That’s why the team at Our-Hometown Web Publishing is thrilled to announce our latest, most-requested feature: Direct Video Uploads are now available on your WordPress website!

You can now bring your community’s stories to life and offer powerful new advertising solutions in a more dynamic and engaging way than ever before.

The Power of Video, Simplified

We believe that powerful tools should also be easy to use. We’ve integrated video uploads directly into the Media Library you already know. It’s as simple as uploading a photo.

Here are the key details:

• Generous File Size: Upload video files up to 256MB.
• Standard Formats: We support all the common formats you use, including .mp4, .mov, .webm, and more.
• Seamless Integration: Your uploaded videos can be placed into posts, pages, and even ad placements with ease.

NOTE: To ensure compatibility, always sanitize the filename of your videos: i.e. no special characters (/,?#) and also replace any spaces with either a dash or underscore.

From the Field to the Front Page: Go Mobile!

We know that news happens everywhere, not just at your desk. That’s why we’ve ensured our new video feature is completely mobile-ready.

Imagine this: you’re covering a last-minute press conference or a high school playoff game. You can capture a critical clip on your smartphone, open your website in your mobile browser, and upload the video directly into a new post. Your readers can see what’s happening, as it’s happening. No more waiting to get back to the office to transfer files.

Ideas to Get You Started

Not sure where to begin? Video is perfect for capturing the content that makes local news so special and opens up new revenue streams.

• High School Sports: Upload the game-winning touchdown, the three-point shot at the buzzer, or a post-game interview with the coach.
• Parades & Performances: Showcase the intricate float designs from the holiday parade, or a clip of the high school marching band’s new routine.
• Breaking News: Provide on-the-scene footage from a local event or incident, adding urgency and authenticity to your reporting.
• Nature & Wildlife: Share a serene video of a sunrise over a local landmark or capture footage of wildlife in a nearby park. These clips are highly shareable!
• Powerful Video Advertising: Offer premium advertising opportunities! A local realtor could run a video property walkthrough as part of their campaign, or a car dealership could showcase a new model in action. This is a fantastic new product to offer your advertisers.
• Community Voices: Record short “man-on-the-street” interviews about a local issue or a quick soundbite from a town council meeting.

Placing Your Videos: As Easy as 1-2-3

Once you’ve uploaded your video to the Media Library, how do you get it onto your site? We’ve made it simple by integrating it directly with the WordPress tools you already use.

• In an Article or Page: When writing a post, simply add a new block and search for the “Video” block. You can then select your clip directly from the Media Library.
• On Your Homepage or Sidebars: Want to feature a video more prominently? Use the Theme Customizer to add a video block to widget-ready areas, giving you full control over where your featured videos appear.

Ready to Roll?

This feature is now live for all Our-Hometown customers. We are committed to providing you with the tools you need to be the essential source for news and information in your community. We can’t wait to see the incredible stories you’ll tell and the new advertising opportunities you’ll create.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team at ops@our-hometown.com.

The post Bring Your Stories to Life: Video Uploads Are Now Live on Our-Hometown first appeared on Our-Hometown.

Did you miss our recent webinar on advanced Block Editor layouts? The replay is now available.

Our session, “Block Editor Basics: More Text, Plus Grids & Groups,” explored how to create sophisticated content arrangements directly within WordPress. Christopher from Our-Hometown guided attendees through leveraging the Block Editor’s powerful layout tools. If you weren’t able to join us live, this is an opportunity to review the key techniques.

In this replay, you’ll learn about:

• Utilizing Grids: Discover how to construct dynamic image and text grids using the Grid block, including the application of column and row span settings for flexible designs.
• Organizing with Groups: Understand how Group blocks can be used to keep related content together and maintain structure within complex layouts.
• Beyond Standard Lists: Learn about the Details block as an alternative for presenting collapsible content, suitable for citations or expandable information.
• Refining Visuals with Covers: See how Cover blocks can be used to enhance the presentation and fit of individual elements within your grid layouts.
• The session also covered nested lists and the distinct functionalities of Rows and Stacks.

This webinar replay offers practical demonstrations and insights to help you create more sophisticated and visually appealing content in the Block Editor.

The post Block Editor Basics: More Text, Plus Grids and Groups | OHT Webinar Replay first appeared on Our-Hometown.

We recently hosted a live webinar diving deep into the world of text-focused blocks within the WordPress Block Editor. Led by Christopher, with assistance from Vera and Tyler, the session explored how to go beyond basic paragraphs and headings to create dynamic and well-structured text layouts for your website content.

If you missed the live session, or want to revisit specific sections, the full recording is now available!

During the webinar, we covered a wide range of essential blocks and techniques, including:

• The Fundamentals: Mastering Headings, Paragraphs, and Lists, including their shared settings for color and typography.
• Layout Powerhouses: Using the Table block for structured data, the Details block for creating collapsible content (like FAQs), and the versatile Buttons block for calls to action.
• Advanced Options: Exploring inline images within text blocks, managing list levels and nested lists, styling tables and buttons, and using container blocks (like Group and Cover) for enhanced layout control.
• Legacy & Custom Content: A look at the Classic Editor block for older content and the Custom HTML block for embedding custom code or third-party widgets, plus a mention of the Shortcode block.

