With millions of webmasters, brands and businesses using the content management system WordPress for their presences on the web, many are left wondering what types of 2013 WordPress updates we’re likely to see in the coming months. With the Internet evolving nearly every single day, we knew WP would likely follow. Here are the updates you’re likely to see this year and it’s likely you’ll find them just as exciting as we do.
Responsive Design
In case you didn’t notice, WordPress put out a new default theme last year aptly titled ’2012’. This theme was different from the rest of the defaults because it is a responsive theme. That means that it detects the device the site visitor is using and changes the on-screen dimensions accordingly.
For instance, if your visitor clicks on your site using a tablet, the screen will change to fit that size screen. This produces a much superior web experience and that’s why you should expect more themes to take on the same responsive capabilities in the near future. This is one of those 2013 WordPress updates that people will come to expect from all sites as the devices they use to access the Internet become smaller and more diverse.
Simplicity is Key
People are inundated with information at every turn online. When they click on your WordPress site, they want to find the information they came to find and that’s it. That means your content must be concise and your design and navigation simple enough for the average person to get around quickly and easily.
While going simplistic may have seemed like a fad before, it’s definitely here to stay. You should expect to see 2013 updates for WordPress themes that remove all the clutter and that include just the services and features that visitors need.
More Diverse Themes
People are blogging with WordPress, using it for ecommerce and some mega-brands use the platform as the backbone for their entire marketing presence. The point is that WordPress has gone mainstream and that means theme developers will now be targeting a myriad of markets, niches and esellers.
One of the 2013 updates for WordPress that we’re excited about is the platform’s dedication to providing a seamless web experience for the casual Internet user – no matter what business or industry you’re in. This is great news for our clients and for our development crew because they know that the functionality and features they need are available if they want to use them.
Just remember to keep things simple and only include the features your visitors absolutely need.
2013 WordPress Updates for Plugins
The 2013 WordPress updates that we uncovered weren’t just isolated to the platform. There are also a number of plugin updates to note.
Footer Content
This is a great plugin that allows you to add anything you want to the footer of your site, such as logos, trust emblems, links, contact information and an image or two if you wish.
Theme Authenticity Checker
TAC will search your theme for malicious code. If it’s found, you’ll know exactly where it’s located and you’ll be provided with a small snippet so that you can immediately identify it. This is one of those 2013 WordPress updates that focuses heavily on site security, which is something you need to think about as hackers and malware developers get craftier and craftier.
Google+ Plugin
While this may have been available last year, you should include it with your site if you want higher Google Rankings. Google is making use of Authorship Markup, which links your Google+ profile and all of your content to each of your search engine listings. With this plugin, it’ll be easy to incorporate your blogs, posts and pages to your Google+ account, and ultimately your search engine rankings.
Responsive, Simple and Safe
Expect more 2013 updates for WordPress to follow these three words. If you haven’t updated your WordPress theme in some time, you may want to change to a more responsive one. If your design is a little too busy, it’s time to go minimalistic. And if your WordPress site is unprotected from the bad guys out there, install a plugin to lock your marketing ship up tight.
One thing is for sure. When your visitors land on your new site and they see that the screen matches, the design has improved and that your web experience is now tailored strictly for them, they’ll be more likely to return for more. That’s why so many brands use WordPress and that’s why you should too if you hope to take advantage of these 2013 updates for WordPress this year.
