For some, figuring out all things WordPress can be the bane of one’s online existence.
But fear not, Toast Support is here to help (or confuse you a little more).
In WordPress, you can create these things called ‘Custom Post Types’, which are customised posts that aid with site structure, organisation and user experience.
If you’ve tried reading or watching tutorials and they’ve left you more lost than before, hopefully, we can give you a foundation understanding.
Though, if you’re still confused, stick around for some WordPress Support.
What are Custom Post Types?
By default, WordPress provides two main content types: posts and pages.
Custom post types allow you to create and manage different types of very specific content, like categories for certain blogs or recipes.
They let you organise content easily and make your site just that more user-friendly.
Basically, it’s a DIY ‘Posts’ tab for your website: Customise the title of the post type, its tags and categories.
Why Use Them?
Improved Organisation:
Custom posts mean you can classify your content into different sections or categories.
ie. If you have a photography website, you can create a custom post type called “Galleries” to showcase your photos separately from your blog posts.
User-Experience:
You can provide users with an easy browsing experience.
Custom post types mean content genres can be easily found.
Flexibility and Customisation:
You can structure your website’s content in a way that matches your site’s needs.
Add custom fields, taxonomies, and even create specialised templates for each post type.
ie. You have a custom post type for “Recipes” on your site that shows on the navigation bar. A user needs to find one that is both gluten-free and easy to make.
This is the created route they can take:
Recipes > Gluten-Free > Find ones with the tag Easy to Make
Custom post type > Recipe Category (Taxonomy) > Recipe Tag (Taxonomy)
How to Create a Custom Post Type
1. Install a Custom Post Type Plugin:
To create and manage custom post types easily, you can use a plugin.
We would recommend Custom Post Type UI.
Install and activate it from the WordPress plugin hub.
2. You Don’t Need a Custom Post Type for Everything:
Think about what can be substituted for the built-in Categories and Tags.
Regular blog posts don’t necessarily need to be custom, as you can easily create and organise the posts there.
3. Decide On Your First One:
Are you creating a custom post for Services, Recipes, Jobs, Team Members, or perhaps a Portfolio?
Really you can create whatever you like, but these are some useful ideas.
4. Create the Custom Post Type:
Go to the CPT UI section in WordPress and select “Add/Edit Post Types”.
Enter the name of your custom post, for demonstration purposes we have opted for a “Services” post.
Choose to auto-populate missing labels, as it saves time and effort.
Make sure “Has Archive” is selected as “True”.
5. Taxonomies and Permalinks:
Taxonomies allow you to categorise and tag your custom posts.
Give it a name, define its settings and attach it to its post type:
You can do the exact same to create a tag, just substitute “Category” for “Tag”.
6. Putting It Up on the Site:
To get your custom posts up and running on your site, you need to modify or style your theme files.
If you already have a page with your desired styling, simply copy over the code.
Tips for Custom Post Types:
- Plan your content organisation carefully before creating a custom post type. This will help avoid any confusion or excessive modification in the future.
- Take advantage of taxonomies to further categorise and tag your customs: It improves the browsing experience for your visitors.
- Explore plugins and themes that are specifically designed to work with custom post types. These can enhance your site’s functionality and save you time.
That’s it?
It may seem simple but once you first start out creating your custom post types, it does get a little fiddly.
WordPress is an incredibly user-friendly piece of software but sometimes it’s a bit tricky to get your head around, especially if it’s completely new to you.
If it’s not your cup of tea, however, our WordPress Support Team can sort it out for you.
