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VR Video Support Arrives For WordPress Blogs

WordPress will now let you publish virtual reality content starting today.

The most popular web publishing platform is giving bloggers even more options for publishing 360-degree images and video with the launch of support for all blogs hosted by WordPress.com. Up until now, if a blogger wanted to publish a 360-degree video in a post, they could embed a YouTube or Facebook video player of the video.

But now, according to The Verge, all blogs hosted by WordPress.com will be able to host VR content themselves, letting site visitors view 360-degree photos and videos on desktop, mobile, and even through VR headsets.

This means that the viewing experience will be different depending on what device you are using to visit the site. On desktop, a 360-degree video player embed allows you to click and drag to change the perspective — similar to the 360-degree YouTube and Facebook player. On mobile, the 360-degree video player will allow you to move your device around to change the perspective. And the best part of it all, if you have VR headset or Google Cardboard lying around, you can fire it up for a more immersive experience.

Although not the most groundbreaking announcement, seeing how WordPress site owners could accomplish much of these publishing features with a WordPress plugin or just embedding a 360-degree video player from YouTube, this does provide bloggers with another simple option to publishing VR content — potentially reaching millions of new viewers.

VR support for WordPress.com blogs is rolling out today. The platform powers websites and blogs that receive more than 409 million visitors every single month.

About the Scout

Jonathan Nafarrete

Jonathan Nafarrete is the co-founder of VRScout.

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