How to Change and Optimize Authors on Your WordPress Site: The Ultimate Guide

Changing the author of a post in WordPress is a breeze – if you know the tricks!

With the right tools and optimization, you can seamlessly manage WordPress authors to keep your site running smoothly.

In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn how to change authors with a few clicks using different editing methods. You‘ll also get pro tips to optimize author pages and bios for better SEO rankings.

Why Properly Managing Authors Matters

On well-run sites, author information stays up to date and optimized. But often author details fall through the cracks, especially as your site grows.

Here are some stats on author management challenges:

58% of sites have author pages with missing or outdated bio information according to Moz.
79% of WordPress users said inconsistent author details impact their publishing workflow in a PollDaddy survey.
Sites with optimized author bios and structured data see a 12% higher CTR according to SearchMetrics.

Properly assigning authorship helps avoid confusion down the road. Optimized author pages also build credibility and authority with readers.

That‘s why having a streamlined process makes all the difference.

In this guide, I‘ll share the techniques I‘ve learned from 15+ years of managing WordPress sites – so you can level up your author game!

Before Changing Post Authors

Before changing the author on a WordPress post, there are two key things to check:

Ensure the New Author Exists

You‘ll need to add any new authors before assigning posts to them.

Here‘s how to add a new WordPress user:

Go to Users > Add New in your admin dashboard.
Enter the username, email, and password.
Assign the user an Author role.
Click "Add New User".

Now they can start publishing posts!

For more details, see our step-by-step guide on [how to add users in WordPress](link to your user guide).

Verify Author Slug Settings

The author slug is the URL structure for author pages:

yoursite.com/author/author-slug/

To check a user‘s author slug:

Go to Users > All Users
Click on the author‘s username
Scroll down to the Author Slug box

By default, WordPress uses the username as the slug. But you can customize this – for example, having the slug as the person‘s full name.

Consistency matters here for SEO. Just keep in mind updated slugs won‘t change existing author links.

Now let‘s dive into how to change the author within different WordPress editors.

Method #1: Change the Author in the Block Editor

If you‘re using WordPress 5.0 or later, the block editor makes changing authors painless:

Edit the post and ensure you‘re in the Document tab.
Under Status & Visibility, click the current author name.
Select the new author from the dropdown.
Update or publish the post.

Here‘s a screenshot to illustrate:

[block editor change author screenshot]

The block editor surfaces key post fields like author and slug right in the main interface – so changing authors takes just a few clicks!

Method #2: Change the Author in the Classic Editor

If you‘re still using the classic editor, updating authors requires accessing the author metadata box:

Edit the post and make sure you‘re viewing the classic editor.
Click on the Screen Options tab in the top right corner.
Check the box for Author to add the author meta box.
Choose a new author from the dropdown inside the meta box.
Update or publish to save your changes.

Here‘s what it looks like to update the author in the classic editor:

[classic editor change author screenshot]

The classic editor buries some post details in meta boxes – but still makes it fairly easy to change authors.

Method #3: Quickly Change the Author with Quick Edit

The fastest way to change authors is using Quick Edit from the All Posts list:

Go to Posts > All Posts.
Hover over a post title and click Quick Edit.
Select a new author from the dropdown.
Click Update to save changes.
Repeat for other posts you want to update.

Here‘s a visual guide to using Quick Edit:

[quick edit change author screenshot]

With Quick Edit, you can rapidly update authors for many posts at the same time without opening each one individually.

Method #4: Bulk Update the Author of Multiple WordPress Posts

For updating hundreds or thousands of author assignments, use the bulk edit feature:

Go to Posts > All Posts.
Select all posts you want to edit by checking boxes.
Choose Edit from the Bulk Actions dropdown.
Click Apply.
Pick the new author from the sidebar.
Click Update.

Take a look at bulk updating authors in action:

[bulk edit change author screenshot]

Bulk editing makes it easy to change authors on multiple WordPress posts all at once.

Expert Tips for Managing WordPress Authors

Managing your site‘s authors takes more than just changing posts. Here are some pro tips:

Consolidate Multiple Authors

If you have authors that have left or changed roles, consolidate their posts under current contributors. Their author page will remain as long as they have 1 assigned post.

To fully delete an author, reassign all their posts then remove their account via Users > All Users.

Use Author Slugs for SEO

Make sure your author slugs match full names or professional brands rather than cryptic usernames. This typically results in better clicks and author search rankings.

For example, use:

yourdomain.com/author/john-smith/

Instead of:

yourdomain.com/author/jsmith432/

Optimize Author Pages

Well-optimized author pages build authority and help convert readers. Include bios, headshots, social media links, contact info, and more.

We‘ll explore author page SEO tips in more detail next.

Audit Author Distribution

Review author post counts and distribution across your site at least quarterly. Look for warning signs like authors with no recent posts or uneven content creation.

Create an Editorial Calendar

Use an editorial calendar to coordinate author assignments and publishing dates. This results in more organized collaboration and content creation.

Enable Guest Authors with Co-Authors Plus

The Co-Authors Plus plugin for WordPress allows you to add guest authors without creating new user accounts. Very handy!

Proper author management ensures your content stays orderly and up to date as your site evolves.

Now let‘s look at optimizing those valuable author pages.

How to Optimize Author Pages for Better SEO

Adding rich author profiles boosts clicks and improves SEO rankings.

Here are tips to optimize your WordPress author pages:

Write a Descriptive Author Bio

A well-written bio provides insight into the author‘s background and expertise. Include career highlights, education, certifications, writing style, and more.

Add an Author Headshot

An author photo helps visitors connect with the writer. Use a friendly, high-quality headshot. Something more candid can work as well.

Link to Social Profiles

Listing the author‘s social media pages like Twitter and LinkedIn helps establish their brand and credentials. Use the author‘s full profile URL.

Use Structured Data Markup

Adding schema markup to your author pages enhances the rich results displayed in SERPs. This author schema plugin can help.

Craft Unique Bios

Avoid duplicating the same bio across authors. While tedious, unique details help pages stand out in search.

Link Internally

Reference related posts and content by the author to encourage on-site exploration.

Update Details Promptly

As authors gain experience and accomplishments, update their bios, photos, and social media links. Don‘t let pages go stale!

There are also plugins that can further optimize author profiles:

Co-Authors Plus – Allows multiple authors on a post.
WP User Avatar – Easily add author headshot images.

With a little effort, you can highlight your authors and significantly boost engagement.

Wrapping Up

As you‘ve seen, changing the author in WordPress is straightforward using the right method for your editor.

Here are some key takeaways:

Use the block editor, quick edit, or bulk actions to update authors.
Consolidate authors and optimize profiles for better SEO.
Add rich author bios, headshots, and social media integration.
Keep author pages up to date as your site evolves.

Proper author management helps your WordPress site maintain consistency and quality as it grows. What author optimization strategies will you try first? Let me know in the comments!