Just in time for Pride Month 2025, a small group of Automatticians, including me, participated in the Out in Tech Digital Corps Hackathon, held in our office in New York City a few weeks ago. 

During a Digital Corps Hackathon, groups with 8-10 volunteers spend the day building a full, multilingual website for the nonprofit to which they’re assigned. My group was assigned a youth advocacy group in West Africa.

A few days before the event, we were added to a shared Google Drive and a dedicated Slack channel, giving us a clear picture of what would be needed before we even arrived. We even connected with the organization’s executive director over video early on the day of the Hackathon.

My group consisted of UX designers, illustrators, marketers, digital strategists, copywriters, and expert site builders. Honestly, I felt like I was back in college working feverishly on a class assignment, and I loved every minute of it. The camaraderie, intense collaboration, and our shared sense of mission all contributed to a joyful experience, complete with inside jokes and new friendships.

At the end of the day, each group presented their finished website during the closing showcase, and then we celebrated with snacks and lively conversations. By the time I’d left later that evening, I’d already made a mental note to volunteer for the next Hackathon in September. It’s incredibly meaningful to use our skills to amplify the missions of LGBTQ+ organizations worldwide.

Interested in volunteering or learning more about Out in Tech? Head to their website to find out how you can get involved and attend an event near you. 

Ready to turn the page? Here’s how to claim your bookish home on the web.

What is a book blog?

A book blog is any blog focused on reading, writing, or the publishing world, whether it features long-form essays, author interviews, reviews, recommendations, or industry insights.

Even if blogging feels overlooked in 2025, the past year has proven the value of owning your content and controlling its distribution. Whether platforms are shutting down, changing their terms of service, or updating their algorithms, having a standalone blog on an open-source platform like WordPress makes your content more resilient to a changing media landscape.  

Plus, blogging doesn’t prevent you from having a thriving presence on #BookTok, Bookstagram, BookTube, r/books, or other popular social media platforms; a book blog simply gives your content a home base that you own.

Planning your book blog

Before jumping into blogging, you should spend some time deciding what your blog is about and how you will set yourself apart from other book blogs on the web. 

Choose your niche

A niche is a unique topic that the majority of your content is focused on. It can be broad, such as “romance novels,” or specific, like “cozy mysteries set in 1920s England.” 

When choosing a niche, passion matters. You want to pick something you’ll still be excited to write about months from now. It’s also helpful to select a topic you have some experience with or insight into—it’ll make creating content easier and more authentic.

Whatever you choose to focus on in the book blogging universe, your blog should be specific, memorable, and easy to explain. If you can’t explain your blog in one sentence, you may need another edit.

Set your goals

Setting realistic goals for your blog’s first few months or first year can help you stay focused and motivated. However, be aware that it may take time to find your groove and grow your blog’s audience. Small, well-defined goals can keep you on track.

Your goals could be related to the number of posts you publish each month, your monthly website visitors, or your newsletter subscriptions. Start small and talk with others in the community to ensure you’re setting yourself up for success from the get-go. 

Monetizing your blog

Book bloggers are often paid in the most precious of resources: books! In fact, established bloggers may be asked by publishers or writers within their focus area for a book review in exchange for an advance copy of their book. This is an amazing opportunity to get an early look at some of the hottest books in your industry and write one of the first reviews. 

Beyond free books, there are several other popular ways to monetize your blog (or fund your reading habit).

• Donations: Many creators are adopting donation-based models to support their art. One benefit of accepting donations on your own website is not having to pay for third-party services or implement tricky embed codes. For example, WordPress.com allows you to accept donations and tips directly on your website with drag-and-drop blocks.
• Subscriptions: Another monetization option is subscriber-only content, either in the form of “locked” posts on your blog or via a subscription newsletter. If you’re interested in offering subscription-based content now or down the line, make sure your platform supports it. With WordPress.com, paid content and newsletter functionality are included in your hosting plan at no additional cost.
• Ads: If you have a large bookish community, you can host ads on your site to bring in extra income. Ad income is generally based on ad views and clicks, so the more traffic your site gets, the more ad income you’ll make. 

These are just three options for monetizing a book blog, but the opportunities are endless. If your blog is built on WordPress.com, you can add additional monetization options to your site via blocks.

Your blog setup

Once you have your plan, it’s time to choose where you’ll actually build your blog. While this may sound overwhelming, there are just three main components: blogging platform, web host, and domain name.

1. Choose a blogging platform

A content management system (CMS) is the underlying software you use to create and publish content on your website, without coding everything from scratch. 

Not all blogging platforms offer the same flexibility and ownership. That’s why we recommend bloggers use WordPress, the free and open source CMS that powers over 43% of all websites. 

Unlike other proprietary publishing platforms that are owned and maintained by private hosting companies (like Squarespace, Wix, or Substack), WordPress allows you to maintain complete control and ownership over your site and its content. If you ever want to change your hosting provider, you can easily download and move your website and content without hassle or restriction. 

Plus, even non-technical users can build beautiful, highly responsive drag-and-drop websites that can grow to meet their evolving needs.

2. Choose a web host

While WordPress is the tool you use to create and manage your blog, you also need a web host to put your website online so others can see it. All websites are located on physical servers, a type of computer that remains online and sends your website data to visitors when they click on your website’s web address. 

Companies that manage these servers and connections are called web hosts or simply hosts. Hosts fall into two categories: unmanaged hosting, which is cheaper but requires the website owner to control the technical setup and maintenance, and managed hosting, where the host manages the setup and maintenance of your site’s server and security on your behalf. For peace of mind and ease of use, most non-technical users choose managed hosting.

Whatever direction you choose, make sure to review a potential host’s uptime (how often your website is online and working as expected), built-in security features, and speed. You’ll find a few more important considerations in our guide on types of web hosting as well.

For managed hosting, WordPress.com offers fast, reliable, and secure managed hosting. Our hosting scales with you, and even our free plans include essential managed features. Plus, all plans come with unlimited traffic, so you’ll never have to worry about extra fees for being successful.

We manage infrastructure, updates, backups, and security so you can focus on content, not upkeep. This means that once you sign up for a WordPress.com hosting plan, you’ll get a WordPress site that’s ready for your own design, ideas, and storytelling.

3. Buy a domain name 

Once you’ve selected your hosting provider, you’ll need to purchase a unique address on the web for your blog: a domain name! You can use a domain search tool, such as our domain suggestion tool, to determine which domains are available. 

However, domain pricing depends on your domain name provider, so be sure to shop around and compare options. If you decide to host your site on WordPress.com, a domain of your choice will be free for one year with any annual hosting plan. 

Check if your domain includes features like domain privacy and SSL certificates. Some providers may surprise you with additional charges for these services at checkout, but all domains sold on WordPress.com come with free domain privacy and SSL certificates included. 

If your first domain choice isn’t available, there are some alternatives. For example, while .com URLs are most popular, they’re not the only option; you could consider alternatives like .net, .blog, or even .page!

Designing and launching a WordPress blog 

Once you’ve decided to move forward with using the internet’s most popular website builder, WordPress, let’s get you from outline to launch.

Select a WordPress theme

With WordPress themes, you don’t need to be a professional designer to have a beautiful blog. 

Themes are pre-packaged designs created by WordPress designers and developers that contain pre-selected fonts, colors, and layouts for a cohesive website experience. If you want to venture outside of those pre-selected fonts, colors, and layouts, you can—a theme just gives you a starting point so you don’t need to design your site from scratch.

If you host your website on WordPress.com, you get access to free and premium themes that are responsive and fully customizable. With plenty of blog-specific themes to choose from, you’ll be able to customize your blog’s aesthetic to match your style and brand.

When choosing a theme, focus on more than just the visual: ensure that your theme offers comprehensive layouts for all your pages and is responsive for optimal viewing on mobile devices, as most website traffic now comes from mobile devices. 

To view a WordPress.com theme’s responsiveness:

1.  Click on the theme’s Preview button.

2. Use the drop-down menu in the preview window to view a mobile and tablet version of the theme.

WordPress.com offers new, custom themes to paid users each month. In addition to these themes, you can also buy themes from third-party designers and install them on our Business plan and above.

Install essential plugins

One of the coolest things about WordPress is its vast library of plugins, or add-ons that extend your site’s functionality. 

Even though users on the Business plan and above can install third-party plugins, many WordPress.com features come built-in, like SEO tools, security, social sharing, and performance optimization, powered by Jetpack. That means you may not need extra plugins to get the functionality most bloggers rely on.

