What are post types in WordPress?
You might not have been aware, but if you manage a WordPress website, you have already come into contact with a “Post Type”. This term is used to distinguish different forms of content by WordPress. Generally, new WordPress websites will contain four major default post types – Posts, Pages, Attachments and Menus – that you have probably seen before.
- Posts are ordered entries that make up the blog or news content on a WordPress website.
- Pages are the static pages that make up a WordPress website, like an about page for example.
- Attachments are the media files that are uploaded to a WordPress website, such as images.
- Menus are the individual menus registered on a WordPress website, e.g., main menu and footer menu.
What are custom post types?
WordPress has the capacity to accept extra post types beyond the standard options, by way of either a plugin or custom code. This feature is often integrated into bespoke WordPress themes, allowing users to post content which may not suit the standard types.
Benefits of using custom post types
Imagine for a moment, you are looking to add a section to your WordPress website devoted to services, you could create a services page by utilizing the default “Page” post type. Nevertheless, if your services shift, you would have to access the page, hunt for the applicable information, and then modify, erase, or revise it. If you have many services, this process could be lengthy and laborious to manage.
Instead, it would be beneficial to create a unique post type called “Services” for better organization and convenience. This will enable a more user-friendly environment for managing and displaying individual services within WordPress, and keep the dashboard orderly.
How we integrate custom post types into our bespoke WordPress themes?
Here at Reflection, we take pride in crafting bespoke WordPress themes for our customers. Not only do we make aesthetically pleasing sites, but ones that are simple for content editors to maintain.
At the outset of any web project, we collaborate with our clients to determine the most efficient approach for administering their content within WordPress. Some of the most common custom post types we create are for:
- Services
- Case studies
- Meet the team
Subsequently, we craft and create a bespoke WordPress theme to effectively include any custom post types that will help our customers more proficiently administer their content.
We utilized a “vacancies” custom post type to assist a client, a recruitment agency, in displaying their open positions on their website. The straightforward user interface enabled our client to add and remove job openings with ease.
Do I need a bespoke WordPress theme to use custom post types?
It is not necessary to possess a bespoke WordPress theme to utilise custom post types. If you have a WordPress site but are looking to grant your content more structure, then there are countless free and paid plugins available like Custom Post Types UI, developed by WebDevStudios, to help with the creation and administration of custom post types.
