Scheduling multiple blog posts simultaneously in WordPress can save you hours of work each week.
At CanadaCreate, we publish numerous articles every month, so we understand the frustration of scheduling posts individually in WordPress. It consumes too much time, especially when collaborating with multiple writers or planning content weeks in advance.
While WordPress allows you to schedule posts, it can be cumbersome when managing numerous drafts. Fortunately, there is a more efficient solution.
In this guide, we will demonstrate how to schedule multiple posts at once using a free plugin. You’ll discover how to transform hours of work into a quick and straightforward task. Let’s dive in!
When Should You Consider Bulk Scheduling WordPress Posts?
If you are the sole author of your blog, WordPress offers a straightforward method for scheduling your posts. You can utilize its built-in post-scheduling feature.
To schedule a single post, navigate to the ‘Post’ tab in the right sidebar of the content editor. Then, click on the ‘Publish’ field, which opens a calendar for scheduling the post.
After selecting a future date, the ‘Publish’ button at the top will change to ‘Schedule.’
You can also view all your scheduled posts in the WordPress dashboard by navigating toPosts » All Posts.
You can navigate to the ‘Scheduled’ tab to view a complete list of your upcoming posts along with their planned publication dates.
Important Note: Are your scheduled posts occasionally not publishing as expected? Check out our guide on resolving the ‘Missed Schedule’ error in WordPress.
Scheduling multiple posts individually can be quite tedious, as it requires you to open each post and select its publication date and time.
By implementing a bulk scheduling feature in WordPress, you can efficiently schedule numerous posts simultaneously, allowing you to focus more on driving traffic and expanding your WordPress blog.
For multi-author blogs, a bulk scheduling feature can be particularly beneficial. A clear schedule helps keep all contributors aligned when collaborating with various writers.
With this in mind, we will guide you on how to easily bulk-schedule posts in WordPress. Here’s a brief overview of the tips we will discuss:
- Step-by-Step Guide to Bulk-Scheduling WordPress Posts
- Optimize Your Publishing Schedule Using an Editorial Calendar
- Create and Bulk Schedule New Drafts with the Editorial Calendar
- Bonus Tip: Effectively Manage Post Series in WordPress
A Comprehensive Guide to Bulk Scheduling Posts in WordPress
The simplest method to bulk schedule posts in WordPress is by utilizing the Editorial Calendar plugin. This free plugin allows you to create a content schedule using an intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
With this plugin, you gain access to a calendar view that displays all your scheduled posts, helping you organize your content effectively.
To get started, install and activate the Editorial Calendar plugin. If you need assistance, refer to our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Once the plugin is activated, navigate to Posts » Calendar in your WordPress admin dashboard.
You will then see the calendar interface.
In the upper right corner of the screen, click on the ‘Show Unscheduled Drafts’ link. This will open a sidebar that lists all your unscheduled drafts.
When the sidebar is displayed, the link will change to ‘Hide Unscheduled Drafts’.
Next, drag the draft you wish to schedule and drop it onto any date in your calendar.
By default, the Editorial Calendar plugin schedules this post for 9 AM.
If you prefer to publish at a different time, simply hover over the post and click the ‘Quick Edit’ link.
This will open the Editorial Calendar popup for further adjustments.
In the dropdown menu, you can select the time for your post to be published. For instance, we have scheduled ours for 1 PM.
After making your adjustments, remember to click the ‘Save’ button. You can then follow these steps to bulk schedule all your drafts without needing to open each post individually.
Modify Your Publishing Schedule Using the Editorial Calendar
Ideally, you would establish your schedule once and adhere to it consistently. However, this is not always feasible in practice.
There may be times when you need to adjust your schedule or entirely remove a blog post from it.
To change the publication date of a post, simply drag and drop it to the desired date on your editorial calendar.
To delete a scheduled post, click the ‘Show Unscheduled Drafts’ link located in the upper right corner. Then, drag and drop your post into the ‘Unscheduled Drafts’ sidebar.
This method is the most effective way to remove a post from your schedule.
When you hover over a post in the calendar view, you might see a ‘Delete’ link. Keep in mind that this option not only removes the post from your calendar but also moves the post to your ‘Trash’ folder.
Therefore, if you wish to take a post off your schedule without permanently deleting it, always use the ‘Unscheduled Drafts’ sidebar.
Effortlessly Create and Schedule Multiple Drafts Using the Editorial Calendar
If you love generating content ideas, the Editorial Calendar plugin can be extremely beneficial.
You can easily create new drafts directly in the calendar view and rearrange empty drafts as necessary. This approach is particularly advantageous for teams with several contributors.
Within the calendar, you can organize drafts for your upcoming posts and assign them to various authors with just a few clicks. This keeps your content structured and enhances scheduling flexibility.
This ensures that everyone is aware of their responsibilities and the deadlines for their posts.
To create a new post, simply hover over the date you intend to publish the content. Then, click on the ‘New Post’ link that appears.
In the popup window, enter a title for your post in the ‘Title’ field.
You can also select the time you want to publish this content. Additionally, you can modify the date and time later, so there’s no need to worry about getting it perfect on your first try.
If you need assistance with timing, check out our guide on the optimal times to publish a blog.
By default, the ‘Status’ dropdown is set to ‘Draft,’ meaning your post will be saved but won’t automatically publish on the selected date.
To enable automatic publishing of your post in WordPress, select ‘Scheduled’ from the ‘Status’ dropdown menu.
The popup features a straightforward writing area. Although it lacks the comprehensive formatting options of the main WordPress editor, it is ideal for creating quick drafts or summarizing posts.
If you prefer to use the full WordPress editor, the Editorial Calendar offers a convenient shortcut that integrates smoothly with it.
Just hover over the post in the calendar view and click the ‘Edit’ link to open it in the standard WordPress editor.
Alternatively, you can navigate to Posts » All Posts. Here, you can locate your new draft and edit it.
Bonus Tip: Organize Post Series in WordPress
If you’re creating a series of posts on a detailed topic, bulk scheduling in WordPress can save you a significant amount of time.
Rather than publishing each post individually, you can schedule the entire series ahead of time, ensuring a consistent flow of content without the need to manage individual post dates repeatedly.
You can utilize the Editorial Calendar plugin to bulk schedule several posts simultaneously, but you will require an additional tool to effectively manage your post series.
The Issues and Series plugin simplifies the process of organizing related blog posts into a cohesive series, making it easier to manage and present content that explores a broader topic.
Additionally, your readers will enjoy a smoother navigation experience, as they can easily access links at the top and bottom of each post to move between articles in the correct sequence.
For further information, check out our comprehensive guide on efficiently managing post series in WordPress.
We hope this article has helped you master the art of bulk scheduling WordPress posts. You may also find our guide on locating and removing stolen content helpful, as well as our recommendations for the best table of contents plugins for WordPress.
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