If you aren’t using WordPress.com’s Jetpack-boosted hosting, or maybe you’re still interested in using third-party plugins, here are some plugin categories new book bloggers may be interested in: 

• Security: Protect your literary haven from hackers, malware, and other threats with security plugins like WordFence, All in One Security, and the standalone Jetpack Security.
• SEO: Tools like Yoast SEO, All in One SEO, and Rank Math help optimize your content for search engine rankings.
• Social sharing: Social sharing plugins, such as AddToAny and Blog2Social, make it easy to distribute your blog content across multiple social networks and encourage readers to follow you on various platforms.
• Optimization: If your site loads too slowly, potential readers may leave before they get a chance to read your best takes. To ensure fast website speeds, consider using plugins for image compression, such as ShortPixel, Smush Image Optimization, or Jetpack Boost.
• Book blogging tools: Plugins like WordPress Books Gallery and Osom Author Pro provide layout and feature options specifically for book bloggers. 

When comparing plugins, consider reviewing the plugin’s ratings, the last update date, and the number of active installations to ensure it is comprehensive and well-supported.

Many plugins offer free versions with premium upgrades available as your blog grows. Only install the plugins you need, as too many plugins can slow down your site.

Create website pages

In addition to your blog content, you may want to consider adding a few additional sections or pages to your blog:

• Homepage: You can use your homepage to display a ton of different information about your website’s purpose. It can include your blog feed, or it could be more of a static landing page that helps new visitors understand what your site is about and the kind of content you’re hoping to publish. On WordPress, you can edit your theme’s default homepage or set a custom page as your homepage.
• Blog: By default, WordPress shows your latest blog posts on your homepage, no additional setup required. If you decide to use a static homepage instead, you’ll just need to assign another page to display your blog post feed. You can configure this by going to Settings → Reading in your dashboard and selecting your desired blog feed page in the Posts page setting. You can then navigate to the Posts area in your dashboard to start publishing blog content.
• About: Here, you can explain the focus of your blog and what kinds of content you plan to post there. This should be easily accessible from your homepage. 

If you aren’t sure what other pages you need, take a look at other blogs you love for inspiration. Add new pages any time by navigating to Pages → Add Page in your WordPress dashboard.

Create excellent content

Create a few initial posts that capture the essence of your blog’s theme and goals. While you don’t need to write a Tolstoy-length post, blog posts around 1,500-2,000 words tend to perform best in Google search rankings.

Starting with your first blog post, establish a clear content structure using categories (like book reviews, author interviews, or recommendations) to help readers navigate your growing content library. Plus, for sites hosted on WordPress.com, your content can appear in relevant channels in the WordPress.com Reader to get in front of even more people.

Plan to publish consistently—whether that’s weekly, biweekly, or monthly—and consider creating an editorial calendar to keep yourself accountable. 

For more tips, check out our guides on how to write a blog post and how to write a blog post outline.  

Give your posts some visual flair

Even though your readers may be a bit more word-forward than your average internet user, you still need to ensure that your site is visually interesting if you want to capture readers’ attention.

Most book reviewers choose to include photos of the covers of the books they’re discussing. Using images of the cover you find online could get you into copyright trouble, so consider taking your own photographs. You can use simple photos of the cover or include simple props, but keep the focus on the book and avoid clutter. You can also create custom graphics using popular design tools like Canva.

Spread the word

Even the most brilliant book blogs need to build a reader base! Cross-post your content on social media and join bookish communities on the web to build your brand and reputation.

Book blogging is particularly community-focused, so don’t forget to read and comment on fellow bloggers’ content to create a thriving and supportive community of book lovers. 

Remember that building a following takes time. Focus on consistently creating high-quality content to keep readers coming back. 

For a more in-depth breakdown of setting up your blog, check out our companion post on how to start a successful blog.

In (book) review: start a book blog with WordPress.com

While starting a new blog may feel overwhelming, the book blogging community is supportive, passionate, and always ready to welcome new voices to celebrate the authors, stories, and worlds they love. 

And by starting your book blog on WordPress.com, you get a second support system on your creative journey, with hosting, domains, performance, and support all in one seamless platform.

Whether you’re job-hunting, applying to grad school, or figuring out next steps, now’s the time to build something that sets you apart: a personal website. It’s your digital home base for showcasing your skills, experience, and what makes you you.

Show potential employers, collaborators, or admissions teams what you bring to the table with a site that grows with you. We’re giving graduates 25% off a new website for a limited time.

The smartest move you haven’t made yet

Chances are, your future employer or admissions officer will Google you. Do you know what they’ll find?

Whether you’re a job seeker, grad school applicant, freelancer, or creator, a personal website allows you to proactively manage and curate your online presence. It serves as a centralized platform to present a professional image to potential employers or academic institutions, and tailor how you present your skills and experience for each opportunity.

Your future, your website, your rules

Whatever you’re working on next, WordPress.com helps you share it with the world.

From portfolios to blogs to passion projects, here are just a few ways grads are putting WordPress.com to work:

• Build a digital resume: Create a standout online resume that goes beyond a PDF. Share your story, showcase your work, and prove why you’re the right choice.
• Showcase class projects and portfolios: Bring your best work together in one place. Whether you’re designing, writing, coding, or researching, your portfolio deserves more than a shared Google Drive link.
• Start a blog or newsletter: Turn your interests into opportunities. Whether you’re into travel, tech, or hot takes, a blog or newsletter helps you build credibility, showcase your expertise, and grow a following that sets you apart.
• Promote your research or passion projects: Working on a passion project or your next big idea? Your site can help you share it, fund it, and grow your audience. Add donation buttons, sell digital content, and build momentum with every visitor.
• Teach what you know: Use tools like Sensei LMS to create and sell online courses, whether you’re helping underclassmen get ahead or teaching your niche to a wider audience.
• Document your school experience: From first-year memories to final exams, preserve your college story in your own words and photos. Your friends can follow along and leave comments, too.

A little graduation gift from us

Every grad deserves a personal site, so we have a graduation gift just for you.

New graduates (K-12, college, and graduate) can snag 25% off an annual Personal, Premium, or Business WordPress.com plan today through June 16. 

Plus, with the purchase of your discounted annual hosting plan, your first year of a custom domain is on us. This means you can build your brand-new site with a domain (like yourgroovydomain.com) that reflects your personal brand, perfect for resumes, portfolios, and more.

This offer’s only here for a limited time, so don’t wait around. You’ve already done the hard part (hello, diploma), and now’s your chance to launch your site and show the world what’s next. Future you will thank you.

Make a site that says, “this is me”

Never built a website before? No problem. 

When you build a website on WordPress.com, hosting, performance, and security are all handled for you, so you can focus on presenting yourself in a true-to-you way.

Not only that, all WordPress.com sites are built with the most popular website builder in the world (WordPress), and the drag-and-drop editor, stylish themes, and custom domains help you build a site that aligns with your ambitions.

And if you want even more guidance to help you build a site you’re genuinely proud of, our new Create your website on WordPress.com course was made for you. 

This free course walks you through every step of the website-building process. You’ll learn how to:

• Find and activate a theme.
• Build a homepage and add content using blocks and patterns.
• Create additional pages for your site.
• Customize your header and footer.
• Style your site for a cohesive look and feel.
• Edit templates for structural changes.
• Launch your site for the world to see.

If time is of the essence, you can also use our new AI website builder to help you get your site up and running in just minutes.

Your future is calling, answer with a website

Take control of your future and own your online presence with a personal website. Show what you’ve done and be ready for whatever comes next: job interviews, applications, or unexpected opportunities.

With WordPress.com, we take care of hosting, performance, and security for your site, so you can tell your story the way you want it to be told.

Fine print: Graduating students with valid institutional email addresses (K-12, college, and graduate) qualify for this promotion. The discount ends June 16, 2025, and is valid for 25% off one full year of a Personal, Premium, or Business WordPress.com hosting plan. Only for annual plans and new purchases.

As a proud Filipino-American who only arrived here as part of the wave of Asian immigration to the U.S. in the ‘70s and ‘80s, I’m thrilled to showcase some of my favorite Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) creators and bloggers who have made WordPress.com their home. 

Food, glorious food

Millions of us make up the global Asian diaspora in nearly every country in the world, hailing from one or more of the 48 Asian countries. We may come from unique cultures, but there’s one thing that binds us all together: our deep and abiding love of food. 

Check out these mouth-watering food blogs, complete with step-by-step recipes and, of course, plenty of colorful photos to inspire you to break out your favorite wok or kawali. 

My Bay Kitchen

Although this blog hasn’t been updated in a while, with literally hundreds of recipes in the archive, you’ll never run out of dishes to try. Inspired by his years learning traditional cooking techniques from his mother, the author, a San Francisco-based Filipino-American, weaves personal stories into each meticulously developed recipe. 

