How to Use WordPress Custom Fields for Advanced Editing: A Complete Guide

Besides its user-friendliness, a majority of website owners and developers opt for WordPress for its customizability. From its Gutenberg Block Editor to the vast range of themes and plugins, WordPress offers a bunch of ways to make sure your website looks unique to stand out from the crowd. But sometimes, the editor and extensions are not enough. So what do we do?

Well, breaking away from standard editing, the top WordPress developers go for custom fields for advanced editing on the website. Think of them as hidden compartments where you can stash away any information you want, from a product’s price to a recipe’s cooking time. Basically, with WordPress custom fields, you are not limited by the pre-defined boxes and rigid formats. So creativity can flourish.

But how do you use WordPress custom fields for advanced editing? Well, that’s what I will cover in this blog. So, let’s begin with what custom fields are.

What are WordPress Custom Fields?

Custom fields in WordPress are a powerful feature that allows users to add and manage additional data for their posts and pages. They are like extra fields where you can store specific information related to your content. These flexible data containers help store additional information beyond the standard WordPress fields like title, content, and excerpt.

Developers use them to add and manage different types of data and content for their WordPress pages and posts. Moreover, custom fields can be used for various purposes, such as adding metadata, organizing content, and creating custom layouts.

With the custom fields, you can store tests, numbers, dates, images, files, links, and even more complex data types. As for where you can store them, the answer is posts, pages, users, comments, and, of course, custom post types (like products, portfolio items, etc.).

Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting out, custom fields can be outstanding for taking your content and editing to the next level. They can help you create a website that is truly unique, engaging, and effective.

You can opt for a WordPress development company for creating custom fields for your website. But if you have decided to proceed by yourself, make sure to keep the field names consistent, use field groups for different types of content, and not overuse custom fields.

Why Use Custom Fields in WordPress?

WordPress comes standard with a set of built-in features for managing content, but sometimes, they don’t quite cut it. That’s where custom fields come in, offering a powerful way to add flexibility and control to your website.

Here are a few reasons to consider adding custom fields to your WordPress website strategy.

Add Unique Information to Your Content

With this feature, you can store additional information that isn’t covered by the standard WordPress fields, like product prices, recipe ingredients, or team member bios. You can also display different information based on user interaction or specific criteria, like displaying different product variations based on a chosen color.

Custom fields can also help you enhance your content with rich media like images, videos, and more to make it more engaging.

Organize and Manage Your Content

You can use custom fields to create custom taxonomies and categorize your content in new ways. Break down complex content into smaller, manageable pieces for easier reading and understanding. It also offers a way to build post types specifically tailored to your needs, like portfolios, testimonials, or case studies.

Improve Your Website’s SEO

By adding relevant keywords and meta info through custom fields, you can help the search engines understand your content and rank it higher in search results. You can also create unique page titles and descriptions and optimize your content for different languages.

Extend the Functionality of Your Website

You can create custom forms to collect user data, feedback, and other info. Custom fields also offer a way to build custom, targeted landing pages for specific marketing campaigns or promotions. You can also connect custom fields to other plugins to automate tasks and enhance your website’s functionality.

Boost Your Creativity and Design Flexibility

Design unique page layouts and structures through custom fields to reflect your brand vision. This feature can also help personalize your content based on user preferences and previous interactions. Plus, you can use custom fields to build quizzes, polls, and other interactive elements that engage your audience.

To make the best of these benefits of custom fields, you can opt for professional WordPress development services. They will help you make the best customizations on your website.

What Types of Content Can Be Managed with Custom Fields?

Custom fields in WordPress allow users to manage various types of content beyond the default options provided by the platform. With custom fields, you can enhance the functionality and organization of your website. Here are some examples of content that can be managed using custom fields:

• Custom Post Types: Custom fields can be used to add additional data to custom post types, such as events, products, or portfolio items. This allows for more customized and structured content.
• Meta Data: Custom fields can store and display additional information about posts or pages, such as author information, publication date, or related links.
• Featured Images: Custom fields can be used to associate specific images with posts or pages, allowing for more control over the display of featured images.
• Custom Taxonomies: Custom fields can be used to create additional taxonomies, such as categories and tags, to help classify and organize content.
• Custom Page Templates: Custom fields can be used to create different page templates with unique layouts or functionality.

Incorporating custom fields into your WordPress website opens up endless possibilities for managing and organizing content in a way that best suits your needs.

