WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging application to a tool that can be used to create all types of web sites.
Whatever you can imagine, someone is bound to be already building it with WordPress!
This article will help you discover the fastest visual editor for WordPress websites.
Drag And Drop Content Editors For WordPress
The WordPress Content Editor – Is There A Simpler Tool To Create Content Layouts In WordPress?
Using the default WordPress editor to create or edit sophisticated web site pages can be difficult.
(The built-in WordPress WYSIWYG editor is great for adding, formatting and editing conventional text and media, but adding complex content elements can be quite challenging!)
For example, let’s say you want to create something like the content shown below …
Adding the above page elements would require inserting something like this into the default WordPress content editor …
Normally, this is not an issue … until you need to reconfigure your layout (for example, move some of the content from box 3 into box 2, or replace the background colour in box 3 from green to another color. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with page code or html.
The WordPress editor is supposed to be an easy-to-use WYSIWYG content editor, but as you can see, if you are creating with more complex layouts, often what you see in the visual editor is not exactly what you are going to get when your page gets published …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some situations, you would probably be better off working directly with the source html itself instead of the WordPress WYSIWYG editor when trying to create non-linear page elements …
Even though WordPress is very user-friendly, this makes it difficult for users without coding skills to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental problem of using HTML and shortcodes to create content in WordPress can be summarized as follows:
1) Speed – How long will it take to build a web page using this 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, what you see when working in the editor looks nothing like what you see in the front end. This means that users need to translate mentally what the content will look like when working with complex layouts. Other solutions require several steps before you can start configuring your page layout, or endlessly switching browser tabs and performing updates to see how your content is coming along, which can affect how quickly you can create your content, as you wait for the updates to load.
A number of WordPress developers have come up with different solutions with the goal of addressing this issue. Some of these solutions range from WordPress plugins you can install on your site that add new functionality to the editor, to themes that include built-in features like drag and drop editing …
(WordPress “drag and drop” editors aim to make content creation easier!)
Some solutions require so many complex page-building features, that users end up with complicated-looking front end editors …
Many of these alternative solutions work, but they still fail to address the fundamental problem with using shortcodes and HTML 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 your content to look ”perfect” quickly, this can start to become really frustrating after a while.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like your web page builder to behave?
Now that you’ve asked this question, imagine this …
- You look at your content and if you see something that needs to be fixed, just click on the content and start writing. Your content is then instantly edited.
- You just drag and drop elements around the page, and the page looks exactly as it will appear on the front end without having to mentally translate any HTML or shortcodes.
- You have an idea for some content that you’d like to add, so you immediately begin typing, and you build your web page as you go, without delays, without tab switching, and no waiting for web pages to resave and reload.
Would that not be the ideal way to build content for your WordPress site? Just click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around the posts and pages?
(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 Content And Landing Page Builder
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a truly intuitive click-to-edit drag and drop content and landing page editor for WordPress.
Thrive Content Builder is 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 with an item menu that lets you click, then drag and drop design elements to your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new visual content builder to WordPress)
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.
Let’s review all of the above plugins and how these powerful features work seamlessly together to help you transform and improve your site and create awesome marketing pages and content.
Thrive Content Builder
This plugin lets you easily build complex web page design layouts using drag and drop elements …
Every element of your page can be designed, edited and rearranged by ”clicking-to-edit” and “dragging and dropping” things around the page …
Once elements have been added to a page, you can then customize them without going through multiple steps or switching screens …
You can also 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 pages and working on content with the plugin installed is so effortlessly easy, that the developers warn that once you start using it, you’ll never look back!
For more details, visit the plugin site here: Thrive Content Builder
The integrated Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder plugin was created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another excellent plugin that we have recommended on this site.
To read about this plugin, go here:
Benefits Of Using Thrive Landing Pages And Content Builder
Below we have listed just some of the benefits of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up the process of creating content for your site:
Fast And Simple To Install And Implement. Be Up And Running In No Time.
Thrive Content Builder installs like any WP plugin. Simply upload the plugin file to your Plugins folder via your WP administrator account and activate.
Real-Time Content Content Editing
Thrive Content Builder is is not only simple to use, it also lets you build 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 content editor – fonts, elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what your visitors will see on the front end of your site.
Additional benefits and advantages include:
- Design Stunning Page Layouts With Drag And 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 exciting and easy-to-use click-to-edit content builder, but the plugin also includes a very decent collection of functional and attractive web design elements that you can customizable and use on your pages without using short codes, like content toggle, table of contents builder, testimonials, responsive Google map embeds, etc.