Jama’s Alphabet Soup

An eclectic mix of book reviews, poetry, recipes, and personal essays, this site is a whimsical journey through the writer’s culinary and reading adventures. 

Pop culture

These sites dive into the vibrant, ever-evolving world of AAPI pop culture, amplifying voices, dissecting trends, and celebrating representation.

Nerds of Color

The dazzling mosaic of pop culture-infused images in the header of this site lifts my mood every time I visit. Although it’s not specifically positioned as an Asian-American pop culture site, a quick perusal of its posts makes clear its creative roots in our community. 

Generasian

Yes, this blog is written by and for students at New York University, but it’s really for anyone who shares their passion for AAPI representation in pop culture, especially among Gen Alpha. 

Add to your TBR

I think just about every other site publishes “to be read” listicles of AAPI authors and books in May. Let’s give it up to those creators and bloggers who focus their reviews on our community’s literary output year-round. 

READING (AS)(I)AN (AM)ERICA

Thirty-something Taiwanese-American blogger Shenwei shines a spotlight on YA, adult fiction, and middle-grade books through an “Asian-Americanist lens.” She doesn’t just provide quick summaries; she also includes author interviews and curated playlists for select books. 

Little Corner Reads

There is a specific subgroup of book lovers who love books about books. And bookstores. I’m a card-carrying member of this special subgroup, and when I saw this particular post show up on my Reader feed, I knew I’d found a kindred spirit. She’s a voracious reader, and I love her joyful and authentic voice. 

Stories that stay with you

When identity spans countries, cultures, and histories, stories like these delve deeply into questions of culture, family, and what it means to find one’s place in the world.

Red Thread Broken

This blog powerfully documents the singular experiences and challenges of transracial adoptions. The writer, herself one of 80,000 adoptees from China who now live in the US, is a professional social worker, prolific author, and speaker on the topic. 

I’m always looking for more blog recommendations about the AAPI experience, so please share your favorites in the comments!

And if you’re feeling inspired to start your own, WordPress.com has everything you need to bring your story to life, like beautiful themes, powerful tools, and a community that’s got your back.

What are the .ORG Impact Awards?

Hosted by the Public Interest Registry, the .ORG Impact Awards recognize the changemakers and community builders behind some of the world’s most inspiring .org websites. From fighting hunger to promoting education, the honorees are celebrated for the powerful work they do both online and in the real world.

This year, awards will be given across seven categories, including Health and Healing, Environmental Stewardship, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. One outstanding finalist will be named .ORG of the Year and will receive a total of $50,000 donation to support their mission. Category winners receive $10,000 each, and all finalists are invited to an in-person celebration in Washington, D.C.

In 2024, the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation from the Philippines earned the top honor for its creative solution to a basic challenge: getting kids to school. 

Their answer? Boats. The foundation provides transportation for children in remote coastal villages, making education accessible, one ride at a time.

Stories like these remind us of the power behind every .org site and company.

How to participate this year

If you are doing meaningful work through a .org site—or if someone you know is—nominate yourself or them. Visit the .ORG Impact Awards site to submit your nomination.

Here are a few key dates to keep in mind:

• Nominations close: June 4, 2025
• Finalists announced: August 12, 2025
• Awards ceremony: October 7, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

Should you get a .org domain?

If you’re on a mission to make a difference, a .org domain is your digital badge of purpose. It’s trusted globally by nonprofits, open-source projects, grassroots campaigns, and values-driven brands. 

A .org domain tells your audience you’re here to serve, support, and inspire—not just sell. Whether you’re starting a new initiative, launching a community project, or building credibility for your cause, a .org domain gives your message the home it deserves.

Get your .org domain at WordPress.com and start building your impact today. It’s free for the first year with any annual hosting plan, or you can register one to use anywhere at our lowest-ever price, as part of our commitment to supporting mission-driven organizations and democratizing publishing. In fact, we currently host over 80,000 .org domains!

And if you need a website to promote your organization, our AI website builder helps you launch your site fast. 

Let’s celebrate the web’s potential for greatness because every click, story, and site can spark change.

But this doesn’t mean that your site is doomed. With the right analysis and actions, you can often uncover the cause and recover lost momentum.

Why do sudden traffic drops happen?

There are many reasons why your website traffic might abruptly decline, and understanding them is the first step toward returning to baseline. 

Below is a quick overview of the most common causes, each explored in detail throughout this guide.

• Technical errors: Technical glitches like broken tracking, slow load times, or crawl errors can make it look like traffic has dropped or cause a real decline by making your site inaccessible or less trustworthy.
• Google-related issues: Google updates its algorithms and interface regularly. These updates could drastically affect your organic traffic if you’ve been penalized or simply reshuffled in rankings.
• Content and SEO performance: Search behavior shifts fast, and even strong content can lose visibility over time. These tips help you evaluate whether your SEO, content quality, or competitors are responsible for the drop.
• Changes you’ve made to your site: Changes like switching domains or URLs can cause short-term SEO disruptions, especially if redirects or metadata aren’t handled carefully.
• Shifts outside your control: Sometimes, traffic dips for reasons entirely outside your website, like changes in user behavior, link loss, or broader economic shifts.

Investigate technical errors

Technical issues are one of the most common (and fixable) causes of sudden traffic drops. From broken analytics setups to crawl errors and security problems, even small misconfigurations can make your traffic data unreliable or block search engines and users from reaching your site.

1. Confirm there’s a problem

Not every traffic drop you see in your analytics is real, so the first step is to check more than one analytics tool. If one shows a drop and another doesn’t, you might be dealing with a technical issue rather than an actual decline in visitors.

For example, if you notice a traffic drop in Google Analytics, check if the Performance report in Google Search Console paints a similar picture.

Do the same with any other analytics tools your site might be connected to, such as Jetpack Stats (which is included on WordPress.com sites and available on any WordPress site using the Jetpack plugin).

Remember that the numbers in different tools won’t line up perfectly because they don’t track traffic in the same ways. Therefore, focus on overall trends rather than comparing absolute numbers.

2. Rule out a technical issue

Technical problems can cause a sudden drop in website traffic in two ways:

1. They can break your tracking setup, making it look like traffic has dropped when it hasn’t. This can happen if your analytics script was accidentally removed, the plugin was deactivated, or a cookie consent banner blocks tracking for certain users.
2. They can prevent users or search engines from accessing your site, leading to an actual decline in traffic. For example, server errors, misconfigured redirects, or broken links can make pages unreachable.

To rule out these issues, ensure Google Analytics or other tracking tools are properly connected, as someone may have accidentally deleted the tracking code or disabled the analytics plugin.

To test this, visit your site in an incognito window (to simulate a logged-out visitor), and then check the realtime report in Google Analytics. You’ll appear as an active visitor unless data filters block your IP address from being tracked.

If you’re sure your tracking tools are working as expected, it’s time to check if there are any other technical problems. 

Head to Google Search Console and go to the Pages report under Indexing. This report shows if your site has any crawling or indexing errors and the pages affected by them.

The report will tell you if you accidentally block important pages from being indexed or crawled via robots.txt rules, noindex tags, or faulty canonical tags. These are easy mistakes to make in your SEO plugin settings.

Advanced tools like Screaming Frog and Sitebulb can also help you examine your website for technical problems.

If you find any, reverting your drop in website traffic is mostly a matter of correcting your mistakes, updating and submitting your sitemap, and validating the fixes in Google Search Console.

Want search engines to find your content faster? Learn how sitemaps help in our detailed guide.

3. Look for security problems

Security issues can suddenly cause traffic to drop, making your website inaccessible or untrustworthy. For example, Google may temporarily deindex hacked or compromised websites.

To rule that out as a cause, check the Security issues report in Google Search Console.

If you’re concerned about security issues, know that WordPress.com sites benefit from built-in security features and a powerful firewall designed to help protect your content from threats. Jetpack Scan checks every website for malware, vulnerabilities, and dangerous themes and plugins daily. You can see your scan history on Business or Commerce plans, too.

Other security features include automatic backups and one-click restores (on our Business plan and above), firewalls, DDoS and brute force protection, and downtime monitoring. As a managed hosting provider, we also automatically keep your WordPress software updated, and you can enable the same for plugins and themes. We’re so confident in our security systems that should your website be hacked, cleanup is free.

Even so, there are extra security measures that you can take to keep your site safe, especially if your site isn’t hosted on WordPress.com. You can use tools like Sucuri or SiteCheck to scan your site for malware, suspicious code, or unauthorized changes.

