WordPress starts the year big with their latest 5.7 update bringing control to the user.
Suitably named after Esperanza Spalding, a musical prodigy, WordPress looks to bring simplicity, vibrancy and control to the forefront in their first release of 2021.
“Bringing you fresh colours in the admin, simpler interactions in the editor, and controls right where you need them, WordPress 5.7 lets you focus on the content you create.”
Let’s highlight some of the key features that come with 5.7 and how they deliver efficiency & ease of use to you the user.
It is no secret that WordPress’s block editor is a powerful system of blocks to allow users to create sleek content layouts for their pages, and with the latest update, the block editor is easier to use than ever before.
The block inserter now not only allows you to drag and drop blocks straight into your post or page (which means no more looking for that + icon), but also gives certain blocks a ‘full height’ option, eliminating the need to use custom code when trying to make an image the full width or height of the page.
Other quality of life changes such as font-size controls being more accessible and making reusable blocks (reuse layouts and text) more stable, the editor is overall more efficient and makes layout changes even simpler.
Colours in the admin area have been streamlined and standardized, allowing admins to create their own custom colour scheme. This was previously done with code, but now you can increase user experience in the admin area with plenty of new custom colour choices.
To accompany the ‘lazy loading’ update in 5.4, allowing text and videos to be loaded as the user scrolls, lazy loading has also been enabled for embedded content as well, such as external pages or videos. This will definitely help to speed up any page that uses iFrames.
WordPress have also introduced easier managing of the ‘robots’ metatag, giving users more control over how their website is perceived through search engines like Google. Search engines can now show a larger preview image, which can in turn boost overall website traffic and enhance user experience.
Migrating from HTTP to HTTPS has never been simpler. Once you have your SSL certificate, a prompt will pop up to allow migration to HTTPS, one click, and WordPress does the rest.
We hope this has shed some light on WordPress’s powerful 5.7 update and how the new features can help you manage your website a little easier. If you have any questions about any of these features, don’t hesitate to call on 01789 330 270 and we will help you get the most out of this update.
