Tim McGiven's Blog, page 31

Black Friday: All of Our Deals in One Spot

You’re already familiar with WordPress.com, but did you know we’re part of a larger family of amazing products? Automattic provides a range of online solutions, from ecommerce shops to course-creation software to audience survey tools, and much, much more. No matter what’s on your website wishlist this year, we’ve got you covered.   

After all, the best Black Friday deal isn’t a disposable gadget or a trendy clothing item; it’s something that will help you grow, and will grow along with you. Your website isn’t just a website — it’s the foundation for everything you hope to achieve.

Below you’ll find all the deals we’re offering across our online ecosystem.     

WordPress.com: 40% off 2-year plans 

Best-in-class WordPress hosting. Unparalleled support. All the SEO, security, and design features you need, built right in. For a limited time, get 40% off any new 2-year plan — just use the code blackfriday2022 at checkout to take advantage of this discount. (Be sure you’ve selected the “Two year” option from the dropdown menu on the checkout page.)

Get 40% off WordPress.com! Built By WordPress.com: Free 1-year plan

Whether you want to build an online store or completely redesign your website, Built By WordPress.com is here for you. Click on the link below to tell us more about your project or business. Don’t forget to mention “Black Friday 2022” to get the first year on our Business plan for free! 

Let us build your site! Built By WordPress.com Express: 30% off 

No need to stress the details: Our WordPress experts can build your site for you from the ground up. Take 30% off a website build and get your site launched in 4 business days or less. Use the code blackfriday22 at checkout.

Get 30% off! Domains: Up to 90% off popular extensions 

Want a new domain? Enjoy incredible savings of 50% to 90% off for the first year. We have many great extensions to choose from, all priced at $5 USD or below for Black Friday. 

Choose from .blog, .me, .art, .store, .link, .click, .online, .shop, .life, .live, .world, .guru, .today, .info, .pro, .agency, .boutique, .directory, .run, .solutions, .wtf, and many more!

Get your domain today! WooCommerce: 40% off all themes and extensions 

Now’s the perfect time to launch or level up the online store of your dreams. With 40% off all WooCommerce themes and extensions, you can turn your WordPress site into a powerful platform for ecommerce. 

Start selling! Jetpack: 20% off all products and bundles 

There’s never been a better time to secure your website with real-time backups, automated malware scanning, and powerful spam protection. This weekend, get 20% off all Jetpack products and bundles. 

Get 20% off Jetpack!

Fun fact: If you’re a WordPress.com customer, Jetpack is already built into your site at no additional cost!  

Crowd Signal: 50% off plans and upgrades 

Gather feedback and insights from your customers with polls, surveys, feedback buttons, quizzes, and more. Get 50% off new plans and plan upgrades through Monday. 

Get 50% off Crowd Signal! Sensei: 40% off all products 

Create and sell courses that would make your favorite teacher proud. Get 40% off all Sensei products, including Interactive Blocks, Sensei Pro, and Sensei Agency.

Get 40% off Sensei! WP Job Manager: 30% off

A job board plugin like no other. Get our Add-on Bundle for 30% off to collect resumes, promote job listings, and more.

Get 30% off WP Job Manager!

New Patterns: Subscriptions, Link in Bio, Wireframes, and More

Have you used Patterns on your site yet? 

These prebuilt, customizable templates combine professionally-designed blocks for specific uses like stylized quotes, contact page layouts, and product listings. But that’s just the beginning. All told, we have more than 275+ Patterns you can insert into your pages and posts at the press of a button.

If you’ve never used Patterns before, they’re like any other site element: Access them by hitting the “+” button at the top left of the page or post you’re working on, then selecting the “Patterns” tab. You can also click on the “Explore” button to bring up our entire library of Patterns, organized by category. 

Think of them as sophisticated slices of web design for your posts and pages. You can drop them in as-is, or customize them to your liking. Even better, we’re adding more all the time.

Here are just a few of the most recent arrivals to the Pattern library.

Newsletter Subscriptions

WordPress.com has newsletter capabilities built right in. All you need to do is add a Subscribe Block! Readers who enter their email address will get notified when you publish new posts. To make those Subscribe Blocks look a bit jazzier, we’ve added a number of newsletter-focused patterns to our library.

Find these and more in the “Newsletter” category. Link in Bio

We’ve added a handful of visually stunning Patterns for your link-in-bio pages and sites. Pick one, customize as desired, add your links, and you’ve got a brand new way to let your readers know what’s new.

