The Summer Road Trip in 2019: Mobile and Social Trends [Infographic]

Mobile devices have become integral to the summer road trip experience for many people, according to recent research from AdColony. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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How to Become a Better Writer: 14 Tips to Up Your Writing Game in 2019

If you search Google for tips on how to become a better writer, you’ll find a lot of big promises.

Here’s the truth:

There’s no tip, trick, strategy, or hack capable of turning a bad writer into a good one.

But if you’re looking to improve your writing skills by 5%, if you want to go from average to good or even good to great, a valuable tip can help make it happen.

Here are fourteen such tips:

1. Find Your Unique Voice

Serious question:

If we all listen to the same experts and we all follow the same advice, how is it possible for anyone to stand out from the crowd?

The trap many of us fall into is we believe if we mimic a popular blogger or writer, we’ll be popular too.

Imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, but it’s a no-win proposition. Even if you succeed, you’ll be indistinguishable from all the other parrots out there.

There’s only one you. You have unique DNA. Your hopes, thoughts, and dreams are unique. Even the face you make when you accidentally walk into a spider web is unique.

Want to stand out?

When you sit down to write, tap into what makes you… well, you.

Learn More: In my guest appearance on the Biz Mavens’ podcast, I discuss the importance of finding your unique voice and offer three exercises to help you find it.

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2. Edit Like Crazy

Many first drafts are clumsy, sloppy, and difficult to read. This is true for most writers — even experienced, well-known ones.

So what separates our writing heroes from the masses?

Editing.

The hard part isn’t over once your first draft is complete; on the contrary, it’s only beginning.

To take your work to the next level, you need to spend just as much time editing your words as you do creating them.

It’s ruthless work. It’s kind of boring. But it’s vital.

Learn More: 7 Editing Tips That’ll Make You a Better Writer (with Examples!) will show you the editing secrets popular bloggers and writers don’t want you to know.

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3. Supercharge Your Subheads

Most readers stick around for fewer than 15 seconds.

Heck, most will stick around for fewer than 5 seconds.

Why? Because readers are experts at scanning. They’ll click your headline, quickly scan your content, and — in only a few seconds — decide whether to stay or go.

Writing a great introduction is one way to convince readers to stick.

Another?

Write masterful subheads that create curiosity, hook your readers, and keep them on the page long enough to realize your content is worth reading.

Learn More: In The Ultimate Guide to Writing Irresistible Subheads, Gary Korisko shares the four ingredients of a killer subhead.

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4. Write Like Superman (Or That Guy You Know Who Types Really Fast)

Most of us are limited in the amount of time we have available to write.

So, if you want more time to write every day, you only have three options:

1. Say goodbye to your family and lock yourself in your office;
2. Invent a time machine;
3. Learn how to write faster.

Your spouse and children won’t like the first option, and the second option requires plutonium.

But the third option? That’s doable.

Learn More: Want some actionable tactics to boost your writing speed? Check out Linda Formichelli’s How to Write Faster: 10 Crafty Ways to Hit 1,000 Words Per Hour.

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5. Craft Irresistible Headlines

Smart Blogger’s CEO, Jon Morrow, recommends spending at least 20% of your time on the headline for your content.

That isn’t a typo.

If you spend 10 to 20 hours writing an article, 2 to 4 of those hours should be spent on the headline.

Why so many?

Because if your headline sucks, no one is going to give your content a chance.

In short:

Headlines are important. Get good at writing them.

Learn More: In How to Write a Blog Post in 2019: The Ultimate Guide, Liz Longacre goes over the 8 rules for crafting amazing headlines. And in 10 Ways to Exploit Human Nature and Write Amazingly Appealing Headlines Robert van Tongeren shares tips for writing irresistibly-clickable headlines.

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6. Avoid Weak Words

Too many writers dilute their writing with weak, empty words that bring nothing to the table.

Worse?

They silently erode your reader’s attention — one flabby word at a time.

Spot these words and eliminate them from your writing.

Learn More: In 297 Flabby Words and Phrases That Rob Your Writing of All Its Power, Shane Authur shows you how to tone and trim your prose.

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7. Write with Rhythm

You know short paragraphs and white space are your friends.

But that doesn’t mean every paragraph you write should be short.

