Category: Wordpress Tutorials

In this tutorial, we will show you how to import and export custom post types in WordPress. We will also show you how to import any custom taxonomies associated with your post types.

There are two steps involved in exporting and importing a custom post type in WordPress. First step involves migrating the actual custom post type and taxonomies. The second step is to import the post type data.

Often custom post types in WordPress are associated with their own custom taxonomies. We will show you how to export/import your custom taxonomies along with your post type.

 

Exporting Custom Post Types and Taxonomies in WordPress

Some users prefer to create their custom post types and taxonomies by adding code in their theme’s functions.php file or a site-specific plugin. In that case, all you need to do is copy that code and paste it on the site where you want to import them.

However, in some cases you may not be able to locate the code. Don’t worry you can still create the same custom post type on the new site.

All you need to know is the post key value. This is the name used for the post type in your WordPress database. You can find it by simply visiting the post type in your WordPress admin area.

Once you have the post key, visit the site where you want to import the post type and use Custom Post Types UI plugin to create your custom post type.

You can also get custom taxonomy key by simply viewing the custom taxonomy in the admin area.

Use CPT UI plugin to create the same taxonomy on the target site where you want to import the taxonomy.

Repeat the process for all custom post types and taxonomies that you want to import.

Bonus Tip: If you used the CPT UI plugin to create your post type, then you can also use it to migrate them. But this only works if the original custom post type was created using this plugin. Visit the Import / Export section in the plugin settings and follow onscreen instructions.

Custom Post Types & Taxonomies Created by Plugins

Many popular WordPress plugins use custom post types and taxonomies to handle custom content types. For example, Soliloquy uses them to create sliders, eCommere plugins use them to create products, etc.

If you want to keep using those plugins, then you don’t need to import CPTs. Simply install the plugin on the target site, and you will have the custom post types and taxonomies ready on your site.

Many such plugins come with their own import/export features but if a plugin does not have that feature you can still export the data.

Exporting / Importing Custom Post Type and Taxonomies Data in WordPress

WordPress comes with a powerful import/export tool which allows you to export and import WordPress data. Simply go to Tools » Export.

You will see all your post types listed there. Select the post types you want to export and press the Download Export File button.

WordPress will now prepare an XML export file and your browser will start downloading it.

Now switch to your target site where you want to import this data. Go to Tools » Import. You will see a number of options, click on WordPress.

This will bring up a popup asking you to install WordPress importer plugin. Click on the install button and then click on Activate Plugin & Run importerlink.

On the importer screen, you need to click on the choose file button and then select the XML file you downloaded earlier. Next, click on the upload file and export button.

WordPress will now import your custom post type data. All the custom post types you selected earlier will be imported. WordPress will also automatically add terms to the custom taxonomies.

 

In this tutorial, we will show you some of the best ways to promote old posts in WordPress.

 

But before we start, let’s take a look at why it’s important to promote old posts.

1. Regularly Share Your Old Posts on Social Media

Most of your social media updates are seen by a fraction of your followers. Mainly because there is so much noise and not everyone is online at the same time.

That’s why it is recommended to share at various different times of the day. The Revive Old Post plugin automatically shares your old posts on social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. It spreads out your updates for different times allowing you to maximize your exposure.

For detailed instructions see our guide on how to automatically share your old WordPress posts.

2. Showcase Related Posts on Your Blog

When you visit popular blogs like TechCrunch, Mashable, or even WPCademy, you will notice that there is related content next to or below each article.

If a user has scrolled down to read your entire article, then they are engaged. Using a related posts plugin, you can provide them an opportunity to explore more of your website.

3. Display Your Popular Posts

It’s true that 20% of your website content gets 80% of your traffic. Some articles are simply more popular than others.

Why not get more traffic to them? You can start showcasing your most popular content with a few simple clicks. People coming to your website are more likely to read what many other users have already found interesting.

Here are some great popular posts plugins for WordPress that you can use.

4. Create Better 404 Pages

Most WordPress themes come with a default 404 page template. A 404 page is displayed when a page that the user is looking for cannot be found.

You can use this opportunity to showcase the most important content of your website, and keep that visitor engaged. You can also add a search form on the page, so that users can locate the content they were looking for.

Here are detailed instructions on how to improve your 404 page template in WordPress.

