How to Schedule WordPress Posts to Publish Automatically

Scheduling Posts in WordPress

Basic Scheduling Steps

1. Create your post as usual in the WordPress editor
2. Look for the "Publish" panel in the top-right corner
3. Click the "Immediately" link next to "Publish"
4. Select your desired date and time
5. Click "Schedule" instead of "Publish"

Best Practices

1. Time Zone Settings

   • Check your WordPress timezone at Settings > General
   • Use a timezone that matches your target audience
   • Avoid changing timezone frequently as it affects scheduled posts

2. Planning Ahead

   • Schedule posts at least 24 hours in advance
   • Spread posts throughout the week for consistent content
   • Use an editorial calendar to manage multiple scheduled posts

3. Testing

   • Test scheduling with a draft post first
   • Verify scheduled time appears correctly in Posts list
   • Check if featured images and formatting remain intact

Common Pitfalls

1. Missed Schedule Issues

   • Posts showing "Missed Schedule" instead of publishing
   • Caused by WordPress cron system limitations
   • Server configuration problems

2. Time Zone Confusion

   • Posts publishing at unexpected times
   • Server time not matching WordPress settings
   • Daylight saving time complications

Solutions for Missed Schedule Issues

Add this code to your theme's functions.php to check for missed posts:

function check_and_publish_missed_posts() {
    global $wpdb;
    
    $missed_posts = $wpdb->get_results(
        "SELECT ID FROM {$wpdb->posts} 
        WHERE post_type = 'post' 
        AND post_status = 'future' 
        AND post_date < NOW()"
    );
    
    if(!empty($missed_posts)) {
        foreach($missed_posts as $post) {
            wp_publish_post($post->ID);
        }
    }
}
add_action('wp_head', 'check_and_publish_missed_posts');

Recommended Plugins

1. WP Missed Schedule

   • Fixes missed schedule issues automatically
   • Simple to use, no configuration needed
   • Plugin Link

2. Editorial Calendar

   • Visual calendar for post scheduling
   • Drag-and-drop interface
   • Plugin Link

3. PublishPress

   • Advanced editorial calendar
   • Custom statuses and notifications
   • Plugin Link

Security Considerations

1. User Permissions

   • Only grant scheduling capabilities to trusted users
   • Use role management plugins for fine-grained control
   • Monitor scheduled posts regularly

2. Server Configuration

   • Ensure WordPress cron is working properly
   • Consider using real cron jobs instead of WP-Cron
   • Keep your WordPress installation updated

Using Real Cron Instead of WP-Cron

Add this to wp-config.php to disable WP-Cron:

define('DISABLE_WP_CRON', true);

Then add this cron job to your server (runs every 5 minutes):

*/5 * * * * wget -q -O - http://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron >/dev/null 2>&1

Additional Tips

1. Use preview feature to check scheduled posts
2. Keep a backup schedule in case of failures
3. Monitor server resources during publishing times
4. Consider using a staging site for testing schedules
5. Document your scheduling workflow for team members

By following these guidelines and implementing the suggested solutions, you'll have a reliable post scheduling system in WordPress.