In this article, we’ll show you how to set it up without any coding and cover some best practices to ensure your dynamic content works effectively! 

What is dynamic content? 

Dynamic content in WordPress is any content that changes automatically based on things like user behavior, time, location, and other data. Unlike static content, which shows everyone the same thing, dynamic content personalizes the experience for each visitor.

While it might sound too good to be true, you really don’t need to be a coding expert to implement dynamic content on your WordPress site. With tools like Kadence Blocks, it’s much easier than you’d think, and we’ll give you a step-by-step breakdown in the coming sections. 

Why is dynamic content crucial for your WordPress site?

For starters, it makes your site more engaging. People are more likely to stick around (and come back!) when they feel the content speaks to them. And as we now know, that’s exactly what people expect these days.

Plus, dynamic content saves you time. Instead of updating every page on your site manually, you can make changes on the back end that show up everywhere instantly without any coding. 

Here are some ways you might use dynamic content:

• Greeting users by name when they log in.
• Showing different menus to different types of users.
• Displaying related posts that actually match what someone’s reading.
• Offering deals that are only available for a limited time.
• Adjusting content based on user roles or login status. 

Essential tools for creating dynamic pages: Kadence Blocks Pro and alternatives

Now, picking the right plugin should depend on what you need, your tech skills, and your budget. Let’s take a look at some options to help you make the best choice for your dynamic WordPress site.

Kadence Blocks Pro: For powerful site-building and dynamic content

Kadence Blocks is a WordPress website builder plugin that makes it easy to build personalized, data-driven websites without — you guessed it — needing to write any code.

One of the best things about Kadence Blocks is how it extends the core block editor. It adds essential design and layout tools that allow you to create unique, responsive content, including advanced dynamic content capabilities. While it works great with the Kadence Theme, you can use it with most WordPress themes out there.

The Dynamic Content feature lets you pull in content from all sorts of places — post data, custom fields, user information — you name it. You can use this with various blocks, including the handy Dynamic HTML block.

We’ll provide a detailed step-by-step guide in the coming sections, but here’s a quick look at how it works:

1. Choose your dynamic source in the block settings. This could be a post title, featured image, or custom field. For this example, we’ll use an image. 

2. Use blocks like Dynamic HTML or Advanced Text to display your dynamic content.

3. Add conditional logic if you want. This means you can show different content based on things like user role or post type. 

But that’s not all! Kadence Blocks also offers a powerful set of features that make it a great tool for website creation:

• With Kadence Blocks Pro, creating a no-code website is so much easier. It lets you design stunning sites with a simple drag-and-drop builder, which is great for both beginners and pros. Building your dream site has never been simpler.
• The Design Library is your new go-to collection of professional templates. Browse, pick your favorite, and customize it. A perfect time-saver and creativity boost all in one!
• Kadence supports custom post types and fields, letting you add dynamic content anywhere. This means you can easily showcase your portfolio or create a product catalog. 
• Built for speed and efficiency, Kadence loads only what’s necessary for each page. You can optimize your site without compromising design or function with lazy loading and easy-to-use performance settings. Even with dynamic content, everything runs smoothly. 
• You can easily fine-tune your site for different screen sizes with mobile-friendly design options. Adjust layouts specifically for tablets and mobile, with live previews right in the WordPress editor. This way, your site looks great on any device.

With over 400,000 users, Kadence Blocks is a proven favorite. It’s packed with features for dynamic content, design, and speed. If you’re looking for an all-in-one tool for your next WordPress project, it’s definitely worth a go!

Other dynamic content plugins to consider: JetEngine, Toolset, and Dynamic.ooo 

While Kadence Blocks is a great option (if we do say so ourselves), it’s not the only choice out there. Let’s take a look at a few other popular dynamic content plugins you might want to consider.

1. JetEngine

JetEngine, created by the team at Crocoblock, is a tool for building dynamic websites. It offers a wide range of features that allow you to create various types of dynamic content, including: 

• Custom post types and fields: You can set these up right from your WordPress dashboard. No need to write any code — just point and click.
• Dynamic listings and grids: Want to show off your content in a cool way? JetEngine lets you create flexible, filterable content listings and grids. Plus, you’ve got options for pagination, sorting, and ajax loading.
• Advanced filtering and search: Users can search with multiple fields, and there’s even a live search feature. They can save their searches, too.

One of JetEngine’s strengths is its compatibility. Whether you’re using Elementor, Gutenberg, or Bricks, JetEngine works well with each of them.

While JetEngine provides a great set of advanced features, there’s a lot to learn, and it can be overwhelming for beginners. Some users have also noted that using too many dynamic content elements significantly affected their loading speed. This potential performance impact is an important consideration when deciding whether JetEngine is the right tool for your project.

2. Toolset

As the name suggests, Toolset isn’t just one plugin — it’s a whole set of them, all designed to help you create complex WordPress sites without any coding. Here’s what Toolset is great at: 

• Custom post types and fields: You can create and manage these easily. You can even set up repeating field groups and parent-child relationships between post types.
• Flexible templates: Design custom templates for your content using a visual editor. This works for single posts, archive pages, and even WooCommerce product pages.
• Complex sites: Toolset is great for data-heavy sites. Think membership sites, directories, or real estate listings. You can create advanced search forms, custom user roles, and even let users submit content from the front end.

Like JetEngine, Toolset works with both the block editor and popular page builders. So, you’re not locked into any particular way of building your site. One thing we like about Toolset is their 30-day “no questions asked” refund policy. It gives you a chance to really dig in and see if it’s the right fit for your project.

One of the main disadvantages of Toolset is that its Views component, which is used for creating custom content displays and loops, offers a relatively small number of pre-defined layout options. This can be somewhat restrictive for designers and developers who are looking to create more diverse or complex layouts for their dynamic content. 

3. Dynamic.ooo

Dynamic.ooo focuses on enhancing Elementor with dynamic capabilities. Here’s what you get with this plugin: 

• Numerous dynamic features for Elementor: We’re talking over 150 dynamic capabilities. You can create really personalized, context-aware content within Elementor.
• Dynamic shortcodes: These work with a range of page builders, not just Elementor. You can use these shortcodes to insert dynamic content anywhere on your site, even in areas not typically editable with Elementor.
• A user-friendly interface: It’s designed to be easy to use, even if you’re new to dynamic content. The plugin integrates effortlessly with Elementor’s interface, making it feel like a natural extension of the page builder.

Like Toolset, Dynamic.ooo also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for new purchases. However, keep in mind that Dynamic.ooo is primarily geared towards Elementor users. If you’re not using Elementor, you might not get the full benefit of this plugin. 

Wrapping up: Why Kadence Blocks Pro stands out

After looking at all these options, you might be wondering which one to choose. While each plugin has its perks, we still believe Kadence Blocks Pro offers the best overall package for most users. Here’s why: 

• Ease of use: Kadence Blocks Pro has a great balance between powerful features and user-friendliness. You don’t need to be a tech expert to create dynamic content with Kadence. One long-time user perfectly captures the essence of what makes Kadence special: “I’ve been using Kadence for five years now. I simply do not use anything else for WordPress builds. The theme and plugins that come with it are quick and powerful, enabling me, as a very limited coder, to achieve what I need for my clients. It integrates with every other plugin that I have needed it to, and the staff is fantastic and very quick in helping you with any issues that are beyond the Kadence remit.” 
• Performance: Kadence is built with speed in mind. It’s lightweight and optimized for performance, so you can add dynamic elements without slowing down your site.
• Versatility: It extends Gutenberg’s functionality without overwhelming you with too many options. It gives you the tools you need to create dynamic content without unnecessary extras.
• Compatibility: While some plugins are tied to specific page builders, Kadence works great with the standard WordPress editor. This gives you more flexibility in how you build your site.
• Continuous improvement: The team behind Kadence is constantly working on updates and new features. When you choose Kadence, you’re not just getting a plugin — you’re getting ongoing support and development.

How to create dynamic content with Kadence Blocks Pro

1. Setting up custom post types and fields

Let’s start with custom post types — they’re enhanced versions of regular posts and pages that make it easy to add structured content to your site without reinventing the wheel every time. While Kadence doesn’t handle these directly, it integrates well with popular plugins like Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), MetaBox, or Custom Post Type UI.

To set up your custom post types and fields:

1. Install and activate a custom post type plugin. As an example, we’ll use ACF. 
2. To create a new custom post type, go to ACF > Post Types in your WordPress dashboard.

3. Create a new custom post type by clicking on Add New. We’ll use “Travel Destinations.”

4. Make sure that your custom post type supports features like title, editor, thumbnail, etc. You can configure this by turning on Advanced Configuration for your custom post type.

5. Now, it’s time to define some custom fields for your post type. Think of these as additional information boxes for your posts. For our “Travel Destinations” example, we want fields for location, the best time to visit, travel tips, and photos. To add a new custom field, navigate to ACF > Field Groups and Add New. 

6. Create relevant custom fields. For example:
   1. Field Label: “Location” (Field Type: Text)
   2. Field Label: “Best time to visit” (Field Type: Text)
   3. Field Label: “Photo” (Field Type: Image)
   4. Field Label: “Travel tips” (Field Type: Text Area)

7. Set the location rules to show this field group if the post type is equal to “Destination.” 

When you link these custom fields to Kadence Blocks, you can automatically populate travel directories or destination listings, making it easy to keep everything up-to-date. Have a new travel destination to feature or recent information about an existing location? Update it once, and it’ll appear everywhere it needs to!

Want to see this in action? Check out our detailed video tutorial on setting up custom post types and fields. 

2. Implementing Dynamic Content Using Kadence Blocks

Now, let’s get into the main feature: Kadence Blocks Pro and its dynamic content capabilities. The Dynamic Content feature is a core functionality within Kadence Blocks that allows various blocks to pull and display dynamic data across your site, including text, buttons, links, and lists.

You can add Dynamic Content wherever you see the Dynamic Content icon, which looks like a stack of hockey pucks and appears either in the Block Toolbar or next to a Block Setting. 

Kadence supports dynamic content in various blocks. For example, you can use dynamic links in the Advanced Button block or display dynamic images in the Advanced Image block. 

We’ll focus on the Dynamic HTML Block, which allows you to show content dynamically based on various sources. It can display:

• Text content from custom fields.
• Images (like product photos or team member headshots).
• Links to related content.
• Formatted content (maintaining HTML structure).

Here’s how to use it:

1. In the block editor, click the + icon to add a new block. Search for “Dynamic HTML” and select the Kadence Dynamic HTML block from the list.

2. In the block settings on the right sidebar, set the Source to determine where your dynamic content is coming from. By default, it is set to “Current Post,” which is usually what you want. However, we want to pull information from the custom post type we just created, so we’ll set the source to the location field “Koh Phi Phi.” If your HTML Content is set to Post Title, this will grab and populate the title of your field. 

3. Let’s say you want the featured image to appear. Add the Image (Adv) block, navigate to Image Settings and Enable Dynamic Image. 

4. Click on the Dynamic Content icon again, select Post Custom Field under Image, choose “Koh Phi Phi” under Image Source, and select Photo for the Custom Field. 

5. Now, it’s time for the fun part! You can adjust the style settings, set options for content alignment, adjust font size, customize the text color, and more. 

Curious about Kadence’s Hooked Elements? Watch our video on how to use this feature for even more dynamic content options. 

To make sure your dynamic content works correctly:

• Preview your page to check if the dynamic fields (for example, custom fields like travel tips or description) are populating correctly.
• Test across devices to make sure the content displays properly on mobile, tablet, and desktop.
• If you’ve set conditional logic, like a user role, be sure to test with different user accounts.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Kadence’s post relationships feature allows you to create connections between different types of content on your WordPress site. This function enhances your site’s dynamic capabilities and improves content organization.

For example, if you manage a travel website, you might have separate sections for local attractions and hotels. The post relationships feature lets you link these content types automatically. When a visitor views a hotel page, they’ll see a list of nearby attractions. Similarly, on an attraction’s page, links to nearby hotels would appear. 

Thanks to this interconnectedness, visitors can navigate through your site more efficiently, finding additional information that matches their interests without extensive searching. This feature saves time for both content creators and users and creates a more engaging browsing experience.

Remember, it’s important to plan your content structure and relationships thoughtfully. Spend some time mapping out how everything connects. This effort will really pay off when you begin building. 

Best practices for dynamic content implementation

Let’s talk about some best practices that’ll help you make the most of your dynamic content. We can’t cover everything, but these are the big ones you’ll want to keep in mind:

• User experience: Keep design elements consistent across your dynamic content. This ensures your site is easy to navigate and has a cohesive look. And when content changes, make sure it happens smoothly. Jarring transitions are the digital equivalent of stubbing your toe!
• Personalization: Dynamic content is great for personalization, but remember to use data responsibly. Always respect user privacy and be upfront about how you’re using their information. And don’t forget to update user profiles regularly. Fresh, relevant content keeps your visitors engaged.
• Testing and monitoring: Be sure you’re not just setting up your dynamic content and forgetting about it. Keep an eye on your site’s performance and user engagement metrics. It’s important to regularly check how things are going. Make sure to test across different devices and browsers. What works on one platform should work well on all of them.
• SEO considerations: Make sure your site is crawlable and use structured data to give search engines a clear picture of what you’re offering. This way, your dynamic content can help boost your search rankings, too.
• Accessibility: Design your dynamic content with accessibility in mind. Provide alternative text for dynamically loaded images and ensure your content is compatible with screen readers. This approach makes your site more inclusive and user-friendly for everyone.

Create your WordPress site with dynamic content using Kadence Blocks today

Kadence Blocks offers some great tools for adding dynamic content to your WordPress site. The Dynamic HTML block is especially useful, letting you create personalized experiences for your visitors without needing to dive into complex code.

These features do more than just make it easier to manage your site’s content. They allow you to create interactive, tailored experiences that your visitors will appreciate. It’s an effective way to keep people engaged with your site and encourage them to return.

Curious about how dynamic content could improve your site? Why not give Kadence Blocks a try? It could be just what you need to make your WordPress site more engaging and user-friendly!

When you’re trying to make your mark online, the fonts you pick are a big deal. They communicate your brand’s personality to visitors before they even read a single word. It’s no wonder the Font and Typeface Market is booming, with experts predicting it’ll hit a whopping $1293.04 million by 2030. People are catching on to the appeal of custom fonts, and here’s why:

• Unique fonts make your site look sharp and professional.
• They keep your brand looking consistent everywhere.
• The right fonts make your content easier to read.
• Different styles can set just the right mood for your site.
• Custom-looking fonts help you stand out from the crowd.
• Great typography keeps visitors glued to your content.

Now, you might be thinking, “Sounds great, but isn’t adding custom fonts to WordPress complicated?” Not anymore. With tools like those from Kadence WP, giving your WordPress site a typographic makeover is easier than ever. 

Ready to see how custom fonts can transform your site? Let’s start! 

The importance of font licensing

When picking out the perfect font for your project, there’s more to consider than just how it looks. Font licensing is a bit like the fine print of the typography world — it’s easy to overlook, but it’s a major part of the process.

Font licenses typically fall into two main categories: personal use and commercial use. Personal-use fonts are perfect for non-commercial projects that don’t generate income. Think personal blogs, school assignments, or those family reunion invitations you’ve been putting off.

Commercial use fonts, on the other hand, cover any scenario where you’re using the font for business purposes or to make money. Commercial licenses usually come with a price tag, but they give you the legal green light to use the font in your business activities.

For a WordPress site, you’ll want to opt for a commercial license. It’s the smart move to avoid any potential legal issues down the road. However, keep in mind that font licenses can vary significantly. Some might limit your site’s visitor count, while others could restrict how and where you use the font. Always take the time to read through the licensing terms to ensure you’re in the clear.

The consequences of using fonts without proper licensing can be severe, as illustrated by the high-profile case in 2017, when HypeForType, a font foundry, sued Universal Music for $1.25 million for using two fonts, Nanami Rounded and Ebisu Bold, in their logo without a proper license. This case highlights the potential financial and legal risks of using fonts without appropriate licensing, even for large corporations.

Don’t stress, though! There’s a wide selection of fantastic fonts out there with clear, flexible commercial licenses. Many are even free, so you can find the perfect typography for your site without breaking the bank or bending any rules.

Where to find custom fonts for WordPress

Before we dive deeper, let’s quickly cover the main font types you’ll encounter:

• Serif fonts: These have small lines or strokes at the ends of characters (like Georgia). They often convey tradition and reliability.
• Sans-serif fonts: These lack the small lines of serif fonts (like Helvetica Neue). They’re seen as modern and clean.
• Display fonts: These are decorative and best used for headlines or logos. They tend to be attention-grabbing but are less suitable for body text.
• Script fonts: These mimic handwriting or calligraphy. They can add elegance but should be used sparingly for readability.

