Getting the Block Editor to Work For You

The problem with a blank canvas

Give an editor every block and infinite freedom, and pages drift apart. Different spacing, different heading levels, different structures for the same kind of content.

Constraining the editor is what makes it useful, not limiting.

Three things worth building

1. Custom blocks for your recurring content shapes — a service summary, a team member, a stat panel
2. Patterns — pre-built section layouts an editor can insert and fill in
3. Block templates — a starting structure for each post type

A custom block with three labelled fields produces a consistent result every time. The same section assembled from generic blocks produces a different result every time.

Lock down what should not change

• Restrict which blocks are available in which post types
• Lock the structure of templates where consistency matters
• Provide your brand colours as the palette, not the full spectrum
• Set sensible spacing defaults rather than leaving it to judgement

Blocks versus page builders

The block editor is core WordPress, so content is not trapped in a plugin's format. That portability is a real advantage over third-party builders.

It is less feature-rich, which is largely why sites built with it are lighter and faster.

Train the editors

Half an hour showing your team the patterns and custom blocks you built for them. Otherwise they will use generic blocks and the constraint achieves nothing.

A two-page guide with screenshots of the patterns covers it for most teams.

Frequently asked questions