WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging tool to a tool that can be used to create all kinds of web sites.
Whatever you can imagine, someone is probably already building it with WordPress!
In this article you will discover the simplest, most intuitive visual content editor for WordPress web sites.
Drag & Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Does The Default WordPress WYSIWYG Editor Still Meet All Of Your Content Creation And Editing Needs?
With all the many developments that WordPress has undergone in recent years, many WordPress developers and users feel that using the built-in WordPress WYSIWYG editor to create or edit complex web pages can sometimes be challenging.
(The WordPress WYSIWYG editor is great for adding, formatting and editing “linear” content, but adding more complex layouts can be quite challenging!)
For example, let’s say you want to create something like the content shown below …
To create the above boxes with text and buttons, users would need to add short codes to the content for each page element they want to create …
Generally, this is not really an issue … until you decide to edit a fundamental aspect of the layout (for example, move some of the content from box 3 into box 2, or replace the background color in a box from green to dark red. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with code inside the content editor.
The WordPress visual editor is supposed to give users an easy-to-use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, but as you can see, if you are trying to add more complex content elements, often what you see may not be the same as what you get …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some cases, you would probably be better off working with the html source itself instead of the WordPress visual editor when trying to create something other than simple page elements …
Even though WordPress is extremely easy to use, this makes it difficult for non-technical users to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental challenge of using HTML and shortcodes to create content in WordPress can be summarized as follows:
1) Speed – How long does it take to create a page using this editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the ”back end” match the “front end” content when you are creating or editing a page?
As you can see from the above screenshot, what you see in the editor doesn’t look anything like what you see in the front end. This means that you have to abstract what your content will look like when working with complex layouts. Other solutions require multiple steps before you can start configuring your page layout, or endlessly switching browser tabs and performing tweaks and updates to see how your content is progressing, which then impacts how fast you can create your content, as you wait for the updated content to load.
A number of WordPress developers have come up with a range of solutions to try and make the visual editor more intuitive. These solutions range from WordPress plugins you can add to your site that add new functionality to the editor, to themes that come with built-in features like drag and drop editing …
(WordPress “drag and drop” editors aim to make content creation easier!)
Some solutions end up including so many page design features, that users need to learn how to work with complicated-looking front end editors …
Many of these solutions work, but they still fail to address the fundamental issue of using HTML and shortcodes as described earlier. Creating and adding non-linear content on a page becomes overly complicated, involves multiple steps and doesn’t match what users expect to see on the “front end.”
If you want your content to look ”perfect” quickly, this can become quite frustrating.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like your content builder to behave?
Now, visualize the following …
- You see something in your content that needs changing so you, simply click on the content and start typing. Your content is then instantly changed.
- You can just drag and drop items around the page, and see them exactly as they will display on the front end without having to mentally translate shortcodes or HTML.
- You have an idea for a specific item of content you’d like to add, so you just start typing, and you build your page as you go, with no delays, without switching of tab browsers, and without waiting for web pages to resave and reload.
Would that not be the perfect way to create content for your WordPress site? A true WYSIWYG content editor where all you have to do is click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around the pages and posts?
(Imagine being able to create complex page layouts in real-time for your web content with no technical skills required!)
If you are ready to change the way you create content in WordPress site, then here is a plugin that you may want to consider using …
Thrive Content Builder Plugin – The Simplest, Most Intuitive Visual Content Builder For WordPress Web Sites
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a truly intuitive WordPress click-to-edit drag and drop content creator.
Thrive Content Builder provides you with a new and exciting way to set up conversion-focused pages on your WordPress website.
Once installed, the plugin adds a visual content editor with a menu that lets you select, then drag and drop elements to your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new visual editor to your WordPress site)
Thrive Content Builder And Landing Pages is actually a combination of the Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages plugins combined into one, plus an additional plugin feature called Thrive Lightbox.
