WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging application into a tool that is now used to design all types of pages – landing pages, product showcase pages, business pages, etc.
Whatever you can think of, somewhere around the world someone is bound to be already building it with WordPress!
In this article you will discover the simplest, most intuitive visual editor for WordPress web sites.
Drag And Drop Content Editors For WordPress
The WordPress Visual Editor – Is There A Simpler Way For Creating Beautiful-Looking Content In WordPress?
With so many advancements that WordPress has undergone in recent years, many WordPress users believe that the WordPress content editor is not really suitable for creating or editing complex page layouts.
(The WordPress content editor is great for adding, formatting and editing “linear” content, but adding more complex content elements can be quite challenging!)
For example, let’s say you want to create something like the layout shown below …
To create the above boxes with text and buttons, you would need to insert short codes into your content for each of the page elements you want to display …
Generally, this is not really an issue … unless you have to change your layout (for example, move part of the content from box 3 into box 2, or change the button in box 1 from green to blue. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with code.
The WordPress visual content editor is supposed to give users an easy-to-use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) content editor, but as you can see, if you are trying to create more complex content elements, what you see on your screen is not exactly what you get …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some situations, users would probably be better off working directly with the source html itself instead of the visual editor when trying to build non-linear page elements …
Even though WordPress is extremely easy to use, this makes it hard for users with no coding skills to have full control of their own content.
The fundamental challenge with using HTML and shortcodes to create content in the default WordPress editor can be summarized as follows:
1) Speed – How long does it take to create a web page using the editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the editor match the “front end” content when you are creating or editing a page?
As you can see from the above, what you see in the back end does not look at all like what you see in the front end. This means that you have to translate mentally what your content will look like when working with complex layouts. Other solutions require taking a number of steps before you can start configuring your page layout, or endlessly switching browser tabs and performing updates to see how your content is progressing, which can interrupt the creative process, as you wait for the updates to reload.
A number of WordPress developers have come up with different solutions to try and make content editing easier. These range from standalone plugins you can install on your site that add new functionality to the editor, to themes that provide built-in features like drag and drop editing …
(WordPress “drag and drop” editors aim to make content creation easier!)
Some solutions require so many page-building features, that users need to learn how to work with complicated-looking front end content editors …
Many of these alternative solutions work, but they don’t address the fundamental challenge 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 to create or edit complex page layouts quickly, this can start to become quite frustrating.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like your web page editor to function?
Now that you’ve asked this question, visualize the following scenario …
- You look at your content and if you spot something that needs correction, simply click on the content and start typing. Your content has been instantly changed.
- You can drag and drop elements around the page, and the page looks exactly as it will appear on the front end without having to mentally abstract from HTML or shortcodes.
- You have an idea for an item of content that you would like to add, so you simply start typing, and your page gets built as you go, without delays, with no tab switching, and without waiting for new web pages to refresh 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 web pages quickly for your web content with no technical constraints!)
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 – Create Stunning Content And Beautiful Web Page Layouts With Drag & Drop Ease In WordPress Web Sites
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a revolutionary WordPress plugin that gives you complete control over every aspect of your content pages using a powerful click-to-edit and drag and drop content editor.
The Thrive Content Builder plugin provides WordPress users with a new and exciting way to set up conversion-focused pages on any WordPress website.
Once installed, Thrive Content Builder adds a visual content editor with an item menu that lets you select, then drag and drop elements to your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new visual content builder to your WordPress site)
The plugin is actually a combination of the Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages plugins rolled into one, plus an additional plugin feature called Thrive Lightbox.
Let’s review all of the above and how all of this functionality works seamlessly together to help you easily transform and improve your web presence and create awesome sales pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder For WordPress
You can easily add complex design layouts to your web pages using drag and drop elements …
Every element of your web page can be configured by dragging and dropping things around the page and then clicking to edit them …
Once you have positioned your elements on your page, you can then further customize these without going through multiple steps or switching screens …
The built-in functionality of the plugin also lets you build stunning landing pages that can just as easily be edited or customized …
Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages is simple, easy to use, and ideal for all WordPress users at all levels. In fact, designing pages and working on content with Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder installed is so amazingly 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!
More info: Thrive Content Builder
The integrated Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder plugin was created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another terrific plugin we’ve reviewed on this site.
To read more about the plugin, go here:
Benefits
Below we have listed just a few of the benefits and advantages of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up your page design and content creation process:
Fast And Easy To Install And Configure. Ready To Use In Minutes.
Thrive Content Builder installs like every other WordPress plugin. Simply upload it to your Plugins folder via your dashboard and activate.
Real-Time Content Building And Editing
Thrive Content Builder is simple and intuitive to use and lets you build content in real-time.
A Truly Visual Content Editor
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see as you work within the editor – fonts, visual elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what your visitors will see in the front end of your site.
Additional benefits of using the plugin include:
- Stunning Page Layouts With Drag & Drop Ease: Create any layout you can imagine with intuitive drag and drop functionality.
- Customizable Elements Included: With Thrive Content Builder you not only get a drag and drop content editor, but the plugin also includes an impressive collection of functional and attractive design elements that you can customizable and insert into your layouts without using short codes, for e.g.: tabbed content, text boxes, call to action buttons, Google Map embeds, etc.
- More Enjoyable Content Creation: Not having to wait for the page to reload frees up your attention and allows you to build the content your business needs, quickly and without having to edit code or click through multiple steps to get what you want done.
