If you’re new to using WordPress, the media library may seem lacking in features. It doesn’t have the concept of folders, and any media uploaded is automatically placed into a dated folder structure by year and month uploaded.
Dragging in a new image or document may result in a URL like https://sites.mst.edu/files/2022/11/header-background.jpg. This may seem limiting at first, but keep in mind that about 43% of all sites on the internet (and 64% of all sites using a Content Management System) use WordPress, so this structure is working for millions of authors. But how? Where are they organizing their files?
The answer is, it varies!
Who benefits?
The first thing to keep in mind when using the WordPress media library is that almost all online directory structures are totally opaque to the user visiting your site. They’re just clicking a link, and if they’re on a mobile device (and about 60% are), it’s very unlikely they’ll even see the URL structure much less use it for navigation. Your users are expecting to navigate to your files using links, and are far more focused on how those links are organized on the page than the underlying URL structure of where those links go.
That’s certainly not to say file organization isn’t important, though! Having cleanly organized files makes it easier for you as an author to manage your content.
Where WordPress shines
The WordPress media library is great at providing quick and easy storage for assets you’re using inline in your pages, especially images.
When you build any page feature requiring images, the image you choose is automatically stored in the media library. You don’t need to know where it is in a technical sense since it’s just a one-time use, inline piece of media. WordPress removes the decision-making, stores it in an appropriate spot, and links it into the page accordingly.
This is also the case for simple, static documents that aren’t part of a larger series and that you don’t expect to change. WordPress is great at letting you insert media to the page as you edit without breaking your workflow. Just upload as you go and it will place it somewhere functional and handle all the details.
Ideally, you should never need to dive into the media library at all unless you’re collecting images you’ve already used elsewhere for something like a slideshow. But what if your collection of media is extensive and requires more organization?
Why not WordPress?
WordPress doesn’t come with extensive file management capabilities because there are already excellent file management solutions online. Chasing feature parity would dramatically increase WordPress’s scope without offering anything the author didn’t already have access to.
At S&T you have Microsoft OneDrive, for example, which allows you to store terabytes of data, drag and drop folders, set individual folder and file permissions, restrict viewing to specific people or teams within your organization, or share files publicly. It even lets you edit and track versions of a huge range of files in-place after you’ve uploaded them. Even if WordPress’s media library was relatively feature-rich, it still couldn’t compete.
Next, consider that most media is now hosted on an external service and not served directly by small, individual websites. Video creators, for example, would already be hosting their videos on a service like YouTube or Vimeo, and would not duplicate those files to their personal website. They may organize links to those videos or embed them in a page, but the video files themselves would be external. You may have research papers you want on your website; however, those papers likely already exist in Scholars’ Mine and it would be better to link to the canonical source.
Options for higher-powered file management
If you have a large, structured collection of documents, you should likely consider using a service that’s dedicated to hosting those. Instead of uploading the files to WordPress, link to them from WordPress.
At S&T your options are:
You might also have linkable content in one of these services:
Making the most of WordPress file management
If you don’t want to use an external service, there are still ways to improve your file management experience within WordPress. Try these tips:
- Use file naming conventions
Before uploading files, use clear and descriptive names. This will make it easier to search for specific files in your Media Library. Include keywords that are relevant to the content of the file, so you can find it easily later.
- Use image metadata
When you upload an image to WordPress, you have the option to fill in Title, Caption, Alt Text, and Description fields. This metadata can help you identify the content and context of the image, especially when used in combination with descriptive file names.
- Be aware of date-based organization
By default, WordPress organizes files in the Media Library by year and month of upload. You can use this to your advantage, especially if you regularly upload files.
- Use the search feature
The Media Library includes a search feature. You can find specific files by typing the name of the file or part of the name in the search bar.
- Use bulk selection
You can delete or work with multiple files at the same time using the bulk select feature. This can be handy if you’re decluttering.
- Filter by file type
You can filter your media library to show only images, audio, video, or unattached files. This can help when you’re working with a specific type of file.
- Regularly clean your media library
Regularly review your media library and delete unused or unneeded files. This can keep your library cleaner and make it easier to find what you need.