You’ve probably also heard of web-safe fonts — those tried-and-true options like Arial, Times New Roman, and Verdana that properly display on virtually any device. They’re reliable, but they’re also… well, everywhere.

That’s why many brands are turning to custom fonts to make their websites stand out. But where can you find these typographic treasures? Here are some popular sources:

• Google Fonts: This is a massive collection of free, open-source fonts that work well with WordPress. With over 1,700 font families and more than 400 variable font families to choose from, Google Fonts offers an incredible variety of styles. 

• Adobe Fonts (formerly Typekit): If you’re looking for premium quality, Adobe is a very popular option. These fonts integrate smoothly with Adobe Creative Cloud which is a paid service, but the selection is truly top-notch. However, it’s worth noting that some users report negative impacts on site speed when using Adobe Fonts, so consider testing thoroughly before fully implementing. (More on site speed later.)

• Font Squirrel: Font Squirrel offers a wide selection of fonts you can use commercially without spending a dime. One of the major advantages of using Font Squirrel is its commitment to transparency in licensing (which we’ll explore in more detail in the next section). Every font on the platform is labeled as “100% free for commercial use,” which eases concerns about legal issues related to font usage in projects. (Double-check the terms of the license agreement though, just to cover your bases.)

• Fonts.com (now part of MyFonts.com and Monotype Fonts): If you’ve been around the web design block, you’re probably familiar with Fonts.com. However, as of March 2024, Fonts.com joined forces with MyFonts.com and Monotype Fonts. Luckily, all the fonts you knew and loved are still available, just under a new roof. In fact, this merger has expanded your typographic options. You can now access an even broader range of fonts (almost 50,000, to be precise), from free options to premium designs that will make your site stand out.

• CreativeMarket.com: Looking for a unique font? CreativeMarket.com offers an impressive selection of over 315,000 high-quality fonts from independent designers and foundries. You’ll find diverse styles for every project, all with commercial licensing. 

• Fontesk: If you’re watching your budget, check out Fontesk. It specializes in free fonts, but don’t think that means boring. Fontesk curates collections of distinctive typefaces, often showcasing hidden gems you won’t see elsewhere. Plus, they put a big emphasis on accessibility, which is always a win in our book.

• Independent designers: Have you considered the creators behind the fonts you use? Supporting indie designers like James Coffman, Floraine Rousselot, Lucas Descroix, Minjoo Ham, and more is a great way to get unique typefaces while nurturing the creative community.

• Custom-made fonts: For the ultimate in brand uniqueness, you could also have a font created just for you. It’s an investment, but it ensures your brand stands out in the best way possible.

Choosing the perfect font pairing for your brand

Font pairings can make or break your WordPress site’s visual appeal, so let’s talk about how to nail it.

First up, think about mixing and matching. Pairing a serif font with a sans-serif can create a beautiful contrast. Not sure where to start? Check out tools like Fontpair or Typ.io for some killer combinations. Adobe Fonts is another great resource that suggests font pairings.

But looks aren’t everything — readability is key. Consider these accessibility points:

• Go for fonts with clear, distinct letterforms to help visually impaired users. 
• Save those fancy script fonts for decorative touches only. They look great, but they’re tough to read in large chunks.
• Make sure there’s enough contrast between your text and background. The WebAIM Contrast Checker is a handy tool for this.
• Don’t go overboard — stick to two to three fonts max for consistency and better site performance.

Pro tip: Only load the font weights and styles (like regular, bold, and italic) you actually need instead of the entire font family. This helps your site load faster, and your users will be happier. 

And don’t forget, your font choices speak volumes about your brand. A sleek sans-serif might scream “modern,” while a classic serif could whisper “traditional”. Choose wisely!

Once your fonts have been selected, it’s time to upload the font to WordPress.

Methods for adding custom fonts to WordPress

Let’s explore two primary methods for adding custom fonts to your WordPress site.

Option 1. Adding custom font via Kadence Theme or Kadence Blocks

Many themes come with tons of built-in font options, making it as simple as selecting your preferred typeface from a dropdown menu.  

The Kadence Theme is an excellent example of this user-friendly approach. As a comprehensive WordPress theme, Kadence offers extensive customization options, including a wide range of typography choices. Even in its free version, Kadence provides 12 different professional font pairings, allowing you to give your website a unique personality right out of the box. 

In fact, many users have found Kadence’s font customization options to be superior to other popular themes. As one user shared on the WordPress Forum: “I moved from Astra and other themes because fonts, margins, and paddings work best only [on Kadence]. I can’t explain this magic, but the free theme has everything I need.” 

If you need even more variety than what the Kadence Theme offers, Kadence Blocks expands your options significantly, providing access to over 900 Google fonts. This wide selection ensures you find the perfect typeface to match your brand and design vision.

For those who want to take it a step further, upgrading to a Kadence bundle unlocks the Custom Fonts Plugin, which allows you to upload and manage custom fonts directly through the theme customizer. 

With Kadence Custom Fonts, you have multiple options for adding custom typography to your site. You can upload and use self-hosted fonts, or integrate with Adobe Fonts via Type Kit. When adding a new Custom Font, the first option you’ll see is Font Type. From this dropdown menu, you can select either to upload your own font or use Adobe Type Kit.

For self-hosted fonts, Kadence Custom Fonts automatically converts your uploads for broader browser support. If you’re using Adobe Fonts, always use the Type Kit option, as uploading Adobe font files directly violates its terms of service.

Regardless of which method you choose, Kadence Custom Fonts works smoothly with the Kadence Theme and Kadence Blocks, so you can start using your new fonts right away. Here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Install and activate the Kadence Custom Fonts Plugin. 

Step 2: Go to Dashboard > Appearance > Kadence > Custom Fonts. 

Step 3: Select Add New Custom Font. When adding a new custom font, you’ll first need to give your font a name in the Font Family Name field. This is how you’ll identify it later.

Step 4: You’ll see an option for Font Specific Style Name. Don’t worry if you’re not sure what this is — it’s okay to leave it blank. 

Step 5: Now comes the important part: uploading your font files. You’ll need to add the .woff and .woff2 versions of your font here.

Pro tip: Modern font formats like WOFF2 offer better compression, which helps with site performance. If you need to convert your fonts, the Webfont Generator at fontsquirrel.com can be a useful tool. Simply upload your font file, and it’ll generate the necessary web font formats for you.

Step 6: Want to make sure your site looks good even if your custom font doesn’t load? That’s where the Fallback Font Stack comes in. Use this to set backup fonts.

Step 7: Specify the Font Weight and Font Style to fine-tune how your font appears.

Step 8: If you want your font to work on older browsers, you can upload OTF, TTF, or SVG versions, too. This step is optional but can help with broader compatibility.

That’s all there is to it! Once you publish your new font, it will be available in your Kadence Theme and Block Settings. You can assign them to different elements of your site, like headings, body text, or specific blocks.

One of the great things about Kadence Custom Fonts is that it lets you self-host your fonts. This gives you more control over font loading and caching, which can help speed up your site. You’re not relying on external services, which means one less potential point of failure.

The plugin also makes it easy to add custom-looking fonts to your site and assign them through the theme options panel. This means you can maintain a consistent look across your entire site without having to edit CSS files manually.

Option 2. Adding custom fonts manually

For those comfortable with code, manual methods offer precise control over font implementation. Here’s how to do it:

1. Download your desired font files (commonly in .ttf or .otf format). Use an SFTP client like FileZilla or your hosting provider’s file manager to upload these files to a directory within your theme, such as wp-content/themes/your-theme/fonts.

2. Use the @font-face CSS rule in your stylesheet to define the custom font:

@font-face {
     font-family: 'YourFontName';
     src:
url('http://your-site.com/wp-content/themes/your-theme/fonts/YourFontFile.ttf') format('truetype');
     font-weight: normal;
}

3. Now, let’s put that font to work! Apply it to your desired elements like this:

body {    
     font-family: 'YourFontName', sans-serif;
}

Pro tip: Always use a child theme to keep your changes safe during updates. Some themes make this even easier with built-in font uploaders. And if you’re using Google Fonts, you can simply link them directly.

Related article: Everything you need to know about child themes

Other cool things Kadence offers for advanced typography

1. Use Kadence Theme’s built-in fonts

The Kadence Theme comes with a wide range of Google Fonts already built-in, offering user-friendly and intuitive typography controls. Here’s how to make the most of these pre-installed font options:

Step 1: Install the Kadence Theme

Go to your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to Appearance > Themes. Click on Add New, search for Kadence, and install it. 

Step 2: Access the Customizer

Once you’ve activated the Kadence Theme, go to Appearance > Customize. This opens the WordPress Customizer, where you can modify various aspects of your site, including your fonts. 

Step 3: Experiment with the typography settings

This is where the fun starts! Choose Colors & Fonts > Typography. Here, you’ll find a wide range of fonts for headings, body text, buttons, and links. 

Want to mix things up a bit? Try clicking on the folder icon next to Base Font. You’ll find some pre-configured font pairings, including a heading font and a body font, that play nicely together, giving your site a polished look without all the guesswork. Feel free to play around with these—you might stumble upon the perfect combo for your site’s style.

2. Advanced text styling with Kadence Blocks

As we said earlier, Kadence Blocks expands your options even further. In addition to accessing over 900 Google fonts, you can set different fonts for individual blocks and maintain consistency across your site. It’s also optimized for performance, loading only what’s necessary to keep your site running smoothly.

For those who want to get creative, the Text (Adv) Block offers powerful typography controls. Here’s what you can do:

Set typography controls (free) 

Within the Advanced Typography settings, you can select your preferred font family and customize the font weight. You’ll also find controls for letter spacing, line height, and font size — all adjustable for desktop, tablet, and mobile views to ensure your text looks perfect on every device.

Add text shadow effects (free) 

Add dimension to your text with customizable shadows. You can fine-tune the shadow’s appearance by adjusting the color and the X, Y, and Blur values. This feature is perfect for creating standout headers or adding subtle depth to your text.

Display multi-colored text (free) 

Apply Advanced Highlight Settings to create eye-catching multi-colored text. Simply select your text, choose your colors, and customize the background. You can even add borders and adjust the border radius for a polished look.

Here’s what it looks like in action: 

Control padding and margins (free) 

Take full control of your text’s positioning with padding and margin settings. These controls let you adjust spacing precisely, helping you create professional-looking layouts that work across all devices.

Add animations (Kadence Blocks Pro) 

Bring your text to life with scroll animations (requires Kadence Blocks Pro). Select your preferred animation style, then customize the duration, ease, and start delay. You can preview your animation right in the editor before publishing.

Here’s what it’ll look like: 

Use Typed Text effects (Kadence Blocks Pro) 

Create Typed Text effects. You can add this effect to your Advanced Text Block by highlighting the word(s), clicking on the View More drop-down icon on the Toolbar, and clicking on Typed Text.

The Typed Text feature lets you add multiple text strings that display in sequence. You can set it to loop, shuffle the order, or use smart backspace for a more natural effect. Plus, you can adjust the typing speed to match your site’s vibe. Have fun experimenting with these options!

Apply gradient effects (free) 

Beyond basic color settings, you can Enable Text Gradient under the Style settings to create stunning gradient effects instead of using solid text colors and backgrounds. 

Here’s what it’ll look like: 

Create a more unique WordPress site with custom fonts

Customizing your fonts is a great way to make your WordPress site pop. Beyond just looking good, these fonts give your site a unique identity that helps you stand out from the competition. The right choices can make your content easier to read and keep visitors interested. As a bonus, custom fonts are great for maintaining brand consistency across your entire site.

But here’s the thing — using custom fonts effectively is all about making smart choices. Keep these tips in mind:

• Pick fonts that match your brand’s personality.
• Stick to two to three fonts to keep things consistent and fast.
• Make sure everything’s easy to read, especially on phones.

Ready to give it a try? Tools like the Kadence Theme, Blocks, and Custom Fonts add-on can simplify the whole process. With its great typography controls, Kadence helps you incorporate custom fonts while keeping your site running smoothly.

Get started with the Kadence Pro Bundle today to unlock professional typography options!

Both platforms have gained quite a following, and it’s easy to see why. WordPress powers an impressive 43.5% of all websites on the internet. Squarespace, while not as widespread, has still captured 3.0% of the market. 

But what sets them apart, and more importantly, which one is right for you?

We’re here to help you figure it all out! In this article, we’ll break down the key aspects of both platforms, including user experience, customization options, advanced features, SEO tools, scalability, support, and pricing.

Full disclosure: As creators of a WordPress theme and plugin, we know that side of things inside out. But don’t worry — our goal is to help you make the best choice for your specific needs, whether that ends up being WordPress or Squarespace!

What is WordPress? 

WordPress.org is a self-hosted, open-source content management system (CMS). Unlike some all-in-one website builders, WordPress allows you to choose your own hosting provider. Don’t let that intimidate you, though! Most modern hosting platforms have made WordPress installation super easy, often requiring just a single click.

One of WordPress’s greatest strengths is its open-source nature. This means that a global community of developers is constantly improving and expanding its capabilities. The result? An ever-growing ecosystem of themes and plugins that can transform your site into virtually anything you can imagine.

Who should choose WordPress?

WordPress is for anyone who wants a website that’s as unique as they are. It’s perfect for those who appreciate a balance of user-friendliness and advanced capabilities and don’t mind a bit of a learning curve in exchange for greater control over their web presence. 

Now, it’s time to see if you recognize yourself in these WordPress-friendly profiles! If so, here’s what we think you’ll love about WordPress: 

• Bloggers and content creators: WordPress started as a blogging platform, so its content management features are understandably strong. You’ll enjoy the user-friendly block editor, extensive categorization and tagging options, and customizable themes designed specifically for blogs. Plus, the advanced user management and content visibility controls allow you to grow your audience while maintaining control over your content.
• Business owners and entrepreneurs: WordPress works well for businesses of all sizes. You can create professional websites, set up online stores with WooCommerce, or even build job boards. As your business grows, WordPress grows with you. You can easily add new features, handle more traffic, and set up networks of sites if needed. 
• Developers: If you like to code, WordPress gives you a lot to work with. Its plugin system lets you extend and modify how WordPress works, with thousands of hooks and filters at your disposal. You can create custom plugins to add new features or change existing ones. And remember how we said WordPress’ open-source nature is a strong suit? Well, here’s another reason why: You’re free to use WordPress for any kind of project, commercial or not, without licensing fees, making it a flexible choice for various development needs. 

What is Squarespace? 

Squarespace is a hosted website builder that’s gained quite a following, especially among small businesses and creatives. One of its biggest selling points is its user-friendly setup. All you have to do is sign up, and you’ll be ready to start building your site right away. 

Now, unlike WordPress, Squarespace is a closed-source platform. This means only Squarespace employees can modify the underlying code. As a result, you’re limited to the features and designs Squarespace offers. While there’s a good range of templates and built-in features, you can’t add functionality through third-party plugins like you can with WordPress.

But don’t let that worry you just yet! This closed nature has its advantages, including enhanced security and regular, platform-wide updates. Plus, everything you need — from hosting to SSL certificates — is included in one package. In the next sections, we’ll dive deeper into how Squarespace compares to WordPress in various aspects. 

Who should choose Squarespace? 

Do you value simplicity and design over extensive customization? Then, Squarespace is for you! Take a look at these Squarespace-friendly profiles and see if you spot yourself: 

• Visual artists and photographers: With high-quality, image-centric templates and advanced gallery options, Squarespace is a dream for showcasing visual work. You’ll appreciate the built-in image editor, lightbox presentation, and the ability to control focal points for perfect image cropping.
• Non-technical users: If you’re new to website design, you’ll love Squarespace’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed templates. The guided setup process and no-code editing capabilities make it easy to create a professional-looking site without technical know-how.
• Solopreneurs: Squarespace’s all-in-one platform includes hosting, design, and e-commerce capabilities. You’ll benefit from integrated business tools like scheduling and invoicing, plus built-in marketing features, including SEO and social media integration.

Key differences between Squarespace and WordPress

Comparing platforms: WordPress vs. Squarespace

Now that you’ve got a general idea of what WordPress and Squarespace offer, let’s break down each aspect of these platforms in detail so you know what you’re signing up for. 

1. User experience

WordPress

If you asked us what we love most about WordPress, we’d say it’s how it allows you to take full control of your site. You have the power to customize pretty much everything, from your website’s look to its functionality. While WordPress is known and beloved for its flexibility and customization, it does come with a learning curve. 

Unlike drag-and-drop platforms, WordPress requires users to navigate themes, plugins, and sometimes code to create a tailored site. While this may feel overwhelming at first, it also means nearly limitless possibilities as you get comfortable. 

