The WordPress editing space hasn’t changed a lot in a while, but Gutenberg is about to offer a dramatic shift in the way we edit and publish content.

On most websites today, content is added within an editor that looks a lot like Microsoft Word, and you insert anything, like images or video, with a bit of a clunky designer, or using extra plugins, or even shortcodes.

Gutenberg is different because it takes the WYSIWYG editors of the past, and modernizes them to not only make it easier to add content, but easier to see exactly what you’ll get when it’s published.

The difference is that every paragraph or piece of content in a post or page becomes a block that you can simply control. Change the font size intuitively, adjust the colour, add a drop-cap (like the one you see above), or do just about anything with your content.

And unlike editors of the past, the future of content editing also includes tools we’ve had to install extra plugins to achieve. That includes tables, embedded videos, advanced galleries and image display, page breaks, and even widgets.

What’s Next?

So what happens next? That’s an important question for some companies and their websites. Gutenberg is an optional upgrade now, that you can install or choose to stay with the old-fashioned content editor, but soon it will be released with the next major edition of WordPress, and it’s worth preparing for.

For some websites, upgrading to use Gutenberg won’t require much effort, but that’s only if your theme can support the new editor and content options. Some themes may not support the upgrade, especially custom designs or very old themes.

If you’re unsure about your website, and how well it can handle the update to Gutenberg, you should consider contacting a developer. We’re happy to help anyone who wants to see whether they can start using Gutenberg, or if you need a little help getting ready for the new design tool.

Why Update?

You may still be asking why the Gutenberg update is important, and the simple answer is: flexibility.

If you’ve ever tried to make you content stand out on your website, Gutenberg is the update you’ve been waiting for. Editing is simpler and more responsive, there are more options for inserting content, and you won’t need to rely on extra plugins or code to enhance content either.

If you have a vision for how you want your content to look, it’s now easier to make it possible, and as Gutenberg improves and is updated by Automatic, the makers of WordPress, more and more options will be possible.

Overall, Gutenberg is the future of online publishing, bringing advanced tools to all WordPress sites, and it’s time to take advantage of the tools available for your website and make the most of them. Your readers, clients, and customers will thank you.