New WordPress Update is a Big Deal

The WordPress update features nearly 300 new features and advancements. WordPress 5.8, their second update in 2021, focuses on improving creative tools for publishers.
New WordPress Update is a Big Deal
By: Jeremy Hill, Senior Director of Digital and Development

WordPress just recently dropped a major version upgrade with nearly 300 new features and advancements. WordPress 5.8, the second WordPress update in 2021, focuses on improving creative tools for publishers, leading to sleeker, more innovative websites. Some highlights include:

  • A new template editor will allow users to create edits to site-wide elements. This includes site logos, site taglines, and even a site title, all within one template. These templates can then be applied to any post or page. This update will make it easier for publishers to build a more cohesive website that corresponds to the company’s brand.
  • It is now possible to add widgets as blocks to a websites’ sidebars and widget-enabled areas, allowing an easier consumer experience. Widgets are essentially the tools that make up a page’s sidebar. By adding widgets as blocks, publishers are able to customize colors, buttons, or groupings within each widget block. This gives publishers greater control to create a more personalized and engaging space on the website.
  • WordPress now supports WebP images by default. WebP is a new generation image format that reduces image file size more than PNG and JPEG without losing quality. This will significantly increase speed and performance on websites while preserving the quality of photos.

WordPress achieved a quicker interface that allowed for these updates, in part, by reducing the amount of code. This will make for faster content creation and management for publishers.

“WordPress 5.8 represents a leap forward toward modernizing the content management system,” Roger Montti, writer for Search Engine Journal, said. “The latest version of WordPress makes it easier for publishers to express themselves creatively.”

What does this release mean for businesses? In short, expect smoother, quicker websites that will be more engaging for consumers. By giving publishers more creative freedom with an expanded interface, consumers can explore more interesting websites with ease.

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