Find these and more in the “Link in Bio” category. Wireframes

Wireframe patterns are those that have less of a design element built-in and allow you to start with a blank slate. Your imagination can run wild this collection of patterns. (Remember, though, every pattern is fully customizable.)

Find these and more in the “Wireframe” category. Explore All of Our Patterns!

Even if you don’t have a specific need in mind, take a look around the full Patterns library. We have options for featured products, menus, events, coupons, footers, and more.

Patterns can be an incredibly useful resource for your design toolbox. Customize, experiment, and turn inspiration into eye-catching reality.

If you need help with Patterns, check out our more detailed guide. 

And be sure to let us know in the comments how you’ve used Patterns on your site and any ideas you have for new ones. We’re always working on more — so stay tuned!

Embed a Pocket Casts Player in Seconds With Our New Block

The library of blocks in the WordPress editor is always growing, providing websites with fresh and intriguing features on a regular basis. Our most recent update will appeal to podcasters, bloggers and Pocket Casts fans alike and we are thrilled to share it with you today.

Spread the word about your favorite podcasts and episodes with the Pocket Casts block

Are you a podcaster? Add the Pocket Casts block to any post or page on your website to let people know about your passion project and to embed the most recent episodes of your podcast. If you’re an avid listener but haven’t started your own podcast (yet, at least), you can now embed episodes and shows by other people within your own writing so that readers may listen to them without ever leaving your website.

You won’t need any special codes or embed URLs once you select the Pocket Casts block from the editor’s list of possible blocks. You will simply need to provide the episode’s or podcast’s URL.

Here’s what the Pocket Casts player will look like on your site — the example below features the latest episode on the Distributed podcast, hosted by Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg:

We truly hope you give the Pocket Casts block (and app) a try. Please comment below if you have any questions or would like to provide a link to a post where you’ve already used it.

Celebrating 200 WordPress.com Websites With Out in Tech!

In September, our team celebrated 200 WordPress.com websites built with Out in Tech, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating career and networking opportunities for LGBTQ+ folks in the tech industry. Since 2017, Automattic and WordPress.com have been proud partners of Out in Tech. Through our partnership, we work together with volunteers to build essential websites for LGBTQ+ organization across the globe.

In this video, you’ll hear from volunteers, Out in Tech organizers, and WordPress.com employees about the impact that these websites have within the larger LGBTQ+ communities that benefit from them. To learn more about the Digital Corps Hackathons or to get involved with Out in Tech, head to www.outintech.com.

Hot Off the Press: New WordPress.com Themes for October 2022

The WordPress.com team is always working on new design ideas to bring your website to life. Below you’ll find the four newest themes that we’ve added to our library, with beautiful options for food-based businesses, podcasts, and bloggers.

To install any of the below themes, click the the name of the theme you like, which brings you right to the installation page. Then simply click the “Activate this design” button. You can also click “Open live demo,” which brings up a clickable, scrollable version of the theme for you to preview.

Premium themes are free to use for any user on a Premium plan or above, or can be purchased individually by those with free sites or Personal plans.

You can explore all of our themes by navigating to the “Themes” page, which is found under “Appearance” in the left-side menu of your WordPress.com dashboard. Or, just click here:

All WordPress.com ThemesMasu

Masu is a blogging-focused theme inspired by the traditional square wooden box used to measure rice in Japan. It has a warm tone and, naturally, features a square grid alignment.

Click here to view a demo of this theme.

Varese (Premium Theme)

Made for restaurants, bakeries, and other small businesses, Varese is a versatile and modern theme. It comes with a number of patterns, allowing you quickly design and build your pages and launch your website. With the support of OpenTable Block, get bookings and reservations to your business.

Click here to view a demo of this theme.

Spearhead Blocks

Spearhead Blocks is a podcasting starter theme. A modernized version of the original Spearhead, this theme allows you to easily customize and scale your podcast website as needed.

Click here to view a demo of this theme.

Munchies (Premium Theme)

Designed with portable business in mind, Munchies comes with patterns for food menus, a schedule for upcoming events, and more. Use this theme to share your story with your customers and to make it easier for them to connect with you.

Click here to view a demo of this theme.

Stay tuned for more updates about new themes, patterns, blocks, and other exciting product updates! And be sure to click below to take a look at the entire showcase of themes we offer:

All WordPress.com Themes

Free New Course Coming Soon: Create Your Site With WordPress.com

Are you building a website for the first time? Returning to WordPress after a break? Just looking to get caught up on the newest Gutenberg features? 

