Is WordPress’ Gutenberg the Gamechanger in the Online Publishing World?

On 6th December one of the internet’s biggest website creation tools — WordPress — launched the long-awaited 5.0. Bebo. This has impacted almost 32 per cent of the sites online, including publications like the New York Times blog and CNN on-air personality blogs that use WordPress to disseminate content.

Those are just two simple facts, and yet, they represent a fundamental shift in the way content will be published in the future.

What changed?

The answer is simple: Version 5.0 of WordPress is retiring its origin WYSIWYG editor and replacing it with the Gutenberg editor. Named after Johannes Gutenberg, WordPress is tipping its hat to the creator of the printing press while simultaneously changing the very nature of publishing.

How?

Let’s begin with the Gutenberg:

1. This block-based editor allows you to add, change and create content the way you like using a variety of content blocks. With the help of these content blocks, you can add images, quotes, audio, media, photo, galleries, text, buttons and more.
2. Through a simple toolbar, you can now add each block, work on it separately and create a beautiful layout.
3. Apart from simple formatting, Gutenberg also allows you to change the width, colour and many other attributes.

It doesn’t end there. The Gutenberg editor takes it one step further — embedding just became a whole lot easier under the block system. Each embed is its own block. By adding the option you require, you can enrich your content by adding videos, tweets and Facebook embeds with a few clicks.

Content blocks can also be saved and reused for later or across multiple pieces of content.

So, that begs the question:

When WordPress changes, what does that mean for content publishing?

With an editor that offers extremely comprehensive options, the fundamental ways we create and publish content online are going to change. Here are just a few ways:

• Getting your website off the ground with Twenty Nineteen

Image source: https://make.wordpress.org/core/2018/10/16/introducing-twenty-nineteen/

For new users looking to enter the world of WordPress, twenty nineteen serves as a base. Released as the new, default theme, it is a versatile, minimalist and clean layout that will help users launch their websites. Compatible with Gutenberg, this theme allows users the chance to expand and build on the creativity and freedom of the new editor.

• Content Creation for the Code Shy

The introduction of blocks is a significant one in the world of content creation. Using blocks allows the code averse to create better designed, more elaborate pages without adding HTML or using shortcodes– something that would have been difficult with the original WYSIWYG editor.

These pre-coded block templates allow content users the opportunity to add different formats to their post, regardless of whether they are familiar with the code, or not.

• Content is Clay

Gutenberg is simple, once you get to know it. Granted that it has multiple options to make changes to a single blog post, but with some time and practice, it can be mastered.

To start creating a blog or post all the user needs to do is to drag a block where they want, click on it and add the content. With these simple steps, content creators can now customize their blogs to include lists, image galleries, content columns and more in the same piece. Titles, paragraphs, quotes and other integral pieces of the blog can be worked on separately in order to enhance or position them in a specific way. This makes the blog piece flexible — allowing the writer to approach the content in different formats or highlight a specific point if they need to.

Furthermore, the editor simplifies the page design process and eliminates the need to constantly save and preview changes.

So, the Gutenberg editor transforms the content into a piece of clay. The only question — which way will it be shaped?

• Complete Autonomy

Previously, when a content creator needed to alter, add or visually enhance a piece, they’d have to pay annual subscriptions to third-party theme developers. Gutenberg is designed to level the playing field — bringing content creation in line with many plugins that are available currently. With Gutenberg, the process of creation is in the creator’s hands — giving you complete autonomy over creating and publishing your content piece.

• Create and Carry your Content

One of the biggest benefits of Gutenberg is its compatibility with mobile devices. A lot of content block plugins don’t translate seamlessly onto smartphones; however, the Gutenberg editor ensures a similar level of compatibility between desktops and devices, making WordPress content more mobile than ever.

Is Gutenberg all good news?

This one is tricky to answer — Gutenberg represents a significant shift in the way blogs will be created or written. In the original WYSIWYG format, writers simply added the title and would continue with the rest of the blog or post. With the block format — each block needs to be opened, worked on and then saved. For publications that are used to firing out pieces of content quickly, this change can be a bit jarring. Only time will tell.

No school, like the old school

Despite the launch of 5.0, WordPress understands that some users might still be comfortable with the previous editor. Therefore, the Classic Editor will still be available until 2021. Users can install the Classic Editor plugin to restore the previous version and continue to work on it.

What’s the final word?

At the moment, Gutenberg is still in its teething phase. Users will have to learn a whole new way of publishing, which can take time (and not a little frustration). It remains to be seen how well these changes will take. However, just with its features WordPress 5.0 has stretched the boundaries of how we create and publish content online — giving us freedom, choice and an unprecedented level of control over content.

As a WordPress website-owner, it is important to have a web host who understands the web hosting requirements of a WordPress site. Choose the WordPress Hosting plan which offers features to help you focus more on creating a better experience for the users without having to worry about its technical aspects. If you have already used the Gutenberg editor, do share your experience with us in the comments.

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