How to Create an Author Page: 2 Ways

The importance of an author page was recently highlighted by Yoast.com, and I couldn’t agree more! I’ve always recommended that you crawl/index the author archives in the sitemap (single-author blogs). And of course, remove date-based archives to avoid duplicate content issues.

For multi-author blogs, however, this requires a bit more consideration – are you a news blog, with a focus on fresh content? That might lend itself to date-based archives. Do all contributors post equally – or enough to make the archives look different from each other? Then you might have both date-based and author archives. Email support if you need a hand deciding which is right for you!

Today, I’ll walk you through two methods for creating an Author Page in WordPress: the built-in Author Archive page, and a more customizable approach using Kadence Blocks. Whether you’re looking for simplicity or SEO advantages, we’ve got you covered.

How To Show the Author Archive

Before we get into how to create a pretty Author Page, you need to be sure it is showing up in your sitemap & search! Open your SEO settings in Yoast and be sure that it is not de-indexed like so:

Method 1: Author Archive page

The built-in Author Archive page in WordPress is a straightforward option, especially for single-author blogs. You do not have to do ANYTHING for this to happen. For example, if you go to your blog and type this in the address bar: myblog.com/authors/myusername you should see an archive of everything that you’ve written.

This author archive page leverages WordPress’s default function- and creates a list of all posts by a specific author. This page uses the same template as a tag archive or a category archive.

Because it is built-in to WordPress you will have this unless your theme or plugins have overwritten this functionality. (another reason we do not like page builders and plugins that duplicate what is already there).

The Author Archive page is the easiest way to show an Author page. With this method, however, you are limited in your available customizations.

To customize this page, you’ll need to access the Users tab in your WordPress dashboard. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide:

1. Navigate to the Users Tab: Go to your WordPress dashboard and click on “Users.” From here, you can select the author you want to edit.
   
2. Update Author Information: In the user profile, you can add or edit details such as the author’s bio, social media links, and profile picture. Depending on your theme, these details will be displayed on the Author Archive page. If your author archive template does not show the bio and other details, then you will need to use Method 2.
   
3. Review and Publish: Once you’ve made your updates, save the changes. WordPress will automatically update the Author Archive page with the new information. Refresh/reload the author archive to see the changes.

This method is particularly useful if you’re looking for a quick setup without the need for additional plugins or coding. However, it offers limited customization options, which might be a drawback if you’re aiming for a more unique or branded look.

Method 2: Custom Author Page

The second, more SEO-friendly option, is a custom Author Page. This method gives you more control and options for the content and style.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Create a New Page: Start by creating a new page in WordPress. You can name it something like “Author [Author Name]”.
   • TIP: I’ve noticed some of y’all are not naming your pages because you don’t want the title to show. This is BAD for seo and organization. Name your pages and then hide the title programmatically. Plus be sure you always have an H1 on each page.
     
2. Design & Add Posts: Once your page is created, use blocks to design your Author Page. Kadence Blocks offers a variety of layout options, including grids, lists, and customizable sections – and the one you need for an archive is the Posts Grid – select to show all the posts that this author has published.
   
   You can add blocks to display the author’s bio, social media links, and a myriad of other possibilities. You can create a beautiful and branded page this way.
   
   • Tip: Use the “Post Grid/Carousel” block to dynamically display posts by the specific author. You can customize the layout, colors, and typography to match your brand’s style.
     
3. Set Up a Redirect: After creating your custom Author Page, you’ll need to redirect the default Author Archive page to this new page to avoid duplicate content and enhance your reader’s experience. You can use a plugin (we prefer Redirection by Godley) or your web host might do it in your .htaccess file.
   
   • Example: If your default Author Archive URL is yoursite.com/author/authorname, you’ll want to redirect it to the new page URL, yoursite.com/author-authorname.
     
4. Proof read and Publish: Once everything is set up, publish your custom Author Page. Be sure to review it on both desktop and mobile to ensure it’s visually appealing and user-friendly.

This method provides you with the flexibility to create a more visually engaging and SEO-optimized Author Page. While it requires a bit more effort than using the built-in Author Archive, the benefits in terms of customization and SEO make it a worthwhile option, especially for multi-author blogs.

Conclusion

Creating a dedicated Author Page in WordPress is a great way to showcase your contributors and improve your blog’s SEO. For those seeking a quick and easy setup, the built-in option is perfect. However, if you’re looking to create a more visually appealing page, the custom method with Kadence Blocks is the way to go.

As always, we’re here to help – just email the support desk!