Media · Gutenberg
Video Facade block for WordPress
Performance-optimized video thumbnail that loads the actual YouTube or Vimeo player only on click. Eliminates heavy iframes on page load, improving Core Web Vitals. Supports custom thumbnails, overlay text, and animated play buttons.
Get Blockenberg
Free Gutenberg block in Blockenberg. The inspector controls and front-end behavior on this page come from this block’s source, not a shared stub.
What it actually does
Performance-optimized video thumbnail that loads the actual YouTube or Vimeo player only on click. Eliminates heavy iframes on page load, improving Core Web Vitals. Supports custom thumbnails, overlay text, and animated play buttons.
Inspector panels on this block: Video, Overlay & Play Button, Overlay Text, Caption, Card Style. Those titles come from index.js, not from a shared template.
Behavior controls: “Aspect ratio” options: 16:9 (Widescreen), 4:3 (Classic), 21:9 (Cinematic), 1:1 (Square); “Play button style” options: Circle, Oval with text, Minimal outline.
Where to find it
Gutenberg inserter → Media → search “Video Facade” (block name `blockenberg/video-facade` in block.json). Style it in the sidebar after insert.
How to use Video Facade block for WordPress
- Install Blockenberg. Install from WordPress.org and activate the plugin.
- Insert the block. Edit a page, click +, search for “Video Facade”, insert it. Category: Media.
- Configure inspector controls that exist on this block. Open Video. Set “YouTube or Vimeo URL”, “Aspect ratio”, “Auto-load thumbnail from provider”, “Overlay opacity (%)”.
- Check the published page. The view script reads HTML data attributes: data-provider, data-pulsing, data-vid. The block editor preview may not run the same view script.
Inspector controls from this block’s code
| Control | What the code does |
|---|---|
| YouTube or Vimeo URL | Text field in the inspector. Saved as `videoUrl`. |
| Aspect ratio | Select control; the chosen value is saved on the block. Options: 16:9 (Widescreen); 4:3 (Classic); 21:9 (Cinematic); 1:1 (Square). block.json default: 16-9. Saved as `aspectRatio`. |
| Auto-load thumbnail from provider | On/off toggle in the inspector. On by default. Saved as `autoThumb`. |
| Overlay opacity (%) | Numeric range control in the inspector. Range 0–85. block.json default: 35. Saved as `overlayOpacity`. |
| Play button style | Select control; the chosen value is saved on the block. Options: Circle; Oval with text; Minimal outline. block.json default: circle. Saved as `playStyle`. |
| Play button size (px) | Numeric range control in the inspector. Range 40–140. block.json default: 72. Saved as `playSize`. |
| Pulsing animation | On/off toggle in the inspector. On by default. Saved as `playPulsing`. |
| Show title | On/off toggle in the inspector. Off by default. Saved as `showTitle`. |
| Overlay Text — Title | Text field in the inspector. Saved as `title`. |
| Show subtitle | On/off toggle in the inspector. Off by default. Saved as `showSubtitle`. |
| Subtitle | Text field in the inspector. Saved as `subtitle`. |
| Show caption | On/off toggle in the inspector. Off by default. Saved as `showCaption`. |
| Caption text | Text field in the inspector. Saved as `caption`. |
| Border radius (px) | Numeric range control in the inspector. Range 0–40. block.json default: 14. Saved as `borderRadius`. |
| Show shadow | On/off toggle in the inspector. On by default. Saved as `showShadow`. |
| Padding top (px) | Numeric range control in the inspector. Range 0–200. block.json default: 0. Saved as `paddingTop`. |
| Padding bottom (px) | Numeric range control in the inspector. Range 0–200. block.json default: 0. Saved as `paddingBottom`. |
What the front-end script actually does
- The view script reads HTML data attributes: data-provider, data-pulsing, data-vid.
- An IntersectionObserver starts work when the block enters the viewport.
When this is the right block
- Performance-optimized video thumbnail that loads the actual YouTube or Vimeo player only on click. Eliminates heavy iframes on page load, improving Core Web Vitals. Supports custom thumbnails, overlay text, and animated play buttons — that is the job of Video Facade, not a generic content block.
- Use it when you need the editor control labeled “YouTube or Vimeo URL”, which exists on this block’s inspector.
- It matches pages about video, youtube, vimeo.
- Inserter grouping: video, animation, and rich media sections.
Notes from the implementation
viewScript: this folder’s frontend.js is enqueued on the front end for this block.
FAQ
How do I add the Video Facade block in WordPress?
Install Blockenberg from WordPress.org, edit a page in the block editor, click +, and search for “Video Facade”. It sits under Media. After insert, open Video and set “YouTube or Vimeo URL”, “Aspect ratio”, “Auto-load thumbnail from provider”, “Overlay opacity (%)”.
What makes Video Facade different from other Blockenberg blocks?
Performance-optimized video thumbnail that loads the actual YouTube or Vimeo player only on click. Eliminates heavy iframes on page load, improving Core Web Vitals. Supports custom thumbnails, overlay text, and animated play buttons. Inspector labels on this block include “YouTube or Vimeo URL”, “Aspect ratio”, “Auto-load thumbnail from provider”, “Overlay opacity (%)”.
Is the Video Facade Gutenberg block free?
Yes. Video Facade ships inside Blockenberg. Get the plugin from WordPress.org — no paid add-on is required for this block.
Can I style Video Facade to match my theme?
Yes. Blockenberg’s shared typography and color panels apply here, plus any block-specific style controls listed on this page (panels: Video, Overlay & Play Button, Overlay Text, Caption).
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Get Blockenberg
Install Blockenberg from WordPress.org, then insert Video Facade from the Gutenberg inserter.