You’re in the right place.

We’re excited to announce a brand new free course called Create Your Site. 

If you’re searching for a solid foundation for making a WordPress.com website, look no further. This is the perfect introduction for anyone with an idea: bloggers, business owners, or creators in any medium.

Join our waitlist today, and you’ll be first in line to find out when the course officially launches in just a few weeks.

Join the waitlistThis course includes:A clear roadmap for building a WordPress.com siteHands-on exercises broken down into step-by-step instructions A self-paced environment so you can learn at a rate that works best for youA private community to discuss, collaborate, and engage with other students to network and swap feedbackAdditional tips, resources, ideas, and feedback provided by WordPress experts

By the end of this course, you’ll know which specific actions to take to build your site with WordPress.com, as well as your next steps after that. After all, launching your site is only the beginning of your journey.

What you’ll learn:

With a combination of short videos, step-by-step instructions, and detailed explanations (when necessary), we cover: 

ThemesPagesContent Block EditorSite EditorTemplatesMenus

You can move through the course as quickly as you like, or take your time to dig deeper. You can also repeat the course as many times as you like. Start with a practice site, build your very first site, or use it to build many more sites. The choice is yours!

The best part? At the risk of repeating ourselves: It’s free!

Join our waitlist for Create Your Site with WordPress.com, so you don’t miss the announcement when it opens for enrollment.

Join the waitlist

New Patterns: Headers, Footers, Link in Bio, and More

Have you used Patterns on your site yet? 

These prebuilt, customizable templates combine professionally-designed blocks for specific uses like stylized quotes, contact page layouts, and product listings. But that’s just the beginning. All told, we have more than 260 Patterns you can insert into your pages and posts at the press of a button.

If you’ve never used Patterns before, they’re like any other site element: Access them by hitting the “+” button at the top left of the page or post you’re working on, then selecting the “Patterns” tab. You can also click on the “Explore” button to bring up our entire library of Patterns, organized by category. 

Think of them as sophisticated slices of web design for your posts and pages. You can drop them in as-is, or customize them to your liking. Even better, we’re adding more all the time.

Here are just a few of the most recent arrivals to the Pattern library.

Headers and Footers

One of the most common questions our Happiness Engineers hear from users is how to customize a site’s header and footer areas. One way to easily and efficiently do that? Patterns. Note: Be sure to add these patterns to your header and footer template parts, which are found in the Site Editor (Appearance → Editor). A single update or change here will apply across all pages.

Find these and more in the “Header” and “Footer” categories. Link in Bio Patterns

We’ve added a number of stunning Patterns for your link-in-bio pages and sites. Pick one, customize as desired, add your links, and you’ve got a brand new way to let your readers know what’s new.

Explore All of Our Patterns!

Even if you don’t have a specific need in mind, take a look around the full Patterns library. Galleries, contact pages, subscribe boxes, quotes: with so many options, you’re sure to find something that adds a fresh new wrinkle to your site.

Patterns can be an incredibly useful resource for your design toolbox. Customize, experiment, and turn inspiration into eye-catching reality.

If you need help with Patterns, check out our more detailed guide. 

And be sure to let us know in the comments how you’ve used Patterns on your site and any ideas you have for new ones. We’re always working on more — so stay tuned!

What’s New in the Editor: More Design Tools, Enhanced Lists, Easier Block Switching

Ever since the block editor was introduced in 2018, we’ve been pushing it to do more — and our latest crop of improvements will help you build posts and pages on your site with confidence, no matter what you publish:

More design tools for dozens of blocksMore control over lists with our improved List BlockEasier block-switching

Let’s take a closer look at each.

More Design Tools for Dozens of Blocks

We’ve added a variety of design tools to dozens of blocks. Depending on the block, you’ll now see typography, color, border, spacing, and layout options. 

To play around with these new design tools, select the block you want to work with and use the right-hand sidebar to access these sections. 

You’ll see a few controls right away, but with just a couple clicks you can go even deeper. Select the three dots on the upper right of each section to find even more options, or hit the red chain link button to allow control over borders and/or padding for each side or corner individually. 

