WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging tool to a tool that is now used to create all kinds of websites.
Whatever you can imagine, someone is bound to be already building it using WordPress!
In this article you will learn how to create beautiful layouts with drag & drop ease in WordPress sites.
Drag And Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Is The Default WordPress Editor Still Meeting All Of Your Content Creation Needs?
With all the many developments that the WordPress platform has gone through in recent years, many WordPress users and developers believe that the WordPress content editor is more suitable for performing simple content editing (e.g. blocks of text running down the page with left-aligned images or videos, etc.), than creating and customizing page elements within complex layouts.
(The built-in WordPress content editor is great for adding, formatting and editing conventional 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 …
Creating the above in your content would require typing something that looks like this into the default WordPress visual content editor …
Normally, this is not really an issue … until you have to change something in the layout (for example, move some of the content from box 1 into box 2, or replace the background color inside box 3 from green to another colour. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with page code.
The WordPress editor is supposed to provide non-technical users with 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 complex layouts, what you see in the visual editor may not be what you are getting when the web page goes live …
(“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 inside the WordPress html editor tab instead of the WordPress visual editor when trying to create something other than simple layouts …
Even though WordPress is very user-friendly, this makes it difficult for users without coding skills to have full control of their own content.
The fundamental challenge about having to use shortcodes and HTML to create content with WordPress can be summarized as follows:
1) Speed – How long does it take to create a page using the editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the ”back end” match the content in the “front end” when you are creating or editing a page?
As you can see from the above screenshot, what you see when working in the back end looks nothing like what you see in the front end. This means that you need to translate mentally what the content will look like when working with sophisticated layouts. Other solutions require taking multiple steps before you can start configuring your page layout, or endlessly going back and forth between tabs and performing updates to see how your content is progressing, which can impact how quickly you can create your content, as you wait for your updated content to load.
A number of WordPress web developers have tried to come up with a range of solutions with the objective of addressing this issue. Some of these range from WordPress plugins you can install on 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-building features, that users need to learn how to work with complicated-looking front end editors …
Many of these solutions work, but they don’t address the fundamental issue of using shortcodes and HTML as described earlier. Creating and adding 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 page layouts quickly, this can become very frustrating.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like your web page editor to work?
Now, imagine the following scenario …
- You spot something in your content that needs correction so you, simply click on the content and start typing. Your content has been instantly edited.
- You simply drag and drop elements on the page, and the page looks exactly as it will appear on the front end without having to mentally visualize code.
- You have an idea for an item of content that you would 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 no waiting for web pages to refresh and reload.
Would this not be the ideal way to build 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 posts and pages?
(Imagine being able to create complex page layouts ”on the fly” 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 Description
Thrive Content Builder is a unique WordPress plugin that gives you total control over every aspect of your web page design using true click-to-edit and drag and drop simplicity.
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 and an item menu that lets you click, then drag and drop design elements on your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new visual content editor to WordPress)
Thrive Content Builder And Landing Pages 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 take an in-depth look at all of the above and how all of this powerful functionality works together to help you easily transform and improve your web site and create awesome marketing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder – WordPress Plugin
This plugin lets you easily add content to your web pages and build complex page layouts using drag and drop elements …
Everything on your page can be built by dragging and dropping things around the page and then clicking to edit them …
Once elements have been positioned on a page, you can then continue to edit these without going through multiple steps or switching screens …
The built-in Thrive Landing Pages also lets you create beautiful landing pages and easily edit these …
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 Thrive Content and Page Builder installed is so effortlessly simple, that the developers warn that once you start using it, you’ll never look back!
More info: Thrive Content Builder
Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages were created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another excellent plugin for WordPress that we have recommended on this site.
Go here for more information about using the plugin:
Benefits
Below are just some of the benefits and advantages of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up your page design and content creation process:
Installation Is Easy
Thrive Content Builder is very easy to install. Simply upload a zip folder that contains the plugin to your Plugins folder via your admin user account and activate.
Real-Time Content Content Editing
Thrive Content Builder is very 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 as you work within the editor – typefaces, elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what you get on the front end of your site.
Some additional benefits and advantages include the following:
- Eye-Catching Page Layouts With Drag And Drop Ease: Create any layout you can imagine with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.
- Customizable Elements Included: With the Thrive Content Builder plugin you not only get a click-to-edit WordPress content editor, but the plugin also includes a jaw-dropping collection of professional design elements that you can use on your pages without using shortcodes, like tabbed content, content reveal feature, testimonials, credit card icons, etc.
