Change Date of WordPress Posts

Change the date of the WordPress posts has become one of the important factors for WordPress usage these days. Whether you made an important edit on one of your WordPress posts and want it to show up as new or you may simply want to add a fresh look to some of your blog posts, you must change the publish date of the posts. WordPress allows you to change the date on any posts that you write, learn how to do it, and edit content to update following this guide.

This simple yet secure process does not alter your post’s contents formatting. So, lets you do the date change very smoothly with ease. Below are two processes to which you can commit it. As a result, without any delay, let’s have a look at them:

Why Change the Date of WordPress Posts?

Before we dive into the ‘how’, let’s understand the ‘why’. Changing the date of your WordPress posts can:

1. Refresh Old Content: Updating and republishing old content can improve your SEO ranking. Search engines like Google favor fresh, relevant content. By changing the date, you can make your old posts appear new and relevant.
2. Manage Your Editorial Calendar: If you’ve accidentally published a post earlier or later than planned, changing the date allows you to maintain a consistent posting schedule, which is beneficial for SEO and audience engagement.

How to Change the Date of WordPress Posts

Follow these simple steps to change the date of your WordPress posts:

1. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard: Start by logging into your WordPress account. Navigate to the dashboard, the central hub for managing your website.
2. Access the Posts Section: On the left-hand side of your dashboard, you’ll see a menu. Click on ‘Posts’ to access all your published and draft content.
3. Select the Post: Find the post whose date you want to change. Hover over the title and click ‘Edit’.
4. Change the Date: On the right-hand side of the screen, you’ll see a box labeled ‘Publish’. Here, you’ll find the current publication date of the post. Click on the date.
5. Set the New Date: A calendar will pop up, allowing you to select the new date for your post. You can also manually enter the date and time.
6. Update the Post: Once you’ve set the new date, click ‘Update’ to save your changes. Your post will now appear on your blog as if it was published on the new date.

Remember, changing the date of a post will also change its URL if you have dates in your permalink structure. Be sure to set up proper 301 redirects to avoid broken links and maintain your SEO ranking.

Gutenberg

In the right sidebar, select Document, then click on the date link and change the post date using Gutenberg. WordPress allows you to change the date on any posts that you write, learn how to do it, and edit content to update following this guide.

WordPress Classic Editor

What you have to do is:

• Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
• Go to Posts -> All Posts.
• Click on the post that you want to change the date to.
• On the right side, click the Edit link in the Publish box at the Published on the part.

Alternative Method To Change the Date of WordPress Posts

What you have to do is:

• Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
• Go to Posts -> All Posts.
• Hover your mouse cursor over the post and click the Quick Edit link under it.
• Change the date.
• Press the Update button on the right side.

How to Show the Last Updated Date

Some users believe that they should remove dates altogether from their blogs to trick search engines into believing that their content is not time-sensitive and is always fresh.

We disagree with that opinion entirely. It does not help with your site’s SEO and is terrible for user experience. Some sites show the last updated date of an article instead of the publish date. Last update dates are particularly useful for sites where content receives updates regularly.

Here is how to show the last updated date on your WordPress blog posts. Locate the code that shows the post’s date and time in your theme files (usually in loop.php or single.php). Next, replace it with this code:

Last updated on <time datetime="<?php the_modified_time('Y-m-d'); ?>"><?php the_modified_time('F jS, Y'); ?></time>

Conclusion

Changing the date of your WordPress posts is a simple yet effective way to manage your content and enhance your SEO strategy. By keeping your content fresh and relevant, you can improve your search engine ranking and keep your audience engaged.

Remember, while this is a useful tool, it should be part of a broader SEO strategy that includes quality content, keyword optimization, and a strong backlink profile. Happy blogging!