WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging tool to a tool that is now being used to design all types of web pages – marketing pages, portfolio pages, local business pages, etc.
Whatever you can imagine, someone is bound to be already building it using WordPress!
In this article you will discover how to create stunning content faster and design beautiful page layouts with drag & drop ease in WordPress web sites.
Drag & Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Is The WordPress Editor Still Meeting All Of Your Web Design Needs?
Using the built-in WordPress editor to build or edit complex web site pages can be quite difficult.
(The WordPress editor is great for adding, formatting and editing “linear” text and media, but adding more complex layouts 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, users would normally have to add short codes to the content for each page element they want to create …
Generally, this is not really an issue … unless you have to reconfigure the layout (for example, move part of the content from box 3 into box 2, or replace the background color in a box from dark green to gold. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with page code.
The WordPress visual content editor is supposed to give non-technical 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 edit more complex page elements, often what you see in the WordPress visual content editor is not what you get …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some situations, some people argue that users would probably be better off working directly with the html source itself instead of the visual editor when trying to build something other than simple page elements …
Even though WordPress is extremely easy to use, this makes it difficult for WordPress site owners without coding skills to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental challenge with having to use shortcodes and HTML to create content in WordPress can be summarized as follows:
1) Speed – How long will it take to build a page using the editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the ”back end” resemble the content in the “front end” when you are creating or editing a page?
As you can see from the above, what you see when working in the content editor looks nothing like what you see in the front end. This means that you have to mentally translate what your content will look like when working with complex layouts. Other solutions require several steps before you can start configuring your page layout, or endlessly going back and forth between browser tabs and performing updates to see how your content is coming along, which interrupts the creative process, as you wait for your updated content to reload.
A number of WordPress web developers have come up with various solutions with the objective of making content editing more intuitive. Some of these solutions range from plugins you can install on your site that add new functionality to the editor, to themes that offer 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 complex page design features, that users end up 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. Adding and editing sophisticated content elements on a web 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 layouts quickly, this can start to become really frustrating.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like your web page builder to work?
Now, visualize this …
- You look at your content and if you spot something that needs correction, just click on the content and start writing. Your content has been instantly fixed.
- You can drag and drop elements on the page, and see them exactly as they will display on the front end without having to mentally translate any shortcodes or HTML.
- You have an idea for a specific item of content that you’d like to create, so you simply begin typing, and your page gets built as you go, with no delays, without switching of tab browsers, and no waiting for new web pages to republish and reload.
Would that not be the ideal way to create content for your WordPress site? A true visual content editor where all you have to do is click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around the pages?
(Imagine being able to create complex web pages ”on the fly” for your web content without 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 – The Fastest WYSIWYG Content Editor For WordPress
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a truly intuitive click-to-edit drag-and-drop content and page editing plugin for WordPress.
The Thrive Content Builder plugin is a new and incredibly easy way to speed up the process of adding content to WordPress web sites.
Once installed, Thrive Content Builder adds a visual content editor and a sidebar menu that lets you drag and drop design elements to your web page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new editor to WordPress)
Thrive Content And Landing Page Builder 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.
In this article we’ll take a look at each of the above plugins and how these powerful features work together to help you easily transform and improve your site and create amazing sales pages and content.
Thrive Content Builder Plugin
You can easily add content to your web pages using drag and drop elements …
Everything on your web page can be configured with “drag and drop” and “click-to-edit” ease …
Once elements have been added to the page, you can then continue to edit them without going through multiple steps or complicated configuration screens …
The built-in Landing Pages editor also lets you build stunning landing pages that can just as easily be edited or customized …
Thrive Landing Pages and Content 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 the plugin installed is so effortlessly easy, that the developers guarantee that once you start using it, you’ll never look back!
For more details about this plugin go here: Thrive Content Builder
Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages were created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another fantastic plugin we’ve previously recommended on this site.
See this article to learn more about the plugin:
Plugin Benefits
Below are just a few of the benefits of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up content creation:
Fast And Simple To Install And Configure. Be Up And Running In No Time.
Thrive Content Builder installs just like every other WordPress plugin. Just upload a zip file containing the plugin files to your Plugin folder via your dashboard and activate.
Add & Edit Content In Real Time
Thrive Content Builder is really simple and intuitive to use and lets you edit content in real-time.
What You See Is Truly What You Get
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see on the “backend” as you work within the content editor – fonts, visual elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what your visitors will see in the front end of your site.
Additional benefits include the following:
- Beautiful Page Layouts With Drag-And-Drop Ease: Create any kind of layout you can imagine with intuitive drag and drop functionality.
- Add Customizable Elements With No Shortcodes Involved: With the Thrive Content Builder plugin you not only get a click-to-edit content editor, but the plugin also includes a jaw-dropping collection of functional and attractive web design elements that you can add to your layouts without using shortcodes, such as tabbed content, guarantee boxes, dividers, responsive Google maps, etc.
