Custom Post Types (CPT) in WordPress: A Simple Guide For Non-Techy Folks

Managing a WordPress website can feel like navigating a maze, especially if you’re not super tech-savvy. But don’t worry! One of the best tricks in your toolkit is the ability to create Custom Post Types (CPT). 

These nifty features help you organize and present your content in a way that makes sense for your business. In this blog post, we’ll break down what Custom Post Types are, when to use them, and share some real-world examples we’ve used for one of our fantastic clients that will help you see their value.

The Basic WordPress Post Type: A Blog Post

Let’s start with the basics. When you create a blog post on your WordPress site, you’re working with a simple but effective structure, a predefined “blog” post type. Every blog post has certain repeatable attributes (fields) that make it a blog post.

Each blog post typically includes several standard “fields”:

• Author: Who wrote it?
• Date Posted: When did it go live?
• Title: What’s the headline?
• Content: What’s the story?
• Category: How does it fit into the bigger picture?

These elements are the bread and butter of every blog post. They give your readers a clear idea of what to expect and help them navigate through your site easily.

What Are Custom Post Types?

Now, let’s dive into Custom Post Types. These are special content types you can create in WordPress to keep everything organized. 

While standard posts and pages are great for blogs, sometimes you need something more specific. Maybe you want to showcase products, events, or even your team members. That’s where Custom Post Types come into play!

Imagine you’re running a car dealership. You wouldn’t want to list cars in a regular blog post, right? Instead, you’d create a Custom Post Type for Cars that includes important details as custom fields like:

• Make
• Model
• Mileage
• Year
• Color

This way, every car you list will have the same set of important info, making it easy for visitors to compare and browse, and more importantly, making it easy for you to add new cars and just enter in the appropriate information each time.

When Should You Use Custom Post Types?

Custom Post Types are perfect for situations where you have several listings that share the same attributes. Here are a few scenarios where they shine:

• Houses: Attributes could include Year Built, Square Footage, Number of Bedrooms, Address, and Price.
• Products: You might want attributes like Price, Sale Price, SKU, Manufacturer, and Sizes.

Using Custom Post Types makes managing all this information easier and more organized.

Real-World CPT Example: Forbidden Root

To help you visualize how Custom Post Types work, let’s look at one of our recent clients, ForbiddenRoot. This client operates in the food and beverage industry, they currently have three locations, and we’ve set up several Custom Post Types using custom fields just for them:

Example: We built an “Event” Custom Post Type

This Custom Post Type included fields like: Event Name, Description, Location, Start and End Date, Start and End time, and Price.

Here are some other custom post types and the fields we built for them

1. Restaurants
   • Attributes: Hours, Address, Phone Number, Manager
2. Beers
   • Attributes: Alcohol Content, Season, Price
3. Menu Items
   • Attributes: Price, Dietary Restrictions, Dinner or Brunch Menu
4. Staff Members
   • Attributes: Job Title, Bio, Venue

We built a “Beer” Custom Post Type

Each of these fields keeps relevant information organized. It’s like having a neatly arranged checklist of things that every item needs to include. This means you can keep track of everything in an easy to use spreadsheet of your listings.

Enhancing Custom Post Types with Taxonomies

While Custom Post Types are fantastic, you can make them even better by adding Taxonomies, which are like groupings or categories that your custom post types can belong to.

Taxonomies help you sort and categorize your Custom Post Types. For instance, if you have a Custom Post Type for Beers, you could create a taxonomy for Beer Styles (e.g., IPA, Stout, Lager). This makes it super easy for your visitors to find exactly what they’re looking for.

We built a “Menu Item” CPT with a Taxonomy of “Menu Item Category”

This CPT had custom fields like “price” and “notes” for special information. The Taxonomy was for the different types of menu items that could be grouped together, this included things like “dessert”, “main course”, and “small plates + shareables”.

Let’s Wrap It Up

Custom Post Types are a fantastic way to keep your WordPress site organized and user-friendly. 

They allow you to create a clear structure for your content, making it easier for both you and your visitors. 

Whether you’re running a restaurant, an online store, or showcasing your creative work, using Custom Post Types to manage your content can help you shine.

If you ever feel overwhelmed by the techy side of things, remember that Custom Post Types are here to make your life easier. 

So roll up your sleeves and start organizing your content in a way that feels just right for your business! If you have any questions or need help, we’re just a message away!