Have you ever published a blog post you really wanted your visitors to see first — but it got buried under newer content within days?
Welcome to the world of WordPress, where your latest posts usually show up at the top by default. It’s clean, it’s chronological… but it’s not always strategic.
Sometimes, you want to take control. You want to say, “This post matters most — show it first, always.” That’s exactly what a Sticky Post helps you do.
Sticky posts are one of WordPress’s simplest but most powerful features. They let you “pin” specific content to the top of your blog — ensuring it gets maximum visibility, no matter how often you publish new content.
In this guide, we’ll break down:
- ✅ What a sticky post is (and isn’t)
- 🛠️ How to set one up in just a few clicks
- 📍 When to use it — and when not to
- 🎨 How to customize and style it
- 🚀 How plugins can supercharge its potential
Whether you’re running a blog, news site, or content hub, sticky posts can help you highlight what matters most — without wrestling your layout into submission.
📌 What Exactly Is a Sticky Post in WordPress?
In the simplest terms, a sticky post is a blog post that you choose to “stick” to the top of your main blog feed — no matter when it was published.
Normally, WordPress displays your posts in reverse chronological order. That means your newest content shows up first, and older posts get pushed down the list. But what if you want a particular post — like an announcement, welcome message, or featured article — to stay front and center?
That’s where sticky posts come in.
📍 How It Works
When you mark a post as sticky, WordPress will override the usual date-based order and display that post above all others on your blog page. It stays there until you manually unstick it.
Sticky posts behave like regular posts in every other way. They show up in your feed, are included in categories and tags, and appear in archives — but they just refuse to move down unless you say so.
🔎 Where Do Sticky Posts Appear?
That depends on your theme, but typically, sticky posts appear:
- 📄 At the top of the main blog or posts page
- 🗂️ Sometimes highlighted visually (e.g., with a “Featured” badge or special styling)
- 📱 In the same order on mobile — so visitors see them first
🧠 Think of sticky posts like the featured section of a magazine. No matter what issue you’re reading, those articles are always in the spotlight.
🎯 Why Use Sticky Posts?
They’re perfect for content that you want everyone to see — regardless of when they land on your site. Use sticky posts to:
- 🎉 Highlight important updates
- 📘 Showcase your best or most helpful content
- 👋 Greet new visitors with a welcome message or guide
- 💼 Pin case studies, lead magnets, or offers
Sticky posts give you editorial control over what’s seen first — without needing to tinker with custom coding or plugins (yet!).
⚙️ How to Create a Sticky Post (Step-by-Step)
Making a sticky post in WordPress is surprisingly simple — and you don’t need a plugin or any coding skills to do it. Whether you’re using the Classic Editor or the modern Block Editor (Gutenberg), you can pin a post in just a few clicks.
🧱 Using the Block Editor (Gutenberg)
- 📝 Open or create the post you want to stick.
- 🧭 In the right-hand sidebar, under the “Post” tab, scroll down to find the “Summary” or “Post Settings” section.
- 📌 Look for the option labeled “Stick to the top of the blog” — and check the box.
- 💾 Hit Update or Publish — and you’re done!
📝 Using the Classic Editor
- 📝 Open or create your post in the Classic Editor.
- ⚙️ In the right sidebar, click Edit next to the “Visibility” setting under Publish.
- 📌 You’ll see a checkbox that says “Stick this post to the front page”. Check it.
- ✅ Click OK, then Update or Publish your post.
⚡ Quick Edit Method (Post List View)
If you’re managing several posts at once, you can make one sticky without opening the post editor:
- 📋 Go to Posts » All Posts in your WordPress dashboard.
- 🖱 Hover over the post title you want to stick.
- ⚡ Click Quick Edit, then check the box for “Make this post sticky”.
- 💾 Click Update.
💡 Tip: You can only stick posts — not pages (posts vs pages) or custom post types (unless your theme or plugin supports it).
That’s it! You’ve officially “pinned” your post — and it will now appear at the top of your blog feed until you unstick it.
✨ Use Cases for Sticky Posts
Sticky posts aren’t just for bloggers trying to highlight a favorite article. They’re a versatile tool that can serve dozens of strategic purposes depending on your site’s goals.
Here are some of the most popular — and powerful — ways to use sticky posts in WordPress:
📣 1. Announcements & Site Updates
Launching a new product? Changing your business hours? Rolling out a feature or policy update? A sticky post is the perfect place to make sure visitors don’t miss the news.
👋 2. Welcome or Intro Posts
If you run a blog or membership site, you can create a sticky post that acts as a welcome mat — introducing yourself, setting expectations, or guiding users to key areas of your site.
📘 3. Cornerstone or Evergreen Content
Have a “must-read” tutorial or guide that you want every visitor to see? Pin it! Sticky posts are great for surfacing timeless, high-value content above the newer-but-less-relevant stuff.
🗓️ 4. Event Promotions or Countdown Campaigns
Running a sale? Hosting a webinar? Use a sticky post to keep event details front and center — and unpin it when the event is over.
🔗 5. Lead Magnets or Calls to Action
Turn your sticky post into a conversion machine. Add a call to action for newsletter signups, downloads, or other offers right where people can’t miss it.
🧩 6. Category-Based Stickies (with Plugins)
With certain plugins, you can even set sticky posts for specific categories. This lets you highlight top content for each topic on your site.
