> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.themeupstudio.com/crimson/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.themeupstudio.com/crimson/homepage/top-authors.md).

# Top Authors

**Top Authors** is an automatic homepage section that highlights the most active writers on your site. It’s designed to build trust and help readers discover authors they may want to follow.

Crimson calculates “top authors” by looking at **how many posts each author has published**, then shows the **top 6**.

<figure><img src="/files/vqsoKoYdFkOnaRlGB54s" alt=""><figcaption><p>Top Authors Section in Homepage</p></figcaption></figure>

### Where it appears

This section is **auto-injected** into the homepage layout:

* It appears **after all Home Tag Sections finish**
* It is placed **just before the Footer**

There is no manual “position” setting for it—its placement is based on the homepage’s Tag Section flow.

{% hint style="warning" %}
If Home Tag Sections are disabled (no tag slugs provided), you may not see this injected section, because the injection point is tied to the tag-section sequence.
{% endhint %}

***

### What it shows

#### Maximum 6 authors

* Displays **up to 6 authors**
* If your site has fewer than 6 authors with published posts, it will show fewer.

#### How authors are ranked

Crimson ranks authors by:

* **Number of published posts** attributed to them
* The authors with the highest post counts appear first.

***

### What counts as an author “post”

* Only **published posts** count toward ranking.
* Drafts do not affect the totals.
* Authors who have never published a post will not appear.

{% hint style="success" %}
If you run a multi-author publication, Top Authors becomes a strong discovery feature. If you’re a solo creator, it will still work — you’ll simply see your own author card as the top author.
{% endhint %}

***

### Best practices

#### 1) Complete author profiles

Encourage each author to set:

* Profile image
* Display name
* Bio (short, clear)
* Social links (optional)
* Location (Country)

This makes the Top Authors section feel polished and credible.

#### 2) Keep author attribution consistent

If multiple staff members publish under a single “Admin” author, Top Authors may become less meaningful. Assign posts to the real author whenever possible.

***

### Troubleshooting

<details>

<summary>Top Authors isn’t showing</summary>

Check:

1. Are **Home Tag Sections enabled** (`tag_slugs_to_show_on_home` is not empty)?
   * This section is injected at the end of the Tag Sections flow.
2. Do you have at least **one author with published posts**?
3. Are you viewing the correct homepage template/layout?

</details>

<details>

<summary>It shows fewer than 6 authors</summary>

That’s normal if:

* You have fewer than 6 authors who have published posts
* Most posts are attributed to only 1–2 authors

</details>

<details>

<summary>The author order looks wrong</summary>

The ranking is automatic and based on **published post count**. If you want the ranking to reflect your real editorial team:

* Make sure posts are attributed correctly to the right author(s)
* Avoid publishing everything under a single admin author

</details>