We’ll take an in-depth look at each of the above and how these powerful features work seamlessly together to help you transform and improve your business online and create awesome sales pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder
With Thrive Content Builder easily build complex web page design layouts using drag and drop elements …
Every element of your page can be built, changed and repositioned by dragging and dropping things around the page and then clicking to edit them …
Once elements have been added to your page, you can then easily edit or customize these without having to go through multiple steps or opening extra settings screens …
You can also work inside stunning landing pages that can just as easily be edited or customized …
Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder is simple, easy to use, and ideal for all WordPress users at all levels. In fact, designing web pages and working on content with Thrive Content and Page Builder installed is so effortlessly simple, that the developers guarantee that once you start using it, it’ll ruin the experience of using any other content editor forever, and you’ll never look back!
For more details, visit the plugin site here: Thrive Content Builder
The integrated Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder plugin was created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another great plugin we’ve previously written about on this site.
To read more about the plugin, go here:
Benefits
Below are just some of the many benefits and advantages of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up content creation:
Easy To Install
Thrive Content Builder installs just like any regular WP plugin. Simply upload it to your Plugins folder via your dashboard and activate.
Edit & Build Content In Real Time
Thrive Content Builder is simple and intuitive to use and lets you create and edit content in real-time.
What You See Is Exactly What You Get
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see on the “back end” as you work within the content editor – fonts, elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what your visitors will see in the front end of your site.
Some additional benefits include the following:
- Eye-Catching Layouts With Drag And Drop Ease: Create any kind of layout you can imagine with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.
- Customizable Elements Included: With the Thrive Content Builder plugin you not only get an exciting and an easy-to-use drag and drop WordPress content editor, but the plugin also includes a collection of customizable web design elements that you can customizable and use on your layouts without using short codes, such as pricing tables, star ratings for review pages, page section dividers, custom HTML and CSS, etc.
- Ideal For Non-Technical Users: Not having to constantly switch tabs as you edit your content and then wait for the new content to reload frees up your attention and allows you to build the pages your business needs, quickly and without having to edit code or click through multiple layers of menus to get what you need done.
(Add, edit and customize page elements like testimonials, tabbed content, styled lists, dividers, responsive video embeds, etc.)
Plugin Features
Thrive Content Builder provides a number of features to WordPress users. Below we have listed just some of those:
- Regular WordPress Editor Functionality Is Preserved: You have access to all of the built-in content editing options that you are used to (e.g. bold, left-aligned text, heading styles, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements: The plugin makes a “drag and drop” table of multi-style elements available on your post or page screen when creating or editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin provides you with various attention-grabbing and customizable elements that will help you increase the effectiveness of your sales pages, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonials, and guarantees. In addition to customization options, various elements also offer multiple design options.
- Responsive Element Design: Add responsive columns, boxes, dividers, e.g. which will resize and display great on different device screens.
- Add Animation To Web Pages: The plugin’s Event Manager feature lets you insert animation in buttons, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages – Landing Page Template Sets
Thrive Landing Pages provides sets of templates that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language to take your visitors all the way from signup to purchase, product download and more.
(Thrive Landing Pages plugin lets you add conversion-optimized web pages to your web site)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money creating and customizing web pages for your website
- 100% conversion-optimized landing page templates
- No web coding skills needed
- Works with any WordPress theme
Thrive Content and Page Builder not only lets you create beautiful-looking content in your WordPress posts and pages, but you can also choose from dozens of professionally designed, conversion optimized landing page templates and fully customizable …
(Thrive Landing Pages provides sets of templates that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language)
There are currently over 30 templates available, with more templates scheduled for release. In addition to the available templates, expect to see new templates in the future for email lead generation, sales pages, lesson pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Completely Customizable And Flexible Landing Page Template Sets
Normally, to be able to fully customize a landing page template, you would need to either hire a web designer to do the work, or learn how to code web pages and figure out how to edit the page code yourself.
As Shane Melaugh, co-founder of Thrive Themes says …
“There are many ways to get a pre-designed page published quickly, but the problem comes with customization. Total design freedom requires either hiring web developers to do the work for you, or learn how to do it yourself, which involves learning how to code or use overly complicated editors. Customizable usually means complicated, expensive or time-consuming. So, you can either have something that is fast and easy to set up, or something that is customizable and flexible. But you couldn’t have both … until now! With Thrive Landing Pages you get the best of both worlds for creating conversion-optimized web pages.”
