WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging tool into a tool that can be used to design all types of pages – landing pages, product showcase pages, local business pages, etc.
Whatever you can imagine, someone is most likely already building it using WordPress!
This article will help you discover the ultimate drag and drop front end builder for WordPress websites.
Drag & Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Is The WordPress Editor Meeting All Of Your Page Design Needs?
Using the WordPress WYSIWYG content editor to create or edit complex content elements can be quite difficult.
(The WordPress WYSIWYG editor is great for adding, formatting and editing conventional text and media, but adding more complex layouts can be quite challenging!)
For example, if you look at the image below …
Adding the above to your content would require adding something like this into your WordPress visual content editor …
Generally, this is not an issue … until you need to change your layout (for example, move part of the content from box 3 into box 2, or change the button in box 2 from red to gray. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with page code.
The WordPress visual content editor is supposed to be an easy-to-use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, but as you can see, if you are working with complex page elements, what you see on your editor screen is not exactly what you get …
(“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 inside the WordPress text editor tab instead of the WordPress WYSIWYG editor when trying to build non-linear layouts …
Even though WordPress is extremely easy to use, this makes it difficult for non-technical website owners to have full control of their own content.
The fundamental problem with using HTML and shortcodes to create content with WordPress can be summarized by asking two questions:
1) Speed – How long does it take to create a page using this editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the editor resemble the “front end” content when you are creating or editing a page?
As you can see from the above, what you see in the content editor doesn’t look even remotely similar to what you see in the front end. This means that users have to mentally translate what the content will look like when working with complex 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 coming along, which can interrupt the creative process, as you wait for your new content to reload.
A number of WordPress developers have come up with a range of solutions with the goal of addressing this issue. These solutions range from WordPress plugins you can install on 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 content easier!)
Some solutions end up combining so many page design features, that users end up with complicated-looking front end content editors …
Many of these alternative editors work, but they fail to address the fundamental challenge of using HTML and shortcodes as described earlier. Creating and adding 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 page 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 to build and edit your pages?
Now that you’ve asked this question, imagine the following …
- You look at your content and if you spot something that needs to be changed, just click on the content and start editing it. Your content has been instantly changed.
- You can just drag and drop items around the page, and the page looks exactly as it will display on the front end without having to mentally translate any HTML or shortcodes.
- You have an idea for a specific piece of content you would like to create, so you simply start typing, and your page gets built as you go, without delays, without tab switching, and without waiting for new web content to refresh.
Would that not be the perfect way to create content for your website? Just click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around your posts and pages?
(Imagine being able to create complex web pages 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 Builder And Landing Pages – Click-To-Edit Drag & Drop Content Creator And Editor For WordPress
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a truly intuitive click-to-edit drag-and-drop content editing plugin for WordPress.
Thrive Content Builder is a new and exciting way to set up conversion-focused pages on your WordPress website.
Once installed, the plugin adds a visual content editor with an item menu that lets you drag and drop design elements on your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new content builder to your WordPress site)
The 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 an in-depth look at each of the above and how all of this functionality works together to help you transform and improve your web presence and create awesome sales pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder – WordPress Click-To-Edit Drag And Drop Content Creator
With Thrive Content Builder easily build complex web page design layouts using drag and drop elements …
Every element on your web page can be configured using simple “drag and drop” and “click-to-edit” …
Once you have positioned elements on your page, you can then customize or edit them without having to go through multiple steps or opening new settings windows …
The built-in Landing Pages editor also lets you create highly attractive landing pages that can also be easily edited …
Thrive Content and Page Builder is simple, easy to use, and ideal for all WordPress users at all levels. In fact, designing pages with the plugin installed is so amazingly easy, that the developers guarantee that once you start using it, you’ll never look back!
More info: Thrive Content Builder
Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages were created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another amazing plugin for WordPress we’ve previously reviewed on this site.
Go here to read about the plugin:
Plugin Benefits
Below we have listed just a few of the benefits of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up the process of creating content for your site:
Ready To Go To Work In Minutes
Thrive Content Builder is very easy to install. Just upload the plugin file to your Plugins folder via your admin user area and activate.
Real-Time Content Building & Editing
Thrive Content Builder is is not only very simple and intuitive to use, it also lets you create content in real-time.
A Truly Visual Content Builder
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see as you work within the editor – typefaces, visual elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what you get on the front end of your site.
Some additional benefits include:
- Stunning Page Layouts With Drag-And-Drop Ease: Create any layout you can imagine with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.
