Running a multi-author WordPress site? Your readers likely want to follow their favorite authors directly. In this guide, drawn from years of optimizing WordPress sites for engagement, we'll show you how to add author subscription links using built-in RSS feeds.
Leading multi-author sites like Huffington Post let users follow specific writers. WordPress automatically generates RSS feeds for authors, categories, tags, and more—but these links aren't visible by default. As site owners, we just need to surface them clearly for easy subscriptions.
Let's dive into proven methods to implement this feature reliably.
Every author has a dedicated RSS feed at yourdomain.com/author/username/feed/ (replace 'username' with the actual author slug).
Most themes display author bios at the end of posts. Add this HTML to the bio:
<a href="">Subscribe to 's posts</a>
For automation across posts, use a shortcode. Add this code to your theme's functions.php or a custom plugin:
function wpb_author_feed() {
$author_feed = get_author_feed_link( get_the_author_meta( 'ID' ) );
$author_name = get_the_author_meta( 'display_name' );
$link = '<a href="' . $author_feed . '">Subscribe for more posts by ' . $author_name . '</a>';
return $link;
}
add_shortcode( 'authorfeed', 'wpb_author_feed' );
add_filter( 'widget_text', 'do_shortcode' );Now insert [authorfeed] anywhere in posts to auto-generate the link.
Use the shortcode in a sidebar widget: Go to Appearance » Widgets, add a Text widget, and insert [authorfeed]. Save and test.
This shows site-wide, so install the free Display Widgets plugin. Edit the widget and set it to display only on single posts.
Style it with CSS for a button look or add an icon. Test on your live site.
That's it! This boosts reader retention on multi-author sites. For more, see our guide to fixing common RSS errors.
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