WordPress Blocks Features and Site Customization Options

WordPress Blocks are the building pieces of your website’s content. Each block represents a different type of content, like text, images, videos, or buttons. Instead of writing code or using complex tools, you can simply add, move, and edit these blocks to build your pages and posts. This makes creating content much easier, especially for people unfamiliar with coding.

In the past, WordPress used a Classic Editor where everything was done in one big text box. You had to handle formatting, images, and other elements in one place, which sometimes got messy. However, with the new block-based editing approach introduced with WordPress 5.0 (i.e., the Gutenberg Editor), each part of your content is a separate block.

For example, if you want to add a headline, that’s one block. If you need a paragraph or an image, those are each separate blocks too. This makes it easier to design your page exactly how you want. There are more than 90 default blocks available that you can use in the current WordPress version. You can even expand the functionality by installing a WordPress Block Plugin.

This tutorial shows you how WordPress Blocks work, the blocks’ main features, and how you can use them to customize your website. We’ll also explore 3 useful WordPress Plugins that you can use to extend the block collection and take your customizations to another level.

WordPress Blocks & Their Significance

As we already said, WordPress Blocks are individual content elements you can use to build your website. A block can be text, images, videos, buttons, or other features that make up your pages or blog posts.

In the past, WordPress used a different editor called TinyMCE. It focused mostly on text editing and worked like a basic word processor. The problem was that it didn’t let you see how your content would look on the webpage. It also didn’t make adding interactive elements like videos, images, or buttons easy.

However, with the new Block Editor, things have changed. Now, you can easily see how your content will look and make changes on the go. This new editor allows you to build pages and posts by adding different content blocks, which makes the whole process much smoother and more visual.

One of the most significant benefits of using WordPress Blocks is the ability to change your page layout and add visual and interactive elements. For example, if you want to add a video from YouTube, you select the YouTube block and paste a video link. It’s that simple! Before, you would have had to add some extra HTML code to embed a video, but now it’s simply dragging and dropping.

This feature makes it much more convenient for beginners and experienced users. You can add images, buttons, and even galleries with just a few clicks, helping to create more engaging content.

WordPress Blocks make it easy to customize your content without coding. With the old editor, adding custom elements often required you to learn HTML or use complicated workarounds.

Now, with the Block Editor, all you do is select the type of block you want, like a heading or image, and customize it from there. This change makes WordPress much more user-friendly for people new to building websites.

Another cool feature is synced block patterns. This allows you to save a block layout you’ve created and reuse it later. It’s ideal to design a section with a heading, image, and text you use often. Instead of recreating it every time, you can save it as a synced block and insert it whenever you need, saving a lot of time.

You can also use regular or non-synced block patterns, which are pre-built layouts that WordPress provides. These patterns are designed for different purposes, like a Contact Form or a Call-To-Action section. You can quickly add these to your page and customize them as needed.

If you want even more customization, Block-Based Themes are a great option. These Themes are built to work perfectly with the Block Editor, so you can easily adjust your WordPress website’s templates and overall design using Full Site Editing. For example, you can rearrange content blocks to completely change the look of your homepage without having to install a new WordPress theme or mess with code.

The Block Editor also includes a global styles interface, which lets you change the design elements, like fonts or colors across your WordPress site with a few clicks.

The WordPress Block Editor offers a much better user experience than the old editor overall. It’s easier to use, more flexible, and much more visual. Whether you’re new to WordPress or have been using it for years, blocks make it simple to create custom layouts and add engaging content without any coding knowledge. It’s a great way to build a website that looks exactly how you want.

Types of WordPress Blocks

As we mentioned, there are more than 90 WordPress Blocks, divided into 6 main categories:

1. Text Blocks
2. Media Blocks
3. Design Blocks
4. Widget Blocks
5. Theme Blocks
6. Embed Blocks.

Let’s explore each block type in detail to see how they work and when to use them.

Text Blocks

Text blocks let you add and format text content on your website. Some common text blocks include:

• Paragraph
• Heading
• List
• Quote
• Code
• Details
• Preformatted
• Pullquote
• Table
• Verse
• Classic,

As shown above, you use the Paragraph block to add regular text, while the Heading block helps create titles or section headers. The List block allows you to create bullet points or numbered lists, and the Quote block highlights quotes or important statements.

