Everything You Need to Know About WordPress Private Posts

Wondering what the deal is with WordPress private posts? When creating a WordPress page or post, you may have looked over that little Visibility area in the Publish module. Underneath it, you see three radio buttons: Public, Password Protected, and Private.So whats with that private option? If youre publishing a blog post, dont you want the whole world to see it? Well, not all the time, seeing as how WordPress private posts are wonderful for internal corporate communications, restricted content, and documentation that regular customers might not need to see. Private WordPress posts lock  all unauthorized users out of that content. Only certain logged-in users can navigate to the post and view whats on it.An advantage of a private WordPress post is the power you have when granting user access. For instance, you dont need to let all users see the post. If you have a blog post with SEO guidelines for your writers, you might restrict entry for those who arent listed as Authors.The proc ess is simple for creating private posts. So, well walk through a tutorial on making a post private, right after explaining some of the instances where WordPress private posts can come in handy.Some situations where WordPress private posts come in handyHere are some situations where private posts can be helpful:For a product or service launch One of the advantages of a private post or page is that it still gets published. Since several stakeholders are often involved with new ideas and product launches, it makes sense to place the post in a live environment, while also locking out all guests. The admins have full control over which stakeholders see the private page.For content or design tweaks Although a sandbox setting is the preferred method for developers, many bloggers enjoy publishing posts and formatting articles with a live post. Theres no need to hit the Preview button, and it gives you a real-world test into how content appears. Not only that, but you can run the content by your editors in that published form.For an exclusive community Some forums and membership communities are private because of exclusivity. Others involve special people in an organization.For internal training and reference pages This is one of the most common ways to use WordPress private posts. A writing guide, customer support training module, or something of the sort, doesnt need the highest security. However, website visitors dont need to see this information.For a private blog Some folks like to journal without the pressure of other people seeing it. A private WordPress post gives you an official publication atmosphere as opposed to previewing the post and storing it as a draft. In addition, it still gives you the option to share posts with friends or family.Specialized content You may want to lock content thats reserved for special users. Although its entirely possible to share private posts with specific user groups, your  best bet is to go with a content gateway plu gin or membership site. Think of the private post option as the poor mans content gate.Are private posts a good option for sensitive information?By default, anyone with a user role of Editor or Administrator can see all the private posts on your site. They also have control over changing the privacy settings. Keep this in mind when working in an environment with multiple editors or admins. There might be someone who shouldnt be reading the private post, or they may accidentally  (or purposefully) make the post public without you knowing.Furthermore, private posts arent ironclad safes. I dont recommend publishing any sensitive information using WordPress private posts. For instance, lawyers and real estate agents shouldnt publish contracts. Similarly, eCommerce companies should avoid publishing any customer information.Overall, private posts generate hidden parts of your website not completely protected parts. Its more of an advantage when youd like to not bother users, while stil l maintaining a fluid work environment.Are the images in private posts still private?All images are technically available to the public, even when you publish them as part of private posts. Anyone can obtain these images if they have the image URL. Although its not probable, its certainly possible. Finally, all Authors on your site can view the images in the media library.How to create private posts in WordPressCertain user roles can view and edit private posts. These roles include:Administrator Can view, create, edit, and delete any private post, regardless of who made it.Editor Can view, create, edit, and delete any private post, regardless of who made it.Author Can view, create, edit, and delete  their own posts. Authors cannot view or edit private posts created by other users, though.Step 1: Create a new post/page or edit an old oneIm sure most people know how to add or edit a post, but I wanted to let you know that its possible to make a private post from a new one or one thats already published and public.Step 2: Edit the posts visibilityGo to the Publish module on your post.Find the Visibility section and click on the Edit link.Switch the Public radio button to the one that reads Private. Click on the OK button to lock it in.If this is a new post, click the Publish button. If its an old one, youll see the Update button.Step 3: Publish the post and check its privacyYou can test WordPress private posts by logging in as an Admin or Editor. If you see the Private: text before the title, only the Admin and Editors can see it.Your site will direct other users to a 404 page.Step 4: Share the post with certain user groups (optional) WP JV Post Reading Groups Author(s): Janos VerCurrent Version: 2.2Last Updated: December 28, 2018wp-jv-post-reading-groups.2.2.zip 80%Ratings 6,204Downloads 3.9.2Requires By default, only Admins and Editors can view private posts. However, if youd like to show your content to specific user groups (like family members or colleagues,) the  WP JV Post Reading plugin  helps you out with that.If youre a little bit more advanced in your WordPress knowledge, you can also use WordPress user roles and the User Role Editor plugin  to give additional user roles access to the read_private_posts and read_private_pages capabilities. This will allow those user roles to view private posts and pages, as well.Thats it! If you have any questions about WordPress private posts, share your thoughts in the comments. How to create #WordPress private posts + some cool things you can do with them