When you first log into WordPress, you’ll be greeted by the dashboard. This is your command center, where you can access all aspects of your site. The left-side menu is your main navigation tool, providing access to posts, pages, media, comments, appearance settings, plugins, and more.

At first glance, the dashboard might seem scary with its numerous options and menus. But don’t worry — as you become more familiar with WordPress, you’ll appreciate having all these tools at your fingertips. The dashboard is also customizable, allowing you to add or remove widgets to suit your needs. 

The core of WordPress is its CMS, which is designed for posting regular content. This means that out of the box, WordPress doesn’t have a drag-and-drop editor like some website builders. Instead, it uses a block editor called Gutenberg. Gutenberg allows you to add various elements (or ‘blocks’) to your pages and posts. These can include text, images, videos, buttons, and more. 

One of the best things about WordPress, even if it seems like a big decision initially, is you get to choose your own hosting and domain. Instead of being tied to a single provider, you can select dedicated hosting services, like Liquid Web, and register domains through providers such as Namecheap or GoDaddy. This freedom allows you to select plans based on your specific needs for website speed, security, and scalability.

As you understand the basics, WordPress becomes a powerful tool that can adapt to your needs, allowing you to create a site that’s truly unique. For those willing to invest a little time in learning, WordPress offers a highly rewarding, customizable experience.

Squarespace

With Squarespace, you don’t have to find separate hosting or register a domain elsewhere, so getting started is straightforward. 

Squarespace offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. The Fluid Engine editor allows you to place elements precisely where you want them on your pages, offering a visual editing experience that’s both powerful and user-friendly. This approach is similar to what you’d experience when using WordPress with block builders like Kadence Blocks. 

When you first start with Squarespace, you’re greeted with a helpful onboarding process. The left side of the screen presents a list of every part of your site, while the right side offers a pop-up that guides you through initial customization steps. This walkthrough covers everything from setting your site title and logo to choosing fonts and colors, which is particularly useful for beginners. 

Squarespace’s dashboard is designed with simplicity in mind. Unlike some platforms where the dashboard grows more complex as you add features, Squarespace remains relatively consistent. It’s fast, intuitive, and doesn’t require extensive technical knowledge to navigate. Users can edit and change most aspects of their site from a single interface without constant page reloads.

While Squarespace offers a good balance of design flexibility and ease of use, it doesn’t match the extensive customization options that WordPress provides. Squarespace allows you to adjust layouts, add or remove elements, and tweak spacing and formatting, which is sufficient for many users. However, if you want unlimited design possibilities and complete control over your site’s functionality, you’ll find that with WordPress. 

Another important consideration is that with Squarespace, you don’t have full ownership of your site’s infrastructure. Your content is yours, but the code, templates, and hosting setup belong to Squarespace. So, if you decide to switch from Squarespace to a different platform later, you’ll likely have to spend some time rebuilding parts of your site.

2. Customization and design 

WordPress

WordPress offers extensive options to create a unique website, and themes are the starting point. 

While WordPress has a few default themes, we recommend exploring beyond these. The official WordPress repository hosts thousands of free themes, and you’ll be amazed at the variety. Can’t find exactly what you’re looking for? There are also numerous third-party marketplaces offering premium themes with even more features.

Once you’ve chosen a theme, it’s time to make it your own. WordPress’s built-in Customizer is a user-friendly tool that lets you tweak various aspects of your theme, including colors, fonts, and layout options, without touching code. 

For content creation and layout design, WordPress uses the Gutenberg block editor we mentioned in the previous section. We’re fans of this editor because it allows you to build pages using a variety of blocks. You can drag and drop a wide range of elements, from simple paragraphs and images to more complex components like buttons, columns, and embeds. 

However, while these blocks are a great starting point and offer flexibility for many users, we find they can be somewhat limiting for more complex designs. That’s why plugins like Kadence Blocks are so valuable. Kadence Blocks enhances the native Gutenberg editor by adding more design features and pre-made sections. You don’t need to know any code to use it, which makes it great for creating a look you love without dealing with the technical details.

For those of you who are comfortable with code, WordPress offers full access to the core files. You can work directly with HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript to customize every aspect of your site, from its appearance to functionality. 

This flexibility and ease of use haven’t gone unnoticed by users. One G2 reviewer shared their experience: “I really like the customization control and the liberty it gives me to fine-tune my website as per my taste and needs. It opens up endless possibilities about the things that I can do for my business and customers.”

Squarespace

When you sign up to Squarespace, you get access to a collection of professionally designed templates. These look great on all devices, from phones to desktop computers, without you having to do any extra work. Currently, there are over 200 templates available, which is limited compared to WordPress’s thousands of themes. But hey, that could be a blessing in disguise if you suffer from chronic decision fatigue! 

Squarespace’s page builder, while not as flexible as some WordPress page builders, is intuitive and user-friendly. You can add various content blocks to build your pages, similar to WordPress’s Gutenberg editor. Just keep in mind that you won’t have as much control over things like positioning — it’s more about choosing titles, captions, and color palettes. This can make it challenging to create a truly unique design, especially if you have specific needs that don’t quite fit a ready-made template. 

For those with some coding knowledge, Squarespace does offer more advanced customization options through custom CSS and Developer Mode. However, these features aren’t as extensive as what WordPress offers and aren’t necessary or accessible for most users.

Nonetheless, we appreciate that Squarespace’s approach eliminates the need for separate plugins for features like e-commerce, analytics, or SEO. These are all integrated into the platform, which is perfect for users who are new to website building.

3. Advanced features

WordPress

WordPress is incredibly versatile and capable of handling everything from simple blogs to complex e-commerce sites. 

The plugin ecosystem is WordPress’s standout feature. With over 59,000 free plugins in the official repository, you can add virtually any functionality to your site. Custom blocks? Dynamic content? Specialized forms? WordPress has plugins for all these and more to help you tailor your site to your exact needs. 

For those venturing into online sales, WordPress doesn’t disappoint. WooCommerce, the platform’s most popular e-commerce plugin, transforms your site into a highly customizable online store. It’s also scalable, allowing you to start small and expand as your business grows.

There are tons of ways to make money with WordPress, too. You can easily display ads, include affiliate links, offer subscription-based content through Patreon, or even set up a membership site with MemberPress.  

Widgets are another key feature of WordPress, allowing you to display various elements in designated areas of your site. From recent posts in a sidebar to real-time SEO scores as you write, widgets add functionality and customization options to both the front-end and back-end of your site.

Squarespace

Squarespace takes a different approach to features and functionality. Instead of relying on plugins, it offers a suite of built-in tools designed to give you a ready-to-go experience.

The platform’s Extensions Marketplace adds extra functionalities, especially for e-commerce, shipping, accounting, and marketing. While it’s not as extensive as WordPress’s plugin library, it’s enough to cover most users’ needs. 

When it comes to e-commerce, Squarespace offers user-friendly features that are great for getting an online store up and running quickly. However, if you’re looking for highly specialized e-commerce features, you might find the options a bit limited compared to what’s possible with WordPress and WooCommerce.

For monetization, Squarespace allows you to add a paywall to charge for content access. You can also promote and sell digital products, giving you some flexibility in generating revenue.

However, the general theme here is that while Squarespace mostly matches up to WordPress’ offerings, it’s not quite there — at least not yet. A Reddit user summed it up nicely: “If you just need the basics, Squarespace will be easier. If you need scalability or flexibility, from directory, 

e-commerce, and just basically everything for your business, then WordPress is the way to go.”

That’s a spot-on take. Squarespace is great for many common needs, but if your site starts to grow and you want to do more complex stuff, you might feel a bit boxed in. WordPress, on the other hand, is super flexible. It’s like a blank canvas — you can keep adding to it and changing it as your needs grow.

4. SEO and marketing

WordPress

WordPress’s structure is inherently SEO-friendly, but it’s the plugins that really take things to the next level. Popular options like Yoast or Rank Math give you granular control over every aspect of your site’s SEO, from meta descriptions to XML sitemaps. We love how they provide real-time feedback as you write so you can optimize your content on the spot. 

Content marketing with WordPress is also highly effective. You can create custom post types, integrate with content collaboration platforms, and manage your content strategy efficiently. It’s essentially a full marketing toolkit built right into your website.

For email marketing, WordPress integrates smoothly with popular services like Mailchimp. This flexibility gives you plenty of options, allowing you to select the best tool for your specific needs.

WordPress’ approach to SEO and marketing has its pros and cons. On one hand, you have the freedom to choose the best tool for your specific needs. On the other, it means another integration to manage and potentially another cost to factor in. In our view, though, WordPress is tough to beat for serious marketers who want full control over their strategy. 

Squarespace

Squarespace includes basic SEO features by default, which are user-friendly and accessible for beginners. You can easily optimize page titles, meta descriptions, and URLs without needing to install additional plugins. 

However, advanced users might find these built-in SEO tools somewhat limiting. While they cover the essentials, they don’t offer the depth of customization that specialized SEO plugins provide for WordPress. For instance, WordPress users can customize XML sitemaps, which is particularly useful for larger websites, and have more granular control over page speed optimization through various plugins and customizations. It’s also worth noting that adding third-party SEO tools isn’t an option with Squarespace, which could be a drawback for those who want more control over their SEO strategy.

For content marketing, Squarespace offers basic blogging tools that cover the essentials, similar to WordPress. You can create and categorize posts, schedule content, and manage authors. 

These features are sufficient for many users, but they lack some of the advanced functionalities that dedicated bloggers or content marketers might be looking for. For example, its collection system (which organizes content like blog posts, products, or events) allows for some customization through custom fields, but is no match for WordPress’s custom post types and taxonomies. 

One aspect we do appreciate about Squarespace is its built-in email marketing tool. 

It’s useful for managing mailing lists and sending newsletters, all from within the same platform you use to manage your website. This integration can save a lot of time, especially for small businesses or solo entrepreneurs who want to keep their marketing tools streamlined.

5. Scalability and performance

WordPress

WordPress can handle just about any website size you can imagine. It powers everything from small personal blogs to some of the biggest sites on the web. You might even recognize a few, like NASA, The White House, and The New York Times Company. 

The great thing about WordPress is that it can grow with you. As your site grows, you can add more features and handle more traffic by picking the right plugins and hosting. 

This flexibility extends to performance, as well. With WordPress, you’re in control. Your site’s speed depends on your hosting choice and how you optimize it. While this means you have full control, it also requires you to pay attention to these factors.

The same principle applies to security. WordPress offers solid protection, but you need to be proactive. Plugins like Solid Security, Wordfence, and Sucuri can keep your site secure, offering peace of mind as your online presence expands.

Squarespace

Squarespace is great for small to medium-sized sites, but it might struggle if you’re planning to go big. The platform isn’t as flexible as WordPress for handling high traffic or complex site structures.

That said, Squarespace does offer decent performance out of the box. Your site will likely be fast initially, but as it gets more complex, you’ll notice some slowdowns. In fact, some users have reported challenges with site speed, particularly those with image-heavy sites or multiple integrations.

There have also been complaints about poor performance scores on speed testing tools, with users finding it difficult to optimize their sites beyond a certain point. Many have had to make tough choices, like removing certain features, just to maintain acceptable load times. 

While performance can be a bit of a headache as your site grows, Squarespace tries to make up for it in other areas. 

Security, for instance, is a strong point. As a closed-source platform, Squarespace handles most of the security aspects for you. They provide built-in SSL certificates for all Squarespace domains and connected third-party domains, ensuring a basic level of security for all sites. The flip side of this is you have limited control over how security is implemented, so it’s a case of convenience versus control.

6. Support and knowledge base

WordPress

WordPress has a massive user community, and that’s a big deal when you need support. There are numerous forums, tutorials, and documentation. No matter what problem you’re facing, chances are someone else has faced it, too, and already found a solution.

However, it’s worth noting that WordPress doesn’t offer direct support. Instead, you’ll get help from your hosting provider and the developers of your themes and plugins. For instance, if you’re using Kadence Blocks, you can join our Facebook community group and get direct feedback from other users! 

This might sound a bit intimidating at first, but don’t worry — the WordPress community is incredibly helpful and welcoming.

Squarespace

Squarespace offers 24/7 customer support via live chat and email. If you prefer having someone to talk to directly when you have an issue, this could be a major plus for you.

Fair warning, though: many users have reported challenges with Squarespace’s customer service, citing issues such as delayed responses and difficulty resolving complex problems. One Trustpilot review said, “Maybe the worst customer service experience of my life. It’s impossible to speak to anyone ever. The live chat is never available. (Demand too high). So you can email them and they never respond. Basically, there is no customer service at all!” 

Squarespace also has a help center and community forum, similar to WordPress, but it’s significantly smaller. You can still find solutions and tips there, which is helpful, especially if you’re ever struggling to get a response from the official support team.

7. Price

WordPress

WordPress itself is free, but there are some additional costs to consider. You’ll need to pay separately for hosting, a domain name, and potentially for premium themes and plugins. 

The good news is you can tailor these costs to your budget and needs. Want to start small? Go for basic hosting and free themes. Ready to invest more? Upgrade to premium options as your site grows.

Squarespace

Squarespace offers all-inclusive pricing plans. These cover your hosting, domain, and templates all in one package. It’s easy to budget for, which many users appreciate. Their plans start at $16 per month (billed annually) and go up to $49 per month for more advanced features. You can check out their full pricing details for more information.

Switching from Squarespace to WordPress

TL;DR: While Squarespace offers convenience, WordPress offers potential. It might take a bit more time to get used to, but once you do, the options for your website are endless. For those looking to build a powerful online presence that can adapt and evolve over time, WordPress is the clear winner.

Considering a switch from Squarespace to WordPress? It’s a smart move. WordPress offers all the features you’ve come to love in Squarespace, plus a whole lot more. You’ll gain access to unparalleled functionality, greater scalability, and the freedom to truly make your website your own.

The good news? Transitioning is quite straightforward! Here’s what you need to do: 

1. Start by finding a reliable WordPress host and installing WordPress. 
2. Use Squarespace’s handy ‘exporter’ tool to save your pages, blog posts, gallery items, text, images, and most other elements. 
3. Once you’ve got your content, head over to WordPress and use the Tools > Import tab to bring everything across.

For a detailed guide on importing your content from Squarespace, check out WordPress.com’s support article on the topic. With a bit of planning, you’ll be up and running on your new, more powerful WordPress site in no time.

Kadence Blocks: The game-changer for WordPress website builders

Even if you’ve spent hours reading reviews from every dark corner of the web, choosing between WordPress and Squarespace can still feel like a tough decision. WordPress’ learning curve might seem daunting, while Squarespace feels limiting. Luckily, Kadence Blocks offers a solution that combines the best features of both platforms. 

This plugin offers a simpler way to customize your site without compromising on flexibility. With Kadence Blocks, you get WordPress’s power alongside the user-friendliness that makes Squarespace so appealing. 

Kadence Blocks provides an intuitive interface within the Gutenberg editor in WordPress, along with advanced design and functionality features that can grow with your needs. Here’s how it fares in some of the main categories we’ve covered:

• Ease of use: Kadence Blocks simplifies the design process, making it accessible even for those with limited technical skills. When combined with the Kadence Theme and its starter templates, you can whip up fast and beautiful websites in minutes. The intuitive drag-and-drop interface and pre-built design library let you create visually stunning sites effortlessly. Additionally, Kadence’s AI starter templates help users generate professional-looking designs quickly, giving you a head start when building your WordPress site. 

• Customization and control: Despite its ease of use, Kadence Blocks doesn’t skimp on customization options. It offers extensive possibilities to tailor your site to your specific needs and brand identity. You can build unique layouts and control all design settings, giving you the flexibility to create exactly what you envision.
• Performance and SEO: Kadence Blocks contributes significantly to website speed, which is essential for performance, user experience, and SEO. It achieves this by loading CSS or Javascript only when needed, and only for the blocks used on a specific page. This approach minimizes unnecessary code and improves page load times.
• Advanced features: For users seeking more advanced capabilities, Kadence Blocks Pro offers additional features such as custom Pro blocks, custom fonts, and dynamic content. These tools provide even more options for creating sophisticated, high-performing websites.

Websites that thrive with Kadence Blocks on WordPress

Let’s look at a real-world example of Kadence Blocks in action. Posh Pennies, a vibrant blog focused on lifestyle, home decor, and DIY projects, has become the go-to source for readers looking for inspiration and budget-friendly tips to create beautiful spaces.

What sets Posh Pennies apart is more than just its clever DIY tutorials and elegant decorating ideas — it’s the presentation. The site’s attention to detail and aesthetics keep visitors engaged and coming back for more. 