The Code block displays code snippets in a readable format, and the Details block adds expandable content sections. You use a Preformatted block to preserve text formatting exactly as written, while the Pullquote emphasizes key quotes in a stylized format.

Also, the Table block allows you to insert tables with rows and columns, and Verse is designed for poetry or verse content. Finally, the Classic block offers a simple text editor interface like the old WordPress editor.

Media Blocks

Media blocks allow you to add visuals and sound to your website. These are some examples of media blocks:

• Image
• Gallery
• Audio
• Cover
• File
• Media & Text
• Video.

The Image block allows you to easily upload and display a single image on your page, with options to adjust size and add captions. For displaying multiple images together, the Gallery block helps you arrange them in a grid or slideshow format.

If you want to include audio content such as podcasts or music tracks, you embed sound files directly into your post in the Audio block. A Cover block adds a large image or video with text overlay, perfect for creating visually appealing headers or sections.

If you have downloadable content, upload files, like PDFs or documents, in the File block using a download button. The Media & Text block provides a flexible layout where you can combine images, videos, or audio with text side by side.

Lastly, the Video block lets you embed videos from your Media Library or external platforms, offering a simple way to add engaging content to your site.

Design Blocks

Design blocks help you organize your content’s layout and structure. Although this block doesn’t add new content, it helps define how content is displayed to visitors on your site. Some useful design blocks are:

• Buttons
• Columns
• Group
• Row
• Stack
• Grid
• More
• Page Break
• Separator
• Spacer.

The Buttons block allows you to add clickable buttons that guide users to different pages or actions. The Columns block divides your content into several sections, helping you create side-by-side layouts for images or text. With this block, you can divide your page’s width to a required ratio. For example, we may split it into a 66:33 ratio, with a larger side for content and a smaller side for an image.

You can also use the Group block to combine several blocks into one unit, making it easier to move or style them together. The Row block aligns multiple blocks horizontally, perfect for creating neat rows of content. Similarly, the Stack block arranges blocks vertically, helping you structure content in a top-to-bottom format.

Additionally, the Grid block gives you flexibility by letting you create a grid layout for images, text, or other blocks. If you need to add more content, you can do so using the More block. A simple click lets you create a Read More link to split your content.

The Page Break block divides your content into multiple pages – ideal for long posts. Then, for visual separation between sections, you use the Separator block, while the Spacer block adds extra space between blocks, giving your content room to breathe. All these design blocks work together to help you build a clean, organized, and visually appealing website.

Widget Blocks

Widget blocks are designed to add dynamic content to your site, such as recent posts or category listings. These are some common widget blocks:

• Archives
• Calendar
• Categories List
• Custom HTML
• Latest Comments
• Latest Posts
• Page List
• RSS
• Search
• Shortcode
• Social Icons
• Tag Cloud.

The Archives block displays a monthly breakdown of your posts, allowing visitors to explore older content easily. The Calendar block shows a calendar view with links to posts published on specific dates, making it simple for users to find content by date.

With the Categories List block, you can display all the categories you’ve created, helping visitors find posts based on specific topics. If you want to add custom code to your site, the Custom HTML block lets you insert HTML, CSS, or JavaScript directly into your page.

The Latest Comments block shows the most recent comments on your site, encouraging engagement by highlighting active discussions. Additionally, the Latest Posts block automatically displays a list of your newest posts, helping visitors discover fresh content.

You can use the Page List block to show a list of all your website pages; this is helpful for navigation purposes. With the RSS, you can pull in content from external RSS feeds and display it on your site.

The Search block adds a search bar that lets visitors quickly find the content they’re looking for on your site. For more advanced users, the Shortcode block allows you to insert WordPress shortcodes for added functionality.

The Social Icons block provides a way to add social media links, making it easy for visitors to connect with you on other platforms. Finally, there’s the Tag Cloud block; it displays a group of tags used on your posts, helping visitors explore content based on popular tags. Each widget block enhances your site’s usability and makes it easier for visitors to navigate and interact with your content.

Theme Blocks

Many theme blocks are dynamic, automatically pulling in content like post details, query loops, and post comments to display on your site. Some of these blocks are necessary for showing key elements of site identity, such as the site logo, title, and tagline. There is a total of 26 theme blocks available.

