WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging application to a tool that is now being used to create all kinds of sites.
Whatever you can think of, somewhere around the world someone is probably already building it with WordPress!
This article will help you discover the fastest way to build beautiful web page layouts in WordPress.
Drag And Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Does The WordPress Editor Still Meet All Of Your Content Creation And Editing Needs?
Using the built-in WordPress visual content editor to build or edit complex layouts can be difficult.
(The built-in WordPress WYSIWYG content editor is great for adding, formatting and editing “linear” text and media, but adding more complex layouts can be 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, you would normally have to insert short codes into your content for each of the page elements you want to display …
Typically, this is not really an issue … until you need to reconfigure your layout (for example, move some of the content from box 1 into box 2, or replace the background color inside box 1 from dark green to light blue. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with code inside the content editor.
The WordPress content editor is supposed to give users an easy-to-use WYSIWYG content editor, but as you can see, if you are trying to create complex layouts, what you see in the visual editor may not be the same as what you get …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some instances, users would probably be better off working inside the WordPress text editor tab instead of the WordPress WYSIWYG editor when trying to add something other than simple page elements …
Even though WordPress is very user-friendly, this makes it difficult for users without knowledge of HTML or CSS to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental issue about having to use HTML and shortcodes to create content in the default WordPress visual editor can be summarized as follows:
1) Speed – How long will it take to build a page using this editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the ”back end” resemble the content in the “front end” when you are creating or editing a page?
As you can see from the above, what you see in the back end does not look even remotely similar to what you see in the front end. This means that you have to abstract what your content will look like when working with sophisticated layouts. Other solutions require taking several steps before you can begin configuring your page layout, or endlessly going back and forth between browser tabs and performing updates to see how your content is coming along, which interrupts the creative process, as you wait for the content to load.
A number of WordPress web developers have tried to come up with different solutions to try and address this issue. Some of these range from standalone WP plugins you can install on your site that add new functionality to the editor, to WordPress themes that include built-in features like drag and drop editing …
(WordPress “drag and drop” editors aim to make content creation 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 fine, but they still don’t address the fundamental problem with using HTML and shortcodes as described earlier. Adding and editing sophisticated content elements 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 layouts 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 content editor to behave?
Now that you’ve asked this question, imagine this …
- You see something in the content that needs to be corrected so you, just click on the content and start editing it. Your content has been instantly fixed.
- You just drag and drop items around the page, and see them exactly as they will display on the front end without having to mentally abstract from code.
- You have an idea for an item of content you’d like to add, so you just begin typing, and your page gets built as you go, without delays, with no tab switching, and without waiting for new pages to republish and reload.
Would that not be the ideal way to create content for your web site? A true WYSIWYG content editor where all you have to do is click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around the page?
(Imagine being able to create complex pages ”on the fly” for your web content with no 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 Builder Plugin – Create Stunning Content Faster And Beautiful Web Page Layouts With Drag & Drop Ease In WordPress Sites
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a revolutionary plugin for WordPress that gives you complete control over every aspect of your web page design with true click-to-edit and drag and drop simplicity.
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, the plugin adds a visual content editor and a sidebar menu that lets you drag and drop design elements on your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new 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.
We’ll take an in-depth look at all of the above and how all of this functionality works seamlessly together to help you easily transform and improve your web presence and create amazing marketing pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder – WordPress Plugin
With this plugin installed easily build complex web page design layouts using drag and drop elements …
Everything on your page can be designed using ”click-to-edit” and “drag and drop” …
Once you have placed your elements on a page, you can then easily edit these without having to go through additional steps or opening new option screens …
The built-in functionality of the plugin also lets you build beautiful landing pages and easily edit these …
Thrive Content Builder is simple, easy to use, and ideal for all WordPress users at all levels. In fact, working on content with the Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder plugin installed is so effortlessly easy, that the developers warn that you’ll never look at creating and adding content the same way once you start using it
Go here to learn more about the plugin: Thrive Content Builder
The integrated Thrive Content and Page Builder plugin was created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another terrific plugin that we have written about on this site.
See this page to read more about the plugin:
Plugin Benefits
Here are just some of the many benefits and advantages of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up the process of creating content for your site:
Quick And Simple To Install And Implement. Be Up And Running In Very Little Time.
Thrive Content Builder is quite easy to install. Just upload it to your Plugins folder via your WP dashboard and activate.
