Webflow May 2023: dive into the latest news, upcoming updates and development strategy from Webflow, the benchmark web design tool.
Webflow never ceases to surprise! May 2023 was a month rich in new features for this web design platform. On the program: new functionalities, updates expected in the coming months and an interesting strategic pause.
Find out all you need to know about the latest Webflow news in this summary blog post from expert Webflow agency, Digidop.
The 12 new features
Webflow has recently introduced 12 new features that enhance the user experience and bring greater flexibility to the tool. Here's an overview of these features:
1. Remove yourself from a workspace and choose a default workspace: This new feature gives users more control over their Webflow work environment, allowing them to leave a workspace and define a default workspace.
2. Search preview color palette: This enhancement allows users to easily preview colors (and their names) before applying them to their website.
3. Text stroke CSS style: This feature allows designers to further personalize text by adding an outline to characters.
4. CSS dynamic viewport (DVH/SVH): This CSS feature gives designers/developers greater flexibility in designing their websites for different devices and screen sizes.
5. " Wrap" in a Link or Div Block: This feature allows users to wrap content in a Link or Div Block, offering more design possibilities.
6. Support for a new format: Lottie dot: With this new feature, Webflow now supports the Lottie format, giving designers more options for adding animations to their websites.
7. Ability to customize CMS data in HTML Attributes: This feature gives users the ability to customize CMS data in HTML attributes, offering greater flexibility in content management.
8. Nest collection pages in folders: This feature allows users to better organize their collection pages by nesting them in folders.
9. Improved Designer & Editor mode performance: Webflow has worked on improving the performance of Designer and Editor mode, making the design experience smoother and faster.
10. Ability to add components to collection lists (CMS): This new feature allows users to add components to their collection lists, offering more options for content design.
11. Personalize your WorkSpace URL: This feature lets you personalize the URL of your workspace, enabling better brand recognition.
12. New features on the Figma to Webflow plugin with Figma to Webflow +: Webflow has added new features to its Figma to Webflow plugin, making the design process even smoother.
2. Upcoming Webflow features this year
Webflow has also announced several new features to be rolled out later this year. Here's what we can expect:
2.1 Investment in AI
Webflow announced that it would be investing more in functionalities combining AI with Web development
flow. For more information on Webflow's investment in AI, you can read Thibaut's article on the subject.
2.2 Webflow DevLink
DevLink is a Webflow initiative aimed at improving collaboration between designers and developers. Currently in Beta, Webflow plans to accelerate the development of this feature over the coming months.
2.3 Improving collaboration
Webflow plans to introduce a feature that will enable users to add comments and tag collaborators directly from the Webflow interface, similar to what can be done on Figma. The aim is to centralize comments directly in the designer to facilitate sharing, leave reviews and correct feedbacks more quickly.
2.4 Native translation of your Webflow site (without additional tools)
In the future, Webflow plans to offer the possibility of translating its site directly from the designer. This will make it possible to personalize the site according to the regions and languages of users/customers, without having to use an additional tool. (Via Deepl API)
2.5 Integrating 3D on Webflow with Spline
Finally, Webflow has announced that it will introduce 3D into its tool thanks to the integration of Spline. This will give designers more options for creating interactive and immersive websites.
2. Pause functions
Webflow takes a strategic break: a valuable lesson for us all.
In an ever-changing web world, and in the face of increasingly intense competition, Webflow has taken a bold strategic decision: to pause development of the Logic and Membership features. These two features, despite having been at the heart of Webflow's communication over the previous year, will be put on hold for some time to come. Here's why this decision is significant:
- Redefining priorities: Webflow has chosen to concentrate its efforts on what has made it successful over the years: the Designer, the CMS and its committed community. This shows a clear positioning and a willingness to focus on what really works.
- Capitalize on the existing ecosystem: Native development of Logic and Membership functionalities is not a priority for Webflow. Why not? Because integration with complementary no-code tools like Memberstack or Zapier works perfectly. This demonstrates intelligent use of the existing ecosystem and focus on other priorities.
- Focus on adaptability (AI): By pausing these features, Webflow frees up time and energy for its development teams. These resources can now focus onintegrating and developing AI within Webflow. This adaptability is essential if we are to keep pace with new production trends.
What's particularly reassuring is the way Webflow has communicated this decision. By openly sharing their thought process on platforms like YouTube and Twitter, Webflow has demonstrated transparency and authenticity.
This decision by the no-code website creation tool reminds us of some essential lessons in strategy:
- It's impossible to be everywhere at once. You have to be able to concentrate.
- It's essential to know when to let go of our MVPs and be ready to let them go.
- The ability to make decisions quickly and adapt to changing market conditions is vital.
- Openly communicating your strategic decisions to your community facilitates acceptance and reassurance.
All in all, Webflow once again offers us a fine lesson in strategy (and marketing).
Conclusion:
May 2023 was an important month for Webflow. Marked by innovation, adaptability and strategic decision-making. With the introduction of new features, the improvement of existing bases, or the bold decision to pause some of them, Webflow once again demonstrates its position as a leader in the field of web design.
But that's not all. Webflow also offers us a fine lesson in communication strategy and product development, adapting its road map along the way to adapt to new market trends and meet the growing competition in the Websites Builders industry.
In short, Webflow is more than ever the platform to watch closely in 2023.
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