Too many short paragraphs in a row and your writing will bore your readers. Too many long paragraphs in a row and you’ll overwhelm them.

So, mix things up.

Let the rhythm of your words dictate when each paragraph begins, and you’ll strike up the perfect balance between short paragraphs and long.

Learn More: In How to Write a Paragraph in 2019 (Yes, the Rules Have Changed), Mike Blankenship looks at why variation is important and offers a few rules of thumb to follow.

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8. Kick Writer’s Block in the Buttocks

When you’ve been staring at a blank page for what feels like hours, writer’s block can seem insurmountable.

It’s not.

Savvy writers have a collection of tried-and-true techniques to bust out whenever writer’s block starts to rear its ugly head — techniques ranging from brisk walks to asking Alexa to play “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers.

If you want to be a better writer, find a writer’s block technique or two that works for you.

Learn More: Henneke Duistermaat has 27 refreshingly-original writer’s block techniques you can try. Pick a few favorites, and don’t be afraid to break glass in case of emergency.

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9. Make Your Words Burst to Life in Readers’ Minds

If you aren’t using power words or sensory language in your writing, you’re missing out.

Smart writers and copywriters use power words to give their content extra punch, personality, and pizzazz. And great writers from Shakespeare to Stephen King use sensory words evoking sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell to paint strong scenes in the minds of their readers.

Both types of words are effective and super simple to use.

If you’re tired of lifeless words sitting on a page, try sprinkling power and sensory words throughout your content.

Learn More: Check out 600+ Power Words That’ll Pack Your Writing with Emotion and 581 Sensory Words to Take Your Writing from Bland to Brilliant. Besides being the definitive guides on their topics, they each offer huge, bookmarkable lists you can reference again and again.

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10. Be Funny

Some writers won’t like this, but…

Your content can’t simply teach — it needs to entertain too.

Or, to put it bluntly:

If you don’t entertain while you inform, your audience will find a writer who can.

Thankfully, there are numerous ways you can make your content more interesting and entertaining.

The easiest way (and my favorite)? Sprinkle in a little humor.

Learn More: Marc Ensign’s How to Captivate Your Audience with Humor (Even If You Don’t Think You’re Funny) will show you how to be funny (without looking like you’re trying to be funny).

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11. Write with Clarity

It doesn’t matter how amazing, profound, or revolutionary your ideas are, if you can’t express them in a clear, coherent way, you might as well have written them in an ancient language no one understands.

Ask yourself this question:

Could I explain my content to someone in one sentence?

If the answer is no, your work is probably too complex. It’s time to simplify.

Learn More: In 20 Rules for Writing So Crystal Clear Even Your Dumbest Relative Will Understand, Smart Blogger’s COO, Glen Long, shares his best tips for writing with clarity.

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12. Master Transitional Words and Phrases

Do you want to keep your readers glued to your content?

Want your posts to be so effortless to read people can’t help but absorb every word?

Experienced writers are meticulous about making each sentence flow seamlessly into the next, and they use transitional phrases to help make it happen.

If you want people to read your writing, from beginning to end, you need to do the same.

Learn More: Smart Blogger’s How to Use Transitional Words and Phrases to Make Your Writing Flow (with Examples) breaks down transitional phrases and how to use them to give audiences a smooth reading experience.

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13. Learn SEO (Like a Boss)

Whether you write for yourself or as a hired hand, being able to create content that ranks on Google is a valuable skill.

(In fact, if you’re a freelance writer, companies and agencies will happily pay you extra for this skill.)

Consistently ranking on Google doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you understand the basics of SEO — keyword research, user intent, UX signals, etc. — and purposefully create content with SEO in mind.

If you already know the basics of SEO, you have a leg up on the competition.

And if you don’t know the basics, you need to learn them.

The sooner, the better.

Learn More: Brian Dean of Backlinko has a thorough SEO guide and resource list you should read. And if you want to learn what not to do, check out Jon’s 6 SEO Mistakes That’ll Make Google Hate You Forever.

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14. Sleep With Your Readers

Remember when I said subheads should create curiosity? This is a good example.

What keeps your audience awake at night? What has them tossing and turning at 2 o’clock in the morning?

Answer this question and then write about it.

