CMS Upload SOP — formatting, links, embeds, byline, tags, categories, preview tests
You now have a cleaned and edited draft in your document, and your next step is to move it into a CMS like WordPress or a magazine’s custom system, format it properly, add links, embeds, byline, tags, and categories, and then run preview tests before you press publish. In this half of the SOP you will walk through that upload stage in a calm, repeatable way so that an editor (or a client who runs a blog like WIRED-style tech site) can trust you with full CMS access and keep paying you for more posts.
From clean draft to “ready to publish” — your CMS upload flow in 7 phases
Almost every publishing stack follows the same order even if the buttons look different: you paste or write inside the CMS editor, you apply headings and basic formatting, you insert images and embeds, you wire internal and external links, you choose categories and tags, you set byline and meta fields, and finally you preview and test on multiple devices before you hit publish. Platforms such as WordPress, Ghost, and many custom news CMS tools use the same logic even if they use different names for panels and buttons.
Paste your draft without breaking layout; strip weird styles from Google Docs or Word when needed.
Apply H2/H3 headings, lists, pull quotes, and spacing that keep the post easy to scan and good for SEO.
Add internal and external links, video or social embeds, and check that everything loads and makes sense.
Upload images, add alt text, credits, and position them where they help the story.
Confirm author, slug, featured image, and SEO fields (title & description) if your outlet uses them.
Assign correct categories and tags for navigation and discoverability.
Preview on desktop and mobile, test links, read once more, then mark ready or publish.
Safe paste — move your draft into the CMS without hidden junk
Many beginners copy directly from Google Docs or Word and paste into the CMS block editor, then wonder why bullet points look strange or spacing is inconsistent. In systems like WordPress, hidden styles and spans can sneak in with your text and create problems later, especially when a theme has its own typography rules.
1.1 Choose your paste strategy
- Option A · Paste as plain text: Use a keyboard shortcut or “Paste as text” toggle if the editor offers it. Then re-apply headings and lists inside the CMS.
- Option B · Smart paste with clean doc: If your draft already uses only simple styles (H2/H3, bold, italic, bullets), you can paste normally and then fix any weird bits you notice.
- Option C · Block by block: For very long features, paste one section at a time into separate blocks. This reduces formatting surprises and helps you stay organised.
1.2 Quick clean-up checklist after pasting
| Item | What you do | Done |
|---|---|---|
| Headings | Check that all H2/H3 come through correctly; convert any remaining bold titles into proper headings. | □ |
| Paragraph breaks | Remove double blank lines; each new thought gets one clean paragraph break. | □ |
| Lists | Ensure numbered and bullet lists are real list blocks, not fake “1)” typed inside normal paragraphs. | □ |
| Random fonts | Look for any chunk that appears in a different font or size; reset it to default. | □ |
style="font-size:.." or <span> junk that is not needed.
Structure & formatting — use headings, lists, and spacing the way editors expect
Good formatting is not decoration; it is part of the reading experience and the SEO of the page. Using H2 and H3 headings to break content into sections helps readers scan and also helps search engines understand your structure.
2.1 Heading ladder — simple rules you can follow
- H1: Usually the post title; this is set by the CMS, so you do not use H1 again inside the article.
- H2: Main section headings (for example, “Step 1 – Prepare Your Draft”).
- H3: Sub-points under a main section (for example, “Why headings help your reader”).
- H4+: Use only if the site typically uses deeper nested headings; many blogs never need them.
2.2 Formatting dos and don’ts (for readability)
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Use short paragraphs (2–4 lines on desktop) to reduce visual fatigue. | Dump big blocks of text that run 10+ lines without a break. |
| Use bullet lists for steps, tips, and checklists. | Hide steps inside long sentences or giant paragraphs. |
| Highlight key phrases with bold sparingly. | Bold entire paragraphs or multiple sentences at once. |
| Use blockquotes for short quotes, not as styling for random text. | Turn every second sentence into a blockquote just to “look nice.” |
2.3 Layout mini-gauge — are you easy to read?
Links & embeds — wire your story to the web without breaking the page
Links and embeds turn a static article into part of a living network of information, but they also create places where things can quietly break. In this phase you will add internal links (to other posts on the same site), external links (to sources and references), and rich embeds (videos, social posts, code snippets) with a few simple rules so editors trust your judgement.
