WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging application into a tool that can be used to create all kinds of sites.
Whatever you can imagine, somewhere around the world someone is probably already building it with WordPress!
This article will help you discover how to create beautiful layouts with drag & drop ease in WordPress.
Drag & Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Is The Default WordPress Editor Still Meeting All Of Your Content Creation Needs?
With all the rapid developments that the WordPress platform has gone through in recent years, many WordPress developers and users believe that the WordPress editor is more suitable for performing simple content editing (e.g. text running down the page with left-aligned images or videos, etc.), than creating and editing content within complex layouts.
(The built-in WordPress visual content editor is great for adding, formatting and editing “linear” content, but adding more complex layouts can be challenging!)
For example, if you look at the illustration below …
To create the above layout, you would normally need to add short codes to your content for every page element you want to display on the web page …
Normally, this is not really an issue … until you need to change your layout (for example, move some of the content from box 3 into box 2, or change the button inside a box from dark green to maroon. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with code.
The WordPress visual 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 create complex page elements, what you see on your screen is not the same as what you are going to get when your content gets published …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some instances, some people argue that users could even be better off working directly with the html source itself instead of the WordPress visual editor when trying to create non-linear page elements …
Even though WordPress is extremely easy to use, this makes it difficult for users with no coding skills to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental challenge with having to use shortcodes and HTML to create content in the default WordPress WYSIWYG editor 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 editor match 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 back end doesn’t look at all like what you see in the front end. This means that you need to abstract what the content will look like when working with sophisticated layouts. Other solutions require taking several 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 affects how fast you can create your content, as you wait for the content to load.
Many WordPress web developers have tried to come up with different solutions with the aim of addressing this issue. Some of these alternative solutions range from WordPress 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 creating complex content easier!)
Some solutions end up requiring so many complex page-building features, that users end up with complicated-looking front end content editors …
Many of these alternative editors work fine, but they don’t really seem to address the fundamental challenge 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 to create or edit complex page content quickly, this can start to become very frustrating after a while.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like your web content builder to work?
Now that you’ve asked this question, imagine the following …
- You spot something in the content that needs to be corrected so you, simply click on the content and start editing it. Your content is then instantly fixed.
- You can just drag and drop items on the page, and the page looks exactly as it will appear on the front end without having to mentally translate code.
- You have an idea for a specific item of content that you would like to add, so you simply start typing, and you build your web page on the fly, without delays, without tab switching, and without waiting for pages to republish and reload.
Would that not be the ideal way to create content for your WordPress site? Just click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around your pages?
(Imagine being able to create complex page layouts quickly 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 Plugin – The Simplest, Most Intuitive WYSIWYG Editor For WordPress Web Sites
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a truly intuitive click-to-edit drag-and-drop content editor for WordPress.
The Thrive Content Builder plugin provides you with a new and incredibly easy way to set up conversion-focused pages on any WordPress website.
Once installed, the plugin adds a visual content editor and an item menu that lets you drag and drop elements on your web page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new content editor to WordPress)
The Thrive Content Builder And Landing Pages 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.
We will take a look at each of the above plugins and how all of this exciting functionality works together to help you transform and improve your business online and create amazing sales pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder
This plugin lets you easily add complex design layouts to your web pages using drag and drop elements …
Every aspect of your web page can be configured by ”clicking-to-edit” and “dragging and dropping” things around the page …
Once elements have been added to your page, you can continue to further edit these without having to go through additional steps or complicated settings windows …
You can also 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 with Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder installed is so amazingly simple, that the developers warn that you’ll never look back once you start using it
For more details about the plugin go here: Thrive Content Builder
The integrated Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder plugin was created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another great plugin that we have reviewed on this site.
To read about the plugin, go here:
Benefits
Below we have listed just some 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 Use. Ready To Start Using In Very Little Time.
Thrive Content Builder is really easy to install. Just upload the plugin file to your Plugin folder via your WP administrator area and activate.
Real-Time Content Content Editing
Thrive Content Builder is really simple to use and lets you create content 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 – typefaces, elements, layouts, etc. is exactly what your visitors will see on the front end of your site.
Some additional benefits and advantages include the following:
- Add Eye-Catching Web Page Layouts With Drag & Drop Ease: Create any kind of layout you can imagine with drag and drop ease.
- Add Design Elements Without Using Shortcodes: 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 functional and attractive web design elements that you can insert into your web pages without using shortcodes, for e.g.: columns, feature grids, page section dividers, countdown timers, etc.
