Do you want to learn how to split WordPress posts into multiple pages?
Internet content should be easy to read and concise.
I HIGHLY recommend not complicating things.
That’s why having a very long post on one page might not be a good idea, and you should consider splitting it up into more pages. + it can increase your website’s or blog’s overall page views.
At least that’s what I figured out works best when writing 100s of 5,000+ word articles.
This post covers:
- Why split WordPress posts into multiple pages?
- 5 reasons to paginate posts in WordPress
- How to split WordPress posts into multiple pages (2 ways)
- FAQs about splitting posts in WP
Why Split WordPress Posts Into Multiple Pages?
The quality of content is your responsibility. And the design of the content also plays an important role in its quality.
No one wants to read LONG blocks of text, so we use paragraphs. (Like I’m doing here and many of my clients do the same.)
And the same goes for very long posts or pages.
If your content has distinct chapters, you can turn the post into multiple pages, thus making it more readable.
Okay, there’s really no hard work when adding pagination to WordPress posts. This dude exaggerates!
5 Reasons To Paginate Posts In WordPress
Different users have different reasons why pagination in a certain post is necessary.
We will look at the five most common reasons to use pagination in your content.
1. Sharing Tips & Strategies
If you have some extra content like tips, strategies, or FAQ, it might be a good idea to separate it from your main content.
This way, it will be more noticeable, so your visitors can take full advantage of all your extras.
2. Writing a Long Story
When long content spreads over several pages, your visitors can have difficulty concentrating on the text.
For instance, your content will be separated by chapters if you write a story or novel.
Chapters give structure and readability to content. Your readers can follow the narrative clearly and consistently, with convenient stopping points.
And if your article is really long, it makes SENSE to do the same for web content.
Just know that a very long piece of work will rarely be read in one sitting. (I don’t do it.)
3. Making Content More Readable
This interlays with the previous reason, but we can extend it further.
Readability is crucial when it comes to web design.
Just remember how hard it is to read a book with small fonts and not enough letter and line spacing.
BORING!
And it’s even harder to read a text like that on the internet.
2 X BORING!
Fortunately, those times are mostly over as websites today have a modern design emphasizing pleasant readability.
At least that was always my motto when I was designing blog themes for PremiumCoding.
Splitting content into more pages will add that extra touch of comfort and further increase the readability.
And it will give your visitors a chance to “have a breather” before they continue reading your amazing piece of content.
4. Increasing Page Views
I think this is the shadiest reason to split the content, but it can be VERY effective.
The intention is to increase the page views and possible ad revenue on your piece of content.
Online gossip magazines love this method, and they tend to split the “20 most shocking things a celebrity did” article into 20 pages.
ANNOYING AF!
The sole reason to do that is to increase ad revenue, bringing no extra value to your content.
And your users.
It makes reading through it painful and annoying, which is why I consider this a bit shady and unprofessional.
Nope, I don’t recommend it.
But if you find it useful, well, it’s your website, so do what feels right.
5. Reviewing Products
When you are reviewing a similar product from different companies, it always makes sense to split the whole review into several pages (for example one for each product).
This will make the review more comprehensive and easier to follow.
And this is crucial for all high-quality reviews that provide a lot of information about a certain product.
Note: That’s not something we do on ULTIDA because we try to create reviews of the best items that are easy to skim through, so you can make quick picks.
How to Split WordPress Posts Into Multiple Pages (2 Ways)
Now that you know all the reasons why splitting a post into multiple pages makes sense, it’s time to check what options you have in WordPress to achieve that.
1. Split WordPress Posts Without A Plugin
Most website owners will immediately resort to a plugin for any new feature they need.
But in this case, you can easily split the content into more pages without installing a WordPress plugin.
And it’s possible in both the Gutenberg and classic WordPress editors.
Note: I recommend you split your posts without a plugin.
Using Gutenberg
It takes NO time at all to split any post into multiple pages using Gutenberg’s page break block.
Locate the section you’d like to split in any post.
Then click the + sign and type in “page break.” (Or just “page” like on the image below.)
When you click the page break block to select it, you’ll see a line between the content where pagination will start.
That’s it!
But you can also add multiple page break blocks – as many as you want, but don’t overdo it because it can ruin your user experience.
Using Classic Editor
The classic editor doesn’t have a special Page break block, so you must use a WP shortcode.
Click on the Edit HTML or Text button in the upper right corner of your post to get to HTML editing.
Use the <!––nextpage––> tag to split your content. You can repeat this step as many times as necessary.
Save the post and pagination should now be visible at the end of the post.
After choosing the right WordPress theme, you must also ensure that the pagination design MATCHES the theme’s overall design.
Otherwise, you might need to do some CSS styling to improve it. Or you can use a WordPress plugin to help you with that (see below).
2. Split WordPress Post Into Multiple Pages With A Plugin
Manually adding the page break is the way to go if you don’t have a lot of content.
But as SOON as you want more control over the pagination, you must use a plugin.
Otherwise, you’ll have a lot of unnecessary extra work.
NOT my cup of tea.
I recommend Pagination by BestWebSoft because it’s very easy to use and has a lot of customization options.
After you install and activate the WordPress plugin, head to the Pagination tab on the left sidebar of your WordPress backend panel.
You can then automatically add custom pagination to any WordPress page, post, category, or product.
The plugin comes with MANY options, and it provides complete control over the pagination design.
Note: That is a big advantage of the plugin since you don’t have to resort to CSS coding to style it.
FAQs About Splitting Posts In WP
Is splitting posts recommended for all content in WordPress?
No, for most content, it’s not recommended. Consider your content in the same manner as you would an article in a newspaper. If the article is very long and complex, then pagination makes sense as it breaks the content into meaningful chapters. Don’t use pagination if the articles only consist of a few sentences. And please don’t use it as clickbait; it will only ruin your reputation in the long run.
What is the best way to split a post into more pages?
It all depends on your situation. If you are still using a classic editor and are unfamiliar with HTML or Text editing, then it’s better just to use a plugin. It will save you some time. For Gutenberg users, the block editor makes it very easy to use pagination, so there is no need for a plugin unless you want to add it to all posts automatically at once.
What is a paginated post?
It’s a post in which content is split into multiple pages. This can make it easier for your visitors to read and for search engines to navigate. It can also significantly improve the loading time of your page if the article contains many images.
Don’t forget to use a WordPress image optimization plugin to speed up your website.
What is Page Break WordPress?
It’s a function in WordPress that splits a long article into multiple pages. You can insert it anywhere in the post (where you want to break it to the next page) and insert it as many times as needed.
Can Splitting Posts Affect SEO?
Splitting posts can impact SEO by creating multiple pages for a single topic, which might dilute keyword density and backlink effectiveness. However, it can also improve user experience by making long posts more readable, which is a positive SEO factor.
How to Determine the Best Place to Split a Post?
The best place to split a post is at natural transition points in the content, such as between sections or subheadings, where a new topic or subtopic begins. Consider splitting at points that keep the reader engaged and create suspense or interest for the next page.