3.1 Internal & external links
| Type | What you do | Money effect |
|---|---|---|
| Internal links | Link key phrases to relevant posts, cornerstone guides, or category hubs. Avoid linking every second word. | Improves time-on-site, which makes your content look more valuable to the publisher. |
| External links | Link to high-authority sources: official docs, research, reputable news. Avoid low-quality or affiliate-heavy pages unless the outlet explicitly runs them. | Builds trust with readers and editors; reduces fact-check friction. |
| Call-to-action links | Use clear, action-based anchor text, like “download the checklist” instead of “click here.” | Improves conversions on newsletter signups, lead magnets, or product pages. |
3.2 Embeds (YouTube, social, code snippets)
- Check supported embeds: WordPress and modern CMS platforms support many oEmbed providers, but some custom magazine systems allow only HTML iframes or require a special “embed block”. Check their instructions or existing articles in your section.
- Keep embeds narrow and relevant: Use embeds when they add unique value (like a product demo video) instead of dropping random tweets just to decorate the page.
- Watch performance: Too many heavy video or social embeds can slow the page and hurt mobile experience, which editors dislike strongly.
- Fallback text: Add one short line before or after each embed describing what it shows, so the article still makes sense if the embed fails to load.
Images — connect to your image SOP and keep upload clean
You already have a full Image Sourcing & Credits SOP. In this CMS Upload SOP you only need to remember how images behave inside the editor, how to set featured images, and how to confirm alt text and captions so the post looks professional and accessible.
4.1 Insert images in logical spots
- Place your first image above the fold or just after the introduction to give visual context.
- Use images to break up long sections, especially in how-to guides and tutorials.
- Make sure each image relates directly to the text around it; avoid random stock photos that add no meaning.
4.2 Featured image and metadata
- Featured image: In WordPress-style dashboards, set this in the sidebar “Featured image” panel; check how other posts on the site crop and display it.
- Alt text: Use a short, descriptive phrase that explains what the image shows; include important keywords only if they are genuinely relevant.
- Caption & credit: Add a clean caption where needed and credit the source according to your Image SOP.
Byline & meta — claim your credit and help search engines understand your post
Your byline and meta fields are the connection between this individual post and your long-term writing career. They also help search engines show an attractive snippet when the page appears in results, and help readers recognise your work.
5.1 Byline and author profile
- Confirm the correct author: In multi-author blogs or magazine CMSs, choose the right author account from the dropdown. If the post is ghostwritten, follow the outlet’s instructions.
- Check the author bio: Make sure your short bio and links comply with their rules (for example, “one portfolio link, no affiliate links”); this is usually managed outside the post, but you should still verify the displayed bio after preview.
- Consistent naming: Use the same display name across posts so editors and readers can identify you easily.
5.2 Slug, SEO title, and meta description
Many CMS setups for blogs and magazines use SEO plugins or built-in fields where you control the page slug, title tag, and meta description. These help search engines and humans decide to click.
| Field | Simple rule |
|---|---|
| Slug / URL | Keep it short, human-readable, and keyword-aware: cms-upload-checklist is better than post-1234. |
| SEO title | Use a clear promise plus main keyword; often you can reuse the headline or a slightly shorter version. |
| Meta description | Write 1–2 short sentences (around 140–160 characters) that expand the promise and mention the core benefit of reading this post. |
Preview & QA — run your pre-publish tests like a professional
This is where you catch broken links, weird spacing, strange heading jumps, and mobile layout issues before an editor (or paying client) ever sees them. Modern editors strongly recommend using the built-in “Preview” button to see the post as readers will see it before publishing.
7.1 Visual and structural checks
| Check | What you look for | Done |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop preview | Headings in correct order, no giant text blocks, images aligned, lists readable. | □ |
| Mobile preview | Paragraphs not too long, tables still usable (or replaced by lists), embeds not overflowing the screen. | □ |
| Heading ladder | No H1 duplicates, no skipped levels like jumping from H2 to H4 without H3 unless house style allows it. | □ |
| Whitespace | No awkward gaps between blocks; remove extra blank blocks if necessary. | □ |
7.2 Functional checks
- All links click-test: In preview, click each internal and external link once to confirm it opens the correct page in a new tab where appropriate.
- Anchor accuracy: Ensure anchor text still matches the target after last-minute edits (for example, don’t say “download the PDF” if the link now goes to a web page).
- Embed playback: Test video and audio embeds — they should load and play without console errors.
- Image captions: Check that captions and credits look clean and not doubled (some themes repeat captions in different styles).
- Meta snippet: If the CMS offers an SEO preview, confirm your title and description look good and are not cut off too harshly.
