WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging application to a tool that is now used to create all kinds of websites.
Whatever you can think of, somewhere around the world someone is probably already building it with WordPress!
In this article you will discover the most intuitive visual content editor for WordPress.
Drag And Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Is The Default WordPress Visual Editor Still Meeting All Of Your Content Creation And Editing Needs?
Using the default WordPress WYSIWYG content editor to build or edit sophisticated web pages can sometimes be quite challenging.
(The WordPress WYSIWYG editor is great for adding, formatting and editing conventional content, but adding complex layouts can be quite challenging!)
For example, let’s say you want to create something like the content shown below …
To create the above layout, users would normally need to insert shortcodes into the content for every single page element they want to display to visitors …
Normally, this is not really an issue … until you choose to reconfigure your layout (for example, move part of the content from box 3 into box 2, or change the background color inside box 2 from bright red to gold. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with page code.
The WordPress content editor is supposed to provide users with an easy-to-use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, but as you can see, if you are working with more complex content elements, often what you see in the visual editor is not the same as what you get …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some situations, some people argue that you may even be better off working directly inside the WordPress text editor tab instead of the visual editor when trying to build non-linear layouts …
Even though WordPress is extremely easy to use, this makes it hard for WordPress users with no coding skills to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental problem of using HTML and shortcodes to create content in the default WordPress editor can be summarized as follows:
1) Speed – How long does it take to build a web page using the editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the ”back end” match 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 content editor doesn’t look anything 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 taking multiple steps before you can start configuring your page layout, or endlessly switching tabs and performing tweaks and updates to see how your content is coming along, which interrupts the creative process, as you wait for the updates to reload.
A number of WordPress developers have come up with various solutions to try 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 themes that provide 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 page design features, that users need to learn how to work with complicated-looking front end content editors …
Many of these alternative editors work, but they fail to address the fundamental issue of using shortcodes and HTML as described earlier. 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 to build and edit your web content?
Now that you’ve asked this question, visualize this …
- You look at your content and if you spot something that needs fixing, simply click on the content and start editing it. 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 shortcodes or HTML.
- You have an idea for a specific piece of content you would like to create, so you simply begin typing, and your page gets built on the fly, with no delays, without switching tabs, and without having to wait for new content to republish and reload.
Would that not be the ideal way to build content for your website? Just click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around your pages?
(Imagine being able to create complex web page layouts quickly 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 Landing Pages And Content Builder – WordPress Click-To-Edit Drag & Drop Content Creator
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a truly intuitive WordPress click-to-edit drag and drop content building plugin.
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 and an item menu that lets you select, then drag and drop design elements on your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new visual 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 combined into one, plus an additional plugin feature called Thrive Lightbox.
Let’s examine each of the above plugins and how all of this functionality works seamlessly together to help you easily transform and improve your business online and create awesome sales pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder Plugin For WordPress
With this plugin installed easily add content to your web pages and build complex page layouts using drag and drop elements …
Everything on your web page can be designed and edited by ”clicking-to-edit” and “dragging and dropping” things around the page …
Once elements have been positioned on the page, you can then easily customize these without going through additional steps or switching screens …
The built-in functionality of the plugin also lets you create beautiful landing pages that can also be easily customized …
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder is simple, easy to use, and ideal for all WordPress users at all levels. In fact, working on content with the plugin installed is so amazingly simple, that the developers guarantee that you’ll never look at the process of creating content the same way once you start using it
More info: Thrive Content Builder
The integrated Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder plugin was created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another terrific plugin we’ve previously recommended on this site.
To read more about the plugin, see this article:
Benefits Of Using Thrive Content Builder And Landing Pages Plugin
Below we have listed just some of the many benefits of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up content creation:
Quick And Simple To Install And Configure. Ready To Go To Work In Very Little Time.
Thrive Content Builder installs just like any WordPress plugin. Just upload the plugin file to your Plugins folder via your WordPress admin user account and activate.
Real-Time Content Content Creation
Thrive Content Builder is simple and intuitive to use and lets you create content in real-time.
What You See Is Exactly What You Get
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see on the “backend” as you work within the editor – fonts, visual elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what you get in the front end of your site.
Additional benefits and advantages include the following:
- Attractive Page Layouts With Drag-And-Drop Ease: Create any kind of layout you can imagine with drag and drop ease.