Christopher demonstrated practical examples for each block, showing how to transform blocks, adjust settings in the sidebar, and utilize the floating toolbar options. We also tackled common questions and explored workarounds for styling limitations.

This webinar is perfect for anyone looking to enhance their skills in the WordPress Block Editor and create more engaging, organized, and visually appealing text content on their website.

The recording includes chapters, making it easy to jump directly to the blocks or topics you’re most interested in.

Stay tuned for future webinars covering more aspects of the WordPress Block Editor and other helpful topics!

The post Block Editor Basics: Creating Text Layouts | OHT Webinar Replay first appeared on Our-Hometown.

Shared Style and Typography Settings

Settings for Styles (text and background colors) and Typography (Bold, Italic, etc.) are found in the right panel and are common to many text blocks:

The Color panel contains options for text color and background color/gradient for the individual block, allowing for quick styling of section headings, callouts, infoboxes, etc.

The Typography panel provides toggles to activate various additional text controls for Sizing, Appearance (various font weights for bold text), Letter Spacing, Decorations (strikethrough, underline) and Letter Case (all caps, etc.).

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Floating Toolbar Options

The floating toolbar contains options for block transformations, arrows for vertical ordering, text decorations, adding links to text and an additional options dropdown.

The additional options include inline insertions, and other less-used decorations, such as strikethrough, formatted code and sub/superscript.

The Inline Image option can be useful for inserting a small icon graphic directly in the text flow of a block:

The small image above has been placed inline between sentences in a single paragraph block.

Heading Block

The Heading block shares all the same styling and typography settings as other text blocks, with the addition of setting a specific Heading level to delineate structure in your article.

Paragraph Block

The style and typography settings for the Paragraph block share the same options as discussed previously, but with the addition of limited alternative font selection, and a Drop Cap toggle.

The floating toolbar offers the same options for alignment, decorations and links, although with specific transformations, allowing you to convert a paragraph into a heading or list, etc.

List Block

Use the List block to organize text in numbered or bulleted lists.

Style are typography options are the same as paragraph blocks.

The floating toolbar offers options for numbered vs. bulleted lists.

Note that this block is a container for individual List Item blocks.

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List Item Block

List items have a limited subset of styling options (only the text color can be changed), but the typography options are the same.

Additionally, the floating toolbar for a single List Item provides the same text options for text decoration and links, plus buttons for increasing or decreasing the list depth of an item.

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Ordered (Numbered) Lists

For Ordered Lists, the settings panel provides format options (Numbers, Upper / Lowercase Letters, or Upper / Lowercase Roman Numerals.

You can also specify a starting value if the list is a continuation of a previous one.

The order can also be reversed for a countdown-style list.

Table Block

Table creation has been limited to the tools in the Classic Paragraph block (similar to the classic article editor itself), however we now have a dedicated Table block with some customization and styling options, plus all the normal table editing tools one might expect: adding/deleting columns and rows, showing header and footer sections, creating striped row delineation and more.

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Table Block Settings

You have the option to tell the table to use “Fixed width table cells“, which means all columns will be equal in width rather than adapting the column widths to the content of the table.

The Header section and Footer section will each add an additional row to your table. The header section is typically used to add titles to the top of each row. The footer can be used to add an additional row at the bottom.

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Table Block Styles

There are two styles available for tables: Default and Stripes:

• The Default style has a plain background and borders around the cells.
• The Stripes style has alternating row background colors.
• The Color and Typography panels are identical to those in the Paragraph block settings.

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Table Block Toolbar

The floating toolbar for the Table block provides similar text options as other text blocks, but has an additional menu for editing the table itself: Inserting or deleting columns or rows. This behavior is very similar to other table editing operations in many common document editors.

Quote Block

The Quote block is similar to the List block in that it contains other blocks. The main difference is the citation toggle (indicated by the quill icon) for quote attribution. An inline image is attached to the citation text and the entire Quote block is right-aligned for a more engaging design.

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Pull Quote Block

The Pull Quote block offers additional styling options, such as a border with an adjustable radius. Notably the Pull Quote block doesn’t contain other blocks, it has just the two text fields for the quote and citation (although the example below is also using the inline image option for the headshot).

Details Block

The Details block is a block that allows you to include content hidden under a parent block with a text summary. This works like an accordion, with the text summary expanding to show nested content. This nested content, similar to other “container-style” blocks, can be anything you’d like. This block is often use for things such as FAQs, or directory-type listings.

For example:

Quote of the Day

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

Albert Einstein

Spacer Block

The Spacer block provides a resizable element that adds vertical space between other blocks. The size can be specified either in the settings panel or by dragging the circular handle at the bottom of the Spacer when it is selected.

Separator Block

Similar to adding a Horizontal Line in the Classic Editor, this block will add a simple line to delineate content in the flow of your article. There are options for line-style, thickness and color settings.