So, what’s their secret? They’re using WordPress with the Kadence Theme and Kadence Blocks. This combination has given them the flexibility to create a blog that’s fantastic to look at but also quick to load and easy to use. And you know what? It’s working. Really well, in fact. Posh Pennies has been steadily growing its traffic, audience, and influence. It just goes to show what the right tools can do for a blog.

Katy Boykin, Product Marketing Manager at Kadence WP, says:

“Posh Pennies is a great example of how Kadence can help bloggers and businesses create a professional-looking site without needing to be tech experts. We’re all about making WordPress powerful and easy to use at the same time.”

Choose WordPress and Kadence for all your website-building needs

WordPress is the go-to choice for website building, and for good reason. It’s incredibly flexible and lets you customize pretty much everything. That’s why it’s the most popular content management system out there. Plus, with thousands of plugins available, you can add almost any feature you can think of to your site.

Kadence Blocks takes this flexibility even further. Working right inside WordPress’s Gutenberg editor, it makes creating complex layouts and designs super easy without needing any coding skills. It’s genuinely as close as you can get to having a professional designer at your fingertips.

And if you’re wondering about ease of use, rest assured, using WordPress with Kadence Blocks solves many of the technical hurdles that sometimes push people towards simpler options like Squarespace. You get all the power of WordPress, but with the user-friendliness of drag-and-drop builders. As an added bonus, Kadence ensures your site loads quickly and looks great on all devices.

Ready to elevate your website? Take the next step and explore Kadence Blocks today! Whether you’re creating a new site or switching from another platform, choosing WordPress with Kadence Blocks is a smart, future-proof decision that will set your website up for success.

This guide will show you how to create product pages that grab attention and drive sales. We’ll cover a range of methods, from WooCommerce’s built-in options to advanced features in Kadence Shop Kit 2.0! 

How to customize the WooCommerce product page: From built-in features to custom code

When customizing WooCommerce product pages, there are a few different paths you can take. Let’s break them down from the simplest to the most advanced.

1. Built-in WooCommerce features

WooCommerce comes with some basic features out of the box. You get your standard product title, description, price, and a simple image gallery. 

If you’re happy with a no-frills approach or just testing the waters of online selling, these features might be enough to get you started. But fair warning: they’re not the most unique or exciting options out there. You can display your products and make sales, but your pages will look a bit generic.

2. WooCommerce + Extensions

Popular extensions can offer greater customization and help you add some flair to your product pages. For example:

• Product Add-Ons allows you to offer extra options or upgrades for your products.
• Variation Swatches and Photos replaces dropdown menus with visual swatches, making it easier for customers to select product variations.
• Product Recommendations suggests related items to customers, potentially increasing sales.
• Size Chart for WooCommerce helps customers choose the right size by displaying detailed measurements.

While great for addressing specific needs, you’ll often need to combine several extensions to achieve your desired results. And that’s where it can get pricey. 

Most of these extensions cost between $49 to $99 per year, which might not seem too bad initially. However, the total can become substantial when you need multiple extensions to cover all your customization needs. For example, let’s say you need four different extensions at an average price of $75 each; you’d be looking at an annual expense of $300 just for these add-ons. 

Fortunately, there’s a more efficient and cost-effective alternative that can save you from this extension juggling act. For $99 a year, the Kadence Shop Kit gives you an immersive e-commerce experience, packed with customization tools like: 

• A custom template builder so you can make your pages look exactly how you want.
• Gallery styles that look great whether your customers are on their phone, tablet, or computer.
• Over 15 different modules that do everything from variation swatches to product recommendations. We’ll explore these features in more detail in the upcoming sections! 

3. Custom code techniques

For the tech-savvy folks out there, custom coding offers the ultimate flexibility in customization. WooCommerce recommends using CSS as your go-to method for styling product pages. Here’s a quick how-to:

1. Head to Appearance > Editor > Styles > Additional CSS in the Site Editor.

2. From here, you can tweak colors, fonts, links, and more.

Not keen on diving into the customizer? No problem! The row layout in the Kadence Blocks > Advanced tab lets you add custom code directly. 

If you want to learn more about CSS, the WordPress documentation is a great place to start. 

While custom code offers endless possibilities, it’s often time-consuming and overkill for most store owners. That’s why we would recommend using the Kadence Shop Kit instead! 

Editing your WooCommerce product page with the Kadence Shop Kit

So, what exactly is the Kadence Shop Kit? In basic terms, it’s a plugin that lets you customize your WooCommerce product pages. Instead of relying on clunky page builders, it enhances the WordPress block editor you already know and love. This allows you to create sophisticated,  conversion-boosting product pages using a familiar interface.  This is especially great for small businesses that want to compete with larger e-commerce platforms without breaking the bank or getting lost in complicated tech stuff.

Ready to see how it works? Here’s how to get started:

1. Install and activate the plugin. NOTE: You’ll need to download the Shop Kit plugin from the KadenceWP site since it’s a premium plugin.
2. Navigate to the Kadence Shop Kit settings in your WordPress dashboard and activate the Product Templates feature. 

3. Refresh your screen to update the WordPress admin dashboard. You’ll see a new “Woo Templates” section under the Products menu. 

4. Create a new product page template or modify an existing one using the enhanced Woo Template Blocks editor.

5. Add and customize elements like product titles, images, descriptions, and reviews.

6. Preview your template to see how it looks on different devices and make necessary adjustments.
7. Apply your custom template to specific products, categories, or globally across your store. You can do this by clicking on the three dots in the top right corner. Select Template Settings > Display Settings. 

When using Kadence Shop Kit, you’ll find that creating professional product pages becomes much easier. The plugin’s modular approach lets you enable only the features you need, keeping your site efficient and fast-loading. 

For small business owners frustrated with standard WooCommerce page limitations, Kadence Shop Kit offers a solid solution. It provides the means to create product pages that look professional and perform exceptionally well for user experience and conversions.

You can get the Kadence Shop Kit plugin on its own or as part of the Kadence Full Bundle. The Full Bundle also includes Kadence Theme Pro, Kadence Blocks Pro, and Kadence Conversions alongside Kadence Shop Kit 2.0. Together, these tools deliver advanced functionality for WooCommerce storefronts. 

But what is it really like to use Kadence products, and is it worth it in the long run? Here’s what one of our users, Lukas Cech, said on Trustpilot: 

“I’ve been a customer for 6+ years (first their free products, then quickly converted to paid). The Kadence team offers great, fast support, (and) quality products that I’ve been building websites with for many years. Their themes and plugins are reliable, well-coded, and well-priced. Their support experience is the best I’ve seen amongst WP products.”

Wondering how Shop Kit looks on a real website? In our Web Creator Community on Facebook, one of our users, Denison Carlos, shared an impressive transformation of his website, Volcom Peças, a Brazilian truck and bus parts store. The site originally used Elementor Pro for product pages, but after switching to Shop Kit and Kadence Blocks, he maintained the exact same layout while achieving significantly better performance. The site runs faster and lighter now, without any compromise to the design or user experience – showing just what Shop Kit can do for WooCommerce stores. 

Another great example is DIY Dream Site, which showcases how Shop Kit can create engaging and user-friendly product pages. Their implementation demonstrates the versatility and professional polish that Shop Kit brings to WooCommerce stores.

Simple tweaks for better WooCommerce product pages

As you can see, enhancing your WooCommerce product pages doesn’t need to be complicated. With Kadence Shop Kit, you can make quick, high-impact changes that boost customer experience and potentially increase conversions. Here’s a look at six often-overlooked tweaks that make a big difference:

Enhancing product imagery and galleries

Ever struggled with showing off your products from all angles? Kadence Shop Kit’s Product Galleries feature tackles that head-on. You can even replace the gallery with a slider! 

And don’t worry if you’re not a design pro — improving your product galleries is straightforward. Kadence Shop Kit Galleries lets you choose how your product image is displayed and where your gallery thumbnails are placed. 

You’ve got options like thumbnails below the image, beside the slider on the right or left, or even no thumbnails with images in a list. 

Want something different? Try a two-column grid, tile layout, or slider layout without thumbnails.

You can also enable custom sizes for gallery images, letting you set specific widths and ratios. Try playing around with transitions or image hover zoom. You’ll see how these little touches can make browsing more engaging for your customers.

Pro tip: We recommend focusing on mobile responsiveness. The Advanced Gallery Styles help you create layouts that look great on phones, tablets, and desktops. You can also use the preview feature to check your work before publishing. This way, you can ensure your customers get a smooth shopping experience, no matter which device they use. 

Optimizing product descriptions and information display

Great product descriptions can really make your items stand out. Just think about it — clear, benefit-focused write-ups help customers understand why they need your product. Want to make life easier for busy shoppers? Use bullet points and short paragraphs. It’s a simple trick that helps people find what they’re looking for quickly.

But why stop there? With Kadence Shop Kit’s Custom Global Tabs feature, you can add more tabs to your products. It’s like giving each item its own mini-brochure, showing off all the important details without overwhelming anyone. You can easily enable this feature in the Shop Kit settings. Just head to Products > Product Tabs in your admin panel and click “Add New Product Tab”. 

You’ll get the familiar Gutenberg editor to design your tab’s content using Kadence Blocks and Theme features. You can set the display type and priority of the tab, too. Want it on every product? Just one category? Or maybe specific items? You’ve got options.

And don’t forget about your category pages — they’re also prime real estate. Kadence’s Extra Category Descriptions feature lets you add more content there, which is good for your customers and gives search engines something to work with. 

When crafting all this content, hone in on important features and specs. Sprinkle in some relevant keywords, but keep it natural. After all, you’re writing for real people, not just algorithms. 

Placing reviews and social proof prominently

Did you know that a whopping 93% of customers read online reviews before buying? So, it comes as no surprise that customer reviews and social proof can seriously sway purchasing decisions. Here’s how you can make the most of this on your WooCommerce product pages:

• Use Kadence Shop Kit Advanced Reviews: This lets you customize how your reviews appear, putting the most helpful or recent ones at the top. You can add titles to reviews for extra context and even let customers vote on which reviews they find useful. The “Load More” feature keeps things organized by controlling how many reviews are shown initially. 

• Add product ratings: Pop the Product: Rating block from WooBlocks into your product template to display the rating of a product. You can tweak alignment, style, and spacing to fit your site’s look. It’s a quick way for customers to see how popular a product is.

• Encourage more reviews: Send your customers a friendly follow-up email after a purchase to ask for feedback. A small incentive like a discount code can work wonders. And make sure leaving a review is easy — the simpler, the better.
• Incorporate other forms of social proof: Sprinkle in logos of well-known clients or media mentions. Trust badges and security seals can also help customers feel safe about their purchases. User-generated content is another great option — customer photos or videos can boost credibility and showcase your products in action.
• Strategic placement of reviews: Put reviews front and center on product pages where they can help seal the deal. Show off your best ratings or testimonials on your homepage to make a great first impression. Use customer feedback in your email marketing campaigns to keep building trust.
• Respond to reviews: Jump on both good and bad feedback quickly. It shows you’re listening. And don’t be too discouraged by negative reviews! Just think of them as an opportunity to show off your stellar customer service.

Answering questions with variations and size guides

Have you noticed how a single unanswered question can make a customer hesitate? That’s the last thing you want on your product pages. 

Size guides and color options are important in reducing cart abandonment and keeping returns at bay. When customers know exactly what they’re getting, they’re more likely to complete their purchase without second-guessing.

Kadence Shop Kit’s variation swatches and product variation galleries are incredibly useful here. They replace those boring dropdown menus with visually appealing options. You can use color swatches, image swatches, text swatches, or radio buttons — whatever works best for your 

products. Plus, you can adjust swatch sizes and label displays to fit your store’s style.

These swatches let customers see and pick options easily, making it almost like browsing in-store. They simplify the selection process, giving shoppers a better sense of the item they’re considering. It’s especially handy for mobile shoppers!

As for size charts, they’re your best bet for avoiding fit-related returns. With Kadence Shop Kit, you can create detailed size guides for different product categories. Just head to the Size Chart menu, click “Add New”, and you’re off. You can include images, tables, or both in your chart. Then, you’ve got options for how to display it — as a button that opens a modal, or as a tab on your product page. You can even customize the colors to match your site’s style.

The best part? You can assign size charts to entire categories, so they show up exactly where you want them. Or, if you prefer, you can add them to individual products. It’s all about making sure your customers have the information they need to make the right choice. 

Creating urgency

WooCommerce’s built-in inventory management is a solid starting point for creating urgency. Display real-time stock status or low stock notifications to encourage customers to make decisions faster. For example, you can show “Only X left in stock” messages for low inventory items or use color-coded indicators to make it even more visible.

To take things up a notch, Kadence Blocks offers eye-catching countdown timers for your product pages. These timers are an effective way to create that “act now” feeling. You can set date-based countdowns for sales or promotions or use evergreen countdowns that start when a visitor lands on the page. 

Cross-selling is another powerful tool. Adding product recommendations with “Trending Now” or “Best Seller” labels can capture shoppers’ attention and increase sales. For an extra push, try using “Limited Edition” or “Last Chance” badges to create scarcity. To make these cross sells even more effective, consider implementing AI-powered recommendations based on browsing history.

Kadence also offers a handy feature for creating succinct notice messages called Snackbar Style Notices. These brief pop-ups, like a “View Cart” notification when someone adds a product, subtly guide shopper behavior and improve the overall shopping experience. 

You can also use these notices for limited-time offer announcements, stock status updates, or to create a sense of exclusivity with member-only deal notifications.

Personalizing add-to-cart buttons

Add-to-cart buttons might seem like a small, forgettable detail, but they’re actually super important for turning browsers into buyers. For example, if you run a bookstore, instead of the typical “Add to Cart” label, you could use Custom Labels to say “Add to Bookshelf” and highlight your brand’s personality. 

Now, let’s talk about colors and where you put these buttons. You want them to stand out but not in a way that clashes with your site’s style. For instance, a bright orange button might work great for a sports equipment store, grabbing attention and conveying energy. However, for a luxury watch retailer, a more subdued gold or deep blue could be more appropriate, maintaining elegance while still being noticeable. 

Highlighting products with custom badges

Shop Kit’s newest feature, Product Badges, gives you even more ways to grab your customers’ attention. To get started, just head to the Shop Kit page, click on the Product Badges tab, and toggle Enable Product Badges Options. 

Once Product Badges are enabled, you can add new badges by navigating to the Dashboard and going to Products > Badges. From there, click on the Add New Badge button at the top of the page to create a new badge.

When creating a new badge, start by selecting your Badge Type. Shop Kit offers four different options: you can use pre-made Kadence image designs, upload your own custom images, create text badges, or build custom HTML badges. Each type gives you full control over styling and placement on your product images.

These badges can highlight everything from sales and low-stock alerts to special features of your products. For instance, you might add an ‘Almost Gone!’ badge to create urgency for low-stock items, or a ‘New Arrival’ badge to spotlight your latest products. You can also use dynamic placeholders to automatically display information like sale percentages, keeping your badges up-to-date without manual updates. 

Create your perfect store with Kadence Shop Kit

We’ve explored various ways to customize your WooCommerce product pages. Now, it’s time to put these ideas into action. Kadence Shop Kit offers a powerful set of tools to help you do just that! 

This toolkit is packed with features for creating engaging product layouts. Whether you want to enhance your product images or design an intuitive layout, Kadence Shop Kit has the essentials. And the best part? You don’t need to be a coding expert to use it.

Kadence Shop Kit integrates smoothly with the WordPress block editor, so you can implement many of the customization techniques we’ve discussed without diving into code. Plus, the Kadence Shop Kit is built with intelligent code that keeps it lightweight. It only loads what you’re actually using, so you don’t have to worry about slowing down your site while you customize.

Ready to start creating high-converting product pages? Explore Kadence Shop Kit now to implement these customization strategies!

When you visit a website, you’re probably searching for specific information, like what a company charges for their product or ways to contact someone. The first place you’ll look is in the website’s top menu, also known as its navigation, menu bar, header, or nav bar. 

Without navigation, you wouldn’t be able to easily notice and click those pricing and contact pages or other important pages on the website. You may even have trouble finding the website in the first place! 

Website navigation is an essential asset on every website, including yours. It improves the user experience and even your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. 

But not all navigation is created equal. It can be hard to get it right. After all, what exactly is website navigation? How should it look? What pages should be included? 

In this article, we dive into these answers and more. Let’s take a closer look at website navigation, best practices, and examples. 

What is website navigation, and why does it matter? 

Websites are a hub for information about you or your company. They usually have multiple pages, sections, and links so visitors can find what they are looking for quickly. Website navigation makes this possible. 

