WordPress 5.8, also known as “Tatum” after a legendary jazz pianist, was made publicly available on July 20th this year and came with nearly 300 new features and improvements.
A further announcement came from WordPress on August 9th, showcasing some ‘cool things’ developers and SEOs can do with the widgets through examples from a test site created by the post author.
### Overlapping Layouts And Duotone Images
The first example of features in the new WordPress version focuses on aesthetics. The Tatum version provides users with more control than ever before. In a supporting video, you see the user creating visual content to link to a downloadable guide within the widget before inserting it into the post.
Another example involves changing the block behind the main image to a complementing picture. You can use the scroll to select exactly which part of the image you want to sit behind the main picture. Additionally, the colors within the core image can be manipulated to help it stand out even more if desired.
Instead of having the title header awkwardly above the image block, you can now simply drag and drop it into the image, where it will fit nicely. Compared to the original version, the new look is much more eye-catching and appealing to site visitors, likely boosting click-through rates and download rates.
### Interspersing Widgets And Custom Code
The second feature in WordPress’ announcement focuses on using block versions of widgets to wrap and layer within a container block for a more integrated layout. For instance, you can add custom HTML blocks within a column to showcase different messages at certain times of the day. This feature would be useful for businesses with brick-and-mortar stores to easily inform site visitors when the shop is open or closed. Another example includes integrating a search bar within a block so that it sits within an image rather than above it.
### Flexibility Over Title Structure
The penultimate feature highlighted is the additional control that developers or SEOs have over how titles appear on a page. Each widget can have its own title, there could be one title for a widget area, or you can choose to exclude titles altogether.
### Access To The WordPress Pattern Directory
Design is further simplified with the option to copy and paste page layout templates from the WordPress Pattern Directory. Once you’ve pasted your chosen pattern, you can adjust the colors and content to keep your page on-brand. While this feature isn’t directly integrated into the widget areas, it was hinted in the release that it might be rolled out in the future. However, in the meantime, users may experience some ‘unexpected behavior’ with this feature.
### Getting Users Closer To A ‘What You See Is What You Get’ Experience
These updates, according to WordPress, bring users closer to a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) editing experience. This new version seems to make it easier to achieve the desired look without heavily relying on custom coding.
Read more in the press release and the support article related to WordPress Tatum.