Buttons Block

You can add buttons to your website to create links to pages, products, or any other locations. Buttons help guide visitors to take action, such as signing up, purchasing, or learning more.

The Buttons block is similar to the List block in that it contains individual Button, each with separate styling options. Also the layout settings for a group of Buttons (the Buttons block) are very similar to the Row block, with vertical and horizontal justification, and the toggle to wrap the buttons onto additional rows depending on the width of the individual buttons.

The small + icon at the bottom left of the block highlight is used to add additional buttons to the Buttons block.

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Button Settings

 After you add the block you will be presented with a single button ready for text and styling.

The width of the button can be set as a percentage of the container using the Settings switches in the side panel, e.g. 50% will stretch the button to half the size of the available width.

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Button Styles

The style panel provides options for solid vs outline buttons, color settings, and a slider for adjusting the border radius, i.e. how round the corners of the button are. Note the border color will follow the color set for the text, while the background color will fill the button (regardless of the solid vs. outline setting. The Outline style only adds a border to the button with the text color.

The vertical and horizontal alignment of the buttons as well as the text alignment and decorations are all set in the floating toolbar.

You can even us the inline image option to add a graphic to your button:

Classic Block

The Classic block brings the legacy functionality of the Classic Editor into a single block in your content area. This allows for the use of established classic designs in your newer layouts integrating with other blocks as any other.

The block provides the same toolbar as the Classic editor, with the additional meta option to convert all content within the Classic block to individual content blocks, i.e. all paragraphs in the Classic block will become individual paragraph blocks after this process.

Custom HTML

The Custom HTML block is used most often for embeds that don’t have a native block. Depending on what plugins are installed you may have several blocks for embedding social media content, YouTube videos. etc. However this block will render any valid HTML code such as an iframe snippet from an online puzzle provide or even just a simple HTML design created in other software.

Play Sudoku online!

The post Creative Text Layouts in the Block Editor first appeared on Our-Hometown.

Getting Acquainted with the Interface

Upon opening a new post or page, you’ll immediately notice the difference. Here’s a breakdown of the key interface elements:

• The Main Content Area: This is where you’ll see your content taking shape, block by block. It offers a more visual representation of how your final output will look.
• The Top Toolbar: This persistent toolbar provides quick access to essential actions:
  • The Plus (+) Icon (Block Inserter): Click this to open a panel where you can browse and add new blocks to your content. Think of this as your library of content elements. You can search for specific blocks or explore categories.
  • Undo/Redo Arrows: Essential for correcting mistakes quickly.
  • Content Structure Icon (List View): This icon (often looks like stacked lines) opens a sidebar that displays an outline of all the blocks on your page. This is incredibly helpful for navigating complex layouts and reordering sections.
  • Block Settings Cog Icon: This toggles the Settings Sidebar on the right.
  • View: Allows you to preview your post or page.
  • Update/Publish Button: Saves or publishes your work.
• The Block Toolbar: When you select a block, a contextual toolbar appears directly above it. This toolbar contains options specific to the selected block type. For example, a paragraph block will have options for alignment, bold, italics, adding links, and more. An image block will have options for alignment, adding alt text, and cropping.
• The Settings Sidebar: This sidebar, toggled by the cog icon in the top toolbar, provides more advanced settings for the currently selected block and for the overall post or page. It’s divided into two tabs:
  • Block Tab: This tab displays settings specific to the block you have selected. This is where you’ll find options for typography, color, dimensions, and advanced settings depending on the block type.
  • Article/Page/Post Tab: This tab contains settings related to the entire post or page, such as status, visibility, permalink, categories, tags, featured image, and more – familiar territory for Classic Editor users.

Managing Your Blocks: The Building Blocks of Content

Working with blocks is fundamental to the Block Editor experience:

• Adding Blocks: As mentioned, click the Plus (+) Icon in the top toolbar or the “+” icon that appears when you hover between existing blocks. Explore the categories or use the search bar to find the block you need.
• Moving Blocks: When you have block selected, you’ll see arrows (up and down) on the left side of the Block Toolbar. Click these to move the block up or down. Alternatively, you can click and drag the block using the six-dot handle that appears next to the arrows. The List View (Content Structure icon) also allows for easy drag-and-drop reordering.
• Selecting Blocks: Simply click on a block in the content area to select it. The Block Toolbar will appear above it, and the Settings Sidebar will update to show the settings for that block.
• Deleting Blocks: Select the block you want to remove. In the Block Toolbar, click the three vertical dots (Options) and then select “Remove Block.”

The Power of the List View: A Structural Overview

The List View, accessed by clicking the Content Structure Icon (stacked lines) in the top toolbar, opens a sidebar that provides a hierarchical outline of all the blocks in your content. This is more than just a table of contents; it’s an interactive tool for managing your content’s structure.