Follow this one tip and you could (almost) ignore the rest.

Learn More: “Sleeping with readers” is a metaphor Jon used in his epic article, Copyblogger Editor Admits to Sleeping with Readers and Recommends You Do the Same. For more insight into why knowing what’s keeping your readers up at night is so important, give it a read.

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You Now Know How to Become a Better Writer (but Knowing’s Just Half the Battle)

Most who read this post will smile, nod their head in agreement, and implement precisely zero of these tips.

But not you.

You know knowledge that’s not put into practice is wasted. That’s why you’ve already picked out a few favorites, and it’s why you can’t wait to start writing.

On their own, none of these writing tips will catapult you to superstardom. But each of them, little by little, will help you hone your craft.

So, are you ready to be a better writer? Are you ready to get 5%, 10%, or 15% better? Ready to go from a good writer to a great one?

Then it’s time to get to work.

Let’s do this thing.

About the Author: When he’s not busy telling waitresses, baristas, and anyone else who crosses his path that Jon Morrow once said he was in the top 1% of bloggers, Kevin J. Duncan is the Blog Editor for Smart Blogger.

The post How to Become a Better Writer: 14 Tips to Up Your Writing Game in 2019 appeared first on Smart Blogger.

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How to Write a Paragraph in 2019 (Yes, the Rules Have Changed)

Writing is tricky.

The same piece of content that earns you an A+ on your midterm would be marked as spam or deleted from a blog editor’s inbox.

Why is that?

Well, one reason is what constitutes a good paragraph differs from medium to medium.

How to write a paragraph for your college professor is different than writing a paragraph for a popular blog.

The good news?

In this post, you’ll learn the differences. We’ll go over paragraph writing for the digital age, and we’ll touch on the basics you need to know for school, magazines, and such.

But first, let’s look at why the rules for paragraph structure have changed…

Why Paragraph Writing Changed in the Digital Age

The main reason for the paragraph’s evolution is the way we consume media.

When we’re online, an onslaught of ads, pop-up notifications, cat videos, and vapid celebrity gossip are all competing for our attention.

As a result, writers have had to adapt.

Shorter paragraphs. More transitional words and phrases. Variation in rhythm.

Consider the drastic differences between this teacher-pleasing page from Habits of a Happy Brain (affiliate link) and this online article by Tomas Laurinaricius reviewing the same book:

In short:

When we open a book or magazine, we’re usually at home or somewhere quiet. We’ll set aside some time and give it our full attention.

But online, we scan content and decide, within seconds, whether to stay or go.

To survive in digital media, writers have to account for shorter attention spans and increased competition.

So, now that we understand the why, let’s look at the how.

The Rules of the 2019 Paragraph

Rule #1. In Digital Media, Short Paragraphs are Mandatory

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Online, one of the easiest ways to instantly turn off your audience is to present them with a big wall of text that has few breaks and little white space.

We have adapted to expect and prefer paragraphs that are short because they look and feel easier to read. Short paragraphs are easier to scan, and they allow readers to consume the article in bite-sized chunks, which helps maintain their focus.

Consider, for example, the ease with which you can read the introduction to this article by Mel Wicks:

Yes, Mel Wicks uses empathetic language and easy-to-read prose, which no doubt enhances her clarity. But you can’t ignore the sense you get just by glancing at her article that it will be an easy read.

This is the effect short paragraphs have on readers.

In the above article, Mel’s introduction has ten paragraphs. The longest paragraph is 42 words, and seven of them have only 12 words or less.

So, what’s the new standard? How long is a paragraph in 2019?

Well, in digital media your average paragraph should be between two and four lines. You can go over and under — some paragraphs are just one powerful word long — but stay close to that average and you should be fine.

Paragraph Length in Print Media (Or, How Many Sentences are in a Paragraph?)

The length of paragraphs in school papers, books, magazines, and other print media is a bit larger.

How much larger?

It’s no longer the hard-and-fast rule it used to be, but writing paragraphs of three-to-five sentences remains the standard practice.

Rule #2. Rhythm Dictates the Next Paragraph

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Rhythm is the new arbiter of words. It determines where paragraphs end and where new ones begin.

Rhythm in writing is hard to teach. It’s not an exact science and doesn’t follow hard rules.