Your navigation is simply a list of links or menu of options that website visitors can select and go to. Plus, website navigation refers to the elements of menus, including the buttons and links, overall design, and copy. It can also refer to sub-navigation menus (or submenus), which provide even more options under main navigation menus. 

Website navigation is one of the key aspects of website design and showcases your most important web pages. 

Good website navigation helps guide users towards certain actions, like browsing your product pages or contacting you. Navigation also allows you to highlight the information and pages you want to emphasize.

Understanding and optimizing your website’s navigation has a lot of benefits. Here are some of the top advantages: 

• Improve user experience. When people go to your website, they’re probably searching for specific information, like what your pricing is or what services you offer. Your website navigation will probably have a main menu with “Pricing” and “Services” as clear options, leading users to easily find that information. 
• Higher engagement and retention. When visitors are easily able to locate information, they’ll probably stay on your site much longer. Websites with poor navigation drive users away since they can’t figure out how to get around the website. 
• Boost SEO. Website navigation helps more than just your users; it allows search engines to understand your website better. Navigation paints a clearer picture of how your site is structured and laid out. So, search engines will learn which pages are important and what your site is about. It won’t take much for them to start indexing your website! 

These benefits are great for increasing your site’s new users, engagement, and search rankings. 

But it’s important to remember that good website navigation ultimately increases your conversion rate. Website users will be more satisfied with the site, stay on it longer, and go through a seamless conversion process. 

Types of website navigation 

You know what website navigation is and why it’s important, but did you know that there are different types of navigation? That’s right–your site will most likely house multiple menus. 

Some of these menus may be part of or act as your website’s primary navigation menu. Your main menu refers to the primary list or menu. It’s usually located at the very top of your website as part of your website header. 

Your header may also feature your logo. Take ours, for example: 

Now, let’s check out the types of website navigation. 

Horizontal navigation bar 

A horizontal navigation bar is typically a thin bar or block that runs the entire width of your website. It lives on the top level of your website, above any images, graphics, or other web elements. 

A horizontal bar can either be a solid color, like black or white, or transparent (it will have no color and use the header image as the background, like the website pictured above). 

We recommend always including a horizontal navigation bar on your website. It’s the best way to show users (and search engines) what’s important. Plus, it’s easy to make and edit your navigation with Kadence Blocks! 

Dropdown menu 

A dropdown menu is pretty similar to other menus in terms of looks, but where it differs is by interaction. To see the menu, users must hover over it or click it.  

Dropdown menus come in all different sizes. Most often, they are used to change options on a website that doesn’t need a full, large menu. For example, if your ecommerce website features different languages or currencies, you can include a small dropdown menu so users can change those options if needed. 

Dropdowns are also a great solution for when you want to maximize screen space and minimize clicks. For instance, if you have a lot of pages and navigation items, you shouldn’t display all of them in your horizontal navigation bar. 

Instead, group options together or create a hierarchy. Doing so with a dropdown menu will help visitors find things more easily. Check out this example: 

We can see that this website is prioritizing Home Health as a menu option, but there are more pages that users might want to access from the main nav menu. However, these don’t need to be prominently displayed like the other more important pages. 

Hamburger menu 

Who would’ve thought we would start talking about hamburgers? Well, in this case, we’re talking about the hamburger that goes on your website, not on your plate. 

The hamburger menu is a lot like the dropdown menu, and it’s actually the most minimalistic menu on this list. 

This type of website navigation menu hides all navigation options behind three small horizontal lines (hence the name). After clicking the hamburger icon, users will see the navigation options. This type is most common for the mobile view of websites where space is limited. 

Vertical menu (sidebars)

Sidebar menus, also known as vertical menus, are navigation menus that live on the left or right side of a website. Like other types of menus, vertical navigation menus usually feature a logo and clickable links. 

These types of menus are usually more colorful to catch your eye. They may also be collapsible with a simple click. 

Sidebar menus are great for websites with more than a few navigation options. This type of menu also pairs well with the hamburger and dropdown menus. Check out this vertical main menu from A24: 

Footer navigation menu 

Unlike all of the other navigation menus we’ve touched on, footers are a little different. 

Your footer navigation menu is more hidden since users must scroll to the bottom of the page in order to see it. 

These menus also house more links and information than their counterparts. For example, you probably don’t want to put your social links in your horizontal main menu – that could distract users from your main pages or call-to-action buttons. But the footer is a great place to put those social links on display. Salesforce does this well: 

Think of your footer as a kitchen cabinet. You can put a lot of your kitchen items in there since they don’t need to be on the counter, but you still want to be able to access them. The same goes for your website. You want people to be able to see other pages, but they probably don’t need to be front and center in your main menu. 

The footer is also a good place to include legal information and privacy policy. 

12 Website navigation best practices 

So far, we’ve covered all of the essential information you should know about website navigation. Now, we’ll explore best practices so your navigation menus are as effective as possible – all while looking awesome! 

1. Set your logo to a modest size 

Navigation menus are meant to guide and show users what the main pages are. Besides those options, logos are present. 

Logos typically act as a link to your website’s home page or as a reminder of what website the user is on. They are not meant to be the focus of your navigation menu, and logos that are too large may even distract the user from taking a certain action. 

However, we often see site logos that are too large for the menu. 

As a best practice, be sure to set your logo to a modest size. It should not overpower your website or nav menus. 

It’s also important to note that your logo should always be readable. Don’t make it too small, and make sure it’s visible in front of your background or header color. We recommend sticking to a vector graphic (SVG format) for the most clarity. 

Example: Apple 

A great example of this best practice comes from Apple:

As pictured, the Apple logo is there, but it’s not the main focus on the menu. 

Pitfalls to avoid 

• Logos that are too small or large 
• Blurry logos 

2. Simplified and intuitive menus 

Besides a logo, your navigation menu will have some sort of list of options to choose from. If you’re including too many options, it can get overwhelming for your website users, especially if you do it for your top or main menu. 

We recommend including enough options to provide an intuitive, smooth user experience. 

You should also simplify the menu where possible. For example, if you have a physical location, you don’t need two menu options like “Contact Us” and “Find Us.” Instead, choose one or the other. 

You can also eliminate the “Home” tab in your nav menu. Your logo can act as a link back to your home page. 

Not only does a simplified menu avoid clutter, but it also can help increase your conversions. As mentioned, too many links and options may confuse users and cause them to not find what they’re looking for or bounce off of your website. 

Offering fewer options makes the conversion process much easier. 

Another aspect to consider is the layout of your navigation menu. An intuitive and user-friendly layout usually follows a simple formula: Your logo stays on the left side and your navigation options go on the right side or middle with a call to action, like this: 

We recommend following the same layout for your horizontal navigation menu. Many websites do the same, so your users already know how to navigate it. 

Example: Start Blogging 101

This great example comes from Start Blogging 101. As you can see, the site’s menu is condensed into just three options. They also use dropdown menus to organize the menu. 

Pitfalls to avoid 

• Cluttered and overwhelming menus 
• Repetitive pages and options 
• Odd menu layouts 

3. Use clear and descriptive labels 

We’ve covered how your menu should be simplified and intuitive in its design, but how you label menu options also matters. 

In her book Dare to Lead, Brene Brown says: 

This principle applies in your website’s navigation too. As a best practice, you should be as clear and descriptive as possible. Avoid using terms with vague interpretations. For instance, for your blog, don’t call it “Journal,” just name it “Blog.”

When possible, use common terms for pages and links. For example, when showcasing your work on your photography website, name that page “Portfolio” in your navigation menu. It’s a common name that your website visitors will recognize and resonate with. 

Using clear and descriptive labels isn’t just great for user experience. It’s also an important part of SEO and how you let search engines know what your website is all about. 

Example: Polly Jane Photography 

This photography website uses this best practice with a clear and concise menu. When you go to the site, you can see what each page is about just from the label. 

Pitfalls to avoid

• Ambiguous or confusing link labels 
• Using unique terms or phrases in your navigation menu 

4. Prioritize important pages 

When you make a list, you probably put the most important things first. And as we’ve said, your website navigation menu is like a list. The most important pages should be prioritized. 

If you’re doing a dropdown or vertical navigation menu, this is pretty straightforward. Simply put pages in a normal list order from top to bottom. 

If you’re using a horizontal navigation bar, the most important pages should be either on the left (starting) side or at the very end on the right side. When creating your list, remember that people read left to right.

Example: Beth Whitney Studio 

In this example, we can see that the most important goal of this website is to sell paintings and prints. Based on their position in the menu, gift cards and reviews are not as important for conversion in this case. 

Pitfalls to avoid

• Prioritizing pages that don’t lead to conversions or actions 
• Including pages in your nav menu that aren’t important to your users 

5. Include relevant calls to action (CTAs)

Here’s a question for you: What is the one action you want someone to take when they’re visiting your website for the first time? 

Website navigation is meant to help your website visitors find what they’re looking for. But that doesn’t mean you can’t encourage a certain action or lead them to a page. The best way to do this is through a call to action (CTA). 

A CTA in your nav menu is a best practice for a few reasons. On average, people spend about six seconds viewing a website menu. A good CTA offers a clear next step to keep them on the site longer and engage. 

Here are some ways to create a great CTA: 

• Adding a badge, like “new,” next to a menu item. 
• Making a unique button for your CTA. Use a different color from the rest of your menu to make the CTA button stand out. 
• Linking to an important page and using clear text. Add strong, descriptive text for your CTA, like “Contact Me,” “Book a Demo,” or “Get a Quote.”

You should include a CTA in your main menu and header. People typically scan pages in a Z pattern, so the top-right corner is prime real estate in your header navigation. Adding a CTA in that area is a great way to generate more conversions on your site.

Example: Dr. Donna Lamar 

As shown in this example, Dr. Donna LaMar wants folks to contact her, so that’s what her CTA drives users towards. Her website is using this best practice to its full potential! 

Pitfalls to avoid 

• Not including a CTA in your nav menu 
• Making the CTA blend in with your menu 
• Using the CTA for irrelevant pages 

6. Make your header visible 

This best practice may seem like a given, but sometimes we see websites with missing, hard to read, or disappearing navigation menus. 

As a rule of thumb, your nav menu should be visible on most pages and as users scroll through. The exception here would be conversion-focused landing pages. Those don’t need a full nav menu since you’re driving the user towards the page’s CTA. 

We recommend making your website header sticky. This means that the header never goes away and “sticks” to the top of the page. Enabling a sticky top nav menu will keep it visible at all times when users are browsing in desktop view. 

You can further customize and improve visibility of your header by using conditional headers. For example, you can have a fuller menu for new or logged out users and a more targeted, concise menu for logged in users if you have a membership website. 

Example: Liquid Web 

This website features a slider and collage as its header, but it keeps the menu centered with bright text so it’s easy to read. Plus, it’s visible on every page! 

Pitfalls to avoid 

• Not using a sticky header
• Not including a menu on most pages besides landing pages 
• Making the menu hard to read or see 

7. Implement search functionality 

We all want users to come to our websites with intention and then find what they’re looking for. What better way to help them than with a search function? 

Adding search functionality to your nav menu has several benefits, including: 

• A better user experience. People won’t go clicking and scrolling around aimlessly. They can simply use the search box to find exactly what they need. 
• Quicker searches and conversions. A search bar in your navigation keeps it visible and accessible at all times, allowing users to easily search when needed. This process gets them to pages quicker and reduces friction to increase conversions. We highly recommend a search bar for ecommerce websites for this reason! 

Search functionality doesn’t have to be a long or large search bar as we see on some websites. Instead, you could simply add a button with a magnifying glass or a link that says “Search.”

Example: DIY Dream Site 

This beautiful website doesn’t just have a great menu, but it also uses search functionality in the top right corner. This clear search bar with a magnifying glass indicates that users can search for what they need quickly. 

Pitfalls to avoid

• Not using a search bar on a large website 
• Making a distracting or large search bar 

8. Avoid displaying social media icons in your header 

Social icons are great additions to your website. It can help people stay in touch with you and grow your following. But, there is a best practice to keep in mind when it comes to website navigation and social icons: Avoid putting them in your header. 

Social media icons can be distracting. After all, it leads users away from your website and your ultimate goal of converting them into a subscriber or customer. This leads to higher bounce rates, lower conversions, and less engagement. 

And trust us; getting someone back on your website after taking them to social media is a tall order! 

If you want to include social media links on your website, try putting them on your contact page or even in your website footer. 

Example: Ruben Venturo 

This website uses a large footer to display additional information not found in the main menu, including social media links. 

Pitfalls to avoid 

• Putting social media icons in your top navigation menu
• Making your social media icons too prominent 

9. Optimize for mobile 

Did you know over 93% of people access the internet through their mobile devices? That’s a lot of people! 

Nowadays, it’s essential to have a mobile-friendly website. In fact, Google even takes a mobile-first approach to indexing and ranking:

“Google predominantly uses the mobile version of a site’s content, crawled with the smartphone agent, for indexing and ranking. This is called mobile-first indexing. While it’s not required to have a mobile version of your pages to have your content included in Google’s Search results, it is very strongly recommended.”

This best practice may be the most important one on this list. If your site and its navigation isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re excluding a lot of potential customers and hindering your SEO. 

Here are some tips for making a mobile-first site when it comes to navigation: 

• Make sure your menu is accessible. Sometimes, mobile menus may be too small and hard for users to click or navigate, or they may be too big and cut off words. Ensure your menu is visible and has enough space around it for options to be clicked easily. 
• Use a hamburger menu. As we’ve previously discussed, the hamburger menu is your best bet for mobile-friendly navigation. It’s a clear way to indicate where your menu is. 
• Simplify your nav menu. This point was one of the first best practices we’ve covered in this list, but it plays a huge role in optimizing your header for mobile devices. You’re working with a much smaller screen so make your menus clear and concise. 

Optimizing for mobile also goes hand-in-hand with other best practices, like using clear and descriptive labels, setting your logo to a modest size, and some more we’ll discuss soon. 

Example: Milestone Mom

The mobile version of this website uses a clear hamburger menu that’s easy to get to. Once you click it, it pops out and gives you all of the menu options you need, with plenty of space in between each one. 

Pitfalls to avoid 

• Not using a condensed hamburger menu 
• Having no mobile menu (yes, we’ve seen this before!)
• Giving too many options in your mobile menu 

10. Consistency across the website 

When it comes to web design, a lot of things need to be consistent. Your buttons, typography, color palette… we could go on, but one element that also needs consistency is your navigation. 

People like repetition. We’ve already mentioned that using common words and phrases in your nav menu will help users recognize what that page is. The design and the overall look are no different. 

No matter what menu style you’re using, you need to make sure it looks the same or similar on every page. If you’re using a vertical menu, keep it vertical. If you have a horizontal nav bar, provide the same menu options on every page. 

Here are some more tips for promoting consistency in navigation: 

• Use the same colors 
• Keep the same font size 
• Don’t change the label wording or order
• Set the menu to a certain size and keep it the same across the website 
• Keep the menu in the same place
• Use a template 

Consistency will not only help support a consistent look and feel across your website, but it’ll also give users a better experience. 

Example: Speak Up Conference 

In this example, we can see just how the menu is a seamless part of the website. It uses the same text and button colors and provides the same options on every single page. 

Pitfalls to avoid 

• Using inconsistent style elements 
• Changing the position of the menu 
• Changing up the size, style, or location 

11. Save less important pages for your footer 

We haven’t talked too much about footers yet, but this best practice is all about this type of menu. 

The footer menu is a lot more flexible in terms of website navigation. It can and should contain more information and links than other types of menus. 

As stated by the CEO of StoryBrand and New York Times bestselling author Donald Miller, your footer is like your junk drawer.  

That sounds a bit strange, but it works! To help make your footer an organized junk drawer, we recommend making your footer mega menu-style. 

This just means that all options in your footer should fall under a category and heading for more organization. Without these, your footer may be too overwhelming. 

Your footer is also the best place for those social media icons we mentioned. If you have a signup form or CTA for your email newsletter, this is also a great place for it to go. 

Example: The Stinky Pet Co. 

This ecommerce website has a great footer. The menu options are organized neatly on the left side, contrasting the main menu, which only has four options. 

By using this best practice, this website can help users find additional information without drawing attention to those pages in the main nav menu. 

Pitfalls to avoid 

• Not putting enough links in your footer 
• Not using a mega menu in your footer 

Bonus: Use data to inform your website navigation structure

If you’re ready to take your website header and navigation to the next level, this best practice is for you. 

You probably created your website’s navigation menu based on what pages you wanted to highlight. But it doesn’t need to be a guessing game. Whether you just want to see how it’s performing or enhance your website’s metrics, you should use data to inform your navigation structure. 

