How to Add an Author Info Box in WordPress Posts
August 22. 2020
Running a blog on a website is one of the more interesting things you may do. First of all, it allows you to speak your mind about a certain topic. It requires creativity and patience. Furthermore, you also get to help people by writing instructional articles. However, since there are so many blogs out there, becoming a distinguished author may be difficult. Coming up with unique topics of discussion is extremely hard. With that in mind, you should always focus on the quality of your articles, or at least find good writers to write for you. Nevertheless, aside from finding good writers, the article should look professional as well. A good way to do so is to add an author info box in WordPress posts. It adds to the credibility of the article. Furthermore, if the writer is good, you will have plenty of readers following him or her.
Understanding the basics of author info box in WordPress
First of all, let’s talk about the basic elements of an author info box in WordPress. It consists of the name of the author, the body for the author info, and a thumbnail photo. Still, know that the photo is not always included as a field, as you will find some examples where there are just the name and the bio. Although, having a photo is a smart addition because it looks more visually appealing.
Additionally, if you are trying to make articles on your blog to look more professional, consider allowing users to report inappropriate comments. This will protect your authors as well.
Picking the type of author infobox
This is a straightforward process, and it depends on the type of blog. If it is single-author oriented, you just need one page about the author. That is a much better solution than adding the same author info at the bottom of every article.
However, if it is a multi-author blog, you absolutely need to add an author info box in WordPress posts. Furthermore, if you do allow users to submit articles, you should also add a search bar to the WordPress menu. That makes it easier to find a specific writer or article.
Methods of adding author box in WordPress posts
Once you are done with the planning process, think about the best method to add the author box in WordPress posts. There are four approaches you can choose from:
- using a WordPress theme
- installing a plugin
- using code snippets
- adding it to the WordPress sidebar
Let’s see which of these options is the best for you.
Method 1: Using a WordPress theme
This is by far the best method you could pick, simply because the author box is integrated with the theme. First of all, both the article and author box elements are done in the same style. Furthermore, you get more functionalities for the price of the theme.
If you are using this method, simply locate Users -> All Users page in the admin panel. From there, you can create as many users you would like, and set their roles and permissions. The fields you need to populate are the name of the user, e-mail address, website, if they have one, and the short bio.
You can also add a photo. Furthermore, you can also set passwords for every user, so they can log in when they wish to write. Since you will set their admin rights, they will not be able to change anything, but only have the permission to add or edit their articles. If this is the way you want to do it, make sure that they don’t publish the post, but only save it as a draft. This way you get to inspect the post before it goes live.
Method 2: Installing a plugin
Some WordPress blog themes are built in such a way that they don’t include the author’s bio box. Well, there is no reason to despair, since you can add it yourself by installing a WordPress plugin.
Finding the best plugin is not always easy, as there are so many options. With that in mind, always look for reviews and online examples of how the plugin functions. You don’t need a glitchy plugin that is still in development, so pick smart. If you cannot find free plugins you like, it is best to purchase one.
Once you are done with deciding what plugin fits best with your theme, install it, and activate it. From there, you will have the same options of setting up the author bio box.
Another reason why installing a plugin is a good idea is because it lets you customize the fields. You can change the size and the shape of the photo, change color, font, and the size of the text, and much more. You may also add links to the author’s social media profiles.
Method 3: Using code snippets
If you know how to code in WordPress, this is what you should do. Why purchase an author bio plugin, when you can build your own author box, the way you like it. However, not everyone knows how to code. If you wish to use this method, you can find a plethora of free code snippets online, or even hire a programmer to build you one.
This is my preferred method since you have all the creativity and no limitations. Understand that the code consists of two parts. One part is added to the .php file, and it is the one that gives functionality. The esthetic part where you can set how the author box looks like is added to the .css file.
Method 4: Add it to the WordPress sidebar
Consider this option only if you don’t want to add the author’s bio below the article. For this method, you will need to install a sidebar widget tool that will allow you to position and configure the author bio box. Upon installing and activating the widget of your choice, you will find the options in the Appearance -> Widgets page.
A final word of advice
Hopefully, you now understand how to add an author info box in WordPress posts. There are multiple methods to choose from, so pick the one you think is the best. My personal advice is to not spend a lot of money this, since you can find a lot of free plugins and code snippets to use. However, if you do wish some creative freedom and a more personalized author info box, decide on a budget and go for it. Good luck!