Without a doubt, one of the most fun additions is having more border options on Image Blocks:

More Control Over Lists 

Our improved List Block means that lists are easier to manage from the toolbar. Every item and hierarchy in your list can now be manipulated as its own block. Rearranging, grouping, and nesting items has never been easier: 

Easier Block-Switching

The block transforms menu offers a quick shortcut to switch to a different block, depending on your content. As the number of blocks has grown and you’ve started using this menu more and more, it’s been made more useful by changing the organization of what’s displayed at the top. For blocks that support paragraph, heading, list, and quote transformations — which are, by far, the most used changes — we’ve now emphasized those blocks: 

Keep building with the block editor. We’ll keep improving it.

The block editor is always growing and improving as a result of your feedback, so thank you — we can’t wait to show you what we’re building next. In the meantime, we’ll continue working hard behind the scenes, with more updates to come! Have ideas for how to improve the editor? Let us know in the comments. 

Hot Off the Press: New WordPress.com Themes for September 2022

The WordPress.com team is always working on new design ideas to bring your website to life. Below you’ll find the four newest themes that we’ve added to our library, giving you beautiful options for small businesses/organizations, artists, and even a fun retro throwback.

To install any of the below themes, click the the name of the theme you like, which brings you right to the installation page. Then simply click the “Activate this design” button. You can also click “Open live demo,” which brings up a clickable, scrollable version of the theme for you to preview.

Premium themes are free to use for any user on a Premium plan or above, or can be purchased individually by those with free sites or Personal plans.

You can explore all of our themes by navigating to the “Themes” page, which is found under “Appearance” in the left-side menu of your WordPress.com dashboard. Or, just click here:

All WordPress.com ThemesCultivate (Premium Theme)

Cultivate is a theme for the cause-driven individual, organization, or project. It was designed with community in mind and comes with useful patterns for earning memberships, taking donations, collecting emails, sharing news, and more.

Click here to view a demo of this theme.

Disco

Disco is a funky, vibrant, opinionated theme with a monospaced font. Both its styles and spacing form an edgy aesthetic perfect for those looking to build a quirky website.

Click here to view a demo of this theme.

Yuga (Premium Theme)

Yuga is a visually stunning theme meant for professionals and businesses who seek to showcase their work, team, and values.

Click here to view a demo of this theme.

Thriving Artist (Premium Theme)

Thriving Artist is a theme for creators who use the web to tell their stories, share their work, and connect with their fans. It leverages WooCommerce to give you the ability to integrate a simple (or extensive) store.

Don’t forget to grab your .art domain for more than 50% off while you’re at it!

Click here to view a demo of this theme.

Stay tuned for more updates about new themes, patterns, blocks, and other exciting product updates! And be sure to click below to take a look at the entire showcase of themes we offer:

All WordPress.com Themes

Calling All Creators: Showcase Your Art with a Discounted .art Domain and a New Website Theme

This month, we have an exciting announcement that should appeal to all creators, whether you use traditional artistic mediums or play around with new forms like digital, crypto, and VR art, or NFTs.

All new .art domain registrations are on sale through September 30, 2022. You can now secure a great domain name that reflects your artistic identity and secures your creative brand for just $6 USD for the first year, which is more than 50% off. 

We have also recently launched several brand new themes to showcase your art and give your site a fresh look. 

Get started with .art todayYour Website as a Creative Hub

As an artist, an important part of expressing yourself is being able to control the way your work and brand is presented online. Having your own site is a great way to create and sustain your brand, retain control over your content, and present it in the way you want it to be seen.  

While social media will always remain a great tool to reach your audience and get quick and direct feedback, your own website should serve as your creative hub. It should function as a sort of digital business card and can also be your online store.

.art Domains: A Strong Digital Identity for Creators

A custom domain name at WordPress.com offers you the opportunity to use your own name or any name that describes your artistic identity for your website’s address to build or enhance your online presence. Choosing .art defines you as an artist before anyone even visits your website. 

Having your own site with a domain name that reflects your artistic identity also means you don’t need to worry about aligning all your media platform profile names and handles since your site can serve as a one-stop shop with links to all of your social media profiles.

Choosing a Theme to Showcase Your Work

After you find a domain, you need a great website to show your work to the world. Check out some of our newest themes designed for artists, including Heiwa, Appleton, and Pendant.

Appleton theme for WordPress.com.

Heiwa is a great choice for a clean and elegant theme with sophisticated typography. If displaying a portfolio is what you’re looking for, check out Appleton. And last but not least, Pendant offers a dark background, large hero image, and serif headings to create a contemporary look.

Get Your .art Domain Today!

Head over to WordPress.com and get your .art domain today for just $6 USD for the first year: 

Get started with .art today