how to get email notifications for posts pending review in wordpress

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How to Get Email Notifications for Posts Pending Review in WordPress

As a seasoned WordPress expert with over 15 years of experience, I’ve witnessed firsthand the challenges that come with managing a multi-author blog. One of the biggest hurdles is ensuring that every post submitted for review gets the attention it deserves. That’s why setting up email notifications for posts pending review is crucial. It allows you to stay organized, streamline your editorial workflow, and ultimately, deliver a high-quality content experience to your audience.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to set up these essential notifications, ensuring you never miss a new submission. From choosing the right plugin to configuring the notification settings, I’ll cover everything you need to know.

Remember, your WordPress blog is a living, breathing entity. By implementing these email notification strategies, you’ll be empowering yourself to manage your editorial workflow with confidence, ensuring that your content is always on point and that your writers feel valued and supported. So, let’s dive into the world of email notifications and unlock a seamless content management experience.

Why Get Email Notifications for Posts Pending Review in WordPress?

Email notifications for posts pending review are a game-changer for managing a multi-author WordPress blog. Imagine this scenario: You’re juggling multiple writers, each submitting new content for your consideration. Without a robust notification system, it’s easy for posts to slip through the cracks, potentially delaying publication and impacting your content calendar.

Email notifications solve this problem by providing real-time alerts whenever a new post is marked as ‘pending review’. These timely updates empower you to:

Stay on top of new content submissions: Never miss a new post submitted by your writers or guest bloggers.
Review and edit content efficiently: Promptly address submitted content, ensuring that nothing gets overlooked or delayed.
Maintain a smooth editorial workflow: Eliminate the risk of bottlenecks and delays by keeping content moving through your publication process seamlessly.
Improve communication with contributors: Let writers know that their submissions are being reviewed, fostering a positive and productive collaboration.
Boost content quality: By promptly reviewing content, you can provide timely feedback and ensure that your blog maintains a high standard of writing and editing.

Ultimately, email notifications for posts pending review offer a simple but effective way to enhance your editorial workflow, saving you time, improving efficiency, and ensuring that your blog consistently delivers high-quality content.

How to Get Emails for Posts Pending Review in WordPress

The best way to create email notifications for a multi-author WordPress site is by using PublishPress Planner. This powerful plugin goes beyond just content calendar functionality; it’s a robust tool for managing editorial workflow, including sending email notifications for posts pending review. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting it up:

1. Install and Activate PublishPress Planner

Start by installing and activating the PublishPress Planner plugin. You can do this directly from your WordPress dashboard by navigating to Plugins > Add New, searching for “PublishPress Planner,” and clicking “Install Now.” Once installed, activate the plugin. You can find detailed instructions on how to install a WordPress plugin in our comprehensive guide.

Note: There’s a paid version of PublishPress with more advanced features, but this guide focuses on the free version, which includes all the necessary tools for setting up email notifications.

2. Configure Notification Settings

After activating the plugin, go to Planner > Notifications on the plugin settings page. By default, PublishPress Planner will send emails to the site administrator for newly published content and editorial comments. To set up custom notifications for posts pending review, follow these steps:

Add a New Notification: Click the “Add New” button to create a custom notification.
Give the Notification a Title: Enter a title for your notification. This is for your reference only, so you can use any title you like.
Configure Workflow Settings:
- Under “When to notify?,” check the box for “When the content is moved to a new status.”
- From the “New status” dropdown, select “Pending review.” This will trigger a notification whenever a post is moved to the ‘Pending review’ status.
Specify Content Types: Determine which content types will trigger the notification. You can choose to send notifications for:
- All Posts
- All Pages
- All Pages and Posts
- Specific Categories
- Specific Tags: For instance, if you use a specific tag for guest posts, you can select “Taxonomy” and then choose that tag.
The easiest option is to enable notifications for all posts or pages. Check the box next to “Post type” and then select “Post,” “Page,” or “Select All” from the dropdown menu.
Specify Recipients: Decide who should receive the notifications. You can:
- Notify the Site Administrator: Check the box next to “Site Administrator” if you are the only one who needs to be notified.
- Notify Editors: If you have multiple editors, you can check the box next to “Roles” and select “Editor” from the dropdown menu. If you haven’t already created an Editor role, you can learn about assigning roles in our beginner’s guide on user roles and permissions.
- Notify Specific Users: Choose individual users from the “Users” dropdown menu if you need to notify specific people.
Craft the Notification Message: Scroll to the “What to say?” section and type in the message you want users to receive. Use a combination of static text and any of the shortcodes in the right-hand column.
PublishPress will replace these shortcodes with real values each time it generates an email. This allows you to create more informative emails by including relevant information like the author’s name and a link to the post that needs review.

For example, you can add the following static text and shortcode to the subject line of your notification email:

“[psppno_post title]” is ready for review

You can use a similar mix of shortcodes and plain text in the email body.
Publish the Notification: Once you’re satisfied with your notification setup, click “Publish.” PublishPress Planner will now send an email notification every time a post is ready for review to the relevant WordPress users.

