If you’re migrating from Contentful to WordPress, you’re not alone. Many businesses are switching to WordPress for its user-friendly interface, extensive plugin library, and design flexibility. But here’s the catch, migrating your content is only half the job. The real challenge lies in customizing your new WordPress site so that it doesn’t just function, but looks and feels like your brand.
In this guide, we’ll explore design tricks and best practices to help you transition smoothly and create a visually appealing, high-performing WordPress site. Whether you’re a developer, a marketer, or a content manager, this post will help you bridge the gap between structured content and stunning design.
Why Move from Contentful to WordPress?
Before we dive into the design aspect, it’s worth understanding why many opt to switch.
Contentful is a powerful headless CMS that works great for structured content across platforms. But it can feel limiting or overly complex when it comes to visual customization and frontend flexibility. That’s where WordPress shines.
WordPress offers:
- Drag-and-drop design tools
- Thousands of themes and plugins
- Strong community support
- Better SEO optimization out-of-the-box
- Easier integration with marketing tools
So once your content is migrated, what’s next? It’s time to customize the design to reflect your brand identity and offer a great user experience.
Choose a Design-Friendly WordPress Theme
Your theme sets the foundation for your site’s design. Look for a theme that supports:
- Full-site editing (FSE)
- Responsive design
- Gutenberg compatibility
- Speed optimization
- Accessibility best practices
Popular options include:
- Astra – Lightweight and highly customizable
- GeneratePress – Performance-focused and developer-friendly
- Kadence – Great for design flexibility
- Blocksy – Fast and modern with deep customization options
Tip: Don’t pick a theme just because it looks good. Choose one that aligns with your layout needs and long-term content strategy.
Unleashing Creativity: Customizing WordPress Themes For Unique Web Design
2. Use Page Builders for Creative Freedom
Contentful relies on structured content, which limits visual creativity. WordPress gives you the tools to build dynamic, visually-rich layouts using page builders. Top page builders:
- Elementor – Highly intuitive with real-time design control
- Beaver Builder – Reliable and clean code output
- Bricks – Developer-friendly with speed in mind
- Gutenberg Blocks (native) – Lightweight and future-proof
With these tools, you can:
- Design landing pages without coding
- Reuse custom blocks or templates
- Experiment with visual hierarchy and whitespace
Bonus Trick: Use “global widgets” or “saved blocks” to keep branding consistent across pages.
3. Maintain Design Consistency With Style Guides
When moving from a structured CMS like Contentful, you probably had predefined layouts and style rules. To replicate that control in WordPress:
- Create a style guide for fonts, colors, buttons, and layouts.
- Use global typography and color settings (available in most modern themes and builders).
- Set up reusable design blocks (headers, CTAs, testimonials).
- Stick to a defined grid layout for balance and symmetry.
This keeps your site on-brand and ensures every page feels connected.
4. Enhance Visuals With Custom CSS
Out-of-the-box settings are great, but sometimes you’ll need more control.
Adding custom CSS can help you:
- Fine-tune margins, paddings, or animations
- Adjust responsive breakpoints
- Style third-party widgets or plugin outputs
Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a CSS expert. WordPress lets you add custom CSS directly through the Customizer or via a plugin like Simple Custom CSS.
Pro Tip: Use browser developer tools (Inspect Element) to test changes live before adding them to WordPress.
5. Use Design Plugins to Extend Capabilities
Plugins in WordPress are powerful. You can extend your site’s design capabilities far beyond the theme or builder.
Here are a few worth considering:
- Happy Addons / Essential Addons – Add unique widgets to Elementor
- Spectra (for Gutenberg) – Adds advanced blocks and design tools
- Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) – Helps mimic Contentful’s structured fields
- WP Show Posts – Display posts with custom styles and layouts
Want parallax backgrounds or scroll-based animations? There’s a plugin for that too. Just be mindful not to overload your site; quality over quantity.
6. Optimize Images and Design for Speed
Designing for looks is important. But performance matters just as much.
Follow these image and design performance tricks:
- Compress images with Smush or ShortPixel
- Use lazy loading for images below the fold
- Use modern formats like WebP
- Minimize third-party scripts
- Use a caching plugin (e.g., WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache)
Faster sites not only improve user experience but also help with SEO rankings.
7. Implement Responsive Design and Mobile Testing
Unlike Contentful, where frontend is often custom-coded, WordPress designs can easily break on different devices if not tested.
Here’s what you should do:
- Preview your site on different screen sizes using the Customizer or your page builder’s preview mode
- Use Chrome DevTools for device testing
- Enable mobile-specific styling where needed (font sizes, spacing, navigation)
Always think mobile-first, since a majority of users browse on mobile.
8. Customize Menus and Navigation UX
Navigation is a big part of your site’s usability. WordPress lets you customize menus through:
- The Appearance ⟶ Menus tab
- Full-site editing in block-based themes
- Mega menu plugins (like Max Mega Menu)
Make sure your navigation:
- Is intuitive and easy to scan
- Uses sticky headers (optional but useful)
- Includes breadcrumbs for internal linking
- Highlights active page links for clarity
9. Create Custom Templates for Dynamic Pages
Contentful allowed custom content models. Replicate this in WordPress using:
- Custom Post Types (CPTs)
- Custom Fields (ACF or Meta Box)
- Template Builders (Elementor Pro, Bricks, or block-based FSE themes)
Use this approach for team pages, portfolio items, case studies, and locations. It helps maintain structured layouts while adding visual control.
10. A/B Test Your Design Elements
Finally, take your design a step further with conversion optimization. Use tools to test what works. Popular A/B testing plugins:
- Nelio A/B Testing
- Google Optimize (requires setup)
- Split Test for Elementor
Test elements like CTA button colors, headline variations, layout order, and hero image vs video.
These small changes can dramatically improve engagement and conversion.
Final Thoughts: Design with Purpose
Migrating from Contentful to WordPress is not just a platform change; it’s a chance to elevate your website design. With WordPress, you get the flexibility to match your brand, enhance UX, and drive more results.
But don’t get overwhelmed.
Start with a solid theme, use the right builder tools, maintain consistency, and optimize as you go. Remember, design is not just about looking good; it’s about working well.
Your WordPress site should be a seamless blend of structure (from Contentful) and creativity (unlocked with WordPress).