WordPress allows posts to be scheduled at a date and time in the future.
I like to write posts and schedule the publish date, spreading the release dates in the future.
Scheduling your WordPress post by editing the Publish option from the Publish section, top right within the post edit view.
To change the publish date click on the edit to change the Publish immediately option.
In the example above 12th December 2016 has been selected as the sceduled publish date. With a time of 10 past 10 O’clock.
Click on OK.
To save the post click on Save Draft. Don’t click on schedule, we’re not publishing the post just yet.
My Scheduled Post Didn’t go Live
Having created a new post and scheduled its publish date you find that its still a draft document.
Why hasn’t your scheduled post been published?
Server Time
Is your server located within a different time zone. Or maybe perhaps the server’s time is different by an hour, for example GMT/UTC as opposed to BST. Wait an hour or so and look again.
To check the time of the server open the WordPress General Settings page, the General sub-page of the Settings on the left menu.
Listed on the General Settings page is the option to set the timezone of the website. A confirmation of the server date and time is shown alongside.
Server Scheduled Tasks
Does the website server instance support timed events?
For example some hosting companies block the triggered events which is used by WordPress to schedule posts and updates.
For example websites hosted on Heart Internet shared hosting require the addition and configuration of scheduled tasks wp-cron.