- Customizable Elements Included: With Thrive Content Builder you not only get a visually exciting click-to-edit content builder, but the plugin also includes a very decent collection of customizable web design elements that you can add to your layouts without using shortcodes, for e.g.: tabbed content, styled lists, call to action buttons, credit card icons, etc.
- Ideal For Non-Technical Users: Not having to wait for your updated content to load 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.
(Easily insert, edit and customize web page elements like testimonial boxes, flat design elements, borderless content, call to action buttons, responsive Google maps, etc.)
Plugin Features
Thrive Content Builder offers WordPress users a number of powerful features. Here are just some of those:
- Built-In WordPress Editor Functionality Is Still Available: You have access to all of the built-in text editing options that you are used to (e.g. underlines, paragraph formatting, headings and 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 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 your sales conversions, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonial boxes, and guarantees. In addition to customization options, multiple design options are also available for various elements.
- Responsive Design: Add mobile-friendly columns, guarantee boxes, content dividers, e.g. which will resize and display correctly on different device screens.
- Add Animation Events To Your Web Pages: Thrive Content Builder’s Event Manager feature lets you create animated page content, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your 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 gives you conversion-optimized page templates)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Benefits
- Hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time building great-looking pages
- 100% conversion-optimized landing pages
- No technical skills required
- Works with any theme
Thrive Content and Page Builder not only lets you create beautiful-looking 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 30+ templates available, with more templates scheduled for future 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.
Fully Customizable Landing Page Template Sets
Normally, to be able to have a completely 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 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 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 attractive pre-built web pages that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that allows you to change and customize any element of the page template …
The landing page templates included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Edit text in all buttons, headlines, bullet points, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other part of the landing page
- Change the background image and background colors
- Edit the color of links, buttons, text, etc.
- Choose your own fonts
- Select your own images
- Edit the size of the content area
- Change the order of page elements
- Translate pages into different languages
- Add any type of custom content anywhere inside your pages
- Start with a blank web page and create your own templates, or even build a custom landing pages library.
(Change and customize any element of your page template)
Transform Your Site Into A Powerful Marketing Machine With Thrive Lightbox
The Thrive package also includes the Thrive Lightbox plugin, which lets you add fully customizable two-step opt-in forms and animated elements to your website …
(Add lead capture forms and animated elements to your pages with Thrive Lightbox)
Thrive Lighbox 2-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process helps to increase your conversion rates. When visitors click on an image or button they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Capture more leads and subscribers with a 2-step opt-in process)
Thrive Lightbox Event Manager
An “event” consists of a trigger and an action. You can make opt-in forms appear when when visitors click or hover 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 various effects (e.g. zoom in, slide in from left to right, roll in, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your pages with Thrive Lightbox)
A lightbox and event is created automatically for your landing pages, but you also have complete control over the events, triggers and design.
User Testimonials
Below are some of the testimonials and feedback users have published about 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”
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”Great stuff! I am really impressed by all the new additions. You guys have shown a true commitment to making these themes and the Content Builder awesome. Michael Johnson”
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 on pages or posts that were not created with the plugin installed.
You can add short codes inside the Content Builder or Landing Pages plugin and they will display correctly on the front end.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content built using Thrive Content Builder.
Thrive Content Builder Support
Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages Plugin provides 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 really well-supported, and users get unlimited software upgrades, plus one year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a no-risk, 30 day, complete refund guarantee.
This is an exciting product that just keeps 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 Edition – This enables you to install the plugin on a single site. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites Edition – This edition enables you to run the plugin on all of your personal sites. Cost includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Price = $87.00.
- Agency License – This edition enables you to run 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: Current pricing for this product depends on whether there are any promotions or limited-time special offers. The pricing shown above was correct when this content was published. This may or may not be the actual price set by the product author when you visit the site and there may be additional upsells or one-time offers after purchasing.
Check the plugin’s website for current pricing details:
Additional Info
The Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages 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 beautiful, pre-designed template sets that help to speed up content design, and on the other hand, you have 100% control over the design process and the ability to edit and customize everything on your page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, that allows you to get things done without having to go through multiple steps.
For a demo video showing how the plugin works, including installation instructions and tutorials, FAQs, support helpdesk, contact details and more, visit the Thrive website.
The Bottom Line …
If you want to edit something, you 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, all you need to do is simply drag it and drop it into its new position. There are no additional steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your business online and create amazing marketing pages and engaging content, Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
For complete details, visit the plugin website here:
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