Here’s how the List View helps in managing blocks:

• Clear Visual Hierarchy: For complex layouts with nested blocks (like Columns, Groups, or Cover blocks), the List View clearly displays the parent-child relationships, making it easier to understand the structure of your content.
• Effortless Navigation: Instead of scrolling through a long page, you can quickly jump to any block by clicking on its name in the List View. This is especially useful for lengthy posts or pages.
• Drag-and-Drop Reordering: The List View provides a simple and intuitive way to reorder blocks. Just click and drag a block’s name in the sidebar to its new position. This can be much easier than using the up/down arrows on the Block Toolbar, especially when moving blocks across larger distances or within nested structures. You can also drag blocks into other container-type blocks, such as moving multiple paragraph blocks into a Grid or Group block allowing you to treat the blocks together and even add styling to the container block itself.
• Selecting Blocks with Precision: Sometimes, selecting a specific nested block directly in the content area can be tricky. The List View allows you to select any block with a single click, ensuring you’re working with the intended element.
• Quick Actions via the Three Dots: Hovering over a block’s name in the List View reveals three vertical dots (Options). Clicking these dots provides quick access to actions like:
  • Duplicate: Create an exact copy of the selected block.
  • Insert Before/After: Add a new block above or below the selected one.
  • Remove Block: Delete the selected block.
  • Edit as HTML: Directly modify the HTML of the block.
  • Group: Enclose the block within a Group block for unified styling or layout control.
• Batch Selection (with Shift or Ctrl/Cmd): You can select multiple adjacent blocks by holding down the Shift key and clicking on the first and last blocks you want to select. For non-adjacent blocks, use Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) while clicking. Once multiple blocks are selected in the List View, you can perform actions like moving or deleting them together.

The List View becomes an indispensable tool as your content grows in complexity, offering a structured and efficient way to manage your blocks beyond the immediate visual editor.

The Power of Block Transformations

One of the handy features of the Block Editor is the ability to transform certain types of blocks into other related block types directly from the Block Toolbar. This can save you time and effort when you realize a different block structure might better suit your content.

Here’s how block transformations work:

• The Transform Icon: When you select a block that can be transformed, you’ll typically see an icon in the Block Toolbar that resembles a shape shifting or different block icons arranged together. Hovering over this icon will often display a label like “Transform to.”
• Available Transformations: Clicking this icon will reveal a menu of block types that the current block can be transformed into. The available options depend on the original block type. For example:
  • Paragraph to Heading: If you’ve written a line of text that would work better as a subheading, you can easily transform a Paragraph block into a Heading block (H1, H2, H3, etc.). The text content will be preserved.
  • Heading to Paragraph: Conversely, you can transform a Heading back into a regular Paragraph.
  • List (Bullet or Numbered) to Quote: You might decide that a series of points would be more impactful as a blockquote.
  • Quote to Paragraph: Or transform a quote back into regular text.
  • Image to Cover: Turn a simple image into a Cover block with the option to add text overlay.
  • Individual Blocks to Group: Select multiple blocks and transform them into a Group block to apply unified background colors or spacing.
  • Group to Columns or Grid/Stack/Row: Transform a Group of blocks into a multi-column or grid layout (with optional stack an row options).
• Preserving Content (Where Possible): The Block Editor intelligently tries to preserve your content during transformations. For instance, when transforming a Paragraph to a Heading, the text remains. However, some specific formatting might be lost if the target block type doesn’t support it.
• Experiment and Discover: The best way to understand the transformation options is to select different block types and see what transformations are available in their respective Block Toolbars.

Block transformations offer a flexible way to adjust your content structure without having to delete and recreate blocks from scratch. Keep an eye out for that transform icon in the Block Toolbar!

Typography: Styling Your Text

In the Classic Editor, typography options were often limited to basic formatting within the visual editor or required delving into HTML. The Block Editor offers more intuitive control:

• Paragraph and Heading Blocks: When you select a Paragraph or Heading block, you’ll find basic formatting options (bold, italics, links) in the Block Toolbar. For more advanced typography settings, look to the Block Tab in the Settings Sidebar. Here you might find options for:
  • Font Size: Choose from predefined sizes or enter a custom value.
  • Line Height: Adjust the vertical spacing between lines of text.
  • Letter Spacing: Control the horizontal spacing between characters.
  • Text Color: Select a color for your text.
  • Appearance (for some themes): Options for font weight or style variations.
• Other Text-Based Blocks: Blocks like Quotes and Code will have their own relevant typography or styling options within their respective Block Toolbars and Settings Sidebar.

Styling Options: Beyond the Basics

The Block Editor provides more granular control over the visual appearance of your content:

• Color Settings: Many blocks offer color options in the Block Tab of the Settings Sidebar. This might include text color, background color, or link color, depending on the block type.
• Background Options: Some container blocks, like the Group or Cover block, allow you to set background colors or images.
• Dimensions and Spacing: You might find options for padding and margins within the Block Tab, allowing you to control the spacing around and within your blocks.
• Border Options: Some blocks allow you to customize borders, including color, style, and width.
• Theme Styles: Remember that your active WordPress theme plays a significant role in the available styling options. Themes can provide their own sets of color palettes, typography presets, and block styles, which will appear in the Settings Sidebar.