The more experienced you become as a writer, the more you’ll develop your rhythm. But in the meantime, you can follow these basic guidelines for when to start a new paragraph:

1. Variation

While you want to keep your paragraphs short in digital media, every paragraph doesn’t have to be (or need to be) short.

In fact, switching between short and long paragraphs will make your writing sing.

Here are a few noteworthy rules of thumb. You don’t have to follow these perfectly, but they’re worth remembering:

• If you just wrote one or two paragraphs that are four lines or more, shorten the next few paragraphs.
• If you just wrote one or two paragraphs that are only one line, lengthen your next few paragraphs.
• And if you just wrote three to four paragraphs of similar length, shorten or lengthen your next paragraph.

Too many same-sized paragraphs in a row will bore your reader. It doesn’t matter if it’s too many small paragraphs or too many long paragraphs.

Consider this excerpt from Jon Morrow’s post on earning passive income online:

See how he perfectly balances between short and long paragraphs?

Now imagine if the same excerpt was structured this way:

The reason I put “passive income” in quotes is I think the term is a little misleading.

Almost nothing is totally passive.

While you may not personally be doing any work to receive the money, someone is.

And there’s usually at least a little bit of management overhead.

For instance, I’ve gone on record saying this blog averages over $100,000 per month.

From that total, about $60,000 of it is technically “passive income.”

Even though all of these paragraphs are short, this text feels monotonous.

Too many short paragraphs make a reader feel like they’re on a rollercoaster ride with no destination — they’re moving fast but they quickly get confused about where they’re going.

Ultimately, you want to guide your reader. And the only way to do that effectively is to recognize when your reader needs a few short paragraphs, a long one, or a bit of both.

Paragraph Variation in Print Media

Varying the length of your paragraphs in school papers, magazine articles, and books isn’t a commonly-discussed writing method, but it’s good practice.

Whether it’s your teacher or professor, a magazine subscriber, or a bookworm; every reader appreciates variation. Try to mix up the length of your paragraphs.

It’s a small change that can have a big impact.

2. Topic

While topic was once the ultimate indicator of paragraph change, it is now one of many. Topic is still critical for clarity. If you change paragraphs at a topically awkward time, the split disturbs the reader.

Take, for example, this excerpt from Liz Longacre’s article:

Blogging is a battle.

A war to get your ideas the attention they deserve.

Your enemy? The dizzying array of online distractions that devour your readers.

This battle is not for the faint of heart.

There are so many learning curves. Plugins you’ll need to install. Social networks you’ll need to employ. Marketing techniques you’ll need to try.

Imagine these paragraphs were structured like this instead …

Blogging is a battle.

A war to get your ideas the attention they deserve.

Your enemy? The dizzying array of online distractions that devour your readers.

This battle is not for the faint of heart. There are so many learning curves.

Plugins you’ll need to install. Social networks you’ll need to employ. Marketing techniques you’ll need to try.

Notice the difference in how you read the original paragraph versus the variation.

In the original, the last paragraph tactfully emphasizes the difficulty of learning how to start a blog. But in the variation, you take a mental pause between “There are so many learning curves” and “Plugins you’ll need to install.”

And it feels off, doesn’t it?

The last three sentences are examples of learning curves, which means they are topically linked to the phrase introducing them (“There are so many learning curves”).

In digital media, readers still expect topics will — for the most part — stick with each other.

Paragraph Topics in Schools, Colleges, and Universities

Topics play an even more important role in print media; specifically, in academia where each paragraph has an introduction and conclusion.

In school, we’re taught to use the following paragraph structure:

1. Topic sentence (the overarching idea of the paragraph);
2. Supporting sentences that provide detail to support the paragraph’s idea;
3. Concluding sentence to repeat and/or reinforce the topic sentence.

Here’s how it looks in practice:

Pizza is the world’s most versatile food. If you hate vegetables, you can get pizza overflowing with different meats. If you’re a vegetarian, you can get pizza with onions and peppers. And if you’re daring (and a little crazy), you can get pizza with anchovies and pineapples. Name the topping, and you can probably put it on a pizza.

