How to Create Your First Blog Post in WordPress

Publishing your very first blog post in WordPress can feel intimidating. There are buttons, panels, and settings everywhere, and the last thing you want is to click the wrong one and lose your work. The good news? Once you understand the basic flow, creating a post becomes a simple, repeatable process.

In this guide, you will go from a blank dashboard to a fully published blog post. You will learn how to open the right screen, write and format your content, add images, choose categories and tags, and use essential options like featured image and excerpt. We will reference both the Block Editor (Gutenberg) and the Classic Editor, which many news and magazine themes such as Jannah still use.

This tutorial assumes you already have a WordPress site set up. If you are still at the “no blog yet” stage, first follow a setup tutorial like how to create a blog on WordPress, then come back here to publish your first post.

Prerequisites

Before you start writing, make sure you have a few essentials in place. This will save you frustration and help you focus on your content.

• Administrator, Editor, or Author access to your WordPress site (a login with permission to publish posts).
• Your WordPress login URL (usually /wp-admin or /wp-login.php).
• A working theme such as Jannah (or any other blog-friendly theme) already activated.
• A rough idea for your blog post: topic, working title, and a few key points.

Step 1: Log in to your WordPress dashboard

Your WordPress dashboard is where you manage posts, pages, media, comments, and settings. You must be logged in before you can create a new blog post.

1. Open your browser and go to your WordPress login URL (for example, https://example.com/wp-admin).
2. Enter your username or email and password.
3. Click Log In.

If your login is successful, you will see the WordPress Dashboard with a left-hand menu including Posts, Media, Pages, and more.

Step 2: Open the Add New Post screen

All blog posts are created from the Add New Post screen. This is where you will spend most of your time writing and editing content.

1. In the left-hand menu, hover over Posts.
2. Click Add New.

If you are using the Block Editor, you will see a large blank canvas with a field that says “Add title” at the top and a “+” button to add blocks. If you are using the Classic Editor, you will see a title field and a familiar text editor toolbar similar to a word processor.

Step 3: Add your blog post title and URL

Your title tells readers (and search engines) what your post is about. WordPress uses the title to generate the post’s URL (also called the permalink).

1. Click the top field that says Add title (Block Editor) or the title box (Classic Editor).
2. Type a clear, descriptive title such as “How I Started My First WordPress Blog in One Weekend”.
3. After you type the title, WordPress will automatically generate the URL. You can usually see or edit this under the title (Classic Editor) or in the Permalink/URL settings in the sidebar (Block Editor).
4. Shorten your URL by removing stop words (like “in”, “the”, “my”) so it becomes something like /first-wordpress-blog-weekend/.

Step 4: Write your blog post content

Now it is time to write. The best first posts are simple, helpful, and focused on one main topic. Aim for clear sections with headings, short paragraphs, and bullet points.

1. Start with an introduction that explains what the post is about and who it is for.
2. Break your main points into sections using Heading blocks (Block Editor) or the heading dropdown (Classic Editor) to create H2 and H3 headings.
3. Write short paragraphs (2–3 sentences) under each heading so the text is easy to scan.
4. Use bullet lists or numbered lists where appropriate to make steps or key points stand out.
5. End with a simple conclusion and a call to action (for example, ask readers to leave a comment or sign up to your email list).

Using the Block Editor (Gutenberg)

In the Block Editor, everything is a block: paragraphs, headings, images, quotes, and more. Click the + button to add a new block, or press Enter to create a new paragraph. To change a block type, click its icon and choose another block such as Heading or List.

Using the Classic Editor

In the Classic Editor, you write in a single content box. Use the toolbar to apply formatting such as bold, italics, bullet lists, and headings. Use the formatting dropdown (often labelled “Paragraph”) to set headings like Heading 2 and Heading 3 for sections.

Step 5: Add images and other media

Images make your post more engaging and easier to understand. WordPress lets you upload images, embed videos, and insert other media directly into your content.

1. Place your cursor where you want the image to appear.
2. If you are using the Block Editor:
   • Click the + button and choose Image or Gallery.
   • Click Upload to add a new file or Media Library to choose an existing one.
3. If you are using the Classic Editor:
   • Click the Add Media button above the toolbar.
   • Upload a new image or select one from the Media Library, then click Insert into post.
4. In the attachment details, fill in the Alt Text field with a short description of the image (for accessibility and SEO).

Step 6: Choose categories and tags

Categories and tags help organize your content so readers (and search engines) can find related posts. Categories are broad groupings, while tags are more specific topics inside those categories.

In the post settings sidebar, look for the Categories and Tags panels. Select a primary category (for example, “WordPress Basics”) and then add a few descriptive tags related to the post’s topic.

For a deeper dive into how these taxonomies work together, see this categories and tags beginner guide for WordPress.

• Use one main category per post to keep your structure clean.
• Add 3–5 tags that describe key topics (for example, “blogging”, “WordPress beginners”, “WordPress editor”).
• Avoid creating a new tag for every single post—re-use tags whenever possible.

Step 7: Set featured image, excerpt, and basic SEO

The featured image, excerpt, and SEO fields control how your post appears on your homepage, archive pages, and in search results. Themes like Jannah rely heavily on a strong featured image to make posts stand out.

1. In the post settings sidebar, find the Featured image panel.
2. Click Set featured image, choose or upload a high-quality image, and click Set featured image again.
3. Locate the Excerpt field (often under the main content or in the sidebar) and write a short, compelling summary (1–3 sentences) of your post.
4. If you have an SEO plugin like Yoast or Rank Math installed, scroll to its meta box:
   • Enter your focus keyword (for example, “first blog post”).
   • Write an SEO title and meta description that closely match your visible title and excerpt.
   • Check for basic suggestions like adding the keyword in headings and the first paragraph.

Step 8: Preview, save, and publish your post

Before you share your post with the world, always preview it and save a draft. This helps you catch formatting issues, typos, and layout problems (especially on mobile).

1. Click Save Draft to ensure your latest changes are stored.
2. Click Preview and choose a device (desktop, tablet, or mobile, depending on your editor) to see how your post will look.
3. Fix any spacing, heading, or image issues you notice.
4. When you are satisfied, click Publish.
5. In newer WordPress versions, confirm visibility (Public/Private) and optionally schedule a future time, then click Publish again.

As you write more content, it helps to use a repeatable checklist. Before you hit publish on every future article, review a short list like this beginner checklist for optimizing WordPress blog posts to make sure you are not missing simple improvements.

Celebrate publishing your first WordPress post

You have just created and published your first blog post in WordPress—from logging in and opening the editor to writing, formatting, and optimizing it for readers and search engines. That is a huge first step toward building your online presence.

Your next goal is not perfection; it is consistency. Keep publishing, keep refining your structure and workflow, and you will quickly become comfortable with both the Block Editor and the Classic Editor. Over time, you will develop your own style, but the basic process you followed here will stay the same.

Further Reading

• How to Start a Blog on WordPress
• WordPress SEO Beginner Guide
• Content Planning Workflow for WordPress Blogs
• How to Build an Editorial Calendar in WordPress

Frequently Asked Questions