WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging application into a tool being used to create all types of sites.
Whatever you can think of, someone is bound to be already building it with WordPress!
In this article you will discover the simplest, most intuitive WYSIWYG content editor for WordPress web sites.
Drag And Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Does The WordPress Editor Still Meet All Of Your Web Design Needs?
Using the default WordPress content editor to create or edit sophisticated web site pages can sometimes be difficult for non-technical website owners.
(The built-in WordPress WYSIWYG content editor is great for adding, formatting and editing conventional content, but adding more complex page elements can be quite challenging!)
For example, let’s say you want to create something like the content shown below …
To create the above boxes with text and buttons, users would need to add shortcodes to the content for every element they would like to display on the web page …
Normally, this is not an issue … until you choose to edit an integral aspect of the layout (for example, move part of the content from box 1 into box 2, or replace the button in box 2 from bright red to light blue. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with code.
The WordPress visual content editor is supposed to provide users with an easy-to-use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) content editor, but as you can see, if you are working with complex layouts, often what you see on your editor screen may not be 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 html editor tab instead of the WYSIWYG editor when trying to create fancy layouts …
Even though WordPress is the most user-friendly CMS platform available, this makes it hard for non-technical users to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental challenge about having to use HTML and shortcodes to create content in the default WordPress visual editor can be summarized by asking 2 questions:
1) Speed – How long will it take to create a page using this 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 in the content editor doesn’t look at all like what you see in the front end. This means that you have to translate mentally what the content will look like when working with complex layouts. Other solutions require multiple steps before you can begin configuring your page layout, or endlessly switching browser tabs and performing tweaks and updates to see how your content is coming along, which can interrupt the creative process, as you wait for for your updated content to load.
Many WordPress developers have tried to come up with various solutions to address this issue. Some of these range from standalone 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 layouts easier!)
Some solutions combine so many complex page-building features, that users end up with complicated-looking front end editors …
Many of these alternative editors work, but they don’t really seem to address the fundamental problem with using shortcodes and HTML as described earlier. Creating and adding sophisticated content elements 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 page content to look “just right” quickly, this can become really frustrating.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like your content editor to behave?
Now, imagine this …
- You spot something in the content that needs changing so you, simply click on the content and start typing. Your content is instantly fixed.
- You simply drag and drop items on the page, and the page looks exactly as it will display on the front end without having to mentally abstract from HTML or shortcodes.
- You have an idea for some content you would like to create, so you immediately begin typing, and you build your web page on the fly, with no delays, without switching of tab browsers, and without having to wait for new content to reload.
Would this not be the ideal way to build content for your website? A true WYSIWYG content builder where all you have to do is click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around your page?
(Imagine being able to create complex 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 Content And Landing Page Builder
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a truly intuitive click-to-edit drag and drop content creator and editor for WordPress.
Thrive Content Builder provides WordPress users with a new and exciting way to set up conversion-focused pages on any WordPress web site.
Once installed, Thrive Content Builder adds a visual content editor and a sidebar menu that lets you select, then drag and drop elements on your web page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new visual content editor to WordPress)
The Thrive Content And Landing Page Builder 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.
We will take a look at all of the above plugins and how these features work 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 For WordPress
You can easily build complex web page design layouts using drag and drop elements …
Every aspect of your page can be designed by dragging and dropping things around the page and then clicking to edit them …
Once you have positioned your elements on a page, you can continue to further edit or customize these without having to go through multiple steps or complicated option windows …
The built-in functionality of the plugin also lets you work inside stunning landing pages and easily customize 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 the plugin installed is so effortlessly simple, 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 Content Builder and Landing Pages plugin was created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another terrific plugin we’ve reviewed on this site.
Go here to learn more about this plugin:
Benefits Of Using Thrive Landing Pages And Content Builder Plugin
Below are just some of the benefits and advantages of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up content creation:
Be Up And Running In Very Little Time
Thrive Content Builder is really easy to install. Simply upload a zip folder that contains the plugin to your Plugin folder via your WP dashboard and activate.
Edit Content In Real Time
Thrive Content Builder is is not only very simple to use, it also lets you create and add content to your pages 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, visual elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what your visitors will see on the front end of your site.
Additional plugin benefits include the following:
- Add Stunning Layouts With Drag And Drop Ease: Create any type of layout you can imagine with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.
