Designing for WordPress in 2023: Trends, Modules, Blocks and Custom Code!

The WordPress platform the perfect tool for modular and mobile-first website design with a continually growing list of features that allow designers to create responsive websites with a seamless user experience on any device.

Here are some tips from our team that cover how how to Design for WordPress in 2023:

New Web Trends

Web design trends are always evolving to meet the changing needs of users. Web design is no longer limited to static, template-based layouts. Instead, it has evolved into a more modular approach, allowing for greater customisation and flexibility in the design process. The use of modular design enables designers to create websites that can adapt to the changing needs of users, while also providing a consistent and intuitive user experience across all devices.

The rise of mobile devices has also played a significant role in shaping WordPress web design trends over the past decade. With more people accessing the web from their smartphones and tablets, websites must be designed mobile-first to ensure that they are optimised for small screens and slow internet. This means that WordPress developers and designers must prioritise fast loading times, simplified navigation, and streamlined content delivery.

A Modular Approach and ‘Seamless Web Design’

It’s essential for web designers to prioritise mobile-friendliness into new designs and layouts. Focus on a modular ‘pattern’ based approach, where pre-made modules can be used to create custom websites that are optimised for different screen sizes and device types.

In addition to modularity seamless web design has also emerged as a key trend in web design. The goal of seamless design is to make websites look and feel the same regardless of the device used to view them. This means that users should be able to navigate a website and access its content with ease, whether they are using a desktop, tablet, or phone.

Building Responsive WordPress Websites with Gutenberg

The above modular and seamless mobile web design trends all feed into what is the most powerful and flexible features in WordPress, the Gutenberg Block Editor (I hope you saw where this was going…)

At Make Do, we LOVE Gutenberg and find that it helps to drive innovation while opening up infinite possibilities for our clients when working on a custom-built WordPress design.

Gutenberg includes features such as responsive columns and block variations, which further enhance its ability to create modular and responsive designs. With built-in responsive columns, users can easily create columns that adjust automatically to fit the screen size of the device being used to view the website.

Best of all this all comes out-of-the-box with Core WordPress and can easily be adapted and customised to meet any modern web design trend or client needs.

Custom Coded WordPress Themes are a MUST

Custom-built themes and templates can be designed to match a business’s branding and visual identity providing a cohesive and professional look that reinforces the business’s message. Custom-built themes and templates are really the only way to go for larger businesses and Enterprise client because this ensures that WordPress has been tailored to meet the unique needs of a business.

Agencies who specialise in creating custom-built themes and templates for WordPress should aim to set themselves apart from others who rely solely on pre-designed templates and themes by always pushing for custom coded builds. This is our mantra at Make Do for both new client builds and websites we have adopted.

Fully custom WordPress themes are also easier to maintain and support because they contain less bloat and can be made with very little plugin overhead. This is an essential goal when designing a new WordPress website in 2023.

Always Aim to Use Custom Blocks (where possible…)

One of the key benefits of using Gutenberg and WordPress is that designers can create fully custom blocks resulting in a professional and mobile-first website that is also easy to edit and maintain.

Custom blocks in WordPress provide a professional yet easy-to-edit user experience and are essential to any modern WordPress design project. By developing custom blocks, designers and developers can create a consistent and cohesive editing experience for the user that is easy to maintain and update.

Using this approach also provides greater design constancy and flexibility, allowing designers to create unique and visually appealing designs that meet the specific needs of a client. In addition custom blocks can be easily arranged and combined to create custom layouts, providing editors with a website that stands out from the competition.

Bespoke Custom WordPress ‘Systems’ Not ‘Themes’

When does a website evolve to become more than just a website? A bespoke custom WordPress system offers many advantages over a pre-made theme. It allows the website to be more efficient and streamlined, providing faster load times and better functionality. With a bespoke custom system your client can customize every aspect of the website to suit their specific needs and preferences.

This level of specific customisation takes WordPress to the next-level. It is no longer a basic website, rather a fully custom system.

In 2023, it’s time to move beyond calling our WordPress projects “Themes” and recognise the unique value of bespoke custom “Systems”. A bespoke custom system provides a truly tailored and personalised solution for clients that goes far beyond the limitations of pre-made themes. With a custom system, clients can expect greater efficiency, flexibility, and control over the design and functionality of their website.

It’s time to acknowledge the unique value that these bespoke WordPress custom systems bring to the table and start referring to them as such!

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