4. Measure site speed

Site speed affects both user experience and search rankings. A permanent and significant downturn in how fast your website loads can also negatively impact search position and traffic.

Your first step is to use something like WordPress.com’s Speed Test Tool to analyze your site’s performance.

Pay special attention to Core Web Vitals metrics like First and Largest Contentful Paint, and follow the tool’s advice to improve your website’s loading speed.

One of the biggest factors in site performance is hosting. For example, if you host your site on WordPress.com, your site automatically benefits from these performance-boosting features:

• High-frequency CPUs to process requests and deliver content more quickly
• High-burst capacity to handle sudden or seasonal traffic spikes
• A global edge cache and CDN with 28+ locations, ensuring visitors get fast load times, regardless of their locations

Besides solid hosting, be sure to optimize your images, reduce the number of plugins on your site (especially resource-heavy or unused ones), keep those plugins up to date, and follow other site performance best practices.

Identify Google-related issues

Sometimes, search engines are the source of the disruption, whether through manual penalties, algorithm updates, or search engine results page changes that push your content further down the page. Here’s how to tell if your traffic drop came from search engine changes.

5. See if you received a manual action

Google can take manual actions to demote your website, usually for breaking their spam policies. Manual actions may remove your website from the search index entirely.

Check Security & Manual Actions → Manual Actions in Google Search Console to see if your site has any manual actions.

This report will tell you if and why a Google employee has penalized your content directly.

Most often, manual penalties are related to violating Google’s guidelines, especially regarding spammy content. If that’s the case, reviewing those guidelines can help you fix the issue:

• Google Search Essentials
• Spam policies

Follow the guidelines and manual action messaging to resolve the problems everywhere on your site. Then, request a review within Google Search Console, and wait until the review is complete.

6. Check for Google algorithm updates

Google algorithm updates (the major updates are called “core updates”) occur several times a year and can significantly impact rankings and traffic.

To determine if a core update is causing your traffic decrease, check the Search Status Dashboard to see if an update happened alongside your website’s sudden traffic problems.

Some SEO tools, like Ahrefs, include visual markers showing when algorithm upgrades occurred.

Plus, you can use Mozcast and Semrush Sensor as indicators if an update is currently affecting rankings.

If you suspect a core update might be the reason for your traffic decline, the next step is to read up on SEO news sites and forums like Search Engine Land and Search Engine Journal to find out what the latest update targeted. You can also look at changes in the Google documentation.

These sources might give you a better idea of why the update may have negatively affected your site. Examining patterns in your rankings or traffic can help you confirm your hunch.

Of course, the fix is to adapt your content and site according to what the algorithm change targets. However, hold off on any immediate major changes. It’s often best to wait a month or so until the update is rolled out completely before assessing the next steps. Ranking volatility is usually greatest right after algorithm changes.

7. Look at search engine results page (SERP) layout changes

Changes to the search results page can also reduce the visibility of organic search results overall. We have seen many of those over the years, the latest being AI summaries.

These changes are all designed to keep searchers on Google instead of sending them to other websites. Even so, there are some changes on your site that can help you recoup some lost traffic:

• Adjust your content to better match SERP features (i.e., using FAQ schema, video, and optimizing for featured snippets).
• Adhere to Google’s recommendations for content performance in AI overviews.
• Don’t rely solely on Google; diversify your site traffic by creating a newsletter or posting your content on social media.

Evaluate content and SEO performance

Even great content can lose steam over time. If your content is outdated, underperforming, or no longer aligned with users’ search habits, your rankings and traffic will reflect that. These tips will help you uncover weak spots in your content strategy.

8. Examine traffic sources and user devices

Understanding which traffic source dropped can reveal valuable clues on how to recover. Google Analytics offers important insights into this in the Traffic Acquisition report.

Set up a comparison with the period before the drop at the top, then see which channel lost the most visitors.

It also makes sense to compare other metrics:

• Device type: If your lost traffic is mostly from mobile, it could indicate that something is wrong with your responsive design.
• Geography: A traffic drop in specific countries or regions can indicate a problem with hreflang tag implementation or other translation-related issues.

9. Analyze content performance

When loss of organic traffic is the source of your troubles, the next step is to look at your content. Use Google Search Console’s Performance report to compare the data from a date range before and after the drop.

Look at your list of pages and search queries to find out where you lost the most impressions, clicks, and average search positions.

Content-related drops in website traffic can be difficult to pinpoint. You’ll need to dig into the data to identify patterns or content that underperformed. Ask yourself questions like:

• Are the changes sitewide? Then you might have a general or technical problem.
• Are they limited to a few key pages or search queries? It could be that some of your most important content has gone stale or was hit by an algorithm update.
• Have impressions stayed the same, but clicks are down? This indicates a SERP change or a competitor passing you in search results.

This isn’t an exact science and depends on your individual case. But if your website’s sudden traffic drop appears content-related, you might have to review how you create content and your SEO strategy. 

10. Do a competitor analysis

The top results in Google searches get the majority of clicks, so a sudden drop in positions for important keywords will cause website traffic to change noticeably.

This often means a competitor’s content has moved ahead of yours. A good indicator is if Google Search Console shows steady impressions but fewer clicks. You can also use a rank tracking tool like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Ubersuggest to proactively monitor these changes.

If you find that competitors gained visibility or outranked you, especially for key pages that used to bring in a lot of traffic, you need to figure out how they did it. Use SEO tools to compare keyword rankings, content quality, and backlink profiles. Look at their recent content to see if they’re covering topics you aren’t. In addition, compare site quality, like load times, and use those insights to guide your own improvement plan.

Review recent site changes

If SEO implications aren’t handled properly, big changes to your site can unintentionally tank your traffic. If you made changes recently, this is a key area to investigate.

11. Evaluate recent site changes

Major changes to your site can affect traffic and rankings. Some of those updates include:

• Site migrations: There are many things to remember when moving your site to a new host, and mistakes can hurt your ranking and traffic. Especially when switching to a new domain, losing some of your organic traffic is natural, even with proper redirects in place.
• Switching to SSL: Adding SSL (which changes your site from HTTP to HTTPS) encrypts information and makes your site more secure for visitors. It’s a best practice that can give your site a slight SEO boost, though the effect is minimal. Just be sure to set up redirects properly; if both HTTP and HTTPS versions are accessible, it can cause duplicate content issues that may temporarily hurt your rankings.
• Changes to your URL structure: Even if your content doesn’t change, this usually leads to rank adjustments. Well-directed changes can cause short-term drops in traffic.
• Moving single pages: Changes to the URL of high-traffic pages can also lead to traffic loss.
• Switching themes: A theme change affects your site’s look and HTML markup, which can be better or worse for SEO. It may also affect page loading speed and search ranking.
• Shifting to headless WordPress: Moving to a headless WordPress setup where the frontend is decoupled from the WordPress backend can impact SEO if it’s not configured correctly. 

If you did any of these things before the drop in traffic occurred, they could be the culprit. Be aware that Google usually takes a while to pick up on website changes, so the source of the problem could have happened a while ago. 

If you are unsure exactly when you made a change, use the Wayback Machine to compare current and past versions of your site.

If a site change seems to have caused the decline in traffic, you might have to restore your old site version from backup and put the new version in a staging site for auditing.

Watch for shifts outside your control

Sometimes the problem isn’t with your site at all. External factors like seasonality, search trends, or lost backlinks can lead to sudden traffic dips, especially if your content depends on timing or shifting public interest.

12. Look for changing trends and seasonality

Examine your traffic patterns over a longer period of time, at least one year, and compare them to the previous timespan. You can do this in Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Jetpack Stats.

If your business or content is seasonal, you might find it follows a regular pattern. For example, as a company selling fitness equipment, you would likely see traffic increases at the beginning of each year. At the same time, an article on the best Christmas presents for men will be most popular leading up to the holidays. 

A great example of how interests change is Rhythm of Food, which uses Google Trends data to show how search terms ebb and flow over time.

If you find that your traffic loss is seasonal, there’s not much you need to change, as it’s just part of the natural flow of the way people find content online. However, you can prepare to capitalize on your next busy season or focus on diversifying your content and offerings to drive more consistent, year-round traffic.

Besides seasonal changes, a sudden drop in website traffic can also be the result of general shifts in the world. For example, at the onset of the COVID pandemic, interest in travel-related topics dropped sharply, as reflected in Google Trends data.

Use the tool to find out if interest in your core business or industry is shrinking, which could account for the loss in traffic. If that is the case, think about how you can pivot towards something people are more curious about. 

13. Check your backlink profile

Backlinks, or links to your site from other sources, still play a major role in SEO, and sudden changes to them can impact your rankings. They can be a source of referral traffic, so if you see that it has dropped, it’s worth investigating whether your backlinks have changed.

