WordPress Embed: A Simple Guide to Displaying External Media on Your Website
Did you know that you don’t have to upload media to your website to display it? Instead, you can easily place videos, images, tweets, and many other types of external media into your WordPress site using WordPress’ built-in embed support. This feature, known as oEmbed or Embed, recognizes URLs to various third-party services and automatically formats and displays them. The best part is that you don’t need an extra plugin to use this feature.
Why Use WordPress Embed?
In the past, many tasks that can now be done using WordPress embed would have required the help of a plugin. However, the development team behind WordPress is continuously expanding the range of supported media types, making embed support even more versatile and user-friendly.
It’s important to note that for security reasons, you should always be cautious when embedding content from third-party websites. Stick to sharing content from safe and reliable sources to ensure the integrity of your website.
What Can You Embed?
WordPress embed has been around since version 2.9 and has since added support for numerous services. You can embed videos from platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and Hulu. Photo sites such as Instagram, Flickr, and Photobucket are also compatible. Even social media sites like Twitter and TikTok can be embedded. Additionally, you can even embed WordPress blog posts from other websites. The possibilities are endless!
To see a full list of the 30+ supported embed services, you can visit the WordPress Codex page.
Using Embeds in the Classic Editor
If you’re using the Classic Editor, embedding media is as simple as pasting the link into the rich text editor. For example, if you want to share a SoundCloud playlist, grab the URL and paste it into the main text area. WordPress will automatically format and display it.
One important thing to remember when using embeds in the Classic Editor is that the URL must be on a line by itself. You don’t need to switch to the text editor; just make sure to press enter after pasting the URL.
Using Embeds in Gutenberg
If you’re using Gutenberg, the process for adding embeds is slightly different. Gutenberg has specific blocks for different media types, including a general Embed block. To get started, find the block for your desired media type or search for the general Embed block.
Once you’ve added the block, paste the link and click the Embed button. The block will identify the embed and display it accordingly. You can also select the specific embed block for your media type when inserting it.
Examples of Embedding Different Media Types
– YouTube or videos: WordPress supports embeds from YouTube, Vimeo, and other video platforms. Simply copy the video URL from your browser’s address bar and paste it into the general Embed Gutenberg block. In the Classic Editor, you can paste the video URL directly into your post content.
– Images: While you can easily upload images directly to your WordPress site, you can also embed public images from platforms like Flickr, Imgur, and SmugMug. Just paste the image link into the Gutenberg Embed block or directly into your post content in the Classic Editor.
– TikTok: TikTok embeds are supported by WordPress. Copy and paste the link to your public video into a TikTok Gutenberg block or into the content of your blog post in the Classic Editor.
– Twitter: WordPress has a specific Twitter Gutenberg Block for embedding Twitter posts. In the Classic Editor, you can simply paste the link to a tweet in your content.
– Playlists: With WordPress, you can easily add playlists from Spotify, SoundCloud, Mixcloud, and more. Use the Gutenberg Embed block or paste a link to your playlist or audio into the Text tab of the Classic Editor.
– Webpages: You can embed content from third-party websites using an iframe. WordPress already supports embedded posts from platforms like WordPress, Tumblr, Reddit, and Kickstarter, as well as many video, social, and music sites.
– Code: Use the Custom HTML Gutenberg block or the “text” tab of the Classic Editor to add code to your WordPress posts or pages.
– Iframes: To embed an iframe, use the Custom HTML Gutenberg block or one of the many supported embed options, such as Issuu magazine, Scribd ebook, YouTube videos, and more.
While WordPress no longer has built-in support for embedding Instagram or Facebook posts, you can use third-party plugins to achieve this functionality.
In conclusion, WordPress embed is a powerful feature that eliminates the need for complicated plugins and settings. Simply drop the URL of the media into your page or post, and you’re done! Give it a try on your WordPress site and enjoy the ease of displaying external media.