Where Did That Go? Finding Classic Editor Features

If you’re transitioning from the Classic Editor, you might be wondering where some familiar features have moved:

• Visual/Text Editor Tabs: These are gone. The Block Editor is inherently a more visual experience, aiming for a “what you see is what you get” (WYSIWYG) approach. For direct HTML editing of a specific block, select the block, click the three vertical dots (Options) in the Block Toolbar, and choose “Edit as HTML.”
• Formatting Buttons (Underline, Justify, etc.): Some less commonly used formatting options are now often found within the “More rich text tools” dropdown (the down arrow) in the Block Toolbar of text-based blocks. Justification, in particular, might depend on your theme’s support.
• Meta Boxes: These haven’t disappeared entirely! Meta boxes for plugins and custom fields are typically found below the main content area in the Block Editor interface. You can also move them to the sidebar by going to the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the screen, selecting “Preferences,” then “Panels,” and checking the “Meta boxes” option.

The post Navigating the Block Editor first appeared on Our-Hometown.

• Staff Directory
• Article Sponsor
• Platform Features
• Testimonials

Audio
Articles

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Listen to the news anywhere

Improved website accessibility

Monetize with pre-roll ads

No app or download required

Digital
Subscriptions

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Print subscriber integration

Several payment options

Multiple paywall types

Customized subscription plans

PDF to HTML
Extraction

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Full content extraction

Print ad conversion & analytics

Quality control system

Customizable publish schedule

WordPress Block Patterns can be incredibly versatile, serving a wide range of purposes across various website sections. Here are some examples of commonly used and effective patterns:

• Headers and Footers: These patterns provide a quick way to establish the top and bottom sections of your website. Examples include simple headers with a logo and navigation menu, more elaborate headers featuring hero images and calls to action, and footers containing contact information, social media links, and copyright details.
• Call-to-Action Sections: Designed to encourage specific user actions, these patterns often include compelling text and prominent buttons. They can be used as banners to grab attention or as dedicated sections to promote sign-ups for newsletters or events.
• Testimonial Layouts: These patterns are ideal for showcasing customer reviews and building trust. They typically include styled quotes along with author information and can be presented as single testimonials or as sliders or grids for multiple reviews.
• Service or Feature Grids: For businesses and individuals offering services or highlighting key features, these patterns provide organized layouts with icons, descriptions, and often links to more detailed information.
• Contact Forms and Maps: Patterns combining contact forms with embedded maps make it easy for visitors to get in touch and find your physical location.
• Blog Post Grids and Banners: These patterns help display recent blog posts in visually appealing grid formats or create engaging banners to highlight featured content.
• Content Sections: Versatile patterns for creating various types of content sections, such as “About Us” sections with text and images, portfolio layouts showcasing projects, FAQ sections with expandable answers, and team member profiles with photos and biographies.

Each of these pattern types serves a specific purpose. For instance, testimonial layouts are crucial for building social proof and credibility, while call-to-action patterns are designed to drive user engagement and conversions. Understanding the intent behind different pattern categories allows editor-level users to strategically choose and customize patterns to achieve their specific website goals.

The post Inspiration Hub — Examples of Effective Block Patterns first appeared on Our-Hometown.

• Image Block
• Gallery Block
• Cover Block

Image Block

Once you add the Image block, you will be presented with three methods to select your image: Upload an image file, pick one from your media library, or add one with a URL.

Once the image has been added, you can change the size directly in the editor. Click the image to reveal the resize handles that look like dots around the image. Then, click on a resize handle and drag the image to your desired size

Otherwise the settings panel in the sidebar provides many sizing options via the Aspect Ratio dropdown.

Aspect Ratio Options

• Original – The same aspect ratio as when you uploaded the image.
• Square – 1:1
• Standard – 4:3
• Portrait – 3:4
• Classic – 3:2
• Classic Portrait – 2:3
• Wide – 16:9
• Tall – 9:16

When an aspect ratio other than the original is selected, the Scale option will be available. Scale refers to how your image fits within your selected aspect ratio with the following options:

• Cover: Your image will scale larger within the space to fill it completely. You will lose content from the image.
• Contain: Your image will scale to ensure the entire content of the image is displayed within the space. The image will resize smaller in order to fit.

The Resolution setting chooses which size of the original image you would like to display, although it can still be adjusted with the other options.

Gallery Block

The Gallery block contains individual Image blocks for each image and arranges them in an responsive way. Options for cropping, column layout and color options are available. Note unlike a Grid block, the Gallery block can only contain Image blocks.

Using the List View you can easily drag and drop image blocks to reorder them, as well as dragging images from into or out of the Gallery block itself as necessary. Clicking on an individual Image block reveals its settings as described above.

Cover Block

After adding the block, you will have the following options to set an image or video:

• Upload: Click to upload a new image from your computer.
• Media Library: Choose from an existing image from your sites Media.
• Use featured image: Pull in the featured image of your page or post, if one is set.
• Select a color: Click on the colored circles to use that color for your cover. A few common colors are first presented, which you can later change to any other color in the block style settings.