- Offer you better rates for “upload-ready” content.
- Give you direct CMS access for future assignments.
- Recommend you to other editors as a dependable, full-stack writer.
Platform notes — WordPress vs custom magazine CMS vs other tools
Even though this SOP uses WordPress-style layout as its main mental model, you will often encounter custom CMSs in newsrooms and online magazines. The good news is that almost all of them keep the same basic pieces: title, body, images, taxonomy (categories/tags), and metadata.
| Platform type | Where you find key fields | Extra caution |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress (block editor) | Title field on top; content blocks in the centre; tags, categories, featured image, and excerpt in right sidebar; SEO plugin box below content. | Remember to check both desktop and mobile preview; some blocks behave differently on narrow screens. |
| WordPress (classic editor) | WYSIWYG editor in the centre; categories/tags, featured image, and discussion options in side panels; “Text” tab shows HTML view. | Be careful when switching between Visual and Text modes — you can accidentally strip HTML if you are not gentle. |
| Ghost / modern blog platforms | Title and body editor with block-style content; tags and feature image usually in a settings menu or sidebar; SEO/social fields in a meta drawer. | Ghost often limits tags to a small number; follow their tagging guidelines closely. |
| Custom magazine CMS (like a WIRED-style system) | Separate tabs for story, media, taxonomy, SEO, and publishing; often includes fields for deck, section, and series. | Never guess; always mirror how recent articles in your section are configured, and ask your editor before changing unusual switches. |
How strong CMS upload skills increase your fees and stability
Editors and clients love writers who can handle the full path from idea to published article. When you can confidently say “I will also upload and format this in your CMS, add tags, images, and links, and leave it ready for final review,” you are solving a bigger problem than “I deliver a Google Doc.”
If staff do not need to spend 30–45 minutes per post cleaning formatting, adding alt text, and fixing links, your per-post fee can fairly be higher.
Editors notice when your posts go live with no broken layout or missing fields; you become their “safe pair of hands”.
Ways to monetise your CMS skills
- Add a “publish-ready” surcharge: For example, charge extra for uploading, formatting, images, basic SEO, and preview checks.
- Offer ongoing blog management: Package posts plus CMS upload plus simple analytics snapshots as a monthly retainer.
- Train clients’ staff: Use this SOP as the basis for a mini-workshop where you train junior staff on upload best practices.
Keep a CMS portfolio log
In your project management tool or spreadsheet, track which CMS you have used, the sections you have published in, and any special workflows you mastered. This log helps you win assignments where editors are specifically looking for writers who already know their stack.
Practice sprint — one training upload from dummy draft to previewed post
Reading an SOP is useful but muscle memory comes from practice. In this sprint you will take a short dummy article, upload it into a test site (or local WordPress install), and walk through every phase of the CMS Upload SOP once, end to end.
Create a new post, paste the dummy article, fix headings, check paragraphs and lists, and set one featured image.
Add at least two internal links, two external links, one embed (e.g., a YouTube video), plus one category and 3–5 tags.
Confirm the correct author, adjust the slug, draft a short SEO title and meta description, and double-check your author bio.
Run desktop and mobile preview, click all links, test the embed, and fix any layout issues you spot.
Accessibility & inclusive formatting — make your article easy for everyone to read
When you upload a blog post, guest article, or magazine piece into a CMS, you are not just filling boxes. You are controlling how real human beings will experience your content on phones, laptops, and assistive technologies like screen readers. In this section you will collect a few simple checks that keep your formatting clean, your links clear, and your images understandable even when people cannot see them. These habits follow common accessibility checklists based on WCAG guidelines, which ask you to provide text alternatives for non-text content, use proper headings, and write descriptive links.
Accessible posts reduce complaints, lower editing time, and make editors trust you with bigger, higher-paid assignments because your work is safe to publish.
Heading order, readable paragraphs, descriptive links, alt text for every meaningful image, and keyboard-friendly embeds.