- Add Customizable Elements With No Short Codes Involved: With the Thrive Content Builder plugin you not only get a drag and drop content editor, but the plugin also includes a very decent collection of customizable web design elements that you can insert into your pages without using shortcodes, for e.g.: content toggle, star ratings for review pages, dividers, responsive Google map embeds, etc.
- Distraction-Free Content Creation: Not having to deal with technical stuff for the content to refresh frees up your attention and allows you to build the web pages your business needs, quickly and without having to mess with code or click through multiple layers of menus to get what you need done.
(Insert, edit and customize page elements like testimonials, pricing tables, text boxes, dividers, code insert boxes, etc.)
Plugin Features
Thrive Content Builder offers a number of features to WordPress users. Here are just some:
- Regular WordPress Content Functionality Is Still Available: You have access to all of the built-in WordPress text editing options that you are used to (e.g. bold, justified text, heading styles, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements: The plugin adds a “drag and drop” table of multi-style elements to your post or page screen for 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, testimonials, and guarantee forms. In addition to customization options, multiple design options are also available for various elements.
- Responsive Element Design: Add mobile-friendly elements like columns, text boxes, section dividers, e.g. which will display great on devices with differently sized screens.
- Add Animation Events To Pages: Thrive Content Builder’s Event Manager feature lets you create animated content elements, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Web Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages – Landing Page Sets
Landing page template sets are web 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 gives you access to conversion-optimized page templates)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time building gorgeous web pages for your WordPress web site
- 100% conversion-optimized web pages
- No technical skills required
- Works with any theme
Thrive Content and Landing 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 professionally designed, conversion optimized web page templates 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 release. In addition to the available templates, the developers plan to release new page templates for email lead generation, sales pages, training pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Completely Customizable And Flexible Landing Page Template
Typically, to be able to have a fully customizable landing page template, you would need to either hire a web 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 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 building conversion-optimized web pages.”
Thrive Landing Pages gives you beautiful pre-designed web pages that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that lets you change or edit any element of your page templates …
The landing page template sets included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Modify text in all headlines, buttons, bullet points, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other component of your landing page
- Replace any background images and edit color
- Edit the color of links, text, buttons, etc.
- Select your own fonts
- Select your own images
- Edit content area size
- Change the order of elements on your pages
- Translate everything on the page into a different language
- Add any type of custom content anywhere in the pages
- Start with a blank web page and create your own page templates, or even build your own custom landing page templates library.
(Change and customize any element of your page)
Thrive Lightbox – Transform Your Site Into A Powerful Marketing Machine
The Thrive plugin package also includes the Thrive Lightbox plugin, which lets you add fully customizable 2-step opt-in forms and events to your web site …
(Add lead capture forms and events to your marketing pages with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
Thrive Lighbox Two-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process can help improve your conversion rates. Visitors click on an image or button, and then they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Opt-in forms can 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 their mouse 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 web pages, using a range of animation effects (e.g. fade out, slide in from bottom to top, roll in, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your 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 some of the testimonials that plugin customers have published about the Thrive Content Builder plugin:
”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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”Your stuff is beautifully designed, fast and has great options for marketers that you just don’t see with other themes. Great, great job! Absolutely love Thrive! David Coleman”
Useful 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 existing pages or posts that were not created with the plugin.
You can add short codes inside the Content Builder or Landing Pages plugin and they will be displayed correctly when published.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content built with Thrive Content Builder.
Support
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder Plugin 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 plugins are very well-supported, and users get unlimited software upgrades, plus 1 year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a risk-free, thirty day, 100% money-back guarantee.
This is an exciting product that just keeps getting better.
Product Cost
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 enables you to activate the plugin on a single site. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites Edition – This enables you to run the plugin on all websites that you own. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Price = $87.00.
- Agency Edition – This edition enables you to install the plugin on all of your own web sites and any client domains. Includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Cost = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: The price of this product depends on whether there are any promotions or limited-time special offers. Presently, the plugin is being retailed for the prices shown above. This may not be the actual price set by the product seller when you visit the product 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 Information
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 the time-saving benefits of ready-made page elements and beautiful, conversion-optimized templates 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 and customize everything on your web page, using the plugin’s click-to-edit and drag and drop features, which lets you work unhindered by overly complicated options.
For demo videos showing plugin usage, including help documentation and tutorials, FAQs, customer help desk, contact details and more, visit the plugin website.
We Recommend …
If you want to edit something, you just click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, you can see the change happen immediately. If you want to move something, all you need to do is drag it and drop it into its new position. There are no additional steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your web site and create awesome sales 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:
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