- Customizable Elements Included: With the Thrive Content Builder plugin you not only get a visually exciting drag and drop WordPress content builder, but the plugin also includes a very decent collection of professional design elements that you can add to your content layouts without using shortcodes, like pricing tables, borderless content, section dividers, credit card icons, etc.
- Ideal For Non-Technical Users: Not having to deal with technical stuff for the page to load frees up your attention and allows you to build the pages your business needs, quickly and without having to deal with code or click through multiple steps to get what you want done.
(Easily insert, edit and customize page elements like testimonials, pricing tables, styled lists, section dividers, responsive videos, etc.)
Features
Thrive Content Builder offers website owners many features. Below we have listed just some:
- All Editor Functionality Is Preserved: You have all of the regular text editing options that you are used to (e.g. underlines, centering text, heading styles, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements: The plugin makes a “drag and drop” table of elements available on your post or page screen for creating or editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin includes various attention-grabbing and customizable elements that will help you increase your conversions, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonial boxes, and guarantee forms. In addition to customization options, various elements also offer multiple design options.
- Responsive Element Design: Add responsive elements like column layouts, boxes, dividers, e.g. which will display great on devices with differently sized screens.
- Add Animation Events To Web Pages: The Event Manager feature lets you add animated page content, 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 from initial signup to purchase, product download and more.
(Thrive Landing Pages plugin gives you conversion-optimized web page templates)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time designing and customizing web pages
- 100% conversion-optimized web pages
- No tech skills needed
- Works with any theme
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder not only lets you create beautiful-looking content in your WordPress posts and pages, but you can also choose from dozens of professionally designed, conversion optimized page templates and fully customizable …
(Landing page template sets that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language)
There are currently 30+ templates available, with more templates planned for future release. In addition to the templates shown above, the developers plan to release new templates for email lead generation, sales pages, lesson pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Completely Customizable And Flexible Landing Page Template Sets
Normally, in order to fully customize landing page templates, you would need to either hire a web designer 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 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 great-looking pre-designed web page templates that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that lets you change and customize any aspect of your page templates …
With the landing page template sets included with this plugin, you can:
- Change text in any button, bullet point, headline, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other component of the landing page
- Replace the background image or colour
- Change the color of text, links, buttons, etc.
- Choose your own fonts
- Use your own images and graphics
- Modify content area size
- Rearrange the order of elements on the page
- Translate pages into different languages
- Add any kind of custom content anywhere inside the pages
- Start with a blank page and create your own templates, or even build a custom landing page templates library.
(Change and edit any element of your page templates)
Transform Your Website Into A Marketing Machine With Thrive Lightbox Plugin
The Thrive package includes the Thrive Lightbox plugin, which lets you add fully editable two-step opt-in forms and events to your pages …
(Add lead capture forms and events to your pages with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
Thrive Lighbox 2-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process can increase your conversion rates. When visitors click on a button or image they are presented with your opt-in form …
(2-step opt-in forms help to increase your conversion rates.)
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 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 page, using a range of animation effects (e.g. zoom in, slide in from top to bottom, roll in, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your web pages with Thrive Lightbox)
A lightbox and event is created automatically for your landing pages, but you also have complete control over all events, triggers and design.
User Feedback
Here are a few of the testimonials and feedback that customers have submitted for the Thrive Content Builder plugin:
”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”
***
”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”
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 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 when published.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content built with Thrive Content Builder.
Product 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 software is well-supported, and users get unlimited software updates, and 1 year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a risk-free, 30 day, full money-back guarantee.
This is an exciting product that just keeps getting better.
Software 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 Edition – This allows you to activate the plugin on a single website. It includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License – This allows you to use the plugin on unlimited sites that you own. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Cost = $87.00.
- Agency License Edition – This lets you configure the plugin on all of your own websites and your client sites. Cost includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Price = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: Current pricing for Thrive Content Builder can vary, depending on whether there are any promotions or limited-time specials being offered. The price above was current at the time this article was published. This may or may not be the actual price charged by the product 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 Information
The Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder plugin developers emphatically 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 to speed up content creation, and on the other hand, you have complete control over your design process and the freedom to edit anything and everything on your page, using the plugin’s click-to-edit and drag and drop features, which lets you work unhindered by overly complicated options.
For a demo video showing how the plugin works, including help documentation and tutorials, FAQs, customer helpdesk, contact details and more, visit the plugin 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 can see the change happen instantly. If you want to move something, all you have to do is simply drag it and drop it into its new position. There are no unnecessary steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your business online and create awesome sales pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content, Thrive Content and Landing Page Builder delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
For more information, check out the plugin here:
***