Creating consistent, high-quality content is challenging. Crafting the same blocks repeatedly—whether author bios, email opt-in forms, or code snippets—drains valuable time.
Wouldn‘t it be nice to save and reuse pieces precisely when you need them?
With WordPress content templates, you can:
✓ Store reusable HTML, text and media
✓ Quickly self-serve blocks on-demand
✓ Maintain branding and style guides effortlessly
Keep reading to learn how templates can help save hours and align content better.
Why Reusable Content Matters
Content reuse is key for multiplying productivity. As a 2014 study found, leveraging reusable chunks enables:
- 79% faster content creation
- 60% greater team output
- 83% less time spent searching across sites
For WordPress users, that could mean serious time savings from bypassing repetitive work. Rather than copy-pasting or reconfiguring the same custom HTML, embedding reusable blocks streamlines writing.
Some examples of templates for different needs:
- Alert banners announcing sales, new products
- Bio information like credentials, headshots
- Code blocks with highlighted syntax
- Email subscription forms to capture leads
- Feature or pricing comparison tables
- Legal disclaimers, terms of use
- Profile summaries, testimonials
With the right templates in place, consolidating efforts moves the needle on productivity. Now let‘s see how it works.
Getting Started with the TinyMCE Templates Plugin
The simplest way to enable reusable blocks is by installing the TinyMCE Templates plugin. With over 100,000 active WordPress site installations, it‘s a lightweight yet robust option for basic needs.
After activating the plugin, visit Templates > Add New to start creating your own blocks. Give the template a title and fill the content using the post editor.
Enable the Insert as shortcode option to generate a [tt] shortcode for inserting clean copies elsewhere.
Creating Effective Templates
With great power comes great responsibility. Follow these tips for organizing templates successfully:
Use Clear Naming Conventions
Like with images or pages, descriptive titles are vital for scanning template lists quickly. Rather than naming a form template "Form," opt for something specific like "Homepage Subscription Form."
Categorize by Type or Topic
Just like blog posts, leveraging tags or categories helps group related templates. This simplifies browsing and makes clearing out outdated ones easier too.
Note Specific Applications
In the template content or description, call out particular uses like "For product comparison tables" or "Author bio on news posts." This extra context guides reuse cases.
| Template Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Formatting | Buttons, badges, alerts, callouts, quotes |
| Media | Logos, headshots, icons, diagrams |
| Outreach | Email subscription, feedback, contact forms |
| Reference | Code blocks, glossaries,matrices, tables |
| Legal | Disclaimers, TOS, agreements |
Limitations and Troubleshooting
While content templates unlock big productivity wins, a few limitations exist around dynamic data:
Unlike site builders, dynamic WordPress templates don‘t support repeating fields for multiple contacts, events etc. Plan mostly for static reusable data instead.
Shortcode insertion relies on standard TinyMCE editor functionality. If wanting frontend customization or editing, explore Gutenberg block templates instead.
Sharing templates across sites requires manually exporting and importing between installs. Plugins like Toolset Types offer multi-site options.
Too many templates can clutter the backend post editor interface. Audit old ones routinely.
For developers wanting deeper customization, the WordPress Template Editor Boilerplate offers enhanced building blocks.
Still have questions? Feel free to connect with our team of WordPress experts for one-on-one guidance.
Start Simplifying Work with Reusable Blocks
As shown, content templates help multiply productivity when creating posts, guides, and more. With the TinyMCE Templates plugin, instantly embedding blocks on demand saves hours otherwise spent on repetitive tasks.
Give it a try—your future self will thank you! Let us know if you have any other questions on optimizing workflows or customization in WordPress.
