WordPress released Gutenberg in 2020… So by now a lot of site owners + bloggers are wondering if the WordPress Gutenberg builder is right for them. While there’s no one perfect website solution for everyone using WP, there are some questions you can ask yourself before you dive into planning your next site design or revamp project.
How to know if Gutenberg will work for you
The reality is that Gutenberg will work for pretty much any site. Just like WordPress as a tool will work for most businesses. Which is why it boils down to asking if it will work for you, for your business + for your team. When you’re ready for a new site or an improved one, ask yourself these questions before settling on a solution.
Do you have time to learn a new tool?
This isn’t as time intensive as learning a new language with Duolingo, but you will have some questions along the way. If you’re going to DIY this, do you have time to search or watch videos? There are plenty of free resources out there! And if you’re getting help with the process, will your developer teach you how to use the site moving forward?
I would label Gutenberg as intuitive for the most part. Headings, text, bulleted lists — they all feel very easy + natural to users who are new to the WordPress Gutenberg builder. Where there is a learning curve though lies in the Groups block, which allows you to set full width banners or group (pun intended) pieces together. Once clients understand this element, they tend to rock it on future pages + posts. But it does take a beginner’s mind to start with a new tool.
Do you have designs or do you need pre-made templates?
Gutenberg does have Reusable Blocks that can be repeated throughout the site once you have content created. But this builder does not come installed with templates you can use. My two cents? This is one of many reasons why Gutenberg can actually speed your site up from other popular site builder tools. I digress.
The pre-made templates that Divi offers is one of the biggest reasons that I recommend that builder to folks who do not have the budget or time for a designer. Your site may look like others out there, but you can create something professional very quickly.
If you have designs ready to go, or a designer who will create them for you, Gutenberg is a great option. Using their blocks, you (or your developer) can build out the site pieces to match the designs provided.
Does your budget have less wiggle room?
Don’t get me wrong, you can build an amazing + custom site with the WordPress Gutenberg builder for many thousands of dollars. And in that same vein, you can also build something for pennies — but with more of a time cost. Why? Because Gutenberg is free.
Some builders start out as free but have paid versions for elements that you’ll find yourself needing or wanting on your site. With these license requirements comes a cost. I have clients that had their sites built with Elementor or Beaver Builder + have at least 10 additional plugins to support those tools. Gutenberg, however, is baked in to WordPress. That means you don’t have to add (or update) all of those plugins.
If your project budget is the biggest concern, then Gutenberg is a great option because all you need is a hosting company. With that, you can add WordPress (free) + get started with Gutenberg (also free + already installed). From there, you’ll learn how to best use Gutenberg + spend some time creating your pages.
Examples of sites built with the WordPress Gutenberg builder
Are you curious about what’s possible with this built in builder? Check out these tiny blue orange sites developed with Gutenberg in the last 2 years:
Does this have you excited about the possibility of using Gutenberg for your own business site? Let’s chat about working together to make it happen!