SOP: hand WordPress publishing over to an editorial team
A procedure that lets an editor create, review, and publish posts without relying on developers or receiving unnecessary permissions.
The problem
The content team needed to publish and update articles without opening a ticket for every change. The answer was not administrator access: they needed a clear workflow, the right permissions, and a review step that avoided visible production mistakes.
The resolution
I assigned the appropriate editorial role and documented a short journey from sign-in to publishing. It covers four moments: entering the dashboard, creating a draft, editing an existing post, and signing out.
When creating a post, the editor sets the title, content, category, tags, and featured image. Before publishing, they save the draft and open the preview. For an update, they find the post in the list, change only what is needed, and use Update instead of creating a duplicate.
The guide does not replace a content strategy; it removes unnecessary technical dependency from daily work. It also makes clear what the editorial role should not touch: themes, plugins, users, global settings, and code.
Quality checks before publishing
- Confirm that the title, excerpt, and category describe the article.
- Review links, heading hierarchy, and image alt text.
- Use compressed imagery with an appropriate aspect ratio.
- Open a preview on mobile and desktop when possible.
- Check the publication date and status.
Apply it to another team
Start with the minimum role each person needs. Then create a one-page guide with menu paths and a pre-publish checklist. If the site handles sensitive content, add a second-person review before a draft becomes public.
When someone reports that they cannot edit, check the role, post ownership, and session state first. The problem is usually permissions or an undocumented workflow—not WordPress itself.