You can filter the Traffic Acquisition report in Google Analytics by referral traffic and compare it to earlier time frames for big changes.

If a site sends you significantly less traffic, see if they stopped linking to you. Many SEO tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Ubersuggest also include backlink analysis tools to help you figure out if you lost high-quality links around the time you started losing traffic.

In addition, look for new links from toxic or spammy sites in the Links report in Google Search Console. These links can damage your site’s authority or rankings.

If you think links are to blame for the sudden drop in website traffic, you can take a two-pronged approach:

• Contact the original linking site to try to restore a lost high-quality link. If that isn’t possible, strengthen your backlink profile by publishing content that other sites want to link to.
• Submit a disavow file in Google Search Console for links from spammy, low-quality, or irrelevant sites.

Plan and implement your recovery strategy

You’ve done the detective work, so it’s time to turn insights into action. This final step is about moving from diagnosis to recovery, with a plan that addresses root causes and sets your site up for long-term growth.

14. Create a recovery plan and monitor the results

To create a recovery plan, list what needs to be done and prioritize fixes based on severity, effort, and potential impact. Implement your changes gradually and document everything you do. Monitor site performance using Google Analytics and Google Search Console, and track rankings for keywords and pages that need to recover.

Continue testing, improving, and staying informed about SEO best practices. Finally, give your changes time to take effect, especially after algorithm updates, which often cause temporary ranking fluctuations.

Avoid traffic drops with WordPress.com

A sudden website traffic drop can be alarming, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. With the right approach, you can recover that traffic, which may return even stronger. Diagnose the issue, determine the right solution, and put it into action.

And if you are looking for a hosting provider with built-in SEO, speed, and security tools to avoid future drops, host your site on WordPress.com.

Whether you’re looking to start a budding travel brand or create a self-owned place on the web to direct your existing followers, we’re here to help you get started. So fasten your seatbelts low and tight across your hips, stow your personal items, and close your tray tables: it’s time for your next big (blogging) adventure.

First stop: understanding travel blogs

A travel blog is a vast category of websites dedicated to sharing content related to travel, including destination-specific reviews, travel tips and tricks, local recommendations, travel photos and vlogs, and more. Wherever your interests lie within this space, it’s important to approach your new blog with a clear vision and plan for success.

Your pre-flight checklist: pre-launch planning

Before you dive into writing posts or picking a design, it’s important to lay the groundwork. A little planning now will set you up for a smoother launch and a blog built to last.

Define your blog’s focus

Because the universe of travel is so vast, it’s important to find a specific and targeted niche to attract and retain a dedicated audience with similar interests. Whatever you choose, it should be something you’re passionate enough about to write and post about consistently. 

Below are a few ideas to help you establish your niche. Consider combining several niches for a hyper-focused brand that represents your unique travel interests and experiences:

• Group type: Do you usually travel solo, with a group of friends, or with a large family? Each of these travel groups has distinct travel needs that dictate what kinds of accommodations, activities, and locales are ideal.
• Budget: Shoestring backpackers and luxury jet-setters will be seeking out different kinds of recommendations and tips. Be clear about how much you’re spending when you travel to help potential visitors determine if your recommendations are relevant for their wallets. 
• Activity level: Some people travel for action-packed adventures, while others prefer to lounge on the beach. Fitness level and physical ability can greatly impact whether a recommended activity will be a favorite memory or a disastrous travel story.
• Expertise: Are you a wine connoisseur or history buff? If so, you might be uniquely positioned to become a go-to resource for tour, restaurant, or destination advice around these themes. 
• Cultural identity: Unfortunately, not all locales are equally safe or welcoming for every person, but many travel resources don’t account for these realities. Whether you are a woman, LGBTQ+, disabled, or a person of color, your frank travel experiences and trusted recommendations can be invaluable resources for other travelers.

Choose a name

Once you’ve defined your blog’s focus, it’s time to choose a name! Keep it short, memorable, and travel-related. Blog names should be easy to spell and pronounce, so you should avoid unexpected or alternate spellings if possible.

Since all websites need a unique address, you’ll also want to check if your blog name has a corresponding domain name, or address on the web (like mygreatnewblog.com). You can use our domain suggestion tool to check your desired domain’s availability and price. 

Tip: If you register for an annual WordPress.com hosting plan, your domain name is free for the first year.

Set clear goals

Once you’ve settled on your blog’s focus, start thinking about what you hope to achieve with your blog. Try creating measurable, time-based goals for the first few months and then continuing to set new milestones from there. Creating small, achievable milestones will help you stay focused, motivated, and on track. 

You can set goals around content creation, growth, and/or engagement. Below are some examples of goals in each category: 

• Posts: If you’re just starting to create content, consider committing to a daily or weekly cadence for adding content to your blog. Creating content regularly will help you establish your expertise and nail down your voice and tone. 
• Traffic: Increasing the number of visitors to your website is another way to track growth and success. There are many strategies for increasing your site’s traffic, like search engine optimization to increase your ranking on Google, cross-posting content on other platforms, and paid advertising.
• Engagement: Beyond the sheer number of visitors coming to your site, it’s important to track whether visitors continue to engage with your content over time. Repeat visitors and subscribers will be the heart of your blog and community. Track the number of newsletter subscribers you have, how many followers you have on social media, or how many comments you get on your posts.

Consider monetization strategies 

Even if you are starting small, knowing how you may want to monetize your blog in the future can help you decide what infrastructure and tools you’ll need to support your long-term growth.

We’ve ranked monetization strategies below, from the least to most technically intensive.

• Brand partnerships and sponsored posts: These posts require more offline work to find and establish relevant brand partners, but they oftentimes don’t require any technical knowledge beyond a typical blog post. 
• Affiliate links: Affiliate links, like the ones you can generate through the Amazon Associates Program, are an easy way to earn a small commission on items you recommend through your blog. They don’t require any additional site infrastructure. Simply insert your unique affiliate URL in your post to ensure you get credit from your affiliate partner. Be sure to disclose when using an affiliate link as well.
• Display ads: If you have a lot of blog traffic but aren’t interested in courting brand partners, you may want to display ads on your website. The process for enabling advertising may vary depending on your website type and host.
• Tips or donations: To accept tips or donations directly on your site, you need a digital payments service like Stripe or PayPal, or a tool that integrates with them. Regardless of how you enable tip or donation functionality on your site, some technical know-how will be required.
• Subscription content and paid newsletters: Offering subscriber-only content or a paid newsletter requires a site with paywall functionality and the ability to connect to a digital payment processor. 

• Ecommerce store: If you dream of one day offering readers products or services through a virtual shop, you will need the ability to add store functionality to your site. One of the most popular ecommerce tools is WooCommerce.

You can explore more ways to monetize your WordPress site in this detailed guide.

Choose your blogging software and host

There are two more critical pieces you’ll need to launch your blog: 

1. A content management system (CMS): To get your content to your followers, you need a way to organize and display your content online. A CMS is a type of software that provides the infrastructure and tools to design and customize your site without needing to code a website from scratch.
2. A website host: Hosts are services that store all the files, media, and databases your website needs and keep it accessible on the internet. There are a few different hosting types, but for many website owners, managed hosting is a great way to offload maintenance and server setup to a qualified provider. Some web hosts (like WordPress.com) offer domain registration alongside the purchase of a hosting plan, so you can keep everything all in one place.

Your travel companion: WordPress

WordPress is the most popular CMS on the web thanks to its incredible flexibility, customization, and long-term growth potential: unlike other proprietary CMS options like Wix or Squarespace, WordPress is a community-run open-source software with a thriving ecosystem of compatible tools and services, including free and paid themes and plugins created specifically for travel bloggers. With WordPress, you don’t pay for your CMS; you just pay for your hosting and domain.

Another benefit of WordPress is that your site code and content belong to you, not to a company. There are no algorithms, terms of service shenanigans, or government shutdowns that will get between you and your followers. You can easily download and move your content at any time.

Your home away from home: web hosting with WordPress.com 

At WordPress.com, we offer fully managed WordPress hosting designed for bloggers and business owners. You get the same powerful WordPress software that powers over 40% of the web, but we take care of the hosting, security, performance, and updates for you.

Every site includes fast load times, strong security, easy setup, and zero backend maintenance.

Plus, you’ll join a great community of fellow bloggers and website owners. You can find help and advice through our forums, blog, support guides, and friendly support team. No matter where you are on your travel blogging journey, we’re here to act as your local guide. 

Travel essentials: building your WordPress blog

Now that your blog is planned and your platform is in place, it’s time to bring your site to life. From design to functionality, these essentials will help you create a blog that’s both beautiful and easy to use.

