WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging tool to a tool that is now used to create all kinds of sites.
Whatever you can imagine, someone is probably already building it with WordPress!
This article will help you discover the ultimate click-to-edit front end builder for WordPress sites.
Drag & Drop Content Editors For WordPress
The WordPress Visual Content Editor – Is There A Faster Option For Creating Content Layouts In WordPress?
With all the rapid developments that WordPress has gone through in recent years, many WordPress developers and users believe that the WordPress content editor is more suitable for performing simple content editing than building and customizing content within more sophisticated layouts.
(The default WordPress content editor is great for adding, formatting and editing conventional text and media, but adding complex layouts can be challenging!)
For example, let’s say you want to create something like the layout shown below …
To create the above layout, you would normally have to add shortcodes to your content for each of the page elements you want to display on your web page …
Typically, this is not an issue … unless you have to reconfigure the layout (for example, move part of the content from box 1 into box 2, or change the button inside a box from bright red to purple. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with page code.
The WordPress editor is supposed to provide users with an easy-to-use WYSIWYG editor, but as you can see, when creating with complex content elements, what you see is not the same as what you get …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some instances, some people argue that you could be better off working with the html source itself instead of the WYSIWYG editor when trying to create non-linear layouts …
Even though WordPress is the most user-friendly CMS platform available, this makes it hard for users without coding skills to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental challenge about having to use shortcodes and HTML to create content in WordPress can be summarized by asking 2 questions:
1) Speed – How long will it take to create a page using the editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the ”back end” resemble the “front end” content when you are creating or editing a page?
As you can see from the above image, 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 your content will look like when working with complex layouts. Other solutions require multiple steps before you can begin configuring your page layout, or endlessly going back and forth between browser tabs and performing tweaks and updates to see how your content is progressing, which interrupts the creative process, as you wait for the updated content to reload.
Many WordPress web developers have come up with various solutions to try to address this issue. These range from plugins you can add to your site that add new functionality to the editor, to WP themes that include built-in features like drag and drop editing …
(WordPress “drag and drop” editors aim to make creating complex layouts easier!)
Some solutions include so many complex page-building features, that users end up with complicated-looking front end editors …
Many of these editors work, but they fail to address the fundamental problem with using HTML and shortcodes as described earlier. Creating, adding and editing 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 become really frustrating.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like to build and edit your pages?
Now, imagine the following …
- You see something in the content that needs correction so you, simply click on the content and start typing. Your content is instantly edited.
- You just drag and drop elements on the page, and see them exactly as they will appear on the front end without having to mentally translate code.
- You have an idea for some content you would like to create, so you immediately begin typing, and you build your page as you go, with no delays, without switching tabs, and no waiting for new pages to republish and reload.
Would this not be the perfect way to create content for your WordPress web site? A true visual editor where all you have to do is click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around your page?
(Imagine being able to create complex web page layouts in real-time 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 Landing Pages And Content Builder – WordPress Click-To-Edit Drag & Drop Content Editing Plugin
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a unique WordPress plugin that gives you total control over every aspect of your web page with a click-to-edit and drag and drop content editor.
The Thrive Content Builder plugin provides WordPress users with a new and incredibly easy way to set up conversion-focused pages on any WordPress site.
Once installed, the plugin adds a visual content editor and a menu that lets you select, then drag and drop design elements on your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new visual content editor 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 rolled into one, plus an additional plugin feature called Thrive Lightbox.
We’ll take a look at all of the above plugins and how all of this exciting functionality works seamlessly together to help you transform and improve your web site and create amazing marketing pages and content.
Thrive Content Builder – WordPress Click-To-Edit Drag And Drop Content Creation Tool
This plugin lets you easily build complex web page design layouts using drag and drop elements …
Everything on your page can be created by dragging and dropping things around the page and then clicking to edit them …
Once you have placed your elements on your page, you can then edit these without having to go through additional steps or complicated option screens …
The built-in functionality of the plugin also lets you create highly attractive 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 Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder installed is so effortlessly easy, that the developers warn that you will never look back once you start using it
For more details about the plugin go here: Thrive Content Builder
Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages were created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another terrific plugin for WordPress that we have written about on this site.
To read about this plugin, see this post:
Benefits Of Using Thrive Content Builder And Landing Pages Plugin
Below we have listed just a few of the benefits of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up your page design and content creation process:
Ready To Use In No Time
Thrive Content Builder is very easy to install. Simply upload the plugin file to your Plugin folder via your WordPress dashboard and activate.
Edit & Add Content In Real Time
Thrive Content Builder is very simple to use and lets you create, edit and add content right inside your pages in real-time.
What You See Is Really What You Get
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see as you work within the editor – fonts, visual elements, layouts, etc. is exactly what your visitors will see on the front end of your site.