These blocks are specific to your WordPress theme and help you customize the look and feel of your site and content. These are divided into 2 main categories:

1. Site Identity Blocks:
2. Navigation
3. Site Logo
4. Site Title
5. Site Tagline
6. Login/Logout
7. Term Description
8. Archive Title
9. Search Results Title.
10. Content Blocks:
11. Query Loop
12. Posts List
13. Avatar
14. Title
15. Excerpt
16. Featured Image
17. Author
18. Author Name
19. Date
20. Modified Date
21. Categories
22. Tags
23. Next Post
24. Previous Post
25. Read More
26. Comments
27. Comments From
28. Author Biography.

The Site Logo block displays your website’s logo, while the Site Title and Site Tagline blocks present your site’s name and slogan, helping define your website’s identity.

The Login/Logout block allows users to log in or out directly from your site, and the Term Description shows details about specific categories, tags, or terms. The Archive Title block is useful for displaying archive titles based on the queries object, and the Search Results Title displays titles for search result pages, enhancing the visitor’s experience on your site.

The Query Loop and Posts List blocks are essential for content management, as they dynamically retrieve and display posts or pages based on your selected criteria. The Avatar block shows the author’s profile picture, while the Title block displays the title of a post or page.

Moreover, the Excerpt block provides a short post summary, and the Featured Image block highlights a post’s main image. Blocks like Author and Author Name show information about the post’s writer, and Date or Modified Date blocks reveal when the post was published or last updated.

To help users navigate your content, the Categories and Tags blocks list the categories and tags associated with your posts. The Next Post and Previous Post blocks let visitors navigate between posts, while the Read More block offers a link to the full post.

To engage your audience further, the Comments block displays user comments on posts, and the Comments Form allows users to leave their feedback. Lastly, there’s the Author Biography block, which provides space to share a brief bio of the post’s author, adding a personal touch to your content. These blocks enhance how your content and site identity are presented to visitors.

Embed Blocks

Embed blocks in WordPress are special blocks that allow you to easily add content from external websites directly into your pages or posts. Instead of manually embedding code, you can use these blocks to seamlessly display external content like videos, social media posts, music, and more. WordPress provides dedicated blocks for various platforms, so you just need to paste the URL, and the content will automatically appear in your post. Some popular embed blocks include:

• YouTube
• Twitter
• Spotify
• Instagram
• Vimeo.

These embed blocks facilitate integrating rich media and interactive content from other platforms, improving your website’s visual appeal and user experience without you having to write any code.

Each type of WordPress block is designed to help you easily add, organize, and display different kinds of content. Whether you’re writing text, adding images, or embedding media, WordPress blocks give you the tools to create a site that looks professional and works well for your visitors.

How to use WordPress Blocks to Customize your Site

The Gutenberg Editor is the default WordPress Editor for the pages and posts you create. Block Editor is also available for Full Site Editing (FSE) when you use a block theme like Twenty Twenty-four.

When you create a new page or add a new blog post, the Block Editor provides you with a Paragraph block by default, making you edit the page or post immediately. If you click Enter, you’re still in a Paragraph block, which makes you write easily and effortlessly.

Here is a simple step-by-step guide on how to add, arrange, and customize WordPress blocks to make your site look just the way you want.

Open the page or post you want to edit. In the WordPress Editor, click the + button (usually at the top left or within the content area) to add a block.

You’ll see a list of block options like Paragraph, Image, Heading, and more. Simply select the type of block you want to add. For example, if you want to write some normal text, choose the Paragraph block, and you’re ready to start typing.

Once you’ve added a few blocks, you might want to rearrange them to perfect your layout. WordPress makes this simple. Select your block, then press and hold the Drag icon and move around to place your content wherever you want on the page or post. This is great for creating custom layouts with text, images, or other content next to each other.

Alternatively, you may use the arrow button to move your block one step up or down:

Every block comes with its own set of customization options. Click on the block you want to change, then look to the right-hand side of the screen for the Block settings.

If you’re using a Heading block, for example, you can adjust the size, alignment, or color of the text.

For an Image block, you can resize the image, add captions, or link it to another page. These options make it easy to personalize every part of your site.

Furthermore, if you want to save time, WordPress offers Block Patterns and pre-designed layouts created from several blocks. You can select a pattern, which will automatically insert a combination of blocks into your page, like text with images or buttons. From there, you can customize the content to fit your needs.

