If you have a specific collection/arrangement of text or images that you need to reuse in multiple blog posts, you can save yourself a lot of time by turning them into reusable blocks. No more cut, copy and pasting or reusing older posts in need of a freshening up.

Not only will you be able to name your reusable block, but you can insert them just like you would a regular block.

To create a reusable block, follow the guide below. For the purpose of this demonstration, I’m creating a reusable block for a link to my ‘Entertaining Stories’ magazine on Flipboard.

How to create a reusable block

• Create a new block and add your text or image to it.

• Click anywhere in the block you have created and click on the ‘three dots‘ icon in the tool bar that opens.

• Click on ‘Add to Reusable Blocks‘ in the dropdown menu that opens.

• Give your reusable block a name so that you can easily locate it the next time you use it.

• Click the ‘save‘ button to the right of the box where you have just named your block.
• Your reusable block is now created.

All the reusable blocks you create are stored under the ‘Reusable’ tab in the list of blocks available on the Gutenberg editor. In the image below, I’ve highlighted the new reusable block I’ve created.

• To add it to a post, select it from the list and place the block where you want it to appear in your post.

As this particular reusable block does not have a lot of text in it, I like to centre the text and give the background of the block a different colour. I think this helps the block to stand out in the post.

Don’t forget to add any pingbacks to your reusable blocks.

What can I use a reusable block for?

Anything you like, but here are a few suggestions.

• Links to social media sites.
• Lists of your social media sites.
• An author bio.
• An author photo.
• An author bio and photo.
• Details of your books and where they can be purchased.
• Copyright notices.
• Mailing list subscription links.
• Links to certain posts on your own blog or those of other blogs.
• Links to where customers can purchase your goods/services.
• Link to your ‘about me’ page.
• Links to notices such as ‘How to apply to become a guest blogger on my blog.’
• Writing/photography prompt/challenge blog posts.
• A weekly/monthly feature post.

Can reusable blocks be edited?

Yes. You can edit both the title and the contents of a block by clicking on ‘Manage all Reusable blocks‘ which can be found at the bottom of the list of the reusable blocks you have created.

• From here, you can edit titles and content. You can also delete blocks.

Warning – if you delete a block you’ve used on previous posts, it will disappear from those posts and display a notice stating that the block is no longer available. So, be careful when deleting reusable blocks.

• The title of a block can also be edited by clicking on the edit button of a block.

• Any edits or updates you do to a reusable block are applied everywhere the block is used.

• You can also convert a reusable block into a regular block by clicking on the three dots in the tool bar of the block and then on ‘Convert to Regular Block.’

I’ve saved myself a lot of time by using reusable blocks on my blog posts. They are simple to use and straightforward to create.

Do you use reusable blocks? If so, what do you use them for? Please tell us by leaving a comment on this post.

Do you have any questions about reusable blocks? Leave them in the comments section.

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