(Thrive Content Builder lets you easily create, edit and customize web page elements like testimonials, flat design elements, table of contents builder, buttons, countdown timers, etc.)
Features
Thrive Content Builder provides many great features to web site owners. Below we have listed just a few of these:
- All Editor Functionality Is Still Available: You have access to all of the built-in WordPress text editing options that you are used to (e.g. bold formatting, justified paragraphs, font sizes, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements Menu: The plugin adds a “drag and drop” list of elements to your post or page screen when editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin includes various eye-catching and customizable elements that will help you increase the effectiveness of your sales pages, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonials, and guarantee forms. In addition to customization options, multiple design options are also available for various elements.
- Responsive Element Design: Add responsive elements like column layouts, guarantee boxes, content dividers, e.g. which will resize and display correctly on different device screens.
- Add Animation Events To Your Web Pages: The plugin’s Event Manager feature lets you insert animated content elements, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Web Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages – Landing Page Templates
Landing page sets are web page 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 easily add conversion-optimized web pages to your site)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Benefits
- Hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money building gorgeous-looking pages for your web site
- 100% conversion-optimized page templates
- No web coding skills needed
- Works with any WordPress theme
Thrive Content and Page Builder not only lets you create beautiful content in your WordPress posts and pages, but you can also choose from dozens of beautifully designed, conversion optimized landing page templates and fully customizable …
(Landing page template sets that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language)
There are currently over 30 templates available, with more templates planned for future release. In addition to the templates shown above, the developers plan to release new web page templates for email lead generation, sales pages, lesson pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Customize Your Landing Page Template Sets
Normally, in order to have fully customizable landing page templates, you would need to either hire a web site developer to do the work, or learn web coding languages like HTML and CSS and figure out what to do 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 mess around with 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 building conversion-optimized web pages.”
Thrive Landing Pages gives you great-looking pre-designed pages that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that allows you to change and customize any aspect of your page template …
The landing page template sets included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Modify text in all buttons, bullet points, headlines, etc.
- Remove text, images or any other component of your landing page
- Replace the background image and background colours
- Edit the color of buttons, links, text, etc.
- Choose your own fonts
- Select your own images
- Change the size of the content area
- Rearrange the order of page elements
- Translate everything on the page into different languages
- Add any kind of custom content anywhere inside any of the pages
- Start with a blank web page and create your own templates, or even build your own library of custom landing pages.
(Change and customize anything on your page)
Thrive Lightbox Plugin – Transform Your Site Into A Powerful Marketing Machine
The Thrive plugin combo includes Thrive Lightbox, which lets you add fully editable two-step opt-in forms and events to your content pages …
(Add lead capture forms and animation to your web pages with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
2-Step Opt-in Forms
A two-step opt-in process helps to increase your conversion rates. When visitors click on an image or button they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Capture more leads and subscribers with a two-step opt-in process)
Thrive Lightbox Event Manager
An “event” consists of a trigger and an action. You can make opt-in forms appear when when visitors click or hover their mouse over a button or an image, or when someone reaches a certain point on the page. You can also use the Event Manager to animate images on your web pages, using a range of effects (e.g. zoom in, slide in from right to left, roll out, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your web pages with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
A lightbox and event is created automatically for your landing pages, but you also have complete control over the events, triggers and design.
User Testimonials
Below are some of the testimonials that plugin users have written about Thrive Content Builder:
”You guys are simply awesome I am loving everything you are doing at the moment. Keep up the great work you really are making such a big difference in this field. Jule Fuller”
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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”
Useful 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 pages or posts that were not created with the plugin installed.
You can add shortcodes inside the Content Builder or Landing Pages plugin and they will display correctly on on your web site.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content you build using Thrive Content Builder.
Thrive Content Builder Support
Thrive Content Builder Plugin comes with free updates, new landing pages and upcoming features. The plugin developers are constantly working on adding new features and improving existing ones.
Thrive plugins are very well-supported, and users get lifetime software updates, plus 1 year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a risk-free, 30 day, complete refund guarantee.
This is an exciting product that will just keep getting better.
Product Price
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 License – This license option enables you to use the plugin on one web site only. It includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Cost = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites Licensing – This edition enables you to install the plugin on unlimited sites that you own. Pricing includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Price = $87.00.
- Agency License Edition – This option allows you to configure the plugin on all of your own websites and all client web sites. It includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Price = $247.00 per year.
Note: Current pricing for Thrive Content Builder depends on whether there are any promotions or limited-time specials being offered. Presently, the plugin is being retailed for the prices shown above. This may not be the actual pricing set by the plugin author when you visit the site and you may be shown additional upsells or one-time offers after you’ve purchased.
Check the plugin’s website for the latest price:
Additional Plugin Information
The Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages plugin developers emphatically maintain 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 web page elements and templates that help make designing your pages faster, and on the other hand, you have complete control over your design process and the freedom to edit everything on your web page, using the plugin’s click-to-edit and drag and drop features, which allows you to see how the content you are working on will display to visitors after publishing.
For ”how-to” videos showing how the software works, including help documentation and tutorials, FAQs, customer help desk, contact details and more, visit the Thrive website.
Get This Plugin …
If you want to edit something, simply click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, do it, and you’ll see the change happen instantly. If you want to move something, all you need to do is simply drag it and drop it into its new location. There are no additional steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your business online and create amazing marketing pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content, Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
To learn more, check out the plugin here:
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