and features available in the WP editors, you can create professional and compelling pages that resonate with your audience. Remember, spending time on pre-publication edits can significantly enhance the quality and effectiveness of your website’s content.

Recommended: How to Change WordPress site URL

Using Page Templates and Layouts

WordPress offers a variety of page templates and layout options to suit different content types and design preferences, streamlining the design process and ensuring website consistency.

Finding and Applying Templates: 

Most WordPress themes include pre-designed templates for various page types, like full-width pages or landing pages. How to edit pages in WordPress theme? You can find these in the ‘Page Attributes’ section of the editor sidebar and apply them by selecting from the dropdown menu. The range of templates depends on your active theme.

Customizing Layouts:

• Gutenberg Editor: Use the Gutenberg editor for hands-on customization with blocks like ‘Group’, ‘Column’, and ‘Cover’ to create unique layouts.
• Theme Customizer: Adjust layout settings like sidebar positions and page widths in the WP Customizer under ‘Appearance’ > ‘Customize’.
• Page Builder Plugins: For advanced customization, consider page builder plugins like Elementor or Divi Builder, which offer extensive layout options and design elements.

Effectively using templates and layout customization enhances the visual appeal and functionality of your pages, creating engaging, navigable, and brand-aligned designs that improve user experience and engagement.

You can, of course, benefit from hiring a team to perform WordPress development services to create, edit, and publish your website’s pages.

SEO Considerations Before Publishing

Optimizing your WordPress pages for search engines before publishing is essential for discoverability and ranking. Focus on editing page titles to be clear and keyword-rich, and add concise, informative meta descriptions using SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or All in One SEO. For permalinks, choose a structure that includes the post name for better SEO and ensure individual page URLs are keyword-focused and readable. Additionally, add descriptive alt text to images, incorporating relevant keywords for improved search engine understanding and accessibility. A well-optimized page not only draws more traffic but also enhances user experience, necessitating regular SEO updates for sustained effectiveness.

Collaborating with Others

Collaboration is crucial for high-quality content creation on WordPress sites, and WordPress offers several tools to facilitate this:

• WordPress Revision System: WP saves revisions automatically while you edit pages. Access these revisions in the editor under the ‘Revisions’ link in the ‘Document’ panel to view, compare, and restore previous versions.
• Assigning User Roles: WordPress features different user roles like Administrator, Editor, Author, and Contributor, each with specific permissions. Assign roles based on the required access level, and manage user roles in the ‘Users’ section of the dashboard.
• Managing Comments for Feedback: Use the built-in commenting system to receive feedback on drafts. Control comments through the ‘Discussion’ settings for each page and moderate them in the ‘Comments’ section of the dashboard.

These tools help track changes, manage team collaborations, and gather feedback, creating an environment conducive to producing well-reviewed, high-quality content.

Publishing Your Page

When your WordPress page is ready to go live, understanding the various publishing options is essential. WordPress provides flexibility in how and when your content is published, catering to different needs and scenarios.

The Difference Between Saving as a Draft, Scheduling, and Publishing Immediately

• Saving as a Draft:
  • ‘Save as Draft’ allows you to save your work without making it live. This is ideal for content that is still in progress.
  • Drafts can be accessed later for further editing and publishing.
• Scheduling:
  • The ‘Schedule’ option lets you set a future date and time for your page to be published automatically.
  • This feature is useful for planning your content strategy and ensuring consistent posting times without manual intervention.
• Publishing Immediately:
  • ‘Publish Immediately’ makes your page live on your website as soon as you click the ‘Publish’ button.
  • Use this option when your content is final and ready for your audience.

How to Set Visibility Options (Public, Private, Password-Protected)

• Public Visibility:
  • The default setting, ‘Public’, makes your page visible to everyone.
  • Choose this option for general content intended for all website visitors.
• Private Visibility:
  • Setting a page to ‘Private’ means it will only be visible to logged-in users with appropriate permissions, such as administrators or editors.
  • Use this for internal content or content that’s not meant for the general public.
  • This mode allows you to obtain the URL of the page and display the page/post or other content on the live site but with the label “Private.” Only registered admin users can view this post or page in the admin panel, and it is not visible on the public site for other users.

