What is an embed?Embeds contain content from an external platform. Most often, this is in the form of a script, provided by the external platform, allowing you to display that platform’s content on your site.
Does that sound like tech jargon? Think of embeds as windows on your website. They provide a view into another platform’s content. While you can still see the familiar surroundings of your site, the embed acts as a window, showcasing content from elsewhere.
A common example of an embed is a video embed. If you upload a video to YouTube or Vimeo, you can display that video on your site. The video remains hosted on the original platform, but an embed allows viewers to watch it directly on your site.
The appearance of your embed depends on the platform from which you are sourcing. You may occasionally have limited control over its design and styling, but not always. A Google Calendar embed, for instance, will look like a Google Calendar.
WordPress maintains a list of third-party sites from which users can embed content without needing specific codes. For popular platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud, you simply copy the public link of the desired content and paste it into the WordPress text editor. This works best when embedding one item of content from another source. Ensure any content that you embed is public and that you adhere to copyright laws, which might involve crediting the original creator.
It’s important to note that this approved list evolves as code and platforms develop. While new platforms may be added, some might also be removed. For those using the Gutenberg block editor, a list of embed blocks is available. Most of these can also be embedded via a URL in the text editor.
Worship Times provides integrations with a range of external tools through the “Add Media” button in the text editor. Some of these integrations offer more features than standard WordPress-approved embeds. Many of these tools were specifically requested by ministries and include:
Less Common Embeds
If you can’t find the desired platform in the lists mentioned, don’t worry. Countless technologies allow for embedding. If you wish to embed from a platform that provides you with an embed code, please submit that code in a support ticket or email us at support@worshiptimes.org.
Directly pasting embed code into your site can be problematic, especially on our multi-site network, as codes can be stripped for security reasons. If you send the code to us, we’ll create a shortcode for you. This shortcode functions like the original embed code but doesn’t get stripped out when you edit the page.
In WordPress, a shortcode, always encapsulated within square brackets, serves as a way to display content from another source. This content can be internal, like forms or event lists, but shortcodes can also represent embed codes. Typically, a shortcode specifies its source (like a Gravity Form in the provided example) and may include parameters for customization. The example pulls a form with an ID of “1” and displays its title.
Need more information or assistance with a specific embed or platform? Submit a support ticket or email us at support@worshiptimes.org. We’re here to help!
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