How do I automate the scheduling of sticky posts?

You can automate the scheduling of sticky posts by using a plugin or a small, targeted custom solution that sets and clears the sticky flag on specified dates. WordPress does not natively schedule stickiness, so automation relies on scheduled tasks or external cron-like triggers.

What you need to know about sticky posts

Sticky posts stay on the top of the blog listing.

Automation requires scheduled tasks that set or remove the sticky flag.

Time zone accuracy is critical for start and end dates.

Quick-start checklist

Decide between a plugin or custom code.

Define start and end dates for each post.

Test in a staging environment before production.

Monitor to catch timezone or conflict issues.

Methods to automate sticky post scheduling

1) Use a plugin (recommended for most users)

Install a plugin designed for scheduling sticky posts (for example, a "Sticky Post Scheduler" type plugin).

Open the plugin settings and define start and end dates for each post or batch.

Save and let the plugin handle on-site cron tasks or WP-Cron triggers.

Review logs or notes occasionally to confirm schedules ran.

2) Custom code with WP-Cower (custom cron in WordPress)

Hook into plugin activation to schedule a daily WordPress cron event:

register_activation_hook(__FILE__, 'my_schedule_sticky_events');
function my_schedule_sticky_events() {
  if (!wp_next_scheduled('my_daily_sticky_check')) {
    wp_schedule_event(time(), 'daily', 'my_daily_sticky_check');
  }
}

Create the daily task to apply or remove stickies based on dates stored per post:

add_action('my_daily_sticky_check', 'my_apply_sticky_schedule');
function my_apply_sticky_schedule() {
  $args = array('post_type' => 'post', 'post_status' => 'publish', 'posts_per_page' => -1);
  $posts = get_posts($args);
  $today = current_time('Y-m-d');
  foreach ($posts as $p) {
    $start = get_post_meta($p->ID, '_sticky_start', true);
    $end   = get_post_meta($p->ID, '_sticky_end', true);
    $should_sticky = $start && $start <= $today && (!$end || $end >= $today);
    $sticky = get_option('sticky_posts');
    if ($should_sticky && !in_array($p->ID, $sticky)) {
      $sticky[] = $p->ID; // add
      update_option('sticky_posts', $sticky);
    } elseif (!$should_sticky && in_array($p->ID, $sticky)) {
      $sticky = array_diff($sticky, array($p->ID));
      update_option('sticky_posts', $sticky);
    }
  }
}

Store per-post start/end dates in post meta fields like _sticky_start and _sticky_end.

Test with a few posts to verify behavior across date ranges.

3) External cron or server-side tasks

Set up a server cron job to call WP-Cron or a small script that updates sticky posts nightly.

Prefer a site-local approach to avoid reliance on traffic to trigger WP-Cron.

Ensure the script uses the same logic as the WP-Cron example above.

4) Considerations and best practices

Time zones: store dates in UTC, convert on display when needed.

Conflict handling: what happens if two posts try to be sticky at once.

Performance: limit how often the task runs on very large sites.

Fallback: have a manual override if automation fails.

Testing and validation

Test steps

Create 2–3 posts and assign start dates in the near future and end dates after.

Enable the automation (plugin or code) and run the task manually if possible.

Check the frontend after each test date to confirm sticky behavior.

Verify the absence of sticky posts after the end date.

Common pitfalls

Timezone mismatch between server and site settings.

Overlapping schedules causing flicker in sticky state.

Missed cron runs due to caching or disabled WP-Cron on the site.

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