📌 Think of sticky posts as your “front desk” — they greet, inform, and direct visitors to what matters most.
💡 Best Practices for Using Sticky Posts
Sticky posts are a fantastic way to spotlight important content, but they work best when used intentionally. If you stick everything, you stick nothing. 😉
Here are some tried-and-true tips to help you make the most of this feature:
✔️ 1. Use Sparingly
Stick to sticking one or two posts at most. Your homepage should stay dynamic and fresh — not frozen in time. Too many sticky posts clutter the user experience and defeat the purpose.
📅 2. Keep Content Fresh and Relevant
If your sticky post promotes an event from 2022, it’s time for an update! Treat sticky posts like front-page news: review them regularly and refresh outdated content.
🧠 3. Make It Clear Why the Post Is Featured
Whether it’s a welcome note, guide, or announcement, your sticky post should immediately answer: “Why is this pinned here?” A great title, visual, or short intro helps set expectations.
🎯 4. Align With Business or Content Goals
Sticky posts are strategic real estate. Use them to promote your biggest goals — like lead generation, key resources, seasonal campaigns, or user onboarding.
🧪 5. Test and Rotate
Not sure what will perform best? Try A/B testing different sticky posts over time. Swap them out monthly or quarterly based on engagement metrics or campaign cycles.
🎨 6. Use Design to Your Advantage
If your theme doesn’t visually distinguish sticky posts, consider adding some subtle styling — like a “Featured” badge, background color, or icon — to give it presence without being overbearing.
📍 Pro Tip: If you’re using sticky posts for promotions, combine them with tracking tools like Google Analytics or UTM tags to measure clicks and conversions.
🧰 Styling Sticky Posts (Theme-Dependent)
One of the coolest — and sometimes overlooked — aspects of sticky posts is that they can look different from regular posts. But here’s the catch: it all depends on your WordPress theme.
🎨 What Most Themes Do By Default
Many modern themes will automatically apply special styling to sticky posts, such as:
- 🏷️ A “Featured” or “Pinned” label
- 🎨 Different background color or border
- 🔝 Placement in a “featured post” area or slider
Others may not do anything at all — sticky posts just appear first without visual distinction. But don’t worry — if your theme doesn’t style them, you can customize it easily.
🛠️ How to Customize Sticky Post Styling
Every sticky post is given a special class in the HTML markup: .sticky. That means you (or your developer/designer) can target it with CSS.
/* Example CSS to highlight sticky posts */
.sticky {
background-color: #f9f9f9;
border: 2px solid #e0e0e0;
padding: 1.5em;
}
.sticky .post-title::before {
content: "📌 ";
font-size: 1.2em;
}You can paste this CSS into your theme’s Additional CSS area under Appearance » Customize, or directly in your child theme’s stylesheet.
🎯 Goal: Help your sticky post stand out — but in a way that feels consistent with your site’s look and feel.
⚠️ A Quick Word on Themes
If sticky posts are part of your content strategy, consider choosing a theme that supports them natively — especially if you want stylish highlights without writing custom code.
🔌 Enhancing Sticky Posts with Plugins
WordPress gives you the core sticky post functionality out of the box — but what if you want more control? That’s where plugins come in. 🛠️
Here are some powerful plugin-based enhancements you can use to supercharge your sticky posts:
📁 1. Sticky Posts by Category
Want a sticky post to appear only within a specific category archive? Some themes support this, but if yours doesn’t, plugins like Category Sticky Post let you set sticky posts per category view.
- ✅ Useful for content-rich sites or magazines
- ✅ Keeps featured posts relevant to the topic
⏳ 2. Schedule Sticky Posts
Some plugins allow you to set start and end dates for sticky posts — perfect for promotions, time-sensitive announcements, or rotating content.
Recommended Plugin: WP Scheduled Posts (now part of SchedulePress)
📌 3. Multiple Sticky Posts with Sorting
By default, WordPress just shows sticky posts at the top, with no custom order. With certain plugins or custom code, you can:
- 🔢 Reorder sticky posts manually
- 🗂 Show sticky posts in a slider or grid
- 🖼 Filter by tags, category, or type
🧠 Pro Tip: Some page builders like Elementor or Beaver Builder offer sticky post filtering and display options built right in.
🎯 Wrap-Up: When and Why to Use Sticky Posts
Sticky posts may seem like a small feature in the grand scheme of WordPress, but when used wisely, they can become a strategic content tool that improves both user experience and site performance.
They help you highlight what matters most — whether that’s a product launch, your signature guide, a time-sensitive announcement, or a heartfelt welcome.
📌 Key Takeaways:
- Sticky posts keep important content pinned to the top of your blog or post feed.
- Use them sparingly to avoid clutter and ensure maximum impact.
- Combine sticky posts with smart styling, scheduling, or plugins for even greater control.
- Always align sticky content with your business or editorial goals.
✨ Remember: Your sticky post is the first impression many users will see. Make it count with content that’s clear, helpful, and visually engaging.
Now that you know what sticky posts are, how they work, and how to enhance them — it’s time to put them to work on your own site. Whether you run a blog, business site, or magazine, sticky posts are one of those simple-yet-powerful WordPress features you’ll wish you’d used sooner.
Happy pinning! 📌