Real-Time Content Building And Editing
Thrive Content Builder is very simple to use and lets you create and add content right inside your pages in real-time.
What You See Is Exactly What You Get
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see on the “back end” as you work within the content editor – fonts, visual elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what you get on the front end of your site.
Some additional plugin benefits include:
- Attractive Page Layouts With Drag-And-Drop Ease: Create any kind of layout you can imagine with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.
- Add Customizable Elements With No Short Codes Required: With Thrive Content Builder you not only get an exciting and simple-to-use click-to-edit WordPress content editor, but the plugin also includes a collection of professional design elements that you can use on your web pages without using shortcodes, such as flat design elements, styled lists, testimonials, countdown timers, etc.
- Distraction-Free Content Creation: Not having to deal with technical stuff for the updated content to refresh 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 want done.
(Insert, edit and customize page elements like testimonial boxes, tabbed content, guarantee boxes, buttons, code insert boxes, etc.)
Features
Thrive Content Builder provides website owners many features. Here are just a few:
- Built-In WordPress Editor Functionality Is Preserved: You have all of the built-in text editing options that you are used to (e.g. underlines, centering text, headings and font sizes, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements Menu: The plugin makes a “drag and drop” list of multi-style elements available on your post or page screen for creating or editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin includes various eye-catching and customizable elements that will help you increase your 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.
- Mobile-Friendly Design: Add mobile-friendly columns, guarantee boxes, content dividers, e.g. which will display correctly on different screens.
- Add Animation Events To Pages: The Event Manager feature lets you insert animated page content, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Landing Page Sets
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 gives you conversion-optimized page templates)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Benefits
- Hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money designing and customizing web pages
- 100% conversion-optimized landing page templates
- No web coding skills needed
- Works with all themes
Thrive Landing Pages and Content 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, web 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 thirty 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, training pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Customize Your Landing Page Template
Normally, in order to have a completely customizable landing page template, you would need to either pay 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 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 great-looking pre-built page templates 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 …
With the landing page templates included with this plugin, you can do the following:
- Edit text in any headline, button, bullet point, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other part of your landing page
- Replace the background image or colors
- Change the color of links, buttons, text, etc.
- Use your own fonts
- Use 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 a different language
- Add custom content inside the pages
- Start with a blank page and create your own templates, or even build your own custom landing pages library.
(Change and edit any element of the page)
Transform Your Web Site Into A Marketing Machine With Thrive Lightbox Plugin
The Thrive package also includes the Thrive Lightbox plugin, which lets you add fully editable two-step opt-in forms and events to your web pages …
(Add opt-in forms and events to your marketing pages with Thrive Lightbox)
Thrive Lighbox 2-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process helps increase your conversion rates. Visitors click on an image or button, and then they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Capture more leads and subscribers with a 2-step opt-in process)
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 attention-getting elements on your web pages, using various effects (e.g. zoom out, slide in from right to left, roll out, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your web 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 Plugin Customers
Here are a couple of the testimonials and feedback customers have written 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”
Thrive Content Builder Plugin – Useful Tips
Thrive Content Builder works with any theme in WordPress, not just with Thrive Landing Pages. You cannot use Thrive Content Builder to edit content that was not created using 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 you build with Thrive Content Builder.
Product 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 plugins are well-supported, and users get unlimited updates, and 1 year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a risk-free, 30 day, complete money-back guarantee.
This is an exciting product for WordPress users 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 Licensing – This edition lets you activate the plugin on a single site. Cost includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License – This license lets you set up the plugin on all sites that you own. Pricing includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Cost = $87.00.
- Agency License – Use on all your domains and on client domains. Includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Price = $247.00 per year.
Note: The cost of purchasing this product depends on whether there are any promotions or limited-time specials being offered. The above reflects the pricing at the time this article was published. This may not be the actual pricing set by the product developer when you visit the plugin site 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 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 templates that help to speed up the content creation process, and on the other hand, you also have 100% control over the design process and the ability to edit anything and everything on your page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, which allows you to get things done without having to open multiple dialog boxes.
For a demo video showing plugin usage, including installation instructions and tutorials, FAQs, customer help desk, contact details and more, visit the Thrive website.
Get The Plugin …
If you want to edit something, you click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, do it, and you will see the change happen instantly. If you want to move something, simply drag it and drop it into its new position. There are no overly complicated steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your website and create amazing marketing 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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