Difference Between Posts vs. Pages in WordPress
It might be intimidating to launch a WordPress site for the first time. For instance, many WordPress newcomers struggle to understand the distinction between a page and a post.
In brief, posts are used for more current material that is frequently updated, whereas pages are utilized for content that is static. The number of pages and articles you have might vary depending on your website. Understanding their respective advantages is important since each has its applications.
This article will outline the distinctions between a WordPress page and a post and provide examples of both types of content. Stay tuned to read more about:
Posts were first largely used by WordPress for conventional blog postings. These days, posts may also be used for a wide variety of different forms of material.
For example, you may write articles, offer business updates, or tease your fans with upcoming product announcements. In general, you should create posts for any content that you wish to consistently communicate with your audience.
However, pages have to include essential data that doesn’t change frequently. In order to make it simple for visitors to reach this information, such as your Contact and About pages, WordPress pages are often included in your main navigation menu.
WordPress enables you to create an unlimited number of posts and pages. You are not required to use posts, though, if you don’t want to. For instance, a lot of business and portfolio websites are based on pages only.
On the other hand, if you want to use WordPress as a blogging platform, you might not need pages at all. However, it’s a good idea to include one or two, if not more, for your contact information and to introduce yourself to your audience.
Because both forms of material are customized by employing a similar editor for adding text, photos, and other media, they may first appear to be the same. A WordPress page and post differ from one another in four important ways, which we’ll go over below.
Timeliness
You can see the publishing date at the top of this post if you scroll back. However, you won’t find such information on the About Us page. This is because pages are made for permanent information that your visitors may access whenever they choose.
Of course, you might occasionally still need to alter some of your pages. For instance, when your business expands, you may change your location if you move or include the bio of a new team member. You shouldn’t have to update your pages very frequently, though.
Posts, on the other hand, are time-sensitive. Thus, they occasionally become outdated. Imagine, for instance, that you write a blog post outlining all the cutting-edge features of your imminent product launch. You may have a new and improved version of that product in a few years, making your first article less significant.
Your pages should thus generally be saved for information that is more timeless in nature. As said above, if one does become obsolete, you may update, remove, or just archive it for future visitors who might be interested.
Ownership
Each post typically includes a date as well as the author, categories, and tags. Depending on your theme, this information is often shown at the top or bottom of your posts.
Posts are by default customized and contain information like your name and gravatar. If you manage a website with many contributors, this is extremely helpful. If your authors have diverse areas of expertise or writing styles, it can assist your readers in identifying with each contributor.
Pages, on the other hand, are commonplace. Since it shouldn’t matter who published them, they normally don’t have an author listed. Most of the time, pages will represent your website or business as a whole rather than a specific person.
Organization
It is advised that you use tags and categories to arrange your articles. Effective taxonomies make it easier for users to explore your material as well as Google’s bots.
Similar content is grouped using categories, like “Recipes” in a food blog. Tags, on the other hand, are more precise descriptions connected to the content of a single post, such as “pizza,” “gluten-free,” and so forth.
Although it’s not required, using categories and tags is a smart idea. It makes it simpler for visitors to locate what they’re looking for and helps you keep your material structured. Setting one category and two to four tags for each post is a useful general rule of thumb.
Social Interaction
The best medium for communicating with your audience is through posts. Posts have a comments area by default, but you can turn it off if you like. Additionally, a lot of themes have social media sharing buttons so that users may quickly tell their networks about your content.
Although you may use a plugin to add them, categories and tags are not normally used by pages. You may instead arrange your pages in a hierarchy. You may, for instance, have a parent page for your “Services” and a few child pages, such as “Web Design” and “Marketing,” beneath.
So that readers may keep up to date with your news, you can even share your postings via RSS feeds.
Pages typically don’t have comments. However, you may turn it on if you like. However, areas like your About page are typically not the best for fostering social engagement. Instead, you should provide a suitable call to action (CTA) at the bottom of each article to promote conversation under your posts.
In Conclusion
When creating your WordPress website, one of the first things you’ll need to understand is the distinction between a page and a post. Although they initially have a similar appearance, these two are not interchangeable and should be used for sharing a different types of information and content.
We hope this article was helpful. If you liked it, feel free to check out some of these articles as well!