The first sentence (topic sentence) tells the reader what to expect in the paragraph. The next three sentences (the supporting sentences) support the topic sentence by providing additional information. And the last sentence (the concluding sentence) wraps the paragraph up in a bow by mirroring the topic sentence.

3. Emphasis

Short paragraphs naturally add emphasis.

They can be used to highlight ideas you want the reader to take note of, but they can also be used for dramatic effect.

For example, check out Jon’s introduction to How to Start a Blog in 2019: Research Reveals 20X Faster Method:

What if I told you there’s a new strategy for how to start a blog and make money, that’s 20X faster, requires no software or technical expertise, and costs absolutely nothing up front? You’d think there must be some hidden catch, right?

But there’s not. It’s totally real.

Jon’s introduction asks the reader a question with a long paragraph. And then, for emphasis, he adds: “But there’s not. It’s totally real.”

This paragraph conveys a dramatic turn of events. The shortness of the paragraph emphasizes this.

The longer paragraph preps the reader for the punch, and the short paragraph brings it home.

You don’t always have to go from a long paragraph to a short paragraph to create emphasis. You can also use a gradual decline in word count and finish with your main point. This builds the reader up to the punchline.

Here’s another example, taken from The Brutally Honest Guide To Being Brutally Honest.

The author, Josh Tucker, decreases wordcount over three relatively short paragraphs to bring attention to his final sentence: “How you end the discussion can make all the difference.”

Think of paragraph length in the same way you think about the rest of your writing. Your word choice, sentence length, and paragraph structure all have a massive impact on what your article communicates.

Paragraph Emphasis in Print Media

The need to emphasize points in your content isn’t just for digital media. It’s great for academia and print media too.

Ultimately, paragraph emphasis is up to the creativity of the writer. Paragraph length is simply one tool at your disposal.

Another tool is italicizing or underline words in your content. Just be sure not to overdo it.

If you use too many italics or underlines, they can overwhelm your readers. Plus, they’ll eventually lose effectiveness.

Writing a Paragraph Readers Will Love Isn’t Hard

Not anymore, anyway.

Despite the difficulty in grabbing the attention of today’s digital readers, you now know how to turn visitors into content absorbers by crafting easy-to-read paragraphs — paragraphs that are short, rhythmic, and varied.

And, you now know a few pointers for what it takes to craft content teachers, professors, and editors in print media will adore.

Know your audience, and know how paragraphs should be constructed for said audience.

Do that and you’re golden.

Readers will appreciate your courteous writing and — dare I say? — they’ll keep coming back for more.

About the Author: Lover of all things communication — speaking, writing, and listening — Mike is currently the founder of MB Content where he helps businesses create significant, consistent and valuable pieces of content. You can see more of his work at Carrot, follow him on Twitter, or join his email list for entrepreneurs at Booktrep.

The post How to Write a Paragraph in 2019 (Yes, the Rules Have Changed) appeared first on Smart Blogger.

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Why People Follow (And Unfollow) Brands on Social Media

Consumers say the main reasons they follow brands on social media are to learn about products/services and to be entertained, according to recent research from Sprout Social. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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https://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2019/41243/why-people-follow-and-unfollow-brands-on-social-media

Instagram Stats Every Marketer Needs to Know in 2019 [Infographic]

Instagram has over 1 billion active monthly users, 500 million of whom are active daily on the image-based social platform. Users' engagement with brands on Instagram is at least 10 times higher than on any other social platform. Worth paying attention to, right?! Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2019/41339/instagram-stats-every-marketer-needs-to-know-in-2019-infographic

Rate Card: How Much Social Influencers Charge Brands

How much are influencers charging brands to post content to social media? How do these rates vary by follower count, social network, and content type? Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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https://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2019/41242/rate-card-how-much-social-influencers-charge-brands

WordPress Block Editor: The Ultimate Gutenberg Guide (2019)

Here’s the deal:

If you’re new to the WordPress block editor, or if you’re looking for an easy-to-read resource you can reference as needed, you’ve come to the right place.

In this post, we’re going to walk you through the ins and outs of the block editor (aka “Gutenberg”) — what it is, how it differs from the classic editor, and how to use it.

Let’s jump in.

WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg) Overview

What is the Gutenberg Editor?