Once you’ve added and customized your blocks, you can preview how your page or post looks by clicking Preview. If everything looks good, click Publish to make your changes live. If you’re still working on the content, you can save your changes as a draft to return later.

3 Best WordPress Block Plugins in 2024

While default WordPress Blocks cover basic needs, Block Plugins provide more advanced features and customization options. These plugins provide additional blocks like sliders, pricing tables, and interactive elements, allowing users to create more complex layouts and designs, enhancing functionality and aesthetics. Let’s explore the 3 best Block Plugins for 2024 that can enhance your site’s functionality:

Spectra – WordPress Gutenberg Blocks

Spectra – WordPress Gutenberg Blocks is a highly versatile Block Plugin. It includes 30+ customizable blocks for various site functionalities and offers numerous design tools, such as pre-built full-page templates, block patterns, and wireframes.

These features allow users to build fully customizable websites quickly and easily. Furthermore, Spectra works with any theme and is compatible with all plugins. Here are the stats of this plugin:

• Downloads: 1+ million
• Rating: 4.7/5
• Prominent Features: Scheme Markup, Block Patterns, and Pre-built Full-Page Templates
• Suitable for: Blogs, Freelancers, Small Businesses, Restaurant owners, Podcasters & YouTubers
• Price: Free and Paid

Blocks like Post Grid and Carousel allow you to showcase your posts in different styles. The Price Lists block is ideal for displaying menus or product prices, and you can also add images for each item using built-in design features.

This plugin also includes Schema Markup blocks for content like How To’s, Reviews, and FAQs, which can boost SEO and speed up content creation. Additionally, its templates and patterns, including options for portfolios and testimonials, can be easily accessed through the Design Library button within the editor.

Getwid

The Getwid is a free plugin. It’s a collection of 40+ Gutenberg Blocks, extending the existing core WordPress Blocks library. It also provides 38 unique blocks and 35+ pre-made block templates for the Block Editor. These are the plugin stats:

• Downloads: 60,000+
• Rating: 4.7/5
• Prominent Features: Realtime Customization, Pre-designed Templates, Wide Range of Content Blocks & attributes for Each Block
• Suitable For: Blogs, Portfolios, Small Businesses
• Price: Free

This plugin’s standout blocks include the Section Block for creating custom layouts and the Advanced Heading Block for rich typography control. It offers several creative image presentation options, such as the Image Slider, Image Box, and Image Stack Gallery blocks, which provide visually engaging content displays.

Additionally, it provides Instagram and Google Maps blocks, expanding embedding options and making it easier to integrate social media content and interactive maps directly into your WordPress site. Getwid’s pre-made templates are much like the WordPress Block pattern.

Getwid uses a Template Library block to help users select and insert templates into their content instead of relying on the typical pattern inserter method.

You can also disable the blocks you don’t use to maintain speed and simplicity. To do this, go to WordPress Admin Area → Settings → Getwid → Blocks and choose the blocks you want to disable:

Stackable – Page Builder Gutenberg Blocks

Stackable is a highly flexible Block Plugin that offers a variety of design options. The free version provides 8 UI kits, 100 section designs, 44 wireframes, and 33 block layouts.

For further advanced customization, Stackable premium features enhance your options with 437 section designs, 36 UI kits, 87 block layouts, and up to 3 layered separators. This plugin also offers extensive block customization through Block, Style, and Advanced settings, allowing users to adjust layout responsiveness and add motion effects with the premium version.

Here are the Stackable Stats:

• Downloads: 100,000+
• Rating: 4.9/5
• Prominent Features: UI Kits and Pre-built Layout Templates, Detailed Block Customization
• Suitable For: All Types of WordPress Websites
• Price: Freemium (starting from $49/year)

You may access all these templates via the Design Library in the WordPress Editor:

Important:

All plugin-related details, including features and pricing, are accurate but may change as the plugin is updated or new versions are released. It’s a good idea to check the official plugin page or website for the latest information.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. It’s easy to create and customize your site’s layout without coding skills With WordPress Blocks.
2. You can select from various blocks for text, media, design, and embeds.
3. Blocks allow flexibility in arranging content exactly how you want it, making website building more intuitive.
4. Using Block Plugins can expand your customization options for added features and design.
5. With WordPress Blocks, customizing your site becomes simple and user-friendly, giving you full control over your website’s look and functionality.

FAQs

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