Quick Summary:- This article has provided you with a brief overview of the most valuable and trending features of WordPress CMS. It is important for web designers to keep up with the latest trends and should be aware of the benefits of using this software in 2023.
WordPress has been one of the oldest yet most valuable and popular solutions for managing content. From 2003 to 2023, this platform has been immensely transformed, and this is why it is the foundation for a considerable percentage of websites running today globally. Therefore, it has established a massive ecosystem and is set to be there in the future.
When people just thought that WordPress was at its best and would not be able to offer anything further, the team proved all wrong. The constant evolution and introduction of better features is the driving factor.
Experts believe that it renders ease of designing websites and versatility, making it the best open-source software. A research report suggests that 92.4 percent of websites who use WordPress leverage the latest version of WordPress, which indicates that organizations consider upgrading the interpretation rather than switching to a new CMS platform. Web designers using this software should be aware of the top trends to keep pace with the ever-changing digital world.
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Prevailing WordPress Trends
People who wonder if using WordPress in 2023 will make sense? The answer is yes. WordPress is all set to improvise and overcome the shortcomings developers have faced in the past. Even though the basics will remain the same, it will appeal to beginners.
So, those who aren’t pros in coding will still be able to design beautiful websites with WordPress’s innovative features and trends.
(1) Headless WordPress
Headless or decoupled WordPress is where a website uses different software for both front-end and back-end frameworks. While WordPress manages content as a back-end solution, the front-end component uses a separate application. Here are some significant benefits of this trending setup:
- Flexibility: A web design based on headless WordPress offers flexibility since it becomes easy to integrate content into complex front-end solutions from various sources like video streaming sites, web services, location info, social media information, etc.
- Performance: Headless WordPress facilitates the quick loading of websites, making it a great offering to users and enhancing search engine optimization. The website developed on this basis use fewer hosting resources.
- Security: Website designers prefer headless WordPress as it shows static features with no active database connections. This scenario ensures reduced attacks or hacking incidents.
(2) No-Code & Low-Code Tools
Low-code tools are a boon for newcomers since they can venture into the website design without extensive knowledge. The no-code reduces app or web development duration, and this aspect has contributed to WordPress CMS’s popularity.
This CMS allows using plugins that help improve the end-product and user experience and result in functional websites at lesser costs and shorter periods.
(3) WordPress For SaaS
With no-code solutions gaining popularity, software as a service is also in trend. The SaaS helps to develop applications as a service on the internet platform. Here, one does not need to install and maintain software; everything can be accessed through the internet, making tasks easier and quicker.
SaaS is in demand for B2C and B2B businesses rendering streamlined workflows, automated tasks, and the addition of new functions with ease. The current trends indicate that WordPress, combined with useful plugins, will encourage entrepreneurs to launch SaaS loaded with features, making them an excellent alternative for end-users.
(4) Drag & Drop Functionalities Are Here to Remain
The drag-and-drop tool is of great use to someone who doesn’t know coding and commands in CSS. All one needs is a computer and the internet for creating websites. This tool lets the user select one layout and then drag pre-set features wherever desired. This plugin offered by WordPress is therefore of great use for easy and quick website designing tasks.
One can also customize the elements as desired, giving complete flexibility to the designer. This tool is increasingly popular, and businesses are getting great results in user-friendly and appealing websites.
(5) Automated Updates for WordPress
WordPress introduced automated updates recently, and it has proved to be of great use in website development. It is fascinating that more people are becoming aware of this feature and are less dependent on third-party tools and plugins.
Automated WordPress updates help maintain security and functionality. These are helpful for web owners who wish to retain their simple sites. Initially, they recommended disabling the auto-update feature since very few people could adapt to the evolving functionalities.
However, today, when developers and designers are technically sound, these updates prove to be convenient. There are ways to handle unwanted problematic updates on WordPress, allowing software users to be aware and choose whether an update is helpful for their website.
(6) Gutenberg Advancements
In 2018, Gutenberg was introduced as a WordPress editor. Initially, the developers did not find value since it was complex and buggy. Since its inception, it has been altered and transformed to render the desired functionality. Today, it has been accepted and is a trending WordPress feature and is there to stay.
Over time, Gutenberg has changed how website content was created by offering features that allowed adding several media types and arranging layouts using blocks in the editing frame. You can now utilize this tool to edit the entire site, including sidebars, menus, header, footer, etc. In the future, the aim is to evolve Gutenberg to support websites in different languages.
(7) Eased Learning Curve for Beginners
With constant efforts to introduce complete site editing in WordPress, it will be the most important future trend for beginners. With the block editing functionality of Gutenberg being widened to the entire website, it will ease the learning curve for WordPress newbies. The editors will be able to use global elements more effectively, which will make the website more appealing to the end-user. The only challenge that needs to be addressed when introducing complete site editing is the slowing down of websites.