When WordPress 5.0 was released in December 2018, the world was introduced to the Gutenberg editor — now known as the WordPress block editor.

Gone was the classic, TinyMCE WordPress editor. In its place was a modern, drag-and-drop block editor offering an entirely new content creation experience.

Gutenberg’s drag and drop in action

In short, Gutenberg is a total revamp of the WordPress editor.

Using “blocks”, users of all experience levels can build custom posts and pages — without having to use third-party tools and plugins, and without having to know how to code.

What is a Content Block in WordPress?

Blocks are the vessels for your content.

With blocks, you can insert, rearrange, and style content in WordPress. What types of content? Here’s a small sampling (we’ll go over all of them later):

• Tables
• Images
• Videos
• Paragraphs
• Quotes
• Shortcodes
• Social media (YouTube, Facebook, etc.) embeds
• Widgets

Basically, anything you can reasonably imagine adding to a blog post or article can be added using blocks.

And you can add them faster and easier.

How is the WordPress Block Editor Different than the Classic Editor?

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison.

First, the classic TinyMCE content editor:

Next, the new “Gutenberg” block editor:

The classic editor is reminiscent of Microsoft Word. There’s a place to write your text, and there’s a formatting toolbar to style your content (bold, italics, etc.).

The new editor uses a block system for content creation. Besides looking more polished and modern, the WordPress block editor allows you to:

• Add tables (again, without knowing code or having to install plugins);
• Arrange, rearrange, and mingle text and media by simply dragging and dropping elements from here to there;
• Create content columns with ease;
• Change the background colors and font sizes in each block;
• Reuse blocks you use over and over (to save yourself time).

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

In other words, the two editors are different.

Very different.

How do I Use the Block Editor in WordPress?

With the background information out of the way, it’s time to walk you through the new block editor.

We’ll start with how to navigate it:

Block Navigation

1. Add a new block
2. Undo and Redo buttons
3. Content structure (word count, headings, paragraphs, blocks)
4. Block navigation (a drop-down displaying all the block types used in the post)

Sidebar Navigation

1. Preview and Publish the post
2. This is the classic WordPress sidebar: categories, tags, permalink, and publishing options
3. Block settings: when you click on a block in the editor, you get its unique set of options in the sidebar
4. Hide sidebar
5. More editor settings

How to Add a Block

In your WordPress dashboard, create a new post as you would normally. (Or, open an existing post so you can edit it.)

Click on the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of the editor.

Select the category and the type of block you want to insert:

Each block can be edited, deleted, saved as reusable, and moved up or down with drag-and-drop options.

Once you’re done with a block, you can insert more blocks. You can also duplicate a block or edit it in HTML:

Types of WordPress Blocks (and How to Use Them)

Here are each of the types of blocks (broken down by category) offered by Gutenberg:

Common Blocks

This category of blocks contains the basic (“common”) elements people typically use in their blog posts. Most bloggers and writers will use these blocks more than others.

Paragraph Block

The Paragraph Block is simply a box for writing your text.

It comes with the standard formatting options — text alignment, font size, background and text color, drop cap, and more.

Image Block

With an Image Block, you can easily insert an image by uploading it from your computer, picking it from WordPress media library, or copying its URL.

The standard WordPress options for images are included: you can add a caption, adjust the image size, add alt text, and more.

List Block

With a List Block, you can create a list of items ordered by bullets (unordered list) or numbers (numbered list).

You can also add sub-items for each main item in the list, insert anchor links, and format the text.

Quote Block

The Quote Block lets you add your favorite quotes in a beautiful, elegant style.

Write the text and its author, then format it just as you would in a Paragraph Block. You can use the default font size or a larger size.

Heading Block

With a Heading Block, you can start a new section inside your post.

You can choose from six heading sizes. The first three are available inside the block, while the smaller ones can be found in the sidebar to the right of the editor.

Editor’s Note: Even though it’s available in the sidebar, don’t use the H1 heading. It’s (typically) reserved for the headline of your post. Instead, start with H2.

If you’d like to learn more about them, here’s a post we wrote about common subhead blunders.

File Block

With File Blocks, you can add all sorts of files for your visitors to download: images, archives, docs, PDFs… you name it.

From the sidebar, you can choose to display a download button, open the file in a new tab, and link to either a media file or an attachment.