- More Enjoyable Content Creation: Not having to constantly switch tabs as you edit your content and then wait for your content to reload frees up your attention and allows you to build the pages your business needs, quickly and without having to mess with code or click through multiple layers of menus to get what you need done.
(Thrive Content Builder lets you easily create, edit and customize page elements like testimonial boxes, content toggle, content reveal feature, dividers, Google Map embeds, etc.)
Features
Thrive Content Builder offers WP users many powerful features. Below we have listed just some:
- Regular WordPress Editor Functionality Is Still Available: You have all of the regular WordPress editing options that you are used to (e.g. underlines, paragraph centering, headings, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Multi-Style Elements: The plugin adds a “drag and drop” list of elements to your post or page screen when creating and editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin comes with a range of attention-grabbing and customizable elements that will help increase the effectiveness of your sales pages, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonials, and guarantees. In addition to being customizable, multiple design options are also available for various elements.
- Responsive Page Design: Add mobile-friendly columns, guarantee boxes, section dividers, e.g. which will display great on different screens.
- Add Animation Events To Pages: The Event Manager feature lets you create animations, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Web Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages – Landing Page Templates
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 initial signup to purchase, product download and more.
(Thrive Landing Pages lets you add conversion-optimized web pages to your site)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money creating pages
- 100% conversion-optimized page templates
- No tech skills needed
- Works with any WordPress theme
Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages not only can be used to create beautiful-looking content in your WordPress posts and pages, but you can also choose from dozens of beautifully designed, page templates that are conversion-optimized and fully customizable …
(Thrive Landing Pages provides sets of templates that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language)
There are 30+ templates available, with more templates being worked on. In addition to the existing templates, expect to see new templates in the future for email lead generation, sales pages, training pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Fully Customizable And Flexible Landing Page Template Sets
Typically, to be able to fully customize a landing page template, you would need to either pay a web designer to do the work, or learn how to code web pages 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 code or use 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 great-looking pre-designed page templates that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that allows you to change and edit any element of the page …
The landing page template sets included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Change text in any bullet point, button, headline, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other part of your landing page
- Change the background image or colours
- Change the color of text, buttons, links, etc.
- Select your own fonts
- Use your own images
- Modify the size of the content area
- Change the order of elements on the pages
- Translate everything on the page into different languages
- Add custom content anywhere inside your pages
- Start with a blank web page and create your own page templates, or even build your own custom landing page templates library.
(Change or edit any aspect of your page template)
Transform Your WordPress Website Into A Powerful Marketing Machine With Thrive Lightbox Plugin
The Thrive plugin package includes Thrive Lightbox, which lets you add fully configurable two-step opt-in forms and animated elements to your WordPress site …
(Add lead capture forms and animated elements to your web pages with Thrive Lightbox)
2-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process can improve your conversion rates. Visitors click on a button or image, and then they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Capture more leads and subscribers with a two-step opt-in process)
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 attention-getting elements on your pages, using a range of animation effects (e.g. zoom in, slide in from bottom to top, roll in, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your pages with Thrive Lightbox)
A lightbox and event is created automatically for your landing pages, but you also have complete control over all events, triggers and design.
Testimonials
Below are just some testimonials plugin users have written about Thrive Content Builder:
”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”
***
”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 WordPress theme, not just with the Thrive Landing Pages plugin. You cannot use Thrive Content Builder to edit content that was not created using the plugin.
You can add shortcodes inside the Content Builder or Landing Pages plugin and they will be displayed correctly when published.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content built with Thrive Content Builder.
Thrive Content Builder Support
Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages Plugin provides 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 lifetime software upgrades, plus one year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a no-risk, thirty day, 100% refund guarantee.
This is an exciting product for WordPress users that will just keep getting better.
Plugin 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 Licensing – This lets you run the plugin on a single website. Pricing includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License – This enables you to set up the plugin on unlimited domains that you personally own. Cost includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Cost = $87.00.
- Agency Licensing – Use on your web sites & on all your client web sites. Price includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Price = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: Pricing details of Thrive Content Builder can vary, depending on whether there are any promotions or limited-time specials being offered. Currently, the software is selling for the prices shown above. This may or may not be the actual price charged by the software developer when you visit the product site and you may be shown additional upsells or one-time offers after your purchase.
Check the plugin’s website for the latest pricing details here:
Additional Information
The developers of the Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder plugin 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 to speed up your content creation, and on the other hand, you have 100% control over your design process and the freedom to change everything on your page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, that allows you to get things done without having to keep switching tabs or going through multiple steps.
For demo videos showing how the plugin works, including help documentation and tutorials, FAQs, support help desk, contact details and more, visit the Thrive website.
We Recommend …
If you want to edit something, just 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, just drag it and drop it into its new location. There are no extra steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your web site and create awesome marketing pages and content, this plugin delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
For more details, visit the plugin website here:
***