Add Text and Other Content

Now that you’ve selected your background image or color, you can write text and add other content over it. Click the + block inserter to add other blocks to show on top of the Cover block, such as Paragraph blocks, Heading blocks, or even other layout blocks such as the Grid or Columns block. You can also drag and drop blocks into the Cover block using the List View.

Cover Block Toolbar

When you click on the Cover block, a toolbar of options will appear above it.

These options are (from left to right):

• Change block type
• Align the cover 
• Apply duotone filter
• Change content position
• Toggle full height
• Replace the current image with a new image (if a color is used for the background this option will change to Add Media)
• Advanced options (Copy, Paste, Rename, Create Pattern)

Alignment

Like many other blocks, you can align the Cover block to the left, right, and center of the page. When using the left or right alignment, you can align other content next to the Cover block.

Content Position

Use the Content Position option to adjust where the text and other content appears on the image:

Media Settings

The Media section (also labeled Settings) for the Cover block appears next in the sidebar, under the Layout section. There are several options for customizing the appearance and behavior of content in the Cover block, which are detailed in the following sections.

Fixed Background (aka Parallax Effect)

When the Fixed background setting is toggled OFF, the parallax effect is disabled, and the image scrolls with the rest of the page.

When the Fixed background setting is toggled ON, the image will remain still in the background while the foreground scrolls vertically. This behavior is called a parallax effect or parallax scrolling.

Focal Point Picker

You will see the Focal point picker if the Fixed background option is turned off. Use the Focal point picker to specify the main point of interest in the photo and highlight it. This is especially helpful if the wrong part of an image is being shown on smaller screens.

Repeated Background

The Repeated background option lets you repeat the same image to form a pattern in the Cover block. For example, if you a company logo and you want it to repeat multiple times in the Cover block, note the image needs to be small enough to repeat in the area contained by the block. In the example below the logo is 64×64 pixels.

Cover Block Styles

In the block settings sidebar, click on the Styles icon to access the design settings for the block. The Styles icon is in the shape of a circle with half of the circle filled in.

Overlay Opacity

By default, the cover adds a gray transparent overlay to darken the background image, but you can choose any color you like, or even a gradient if you prefer.

You can also set the opacity of the overlay color. Move the slider to the left to make the overlay color more transparent, or to the right to make it darker and more opaque. Set the opacity to zero for no overlay.

Duotone Filter

The Duotone Filter applies a color conversion to the background image replacing light and dark colors with a duo, most often using black and gray to create B&W or Grayscale images. There are several preset color combinations available in the sidebar settings, however you can customize the individual colors using the Duotone settings in the floating toolbar above the Cover block.

Do note the Duotone effect will interact with the Overlay color creating an interesting ‘color mix’ between the two.

Minimum Height of Cover

You can set the minimum height of the cover image in pixels or other units. By setting a minimum height, the image will always be displayed at this height no matter what size screen your visitors may be using. 

The post Block Editor Updates — Images and Media first appeared on Our-Hometown.

The Speed Revolution in News Publishing

For newspaper publishers, speed is not just a luxury—it’s a necessity. In the digital news landscape, being first to publish can make the difference between capturing audience attention or losing it to competitors.

The streamlined approach of the Block Editor eliminates many of the friction points that slow down production in traditional content management systems. By removing these obstacles, stories can be published in minutes rather than hours, allowing your journalists to focus on what they do best—reporting the news.

Reducing Onboarding Time for New Journalists

The intuitive nature of the Block Editor also dramatically reduces the time needed to train new staff. Whereas an organization may have  required up to a month for new contributors to learn their CMS, many journalists now arrive with existing WordPress knowledge, significantly shortening the onboarding process.

This accessibility is particularly valuable for news organizations that frequently bring in new journalists, freelancers, or contributors to cover breaking news or special events. The drag-and-drop interface requires little or no coding skills, making content management easier for non-technical users.

Enhanced Content Creation for Today’s News Formats

Block-Based Editing for Visual Storytelling

The Block Editor transforms how journalists assemble stories by breaking content into modular components or “blocks.” This approach enables journalists to create visually rich content that meets readers’ expectations for engaging digital news experiences.

Rather than struggling with HTML or complex shortcodes, reporters can simply drag and drop elements such as:

This block-based system makes it substantially easier to break up text with relevant media, improving article readability and visual appeal. For news organizations producing content that competes with social media feeds for attention, this visual flexibility is invaluable.

• Text paragraphs
• Headlines and subheadings
• Images and galleries
• Embedded videos
• Social media posts
• Pull quotes
• Interactive polls and quizzes
• Layout blocks for columns and grids

Media Integration Without Technical Barriers

The Block Editor excels at simplifying media integration, allowing journalists to embed videos, photo galleries, and interactive elements without requiring technical assistance. The ability to perform inline image editing and direct media file uploads within the editor eliminates the need to switch between different interfaces during article creation.

This streamlined media handling encourages journalists to incorporate more visual elements into their stories, which can significantly improve engagement metrics. For newspaper publishers looking to enhance their digital offerings with multimedia content, this represents a major advantage over the plain text area of the Classic Editor.