5. Better WordPress Search

The default search feature in WordPress is fairly limiting, but you can improve the search feature. There are two common approaches for that.

The first one is to use Google Custom Search form to replace the WordPress search. The other method is to use a search plugin like SearchWP.

Both of these solutions will help improve your WordPress search.

6. Custom Archive Pages

Creating a custom archive page is one of the best way to highlight your old but still useful content.

You can show the most popular articles, most commented posts, recent posts, and so on. You can even display all your post categories / tags, add compact archives, and include a search form. This will help people not only in finding content, but will also help them understand what your blog is about. Don’t forget to add an email sign up form on the page.

You may also want to check out WPCademy archives.

7. Interlink Old Articles

Building internal links is one of the most important SEO strategy. You need to make internal linking a habit.

It’s helpful to the user when you link to your old posts whenever it is relevant. People browse the web by clicking on one link to another. Make sure that there are plenty of your own links for them to click on.

Check out our guide on WordPress SEO tips for beginners for some more SEO advice.

8. Link Old Articles in Comments

When answering user comments on your own blog, you should try to use links to point them to other articles on your own website.

It’s not something you should force, rather it’s important to keep it in the back of your mind, and you will be surprised how many opportunities will come up.

This builds trust and increases your pageviews. This link you add is going to stay there and any future visitors with the same question will continue to click on that link.

We hope this tutorial helped you fine some new ways to promote old posts on your WordPress site.

In this tutorial, we will learn how to link to external links from the post title in WordPress.

Method 1: Linking Post Title to an External Link in WordPress using Plugin

This method is easier and is recommended for beginners.

First thing you need to do is install and activate the Page Links To plugin. For more details, see our step by step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, simply create a new post or edit an existing one. You will notice the new ‘Page Links To’ meta box below the post editor.

Click on ‘A custom URL’ to add the link you want to add to post title. Now you can save or publish your post.

That’s all. The post title will now link to the custom URL you provided.

It is not necessary to use it for external links only. You can also use it to send users to different posts and pages on your WordPress site.

Method 2: Add External Link to Post Title Using Code

This method requires you to add code to your WordPress site. You can use this method if you are comfortable with pasting snippets from web into WordPress.

Simply add this code to your theme’s functions.php file or a site-specific plugin.

function print_post_title() {
global $post;
$thePostID = $post->ID;
$post_id = get_post($thePostID);
$title = $post_id->post_title;
$perm = get_permalink($post_id);
$post_keys = array(); $post_val = array();
$post_keys = get_post_custom_keys($thePostID);
 
if (!empty($post_keys)) {
foreach ($post_keys as $pkey) {
if ($pkey=='external_url') {
$post_val = get_post_custom_values($pkey);
}
}
if (empty($post_val)) {
$link = $perm;
} else {
$link = $post_val[0];
}
} else {
$link = $perm;
}
echo '
'.$title.'
'; }

This code looks simply looks for a custom field containing your custom URL. If the post has the custom field, then it outputs the post title linked to your URL.

The next step is to replace your theme’s default display of post title with this function. You will find it in archives.php, content.php, category.php and other templates. It would look something like this:

?php the_title( sprintf( '</p> <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="%s" rel="bookmark">', esc_url( get_permalink() ) ), '</a></h2> <p>' ); ?

You need to replace it with this code:

 ?php print_post_title() ?

The code part is over, now you need to add the external URL to the post. Simply edit the post or create a new one. On the post editor page, look for the custom fields meta box.

If you cannot see the custom fields meta box, then you need to click Screen Options in the top right corner of the screen. This will bring down a menu where you need to check the box next to ‘Custom Fields’.

You will find the custom fields meta box below the post editor.

Click on ‘Enter New’ and then enter external_url in the ‘Name’ field and the URL you want to add to post title in the ‘Value’ field.

You can now save or publish your post. That’s all, your post title will now be linked to the URL you added in the custom field.

Next time you need to add a link, you just need to select the external_urlcustom field from the drop down menu and enter your external link in the value field.

We hope this tutorial helped you learn how to link to external links from the post title in WordPress.

In this step by step tutorial, we will explain what are the pros and cons of Facebook Instant Articles as well as show you how to easily setup Facebook Instant Articles for WordPress.

What is Facebook Instant Articles?