Gallery Block

A Gallery Block is for when you want to add more than one image. It has the same features as the Image Block, but you can upload multiple images within the same block.

The gallery displays a nice grid layout. In the right sidebar, you can choose the number of columns in the gallery and each image’s destination page.

Captions are also allowed.

Audio Block

Planning to feature music or a podcast interview on your site? You can use the Audio Block to upload and play audio files.

The block will display a minimalist audio player. You can choose to play it automatically and/or in a loop.

Video Block

Using the Video Block, you are able to upload videos.

You have the option to autoplay and/or mute them. An awesome feature is you can upload a poster image for the thumbnail (in case you don’t want to display the featured capture it fetches by default).

Cover Block

Using a Cover Block, you can create an image or video with text overlay. You can use it as a featured image for a post or as a header.

You can also adjust the background color and opacity.

Formatting Blocks

This category groups blocks that focus on formatting content, such as pull quotes, tables, and verses.

Let’s go over each of them:

Code Block

Use the Code Block if you want to show your readers examples of code snippets.

The code won’t be executed; instead, it will display in a distinct style so it stands out to your readers.

Classic Block

With a Classic Block, you can add a block resembling the classic editor and its classic formatting options. It’s a miniature TinyMCE editor inside a block.

Table Block

A Table Block lets you easily insert a table in WordPress without plugins or having to know HTML code.

Write the number of rows and columns you need, pick the layout (default or stripes), and you’re set. Afterward, you can add rows and columns at the beginning or end of the table with one click.

Verse Block

With Verse Blocks, you can add song lyrics or poetry verses.

When you press enter, you won’t be directed to a new block like in the Paragraph Block; instead, it will jump to a new row. You can write as many verses as you wish while remaining in the same block.

Custom HTML Block

With Custom HTML Blocks, you’re able to write HTML code and quickly preview the changes.

You enter your code in HTML mode:

And you preview it in Preview mode:

Pull Quote Block

When you want to emphasize an excerpt of your article, you can turn it into its own block with a Pull Quote Block.

What distinguishes a Pull Quote Block from a Quote Block is its formatting. A Pull Quote Block has colored borders.

Preformatted Block

Similar to the preformatted text option in the classic TinyMCE editor, a Preformatted Block lets you display the text on the front-end exactly as you type it.

The preformatted text uses a monospaced font, which means all characters have the same width.

Here’s a preview of the preformatted text:

Layout Elements

Blocks in this category help you beautify and arrange your post in a way that’s pleasing to the eye.

This includes blocks for adding colorful buttons, smart columns, media elements, and more.

Button Block

A Button Block lets you add a button to your post. You can customize its style (round, square, etc.), color, and the action to take place once it’s clicked.

Columns Block

If you need to present your text in columns (“newspaper” style) rather than in full width, the Columns Block lets you do it quickly and easily.

Media & Text Block

In the classic editor, placing images and text side by side required some developer skills. With the Media & Text Block, you can do it in just a few clicks.

Lines and Separators Block

A Lines and Separators Block, as its name implies, allows you to add spacers between one piece of content and another.

This includes page breaks, line separators, and more.

Embeds

The Embeds category lets you add content from social media sites, platforms, or any site from which you want to share posts or files.

You can choose to add blocks for Twitter, YouTube, Spotify, Flickr, and more.

If you choose “Facebook” from the above list of blocks and paste a Facebook URL…

…you’ll be able to embed the Facebook post directly inside your post:

In the classic editor, this was significantly more difficult to do.

Widgets

With the Widgets category, your existing WordPress widgets (which were usually restricted to your blog’s sidebar or footer) can be easily added inside the body of your posts as blocks.

Want to display a search bar or the latest comments on your blog right inside your post? You can by using the applicable widget block.

Need More Blocks? Try These Gutenberg Plugins for WordPress

As you can see from the list above, Gutenberg comes with a large selection of blocks right out of the box.

But if you need more, there are several WordPress plugins to give you even more functionality.

Otter Blocks Plugin

Otter Blocks is a free WordPress plugin providing 12 additional blocks, including Font Awesome Icons and Testimonials.

