How to Add New Users and Authors to WordPress Blog

WordPress features a built-in user management system that enables users with diverse roles and permission levels to be added. The process is now effortless, and WordPress provides numerous options for customizing your profile.

Here, we will confidently demonstrate how to add new users and authors to your WordPress website.

Adding a New User or Author to WordPress Blog

You have three options for adding new users to your WordPress website: manual addition, free self-registration, or creating a paid membership site. Here, we will discuss one-by-one

1. Adding a New User or Author to a WordPress Blog by Manually

If you need to add a few people to your website, you can easily do so using WordPress’s built-in user management system.

This method is perfect for small businesses with several employees managing their websites, organizations like churches and nonprofits with volunteers updating their websites, WordPress blogs with multiple authors, and online stores with several people managing inventory and shipping.

To add a new user, simply navigate to the Users » Add New page in your WordPress admin area and fill out the form to create a new user.

Here, enter the username first. This cannot be changed later, so choose wisely.

Then, provide the user’s email address and ensure it is accurate. Users will use this for password resets and notifications.

You can also enter the first name, last name, and website URL, but these are optional.

Pick a strong password using the recommended online generator. Don’t forget to send the user an email with login instructions.

Lastly, choose a WordPress user role from the dropdown list.

Each user role comes with a different set of capabilities. The Subscriber role is the least powerful, while the Administrator role is the most powerful.

You need to choose a role carefully based on the tasks a user will perform on your website. If you already know which role you want to assign to your user, make your selection and then press the ‘Add New User‘ button at the bottom of the screen.

There’s no need to worry if you are uncertain about the role. The next section of this article provides a detailed explanation of the roles. It’s important to note that some plugins create additional user roles.

For example, WooCommerce adds ‘Customer‘ and ‘Shop Manager‘ roles. All-in-One SEO adds the ‘SEO Manager‘ and ‘SEO Editor‘ roles. Consult the plugin’s documentation to learn about any additional roles in this list.

Basic Understanding about User Roles in WordPress

WordPress offers the mentioned default user roles:

• Administrator
• Editor
• Author
• Contributor
• Subscriber

In a multisite installation of WordPress, there is a “Super Admin” role. These users have the authority to manage all of the websites, while regular Administrators are limited to working just one site.

• 
  Administrator

An administrator has the authority to perform all tasks on your WordPress site. This role should only be assigned to users whom you trust completely and who possess the necessary technical skills. 

As an administrator, a user can install WordPress plugins, change themes, delete content, and even delete other users.

• 
  Editor

An editor in WordPress has the authority to add, edit, publish, and delete their own posts as well as posts created by other users. However, they do not have access to website settings, plugins, themes, or other administrative features. 

This role is essential for a website that has an editor managing a team of authors and regularly publishing content.

• 
  Author

Authors have the exclusive rights to add, edit, and publish their own posts, as well as upload files. They do not have the authority to edit or publish other users’ posts or access features such as plugins, themes, settings, and tools. 

Consider using a plugin to restrict authors to writing in a specific category. You can also empower authors to revise their published posts by using a plugin to extend the Author user role.

• 
  Contributors

Contributors have the ability to add and edit their own posts but are unable to publish them. They also do not have the ability to edit posts created by other users or access features such as plugins, themes, settings, and tools.

It’s important to note that contributors cannot upload media files, such as images. To work around this, you can have contributors upload their post’s images through a file upload form. 

This allows the images to be saved directly to the WordPress media library, making it easy for an editor or administrator to add them to the post.

• 
  Subscribers

Subscribers are restricted from adding or editing posts. By default, they have the ability to create a profile and save their details, streamlining the process for leaving comments.

Additionally, you can employ a membership plugin or LMS plugin to offer exclusive content that is accessible only to subscribers.

How to Manage Users in WordPress

As an administrator, you have the ability to add and remove users from your WordPress site whenever necessary. Once a user is added, you can modify their profile and make changes to any information, including their password.

To do this, simply go to the Users tab in your WordPress admin to access the user page, where you can edit or delete a user at any time.

You have the authority to modify a user’s profile to alter their password, role, and other details. If needed, you can also make changes to multiple users’ roles simultaneously.

Users also have the option to edit their own profiles by navigating to Users » Profile in the WordPress dashboard. They can update their personal information and add a profile picture, although they are unable to change their role.

Open WordPress Website for Free Registration to Anyone

To enable free user registration on your site, allow users to create their own accounts by checking the ‘Anyone can register’ box in your WordPress admin under Settings » General.

At the bottom of the page, press the ‘Save Changes’ button to save changes you have done

We recommend allowing users to register only as ‘Subscribers’ or ‘Contributors.’ If users are allowed to register as ‘Authors,’ they could publish a post without approval. ‘Administrator‘ should never be used as the default setting.

Creating a Paid Membership Website

To effectively add new users to your site, you should create a paid membership program. This program will enable you to sell exclusive content, provide premium content behind a paywall, offer online courses, and more.

To accomplish this, a WordPress membership plugin is essential. We strongly recommend using MemberPress for its comprehensive features and flexibility.

MemberPress empowers you to lock specific posts and pages on your website, granting access exclusively to registered, paying users. Countless websites leverage this feature to monetize premium content.

With MemberPress, you can effortlessly establish distinct access levels. Picture offering Bronze, Silver, and Gold plans, each accompanied by its own user role.

Imagine crafting exclusive courses accessible only to users with specific roles.

Moreover, MemberPress equips you with robust tools, including reports that unveil your average member lifetime value, total membership count, and more.

Harness MemberPress to implement drip content for an evergreen membership site, and even vend group memberships within WordPress.

Conclusion

In the end, Add new users and authors to WordPress blog is a critical process that can significantly enhance collaboration and content diversity.

Effectively managing user roles and permissions empowers your team to contribute meaningfully while maintaining control over your site’s integrity. Regularly reviewing user access and adjusting roles as necessary is crucial to keeping your blog secure and efficient.