- Ideal For Non-Technical Users: Not having to deal with technical stuff, or having to wait for your page to reload frees up your attention and allows you to be more focused while you work or click through multiple layers of menus to get what you need done.
(Insert, edit and customize web page elements like testimonials, tabbed content, feature grids, call to action buttons, countdown timers, etc.)
Thrive Content Builder Features
Thrive Content Builder provides a number of unique features to website owners. Here are just a few:
- Regular Content Editor Functionality Is Preserved: You have all of the regular WordPress editing options that you are used to (e.g. bold formatting, justified paragraphs, font styles, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements: The plugin makes a “drag and drop” list of elements available on your post or page screen for creating and editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin provides you with various attention-grabbing and customizable elements that will help increase the effectiveness of your sales pages, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonial boxes, and guarantee forms. In addition to being customizable, multiple design options are also available for various elements.
- Responsive Web Page Design: Add responsive elements like column layouts, guarantee boxes, content section dividers, e.g. which will display great on different-sized screens.
- Add Animation To Your Pages: The plugin’s Event Manager feature lets you add animated page elements, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Web Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Landing Page Sets
Landing page template sets are templates that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language to take your visitors from initial signup to purchase, product download and more.
(Thrive Landing Pages plugin lets you easily add conversion-optimized web pages to your web site)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money building and customizing web pages for your website
- 100% conversion-optimized landing pages
- No coding skills required
- Works with any theme
Thrive Content and Page 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, landing 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 currently over thirty templates available, with more templates scheduled for release. In addition to the templates shown above, the developers plan to release new page templates for email lead generation, sales pages, course pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Completely Customizable And Flexible Landing Page Template Sets
Typically, to be able to have a completely customizable landing page template, you would need to either hire 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 mess around with code or use complex 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 pages that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that lets you change and customize any aspect of the page templates …
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 the landing page
- Replace any background images or background colors
- Edit the color of text, buttons, links, etc.
- Choose your own fonts
- Select your own images
- Change the size of the content area
- Rearrange the order of elements on your page
- Translate everything on the page into a different language
- Add custom content in your pages
- Use pre-designed, customized pages, or create your own pages from scratch and save them as new web page templates.
(Change or customize any aspect of your page)
Thrive Lightbox Plugin – Transform Your Web Site 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 events to your WordPress site …
(Add opt-in forms and events to your WordPress website with Thrive Lightbox)
2-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process helps to improve your conversion rates. Visitors click on an image or button, and then they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Opt-in forms help to increase your conversion rates.)
Event Manager
An “event” consists of a trigger and an action. You can make opt-in forms appear when your visitor clicks or hovers 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 web pages, using various effects (e.g. fade in, slide in from left to right, roll in, 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 events, triggers and design.
User Testimonials
Here are a few of the testimonials and feedback plugin users have written about the Thrive Content Builder plugin:
“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”
Plugin 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 using the plugin.
You can add shortcodes inside the Content Builder or Landing Pages plugin and they will be displayed correctly on on your site.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content you build using Thrive Content Builder.
Plugin Support
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder Plugin provides free updates, new landing pages and upcoming features. The plugin developers are constantly working on adding new features and improving existing ones.
Thrive software is really well-supported, and users get unlimited updates, plus one year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a no-risk, 30 day, 100% money-back 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 License – This lets you install the plugin on a single domain. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License – This option enables you to run the plugin on all of your personal websites. Pricing includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Cost = $87.00.
- Agency License – Use on all your domains and on all your client sites. Pricing includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Cost = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: Pricing for Thrive Content Builder depends on whether there are any promotions or limited-time special offers. Currently, the software sells for the prices shown above. This may not be the actual price charged by the plugin author when you visit the product website and there may be additional upsells or one-time offers after you’ve purchased.
Check the plugin’s website for current pricing details:
Additional Plugin Info
The Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder plugin developers 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 time-saving features like ready-made web page elements and template sets that help to speed up your content creation, and on the other hand, you have 100% control over your design process and the ability to change anything and everything on your web page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, which lets you see exactly how the content you are working on will look after being published.
For a demo video showing plugin usage, including installation instructions and tutorials, FAQs, customer helpdesk, contact details and more, visit the plugin website.
The Bottom Line …
If you want to edit something, you click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, do it, and you can see the change happen instantly. If you want to move something, all you have to do is drag it and drop it into its new position. There are no extra steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your web site and create amazing marketing pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content, this plugin delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
For full details, visit the plugin website here:
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