There are multiple ways to start collecting and analyzing this type of data: 

• Website metrics: Leverage Google Analytics (it’s free!) to see important metrics like engagement time, most popular pages, and conversions. You may find a good opportunity to prioritize a high-performing page in your nav menu, change up your CTA text, or move some links to the footer. 
• Heatmaps: Heatmaps are used for seeing just how your users interact with your website. They visually show where someone might click, how far they scroll, and how they move their mouse around the page. Heatmaps can provide valuable insight on how people use your nav menus and what could be improved. 
• A/B testing: You don’t have to change things constantly to test them. Instead, use a tool for A/B testing. These tools set up a control (which can be your current top menu, for example) with an experimental menu. This could include a whole new menu, different CTA, or various labels. You can then see what performs best and implement those changes. 

Data is a great resource for optimizing your website and its navigation, and some tools like Google Analytics are even free. 

Build your website’s navigation with Kadence Blocks 

As we’ve learned, one of the most important aspects of your WordPress website (and any website) is its navigation. It helps people find what they need, gets you the conversions you need, and gives a boost to your SEO efforts. 

With all of that said, this feels like the perfect time to tell you that we recently launched the Kadence Advanced Header/ Navigation Blocks, the only set of Gutenberg blocks that lets you build fully customizable headers directly in the native WordPress block editor. This release contains 5 brand new blocks, each one carefully crafted to empower you to create a fully customizable header and navigation.

You might be wondering how to go about implementing all of these great best practices. We have you covered.

The Kadence Advanced Header/ Navigation Blocks gives you everything you need to build beautiful headers exactly the way you want them. Check out the documentation below to get started with these powerful new blocks:

-Header (Adv) Block Documentation
-Navigation (Adv) Block Documentation
-Navigation Link Block Documentation
-Search (Adv) Block Documentation
-Site Identity Block Documentation

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, implementing best practices for website navigation is crucial to ensuring an intuitive and seamless user experience. Whether you’re designing for desktop or mobile, remember to prioritize clarity, simplicity, and accessibility. By optimizing your site’s navigation, you not only improve usability but also boost engagement and conversions.

Ready to revamp your navigation? Try out Kadence’s powerful Advanced Navigation Block and bring your design to life. Explore the full potential of Kadence Blocks today and create a site that truly stands out!

Both are extremely respected in the WordPress community, offering a variety of features that can significantly improve your website. You might be close to making a decision, but with two great choices, it’s understandable if you’re feeling a bit stuck. 

In this article, we’ll compare Kadence and Astra thoroughly, exploring their unique features, performance, customization options, and more. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of what each theme offers, so you can start creating a WordPress site you’re proud to call your own! 

Kadence and Astra: Which WordPress theme is right for you?

Both Kadence and Astra have earned their reputation as market leaders by offering features that cater to a wide range of website needs. At first glance, they seem to offer very similar feature sets, including:

• No-code solutions for WordPress site design.
• Superfast performance.
• A wide range of customization options.
• A variety of customizable templates to jumpstart your project.
• Integration with popular page builders and plugins.

But despite these similarities, each theme has its own strengths, and these USPs can really shape how you work on your site and what your final product looks like.

In the following sections, we’ll dive into a side-by-side comparison of Kadence and Astra. We’ll break down everything from how easy they are to use to how much design freedom they offer and even how they perform under pressure. 

Customization showdown: Who’s more flexible?

A good theme should be endlessly customizable and allow you to create a website that genuinely reflects your brand or personal style. 

Kadence and Astra both use the native WordPress Customizer, which lets you tweak various aspects of your site’s design, including colors, backgrounds, typography, and more. But when we take a closer look, how do they really compare?

Kadence

Kadence is packed with powerful customization features that give you complete control over your site’s look and feel: 

• Drag-and-drop header and footer builder: Creating unique designs for your site’s top and bottom sections couldn’t be easier. Want to add a logo, menu, or search bar? Just drag it where you want it. It’s really that simple!
• Typography and color options: Choose from a wide range of fonts and set up a global color palette that matches your brand. Plus, there’s a handy button style manager to ensure your call-to-action buttons look just right.
• Custom layout options: You can design your pages down to the pixel, and even create different layouts for desktop, tablet, and mobile views. This level of control means your site will look great on any device.
• Easy to use: Kadence’s no-code customization options mean you don’t need to be a tech whiz to create a stunning site. And if you’re looking for inspiration, there are many pre-built design elements and templates to choose from.
• Comprehensive free version: You might expect the free version of a WordPress theme to be pretty limited, but Kadence flips that idea on its head. Its free version is packed with advanced elements like a table of contents, advanced gallery, accordion, testimonials, and more. It’s our way of making sure that anyone can kickstart their dreams and launch their next big idea on a site that really wows. 

Astra

Astra holds its own in the customization department, matching Kadence in many areas:

• Drag-and-drop header and footer builder: Like Kadence, Astra offers a user-friendly tool for creating custom designs without touching code. You can easily add and arrange elements in your site’s header and footer. 
• Typography and color options: Astra provides global options for fonts and colors. You can change your site’s look with just a few clicks — a handy feature for maintaining brand identity across your entire website.
• Layout options: You have access to numerous layouts to choose from and customize, especially in Astra’s Pro version. However, it’s worth noting that the free version of Astra offers fewer layout options than Kadence’s free version.
• User-friendly interface: Astra is known for its straightforward yet powerful interface. It comes with a variety of starter templates to help users get their sites up and running quickly, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced designers.

Performance metrics: Which theme is faster?

When it comes to WordPress themes, speed matters. A lot. A fast-loading website boosts your conversion rates, helps your SEO, and has the added benefit of making your visitors happy. 

But comparing theme speeds isn’t as straightforward as you might think. You’d need to set up two identical sites with the exact same content and plugins to get a true apples-to-apples comparison. Plus, those “base WordPress installation” speed tests you see online? They don’t really tell you how a theme will perform on a real, content-rich site.

Instead, let’s look at how each theme is built to keep your site zippy:

Kadence

Kadence addresses the common frustration of bloated websites and difficult-to-improve page speed scores in several different ways: 

• Instead of using heavy JavaScript files that can slow things down, Kadence opts for a modular code structure and only loads its resources when necessary. This approach helps Kadence achieve an impressive 100% speed grade in performance tests.
• The theme uses inline SVG icons, which load faster than regular images. 
• Kadence employs lazy loading for CSS styles, loading only the specific styles each page requires, rather than loading all styles at once. 
• It’s optimized for popular plugins like WooCommerce and LearnDash, so even if you’re running an online store or an eLearning website, your site demonstrates strong performance without sacrificing functionality.

In fact, users find they can achieve almost the exact same design with the Kadence theme as they could with heavier themes, but with a significant boost in speed. As Reddit user u/shoaibk45 noted, “Kadence Theme is surprisingly fast if we consider the amount of customization it offers. Its header builder is the best I’ve used so far.”

Another user said they’ve never regretted making the switch to Kadence: “Kadence WP is a beautiful theme, really fast, even on large pages, and has a ton of features. Updates are coming on auto-pilot, so no worrying about stuff falling apart.”

Astra

Astra uses Vanilla JavaScript instead of jQuery, which reduces the amount of code that needs to be loaded, resulting in faster page load times.

One of Astra’s strengths is its lightweight nature. The theme requires less than 50 KB of resources to run, contributing to its impressive load time of under half a second with default WordPress content. While actual results may vary depending on your site’s content and plugins, this is a good indicator of Astra’s efficiency. And, like Kadence, Astra achieves a 100% speed grade on performance testing tools such as Pingdom. 

That said, not everyone’s experience with Astra has been perfect. One Trustpilot user shared frustrations with slow site speeds and running into design issues after updates. They also said the support team wasn’t as helpful as they’d hoped, and that Astra’s updates seemed to cause more problems than they solved.

Additionally, several reviews on the WordPress Forum have reported issues with Astra’s mobile performance. One user said, “The Astra theme for WordPress fails Google’s mobile-friendliness test … This has compromised my blog posting and is decreasing my blog’s ranking gradually.” 

Starter sites and demos: Kickstarting your project

Building a new website from scratch can feel as overwhelming as facing a blank canvas — where do you even begin? That’s why many users prefer to start with a template or demo site. It gives you a foundation to build on, saving time and reducing stress.

Both Kadence and Astra offer a variety of starter sites and templates. Let’s take a closer look at what each theme provides. 

Kadence

Whether you’re creating a blog, an online store, a portfolio, or anything under the sun, we promise Kadence has a template to fit your needs.

With Kadence’s AI starter templates, you can create a website that’s ready to publish in a matter of minutes. These templates provide instant inspiration, help you generate text based on your prompts, and offer hundreds of unique design patterns. But you don’t have to feel limited to these options, either. Every element is fully editable, so you can swap images and tweak content until it’s just right.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach and don’t want to use AI, Kadence also provides Classic Starter Templates. These can be added to your site with just a few clicks. 

All of Kadence’s starter templates are compatible with popular page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder. However, Kadence truly excels when used with its own site-building solution. The combination of the Kadence Theme, Kadence Blocks, and starter templates works perfectly in the default Gutenberg editor, offering a smooth and integrated experience.

Astra

Astra offers over 250 pre-built websites you can install and customize. These templates cover a wide range of industries and niches, so you’re likely to find something that suits your project. 

Astra has also embraced AI technology in its offerings. The Starter Templates plugin, integrated with ZipWP, provides AI-powered templates, which adds another layer of convenience to the website creation process.

Plus, like Kadence, Astra’s templates are built to work with different popular page builders. You can easily filter options by Elementor or Beaver Builder, depending on your preferred tool.

Integrations: Enhancing the builder’s experience

A theme that’s compatible with your favorite plugins can make building your dream website a whole lot easier. Both Kadence and Astra bring some great features to the table, so let’s see what they offer.

Kadence

While Kadence Theme is perfectly compatible with popular page builders, it takes a unique approach to website creation. Instead of relying solely on third-party tools, Kadence offers its own innovative solution: Kadence Blocks.

This built-in website builder works within the WordPress block editor, giving you a powerful set of tools right at your fingertips. Kadence Blocks offers some impressive benefits:

• It doesn’t slow down your site like some other page builders.
• It’s easy to learn because it uses the native Gutenberg editor you’re already familiar with.
• The free version gives you lots of options to customize your site without needing to code.

If you’re building an online store, the Kadence Shop Kit offers even more features for WooCommerce, including custom labels, variation swatches, and advanced reviews to name a few. For inspiration, just take a look at Pinnacle Foods, a WooCommerce site built with Kadence: 

Pinnacle Foods’ website includes many of Kadence Shop Kit features, such as:

• Conditional cart banners to offer exclusive discounts to shoppers. 

• Advanced gallery styles to highlight what Pinnacle Foods’ freeze-dried foods look like straight out of the package and when they’re prepared. 

• Custom global tabs to display the nutritional information of their products.  

Astra

Astra is also known for its wide compatibility with various page builders, including Elementor, Beaver Builder, Divi, and WPBakery. This broad support makes Astra an excellent choice if you have a particular page builder in mind. 

Additionally, Astra is built to integrate with many of the most popular WordPress plugins across different use cases, including e-commerce solutions like WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads, as well as LMS plugins like LearnDash and LifterLMS. 

However, to tap into the full potential of these integrations, you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro version of the theme. 

Astra also has a sister product called Spectra, which serves as their version of Kadence Blocks. This product provides similar functionalities, allowing users to build custom layouts within the Gutenberg editor.

Pricing and value: Evaluating the investment in your theme

When choosing a WordPress theme, you need to get good value for your money. After all, your theme is the foundation of your entire website. It’s not just about how it looks today, but how well it can support your site’s growth and changes over time. 

Here’s what Kadence and Astra offer, both in their free and premium versions: 

Kadence

Kadence offers a generous free bundle. You get the Kadence Theme, Kadence Blocks, access to starter templates, and 250 AI credits. For many users, this free package provides all the essentials for building a fast, customizable website.

Plus, as you might already be able to tell, the free version of Kadence Theme is incredibly feature-rich. It comes with extensive customization options that many site owners find more than sufficient for their needs.

For those wanting more advanced features, the Pro version adds many extras that are great for users with specific design requirements. These include: 

• Hooked elements: Strategically place content blocks or page builder elements anywhere on your site, conditionally and within a specific timeframe. For example, you can use Hooked Elements to add an affiliate disclosure notice to the top of your blog posts, but only on posts you’ve tagged as containing affiliate links. 
• Header add-ons: Impress visitors with mega sub-menus, highlight tags, icons, and more. 
• Fixed elements: Extend the power of hooked elements by adding content that remains fixed to the page as users scroll.
• Custom fonts: Bring your brand’s personality to life by uploading and using any font you want. 

Kadence Pro costs $79 per year for unlimited websites. For even more value, consider these bundles:

• The Essential Bundle: $149/year. Includes premium versions of Kadence Theme, Blocks, starter templates, and custom fonts.
• The Full Bundle: $219/year. Includes everything in the Essential Bundle plus all of Kadence’s add-on plugins and access to future products.

The value for money, coupled with its solid features and excellent support, has earned the Kadence Theme a loyal following. As one of our users, @michaeltrotz, put it, “We have been using Kadence for about 2.5 years, and it’s hands down the best theme so far. The technical support team seems to always have answers for even the most ambitious goals put to them (where customization is concerned) and make the annual cost of the license seem trivial compared to the value they bring.”

Astra

There’s a bigger difference between Astra’s free and pro versions compared to Kadence. The free version gives you basic layouts, design features, and template access. But for advanced design options, you’ll need to upgrade to one of Astra’s pro plans: 

• Astra Pro: Starts at $49/year and includes additional layout, customization, and integration options.
• Essential Toolkit: Starts at $79/year. Includes Astra Pro, an Elementor add-on, premium starter templates, and the Spectra Pro page builder.
• Business Toolkit: Starts at $149/year. Includes everything in the Essential Toolkit, plus annual subscriptions to the SureFeedback and SureWriter plugins. As a bonus, you’ll also get six months’ access to the SureTriggers Pro and CartFlows Starter plans, three months’ access to ZipWP Pro, and a SkillJet Academy membership.

While Astra offers a range of features across its plans, it’s worth noting that user experiences can vary, particularly when it comes to customer support. And let’s face it, when you’re knee-deep in website building, good and timely support can be a lifesaver. 

Some users have reported issues with Astra’s support services. One user said, “I had Priority support for a year. The response time was still very slow. Usually, the fixes still didn’t work. If Priority support worked, I would be glad to pay for it, but it’s a waste of money.” 

This feedback suggests that even with paid plans, the level of support might not always meet expectations — an important factor to consider when choosing a theme for your WordPress site.

The verdict: Kadence vs. Astra

It’s clear that Kadence and Astra are two excellent WordPress themes. They’re both designed for creating fast, powerful, and flexible websites. But when we weigh all the factors, Kadence comes out on top. Here’s why:

Next steps: Making the right choice for your WordPress site

We know picking a WordPress theme can feel like a big decision. But it’s the basis of your whole online presence, so it’s worth taking the time to make the right choice. 

What makes Kadence stand out? It’s got extensive customization options, impressive speed, and stunning AI starter templates. Plus, it offers great value right from the start, even with its free version. And when you pair the Kadence Theme with Kadence Blocks, you’re getting a solid site-building package.

Ready to take your WordPress site to the next level? Why not give Kadence a try? It’s free to start, and you might be surprised at how much you can accomplish with just the basic version. Get started with the Kadence Theme today!

Choosing between these popular page builders can be difficult, as they share many common features: user-friendly interfaces, the ability to create stunning designs without coding, and a focus on flexibility and customization. However, each builder has its own strengths, and depending on your specific needs, one may be a better match than the other. Additionally, there may be an alternative that suits you even better!

In this guide, we’ll compare Divi and Elementor in detail, looking at their features, ease of use, design options, and pricing. We’ll also introduce you to Kadence Blocks, a speedy and flexible alternative to traditional WordPress page builders. 

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, we’ll help you find the right tool to bring your website vision to life! 

Elementor vs. Divi: Key Features Comparison

What they have in common

Elementor and Divi share several cool features in common, including:  

• Powerful drag-and-drop visual editors: These intuitive interfaces let you build pages without touching any code, so you can easily bring your vision to life.

• Pre-designed templates and layouts: Having an extensive library of templates and layouts to choose from is a huge time saver when starting a new project. 

• Third-party add-ons and widgets: Need some extra functionality? No problem. Both Elementor and Divi offer access to a wide range of third-party add-ons, giving you the flexibility to extend your site’s capabilities beyond the built-in features. 

• Full responsiveness: People consume content on a variety of devices, so your website needs to look great and function smoothly across all of them. With Elementor or Divi, you can easily preview and adjust your site’s appearance on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.