- More Enjoyable Content Creation: Not having to wait for the page to load frees up your attention and allows you to be more focused while you work or click through multiple steps to get what you need done.
(Create, edit and customize web page elements like testimonials, tabbed content, gradient boxes, section dividers, responsive maps, etc.)
Plugin Features
Thrive Content Builder provides WP users many great features. Here are just some of these features:
- All Editor Functionality Is Still Available: You have all of the built-in WordPress editing options that you are used to (e.g. underlines, paragraph centering, heading styles, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements Menu: The plugin makes a “drag and drop” table of elements available on your post or page screen for creating and 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 customization options, multiple design options are also available for various elements.
- Responsive Element Design: Add mobile-friendly columns, boxes, dividers, e.g. which will adjust to display great on different device screens.
- Add Animation To Pages: Thrive Content Builder’s Event Manager feature lets you insert animated page content, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages – Landing Page Templates
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 provides you with conversion-optimized page templates)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time designing and customizing landing pages for your web site
- 100% conversion-optimized pages
- No web coding skills needed
- Works with any WordPress theme
Thrive Content and Page Builder not only lets you 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 …
(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 being worked on. In addition to the existing templates, expect to see new templates in the future for email lead generation, sales pages, course pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Customize Your Landing Page Template Sets
Typically, to be able to have a fully customizable landing page template, you would need to either hire 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 mess around with 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-built page templates that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that lets you change and customize any element of your page …
The landing page template sets included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Modify text in all headlines, bullet points, buttons, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other component of your landing page
- Change the background image or background colours
- Change the color of links, buttons, text, etc.
- Use your own fonts
- Use your own images and graphics
- Change the size of the content area
- Rearrange the order of page elements
- Translate pages into different languages
- Add custom content inside your pages
- Use pre-designed, customized pages, or create your own landing pages from scratch and save them as new page templates.
(Change and edit any aspect of the page)
Transform Your Site Into A Marketing Machine With Thrive Lightbox
The Thrive plugin combo includes the Thrive Lightbox plugin, which lets you add fully editable two-step opt-in forms and animated objects to your site …
(Add opt-in forms and events to your web pages with Thrive Lightbox)
Thrive Lighbox Two-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process can increase your conversion rates. Visitors click on a button or image, and then they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Visitors click on a button and are presented with an opt-in form)
Thrive Lightbox Event Manager
An “event” consists of a trigger and an action. You can make opt-in forms appear when your visitor clicks or hovers over a button or graphic elements, or when someone reaches a certain point on the page. You can also use the Event Manager to animate images on your pages, using a range of effects (e.g. fade out, slide in from top to bottom, rotate, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your WordPress web site 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.
Feedback From Users
Below are a couple of the testimonials and comments that users have provided for 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”
***
“I’m blown away by the plugin. Keep up the incredible, WordPress changing work, guys! Dean Phillips”
Thrive Content Builder – 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 using the plugin.
You can add WordPress short codes inside Thrive Content Builder or Thrive Landing Pages and they will display correctly when published.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content you build using Thrive Content Builder.
Plugin Support
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder provides 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 upgrades, and one year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a no-risk, 30 day, full refund guarantee.
This is an exciting product for WordPress users that just keeps getting better.
Software 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 Licensing – This license enables you to activate the plugin on 1 site only. Cost includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License Edition – This license option allows you to set up the plugin on all of your personal domains. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Cost = $87.00.
- Agency Licensing – This option enables you to configure the plugin on all of your own web sites and all client domains. Cost includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Cost = $247.00 per year.
Note: The cost of purchasing the product depends on whether there are any promotions or limited-time specials being offered. The above reflects the price at the time this article was written. This may not be the actual price set by the product developer when you visit the site and there may be additional upsells or one-time offers after purchasing.
Check the plugin’s website for the current price here:
Additional Plugin Information
The Thrive Landing Pages and Content 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 the time-saving benefits of ready-made web page elements and template sets that help make designing your pages faster, and on the other hand, you also have complete control over the design process and the freedom to edit everything on your page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, that lets you see how the content you are working on will display after publishing.
For a demo video of the plugin in action, including installation instructions and tutorials, FAQs, support help desk, contact details and more, visit the Thrive website.
In Conclusion …
If you want to edit something, you click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, do it, and you’ll see the change happen immediately. If you want to move something, just drag it and drop it into its new position. There are no overly complicated steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your business online and create awesome marketing pages and engaging content, Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
For more details, check out the plugin here:
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