Today, we're bringing you our fresh WP news right at the start of the week for a change: Among other things, we've got the new features of Gutenberg 6.4, the latest information on the Gutenberg block directory and an introduction to the ACF plugin. Jan Tißler also reveals typical freelancer mistakes and we discuss the balancing act between data protection and conversion optimization.

What are custom fields in WordPress and what do I need them for?

"You don't know Advanced Custom Fields? I definitely wouldn't use WordPress without ACF!" After Michael Hörnlimann read this message from his colleague, he started to look into the topic of custom fields in WordPress. In his article, Michael explains why he would no longer do without it and what possibilities custom fields and the Advanced Custom Fields plugin offer.

Typical freelancer mistakes and how to avoid them

More freedom also means more responsibility. And as a freelancer, you are of course very, very free... But there are a number of stress factors that don't have to be, such as poorly thought-out client acquisition, hourly rates that are too low and more. Jan Tißler from UPLOAD magazine reports on his experience as a freelancer and reveals typical freelancer mistakes that make your life more stressful than it needs to be.

Data protection as a conversion killer - and why we hold on to it anyway

GDPR, ePrivacy Regulation, cookie banner obligation... There have been funnier times for website operators. If, like us, you are serious about complying with legal requirements, you have a lot to do. You also need to keep up to date with new developments. The most critical point: your conversion suffers and you gain fewer customers. Here you can find out why we still want to be a role model in terms of data protection and what direct effects the implementation has had.

WordPress

Q&A about the new block directory
In the future, Gutenberg will have a block directory that you can use to search for Gutenberg blocks from the editor and install and use them directly. In a live Q&A with Gutenberg Times, the Block Directory team reveals the current status of the project and what the new directory will look like.

Gutenberg 6.4 brings these new features
One of the highlights of the new Gutenberg update is the ability to round off the corners of inserted images ("circle crop"). In addition, the writing flow has been improved by allowing lines of text to slide upwards when you approach the bottom of the screen while writing ("typewriter experience"). You can find all other new features here.

Neuronto translates your WP site with DeepL
The WP plugin Neuronto uses the DeepL API to translate your website content into up to eight languages. By using AI, the plugin even learns which words you often correct and which terms you favor from a selection of several translation options. More information is available from t3n. 

Guide: Displaying the update date
Jonas Tietgen from WP Ninjas explains why it is important that your posts not only display the time of publication, but also the date of the last update. He also has instructions on how to implement the update date with a corresponding plugin.

Business

What 15 companies say about business growth
Our colleagues from Elementor asked 15 successful entrepreneurs and marketing managers what was the biggest growth factor for their business and what hurdles and lessons they learned on the road to success. In addition to the insights from the article, an e-book with further tips from the experts is available to download.

Images: Bank Phrom, Shane Aldendorff, Headway