How to Add Custom Fields to Your WordPress Posts

In this guide, we’ll explain what WordPress custom fields are and discuss how they can be used. Then we’ll show you how to add them to your posts and introduce a few optional plugins.

As you become comfortable with WordPress, you may want to start pushing its boundaries. This means experimenting with some of the platform’s more advanced options. For instance, you might benefit from learning how to create custom fields.

Adding a custom field to your WordPress post enables you to assign extra data to it. In turn, this helps you add specific information or features only to particular posts. As an example, you could use a custom field to tell WordPress which of your posts are sponsored, then add some code to your theme file that will display a disclosure statement only on those posts.

An Introduction to Custom Fields

The WordPress post editor is pretty flexible by default and enables you to customize your content to the Nth degree. You can add just about anything you like to your posts. However, the more content you have, the more you may start wishing for better ways to organize and manage it.

Custom fields are a somewhat more advanced WordPress feature, which lets you add extra information to certain posts. That information is called ‘metadata.’ Custom fields and metadata are of particular use to developers, who can use them to extend posts with all sorts of coding. Still, they can also be beneficial for more general WordPress users.

For example, let’s say you wanted to indicate which of the posts on your blog are sponsored to ensure you’re being transparent with your audience. You could add a short disclosure statement to each relevant post individually. Alternatively, you could save some time by using a custom field that displays a relevant message. Then, you could add code to your theme file that would make your disclosure statement show up on the correct posts.

If this sounds complex, don’t worry. Using custom fields is more straightforward than it looks. In fact, we’re going to show you exactly how to implement this example below. If you’re interested in other potential applications for custom fields and metadata, you may also want to check out the WordPress Codex entry on the topic.

How to Add Custom Fields to Your WordPress Posts (In 2 Steps)

The concept of custom fields might seem a bit abstract. Let’s walk through an example, to see exactly how this feature works in action. This general process can be applied to a wide variety of applications. You could add status updates to your posts, include a disclosure notice on sponsored content, and much more.

However, you’ll first want to take a moment and back up your website. If you’re following along with these instructions, you’ll be implementing changes to your theme’s primary file, and you don’t want to risk making any permanent mistakes. For extra security, it’s also advisable to create a child theme and use that instead of your base theme.

1. Enable Custom Fields and Assign New Metadata to Your Post

The first thing you’ll need to do is open up a post you’d like to add a custom field to. It can be an old post or a new one. Once you’re in the post, click on the tab called Screen Options in the top right corner of your screen:

Here, you can customize what does and doesn’t appear in your posts. You want to make sure that the box labeled Custom Fields is checked (by default, it usually isn’t). Then, simply close the Screen Options menu.

Now if you scroll down below the post editor, you’ll find a new section.

Under Name and Value, you’ll be adding some metadata that describes the information you want to add to this post. Depending on the themes and plugins you have installed, you may have some options listed under Name already. Regardless, you’ll want to create new metadata in this instance.

Choose a name for your metadata. It can be anything, although it’s best to keep it short and descriptive. Continuing our example from above about displaying a disclosure statement on specific posts, we’ll call it Sponsored Post. Then we’ll add in a simple “Yes” to the Value box, indicating that this particular post is sponsored.

Click on Add Custom Field, and this metadata will now be assigned to your post. Don’t forget to save or update the post itself too.

2. Add Conditional Code to Your Theme File

The previous step told WordPress a critical piece of information about your post: whether or not it is sponsored content. Now, you need to add directions so that your site knows what to do about that. As we mentioned earlier, this does involve a bit of coding. However, don’t let that scare you off. Even if you aren’t a developer, you should find the process relatively straightforward.

Within WordPress, you’ll want to navigate to Appearance > Editor. Here, you can look through and make changes to the files that make up your site. You’ll want to check out the sidebar on the right-hand side and find the Single Post file (also known as single.php).

This is where you’ll add in the code that will tell WordPress what to do in response to your custom fields. The exact code you’ll use will vary somewhat, depending on what you want to do. In our example, you’d want to add in this snippet:

Then, click on the Update File button. This code tells WordPress to check and see if a post has the Sponsored Post custom field, and if the value is set to “Yes”. If so, it will display the message. If there is no custom field, or the Sponsored Post value is set to “No”, nothing extra will be added to the post.

Also, where you place the code will determine when it shows up in the post. For example, to get it to appear at the top of the page, you would add it before this line in the single.php file:

Hopefully, you are beginning to see how custom fields can be useful. There are a lot of possibilities when using this feature, so don’t be afraid to play around a little and see what you can accomplish with it.

Using Plugins to Manage Your Custom Fields

You now know how to add custom fields and metadata to your WordPress posts. However, what if you want to get more flexibility out of this feature, or you just want to simplify the process? This is WordPress we’re talking about, so of course, there are plugins that can help you out.

There aren’t a lot of plugins related to custom fields, but you can find a few quality options. For a great example, check out Advanced Custom Fields.

This very popular, free plugin streamlines the process of adding custom fields to WordPress. It also gives you more choices for where metadata can be added — such as to users, media, and comments. Finally, it adds tools to provide more options for displaying custom field values within your theme files. There’s even a premium version with even more functionality.

If that plugin seems like overkill — and it can be for non-developers — Custom Field Suite is a solid alternative.

This tool is essentially a lightweight version of Advanced Custom Fields. It adds a handful of useful new custom field types to your site. Plus, it simplifies the process of adding and managing custom fields, without overwhelming you with too many new options.

This can be a smart plugin to start with if you’re looking to get more out of your custom fields. What’s more, you can always switch to a more robust solution once you’re feeling more confident with the process.

Conclusion

Custom fields and metadata are concepts that might seem a smidge confusing at first. However, with time and patience, you’ll find that they enable you to get even more out of the WordPress platform. Fortunately, there are some handy plugins that can help you along the way.