If the WordPress team can achieve optimal website speed with complete website editing, it will be a trend that will storm the digital world. The web world is dynamic, and hence website developers want to create sites that are competitive and have the latest features. As many beginners are getting attracted to the digital world, the new WordPress features will let them design effective websites in a short duration and least effort.
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(8) Performance Enhancements
The WordPress team has been eagerly working on improving its product offering. The aim is to make the software easy to use and enhance performance. This scenario is possible by introducing new, faster, and more impactful plugins, themes, captions, etc. The critical areas of development are:
- Script (JavaScript and CSS) was prioritized for faster and lighter front-end coding.
- Enable new plugins and themes for performance optimization.
- Non-optimized images tend to slow down the websites. The aim is to introduce smaller high-quality photos to ensure no impact on the site speed.
(9) Lesser Use of 3rd Party Page Builders
In the coming years, the roadmap is set, and WordPress will be the masterstroke. With improving features, WordPress is all set to render maximum utility, which will mean reduced dependency on 3rd party page building tools. This scenario would mean more efficient and responsive websites to gear up the digital game for players.
(10) Parallax Effect
The parallax effect is used to render slow-moving backgrounds with faster foreground content. This strategy imparts depth to the web page and gives the user a 3d illusion effect. It is a fascinating feature as the dimension appeals to the viewer, keeping the interest intact. Even though parallax has been there for some years now, it continues to rule the website designing world. Websites that have scrolling features make the best use of this effect.
Implementing parallax in WordPress can be done using popular plugins. One can choose the background image according to the business offering and industry. Indeed, this effect only deals with the website’s visual appeal, but still, organizations prefer it to mark an excellent first impression on the end-users and keep them hooked to the website. It is time to say goodbye to simple, basic websites and choose an innovative approach.
(11) Chatbots Plugins
Artificial Intelligence is an emerging trend that will be popular in the future. People use AI in voice assistance, navigation applications, facial recognition, etc. In the digital world, AI is in the form of chatbots.
Chatbots are useful plugins for organizations into online businesses. When a company offers its products and services online, customers tend to have some queries that they wish to be answered before making a buying decision. In the initial days of the e-commerce business, many leads were lost because the user could not find satisfactory answers to the question.
Over time, companies recognized the need to cater to this issue and created data where the most common questions asked were included. The chatbots were designed so that the repetitive questions could be instantly answered and eventually generate leads or result in a positive buying experience for the user.
Today, chatbots are also used as customer support systems which include AI chat features. The chatbot plugins can support businesses as digital businesses are maturing if implemented effectively. People today prefer buying online as it saves time and effort. Thus, a well-designed website with an impeccable chatbot experience is a great way to achieve business goals.
(12) Micro-interactions
Websites need to be interactive. Gone are the times when people considered websites for information only. Today, users expect the sites to render an experience rather than content sources. So how can the content on a page be made engaging? The answer lies in using micro-interactions.
This WordPress tool helps develop and design a website that reacts to users’ actions. Some common types of micro-interactions that are being successfully used by many websites are:
- A link or button that changes in color or size when clicked.
- If a person moves the cursor over an image of his interest, the image popups automatically. This scenario has been extensively used on social media websites.
- Animations respond to click actions like downloading progress, purchase, payment processing, etc.
The Future Perspective of WordPress
WordPress has undoubtedly evolved with the changing technology and market dynamics. With the constant attempts to make WordPress a bundle of helpful website tools, the future seems bright and enticing. The developments are quick, and website owners would have great benefits.
This scenario has kept them ahead in the competition and is why most web developers and designers still prefer using this CMS tool despite several other alternatives available.
With WordPress, businesses are guaranteed improved accessibility. WordPress makes it easy with many plugins and themes, with more people leveraging mobile phones to browse websites. It will continue to rule the web world.
The 12 trends stated above will further expand the platform for businesses. When considering these future trends, organizations need to keep in mind that the basics need to be in place first. The website should be well-optimized before taking advantage of the new tools and features.
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Moving Forward with WordPress
The digital platforms are highly competitive, and users have infinite options to choose from the list. If one is not appealing and helpful enough, it takes a fraction of a second to click and move on to another website.
In such times, it becomes crucial to move forward with WordPress. It is time to act proactively and develop a website that reaches out to the target audience and results in business. The digital platform has eliminated all location, language, and reach barriers. Therefore, it becomes essential to make a unique offering.
The WordPress team is keen to discover the loopholes and make changes that the future web platform can use. Integration of block editor and moving towards entire site editing is a step in that direction, and there is a lot of stuff to discover.
The upcoming trends will transform the digital world, and end-users will witness unique experiences. The WordPress journey began as a content management system, but it is a complete application framework that developers love today. Therefore, WordPress is still the most promising content management system that companies can vouch for designing an engaging website.
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