1. Select a WordPress theme

WordPress offers a library of free and paid themes—design packages that include layouts, colors, fonts, and styling—to help anyone create a visually attractive and user-friendly website. 

Choose a theme that is responsive, which means it will resize for smaller screens for easy viewing on the go. You can test this out by opening the theme’s sample site on your phone. Through the WordPress.com theme repository, you can also view a mobile and tablet version of any theme using the drop-down menu in the preview window.

WordPress.com offers many great blog themes, including themes specifically created for travel bloggers. Many WordPress.com themes are free for those on a paid hosting plan, and we release new themes every month. 

2. Install essential WordPress plugins

While the core WordPress software offers a clean interface for blogging, many WordPress users rely on plugins to help them extend beyond WordPress’ basic functionality. There are many free and paid WordPress plugins to help you get the most out of your blog, and many independent vendors make and sell WordPress plugins too.

When choosing plugins, always look at the plugin’s reviews and the number of active installations. You should also check the plugin’s last update date to ensure it’s being actively maintained and is compatible with the latest versions of WordPress.

If you have a site on WordPress.com, you can install plugins on our Business plan and above.

Search engine optimization (SEO)

SEO tools help search engines like Google understand your blog’s content, which can help your content appear higher in search results.

Popular SEO plugins include Yoast SEO, All in One SEO, and Rank Math. These plugins provide step-by-step guidance and can help you implement SEO best practices on your site.

WordPress.com offers built-in SEO tools on the Business plan and above, and you can learn more about WordPress SEO best practices in this guide.

Image compression

High-resolution travel photos can slow down your site, leading users to abandon it before it loads. Image compression plugins like ShortPixel or Smush Image Optimization automatically optimize your photos for faster loading times without sacrificing quality. You can also manually optimize images using WordPress.com’s image optimization guide.

Social sharing 

Travel content thrives on visual platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest. Social sharing plugins like AddToAny and Blog2Social make it easy to distribute your content across your social networks and encourage readers to follow you on multiple platforms.

WordPress.com includes built-in social features that allow you to automatically share your blog posts to your social channels and enable your readers to share your content with one click. 

Using tags on your posts will also enable them to appear in the WordPress.com Reader for additional visibility.

Security 

Security plugins help protect your website from hackers, malware, and other threats that could compromise your content or readers’ information. Many also provide two-factor authentication, which is particularly valuable if you update your site abroad or use public Wi-Fi networks.

If you host your blog on WordPress.com, your hosting costs include features like brute force protection, spam and malware protection, and firewalls, so you don’t need to install any third-party plugins to secure your site. 

If you host your WordPress site elsewhere, popular security plugins include WordFence, All in One Security, and Jetpack Security. 

Capture your wanderlust: create engaging content

Once you’ve chosen your platform, design, and plugins, it’s time to get to the heart of your blog: content creation. Modern blogs support all kinds of content, from classic blog posts to photography galleries, podcasts, and vlogs.

1. Plan your first blog posts

You should start by creating a few cornerstone articles that showcase your blog’s focus and unique writing style. Beyond recommendations, travel blog visitors are looking for a window into a new locale: blending your personal travel stories and photography with recommendations and advice will help you distinguish your blog from generic travel sites.

Blog posts around 1,500-2,000 words perform best in Google search rankings. But remember, it’s about the journey, not the destination. 

As you write, consider foundational elements of successful blogs: E-E-A-T, or experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. For travel content, this means showing your authentic knowledge of your destinations, providing accurate information about activities, restaurants, and accommodations, and taking readers off the beaten path.

From your first post, establish a clear content structure using categories (like cities, travel tips, and accommodations) to help readers navigate your growing content library.

2. Add visuals and photos

A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when describing new cities, cultures, and cuisines. Great visuals and photographs help bring travel content to life and are a key feature of successful travel blogs. 

Consider investing in a good camera, like a DSLR, mirrorless camera, or high-end smartphone, to capture amazing, high-quality photos on your trip. Keep compositions clean and purposeful, with a mix of sweeping landscapes and small details that tell the story of a place.

The “golden hours” (early morning and late afternoon) provide the most flattering light for landscape photography. For indoor shots like hotels or restaurants, try to maximize natural light.

You should always check your images on-site to ensure you’ve captured the perfect shot, but for an extra touch of professionalism, you can use editing software like Adobe Lightroom.

Bon voyage: start your blogging journey

Now that you’ve got your blogging itinerary, it’s time to start your adventure. Here at WordPress.com, we help creators like you build and launch websites every day. 

We offer travel creators everything they need to get moving, including free newsletter features, monetization tools, built-in SEO and optimization, and easy social sharing features. Plus, you can download the Jetpack mobile app, connect to your WordPress site, and blog from anywhere, anytime.

If you’re ready for your next great adventure, you can start exploring with WordPress.com.

This has been one of our most requested features, especially with tools like Cursor becoming more popular. The new Preferences interface lays the groundwork for supporting even more tools over time.

How to configure your preferences

To set your preferred code editor and terminal, open the Settings modal. Click “Howdy, [your name]” or “WordPress.com login” if you’re not signed in.

Select the Preferences tab in the modal window. From there, you can choose your preferred code editor and terminal application.

The following options are currently supported:

Code editors:

• Visual Studio Code
• Cursor
• Windsurf
• PHPStorm
• WebStorm

Terminal applications:

• Terminal (Mac)
• Command Prompt (Windows)
• Warp
• Ghostty (Mac)
• iTerm2 (Mac)

Note: To appear as selectable options in your Studio Preferences, the applications must be installed on your computer. On macOS, they need to be in /Applications or /Users/YOUR_USERNAME/Applications.

Once you have made your selections, click Save. You can change your preferences at any time. 

Once saved, the buttons on each site’s Overview tab will update to match your chosen tools. Here, you can see the user has configured the Terminal app on Mac and Cursor.

What’s next for Studio?

We’re actively improving Studio to make it the best local WordPress development tool. Here are a few updates coming in the future:

• Integration with Pressable: Sync and deploy full sites to Pressable-hosted websites.
• An enhanced command-line interface (CLI): Studio will better support streamlined development workflows.

You can track progress, preview upcoming features, and make your own requests in the Studio GitHub repository.

Studio is just over a year old, and 2025 will be an important year for the open source project. If you haven’t recently used Studio, now is a great time to download the latest version for free and explore new features like Studio Assistant and Studio Sync.

If you’re interested in contributing to Studio, perhaps by adding support for additional code editors or terminal applications, we would love to see your contributions in the GitHub repository.

In this guide, you’ll learn several ways to add custom block styles in WordPress, whether you’re working with a theme or a plugin. We’ll cover options using JSON (theme.json), PHP (register_block_style()), and JavaScript, with clear guidance on which method suits which situation.

You will also learn how to remove core block styles from the editor and curate the experience for your content creators. 

The theme.json code refers to block styles as “variations” (short for “block style variations”), which is sometimes confused with block variations or Global Styles variations. This post refers to these as “block styles” to avoid confusion.

This post starts with simple examples and gradually introduces more advanced methods for adding block styles, from quick theme tweaks to plugin-based approaches.

The code referenced in this post is also available on GitHub: 

• Theme: plain-pauli
• Plugin: block-styles

You’ll want to have a basic understanding of CSS to follow along. Being comfortable with theme.json is also key, and knowing a bit about PHP and WordPress hooks will definitely come in handy.

To follow along or use the example code, you can use Studio, our free and open source local development environment, available for Mac and Windows.

1. What are custom block styles?
2. Method 1: add a block style via a JSON file (/styles folder) 
3. Method 2: register block style in PHP and style it via theme.json
   1. Register block style 
   2. Add styling to theme.json
4. Method 3: add a block style with register_block_style() (PHP)
   1. 3a. Use the style_data parameter
   2. 3b. Use the inline_style parameter
   3. 3c. Use the style_handle parameter
5. Method 4: register block styles using JavaScript + CSS
6. Optional: removing unwanted core block styles
7. Summary: custom block styles at a glance
8. Resources to learn more

What are custom block styles?

Custom block styles let you define alternative visual treatments for existing blocks, like adding a border, changing the background, or tweaking typography. 

When the block is selected, these custom styles will appear in the Styles panel within the editor sidebar, giving content creators easy ways to apply consistent, reusable design patterns. You can create as many custom block styles as you’d like.

Below you’ll find an example of the Image block. The Styles panel below shows four styles: Default, Rounded, Purple Border, and Red Border (which is the selected style showing in the editor).