How to Create and Use Custom Fields in WordPress?

Custom fields are essentially data containers that allow you to store additional information beyond the standard WordPress fields like title, content, and excerpt. Here’s how you can create and use custom fields in WordPress.

Step 1: Installing and Activating the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) Plugin

Adding power and flexibility to your website is as simple as installing a WordPress plugin like the Advanced Custom Fields plugin. It helps create and manage custom fields, allowing you to store and display additional information beyond the standard WordPress fields.

1. Log into your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. Navigate to the Plugins menu on the left-hand sidebar.
3. Click on Add New and search for “Advanced custom Fields”.
4. Click Install Now, and wait for the installation to complete.
5. Click Activate to turn on the plugin. Then, a new “Custom Fields” menu will appear in your WordPress admin panel.
6. Click on it to confirm that the plugin is installed and activated.

That concludes the successful installation and activation of the Advanced Custom Fields plugin on your website. It offers a user-friendly solution for adding custom fields to WordPress websites without any coding required. So it can be used by beginners as well as WordPress experts.

Step 2: Create a New Custom Field Group

Now that you’ve installed and activated the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin, you can start creating the custom field group for your website. This group will act as a container for your individual custom fields, allowing you to organize and manage them effectively.

1. After installing the plugin, you’ll have a Custom Fields menu on the left-hand sidebar.
2. Click the “Add New” button at the top of the page. That will take you to the Add New Custom Field Group page.
3. Enter a descriptive Title for your custom field group (e.g., “Product Information”).
4. Use the “Location Rules” section to specify where this group should appear. You can choose from various options like specific post types, pages, categories, or even custom taxonomies.
5. By default, the “Location Rules” are set to “All Posts.” If you want to use this group on all posts, you don’t need to change anything.
6. Click the “+ Add Field” button. There, you can choose the Field Type. The options include Text, Number, Image, Date picker, Select, Checkbox, Radio button, WYSIWYG Editor, and Relationship.
7. Once you’ve chosen a field type, configure its settings:
   1. Field Label: This is the label that will appear next to the field when users are adding content.
   2. Field Name: This is the unique identifier used in your theme code to retrieve the field value.
   3. Placeholder Text: This is optional text displayed within the field to guide users.
   4. Default Value: This is the pre-filled value that appears when a new field is added.
   5. Instructions: This is optional text providing additional information or instructions for users.
   6. Additional Settings: Depending on the chosen field type, you may have additional settings to configure (e.g., image size restrictions, date picker format, etc.).
8. You can add multiple custom fields to your group by clicking + Add Field again and repeating Steps 6 and 7. Organize your fields by dragging and dropping them in the desired order.
9. When you’re finished adding and configuring your fields, click the Publish button to save your custom field group. Or, you can click Save Draft to save your work and come back to it later.

That concludes the process of creating your first custom field group in WordPress with ACF. Now, you can assign this group to specific posts, pages, or other locations and start adding dynamic and unique content to your website.

Step 3: Add Custom Fields to the Group

Your custom field group is like a container, and now it’s time to fill it with valuable data. Here’s how you can add custom fields to your group in ACF:

1. In the WordPress dashboard, navigate to the Custom Fields menu on the left-hand sidebar.
2. Locate the custom field group you created and click on its title. That will open the Edit Custom Field Group page.
3. Click the “+ Add Field” button. A modal window will appear, prompting you to choose the Field Type.
4. ACF offers a diverse range of field types to cater to your specific needs. Choose the field type, including Test, Number, Image, Date picker, Select, Checkbox, Radio button, WYSIWYG editor, and more.
5. Once you have chosen your field type, customize the settings like Field Label, Field Name, Placeholder Text, Default Value, Instructions, etc.
6. Click + Add Field again and repeat Step 4 and Step 5 to add more fields to your group.
7. When you’re satisfied with your custom fields, Save the Draft or Publish the custom field on your website.

Remember, ACF empowers you to create unique and dynamic content. So, explore different field types, experiment with configurations, and unleash your creativity to build a website that stands out.

