Do you have a WordPress website where you can add featured posts? If so, you are in the right place. We will help you out in understanding how and why that needs to be done and its benefit. Usually, most of the sites you’ll come to have a featured post section where they give the latest information on trending topics. More so, it will catch the user’s attention for engaging more into your site and might even convert as a potential customer!
If you have a website with a lot of content and it’s a mess! Well, it may not be pull-down for most visitors as they get confused with so much hotch-potch. Therefore, adding a featured post in the sidebar may gain you more visitors as it looks more clean and simple to look through the highlighted points of the website.
Need for adding a Featured Post on WordPress Website
It is seen that while many professional experts are working tirelessly on their websites, some of them are doing things that are not up to the mark. If there is empty space either on the side or down below, it will look unappealing to the user. More so, through the featured post, you can highlight some central posts like – important articles, trending stories, or any other content of your website.
There are various examples of featured posts that you can look through the internet. Also, displaying the topmost content of your website under the featured post will drive more traffic to the website. In addition, you can get post featured images to make it look more attractive for the readers/visitors.
Another important aspect of adding a featured post is that you can fill that empty sidebar of your website. It totally depends upon your site’s nature, but most people utilize the space by adding – newsletters, displaying banners, putting advertisements and adding social media buttons.
Lastly, we would like you to understand that adding a featured post doesn’t mean you just need to fill up the space. They need to be unique and give a clear idea about your website. It’s not necessary to go straight about the main topic of your website but try and make it indulging for the readers. In addition, it is equally important to keep your content engaging and do not go out of focus from the context of the site.
Methods of using featured post on WordPress Website
The easiest way to add featured posts in WordPress is by using plugins that make your content look appealing to the reader. Also, there are various procedures that you can apply to add these attractive-looking blog posts to engage real readers and visitors. Therefore, you can choose the one that fits best according to your website. They are –
Method 1 – Adding featured post in sidebars
As you look forward to adding a “featured post” section in the sidebar of your website, know that it is a simple yet attractive strategy of gaining more visitors. Also, as many of you may not know, adding this feature doesn’t require a plugin. Here are the following steps that can help you to add featured post in the sidebar on WordPress Website –
- Go to the dashboard
- Click on the Appearance section in the left sidebar
- Select -> Widget tab -> select an option
- Drag and drop it under the “Main sidebar.”
The changes are accessible anytime when you post a blog. You may customize it as your will with various features available. After that, you need to select the post title and add a link to the post. Once you are done, do not forget to save the changes.
Method 2 – Adding featured post using Gutenberg
Though it can be hard to digest, this method is also as simple as the earlier one. More so, working on WordPress is quite simple if you understand the meaning of each word. The process of adding featured posts using Gutenberg block editor included the following steps –
- Go to the page where you want to display the post
- Click on the “+” button on the top left corner (It will add a new block on the website)
- Select from the list of blocks that appear, ex – paragraph
- Drag and drop the block where you want to place it
- Fill in the title and other details
As you place the content under the block, it is ready to appear on the screen. However, you can first do a sample check and then “save” the changes. Furthermore, if you want to add more posts in future, then you can do so using the same process.
Method 3 – Adding featured post using Menu
Sometimes, if you manage to put up a featured post, users may ignore it because of a thumbnail. Doesn’t it sound a bit harsh to do so much work and yet not get anything in return! Terrible, I may say!
Now, adding the post while displaying the thumbnail may get your user’s attention without any ignorance. For that, you need to install – Display post plugin and follow the steps correctly. It is a helpful plugin that helps to display your WordPress post anywhere on the website.
The method includes some quick and easy shortcodes through various options. For that, you need to –
- Go to Appearance -> widgets
You can add a “text” widget to the sidebar with simple shortcodes
- Replace the id values according to the post you want to feature
- Click on the “save” button
Furthermore, you can add CSS to make it look clean and nice
- Go to Appearance -> Customize
- Click on the Additional CSS tab
- Add custom CSS
- Copy and paste the custom CSS
As you save all your changes, it will give a preview of the WordPress blog. Once you are done with the changes, click on the Publish button to make it visible on the website.
Conclusion –
We hope that this article gave you enough knowledge about how to add featured posts in the sidebar of WordPress. Moreover, you can hire a WordPress developer from our end and get your website ready for the online business. As in here, you got to know about doing the same plugins and without them. However, we would suggest plugin one as it is far more accessible and effective in Appearance.
If you are knowledgeable enough, you can opt for the above-mentioned methods by yourself. Also, if you feel like you need help, we have many exceptionally talented experts who can do the job! More so, we will keep on updating such informational data for our users. Here, at our company, you can find professionals who hold expertise in their work. If you want, you can hire them for any such need as listed in the article above.
