When Gutenberg was first released in 2017, reviews responded by saying it was clumsy and didn’t provide the best user experience. So then, why should you be using Gutenberg in 2021 and how can it benefit your website?
When the Gutenberg editor for WordPress was first released, it wasn’t met with much high praise. In fact, in response to Gutenberg becoming a core part of WordPress 5.0, a Classic Editor plugin was created to restore the classic WordPress editor. It also has more than 5 million active installations.
However, Gutenberg allows you to create better content by being a fast, expandable and feature-rich platform. As a leading web design and SEO company in Australia, we at Newpath Web understand just how important having an engaging website is. Even though it may appear at first glance as an overly complex WordPress editor, there are many benefits you can be taking advantage of by switching to Gutenberg- once you get your bearings.
A mobile-friendly interface
According to CNBC, it is estimated that about 72.6% of users worldwide (almost three-quarters of the world) will be visiting websites solely through their smartphones by 2025. This highlights the importance of ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly.
By using Gutenberg, it features a mobile-friendly interface and design. All content that is created using Gutenberg is very responsive to all types of screen sizes, and it lets users quickly scroll through content and various features relevant to them.
This is also one of the main reasons why the Gutenberg editor has gained such critical acclaim over the past year. Users no longer have to struggle with troublesome toolbars, lagging shortcodes and mundane features.
Less need for plugins
Unlike the classic WordPress editor, Gutenberg doesn’t require you to use a lot of plugins to improve your website’s efficiency and functionality. With the classic editor, you would have to use a CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) or a plugin if you wanted to insert a button or table. With Gutenberg, you can simply add tables, buttons and much more straight from the editor without needing to install any additional plugins.
This also includes a much faster embedding process. Embedding multimedia into content such as Flickr or Tumblr images, Reddit posts, Spotify or SoundCloud music, YouTube videos and Tweets is all done from within the editor with a simple right-click, without the need for installing a bunch of additional plugins.
Perfect for structuring long-form content
Rather than having a wall of text on your website when writing long-form content, Gutenberg features a Table of Contents located on the sidebar. It creates clickable links that allow your readers to easily jump back and forth to specific sections in your blog post or article.
You can also create anchors, which is perfect when uploading content such as documents that can be around 4000+ words. For example, you can create a list of topics that your blog/post will be covering at the beginning of the content. Readers can then click each topic heading and be taken straight to that section in the article.
An interactive design
Gutenberg also features a unique and interactive design. By providing a full-screen setup, you can use the entirety of your screen when writing content while hiding the sidebar and toolbar. To provide a better user experience, the editor is automated to function according to what you are doing.
For example, when you need to use the toolbar to pick a block, it will instantly pop up in the spot where you need it. Gutenberg also uses blocks, which can be easily moved around with just the click of a mouse. Just open the toolbar and click extra options, then experiment with the arrows according to where you would like the block to be placed.
This setup gives you complete control as the blocks are mobile and flexible. As each block is separate from the content, customising content such as changing the font colours and background colours is quick and simple.
You no longer have to worry about changing the wrong part or ruining the layout when you are editing. Before Gutenberg, this was an issue that would frustrate many WordPress users.
In summary
This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what the Gutenberg WordPress editor can do. As an ideal content creation tool, Gutenberg is a versatile, future-proof and expanding platform that can provide a variety of benefits once you become familiar with it.
If you aren’t already using the Gutenberg WordPress editor, consider making the switch and exploring the many opportunities it can provide. However, if you aren’t the most tech-savvy person or don’t have the time spare to focus on your website, reach out to us at Newpath Web.
As a leading web design and SEO company in Australia, we have an experienced team of qualified web designers who will work closely with you to ensure that your website is responsive, mobile-friendly, loads quickly and provides a great user experience.
Explore our website to discover our entire range of digital services and past case studies or contact us on 1300 761 806 to find out how our team can assist your specific needs today.