Step 4: Assign the Custom Field Group to a Post or Page

Now that your custom field group is ready, it’s time to assign it to specific posts or pages where you want to utilize its fields. Here’s how:

1. On the dashboard, navigate to the post or page where you want to use your custom field group. You can either create a new post/page or edit an existing one.
2. Look for the Custom Fields meta box on the right-hand side of the edit screen. If you don’t see it, click on the Screen Options tab in the top right corner. Check the box next to Custom Fields to enable the meta box.
3. Click the + Add Field Group button within the Custom Fields meta box. A list of all your available custom field groups will appear. Select the custom field group you want to add.
4. Once the group is assigned, you’ll see its fields displayed within the Custom Fields meta box. Enter the desired values for each field according to your specific content. Use the field label as a reference to understand what information each field requires.
5. After filling in the details, Publish or Save Draft.

By assigning custom field groups to specific posts or pages, you can add unique and dynamic content to your website. This can help you create a more engaging and personalized experience for your visitors.

Step 5: View and Edit Custom Fields on the Post or Page

Once you’ve assigned a custom field group to a post or page and filled in the values, you can easily view and edit them at any time. Here’s how:

1. Navigate to the post or page where you want to view or edit your custom fields. You can either edit an existing post/page or access it from the All Posts or All Pages list.
2. Look for the Custom Fields meta box on the right-hand side of the edit screen. This box will display all the custom field groups assigned to the current post or page.
3. Expand the custom field group you want to view. Each individual field will be displayed with its label and current value. You can easily scan through the list to see all your custom field data at a glance.
4. To edit a specific field value, simply click on the field itself. This will activate the editing interface for that field type. You can then update the value as needed. Click Update when you’re finished editing.
5. After you’re done making the edits, Publish or Save the Draft.

By viewing and editing custom fields, you can maintain and update the unique content associated with your posts or pages. This allows you to keep your website fresh, engaging, and relevant to your audience.

Although this process may look a little tricky at first, I can assure you it isn’t. You can add custom fields to your website through this process in minutes. But if you still feel weary about it, I suggest you consult with a WordPress development agency.

Top Tips for Using WordPress Custom Fields Effectively

Custom fields in WordPress are a powerful tool for advanced editing and customization of your website. However, to make the most out of this feature, it’s important to use them effectively. To that end, I have listed a few tips that will help you add and use WordPress custom fields in the best way possible.

Keep Custom Field Names Consistent

Using descriptive and consistent field names makes it easy for you and others to understand the purpose of the field and find it later. This is especially important when working with multiple custom fields. For example, “product_name” instead of “p_name” is much clearer.

That will ensure a better organization, easier content management, and improved code clarity.

Examples: “product_name”, “author_biography”, “blog_post_categories”.

Use Field Groups for Different Types of Content

Instead of creating individual fields for each post or page, organize them into groups based on content type (e.g., products, blog posts, events). This provides a structured approach and avoids cluttering the edit screen.

The benefits of this tip include easier field management, promoting code organization, and simplifying theme development.

Examples: “Product Information” group for product pages, “Blog Post Options” group for blog posts.

Don’t Overuse Custom Fields

While custom fields offer flexibility, using too many can create a cluttered interface and make content management difficult. Only include fields that are truly necessary and add value to your content.

Rather than overusing custom fields, go for the alternatives as they improves the user experience, eases the content updation, and cleans the code structure.

Alternatives: Consider using existing WordPress features or plugins before creating a new custom field.

Utilize Conditional Logic

Conditional logic lets you dynamically show or hide fields based on user input. This helps you create custom forms and workflows that adapt to specific situations.

The benefits of this tip include a personalized user experience, improved data collection, and cleaner interfaces.

Examples: Hide a “product size” field if the “digital product” checkbox is selected.

Consider Reusable Fields

Save frequently used field configurations and apply them to other locations. This saves time and ensures consistency across your website.

That will ensure efficient content creation, faster development, and uniform data structure.

Examples: Reusable field for “contact information”, “social media links”, or “company address”.

To leverage these tips and more for the best results of custom fields on your WordPress website, get in touch with professional WordPress development experts. They will provide you with the best implementation of this feature on your website.

FAQs on How to Use WordPress Custom Fields

To Conclude

Custom fields can be outstanding for customizing a WordPress website. For that, you can opt for a plugin like Advanced Custom Fields to add extra information and control how your content is displayed. To use them for advanced editing, you can create custom fields with unique values and use them to manipulate your content.

Here’s how you can use WordPress custom fields for advanced editing:

1. Install and Activate the Advanced Custom Fields Plugin
2. Create a New Custom Field Group
3. Add Custom Fields to the Group
4. Assign the Custom Field Group to a Post or Page
5. View and Edit Custom Fields on the Post or Page

If you need more info on this topic of WordPress customization, talk to our experts today!