Inserting a block is one of the most common tasks that occurs in the block editor. It is however currently a rather sterile experience. You insert an image, you see an image. That is all fair and well, but with block patterns there’s an opportunity to inspire authors to create more elaborate designs in their posts and pages.

This week I’ve been working on some concepts that would augment the existing block placeholder states to also suggest block patterns.

Column pattern suggestions

Image pattern suggestions

Notice that in the image example it is actually a Cover block that is eventually inserted. This illustrates the power of focusing the user in to a visual selection flow, and presenting them with an exciting range of contextually relevant block patterns to choose from. From a signal of intent to insert a simple element like an image, we’re able to assist the user in creating something that until they point they may not have known to be possible.