Enhanced Customization and User Engagement Features
Astra 4.4 introduces a suite of new features aimed at enhancing both the user and visitor experience on WordPress sites. This update follows the significant changes made by Astra 4.0, striving for even more intuitive and user-friendly interactions. Among the new features, users gain more control over their featured images with detailed options for display, position, size, and aspect ratio, eliminating the need for custom code. Additionally, Astra 4.4 incorporates a built-in filter function allowing for the categorization and tagging of blog posts, a previously plugin-dependent feature.
The update also includes a sticky sidebar option, keeping certain elements in view as visitors scroll through the site – ideal for calls to action or advertisements. Furthermore, the appearance of ‹outline› buttons can now be customized easily, and page-specific background settings can be adjusted without affecting the entire site’s theme1. Live search capabilities have been improved, offering a more professional appearance with full-screen search styles and customizable parameters.
Sticky Containers and SEO-Smart Site Visibility
Spectra 2.8, the latest update to the Spectra website builder, introduces two new features to enhance WordPress site building. The first is «sticky containers», which are elements that remain in view as a user scrolls through a page. These can be used for various purposes such as holding a table of contents, promoting posts or offers, and containing chat prompts.
The update also enhances «site visibility» options with an SEO-focused «coming soon mode» and a new «maintenance mode». The «coming soon mode» now returns an HTTP 200 status code, informing search engines that the site is reachable for indexing. In contrast, the «maintenance mode» communicates with an HTTP 503 code, indicating the site is temporarily unavailable, instructing search engines to return later, thereby protecting the site’s SEO integrity during downtime.
In the ever-evolving world of WordPress, these two recent updates stand out for their potential to significantly enhance website design and functionalityAstra 4.4 brings a suite of improvements to one of Openstream’s favorite WordPress themes, Astra Pro, offering new levels of customization and interactive features. Alongside, Spectra 2.8 steps up as a formidable website builder with its new sticky containers and advanced site visibility options that are SEO-friendly. These updates promise a more robust and user-engaging experience, setting a new benchmark for website builders and themes alike.
Picture by Simon Fitall.