Instant Articles is a Facebook feature which allows you to load your content 10 times faster by using a customized mobile format. It is based on the same technology used in Facebook apps for mobile devices.

Instant Articles load up to 10 times faster than a normal web page. This incredible boost in speed provides a better user experience for mobile users.

Many popular media sites like BuzzFeed, TechCrunch, Mashable, and countless others are using it on their websites. You can easily spot instant articles in your Facebook feed by the lightning bolt icon.

Pros and Cons of Facebook Instant Articles

Like everything else, there are some advantages and disadvantages of using instant articles on your website.

Pros of Using Facebook Instant Articles

• Faster load time means significant improvement in user experience.
• Due to speed, users are more likely to share your content.
• Access to monetization options through Facebook Audience Network.
• Boosted Facebook Page Reach.
• Facebook’s massive user base can bring new wave of traffic to your site.

Cons of Using Facebook Instant Articles

• Users will not see your sidebars. It will hide your useful widgets, email list forms, and everything else that is not part of the article.
• You may witness a drop in advertising revenue, as Facebook instant articles limits the advertisers as well as the number of ads you can show on an article.
• You can use some images and videos on your article, but Facebook instant articles will limit that as well.
• Most shortcodes, custom fields, and other WordPress features will not be displayed in your articles.

Considering the pros and cons of using Facebook Instant Articles, it is a mix bag for publishers. It actually depends on the type of content you produce and your business goals.

If you’re a news media site, then it makes sense for you to add it. If you’re a business website, then it may not be a huge difference maker.

What Do You Need to Enable Facebook Instant Articles in WordPress?

There are a few requirements for setting up Facebook Instant articles on your WordPress site. You need a:

• Facebook page for your WordPress website.
• Facebook page app (we will show you how to create it later in this article).
• At least 10 or more articles on your website.
• Instant Articles for WP plugin (We will show you how to set it up later in this article).

Having said that, let’s get started by applying for Facebook Instant Articles.

Signing up for Facebook Instant Articles

First you need to visit Facebook Instant Articles website and click on the sign up button to get started.

Facebook will now ask you to select a page. Here you need to select the Facebook Page for your website.

After that check the box to agree with Instant Articles terms and then click on ‘Access Instant Articles Tools’ button.

This will take you to the publisher tools on your Facebook page, which will now have an instant articles section.

First, you need to prove the ownership of your website by claiming your URL.

Scroll down a little to the Tools section on the page and click on the ‘Claim your URL’ to expand it. Facebook will show you a code snippet.

You need to copy the code and insert it into the <head> section of your WordPress site.

There are two ways you can add this code to your website.

You can edit the header.php file in your child theme and paste the code just before <head> tag.

But if you are not using a child theme, then you can use Insert Headers and Footers plugin. For more details, see our step by step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

After activating the plugin, go to Settings » Insert Headers and Footers page and paste the code into the header section.

Click on save button to store your changes.

Once you have added the code to your website, you need to switch back to the publisher tools section of your Facebook page.

Add your website URL below the code you copied earlier and then click on the claim URL button.

The next step is to add an Instant Articles RSS feed for your website. Here is how you can generate an Instant Article feed for your WordPress site.

Simply install and activate the Instant Articles for WP plugin. Upon activation, the plugin will generate an instant articles feed for your WordPress site.

You can find the feed by adding /feed/instant-articles after your site’s URL, like this:

http://www.example.com/feed/instant-articles

Copy your instant articles feed URL and switch back to your Facebook page’s publishing tool section. Scroll down to the Tools section and click on ‘Production RSS Feed’ to expand it.

Paste your Instant Articles feed URL and click on the save button. Facebook will show you a success message that your feed is added.

Setting up Facebook Instant Articles plugin for WordPress

In the previous step we installed Instant Articles for WP plugin to generate RSS feed for instant articles. Now you need to set up rest of the plugin settings.

You will notice that upon activation the plugin added a new menu item in your WordPress admin bar labeled ‘Instant Articles’. Clicking on it will take you to the plugin’s settings page.

This plugin requires an App ID and Secret keys for activation. You will need to create a Facebook app for your page to get those keys. Let’s take a look at how you can do that.

Creating a Facebook App for Your Page

First, you need to visit the Facebook for Developers website. Click on the drop down menu next to My Apps menu on the upper right corner of the screen next to your profile photo.