We’ll walk through six ways to add custom block styles in WordPress, from simple theme edits to more advanced methods.

Method 1: add a block style via a JSON file (/styles folder) 

• Best for: Theme developers
• Where you would typically use it: Commonly in themes 
• Version requirements: WordPress 6.6 or higher with theme.json v3 

For theme developers, the most streamlined way to add custom block styles to a theme is to add a new file to the /styles folder. 

This method requires upgrading the theme.json schema to v3, which is only available in WordPress 6.6 and above. As a theme developer, you would either require your users to install the Gutenberg plugin or update the minimum requirement for your theme to WordPress 6.6 to ensure everything works as intended.

Say we wanted to add a blue border style called image-blue-border.json.

{
	"$schema": "https://schemas.wp.org/trunk/theme.json",
	"version": 3,
	"title": "Blue Border",
	"slug": "blue-border",
	"blockTypes": [ "core/image" ],
	"styles": {
            "border": {
                    "color": "#00f9ff",
                    "style": "solid",
                    "width": "4px",
                    "radius": "15px"
                },
			"shadow": "var(--wp--preset--shadow--natural)"
		}
}

With theme.json v3, the metadata information for a block’s style is automatically registered within the WP_Block_Styles_Registry:

• The title is the same as the label from the register_block_style code.
• The slug is similar to the name property of the register_block_style function.
• The blockTypes property can be used to assign a style to a particular block or series of blocks.

The code "shadow": "var(--wp--preset--shadow--natural)" refers to the preset “Natural” shadow style in WordPress. By using a preset variable, your block will automatically reflect any global style changes, keeping your design consistent across themes and updates.

Once you save your code changes:

• Your new style is added to the Styles panel for that particular block. 
• The block editor shows a preview when you hover over the button.
• The Styles engine attaches the CSS class is-blue-border to the block in the editor and on the frontend.
• When opening the Global Styles via Styles → Blocks → Image, the styles can be changed by the user for the whole site. 

To organize your block style code, you can create a subfolder in the styles folder called /blocks and keep them all together. A few theme developers found they could reduce the length of their functions.php file considerably by implementing subfolders instead.

Method 2: register block style in PHP and style it via theme.json

• Best for: Theme developers
• Where you would typically use it: In the theme.json file and in functions.php
• Version requirements: WordPress 6.6 or higher with theme.json v3 

To add a custom block style using this method, you’ll need to register the style and add your stylings in the theme.json file.

Register block style 

In your functions.php file, use the register_block_style() function to set the two mandatory arguments (additional optional arguments are covered below): 

• name: The identifier of the style used to compute a CSS class.
• label: A human-readable label for the style.

Once set, you can add them to the init hook in your theme. 

function my_style_red(){

   register_block_style(
       'core/image',
       array(
           'name'  => 'red-border',
           'label' => __( 'Red Border', 'my-theme' )
       )
   );
}
add_action( 'init', 'my_style_red' );

Add styling to theme.json

We’ll add some styling for the red-border variation to the theme.json file. It’s placed within the styles.blocks.core/image section, as we’re making changes to the Image block.

"styles": {
       "blocks": {
           "core/image":{
               "variations": {
                   "red-border":{
                       "border": {
                               "color":"#cf2e2e",
                               "style": "solid",
                               "width": "4px",
                               "radius":"15px"
                       }
                   }
               }
           },

These two code snippets work together because the name used in the register_block_style() function in your functions.php file and the variations’ name arguments in your theme.json file are identical. 

This method produces the same editor and frontend results as using a JSON file in the /styles folder:

• The style will be visible in the editor and on the frontend. 
• It is also available via the Editor → Styles → Blocks → Image section for global customization.

If the styles available in theme.json aren’t enough, you have a few options: 

• You can use the CSS property in JSON notation. The WordPress.org per-block CSS with theme.json article provides a good summary of how to do this. 
• You can use any of the methods below and add them to your functions.php file. 
• You can register the block style via register_block_style() and include the CSS in your theme’s overall style.css file, referencing the block and style class name. That being said, this is not recommended as these styles will always load, even if the block isn’t in use. A bug is also preventing the styles from loading on the frontend.
• You can use block stylesheets to only load the styles when the block is used, as outlined in the WordPress Theme handbook tutorial on block stylesheets. 

Method 3: add a block style with register_block_style() (PHP)

The register_block_style() function has three additional and optional parameters. They are listed on the documentation page for the WP_Block_Styles_Registry class that handles the registration and management of block styles.

• style_data: A theme.json-like object used to generate CSS.
• inline_style: Inline CSS code that registers the CSS class required for the style.
• style_handle: The handle of a previously registered style to enqueue alongside the block style.

See the documentation for register_block_style() for more information.

3a. Use the style_data parameter

• Best for: Plugin developers and theme developers
• Where you would typically use it: In plugin files or functions.php 
• Version requirements: WordPress 6.6 or higher

Although block styles have been a fundamental way that WordPress works since 5.0, the style_data parameter was added in WordPress 6.6. 

This method for defining block styles uses “a theme.json-like object,” meaning an array of nested styles in a format that very closely resembles the styles section of the theme.json file. At the root level, the styles are applied to the block(s) that you define with the block_name array. 

If you are familiar with theme.json structure, you can use this method to add additional styles. This method enables those styles in Editor → Styles → Blocks and users can make changes there. 

As you can see, the array notation for this parameter follows JSON closely. 

The theme.json reads:

"border": {
             "color":"#cf2e2e",
             "style": "solid",
             "width": "4px",
             "radius":"15px"
          }

The array in PHP reads:

array(
       'border' => array(
       'color' => '#f5bc42',
       'style' => 'solid',
       'width' => '4px',
       'radius' => '15px'
      ),

To further demonstrate this idea, this function adds an orange border with a box shadow using the “sharp” shadow style preset. 

function my_orange_border() {

   register_block_style(
       array( 'core/image' ),
       array(
           'name'         => 'orange-border',
           'label'        => __( 'Orange Border', 'pauli' ),
           'style_data'=> array(
                           'border' => array(
                           'color' => '#f5bc42',
                            'style' => 'solid',
                            'width' => '4px',
                            'radius' => '15px'
                           ),
                       'shadow' => array(
                           'var(--wp--preset--shadow--sharp)'
                           )
                       )

           )
   );
};

add_action( 'init', 'my_orange_border' );

Of the three parameters, only the style_data information will be added to the global style section in the site editor and can be edited by the site owner. The other two add the styles to the Styles panel, and there is no edit path within the UI.

3b. Use the inline_style parameter

• Best for: Plugin developers and theme developers
• Where you would typically use it: In the main plugin PHP file or functions.php
• Version requirements: WordPress 5 or higher

The value for the inline_style parameter is a combination of the CSS selector and the CSS properties.

function my_double_frame_styles() {
   register_block_style(
       'core/image',
       array(
           'name'         => 'double-frame',
           'label'        => __( 'Double-Frame', 'pauli' ),
           'inline_style' => '.wp-block-image.is-style-double-frame
                               img { border: 10px ridge lightgreen; }'
       )
   );
}
add_action( 'init', 'my_double_frame_styles' );

The class name follows standard block editor naming conventions. Each core block’s class name contains the prefix wp-block + the block name, like image. It is then followed by the block style prefix is-style and the registered style slug, like double-frame.

The class name .wp-block-image.is-style-double-frame is followed by the style that you want to attach to the block. Here you see the CSS values for the border property for the image element (img). It adds a ridged, light green 1px border. 

You can have quite a few CSS properties combined in the inline_style parameter for the function, but it may become hard to read and manage.

3c. Use the style_handle parameter

• Best for: Plugin developers and theme developers
• Where you would typically use it: In plugin files or functions.php
• Version requirements: WordPress 5 or higher

For more elaborate styles, consider placing the CSS in a separate file and using wp_enqueue_style() to load it on the frontend and backend. Then use the style_handle parameter in the register_block_style() function. 

Here is some example code using this method to add a purple border style.

function my_purple_border_styles() {
   wp_enqueue_style(
       'my-image-block-style',
       plugin_dir_url(__FILE__) . '/my-purple-border.css',
       array( 'wp-edit-blocks' ),
       '1.0'
   );
 
   register_block_style(
       'core/image',
       array(
           'name'         => 'purple-border',
           'label'        => __( 'Purple Border, slightly rounded', 'pauli' ),
           'style_handle' => 'my-image-block-style'
       )
   );
}

And here is the accompanying my-purple-border.css file, which is placed into the plugin’s root folder.

.is-style-purple-border img {
   border: 6px solid purple;
   border-radius: 15px;
   box-shadow: 10px 5px 5px #e090fc;
};

The image block now has a purple border with a pinkish shadow style. 