Thrive Landing Pages gives you stunning pre-designed pages that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that allows you to change and customize any element of your page template …
The landing page template sets included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Change text in all headlines, buttons, bullet points, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other part of your landing page
- Change the background image or colours
- Change the color of links, buttons, text, etc.
- Select your own fonts
- Select your own images
- Modify content area size
- Rearrange the order of page elements
- Translate pages into a different language
- Add any type of custom content anywhere inside your pages
- Start with a blank page and create your own page templates, or even build your own library of custom landing pages.
(Change or edit anything on your page)
Transform Your Web Site Into A Marketing Machine With Thrive Lightbox
The Thrive plugin package also includes Thrive Lightbox, which lets you add fully customizable 2-step opt-in forms and animated objects to your web pages …
(Add opt-in forms and animated objects to your marketing pages with Thrive Lightbox)
2-Step Opt-in Forms
A two-step opt-in process helps improve your conversion rates. When visitors click on a button or image they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Opt-in forms can help increase your conversion rates.)
Event Manager
An “event” consists of a trigger and an action. You can make an opt-in form appear when your visitor clicks or hovers their mouse over a button or graphic elements, or when someone reaches a certain point on the page. You can also use the Event Manager to animate attention-getting elements on your web pages, using various effects (e.g. zoom out, slide in from right to left, rotate, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your sales pages with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
A lightbox and event is created automatically for your landing pages, but you also have complete control over your events, triggers and design.
Feedback From Users
Here are some of the testimonials and feedback that plugin customers have submitted regarding the Thrive Content Builder plugin:
”Wow! This is just getting better & better. This plugin is making my websites look so professional. Keep up the great work and thank you for the new features. Ladonna Ragalin”
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”Your stuff is beautifully designed, fast and has great options for marketers that you just don’t see with other themes. Great, great job! Absolutely love Thrive! David Coleman”
Thrive Content Builder – Tips
Thrive Content Builder works with any theme in WordPress, not just with the Thrive Landing Pages plugin. Note, however, that you cannot use Thrive Content Builder to edit content on existing pages or posts that were not created with the plugin.
You can add WordPress short codes inside Thrive Content Builder or Thrive Landing Pages and they will display correctly on the front end.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content built with Thrive Content Builder.
Support
Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder Plugin comes with free updates, new landing templates and upcoming features. The plugin developers are constantly working on adding new features and improving existing ones.
Thrive products are really well-supported, and users get unlimited software updates, plus one year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a risk-free, 30 day, complete refund guarantee.
This is an exciting product for WordPress users that will just keep getting better.
Product Pricing
At the time of writing, the pricing information shown below includes all three components described above (Thrive Content Builder, Thrive Landing Pages & Thrive Lightbox):
- Single Site Licensing – This allows you to run the plugin on one domain only. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License – This edition lets you run the plugin on all of your personal web sites. Cost includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Cost = $87.00.
- Agency Edition – This allows you to install the plugin on all of your own websites and your client domains. Includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Cost = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: The cost to purchase Thrive Content Builder can vary, depending on whether there are any promotions or limited-time special offers. When we last checked, the plugin retails for the prices shown above. This may not be the actual pricing charged by the plugin seller when you visit the plugin website and you may be shown additional upsells or one-time offers after purchasing.
Check the plugin’s website for current pricing details:
Additional Info
The Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages plugin developers repeatedly assert that the plugin’s architecture gives you the “best of both worlds,” and help bring back the “joy of creating content.”
On the one hand, you have the time-saving benefits of ready-made page elements and beautiful, conversion-optimized template sets that help speed up your content creation, and on the other hand, you also have complete control over your design process and the ability to edit everything on your web page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, which lets you work unhindered by overly complicated options.
For a demo video showing plugin usage, including help documentation and tutorials, FAQs, support helpdesk, contact details and more, visit the plugin website.
Install This Plugin …
If you want to edit something, you click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, you will see the change happen instantly. If you want to move something, you drag it and drop it into its new position. There are no overly complicated steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your web presence and create amazing marketing pages and content, Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
For more information, check out the plugin here:
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