Once you’ve installed and activated the plugin, these new blocks will appear under the “Otter” category:

Atomic Blocks Plugin

Atomic Blocks is another freebie offering (as of this writing) 14 new blocks focused on product owners. These blocks will appear inside the “Atomic Blocks” once you’ve installed the plugin.

Stackable

Stackable provides 22 free blocks, some of which are already available in Gutenberg. However, they come with a different design.

If you work a lot with images, this plugin gives a few interesting layout solutions to blend text and visuals in an interesting way.

Common WordPress Block Editor Questions

Before we wrap up, let’s look at a few common questions related to Gutenberg. This is a living section and will be updated as time goes on, so if you have a question be sure to leave it in the comments section below.

How do I Rearrange Blocks?

Once you’ve created a block, you can drag and drop them as you please.

Hover over the block you want to reposition, then click and hold the dots icon to move it. Or, you can click the arrows above and below the dots to move the block up or down one position at a time:

How do I Create Reusable Block Templates?

If you want to use a block more than once, click on the ellipsis (3 dots) and choose the “Add to Reusable Blocks” option:

The block will be saved as a reusable block.

Once you saved at least one reusable block, the “Reusable” category will appear among the other block categories:

How do I Disable the New Editor in WordPress? (Or, How do I Revert to the Classic Editor in WordPress?)

If you install the Classic Editor plugin, the previous (“classic”) editor will be restored.

The WordPress core team has committed to supporting Classic Editor plugin until “at least 2022” or “as long as is necessary.”

So, if you’ve upgraded to WordPress 5.0 or later, and you find you’re not yet ready to make the switch to the new block editor, this official plugin from WordPress will allow you to use the classic TinyMCE text editor you know and love.

Can I Give Access to Gutenberg to Only a Few Users on my Site?

Absolutely.

If you have a bunch of different users and user roles on a single WordPress site, you can allow/restrict access to the block editor only to certain profiles/roles.

Is it Called Gutenberg, the Gutenberg Block Editor, the Block Editor, or Something Else?

“Gutenberg” was the project’s name when it was in development. As such, many still call it the “Gutenberg editor” or, simply, “Gutenberg.”

After the release of WordPress 5.0, it became known as the “WordPress Block Editor” or, simply, “block editor.”

But whatever you choose to call it, it’s all the same.

Is Gutenberg a Page Builder?

Not in its current state.

However, the block editor is merely the first of three planned stages.

Stage three, full site customization, would turn Gutenberg into a full-fledged page builder.

How do I Know if a WordPress Theme or Plugin is Compatible with the Block Editor?

Once Gutenberg was officially merged into the core of WordPress in release 5.0, theme and plugin authors/developers needed to update their products to ensure they were compatible.

Most themes and plugins, especially popular ones, are now compatible with Gutenberg. However, you should always make sure themes and plugins are compatible before you install and activate them on your website.

With plugins on WordPress.org, look for the “Tested with” label:

For themes, check if Gutenberg compatibility is mentioned on WordPress.org or its homepage:

What Happens to my Old Posts After I Switch to Gutenberg?

Don’t worry — your old content won’t disappear.

When you update your site to WordPress 5.0 or later, each of your old posts will be converted into a “classic” block, which is similar to the classic TinyMCE content editor.

You can choose to keep your old posts “classic,” or you can convert them into blocks.

How to Convert Old Posts into Blocks?

Click the ellipsis (3 dots) and choose the “Convert to Blocks” option:

This will convert your post into a series of blocks, which you can edit, delete, and rearrange as you would normally.

Gutenberg isn’t so Scary

Though it differs greatly from the classic TinyMCE editor, you shouldn’t fear the new WordPress block editor.

It’s fairly intuitive, it’s powerful, and it eliminates much of the clutter keeping you from what truly matters: creating great content.

You now have a simple, easy-to-follow guide to help you navigate the new Gutenberg editor.

We hope you found it helpful.

If there’s anything you would like to see us add, or any questions you have about the new WordPress block editor, let us know in a comment below.

Author Bio: Adelina Tuca is a writer and WordPress blogger at ThemeIsle and CodeinWP. When she does not create content, she manages their partnerships with other publications and makes sure JustFreeThemes is performing well. She loves tennis, books, hiking, and metal concerts.

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