WordPress Plugins for Multi-Author Websites

It is totally normal to have a multi-author blog. Unless it is a journal-type blog focused on the journey and experience of an individual, multiple authors writing posts for websites is normal. In fact, having multiple authors gives variety and uniqueness to every post. It also ensures that content is posted on time and in acceptable quantity. However, running a multi-author blog can be quite a challenge especially when it comes to admin controls. The great thing is, there are WordPress plugins that could help website owners run multi-author blogs.

Normal challenges multi-author blogs have:

Editing Woes – the more writers there are, the more editorial work there’s going to be. This is one of the major problems in multi-author websites – it takes too much time to check and edit.
Design and formatting consistencies – Uniqueness is a good feature of a successful website. However, no website owner wants to have posts that are too unique from each other. There will be no sense of coherence and consistency within the website.
Payment tracking – if there are more authors, payment will also be an issue. Will they be sharing the profits, or will they be paid per post?
Security issues – having multiple individuals get access to the website dashboard can get complicated and dangerous. There are serious security issues that must be managed.

Here are some of the great multi-author plugins for WordPress blogs:

Simple Author Box

This plugin allows the admin to manage author details. It is a responsive author box at the end of every post that shows details about the author. This may include the name, profile photo, description and even the author’s Gravatar profile. This plugin can be used for regular authors and guest authors.

Forminator

This is great for uploading user-submitted content. The user can upload files, add categories, write posts, and add a title to their content. This plugin is free to use and can provide easy (but very safe) access to non-admin users. Through this plugin, the admin could ensure that every post has the same formatting and design. It allows consistency and coherence, while maintaining uniqueness, across a blog’s content.

PublishPress

This is one of the must-have plugins for multi-author websites. It solves multiple editing woes within WordPress. How? Website owners, editors, and managers can create an editorial calendar that not only manages authors but also controls the content. This plugin also has a special feature that lets the admin control viewing permissions on WordPress (i.e. one author can view but cannot control works from other authors). The PublishPress plugin is a great editorial tool for multi-author blogs.

Post-Status Notifier Lite

This plugin provides a system that allows owners to be notified whenever users submit posts. This could be a notification for a revision or a newly published post. Owners can even create rules that writers can follow. This is absolutely free to use and download but a pro version has additional features.

MonsterInsights

Of course, all website owners would want to know which content from who is doing well. This is great for giving bonuses for writers with good performances and also tips for authors that want to do better. This plugin is also a helpful Google analytics tool that gives a detailed overview of a website’s performance. Every blog needs this.

Sucuri

Again, one of the biggest woes of every multi-author blog is security. The Sucuri WordPress plugin is one of the best there is. It protects a website from any unauthorized access and hacking. Having many authors with uncontrolled access to a website could lead to high possibilities of breach.

Pre-Publish Checklist

This is another good editorial tool for multi-author websites. It provides a checklist that writers can tick-off to make sure that all important details and information are complete before submitting the post for review. This is especially useful for blogs that allow direct publishing without editorial approval. The plugin allows admins and editors to control consistency and coherence across all content.

WP Revisions Control

Every writer works differently, but one thing is for sure, all writers have multiple drafts before posting or publishing. This plugin allows the admin to control how many of the revisions are kept by the website. This means that authors may be allowed to undo editing work up to a certain point. Also, it allows editors to delete all existing revisions for specific posts.

Post Pay Counter

This is very useful for multi-author blogs. The website admin can set up payment criteria (e.g. word count, comment count, views, etc) and track that within the website. This helps website owners and admins form a payment system for their websites. The plugin also helps in controlling and managing payments. There is also a feature that provides permissions and controls for the users to see the stats. This plugin is completely free of charge but a pro version has additional features.