• Global styling options: Want to change a design element sitewide? You can customize headers, footers, posts, pages, and more with just a few clicks. 

• WooCommerce integration: If you plan to sell products online, you’ll love the WooCommerce integration in both Elementor and Divi.

Where they differ

We’ll go into more detail soon but here’s a quick breakdown of the main differences between Elementor and Divi: 

While you’re considering Elementor and Divi, it’s also worth taking a quick look at Kadence Blocks! It’s not a traditional page builder like the other two but rather a block-based builder that works inside the WordPress editor you’re already familiar with: 

User experience: Which builder is easier to use?

As previously mentioned, both Elementor and Divi simplify the process of building and customizing your WordPress site. However, their interfaces differ in style, which can impact their overall ease of use. Let’s take a closer look at both.

Elementor

Elementor’s design interface is very similar to the default WordPress Customizer. It features a fixed left sidebar for adding elements and adjusting settings and a live preview of what your page will look like. This familiar layout makes it easier for new users to jump right in and start using Elementor. 

To start, simply drag and drop the widget you want onto the page from the sidebar. 

Once the element is placed on the page, a pink outline will appear around it, and the sidebar updates to show you all the available editing options for that specific element. Here’s what you can do: 

• Content tab: Edit the core aspects of the element, such as text, links, and HTML tags.  
• Style tab: Adjust colors, typography, borders, and spacing to get the visual appearance just right. 
• Advanced tab: Manage settings such as margins, padding, z-index (which controls the stacking order of elements), custom CSS, and responsive design options.

Elementor’s “what you see is what you get” or WYSIWYG editor lets you see changes in real time, so you’re always in control of your page design.

If you need some inspiration for your content or design, simply click on the Edit with AI icon within the editor to get a complete first draft in seconds. 

Many users on the WordPress Forum have praised Elementor’s AI updates, as well as its ease of use. One user called it the “epitome of user-friendly web design,” while another said, “I’ve been using Elementor for around 5 years now after switching from Divi. I find Elementor is so easy to use and it speeds up my workflow every day.” 

These reviews show why Elementor is so popular in the WordPress world. It’s consistently ranked as one of the most user-friendly page builders, offering plenty of features while still being easy to understand and work with.

Divi

Divi also offers a WYSIWYG visual drag-and-drop editor, but its interface is a bit different. 

Instead of a fixed sidebar, Divi uses a floating popup interface for each element. This design choice provides more customization options but has a trade-off: a steeper learning curve, especially for those used to the standard WordPress layout or other page builders. 

To insert a new module, simply click the + icon and select the module you want to add. This action opens a settings window where you can customize various aspects of the module. Here, you’ll find options to modify the content, adjust the design, and access advanced editing features.

Divi also offers an AI content generation feature under the content tab of image and text modules. If the initial AI-generated draft doesn’t meet your needs, you can refine and adjust the content by clicking on Retry or Paraphrase until it aligns perfectly with your vision.

However, the learning curve associated with Divi’s unique interface can be challenging for new users. 

One Reddit user noted that beginners might struggle with basic tasks like maintaining consistent image sizes across rows or getting CTA buttons to appear correctly. Divi has also been criticized for poor accessibility. A recent report by Accessibility Craft highlighted major issues like a lack of proper heading structure and navigation tags, ranking Divi as one of the worst page builders for accessibility.

Design capabilities and flexibility

Let’s see how the two page builders stack up in terms of templates, design elements, customization options, and integrations. Spoiler: They’re both pretty impressive! 

Elementor

• Elementor has over 100 complete website kits and 300+ pre-designed templates across various industries and use cases.
• It provides solid design controls for layout, typography, colors, and more, globally and on a per-element basis.
• One of its unique features is a dedicated popup builder, which allows you to create custom popups, opt-in forms, and other interactive elements directly within the page builder.
• Elementor works well with many WordPress plugins and themes, as well as external services like email marketing platforms.
• It is incredibly responsive and offers tools to preview and customize your pages for desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.

Divi

• Divi features 350+ layout packs and over 2,500 individual page templates, one of the largest template libraries available.
• It offers advanced styling controls for colors, fonts, backgrounds, hover effects, animations, and even Photoshop-style content transformation. 
• A standout feature is its built-in A/B testing functionality to help optimize your site’s performance.
• Divi works well with its own theme, offering greater control over your website design, or can be used as a standalone plugin with your choice of WordPress theme.
• It ensures responsive design by default, with detailed control over how your pages look on different devices.

TL;DR: Here’s a look at Elementor and Divi’s design features at a glance: 

Performance metrics: Speed and efficiency

We’ll get real with you: Speed testing can be tricky and sometimes misleading. Various factors, including hosting quality, caching setup, and the specific content on a page, can significantly influence results. Plus, internal tests conducted by companies tend to showcase their products in the most favorable light possible.

With that in mind, let’s look at some performance data for Elementor and Divi: 

• Elementor claims that internal tests of their v3.5 using Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool achieved a score of 95, up from 84 in the previous version.
• Divi reports achieving a perfect score of 100 in their internal tests using the same tool.

While these numbers are impressive, remember that real-world performance can vary depending on how you use these builders and the specifics of your site. 

Now, let’s see how Divi and Elementor optimize their builders for speed. 

Elementor

Elementor focuses on delivering fast-loading pages and reducing overall website bloat through several features:

• Conditional loading: Elementor only loads what each page needs, using smaller CSS and JavaScript files and conditional loading logic to avoid unnecessary resources.
• Native browser support: By sticking to what browsers do best, Elementor sidesteps the need for clunky external libraries that can slow things down.
• Lazy loading: Pictures, videos, and other multimedia elements only load when needed, speeding up initial page load times. 
• Caching: Dynamic content is stored for quick access, resulting in a more responsive user experience.
• Optimized output: By reducing unnecessary HTML wrappers, Elementor keeps your page structure lean and efficient.
• Image and font optimization: Elementor supports modern image formats like SVG and WebP, and optimizes custom fonts to reduce file sizes.

Divi

Divi takes a smart approach to performance, focusing on efficiency and speed. Here’s how they optimize your site:

• Dynamic framework: Divi only processes what’s needed for each page, cutting out unnecessary bulk.
• Custom CSS: Divi creates a unique stylesheet for each page with only the styles it needs instead of loading everything.
• Modularized JavaScript: Divi loads JavaScript libraries on-demand, only when needed by specific modules, and separates certain features like animations to reduce the overall JavaScript footprint.
• Critical CSS: Divi figures out which styles are crucial for the first view and loads those first, pushing less critical stuff to the back of the line to reduce render blocking. 
• Google Font caching: Google Fonts are cached and loaded inline, reducing the number of separate requests your browser needs to make.
• Asynchronous loading: Divi loads some scripts in the background so your page can start displaying while less critical elements are still loading.
• Resource removal: Unnecessary features like WordPress emojis are removed, and some resources are only loaded when they’re actually needed.

Pricing and value

Elementor

Elementor takes a freemium approach, which means you can access the base features of their page builder for free. This is a great way to get a feel for the tool and see if it’s the right fit for you. 

However, to unlock Elementor’s full potential, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan. Luckily, their pricing is pretty reasonable, with plans starting at $59 per year for one website and going up to $399 for up to 1,000 websites. 

With the paid plans, you’ll get access to all the pro widgets and features, like dynamic content, advanced design options, and PayPal and Stripe button widgets. So, if you’re looking to build a more complex site, the paid version of Elementor is definitely worth the investment.

Divi

Unlike Elementor, Divi doesn’t offer a free version of its theme and builder combo. Its paid plan starts at $89 per year and provides unlimited access to Divi on as many sites as you need. If you prefer a one-time payment, the lifetime license is only $249.

When you purchase Divi, you also get access to all the other Elegant Themes products, including the Extra theme, Monarch social sharing plugin, and Bloom email opt-in plugin. And if you’re looking for even more features, a Pro plan is available for $665/year. This includes Divi’s AI builder tool, unlimited cloud storage, VIP support, and access for up to four team members.

TL;DR: Here’s a quick summary of the categories we’ve covered: 

Overall, Elementor provides a balanced combination of user-friendliness, design capabilities, and affordability. This makes it a versatile option that’s great for users of all skill levels and budget ranges and our pick in the Divi vs. Elementor showdown.

But, as flexible as Elementor is, is it the best solution on the market?

Have you considered Kadence Blocks? 

Remember how we hinted at a high-performance alternative to Divi and Elementor earlier? Well, that would be Kadence Blocks! 

Unlike Divi or Elementor, Kadence Blocks doesn’t ask you to learn a new page builder from scratch. Instead, it enhances what you already know — the native Gutenberg editor. This means you still get advanced layouts, design options, and pre-built templates without the hassle of a separate system.

The result? You can create custom sites more efficiently while maintaining your site’s core performance and functionality. It’s like upgrading Gutenberg rather than replacing it entirely. Let’s explore some features of Kadence Blocks that make it a solid alternative to Divi and Elementor: 

• Optimized for performance: Kadence Blocks only loads the CSS and JavaScript needed for the specific blocks you use on a given page. This helps your site load quickly without any unnecessary bloat. Users on our Web Creator Community frequently praise Kadence Blocks for its lightweight nature and speed. Many appreciate its integration with the native Gutenberg editor, which allows for the creation of visually appealing pages without the excess code often associated with other page builders like Elementor and Divi. 
• Layout controls: With Kadence Blocks, you can build and control custom layouts like a pro. The row/layout block gives you control over your site’s structure, while the advanced settings let you tweak padding, margins, and more in whatever units you prefer. This focus on user-friendly design hasn’t gone unnoticed by the WordPress community. As one Reddit user said, “The impression I get is that Kadence is one of the few vendors that understands how to build blocks that non-coders can use for actual page layout.” 
• Flexible customization: Who doesn’t love having options? Kadence Blocks comes packed with hundreds of font, icon, and color choices, so you can make your website look and feel like a true reflection of your brand. The best part is you can set up default settings for blocks to speed up your workflow. 
• Responsive design: Kadence Blocks makes optimizing your designs for any device easy. From the Gutenberg editor, you can tweak your desktop, mobile, and tablet layouts with just a few clicks. 
• Extensive starter templates: Getting started with Kadence Blocks genuinely couldn’t be easier, thanks to the plugin’s large library of drop-in design templates and 700+ design patterns. And if you’re feeling extra creative, Kadence’s AI-powered starter templates make it easy to build custom sites from scratch.
• Powerful integrations: Kadence Blocks is part of the Kadence WP suite of website design solutions, including the Kadence Theme and a variety of starter templates. The plugin also plays nicely with all your favorite WordPress plugins and themes, including The Events Calendar, GiveWP, LearnDash, and more. 

Pricing

Kadence WP offers a comprehensive free version of Kadence Blocks, making it an excellent choice for bloggers, affiliate marketers, and new publishers. 

The free version provides all the essential block editor add-ons to make your pages and blog posts look great while maintaining a fast loading speed. You can even create awesome landing pages and funnels with Kadence Blocks if you have experience with basic HTML and CSS.

For even more advanced features, you can upgrade to Kadence Blocks Pro. This premium version offers powerful tools like: 

• Dynamic content: Tailor your site’s content to respond to user interactions and specific conditions.
• Custom fonts and icons: Add custom fonts and icons to your designs for a unique look.
• On-scroll animation: Engage visitors with eye-catching animations triggered by scrolling.
• Premium template access: Explore Kadence’s extensive library of pre-designed layouts and elements.
• Advanced toolkit: Enjoy additional features like advanced form building, custom query loops, and more.

Take the next step with the best WordPress website builder

By now, you should have a clear picture of what Divi and Elementor bring to the table. Elementor stands out as a top choice for many users, offering an impressive balance of features, ease of use, and affordability.

When making your decision, consider factors like your budget, project complexity, design requirements, and comfort level with different interfaces. For many, Elementor will tick all these boxes, providing a user-friendly experience with powerful design capabilities and flexible pricing options.

That said, traditional page builders aren’t the only path to creating stunning websites.  If speed, simplicity, and WordPress integration are your priorities, Kadence Blocks might be your ideal solution. It works within the familiar Gutenberg editor, offering advanced design capabilities without the extra complexity. This means you can create fast, flexible sites without having to learn a whole new system.

If you’re already comfortable with Elementor but want to explore Kadence’s offerings, you’ll be happy to know that Kadence provides starter templates that work directly with Elementor! This integration allows you to tap into the strengths of both tools, giving you even more flexibility in your website design process.

Ready to experience the Kadence difference? Try it out today and start designing fast, powerful WordPress sites!

With thousands of ready-made plugins and themes available, creating stunning website designs has never been easier. In this article, we’ll go beyond the basics of WordPress design and share some of the most impressive websites that push the boundaries of what’s possible with this versatile CMS.

From sleek corporate portfolios to immersive online stores, these sites are all great examples of design done right. 

By the end of this article, you might even be inspired to give your WordPress website a makeover! And, to help you get started, we’ll cover all the tools and resources you need to build a beautiful, responsive, and user-friendly website using WordPress and Kadence Theme. 

Notable WordPress sites: Inspiring design excellence

Let’s take a look at some of the top-tier WordPress website designs that highlight its potential: 

1. The TED Blog

The TED Blog, the official blog of the famous Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) Talks platform, offers thought-provoking content and engaging discussions on a wide range of topics, such as global issues, science, technology, and more. The TED Blog uses a custom WordPress theme designed specifically for the site. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Clean and modern design that gives the content the attention it deserves. 
• Bold typography and minimalist color palette.

2. The New York Times

From bestselling books to groundbreaking journalism, The New York Times is the world’s go-to newspaper for current information. But did you know its website is built with WordPress? It uses a custom WordPress theme that perfectly captures the newspaper’s branding – from its signature typography to the classic masthead. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Responsive design that ensures the theme looks great on all devices.
• Strategic use of multimedia elements, like videos and multimedia graphics. 

3. Music Mayhem Magazine

Music Mayhem Magazine is a digital publication dedicated to covering the latest news, interviews, and features in the Country music world. Its website, which features a modern aesthetic, uses Kadence Theme. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• The organization of content blocks above the fold effectively highlights the musicians and their photographs. 
• Regardless of length, all headlines fit within the grid layout, which helps maintain a clean and organized appearance. 

4. AD Dal Pozzo

AD Dal Pozzo is a premier Italian furniture retailer known for its exquisite collection of luxury home furnishings. Its custom theme embodies sophistication and elegance and shows off just how versatile WordPress design elements are. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Sleek and modern design that captures the brand’s commitment to luxury and style.
• Interactive content blocks, such as product carousels with hover effects and visually striking horizontal scrolling sections. 

5. Momofuku

Momofuku, a renowned restaurant group, has a website that embodies the brand’s bold and innovative approach to cuisine. The site uses a custom theme and features a visually striking layout, intuitive navigation, and a great user experience.

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Striking use of imagery captures the essence of Momofuku’s dishes. 
• A minimalist layout that allows the food imagery to take center stage. 

6. NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) website serves as a gateway to the wonders of space exploration. Its website uses a custom, enterprise-level WordPress theme builder. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Intuitive navigation with clear categories and search functionalities allows visitors to find what they want easily. 
• Incorporates various multimedia elements to balance information, including stunning high-resolution images and videos that showcase the breathtaking beauty of the universe.

7. Hartzler Family Dairy

Hartzler Family Dairy is an Ohio-based dairy farm that offers a range of hormone-free dairy products, including milk, ice cream, cheese, and butter. Its website uses the Beaver Builder theme. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• The large visuals are a treat to the eyes and don’t leave visitors guessing what products Hartzler offers. 
• The clean white background with pops of green and cyan is warm and inviting. 

8. Garden Betty

Garden Betty is a blog dedicated to gardening, homesteading, and sustainable living. The website design, built using Kadence Theme, is clean and user-friendly. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• The design is an updated take on the traditional F-layout, which offers a fresh user experience.  
• As visitors scroll through the site, they discover more and more content, but each section is unique and uses visually appealing imagery throughout. 

9. Fabienne Chapot

Fabienne Chapot is a Dutch fashion brand known for its bold, colorful designs and playful aesthetic. Its website reflects this vibrant personality using a custom theme. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Playful, animated watercolor imagery that captures the brand’s signature prints. 
• Dynamic typography that changes colors depending on the background. 

10. The Jane Goodall Institute

The Jane Goodall Institute website is a hub for conservation efforts and environmental education inspired by Dr. Jane Goodall’s work with chimpanzees. The site uses Swift Ideas’ Joyn theme. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Compelling use of multimedia elements to tell the story of Dr. Goodall’s conservation work. 
• The color palette fittingly uses colors inspired by nature, like green, blue, and muted coral. 