Checklist: headings, paragraphs, and emphasis
| Check | What you look for in the CMS | Your note |
|---|---|---|
| One H1 only | Confirm the CMS uses your post title as the single H1 and that you did not manually add another H1 block. | Write “Title auto-H1; all subheads H2/H3 only”. |
| Heading ladder | Make sure the order is H2 → H3 → H4 without skipping levels, because screen readers navigate by this structure. | Write “Heading order clean; no jumps from H2 to H4”. |
| Paragraph length | Scan blocks: most paragraphs should be 2–4 sentences, not giant walls of text. | Note “Average paragraph ≈ 60–90 words; no wall blocks”. |
| Lists for steps | Convert “1), 2), 3)” typed inside a paragraph into true ordered lists so screen readers can announce them correctly. | Write “All steps use real ordered list blocks”. |
| Bold vs headings | Do not use bold alone to imitate headings; always use real heading blocks. | Write “No fake headings; all bold text is inline emphasis only”. |
Alt text and image descriptions
Alt text (alternative text) is the short description that explains what an image shows when the image does not
load or when a screen reader is reading the page aloud. Good alt text is usually one short, specific sentence
that tells what is important in the picture — not every tiny detail. Many accessibility checklists and WCAG
summaries ask you to make sure every <img> tag has an alt attribute, and that complex
images like charts get a longer nearby explanation in the text.
| Situation | Alt text pattern you can copy | Extra notes |
|---|---|---|
| Simple decorative image | In many CMSes, you can leave alt text empty or mark the image as decorative if it adds no information. | Ask your editor’s preference; some want a short note like “Decorative abstract pattern”. |
| Product photo | “Black travel adapter with four USB-C ports on a wooden desk.” | Mention color, product type, and context; skip marketing hype words. |
| Data chart | “Line chart showing blog traffic doubling between January and June 2025.” | Add a longer explanation in the paragraph below for people who cannot see the chart. |
| Portrait | “Portrait of editor Maria Lopez smiling in a studio, wearing headphones.” | Use the name if the person is already mentioned in the text and the image is public/approved. |
| Screenshot of interface | “Screenshot of WordPress block editor showing the ‘Add block’ menu open.” | Describe what the user should notice, not every pixel. |
Links, buttons, and calls-to-action — keep them clear and easy to click
Professional websites care a lot about internal links, external links, and call-to-action buttons, because these details decide whether readers discover more content, sign up for newsletters, or trust a source. In your CMS upload SOP you will collect rules for how you write link text, how many links you can include, where you place them, and how you handle affiliate or sponsored links.
Descriptive link text
When you add a link in WordPress, Ghost, or another CMS, you will see a field for URL and a field for the text that appears in the paragraph. Replace “click here” and “this article” with short phrases that describe the destination, for example “full Ghost SEO guide” or “WordPress block editor tutorial”. Accessibility guides recommend this because screen readers can list links out of context, so the link text must make sense on its own.
| Bad link text | Better link text | Why it is better |
|---|---|---|
| “Click here” | “See the CMS accessibility checklist” | Reader understands what they will get before clicking. |
| “This post” | “Read the full WordPress block editor guide” | Contains topic and type of resource. |
| “More info” | “Learn how to write alt text for images” | Names the skill or concept being explained. |
Internal vs external links
In your notes for each outlet, keep a simple rule set:
- Internal links: Point to relevant articles on the same site that expand the current topic.
- External links: Point to high-quality sources such as studies, data, or official documentation.
- Affiliate or sponsor links: Only use when the outlet allows them, usually with a disclosure in the body or footer of the post.
Buttons and CTAs in the CMS
Many CMSes provide a “Button” block or a call-to-action pattern. When you add a button:
- Use a short, verb-first label: “Download checklist”, “Subscribe to newsletter”, “Start free trial”.
- Check that the button contrasts clearly with the background and is large enough to tap on mobile.
- Make sure the URL is correct and uses
https://. - If the CTA tracks signups for a sponsor, note the parameters in your SOP so they can be reused correctly.
Tags, categories, and collections — tell the CMS where your article belongs
Tags and categories look like small fields, but they are one of the most powerful parts of the upload process. On many platforms, categories group content by big themes and tags describe more specific topics. In Ghost, for example, tags are used for navigation, collections, and SEO metadata, and editors can treat some tags as primary topics that control routes and home page sections.
