WordPress Blocks: What is it? And What Are Its Benefits??

Hello everyone! Have you heard about WordPress Blocks? If not then let me tell you that it is a feature which is available in WordPress version 5.0 or later. Because the earlier content editor which was being used in WordPress has been replaced by the latest content editor which is known as Gutenberg. Ever since many users are asking about how to use the Gutenberg block editor and also the various ways of creating content in WordPress.

Therefore in today’s blog, we are going to discuss this new content editor and we are also going to discuss what is it and its various benefits for creating an awesome website or a blog post.

So let’s start:

In simple words if we try to explain WordPress blocks then we can say that it is a new way of using which the WordPress manages the content present inside your web page or blog post.

Suppose if you are using WordPress version 5.0 or later, then when you navigate to your dashboard and start creating your new post, at that time you will come across a brand new content editing panel which is based on the block and it has replaced the previous content editor which used to be a one large content area which included standard controls for formatting text.

Here is how the brand new editor Gutenberg looks like:

If we compare it with previous editor then it’s a massive upgrade.

Here is how the previous editor looks like:

While working with new editor which is block-based, the experience is quiet delightful and smooth. In this new editor you will see only the main backdrop and no other unwanted elements.

Let’s discuss how to use the WordPress Blocks:

Now let’s first see what is a block?

In simple words we can say that a block is a kind of a cover around any type of content inside a web page and as it is a block, it really doesn’t affect the content i.e. if you are working with an image in the blog, then it will remain as an image in the blog.

In other words we can say that whatever content you want to add into your web page which can be a text or an image or a picture, it will get transformed into a block.

It is a natural process of using a block because when you start creating a new blog post or a new web page, then WordPress will ask you to select a block type. Now once you have finished typing a paragraph of text (which is a type of block), then just click enter button on the keyboard and WordPress will move you to subsequent block and stuff like that.

You will find a “+” icon in the upper-left corner of the block editor which is used when you want to add a block apart from a paragraph of text. Whatever block you select, provided that you will be able to modify it in a number of different ways, for making your blog or text look absolutely as per your wish.

For example: if you want to work with heading block, it is possible to introduce new sections and also manage the contents for helping the visitors as well as the different search engines to know the structure of your content.

Adding this block covering provides a number of advantages. The main advantage is the rearranging these blocks effortlessly than you have done with the help of earlier content editor.

For moving the blocks one place up or down you can take help of controls as well as drag and drop facility. Just click and hold that icon in the center of two arrows.

As shown below:

Earlier when you wanted to move content inside a post or page, you are required to cut and paste it at the required location, which frequently culminated into different problems related to editing or it may happen that the complete piece of content used to disappear if you ever removed your clipboard by mistake. Now when you use these brand new blocks you are not required to face such issues and also they are controllable.

See some of you must be wondering whether these blocks changes the way readers see the content on your website? The answer is No! As mentioned earlier, even though the piece of content is wrapped by the block, it will not affect the way in which the visitors see the contents of your blog post or pages. Keep in mind that these blocks are not visible to the visitors. These are just tools for helping you and you will get to use them while working with the blog post or web pages. Thus the blocks are completely invisible on the front end of your website.

Let’s look at some of the available Blocks of WordPress:

Earlier we saw a block:”paragraphs of text”, but WordPress 5.0 offers several other types of blocks also:

Following is the list of blocks offered by WordPress5.0 version:

List, Table, Columns, Form, Video, Audio, Cover image, File, Preformatted, Code, Custom HTML, Heading, Shortcode, Image, Button, Page break, separator, spacer, Quote, File, Pullquote, Embeds from external platforms such as YouTube or Twitter and so on.

Furthermore, we already know that there are quite a few numbers of third party plugins that comes with their own custom-made blocks, which helps in increasing the abilities of the content editor.

You can see clocks in only those plugins which are related to testimonials, or products of WooCommerce, or Pricing tables, or contact forms etc.

Let’s discuss the advantages of WordPress Blocks:

We have already covered many of the advantages of the WordPress blocks, but still we are revising it again for you:

1. The most important advantage of Blocks is that they can be easily carried to anywhere. They can easily add and reorder any piece of content.
2. There is no need to face the problems related to copy and paste, precisely when you are trying to copy the contents from Word document or from some different source.
3. This editor alone offers a smooth experience regarding how your piece of content appears in the block editor instead of how it appears to your visitors.

Overall we can say that the blocks does not affect your visitors experience, but instead of that it is a kind of extra perk for you at the time when you are working with the different contents.

You can gain some more benefits by using blocks like if you start using WordPress themes which contain different editor styles, which are consistent with these block editors, then whatever content you see inside the content editor will appear same to the visitors on the front end of your website.

It helps in keeping the things compatible and reliable. For example: Let’s see how a new default theme in WordPress i.e. Twenty Nineteen, supports the editor styling:

Let’s see if you don’t want to work with the blocks:

As mentioned earlier, the blocks are transparent and they do not require any apprehensive focus from you. That means you can create a post normally without using blocks.

See while working with a new blog post you will come to know that you can work with this brand new content editor is effortlessly. It is very easy to write the paragraph of text, then press “enter” button on your keypad and once you have finished working with a line, then type ‘-‘ when you want to insert drag and drop a image, or insert a list or copy and paste a URL and stuff like that. Here blocks will kind of proceed in the backend and there will be no need of an interaction with you. It is possible that if you do not want to focus on the blocks, then it is not compulsory for you to look after the blocks.

Just continue with your work as if nothing happened.

Note:

If you do not want to work with this new block editor and if you want to move back to the old editor that also you can do, by installing a plugin known as Classic Editor in WordPress.

Once you go into Classic Editor, navigate to “Settings” option > then “Writing” option and then select the settings as per your requirements.

Important:

If you want to determine whether you like to work with the new editor based on the block or whether you want to work with the old content editor on the basis of your posts, then choose “Yes” for “Allow users to switch editors:” option.

Future of WordPress Blocks:

All together we saw that if you want to use different piece of contents easily in your blog or page then WordPress blocks will definitely help you. In the earlier versions of content editor, this was not so easy.

By using block editor, in the near future, it will be possible to consider any imaginable piece of content and insert it into a blog or web page because of the speed at which the block editors are progressing.

We would like to suggest you to try your hand towards this block editor and test this editor while working with the content. We are sure that you will find it easy to use even though you are just inserting new paragraphs of text or images or you are just typing.

We hope that you find this information helpful. If yes, please leave a comment in the comment section below. Thank you for reading this blog. See you soon with another interesting blog!!!

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