WordPress is a popular platform for blogging. It helps in organizing your posts. Categories are essential. They help readers find relevant content. However, many bloggers struggle with this. They assign multiple categories to one post. This can be confusing for readers. It also affects SEO. Here, we will learn how to enforce one category per post in WordPress.
Why Enforce One Category Per Post?
Assigning one category per post has many benefits. It makes your blog clean. It improves user experience. It also helps with SEO. Let’s look at each benefit in detail.
Improves User Experience
Readers find it easy to navigate. They can find content faster. A single category per post ensures this. It reduces confusion. It keeps your blog organized. Readers will thank you.
Better Seo
Search engines like clean structure. One category per post helps in this. It improves your blog’s ranking. It makes your blog more visible. More visibility means more readers.
Credit: www.wpallimport.com
Credit: www.wpbeginner.com
Steps to Enforce One Category Per Post
Enforcing one category per post is simple. Follow these steps. You will have a clean and organized blog.
1. Install A Plugin
WordPress plugins are useful. They make tasks easy. For this task, we will use a plugin. It will limit categories to one per post.
Recommended Plugins
- Restrict Categories: This plugin is easy to use. It helps in restricting categories.
- WP Category Permalink: This plugin is also good. It helps in managing categories.
2. Configure The Plugin
After installing the plugin, you need to configure it. Follow these steps:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to the plugin settings.
- Select the option to limit categories.
- Save the settings.
3. Test The Settings
It is important to test the settings. Create a new post. Try assigning multiple categories. The plugin should restrict this. Only one category should be allowed.
Manual Method
If you prefer not to use plugins, you can enforce this manually. It requires some coding. Follow these steps:
1. Edit Your Theme’s Functions.php File
First, you need to access the functions.php file. This file is located in your theme’s folder. You can access it through the WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Appearance.
- Click on Theme Editor.
- Select the functions.php file.
2. Add The Code
Next, add the following code to the functions.php file:
function limit_one_category($post_ID) {
$post_categories = wp_get_post_categories($post_ID);
if (count($post_categories) > 1) {
array_shift($post_categories);
wp_set_post_categories($post_ID, $post_categories);
}
}
add_action('save_post', 'limit_one_category');
This code limits the categories to one per post. Save the file after adding the code.
3. Test The Code
It is important to test the code. Create a new post. Try assigning multiple categories. The code should restrict this. Only one category should be allowed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Limit Posts To One Category In WordPress?
Use a plugin like Restrict Categories. It limits posts to one category.
Which Plugin Helps Enforce Single Category Per Post?
Use Restrict Categories plugin. It ensures each post has only one category.
Can You Restrict WordPress Posts To One Category?
Yes. Use a plugin like Restrict Categories to enforce this rule.
Is There A Way To Allow Only One Category Per Post?
Yes. Install Restrict Categories plugin to allow only one category per post.
Conclusion
Enforcing one category per post is important. It makes your blog clean. It improves user experience. It helps with SEO. You can use a plugin or do it manually. Both methods are effective. Follow the steps. Your blog will be more organized. Readers will appreciate it. Happy blogging!