Simple taxonomy rules for your SOP
| Field | What it usually means | Your habit |
|---|---|---|
| Category | High-level bucket like “Business”, “Science”, “Gear”, “Opinion”. Often one per post. | Ask editor which category fits best and write it into your brief before upload. |
| Primary tag | Main topic or series name, often used in URLs or featured sections. | Pick 1 primary tag that matches reader intent, not just keyword stuffing. |
| Secondary tags | Extra topics, brand names, or formats like “explainer”, “guide”, “review”. | Limit yourself to 3–5 tags; avoid tagging everything with everything. |
| Series / collection | Group of posts tied to a project, newsletter, or multi-part feature. | Confirm exact series name and always spell it consistently. |
Tag and category mapping exercise
To make this concrete, imagine you are uploading a guest article called “How to Build a Simple CMS Upload SOP”. You could map fields like this:
| Field | Example entry | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Writing & Editing | The piece is about editorial workflow, not pure tech or pure marketing. |
| Primary tag | Content workflow | Readers searching this tag expect process guides and SOPs. |
| Secondary tags | CMS, WordPress, Ghost, Accessibility | Describe tools and cross-cutting topic; still under 5 tags. |
| Series | Earn-First Writing SOPs | Connects the article to a larger education series for writers. |
Embeds and rich media — safe ways to add videos, social posts, and code
A modern article often includes more than plain text: you might embed a YouTube demo, an X (Twitter) thread, an Instagram post, an audio clip, or a code sample. Most CMS platforms give you special “cards” or blocks for these. Ghost, for example, has editor cards for YouTube, audio, products, and more, and it lets you paste a URL to auto-embed content.
Embed decision table
| Type of embed | When you use it | What to record in your SOP |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube or Vimeo video | To demonstrate a product, show a walkthrough, or include an official talk. | Note whether the site prefers embeds or screenshots + link, and whether autoplay is forbidden. |
| Social post (X, Instagram, LinkedIn) | To quote a public statement or show reactions. | Record if embedded posts are allowed, and whether you must also quote the text in the article for accessibility. |
| Code block / gist | For tutorials and developer docs. | Note which syntax highlighter the CMS uses and whether you should avoid screenshots of code. |
| Audio / podcast | To share interviews or deep dives. | Record if you must add a short summary or transcript link nearby. |
Safe embed workflow
- Paste the URL into the CMS and confirm it converts into an embed card or block.
- Add a one-sentence description before or after the embed explaining why it is there.
- Check how the embed looks on mobile preview — some themes shrink wide content poorly.
- If the embed fails, use a screenshot with alt text plus a plain link as a fallback.
- Note in your SOP which embeds often break on this outlet so you can plan around them.
SEO title, description, and social preview — the small boxes with big impact
Under your main editor you will usually find fields for SEO title, SEO description, canonical URL, and social share images. Ghost, for example, automatically fills some of these from your post content, but it also lets you override them for better search performance. In this SOP you will capture a simple pattern so you can update these fields in a calm, repeatable way.
Metadata fields and patterns
| Field | Target pattern | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SEO title | 60 characters or fewer; include main keyword and reader benefit. | Example: “CMS Upload SOP: Simple Checklist for First-Time Writers”. |
| SEO description | 120–155 characters; one clear sentence that matches the article’s promise. | Example: “Learn a step-by-step CMS upload workflow so you never break formatting, links, or tags again.” |
| Canonical URL | Default slug unless the outlet republished the piece from another source. | Ask editor before changing anything; wrong canonicals can confuse search engines. |
| Social share image | Theme default or custom image that matches brand guidelines. | Confirm required dimensions and text rules; avoid tiny text inside the image. |
Slug and URL structure
Many CMSes auto-generate the URL slug from your title. Before publishing, check that:
- The slug is short and readable:
cms-upload-sopis better thanhow-to-upload-your-content-into-any-cms-step-by-step. - You removed stop words like “a”, “the”, and “and” unless they matter.
- You did not include dates unless the outlet’s pattern demands it.
Preview tests — simulate the reader’s experience before anyone else sees it
The preview button is where you catch 80% of CMS problems: spacing issues, broken links, weird image crops, embeds that look fine in the editor but break on the front end, and bio or tag mistakes. Ghost, for instance, allows live previews and public preview links so you can see how a post appears before publishing.
Three-screen preview routine
If you can, look at your article in three layouts: desktop, tablet, and mobile. Many CMS preview panes include icons for these. When they do not, resize your browser window or open the preview on your phone.
| Screen | What you scan for | Your one-line note |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop | Overall structure: heading ladder, images aligned with text, tables not overflowing, sidebars behaving. | “Desktop: all sections clean; no broken layouts.” |
| Tablet | Columns stacking gracefully, no tiny fonts, CTA button still visible and clickable. | “Tablet: columns stack; buttons visible; no text overlap.” |
| Mobile | Paragraphs readable without pinching, images not wider than screen, navigation not hiding key content. | “Mobile: text readable; images scaled; no horizontal scroll.” |
Functional preview checklist
- Click every internal link and external link in the preview; confirm they open the correct pages.