Note: There is also a bug report open about the stylesheet loading even when the block styles aren’t used. Because of this, it’s not recommended for complex CSS.

Method 4: register block styles using JavaScript + CSS

• Best for: Plugin developers and theme developers
• Where you would typically use it: In a separate *.js file, enqueued in a plugin file, or in functions.php
• Version requirements: WordPress 5 or higher

Compared to using the separate JSON file to add a block style variation, using JavaScript is more elaborate. It has three parts: 

• PHP: To enqueue the necessary files
• JavaScript: To register the block style
• CSS: To style the block

The wp_enqueue_script() function adds JavaScript files to a webpage. It’s not JavaScript itself, but rather a WordPress PHP function that’s often used in WordPress theme or plugin development. For this example, we can store the .js file in the theme’s /js/ subdirectory and name it curate-core.js. 

The example code loads our custom curate-core.js file after the necessary WordPress block editor scripts. It’s added to the bottom of the page for better performance and is hooked into enqueue_block_editor_assets so it only loads in the editor. 

This code example goes into the theme’s functions.php file or your plugin’s *.php file. 

function pauli_block_editor_scripts() {
       wp_enqueue_script(
           'pauli-editor',
           get_theme_file_uri( '/js/curate-core.js' ),
           array( 'wp-blocks', 'wp-dom' ),
           wp_get_theme()->get( 'Version' ), true
       );
       }
      
add_action( 'enqueue_block_editor_assets', 'pauli_block_editor_scripts' );

This code should go in the JavaScript file curate-core.js:

wp.domReady( function() {
   
   wp.blocks.registerBlockStyle(
       'core/image', {
           name: 'black-border',
           label: 'Black Border',
       }
   );

} );

You can then add our block styles to your theme’s style.css file using the automatically added class name, is-style-black-border.

.is-style-black-border img {
   border: 15px ridge black;
}

Due to a bug, you need to add the style.css to the frontend. It doesn’t seem to be automatically loaded. You use wp_enqueue_style() and then use the hook wp_enqueue_scripts.

Then you’d add the following to your functions.php or plugin file:

function enqueue_theme_styles() {
   wp_enqueue_style(
       'my-theme-styles',
       get_stylesheet_uri(), // This gets your style.css
       array(),
       wp_get_theme()->get( 'Version' )
   );
}
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'enqueue_theme_styles' );

You also need to add style.css to the block editor so your users can see how the block style looks when they are working on the post or page. 

//add style.css to editor
function add_theme_editor_styles() {
   add_editor_style( 'style.css' );
}
add_action( 'after_setup_theme', 'add_theme_editor_styles' );

Optional: removing unwanted core block styles

Now that you know how to add block styles to your theme or your plugin, you might also want to remove some additional block styles that come with the block editor out of the box.

There are two functions you’ll need to address: 

• The PHP function unregister_block_style()
• The JavaScript function unregisterBlockStyle()

Block styles can only be unregistered in the same coding language used to register them. All core blocks are registered with JavaScript. 

The example code below removes the additional block style for the image block called rounded.

wp.domReady( function() {
   wp.blocks.unregisterBlockStyle( 'core/image', [ 'rounded' ] );
} );

For more ways to modify the block editor, read 15 ways to curate the WordPress editing experience.

Summary: custom block styles at a glance

You now know the six ways to register block styles for the WordPress block editor. Here’s a quick recap of what we covered:

Block Style Added in Example Code	Language	Theme/Plugin	Parameter	File	Global Styles
Red	PHP+	Theme		theme.json	yes
Blue	JSON	Theme		image-blue-border.json	yes
Orange	PHP	Theme/Plugin	style_data		yes
Purple	PHP	Theme/Plugin	style_handle	.css	no
Double Frame	PHP	Theme/Plugin	inline_style		no
Black	JS	Theme/Plugin		.js + .css + .php	no

The easiest method is to add a JSON file to the /styles folder using the theme.json format. Another option uses minimal PHP in your functions.php file alongside your theme.json configuration. Both approaches add block styles to the Styles panel in the editor, where users can apply and customize them.

Plugin developers can use the style_data parameter to achieve similar results, including integration with Global Styles.

Other plugin-based methods—using inline_style, style_handle, or JavaScript—don’t support Global Styles editing, but still make the styles selectable in the editor.

Keep in mind that the first three methods (JSON file, theme.json with PHP, and style_data) require WordPress 6.6 or higher. To support older WordPress versions, you’ll need to use one of the other available approaches.

Resources to learn more

Want to learn even more about block styles and block variations? Here are some resources to check out: 

YouTube

• Builder Basics: Block Styles vs. Block Variations

Make.WordPress Dev Note

• Section styles coming to WordPress 6.6

WordPress Developer Blog

• Styling sections, nested elements, and more with Block Style Variations in WordPress 6.6
• Leveraging theme.json and per-block styles for more performant themes
• Per-block CSS with theme.json
• Beyond block styles, part 1: using the WordPress scripts package with themes
• Beyond block styles, part 2: building a custom style for the Separator block
• Beyond block styles, part 3: building custom design tools

Block Editor Handbook

• Block Styles

Themes Handbook 

• Block Style Variations

In this guide, we’ll explain what parked domains are, how to recognize them, and what to do if the domain you want is already parked.

What is a parked domain?

A “parked” domain may mean different things, depending on where you register your domains. It might be a domain:

• That displays a “coming soon” page but doesn’t yet host a functional site. WordPress.com enables a “coming soon” page by default for all domains purchased through our domain suggestion tool until you launch your site.
• Owned by an investor or broker, often monetized with ads or listed for sale, especially if it receives traffic due to its name or previous usage.
• That has expired or been canceled and is pending deletion, so it shows a static page or monetized links.

In contrast, buying a domain to reserve it for future use, such as for a project that’s still in development, isn’t typically considered domain parking. As long as you continue renewing your registration, you own the domain, even if you aren’t using it yet.

Telltale signs of a parked domain

Looking at a website and wondering if it’s parked? Here’s what to look for:

• A generic, templatized landing page: Parked domains display a cookie-cutter design without much customization. They also typically have placeholder content. 
• Lack of navigation: These sites don’t have menus or sitemaps to show that they’re functional. You’ll find a single landing page with nowhere else to go.
• Broker or registrar branding: You’ll see logos or footer text from domain registrars. You may also see display banners like “This domain is for sale” and a domain broker’s contact information in case you’re interested in purchasing it. Here’s an example:

• Page filled with ads and links: You might see an ad-heavy page showing links related to the domain’s keywords. This is a tactic for generating passive income through unused, parked domains.

How to obtain a parked domain

What if the domain you want is already parked? Here are a few alternatives you can try:

Contact the owner with an inquiry 

The first order of business when you want to buy a parked domain is to contact the owner.

Most parked domains include the owner’s contact information if they’re willing to sell.

Send a transparent, professional inquiry showing interest in purchasing the domain. Avoid mentioning how much you can pay to keep some space for negotiations. 

Make sure you explain how you plan to use the domain. Some owners care more about the future of their domains beyond just the sale price.

Tip: For domains that clearly use a trademark you own, you can claim the domain from the current owner through a process called UDRP.

Make an offer through a broker 

If direct contact with the owner fails, reach out to a domain broker to negotiate a deal on your behalf. 

By working with a broker, an intermediary can use their hands-on experience to help negotiate a favorable deal. While brokers charge a percentage of the final sale price or a flat fee, their negotiation tactics might give you a significantly lower acquisition cost.

Look for variations of the domain

If all efforts fail and your first-choice domain is out of reach, you can consider some of these variations:

• Extensions/TLDs: Explore different extensions instead of the one you originally wanted—we have domains ending in everything from .com, .net, and .blog to .dog and .christmas. 
• Prefixes/suffixes: Add a relevant word before or after your core term to create a new variation.
• Hyphens: Add hyphens between words to create a new domain. However, avoid adding too many hyphens, as they can confuse users when typing and be difficult to memorize.

Monitor the domain

If all else fails, you may want to use a domain monitoring service to track your desired domain and get notified if it expires or becomes available for purchase. However, remember that this approach requires patience and does not guarantee success.

Turn domains into opportunities 

Whether you’re exploring parked domains or looking for the perfect name to launch your next idea, domains open the door to future opportunities—creative, professional, and everything in between.

Ready to purchase a domain? Check out WordPress.com’s domain suggestion tool to find all our available domains. We have over 350 available TLDs, and they average just $13 per year.

When you’re ready to launch a website, WordPress.com makes it easy to turn your domain into a fast, secure, and fully customizable website.