Operational Benefits for News Organizations

Reusable, Brand-Compliant Components

One of the most powerful features of the Block Editor for newspaper publishers is the ability to create and reuse branded content components. Leading WordPress agencies specialize in building “suites of reusable, brand-compliant components” that empower journalists to publish on-brand content quickly.

These pre-designed blocks ensure visual consistency across all articles while speeding up the content creation process. Reporters can focus on crafting the story rather than worrying about formatting or design elements, knowing that their article will maintain the publication’s established visual identity.

Reduced Plugin Dependencies

The Block Editor significantly reduces dependency on multiple plugins, as many functions previously requiring third-party solutions are now built directly into the editor[6]. Features such as tables, contact forms, and specialized layouts that once demanded additional plugins can now be created natively using shortcode blocks or dedicated Gutenberg blocks.

This consolidation of functionality not only streamlines the publishing process but also improves site performance by reducing the number of plugins that need to be maintained and updated.

Case Study: News UK’s Transformation

News UK’s experience with the Block Editor offers compelling evidence of its benefits for newspaper publishers. As they transitioned to Gutenberg, they not only saw dramatic improvements in publishing speed but also created an internal community of shared resources that can be leveraged across sister publications.

Their success demonstrates how the Block Editor can address the unique challenges faced by news organizations:

• The need for rapid publishing of breaking news
• The requirement to produce high volumes of content daily
• The importance of maintaining consistent quality across hundreds of articles
• The challenge of onboarding new staff quickly
• The necessity of creating visually engaging content that captures reader attention

By streamlining these aspects of digital publishing, News UK positioned itself to compete more effectively in the fast-moving digital news environment.

Addressing Common Concerns About the Transition

Many newspaper teams hesitate to adopt the Block Editor due to concerns about disrupting established workflows. However, the experience of News UK and other publishers suggests that the learning curve is less steep than anticipated, especially with proper planning and training.

It’s worth noting that the Block Editor has matured significantly since its introduction in December 2018. Early limitations have been addressed through continuous development, and the editor now offers a robust set of features specifically beneficial to news organizations.

For organizations concerned about the transition, a phased approach can be effective. Start with a small team or section of your site, develop best practices, and then gradually expand usage across the newsroom. This approach minimizes disruption while allowing your team to build confidence with the new tools.

Conclusion: The Future of News Publishing

The WordPress Block Editor represents more than just a different interface—it’s a strategic advantage for newspaper publishers operating in an increasingly competitive digital landscape. With its ability to accelerate publishing workflows, simplify complex layouts, and reduce technical barriers, Gutenberg addresses many of the key challenges faced by modern news organizations.

As readers continue to demand more visually engaging and timely content, the publications that can deliver quality stories quickly will maintain a competitive edge. The Block Editor provides the tools needed to meet these demands without requiring extensive technical resources or specialized knowledge from journalists.

For newspaper publishers still using the Classic Editor, now is the time to consider making the switch. The potential gains in efficiency, content quality, and staff satisfaction make the Block Editor not just a nice-to-have, but an essential tool for news organizations committed to thriving in the digital era.

The post Embrace the Block Editor: Accelerating Your Digital News Production first appeared on Our-Hometown.

Breaking Down the Google-California News Deal

At its core, the agreement between Google and California news publishers represents a significant shift in how tech platforms and news organizations interact. Here’s what you need to know:

• Total Investment: $250 million over five years
• Google’s Contribution: $180 million ($110 million for journalism, $70 million for AI research)
• California State Contribution: $70 million

This deal effectively replaces the proposed California Journalism Preservation Act (AB 886), which would have required tech platforms to pay news outlets for content usage. Instead, this agreement aims to expedite compensation for publishers while avoiding potential legal battles.

The Purpose and Distribution of Funds

The primary goal of this deal is to support and revitalize journalism in California. Here’s how the funds are expected to be allocated:

• Journalism Initiatives ($180 million):
  • Boosting journalism jobs
  • Funding salaries
  • Supporting training programs
  • Providing resources for newsrooms
• AI Research Program ($70 million):
  • Developing tools for journalists to integrate AI into their work
  • Exploring AI applications for other professionals

According to the LA Times, “The money will go toward two new initiatives administered by UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism: a fund to distribute millions of dollars to California news outlets, and an ‘AI accelerator’ to develop ways for journalists to use the powerful technology.”

Eligibility Criteria: Who Can Benefit from the Funding?