11. Landia

Landia is an award-winning production company. The website, built using a custom WordPress theme, highlights their expertise in crafting compelling content for brands worldwide.

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Full-screen videos that showcase Landia’s projects and load quickly as you scroll. 
• The simple black background with minimal text on the home page effectively lets Landia’s work speak for itself. 

12. Rafael Nadal

Dedicated to the tennis champion, Rafael Nadal’s official website offers fans a glimpse into his career, achievements, and personal life. The site is built using a custom version of the Verve theme by Pirenko. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• The website is available in Spanish and English, catering to Nadal’s global fanbase. 
• Minimalistic black-and-white color scheme that spotlights the high-quality photos of Nadal. 

13. Marcela Pulido 

Marcela Pulido is a Portland-based wedding photographer. Her website, which uses Kadence Theme, is filled with photos that capture the magical moments of love. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• It’s not easy to make a wedding portfolio website stand out, but this one does so by using distinctive typography choices and colorful sections. 
• The copy clearly states what to expect from Pulido’s work so clients know what they’re getting. 

14. Miga Studio

Miga Studio is an eyewear brand that combines Italy’s rich cultural heritage with Japan’s minimalist, futuristic aesthetics. The eye-catching (no pun intended) website, which uses a custom WordPress theme, showcases the brand’s unique collection of eyewear designs.

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Large, attention-grabbing typography immediately draws the visitor in and sets the tone for the brand’s confident spirit. 
• High-quality, full-width images of Miga Studio’s eyewear products are the focal point of the design. 

15. Timberyard

Timberyard is a family-run restaurant located in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland. Its website uses Lay Theme. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Clever use of negative space helps the images stand out. 
• Simple typography and uncluttered design mirror the restaurant’s ethos of showcasing natural, locally sourced ingredients. 

16. Sanders Design

Sanders Design is a web and print design agency that uses Kadence Theme to power its website. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Placing a testimonial prominently on the home page allows potential clients to quickly see the positive results Sanders Design delivers, building trust right away.
• The animations throughout the page give a clear idea of the engaging visual experiences the agency can create for clients. 

“Design agencies have a lot to live up to. Sanders does a great job distinguishing the various services they offer with clearly demarcated sections while giving the user a dynamic experience as they scroll.”

Katy Boykin, Product Marketing Manager, Kadence WP

17. Bateaumon Paris

If you’re feeling tempted to book a flight ticket to Paris so you can experience a serene boat ride along the Seine, we’re right there with you. Bateaumon Paris offers boat rentals for professional or private events in Paris and uses the Hello Elementor theme for its website. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Creative design, with a mixture of real photos and hand-drawn illustrations. 
• The blue, white, and salmon color scheme adds a touch of whimsy. 

18. Angry Birds

The Angry Birds website invites visitors into the colorful and chaotic world of these iconic characters. The site, which uses a custom WordPress theme, offers fans a hub for games, merchandise, and updates about their hot-tempered avian heroes.

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• The slider on the home page, featuring full-screen interactive graphics, brings the Angry Birds universe to life. 
• The navigation page has a playful design with ample white space and the original Angry Bird character in the corner.

19. Exploring Vegan

Exploring Vegan is dedicated to promoting a plant-based lifestyle in an approachable and non-judgmental way. The site uses the Underscores starter theme. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• Choice of bold colors, swirly patterns, and animations add an element of surprise. 
• The recipes come with a tag describing them as “easy” or “comfort.” 

20. Grisly’s Cosmic

Grisly’s Cosmic is a bourbon and cola cocktail company that uses a custom WordPress theme for its website. 

Our take on what makes this website shine: 

• The home page is trippy but in all the best ways. It features vibrant colors, funky characters, and interactive graphics throughout. 
• The “cosmic space yeti,” the brand’s mascot, adds a fun touch of personality. 

Reinventing WordPress design with Kadence

Feeling Inspired to create your own stunning website? Kadence WP provides the perfect toolkit! Our flagship products – Kadence Theme and Kadence Blocks – are designed to help you build fast, responsive, and fully customizable websites with minimal effort. Take a look at their key features. 

Kadence Theme: Your perfect starting point

Kadence Theme is the ideal foundation for building an effective website design, and here’s why: 

• Extensive library of starter templates: Find the template of your dreams by choosing from a wide range of ready-to-use options. Or better yet, use Kadence’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) templates to create customized content specifically for your website.
• Fully customizable: Easily customize the look and feel of your website using pre-loaded color palettes, font combinations, drag-and-drop header and footer editors, and comprehensive layout settings. 
• Fast and responsive: Thanks to built-in features like Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) pre-loading, your site will be lightning-fast, while responsive design options ensure your website looks great on any device. 

Kadence Blocks: Elevating your design game

Whether you’re building on the foundation of Kadence Theme or revamping your existing website, Kadence Blocks is the perfect tool for creating unique and engaging content: 

• Minimal learning curve: Kadence Blocks works directly within the native WordPress block editor, allowing you to design unique and meaningful content without needing to learn a new interface. 
• Optimized for speed: Kadence Blocks only loads the necessary CSS or JavaScript, so your site remains fast and efficient.
• Full design control: Build custom layouts with ease, choose from 900+ Google Fonts and 1,500+ SVG icons, and take complete control over your colors using extensive design settings within the block editor. To save even more time, you can configure default settings for specific blocks, which is especially useful for larger websites.

The best part is that Kadence Theme, Kadence Blocks, and Starter Templates are all available for free and also comes with 250 AI credits. This makes designing beautiful, responsive websites easier than ever without breaking the bank. 

And, for those who want to take their design to the next level, pro versions of the Theme and Blocks are available, offering features like dynamic content, custom design elements, and a dedicated WooCommerce add-on and tools designed to enhance WooCommerce stores.

Your next steps: Transforming your WordPress site with Kadence

WordPress has long been recognized as one of the most powerful and flexible platforms for website design. However, with so many themes and plugins available, it can be tough to decide your site’s direction. 

To help you get started, we’ve covered some inspiring examples of great WordPress site designs and introduced you to some of the best tools for the job – Kadence Theme and Kadence Blocks. And now that you’ve seen some of what’s possible with Kadence WP, it’s time to take the next step.

Start your journey with Kadence WP by exploring our free plan. Soon, you’ll experience the difference that a well-designed, high-performing website can have on your online presence!

Homepage design matters. After all, it’s your customer’s first impression of you, and most consumers tend to form an opinion of you and your company within the first three seconds of landing on your homepage. 

Your homepage also has the responsibility for drawing your website’s traffic. Rather than treating it like a landing page built around one action, a homepage should be designed to support all traffic from a variety of audiences and origins. 

That means your homepage needs to attract traffic, educate visitors, and invite conversions. No pressure, right? 

Though it’s so important to get right, many businesses struggle to design their homepage properly. A well-designed homepage needs more than looks alone – it also has to have purposeful content that provides a starting point for your visitor’s journey through your site. That’s why the homepages on this list are not only noted for their design, but for their creativity and conversion potential.

Below are some of the best homepage designs we’ve seen around the web, categorized by the design or optimization technique that makes them so aspirational. 

1. A Clear Identity

If you’re a well-known brand or company, you may be able to get away with not having to describe who you are and what you do. But, unless you’re Coca-Cola or Apple, for example, your business will still need to make clear who you are so that each visitor knows that they are in the right place. 

Even though you have the obligation of stating who you are, you can still get it done in a clever and catching way. For that, look to our first example below, KIND snacks: 

Why We Like It:

• We know what the company is right away: a feature product image lets us know KIND is a breakfast bar (and more). 
• KIND Snacks’ tagline is straight-up brilliant. With easy and clear language, the message immediately resonates and makes us want to read the snack bar’s label for ourselves. 
• The bold colors produce contrast, making the words and images stand out on the page. Plus, the coloring is consistent with the packaging you’d see on KIND products in stores.
• We don’t need to know when KIND Snacks was founded and their mission right away: those are saved for navigation links. 

2. Easy Navigation

This brings us to our next inspired design tip: Users will have to know how to get around your page. A well-designed navigation shows legitimacy, credibility, and authority. All customers expect easy navigation, or else they’d be clicking off your page fast. 

Give a clear path to the pages they need right from the homepage. Make the navigation menu visible at the top of the page, and organize the links in a hierarchical structure. Bonus points for writing clever but clear copy for each of your navigation links. For this example, take the mouth-watering Slim & Husky’s Pizza.

Why We Like It:

• The top-right menu navigation couldn’t be easier to find. Simple and direct calls to action are in each clickable navigation link. 
• The font and coloring are consistent with the branding. The large tagline draws your eye to the right, with the navigation links, in the same styling, are right above.
• The simple but smart layering of the two navigation options help users easily get around. The more common clicks, like menu, ordering, and locations, are first up. The less common but still important items like events and media are smaller and lighter. We would definitely consider ordering pizza from them! 

3. Full Page Images

Since 65% of people are visual learners, using a full page image is one way to captivate your audience. However, don’t just go pasting in any old image just because it seems trendy. Make sure to use an image that clearly indicates or supports what you offer and what your business is about. 

Use images that capture emotion, drive action, and visually tell the story you’re trying to tell. When using images, high-quality images with reduced file size (tools like TinyPNG can help) can be used to add alternative text to images to make them accessible to those who use screen readers. 

For an example of a highly-effective image, look no further than Ruth’s Chris Steak House:

Why We Like It:

• The image immediately makes us want the product. No writing in the world can sell like a mouth-watering image. 
• If folks clicking this link aren’t sure what Ruth’s Chris Steak House is by reading the name alone, this image sure answers that question.
• This image is also sure to appeal to their customer base. The image paired with the headline creates a sense of authority and quality.  
• The image has the right amount of contrast and focus for the tagline and “Choose Your Local Restaurant” button placement, with enough space at the top for a clear navigation bar. Remember to choose an image that is both captivating but still allows enough negative space for text navigation.

4. Well-Placed Calls to Action

All websites want visitors to take action after visiting their site. A call to action (CTA) is not always an immediate sales push, but it could lead customers down the sales funnel. 

When designing a homepage, the CTAs must be logically placed with other necessary buttons. It could be “Order Now” or “Free Trial” or “Learn More.” A simple but effective CTA tells them what to do next so they don’t get overwhelmed or lost. A CTA should also be visually striking, ideally in a contrasting color to the rest of your homepage so that it pops.

Just look at the FreshBooks green CTA button below:

Why We Like It:

• There’s great use of contrast and positioning with the CTA. Though the primary color palette is blue, the green accent makes for a great button color. Adding in that users can “Try it Free” is sure to earn more clicks, too. 
• There is a sense of urgency – the countdown – right next to the CTA. It’s exactly what users need to see to get excited about the product and offer.  
• Though there’s an informational headline, the page is mostly focused on getting users to click that button and take the offer. 

5. Put Benefits Up Front

It’s important to not only describe what you do but also why folks on your site should care about what you do. Prospects want to know about the benefits of buying from you because that’s what will compel them to stick around. Keep the copy lightweight and easy to read, and speak the language of your customers. For a company that sells benefits up front, learn from Evernote:

Why We Like It:

• The benefit could not be more clear: “Tame your work, organize your life.” The eye path then leads you to its call to action, “Start for free.”
• It does a great job of listing benefits on its homepage in a simple font and colors that aren’t distracting. It also captures the essence of the product in easy-to-understand copy.
• This homepage makes great use of white space and its signature green and white highlights to make conversion paths stand out.

6. Minimalism 

Minimalism is a classic web design style. Think of sleek and sophisticated effects on homepages. Less crowding, more room to breathe. A hard ask, with all that your homepage needs to accomplish. But, if users can clearly read and find information quickly, then that’s more important than flashy images or videos that won’t load. 

Think about replacing fluffy messages or stock images with light and simple CTA buttons and removing disturbance around them. For a site that is always sleek and minimal, we turn to Medium: 

Why We Like It: 

• The ample whitespace on this homepage makes everything around it stand out clearly. On this page, the goal is to get users to download the Medium app, so the page is designed around that feature. The rest of the site still lives in the navigation links, but here, the developers knew what their goal was at the time. 
• The homepage uses simple fonts to keep with the minimalist theme. The pops of green become even more effective. 
• Nice use of social proof to get visitors to start clicking around. The “Popular on Medium” and “Staff Picks” sections let users know where to find high-quality content.

7. Embrace Video 

If you spend time on social media, you know that there are videos at every corner. Web design is also embracing the video trend with pages that play reels or short videos right on the homepage. This lets learning about your company become a passive activity where users can simply sit back and see what your product is all about in a short video presentation. But it’s got to be catchy or compelling, or users will not stick around for long. 

If you think about using video on your homepage, make sure you have a solid purpose and plan. Think about load times and how videos enhance the purpose behind your site. Is your product or company something users have to see in action before going any further? 

For one example, see A24 Films: 

Why We Like It: 

• It certainly answers the question of necessity: a film company is surely the right fit for a full-page video on its homepage. 
• Seeing that the video is a trailer for an upcoming film project, it tells the user what the aesthetic and product is right away. This is simply something you have to see in motion to understand fully. 
• At the top of the homepage, A24 offers a simple navigation button for ways to learn more or how to get in touch. It knows that users on this site are most likely to want to learn about the film studio and then want to contact someone for more information, so it couldn’t be easier to find. All that with a full video to boot! 

Feel Inspired for Your Next Homepage 

Your homepage is like a handshake. It needs to set a first impression and encourage the user to stick around to find out more. Before they make up their mind to become a customer, they’ll review your homepage to get an idea of what you sell, why that matters to them, and how they can benefit from what you have to offer.

A brilliant homepage should incorporate at least some, if not all, of the elements mentioned above. Hopefully by looking at these examples and why they work, you’ll be inspired to try out a homepage design that best communicates who you are. Then, you can get back to creating that stunning homepage for all to see!

If you’re looking for a tool to help, check out Kadence Blocks. You can create beautiful and fast websites with no coding knowledge. Your homepage will look great on any device and browser, plus you can customize it with ease. Try the live demo to check it out for yourself! 

Here are five great trends to consider this month:

1. Interesting Annual Reports

The end of one year and the beginning of the next are key times for annual reports to start making the rounds. Rather than the old printed version, many companies – especially those rooted online – will develop annual report websites or landing pages to showcase the past year’s work.

Because of the one-off nature of these projects, they can often be a little more forward-thinking and modern than even the primary website of the same brand. Look for interesting techniques, interactive elements, and elements designed to keep users on-site for as long as possible.

In the example above, Vention‘s State of Artificial Intelligence is actually a one-page design with lots of color and fun scroll effects that make it feel like a much bigger site than it is. Motion and different levels of engagement keep you scrolling and reading.

2. User Controls

Website visitors like to feel in control of their user experience. Even something as simple as sound or color toggles can make a visitor feel important and keep them interacting with the design longer.

In the example above for Dave Holloway, there are two distinct user controls at the bottom left of the home page. One of the toggle switches impacts the look of the text, giving it a flatter feel; the second toggle is for color, shifting the bright color background to a dark, subtle palette.

3. Interactive Hover States

For desktop website visitors, the mouseover hover state can add a lot of interest to the design and signal what action the user should take.

Once primarily reserved for buttons, interactive hover states can apply to almost anything. The more visually interesting they are, the more likely it is that someone will engage.

In the example above from Guarana Jesus, each can has an interactive hover that extends from top to bottom of the screen. It impacts everything around it, including the background and text colors, making it impossible to miss the clickable areas in this design.

4. Print-Inspired Design

Unlike all the interactive elements in previous trend examples, this website design trend goes in the opposite direction with a print-inspired look that is super simple but elegant.

There’s not a lot to click or do. In the example from North Star, the only options are to click a navigation element or scroll. But the design is so well constructed that you don’t miss the interactive elements.

The design below the scroll is equally strong, although there are a few moving elements to make it feel a little more web-like.

5. 3D Effects

You can use existing photography or videography and get in on this website design trend. To add interest, some designers are using three-dimensional shapes or icons in a layer on top of image/photo/color backgrounds.

These 3D effects can work in a number of ways – the one above from Laurus seems to be “drawn” on top of the video reel as it plays – to keep website visitors interested in what is happening on the screen. This effect often works best when there isn’t a lot of typography competing for user attention.

Putting it All Together

One of the key themes this month is how many interactive effects that designers and developers are including in projects. The challenge is that while some of these effects might look easy, they take work to create so that they render well and are engaging.

What can you see yourself trying from this list? Have fun and good luck!

A Kadence Full Bundle gives you everything you need to keep up with all the design trends and take your website to the next level. With the Kadence Lottie Block and on-scroll animations, you can make interactive, effective, and engaging websites with Kadence.