Guide on How to Hide Author Name in WordPress Blog Posts

How to Conceal the Author’s Name on WordPress Blog Posts

Are you looking to make your WordPress blog posts more private or want to keep the emphasis solely on your content? Fortunately, it’s possible to conceal the author’s name on your blog posts. The motivation for this may vary, but understanding how to do this is crucial, particularly if your site is used for link building, guest blogging, or multi-author blogs. This article will guide you on how to hide the author’s names on WordPress.

Why Hide the Author’s Name on WordPress Blog Posts?

WordPress allows you to add elements such as the published date, categories and tags, taxonomies, and reader comments to your blog posts. These features enhance credibility. Including author info also improves user experience and can help increase subscriber count.

However, there are several situations where you might want to hide the author’s name on WordPress. Here are a few common reasons:

• Collaborative Blog Posts: For posts that involve collaboration from multiple team members – writers, proofreaders, and editors, attributing the entire content to a single author may seem unfair. In such cases, it might be best to hide the author’s name.
• Anonymous Blogging: As a blogger, you might decide to hire additional writers as your audience grows. In such situations, it could be beneficial to hide the author’s name to maintain balance for both writers and readers.
• Controversial Topics: Some blog topics might attract strong opinions or feedback, particularly when discussing controversial issues. In these cases, it might be beneficial to stay anonymous by hiding the author’s name.

How to Remove the Author’s Name on WordPress Posts

Whether you’re a solo blogger or managing a multi-author website, controlling the visibility of author names on your WordPress posts is essential for customization and privacy. Here are some methods to remove the author’s name, enabling you to customize your WordPress content according to your needs.

Method 1: Manually Removing the Author’s Name

If you’re keen on website scalability and SEO, adding plugins for each additional functionality might not be the best approach. However, you can manually remove the author’s name from the blog using these steps:

• Select and click ‘Inspect’.
• This will open a new window with the author’s name displayed on your single-blog page. Depending on the theme, you’ll find the ‘auth-name’ or ‘author-name’ under a ‘div’, ‘li’, or ‘span’ tag.
• Navigate to your WordPress Admin Dashboard, then go to Appearance and click ‘Customize’.
• This will open the default WordPress theme editor. On the left-side menu, click ‘Additional CSS’ and paste the following CSS code:

.meta-author {
display:none;
}

Note: The class given to the author’s name may change the first section of the code.

Method 2: Editing MetaData in Block Enabled WP Theme

Various WordPress full-site editor themes can be integrated to edit metadata directly from the template or theme. Here’s how:

• Go to WordPress Dashboard → Appearance → Themes.
• In the active theme, click ‘Customize’.
• Go to Templates → Single. Click the edit icon.
• Select ‘Post Author’ and delete it. Remember to save your changes after editing.

Method 3: Using a Plugin to Hide the Author’s Name

Quick, simple, and allows you to hide the author’s name from your posts with just one click! The Hide/Remove metadata plugin is a renowned tool for this purpose. This plugin lets you effortlessly remove the author and date. Here’s how:

• Navigate to WordPress Dashboard → Plugins.
• Search for Hide/Remove Metadata.
• Activate the plugin. On the left-hand side menu, you’ll see a new tab named ‘Hide/Remove Metadata’.
• All you have to do is click on the button next to ‘Hide author’. And you’re done!

Alternatives to Hiding the Author’s Name on Your WordPress Post

Whether to hide or display the author’s name depends on specific situations. If you have different contributors to your website, want to maintain consistency, or prefer an anonymous voice, the choice is yours. However, it’s worth considering some alternatives that may impact the transparency and credibility of your content. Here are some other options:

Use a Generic Author Name

This approach is beneficial when a group of authors, editors, proofreaders, or freelancers contribute to your content in a distinct writing style. With a generic name, the author’s name won’t be hidden, and the team can present themselves as part of it.

Add Author Avatars

This is an excellent way to keep the display name and author picture private. It also adds a unique touch to the content for readers. There are multiple plugins, such as PublishPress Authors, that developers can use to add the author image.

Privacy Flexibility

Concerns about privacy are the primary reason why most authors want to remove their name from the WordPress post. As the administrator, you should ensure that author profiles have the authority to display or hide their personal information, including their real name and email address.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hiding Author Name from WordPress Posts

Can I remove the author’s name by editing the child theme?

Yes, you can. However, you’ll first need to identify the web file responsible for displaying post information, including the author’s name. The standard template files are single.php for single post pages and content.php for archive pages. However, this can vary depending on your theme.

How do I hide the author and date in WordPress?

You can use a WordPress plugin or custom CSS to hide the author and date on your posts. Here are two approaches:

• Using a Plugin: Install and activate a plugin like “WP Meta and Date Remover.” These plugins allow you to easily hide or customize the display of author and date information.
• Using Custom CSS: If you’re comfortable with CSS, you can hide the author and date information via custom CSS.

How do I post anonymously on WordPress?

Use a generic name or pseudonym. You can create a new user with a display name that doesn’t reveal your real name and start sharing posts using that name.

Conclusion

There are several ways – using CSS, manually, through theme files, or plugins – to hide the author’s name in the WordPress post and protect your personal information and that of your team. However, you should also consider the alternatives mentioned above as they will help maintain credibility among your posts and your overall website. If you’re still unsure about the best approach, consider consulting with professional WordPress developers to find the best solution.