A crucial aspect of this deal is understanding which news organizations will be eligible for funding. While the exact criteria may still be subject to fine-tuning, several types of news outlets are expected to benefit:

Small and Medium-Sized News Organizations:

• Those producing original news for underrepresented communities
• Employing between 1-50 full-time journalists
• Focused on core news provision (not lifestyle or sports)
• Having a verifiable digital presence and in operation for at least 12 months

Local News Outlets:

• Those filling coverage gaps with original reporting
• Having a budget under $1 million
• Can be non-profit or for-profit entities
• Priority given to organizations serving underserved audiences, including:
  • Communities of color
  • Linguistically diverse communities
  • Low-wealth rural communities

U.S.-Based Nonprofit Institutions:

• Those with national reach and influence
• In some cases, regional and place-based organizations that are exemplars in their fields

It’s worth noting that while the Google-California deal has its own set of criteria, it shares similarities with other journalism funding initiatives, such as those by the MacArthur Foundation. These often include support for:

• National nonprofit journalism organizations pursuing explanatory, investigative, or international reporting
• Organizations working to protect press freedom and address safety/security challenges for journalists
• Organizations supporting infrastructure and innovation in nonprofit journalism
• National and regional organizations funding, producing, or disseminating nonfiction storytelling projects

Potential Impact on California’s Media Landscape

This deal has the potential to significantly impact California’s media ecosystem:

• Job Creation: The influx of funds could lead to the creation or preservation of numerous journalism jobs across the state.
• Local News Boost: With a focus on small to medium-sized organizations, local news coverage may see substantial improvements.
• Technological Advancements: The AI research component could lead to innovative tools that enhance journalistic capabilities.

However, the long-term effects remain to be seen. Will this investment truly revitalize local journalism, or will it merely provide temporary relief?

Criticisms and Concerns

Despite its potential benefits, the deal has faced criticism from various quarters:

• Insufficient Funding: Some argue that the amount is significantly less than what Google pays newsrooms in other countries, such as Canada.
• Strategic Maneuvering: Critics suggest this might be a tactical move by Google to avoid stricter regulations on content usage and compensation.
• AI Concerns: The inclusion of AI research funding has raised concerns about potentially facilitating the replacement of human journalists with technology in the future.

Looking Ahead: Implementation and Challenges

The agreement is set to take effect next year, beginning with a $100 million initial investment. However, several hurdles remain:

• Finalizing Details: The specifics of fund distribution and eligibility criteria are still being ironed out.
• Political Challenges: While Governor Gavin Newsom has pledged to incorporate the journalism funding into his January budget, potential concerns from other Democratic leaders could pose challenges.
• Long-term Sustainability: Questions remain about what happens after the five-year period ends. Will this lead to sustainable changes in the news ecosystem, or will publishers become dependent on this funding?

The Google-California news deal represents a significant shift in the relationship between tech platforms and news publishers. While it offers a substantial investment in journalism and potentially innovative AI tools, it also raises important questions about the future of news funding and the role of technology in journalism. As this deal unfolds, it will be crucial to monitor its impact on local newsrooms, job creation, and the overall quality of journalism in California. Ultimately, the success of this initiative will depend on its ability to create sustainable, positive changes in the media landscape that outlast the initial five-year investment period.

The post Google’s $250M California News Deal: Boosting Journalism or Sidestepping Regulation? first appeared on Our-Hometown.

It has already been a busy summer, and I’m not sure summer has officially begun yet (It’s June 1 as I write this). Upon returning from my latest trip – to Pennsylvania – yesterday, I was greeted by a stack of packages from publishers – most containing newspapers to critique – and an email folder with plenty of messages from editors, designers, and publishers. To keep all the newspapers I receive from getting wet, I purchased a waterproof container about the size of a pirate’s treasure chest, which I placed on the porch by my front door. The mail deliverers and UPS drivers have become well acquainted with my box.

What’s on the mind of newspaper folks these days? The answer is “a lot.” Whoever first coined the phrase “newspapers are dead” in the early 2000s apparently never had to go through my email or my box.

Growing Readership

The most common question I receive is, “What can I do to get more readers?” That hasn’t changed in the 30 years I’ve been working with newspapers. We always seem to be looking for a magic potion to make more people want to read our products. I’ve addressed that question many times in these columns, often with a list of ways to grow papers, but most often, the answer comes down to improving the quality of the newspaper.
Quality is a funny thing. It encompasses more than the “look” of a newspaper. It includes writing high-caliber stories that meet the reading desires of potential readers. Quality entails research, such as focus groups, to understand what readers want – and don’t want – in their newspaper. And obviously, the importance of design can’t be overestimated.

Improving the Product

The packages in my front porch box usually contain newspapers to be critiqued. Upgrading the content and design of your newspaper should be at the forefront of growing your paper. That doesn’t mean you have to send your paper to me. This means that your paper should develop a method of critiquing every element of content regularly. But couldn’t I just look at these pages on the screen? Sure, but seriously evaluating a newspaper requires taking notes on the pages. After I critique a page, it generally looks like someone has bled all over it.

Increasing Ad Revenue

Increasing revenue is on everyone’s mind. I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t. I lead a lot of webinars on various topics. There was a time when photo editing or page design classes would be the most popular. These days, sessions related to increasing revenue draw the biggest crowds. I’ve written my share of columns on increasing revenue, but the best way I know of to increase ad sales is to go out and visit more potential advertisers physically. It sounds simplistic, but those of you who have been around the block a few times know it’s true. Don’t worry. If you happen to be signed up for one of my future webinars on increasing ad revenue, I’ll have more to share than “just get out more.” However, if you want to sell more ads, just get out more. It works.

Next up for me? North Carolina, Virginia, then over to see my friends at Arkansas Press Association. When I return home, I imagine the box next to my door will be full.

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