- Distraction-Free Content Creation: Not having to wait for the updated content to reload frees up your attention and allows you to be more focused while you build content or click through multiple steps to get what you need done.
(Thrive Content Builder lets you easily create, edit and customize page elements like testimonials, tabbed content, content reveal feature, page section dividers, responsive Google map embeds, etc.)
Thrive Content Builder Features
Thrive Content Builder offers web site owners a number of powerful features. Here are just some:
- Built-In WordPress Content Functionality Is Preserved: You have all of the regular WordPress editing options that you are used to (e.g. bold, paragraph formatting, font sizes, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements Menu: The plugin makes a “drag and drop” list of elements available on your post or page screen when editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin provides you with a range of 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 being customizable, multiple design options are also available for various elements.
- Mobile-Friendly Design: Add responsive elements like column layouts, guarantee boxes, content dividers, e.g. which will resize and display great on different device screens.
- Add Animation Events To Web Pages: The plugin’s Event Manager feature lets you add animations, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Web Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Landing Page 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 gives you conversion-optimized page templates)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money designing and customizing landing pages
- 100% conversion-optimized landing page templates
- No technical skills required
- Works with all themes
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 professionally designed, web 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 30 templates available, with more templates scheduled for release. In addition to the templates shown above, the developers plan to release new web page templates for email lead generation, sales pages, course pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Fully Customizable And Flexible Landing Page Template Sets
Normally, in order to have a fully customizable landing page template, you would need to either pay a web site developer 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 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-built web page templates that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that allows you to change or customize anything on the page template …
With the landing page template sets included with this plugin, you are able to:
- Change text in any button, bullet point, headline, etc.
- Remove text, images or any other element of the landing page
- Replace any background images or background color
- Edit the color of links, buttons, text, etc.
- Choose your own fonts
- Select your own images
- Edit the size of the content area
- Rearrange the order of web page elements
- Translate everything on the page into a different language
- Add custom content inside the pages
- Start with a blank page and create your own page templates, or even build your own library of custom landing pages.
(Change and edit any element of the page templates)
Transform Your Website Into A Marketing Machine With Thrive Lightbox
The Thrive plugin package includes Thrive Lightbox, which lets you add fully editable 2-step opt-in forms and events to your site …
(Add opt-in forms and animation to your WordPress website with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
Two-Step Opt-in Forms
A two-step opt-in process can help increase your conversion rates. When visitors click on a button or image they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Visitors click on a button and are presented with an opt-in form)
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 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 various effects (e.g. fade out, slide in from left to right, roll in, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your web pages with Thrive Lightbox)
Lightboxes and events are created automatically for your landing pages, but you also have complete control over events, triggers and design.
Feedback From Users
Below are a few 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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“I’m blown away by the plugin. Keep up the incredible, WordPress changing work, guys! Dean Phillips”
Thrive Content Builder – Useful Tips
Thrive Content Builder works with any theme in WordPress, not just with the Thrive Landing Pages plugin. You cannot use Thrive Content Builder to edit content on pages or posts that were not created with the plugin.
You can add shortcodes inside the Content Builder or Landing Pages plugin and they will be displayed correctly on the front end.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content built with Thrive Content Builder.
Thrive Content Builder Plugin Support
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder 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 products are well-supported, and users get unlimited upgrades, plus 1 year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a no-risk, 30 day, full money-back guarantee.
This is an exciting product 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 configure the plugin on a single site. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License – This option allows you to install the plugin on unlimited web sites that you own. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Price = $87.00.
- Agency License Edition – This edition lets you use the plugin on all of your own web sites and all client domains. Includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Cost = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: Pricing details of the product can vary, depending on whether there are any promotions or limited-time specials being offered. When we last checked, the product retails for the pricing shown above. This may not be the actual price set by the product seller when you visit the website 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 developers of the Thrive Content and Page Builder plugin 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 time-saving features like ready-made web page elements and templates that help to make designing your content faster, and on the other hand, you also have 100% control over the design process and the ability to change and customize anything and everything on your page, using the plugin’s click-to-edit and drag and drop features, which allows you to get things done without having to keep switching tabs or going through multiple steps.
For a demo video showing plugin usage, including installation instructions and tutorials, FAQs, customer helpdesk, contact details and more, visit the plugin website.
Download The Plugin …
If you want to edit something, you click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, you can see the change happen instantly. If you want to move something, simply 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 site and create amazing marketing pages and engaging content, this plugin delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
For more information, visit the plugin website:
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