WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging application into a tool that is now being used to design all types of web pages – marketing pages, product showcase pages, business pages, etc.
Whatever you can think of, somewhere around the world someone is bound to be already building it using WordPress!
This article will help you discover the ultimate click-to-edit front end editor for WordPress.
Drag And Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Does The WordPress Content Editor Still Meet All Of Your Page Design Needs?
With so many developments that the WordPress platform has undergone in recent years, many WordPress users believe that using the default WordPress WYSIWYG content editor to create or edit complex layouts can be difficult.
(The built-in WordPress content editor is great for adding, formatting and editing “linear” content, but adding complex layouts can be quite challenging!)
For example, if you look at the image below …
To create the above layout, users would normally have to insert short codes into the content for each page element they want to display to visitors …
Generally, this is not really an issue … unless you need to edit a fundamental aspect of your layout (for example, move some of the content from box 3 into box 2, or change the background color inside a box from dark green to a different colour. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with code inside the editor.
The WordPress editor is supposed to provide non-technical users with an easy-to-use WYSIWYG editor, but as you can see, if you are working with more complex layouts, often what you see on your editor screen may not be 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 directly inside the text editor tab instead of the WordPress WYSIWYG editor when trying to build fancy page elements …
Even though WordPress is the most user-friendly CMS platform available, this makes it hard for WordPress site owners with no coding skills to have full control of their own content.
The fundamental issue about using shortcodes and HTML to create content with WordPress can be summarized by asking two questions:
1) Speed – How long will it take to build a web 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 in the back end doesn’t look even remotely similar to what you see in the front end. This means that you have to mentally translate what the content will look like when working with sophisticated 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 then impacts how quickly you can create your content, as you wait for your updated content to load.
Many WordPress web developers have tried to come up with different solutions aiming to address this issue. Some of these alternative solutions range from plugins you can install on your site that add new functionality to the editor, to WP 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-building features, that users need to learn how to work with complicated-looking front end editors …
Many of these alternative solutions work, but they don’t address the fundamental issue of using HTML and shortcodes as described earlier. Creating, adding and editing non-linear content 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 your page content to look ”perfect” quickly, this can start to become quite frustrating.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like to build and edit your pages?
Now that you’ve asked this question, visualize this …
- You see something in the content that needs fixing so you, just click on the content and start changing it. Your content has been instantly changed.
- You can just drag and drop elements on the page, and the page looks exactly as it will display on the front end without having to mentally translate code.
- You have an idea for an item of content that you’d like to create, so you just begin typing, and you build your page on the fly, with no delays, without tab switching, and without having to wait for new web content to resave and reload.
Would this not be the perfect way to build content for your web site? A true WYSIWYG content editor where all you have to do is click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around your posts and pages?
(Imagine being able to create complex web page layouts in real-time for your web content without 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 – The Simplest, Most Intuitive Visual Content Builder For WordPress Sites
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a truly intuitive WordPress click-to-edit drag-and-drop content creator and editor.
The Thrive Content Builder plugin is 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 click, then drag and drop elements on your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new content builder to your WordPress site)
The Thrive Landing Pages And Content Builder plugin is actually a combination of the Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages plugins merged into one, plus an additional plugin feature called Thrive Lightbox.
We’ll address all of the above and how these exciting features work together to help you easily transform and improve your web presence and create amazing sales pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder
You can easily add content to your web pages and build complex page layouts using drag and drop elements …
Everything on your page can be designed using ”click-to-edit” and “drag and drop” …
Once elements have been positioned on your page, you can then customize these without having to go through multiple steps or opening extra configuration screens …
The built-in functionality of the plugin also lets you build beautiful landing pages and easily customize these …
Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder is simple, easy to use, and ideal for all WordPress users at all levels. In fact, designing pages with the plugin installed is so effortlessly simple, that the developers guarantee that once you start using it, it’ll ruin the experience of using all other content editors forever, and you will never look back!
Go here to learn more about the plugin: 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 reviewed on this site.
To learn more about this plugin, go here:
Benefits
Below we have listed just some of the many benefits and advantages of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up the process of creating content for your website:
Installation Is Easy, Quick And Simple
Thrive Content Builder is really easy to install. Simply upload it to your Plugins folder via your WordPress dashboard and activate.
Real-Time Content Building And Editing
Thrive Content Builder is is not only simple and intuitive to use, it also lets you edit and add content to your pages in real-time.
What You See Is Truly What You Get
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see as you work within the editor – fonts, elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what your visitors will see in the front end of your site.
Additional benefits of the plugin include the following:
- Stunning Web Page Layouts With Drag & Drop Ease: Create any kind of layout you can imagine with intuitive drag and drop functionality.
- Design Elements Included: With the Thrive Content Builder plugin you not only get an amazing drag and drop content editor, but the plugin also includes an impressive collection of professional web design elements that you can add to your layouts without using shortcodes, like tabbed content, star ratings for review pages, page section dividers, responsive Google map embeds, etc.