Additional plugin benefits include the following:
- Stunning Web Page Layouts With Drag-And-Drop Ease: Create any kind of layout you can imagine with drag and drop ease.
- Design Elements Included: With Thrive Content Builder you not only get a drag and drop content editor, but the plugin also includes a collection of design elements that you can customizable and insert into your layouts without using short codes, such as content toggle, gradient boxes, testimonials, responsive Google map embeds, etc.
- Ideal For Non-Technical Users: Not having to constantly switch tabs as you tweak content and then wait for your updated content to reload frees up your attention and allows you to be more focused while you build or edit your content or click through multiple steps to get what you need done.
(Easily create, edit and customize web page elements like testimonial boxes, tabbed content, content boxes, section dividers, credit card icons, etc.)
Features
Thrive Content Builder offers WordPress users many great features. Here are just a few:
- All Editor Functionality Is Preserved: You have access to all of the regular WordPress text editing options that you are used to (e.g. bold, justified paragraphs, headings and font sizes, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements: The plugin makes a “drag and drop” table of multi-style elements available on your post or page screen for creating or editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin provides you with a range of attention-grabbing and customizable elements that will help you increase the effectiveness of your sales pages, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonial boxes, and guarantee forms. In addition to being customizable, various elements also offer multiple design options.
- Responsive Design: Add responsive columns, text boxes, section dividers, e.g. which will adjust to display correctly on different device screens.
- Add Animation To Web Pages: Thrive Content Builder’s Event Manager feature lets you insert animated page elements, 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 from signup to purchase, product download and more.
(Thrive Landing Pages lets you add conversion-optimized web pages to your website)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money designing great-looking web pages
- 100% conversion-optimized landing page templates
- No coding skills required
- Works with all themes
Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages 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, conversion optimized page templates and fully customizable …
(Landing page sets that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language)
There are over 30 templates available, with more templates being worked on. In addition to the templates shown above, expect to see new templates in the future for email lead generation, sales pages, course pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Customizable Landing Page Template Sets
Normally, to be able to have a fully customizable landing page template, 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 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 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 stunning pre-built web pages that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that allows you to change and customize any aspect of the page template …
The landing page templates included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Edit text in all headlines, buttons, bullet points, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other element of the landing page
- Replace all background images and edit color
- Change the color of links, buttons, text, etc.
- Choose your own fonts
- Select your own images and graphics
- Edit 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 in the pages
- Start with a blank page and create your own page templates, or even build your own custom landing pages library.
(Change and edit anything on your page templates)
Thrive Lightbox – Transform Your Site Into A Marketing Machine
The Thrive package also includes the Thrive Lightbox plugin, which lets you add fully configurable 2-step opt-in forms and animated objects to your web site …
(Add opt-in forms and events to your pages with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
2-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process helps to improve your conversion rates. When visitors click on a button or image they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Opt-in forms can help improve your conversion rates.)
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 web pages, using a range of effects (e.g. fade out, 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 all events, triggers and design.
Testimonials
Below are just some testimonials and feedback users have published 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 Plugin – Useful Tips
Thrive Content Builder works with any WordPress theme, not just with Thrive Landing Pages. Note, however, that you cannot use Thrive Content Builder to edit content that was not created with the plugin installed.
You can add short codes inside the Content Builder or Landing Pages plugin and they will display correctly when published.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content built with Thrive Content Builder.
Plugin Support
Thrive Content Builder provides free updates, new landing templates and upcoming features. The Thrive team is constantly working on adding new features and improving existing ones.
Thrive products are really well-supported, and users get unlimited upgrades, plus one year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a no-risk, 30 day, complete refund guarantee.
This is an exciting product for WordPress users that will just keep getting better.
Plugin Pricing
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 allows you to install the plugin on a single website. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License – This license enables you to activate the plugin on all of your personal web sites. Price includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Cost = $87.00.
- Agency Licensing – Use on your sites and on client web sites. It includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Price = $247.00 per year.
Note: Pricing for the product can vary, depending on whether there are any promotions or limited-time specials being offered. The pricing above was current when this review was published. This may or may not be the actual price set by the software seller when you visit the plugin website and you may be shown additional upsells or one-time offers after your purchase.
Check the plugin’s website for current pricing details:
Additional Info
The Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder plugin developers 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 conversion-optimized template sets that help to make designing your pages faster, and on the other hand, you have complete control over your design process and the ability to edit everything on your web page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, which lets you see how the content you are working on will display on the “front end” after publishing.
For ”how-to” videos showing how the plugin works, including installation instructions and tutorials, FAQs, customer help desk, contact details and more, visit the Thrive website.
Install The 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 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 and engaging content, Thrive Content and Page Builder delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
To learn more, visit the plugin website:
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