This will bring up a popup on screen. You need to click on website.

This will take you to a quick setup wizard. You need to enter a name for your Facebook app. This could be anything that helps you identify the app.

Click on the ‘Create New Facebook App ID’ button to continue.

A new popup will appear asking you to provide a contact email address and select a category for your app.

Enter an email address and select Apps for Pages as app category.

Click on create App ID button to continue.

The popup will disappear and Facebook will now create an app for you. On the quick start page, you will see new information about how to use the app.

You just need to scroll down a little to ‘Tell us about your website’ section.

Enter your WordPress website address here and click on the next button to continue.

Even though Facebook will be showing you that there are more steps in the set up wizard, but that’s all the information you needed to enter.

You can now click on the ‘Skip Quick Start’ button at the top right corner of the page.

You will be redirected to your newly created app’s dashboard. You will be able to see your App ID and to see your App secret key you will need to click on ‘Show’ button.

Before you copy these keys, first you need to make your app live and publicly available.

Click on the ‘App Review’ link from the menu on your left.

On the next screen, you will see that your app is under development mode. Click on the toggle to switch it to ‘Yes’ and make your app live.

Now click on the dashboard link from the left hand column to go back to your app’s dashboard. Copy your App ID and Secret keys.

Return to your Instant Articles for WP plugin’ settings page on your WordPress site and paste your App ID and Secret keys there.

Click on the next button to continue.

The plugin’s settings page will now show you a login with Facebook button.

This will take you to Facebook, and you will be asked to give the app permission to access your profile information.

After giving permissions, you will be redirected back to your WordPress site. Click on the ‘Select Page’ drop down menu to select your Facebook page.

Your WordPress site is now ready for Instant Articles. There are still two more steps left.

Setup Style and Branding for Your Instant Articles

Visit your Facebook page and from the admin bar and click on Publishing Tools. From your left hand menu, click on ‘Configuration’ under Instant Articles.

Scroll down to the Tools section and then click on the Style tab to expand it. Facebook has already added a default style for your website.

Click on the default style to customize it.

This will open up a popup where you can upload your website logo. Facebook requires images that are 690 by 132 pixel minimum.

After uploading the logo, click on Save and then click on Done.

Submit Your Instant Articles Feed for Review

Before you can submit your Instant Articles feed for review, you need to make sure that you have at least 10 articles in your Instant Articles feed.

If you have already published more than 10 articles on your website, but the feed is not showing all of them, then you need to edit your last 10 articles and simply click on the update button.

Once you are sure that you have 10 articles in your Instant Articles feed, you are now ready to submit it to Facebook for review.

Go to your Facebook page and click on Publishing Tools from the admin bar. After that click on the ‘Configuration’ link under Instant Articles on your left hand menu.

Look for ‘Step 2: Submit For Review’ on the configuration settings page.

If there are no errors with your Instant Articles feed, then you will see a ‘Submit for Review’ button. Go ahead and click on this button to send your feed for review.

That’s all, Instant Articles will become available for your website once Facebook team has reviewed and approved your feed.

Troubleshooting Tips:

Facebook requires that your Instant Articles feed match specifications described on their developer website. Instant Articles for WP plugin handles that part for you.

However depending on the theme or plugins you are using on your site, you might see some errors or warnings. An easier way to troubleshoot those errors is by editing a post and scrolling down to the Facebook Instant Articles meta box below the post editor.

Most of the errors are caused by plugins or theme adding content into your posts that is not supported by transformer rules used by Instant Articles for WP plugin.

You can create your own custom transformer rules. Refer to the plugin’s documentation to learn how to add your custom transformer rules.

However, we feel that it would be difficult for most beginners to do that on their own, so you may need a developer. You can try to configure your other plugins and themes and stop them from adding content blocks into your posts.

Incorrect URLs

If you are continuously getting Empty Feed error when submitting your Instant Articles feed, then check the URL you are trying to add.

http://www.example.com/feed/instant-articles

http://example.com/feed/instant-articles

These are two different URLs, and depending on your WordPress setup, entering the incorrect URL may result into a 404 error.

If you are still seeing the empty feed error, then try updating the last ten posts on your site. This will change their time modified and will add them to the feed.

We hope this tutorial helped you set up Facebook Instant Articles for WordPress.