Recently, our Whiteboard Marketing team wrote a blog for the Florida Dental Association titled “5 Reasons Your Website Needs a Blog and How to Get Started.” The next step to understanding the value blogs have on your online presence and brand authority is to add a blog page to your website and start posting. Because most websites are built on a WordPress platform, the steps below explain how to add a blog to your WordPress website.
How to Add a Blog Page to Your Website
If you don’t already have a blog page on your website, the first step to your blog program is to add one. If you don’t have access to your website administrative panel, simply ask your marketing partner or website manager to add a blog page for you. If you do have access and want to add a blog page on your own, here are the steps to do it.
- Login to your website.
- Create the blog page.
- Set up the blog page the structure.
1. Login to your website.
Navigate to your website admin panel login page at “yoursitedomainurl/wp-admin”, (e.g., grovecitycenterfordentistry.com/wp-admin) and enter your username and password. If you forget your password, just click “lost your password” to reset.
2. Create the blog page.
Set up your blog page as a Parent page on your website. This blog page is where all of your future blogs will live.
Your website navigation menu lists the Parent, or top-level, pages of your website. Child pages are all of the pages that are listed underneath the parent pages. For example, a general dentist in Orlando may have a “Services” parent page on their website. The pages detailing the specific services offered, such as “Dental Cleanings”, “Dentures”, and “Dental Implants”, are the Child pages.
Parent pages create a better user experience so your website visitors are easily able to find the information that they are looking for. They also help build a strong, more organized site structure, which is great for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). This is why we always recommend setting up your new Blog as a parent page.
To add a blog page to your WordPress website
- Go to “Pages” on the left-side dashboard menu.
- Choose “Add New”, and Blog as the page title.
- Select “No Parent” in the Parent page selection box. This step is what makes your Blog page a Parent page.
- Click “Publish”.
3. Set up the blog page structure.
Once your Blog page is created, you will need to ensure this page is home to all your future blog posts. To do this, you’ll need to set up the structure, which can be done in the Settings section of your admin dashboard.
- Click on “Settings”, then select “Reading”.
- Set your Posts page to a static page by choosing “Blog”.
- Now navigate to “Settings” and choose “Permalinks”.
- Click the choice for “Custom Structure” and add: /blog/%postname%/
Establishing a custom structure ensures that all of your blogs have the same structure, including the post name. It also makes it easy for Google to easily understand your content and how it is organized on your website.
How to Post a Blog on Your Website
Now that you’ve built your Blog page, it’s time to start blogging! Start by posting one blog a month so you can get a feel for how to do it and your ability to continue adding new blog content.
- Create a new post.
- Choose your blog title.
- Add blog content.
- Add an Image.
- Choose the blog categories and tags.
- Publish or schedule the blog.
- Promote your blog posts!
1. Create a new post.
Similar to creating a new page, you will now need to add a new post. These posts will be your blog entries. To create a new post, go to the menu and select “Posts” then choose “Add New”.
2. Add a title.
It is important to choose a strong blog title to attract potential patients or internet searchers to your content. When choosing a title for your blog, our experts recommend:
- Keep it short
- Use only lowercase characters
- Use hyphens (no spaces, no underscores)
- Use descriptive keywords, but don’t overdo it
- Choose a title or topic that has a high search volume on Google
Once you have created a title for your blog, WordPress will automatically use this title to create a URL for your blog. You can change that URL if the title creates a URL that is way too long. This URL will be the direct link to that specific blog. All blogs need a unique URL. Try to adhere to a naming protocol so you can easily sort and identify your blogs once you start to get a longer list of blog entries.
3. Write Your Post Content.
Your post content is the most important part!
We recommend writing your content in a Word document and then pasting it into WordPress. This gives you an opportunity to proofread your blog, or send it to a coworker to get a second set of eyes on it.
After you have dropped your content into the post, we always recommend double-checking what the blog will look like when it is live on your website. To view what your website visitors will see when they visit your blog, use the “Preview Changes” button on the top right of your screen.
Remember to click the “Publish” or “Save” button when you are done, or you could lose your work.
4. Add an Image.
First, find the image you want to use. Before using an image off the internet, make sure you have the right to use that image. Stock images from websites like Shutterstock are great and look professional. However, any photos of you, your team, or your dental practice are always preferred. It is easier for users to connect or engage with photos that have a more personalized feel.
Once you have the photo that you would like to use, choose “Media” on the left-hand menu of your WordPress site.
- Click “Add New”, and upload your image to the WordPress Media files.
- Navigate back to your blog post by clicking “Posts” then choosing “All Posts”.
- You will want to add this image to two places.
- First, scroll down on the right-side menu until you see “Set Featured Image”. Click on that text, and select the image you uploaded.
- Next, scroll back up to the editing screen where you added your content.
- Click on “Add Media”, and select the same image from the media library.
- Use the Preview button to see how your blog will look live.
5. Edit the Categories and Tags.
Categories and tags, also known as taxonomy, help organize your blog posts. Categories are similar to a table of contents. They are a broader topic or theme that your blog, or multiple blogs, can fall into. Tags are words or phrases that characterize your blog post. Typically, you’ll want to use a single category and multiple tags. For example, a Florida cosmetic dentist may write a blog titled “Why Are My Teeth Yellow?”. “Cosmetic Dental Service” would be the category, while teeth whitening, oral hygiene, or cleanings would be your tags.
To add categories and tags to your blog post, select “Categories” and “Tags” in the left-hand menu under “Posts”.
6. Publish or Schedule Your Post
When your blog is complete, you have two options to publish it. You can send it directly to your blog page by pressing “Publish”, or you can schedule it to post on a future date and time.
To schedule your blog post, look to the top right of your screen. You’ll see “Publish immediately” with blue “Edit” text next to it. Click on “Edit”, and you’ll see the option to choose a future date and time to automatically publish your post. This can be extremely helpful when you want to publish multiple posts with a set cadence.
7. Promote Your Post!
Grab the URL you created in step 5 and make a social media post. This is an incredible opportunity to drive referral traffic to your website and announce your new content.
Implementing a blog program to your website is an excellent opportunity to enhance your online presence. Getting started and knowing how to navigate your WordPress website will help you continue to build your practice and attract new patients through your blog posts. Looking for an example? Check out our blog.