WordPress has a lot of hidden features. Some you might stumble upon, and others you might only discover after going down the Google rabbit hole trying to solve a problem.
One of these hidden gems is something I have been asked about quite a few times: how do you schedule blog posts ahead of time in WordPress? Trust me, you’re not alone and yes I’ve been there myself.
The first time I wanted to schedule a post, I was poking around the block editor thinking, Surely this has to be a built-in feature? I mean, I can’t be the only person who doesn’t want to log in at 7 AM on a Tuesday just to hit publish, right? I started Googling for plugins that would let you do it (and there are some of course). But I decided to dig around a bit more because it seemed like such a basic feature to have.
And guess what? It’s actually really simple. I promise when you get to the end of this post, you’re going to be like, “Ooooooh, of course!” So let’s dive into it!
How to Schedule a Blog Post in WordPress
Scheduling blog posts is a life-saver if you batch content or just love planning ahead Once you finish writing your awesome SEO-optimised blog post, you can schedule it and forget about it. No alarms. No reminders. No frantic last-minute logins.
Here’s your quick step-by-step guide to scheduling posts in WordPress – without any extra plugins (because honestly, fewer plugins = a happier, faster website).
Step-by-Step: Scheduling a Post in WordPress
Alright, so you’ve finished your post and it’s ready to go… but you don’t want it published just yet. Maybe you’re planning a launch, taking a holiday, or just love being ahead of schedule (go you!). Here’s what you do:
- When you’re ready to post, click the blue “Publish” button in the top right corner of the right side panel.
- The side panel will change and say “Are you ready to publish?”.
- Scroll down to the tab that says “Publish: Immediately” and click on it.
- A calendar and time picker will open.
- Choose the date and time you want the post to go live.
- You’ll notice as soon as you select a future date/time, the “Publish” button will change to “Schedule.”
- Click “Schedule,” and you’re DONE!
🎉 Cue confetti — your post is officially scheduled!
Why Scheduling Posts Is the Bees Knees
Besides making you feel like a super-organised genius, scheduling blog posts has a lot of perks:
- Consistency: Posts go out at the same time each week or month, even if you’re busy.
- Work smarter: Batch create your content and schedule it all at once.
- Stress less: No more “Oh no, I forgot to publish today’s post!” moments.
Quick Pro Tip: Double-Check Your Timezone
Before you get too comfy, quick PSA: Make sure your WordPress site is set to the correct timezone!
You can check or update this under Settings > General > Timezone in your WordPress dashboard. Otherwise, your perfectly timed post might go live a few hours off.
Wrapping Up
And there you have it! Scheduling blog posts in WordPress is easy peasy, no plugin necessary. 👌
Now you can plan your content like a pro, take those well-deserved breaks, and still show up consistently for your audience. Magic, right?
