How to Use the WordPress Native Post Editor (Complete Beginner Guide)

Learn step-by-step how to create, format, optimize, and publish blog posts using WordPress’s built?in block editor (Gutenberg).

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Overview: What the WordPress Post Editor Is

The WordPress post editor (also called the Block Editor or Gutenberg) is where you write and format blog posts. It uses “blocks” for each piece of content—paragraphs, headings, images, lists, buttons, and more.Source

Step 1: Open the Editor (Add a New Post)

• Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
• In the left menu, go to Posts ? Add New.

This opens the block editor in fullscreen mode with an empty post ready for you to edit.Source

What You Should See

• A large field at the top that says something like “Add title”.
• A main white content area where you add blocks.
• A top toolbar with buttons such as Save draft, Preview, and Publish.
• A right-hand sidebar with tabs for Post and Block settings.

Step 2: Add Your Post Title and Slug

Click in the top field and type your post title, for example: “How to Care for Indoor Plants”.

• Main heading (H1): The title you enter here becomes the page’s main H1 heading on the front end. You do not need to add another H1 inside the content.
• Slug / URL: WordPress automatically creates a URL slug from your title (e.g. /how-to-care-for-indoor-plants/). You can see and edit this under the Post tab ? Permalink in the right sidebar.

Best practice: usually keep the slug short, lowercase, and hyphenated. Only edit it before publishing to avoid changing existing URLs.

Step 3: Understanding Blocks

Every piece of content in the editor is a block. Common core blocks you’ll use most often include:Source

• Paragraph – normal text.
• Heading – section titles (H2–H6).
• Image – single images.
• List – bulleted or numbered lists.
• Quote – pull quotes or citations.
• Columns – simple multi-column layouts.
• Spacer and Separator – add vertical space or a divider line.
• Button – clickable call-to-action buttons.

There are many more blocks, but for most posts these core blocks are enough.

How to Add Blocks

• Plus icon: Hover between blocks or at the top left and click the + icon, then choose the block type.
• Slash command: Press Enter to start a new block, type / and begin typing the block name (e.g. /image), then press Enter to insert it.

Step 4: Writing and Formatting Text

Click in the content area and start typing. WordPress automatically uses the Paragraph block for normal text.

Basic Text Formatting

When you select text in a Paragraph or Heading block, a small toolbar appears above it. Common options:

• Bold – emphasize key words.
• Italic – for subtle emphasis or terms.
• Link – click the link icon, paste a URL, and press Enter.
• Alignment – left, center, or right (usually keep body text left-aligned).

Headings (H2–H6) and Structure

• Your post title is already the H1. Do not add another H1 in the content.
• Use H2 for main sections (e.g. “Step 1: Prepare Your Tools”).
• Use H3 for subsections inside an H2 (e.g. “What You Should See”).
• Use H4–H6 rarely, only for deeper levels of detail.

Good heading structure makes your content easier to scan and helps search engines understand your page.

Step 5: Adding Media and Images

Upload Images via the Media Library

1. In the editor, add an Image block.
2. Choose Upload to add a new file from your computer, or Media Library to pick an existing image.
3. Fill in the Alt text field to describe the image for accessibility and SEO.

Replacing an Image

• Click the image block.
• Use the Replace option in the block toolbar to upload or select a different image.

Step 6: Setting the Featured Image

A featured image represents the post in places like blog archives, widgets, and social previews. Themes display it in different ways, such as above the post title or in post grids.Source

How to Set or Change the Featured Image

1. In the right sidebar, make sure the Post tab is selected.
2. Find the Featured image panel.
3. Click Set featured image.
4. Upload a new image or choose one from the Media Library.
5. Click Set featured image again to confirm.

To replace it later, click the featured image thumbnail and choose Replace.

Best practice: always set a featured image for posts so they look consistent in lists, previews, and social shares.

Step 7: Categories and Tags

Categories and tags are how WordPress organizes posts.

Categories (Required, One Primary)

• In the right sidebar under Post, open the Categories panel.
• Check one main category that best fits the post.
• If needed, click Add New Category to create a new one (keep the list small and meaningful).

Think of categories as your site’s table of contents: broad sections like “News”, “Guides”, or “Recipes”.Source

Tags (Optional, More Specific)

• In the Tags panel, type a keyword (e.g. “indoor plants”, “succulents”) and press Enter.
• You can add multiple tags per post.

Think of tags as your index: specific topics and keywords that help connect related posts.Source

Step 8: Sidebar Settings (Post Settings)

Under the Post tab in the right sidebar you’ll typically see:

• Permalink: Edit the URL slug if needed (before publishing).
• Categories & Tags: As described above.
• Featured image: Set or change the featured image.
• Excerpt: Optional short summary that may appear in archives or widgets. If empty, WordPress or your theme may auto-generate one.
• Discussion: Enable or disable comments and pingbacks for this post.
• Other panels from plugins (for example, additional SEO or layout options).

Step 9: Using Yoast SEO for Optimization

If Yoast SEO is installed, you’ll see a Yoast panel below the editor or in the right sidebar. This helps you optimize your post for search engines.

Focus Keyphrase

• Enter a short phrase that describes what someone would search for to find this post (e.g. “indoor plant care”).
• Yoast analyzes how well your content uses this keyphrase in the title, headings, text, slug, and images.Source

SEO Title, Slug, and Meta Description

• SEO title: The title shown in search results. Yoast provides a template you can customize.
• Slug: Usually matches the WordPress permalink. Keep it short and relevant.
• Meta description: A short summary that appears under your title in search results. Write a clear, compelling sentence or two; Yoast shows a bar that turns green when the length is good.Source

Readability and Green Indicators

• Yoast provides SEO analysis and Readability checks with colored bullets (red, orange, green).
• Aim for mostly green bullets, but don’t obsess—clarity for readers comes first.

Social Tab

In the Yoast Social tab you can set:

• Custom Facebook title and description.
• A specific Facebook image (often the same as or similar to your featured image).

This controls how your post appears when shared on social platforms that read Open Graph data.

Step 10: Previewing and Publishing

Draft and Preview

• Click Save draft to save your work without making it public.
• Click Preview ? choose Desktop, Tablet, or Mobile to see how the post looks using your site’s front-end template.

Publish and Update

• When ready, click Publish, confirm the settings, and click Publish again.
• After publishing, any changes you make are saved with the Update button.

You may see extra buttons in the top bar like Edit with Elementor, Template Library, or other plugin options. These are optional and not required for basic posting.

Optional: Using Instant Images for Royalty?Free Photos

If your site has the Instant Images plugin installed (Instant Images by Darren Cooney), you can import open-license images from Unsplash, Pixabay, Pexels, and Openverse directly into your Media Library. These sources provide royalty-free images that are safe to use on your site.Source

How to Install Instant Images (If You Have Access)

1. In the Dashboard, go to Plugins ? Add New.
2. Search for “Instant Images”.
3. Click Install Now, then Activate.

Using Instant Images

• Go to Media ? Instant Images or open the Media Library and choose the Instant Images tab (depending on setup).
• Search for a keyword (e.g. “houseplants”).
• Click an image to import it into your Media Library.
• Back in your post, set it as the featured image or insert it into an Image block as usual.

Recap

• Open Posts ? Add New and add a clear title.
• Build your content with blocks, using H2 and H3 headings for structure.
• Add images, set a strong featured image, and organize with one primary category plus helpful tags.
• Use Yoast SEO to fine-tune your keyphrase, SEO title, slug, and meta description.
• Preview your post, then publish and update as needed.

With these steps, you can confidently create polished, search-friendly posts using the native WordPress block editor.