“I use this when I need to create a non-basic URL for a page, but it should not be published. In Private mode, I configure all settings and check how it looks on the live site.”

Ihor, ProCoders Senior WordPress Developer

• Password-Protected:
  • ‘Password-Protected’ allows you to set a password for your page. Only users who have the password can view the content.
  • This option is useful for restricted content that you want to make available to a specific audience.

To set these visibility options:

• In the Gutenberg editor, find the ‘Visibility’ setting in the ‘Document’ panel on the right.
• Click on ‘Public’, ‘Private’, or ‘Password Protected’ and make your selection. If you choose ‘Password Protected’, you’ll be prompted to set a password.

Understanding and using these publishing and visibility options allows you to have greater control over your content dissemination. Whether you’re working ahead of schedule, preparing restricted content, or ready to share your page with the world, WordPress provides the tools to publish content according to your specific requirements and strategy.

How to Edit Pages in WordPress After Publication?

Making changes to live pages on your WordPress site requires a careful approach to ensure minimal disruption to the user experience and consistent performance across all devices and browsers. Here are some best practices for editing published pages:

How to Edit Individual Pages in WordPress? Best Practices

• Edit During Low Traffic Periods:
  • If possible, make edits during times when your website experiences lower traffic. This reduces the impact on user experience.
• Use a Staging Environment:
  • For major changes, consider using a staging environment. This allows you to make and test changes without affecting the live site.
• Inform Your Users:
  • If the changes are significant and might impact the user experience, consider informing your users beforehand. This can be done via a notice on the website or through social media and email communications.

How to Update Content Without Disrupting User Experience

• Quick Edits:
  • For minor edits, such as fixing typos or updating information, you can directly edit the live page. These changes are unlikely to disrupt the user experience.
  • Always preview changes before updating to ensure everything looks correct.
• Backup Before Major Changes:
  • Before making major edits, ensure you have a recent backup of your site. This allows you to restore the previous version if needed.
• Check and Update Links:
  • If you’re removing pages or changing URLs, make sure to update or redirect links to avoid broken links on your site.

Ensuring Edits are Reflected Across All Devices and Browsers

• Responsive Design Checks:
  • After making edits, use the preview function to check how the page looks on different device sizes, ensuring responsive design integrity.
• Cross-Browser Testing:
  • Test the page in different browsers (like Chrome, Firefox, Safari) to ensure compatibility and that edits appear correctly across all browsers.
• Clearing Caches:
  • If you’re using a caching plugin or service, clear the cache after making updates to ensure that the latest version of the page is served to users.
• Check for Functionality:
  • Ensure that all interactive elements like forms, buttons, or navigation menus work correctly after the edits.

ProCoders Tip

“When I need to modify a page that is currently active and should remain active (for example, the pricing page), one of the most important pages, I create a copy of the page, set it to be not indexed, and assign a URL, for example, “pricing-new.” After that, I start editing the page as I wish, without affecting the current page. When I finish the edits, I simply switch the pages and URLs.”

“Also, it’s important to understand that after editing a page, you need to clear the site cache. Often, the site is cached for a specific duration, and the cache service might serve the old version of the page or post.”

Ihor, ProCoders’ Senior WordPress Developer

Editing live pages on your WordPress site can be done seamlessly with these best practices. They ensure that your updates enhance the page without compromising the quality of your users’ experience. Regular monitoring and testing of your website post-update are also crucial to maintain its overall health and performance.

Conclusion

Editing and managing pages in WordPress, both before and after publication, are fundamental skills for any website owner or content manager. The ability to add, edit, and update pages allows you to keep your site’s content fresh, relevant, and engaging. Whether you’re making minor tweaks, overhauling entire pages, or collaborating with a team, WordPress provides the tools and flexibility to manage your content effectively.

Remember, regular updates to your pages can significantly enhance your site’s SEO performance and user engagement. Moreover, understanding the nuances of editing, such as the difference between posts and pages, utilizing templates, and implementing best practices for SEO and responsive design, can elevate the quality of your site.

By mastering these skills, you can ensure that your WordPress site remains a dynamic, up-to-date, and effective communication tool that reflects the evolving needs of your audience and your brand. Keep experimenting with different features and stay updated with WP advancements to make the most out of your website.