3. Add Custom Post Statuses

PublishPress Planner also lets you add custom post statuses for blog posts, giving you complete control over your editorial workflow. This allows you to create a process that perfectly suits your website’s needs. For example, you could create additional statuses like “Draft,” “Pending Editing,” or “Ready for Publishing.”

To create a custom post status, go to Planner > Post Statuses in the plugin settings. You can add a new status, define its color, and even set a post’s default status.

Pro Tip: Use WP Mail SMTP to Ensure Email Delivery

You’ve set up your email notifications, but now you need to ensure they reach the editing team’s inboxes and don’t get lost in spam folders. Sadly, many users encounter issues with WordPress not sending emails correctly. This could be due to your hosting server not being properly configured to use the PHP mail() function or because email providers incorrectly flag WordPress emails as spam.

That’s where WP Mail SMTP comes in. It’s the top-rated WordPress SMTP plugin. WP Mail SMTP lets you easily send WordPress emails using any SMTP service provider, guaranteeing they arrive safely in the recipient’s inbox.

For detailed instructions on setting up WP Mail SMTP with any host, refer to our guide on how to set up WP Mail SMTP with any host.

Learn More Ways to Improve Your Multi-Author Blog

Looking to optimize your editorial and publishing workflow? Check out these valuable resources:

Conclusion

Setting up email notifications for posts pending review in WordPress is a simple yet powerful way to streamline your editorial workflow and ensure that no content submission goes unnoticed. By using PublishPress Planner and following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll gain complete control over your content management process, saving time, improving efficiency, and ultimately, producing high-quality content that your audience will love.

Remember, a well-organized editorial workflow is the foundation of a successful multi-author blog. Embrace the power of email notifications, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your content goals.

FAQs

What if I don’t use PublishPress Planner?

If you’re not using PublishPress Planner, you can still set up basic email notifications for post status changes using the built-in WordPress notification settings. Go to Settings > General and check the box for “Send email notification for new comments.” However, this method won’t provide the same level of customization and control as PublishPress Planner.

Can I customize the email notifications more?

Yes, you can customize the email notifications in PublishPress Planner by using the available shortcodes and plain text. You can include the post title, author’s name, link to the post, and more. This allows you to create tailored notifications that provide the information you need.

Can I add custom post statuses without a plugin?

You can add custom post statuses without a plugin by using the built-in WordPress function, “register_post_status.” However, this method requires coding knowledge. For a simpler approach, consider using a plugin like PublishPress Planner, which offers a user-friendly interface for managing custom post statuses.

What if my email notifications are going to spam?

If your email notifications are going to spam, it’s likely due to your server configuration or your email provider’s spam filters. Use a plugin like WP Mail SMTP to configure your email settings and improve deliverability. Make sure you’re using a reputable email service provider and that your email content is not flagged as spam by email providers.

How can I make sure my writers are notified when their post is published?

There are several ways to notify writers when their posts are published. PublishPress Planner can send notifications for any custom post status you create. You can also use a plugin like “WP Post Author Notification” to send custom notifications to authors when their posts are published, updated, or deleted.

Can I use email notifications to create a more structured editorial workflow?

Absolutely! Email notifications can play a key role in establishing a structured editorial workflow. By configuring notifications for different post statuses, you can create a step-by-step process for content review, editing, and publication. This ensures that each post progresses through your editorial workflow smoothly and efficiently.

What are some other tips for managing a multi-author blog?

Here are some additional tips for managing a multi-author blog:

Define clear roles and responsibilities for your writers and editors. This helps ensure that everyone understands their tasks and expectations.
Set up a consistent editorial style guide to maintain uniformity in your content. This includes guidelines for grammar, voice, tone, and formatting.
Utilize a content calendar to plan your publishing schedule and ensure a steady flow of content.
Provide regular feedback to your writers to help them improve their skills and maintain a high standard of writing.
Promote collaboration between writers and editors through tools like online chat or project management platforms.

How can I learn more about WordPress?

WPBeginner is a great resource for WordPress beginners. They offer a wide range of tutorials, guides, and articles on all aspects of WordPress. You can also find helpful information on the WordPress Codex, which is the official documentation for WordPress.

Is there a plugin that can automate my entire editorial workflow?

While there are plugins that can streamline aspects of your editorial workflow, there isn’t a single plugin that can completely automate the entire process. You’ll likely need to combine different plugins and tools to achieve your desired level of automation. For instance, you could use a plugin like PublishPress Planner for scheduling and notifications, a plugin like “WP Editorial Calendar” for content calendar management, and a plugin like “WP Mail SMTP” for email delivery.

How can I make sure my blog is mobile-friendly?

WordPress themes are generally mobile-friendly, but it’s always a good idea to test your site on different devices. Use a tool like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to see if your site is optimized for mobile users. You can also use the “Responsive Design” feature in the WordPress Customizer to adjust your site’s layout for different screen sizes.

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