- Distraction-Free Content Creation: Not having to deal with technical stuff for the updates to refresh frees up your attention and allows you to build the web pages your business needs, quickly and without having to mess with code or click through multiple steps to get what you want done.
(Easily create, edit and customize page elements like testimonial boxes, pricing tables, content boxes, section dividers, responsive Google maps, etc.)
Plugin Features
Thrive Content Builder provides many features to site owners. Below we have listed just some:
- Built-In Content Editor Functionality Is Preserved: You have access to all of the built-in WordPress text editing options that you are used to (e.g. underline, paragraph formatting, headings, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Multi-Style Elements Menu: The plugin makes a “drag and drop” list of multi-style elements available on your post or page screen when editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin comes with a range of attention-grabbing and customizable elements that will help you increase your sales conversions, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonials, and guarantees. In addition to being customizable, various elements also offer multiple design options.
- Mobile-Friendly Design: Add mobile-friendly columns, boxes, section dividers, e.g. which will display correctly on different screens.
- Add Animation Events To Pages: The Event Manager feature lets you insert animated images, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Web 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 initial signup to purchase, product download and more.
(Thrive Landing Pages plugin lets you easily add conversion-optimized pages to your web site)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money designing stunning web pages
- 100% conversion-optimized web pages
- No tech skills required
- Works with any theme
Thrive Content Builder not only can be used to create beautiful 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 …
(Landing page sets that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language)
There are currently 30+ templates available, with more templates being worked on. In addition to the existing templates, the developers plan to release new web page templates for email lead generation, sales pages, lesson pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Fully Customizable Landing Page Template Sets
Typically, in order to have a fully customizable landing page template, you would need to either pay a web site 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 beautiful pre-designed web pages that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that lets you change or edit anything on the page …
With the landing page template sets included with this plugin, you can:
- Change text in all buttons, headlines, bullet points, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other part of your landing page
- Change the background image and edit color
- Edit the color of links, buttons, text, etc.
- Use your own fonts
- Use your own images
- Edit content area size
- Rearrange the order of elements on your page
- Translate everything on the page into different languages
- Add custom content anywhere inside any of the pages
- Use pre-designed, customized pages, or create your own web pages from scratch and save them as new page templates.
(Change and edit any element of the page templates)
Thrive Lightbox Plugin – Transform Your Website Into A Marketing Machine
The Thrive package also includes the Thrive Lightbox plugin, which lets you add fully customizable 2-step opt-in forms and animated objects to your pages …
(Add lead capture forms and animated objects to your web pages with Thrive Lightbox)
Two-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-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 …
(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 an opt-in form appear when when visitors click or hover over a button or graphic elements, or when someone scrolls down to a certain point on the page. You can also use the Event Manager to animate attention-getting elements on your page, using various effects (e.g. zoom out, slide in from bottom to top, rotate, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your 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 Plugin Users
Below are a few of the testimonials that plugin customers have written about Thrive Content Builder:
“I have had nothing but the best experience imaginable with this tool since I purchased it. This is by far one of, if not the best plug-in I have purchase to date and it has definitely made working with WordPress a whole new experience. Jim Bond”
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“I’m blown away by the plugin. Keep up the incredible, WordPress changing work, guys! Dean Phillips”
Useful 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 on existing pages or posts that were not created using the plugin.
You can add WordPress shortcodes inside Thrive Content Builder or Thrive Landing Pages and they will be displayed correctly on your website.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content built with Thrive Content Builder.
Support
Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages comes with free updates, new landing pages and upcoming features. The Thrive team is constantly working on adding new features and improving existing ones.
Thrive software is well-supported, and users get unlimited software upgrades, and 1 year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a risk-free, thirty day, full money-back guarantee.
This is an exciting product that just keeps 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 Licensing – This edition allows you to activate the plugin on 1 site only. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License – This lets you run the plugin on all of your personal domains. Price includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Price = $87.00.
- Agency License – This lets you activate the plugin on all of your own web sites and your client web sites. Includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Price = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: Pricing for Thrive Content Builder depends on whether there are any promotions or limited-time specials being offered. The pricing shown above was correct at the time this content was published. This may or may not be the actual pricing set by the plugin 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 current price here:
Additional Plugin Info
The developers of the Thrive Content and Page Builder plugin repeatedly 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 page elements and beautiful, conversion-optimized template sets that help make designing your content faster, and on the other hand, you have 100% control over the design process and the ability to change everything on your web page, using the plugin’s click-to-edit and drag and drop features, that lets you see how the content you are working on will display on the “front end” after being published.
For ”how to” videos showing how the software works, including installation instructions and tutorials, FAQs, customer help desk, contact details and more, visit the plugin website.
Download The Plugin …
If you want to edit something, just click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, you’ll see the change happen instantly. If you want to move something, just drag it and drop it into its new position. There are no additional steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your website and create amazing marketing pages and content, Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
To learn more, check out the plugin here:
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