With the latest release of WordPress 3.0, users have been eager to find out what’s new with their favourite blogging software. This new version (the 13th major release) promises a better and lighter user interface, more customization in terms of appearance and the much awaited joining of WordPress Multi-User and WordPress (WP 3.0 = WPMU + WP for the mathematically-inclined). Aside from bug fixes, the following new features should entice you to update your blog to the latest version immediately.
1. Multi-site capabilities – Whether you run 1 or 1,000 blogs, you can manage them using one profile. No more logging in and out of your different profiles to update your blogs. From a single menu, you can update, edit and post to different sites. Blog network managers are blasting their vuvuzelas now that their jobs have become much simpler.
2. New Default Theme – Okay, so maybe this isn’t something to write home about, but Twenty Ten is definitely pretty and has a clean look many can appreciate. However, most users will appreciate what’s under the hood – the ability to customize your header image and background, by choosing from default images and solid colors or uploading your own image.
3. Navigation Menu – Managing your WordPress navigation used to be tricky; but with the new interface, it’s now easier to change menus, links and destinations, even the order of your items. The interface is now visual, allowing users to drag, drop and re-arrange the links and pages with the click of a button. LOVE.
4. Custom Pages and Posts – With the new WordPress, you’ll be able to define your pages and posts. As you post and add to your blog, you can categorize them as Pictures, Texts, Video, Audio etc.
5. Shortlinks – With the advent of Twitter, people have realized how important shortening links can be. Now, you can do it within the WordPress 3.0 interface by clicking on the “Get Shortlink” button.
6. Customized Taxonomies – For personal blog users, this may not be a big deal, but if you blog professionally or for business, the possibilities are endless. It used to be that you could only use categories and tags to mark your posts. Now, you can use anything you want. For example, if you run a food blog, you may want to use mark your posts with “Recipes” or “Restaurants” or even “Ingredients.”
Now for the rite of passage: WordPress TV’s video on their newest release. We love Michael Pick’s accent – our guess is he’s from Liverpool? Rationale being he reminds us of the accent of Neil Buchanan of Art Attack!
These newest features are only some of the bells and whistles WordPress 3.0 has to offer. While some of them may seem straightforward, others may be confusing and will require some tinkering under the hood to make them work. If you have any questions about these or other features, October 17 Media can help explain or utilize them to improve your blogging experience! We’re right on the other side of this contact form, just shoot us an email or give us a call! 
Tags: Blogging, Blogs, CMS, Optimization, SEO, Web Copywriting
