WB Member Blog lets your community members create and manage blog posts directly from their profiles. This guide walks you through the initial setup in under 10 minutes.
Requirements
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress | 6.0 | 6.4+ |
| PHP | 7.4 | 8.1+ |
| Community Plugin | BuddyPress, BuddyBoss Platform, PeepSo, or None (Standalone) |
No community plugin? Member Blog works in Standalone mode too. Members access their dashboard via a dedicated page instead of profile tabs.
Installation
From WordPress Admin
- Go to Plugins → Add New
- Search for “WB Member Blog”
- Click Install Now, then Activate
Manual Upload
- Download the plugin ZIP file
- Go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
- Choose the ZIP file and click Install Now
- Click Activate
After activation, you’ll see Member Blog in your WordPress admin menu.
Quick Setup (3 Steps)
Step 1: Create Required Pages
Go to Member Blog → Pages
The plugin needs two pages to function:
- Blog Submission Page — Where members write new posts
- Member Dashboard Page — Where members manage their posts
Click the Auto-Create Page buttons to generate these automatically. The plugin adds the required shortcodes for you.
Step 2: Set Who Can Post
Go to Member Blog → Access & Permissions
Check the user roles that should be allowed to create blog posts:
| Role | Best For |
|---|---|
| Subscriber | Community sites where anyone can post |
| Contributor | Sites wanting posts reviewed before publishing |
| Author | Sites where trusted members can publish directly |
Using BuddyPress Member Types? You can also restrict posting to specific member types. Leave the Member Types field empty to allow all types.
Step 3: Choose Your Editor
Go to Member Blog → Editor
Select the writing experience for your members:
| Editor | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Editor.js (Recommended) | Modern block editor similar to Notion | Rich content with images, lists, quotes |
| Medium Editor | Clean, distraction-free writing with floating toolbar | Focused writing |
| Classic Editor | Traditional WordPress WYSIWYG with top toolbar | Users familiar with WordPress |
Editor.js (Block Editor)
Medium Editor
Classic Editor (TinyMCE)
Setup Complete! Your members can now create blog posts. Visit a member profile to see the new Blog tab.
Creating Your First Member Post
Here’s what the member experience looks like:
- Navigate to Profile — Member goes to their BuddyPress/BuddyBoss profile
- Click Blog Tab — Opens their personal blog dashboard
- Click Add New Post — Opens the post creation form
- Write Content — Add title, content, featured image, and category
- Submit — Post goes to “Pending Review” or publishes directly (based on role)
Post Status by Role
| User Role | Default Behavior |
|---|---|
| Subscriber / Contributor | Posts go to “Pending Review” for admin approval |
| Author / Editor / Admin | Posts publish immediately |
Members can also save posts as Drafts to continue editing later.
Next Steps
- Admin Settings Guide — Learn about all available options
- Shortcodes Reference — Display member posts anywhere on your site
- Template Customization — Override plugin templates in your theme
- Developer Hooks — Customize behavior with actions and filters
- FAQ — Common questions and troubleshooting
- PRO Features — Add restrictions, co-authors, custom fields, and more