- Play every video and audio embed for a few seconds to check loading and controls.
- Hover over images on desktop: confirm captions show correctly and alt text is set in the media settings.
- Scan the byline and tags area: your name spelled correctly, correct pronouns, correct links.
- Check the estimated reading time if the theme displays it; huge jumps from expectation may signal layout issues.
Error log and troubleshooting — learn from mistakes instead of repeating them
Every CMS has quirks. Maybe WordPress strips certain embeds, or the Ghost theme you use cuts captions too short, or the magazine’s Drupal setup refuses table HTML. Instead of guessing every time, you will keep a small error log. This is part of your SOP and turns one-off problems into reusable lessons.
Error log template
| Date | Outlet & CMS | Problem | Fix or workaround | Rule you add to SOP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [YYYY-MM-DD] | [Site name · WordPress] | Table overflowed on mobile. | Switched from classic HTML table to built-in “Table” block and limited columns. | “Always test tables on mobile; avoid more than 4 columns.” |
| [YYYY-MM-DD] | [Site name · Ghost] | YouTube embed did not load inside email version. | Replaced with image + play button + link. | “In newsletters, avoid video embeds; use image preview + link instead.” |
| [YYYY-MM-DD] | [Site name · Custom CMS] | Heading hierarchy broken after import. | Editor asked to use only H2 and H3, no H4. | “This outlet: only H2/H3; no deeper headings.” |
Practice sprint — rehearse the full CMS upload on a dummy article
Before you upload a paid assignment for a big outlet, practise on a dummy article in your own blog or in a private draft. This takes 20–30 minutes but saves hours of panic later.
Paste a 1,000-word article into the CMS. Add headings, lists, one table, two images, and one embed. Use the house fonts and spacing.
Add SEO title and description, choose category, add 3–5 tags, and set a clean slug. Write a 2-line byline in the author box or bio field if available.
Fix heading ladder, shorten long paragraphs, write alt text for each image, check link text for clarity, and confirm that any tables have header rows.
Run desktop, tablet, and mobile previews, click all links and embeds, and note at least one improvement and one quirk in your error log.
Master CMS upload checklist — print-friendly summary
| Area | Action | Done |
|---|---|---|
| Paste | Draft pasted as text or cleanly; headings and lists confirmed. | □ |
| Structure | H2/H3 ladder is logical; no long text walls; lists where needed. | □ |
| Images | Images placed sensibly; alt text, captions, and credits applied; featured image set. | □ |
| Links | Internal links added to key posts; external links go to high-quality sources; anchors are accurate. | □ |
| Embeds | Any video/social embeds tested; fallback text present; nothing looks broken. | □ |
| Byline & meta | Correct author, slug, SEO title, and meta description set; bio looks good. | □ |
| Tags & categories | One primary category; optional subcategory; 3–8 sensible tags; matches site’s structure. | □ |
| Preview desktop | Layout looks clean; no strange gaps; all elements readable. | □ |
| Preview mobile | No broken tables; images resize nicely; text line length comfortable. | □ |
| Final QA | Slow read-through; all links clicked; notes to editor (if any) added in the correct place. | □ |
Glossary — CMS upload words you will see often
| Term | Plain meaning |
|---|---|
| Slug | The part of the URL after the domain that identifies the post; usually based on your title in a short, readable way. |
| Featured image | The main image used for previews, social cards, and sometimes at the top of the article. |
| Taxonomy | Technical word for how content is grouped — categories, tags, series, and so on. |
| Block editor | A style of CMS editor (like WordPress’ Gutenberg) that builds pages out of movable content blocks instead of one big text area. |
| Preview | A special page that shows how your post will look when published, without making it live yet. |
Your CMS upload SOP is now ready to use
You now have a complete CMS upload SOP that covers formatting, headings, links, alt text, rich media embeds, bylines, tags, categories, SEO metadata, and preview tests. You also have a small error log structure and a practice sprint you can repeat whenever you learn a new platform or start writing for a new outlet like WIRED or another high-authority magazine-style site.
When a paying editor sends you an assignment, you will use this SOP as your quiet checklist: paste and clean the text, structure it with real headings and lists, attach properly described images, connect trustworthy links, choose accurate tags and categories, fill metadata, and run a three-screen preview. Then you will save a quick note in your error log and confirm that your byline and profile fields are correct. This calm, repeatable process is what turns a one-off guest post into a sustainable, professional writing income.