WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging application to a tool being used to design all types of web pages – landing pages, portfolio pages, business pages, etc.
Whatever you can imagine, someone is probably already building it using WordPress!
In this article you will discover the simplest way to create stunning content in WordPress web sites.
Drag & Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Is The Default WordPress Content Editor Still Meeting All Of Your Content Creation Needs?
With all the many developments that the WordPress platform has gone through in recent years, many WordPress users feel that the WordPress editor is not really suitable for creating or editing sophisticated page layouts.
(The WordPress WYSIWYG editor is great for adding, formatting and editing conventional text and images, but adding more complex layouts can be quite challenging!)
For example, let’s say you want to create something like the layout shown below …
To create the above in a page would require adding something that looks like this inside the WordPress visual editor …
Normally, this is not an issue … unless you choose to reconfigure your layout (for example, move part of the content from box 1 into box 2, or replace the background colour in box 3 from red to light green. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with code inside the editor.
The WordPress editor is supposed to be an easy-to-use WYSIWYG content editor, but as you can see, if you are working with complex layouts, what you see in the visual editor is not the same as what you are going to get when the web page goes live …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some situations, users could be better off working inside the text editor tab instead of the WYSIWYG editor when trying to build fancy layouts …
Even though WordPress is extremely easy to use, this makes it difficult for WordPress site owners with no coding skills to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental issue of using shortcodes and HTML to create content in WordPress can be summarized as follows:
1) Speed – How long will it take to build a page using the editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the ”back end” resemble 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 back end doesn’t look at all 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 sophisticated layouts. Other solutions require taking multiple 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 interrupt the creative process, as you wait for for your updated content to reload.
A number of WordPress developers have come up with different solutions with the objective of making the visual editor easier. These range from WordPress plugins you can add to 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 end up including so many page-building features, that users need to learn how to work with complicated-looking front end editors …
Many of these alternative editors work fine, but they still fail to address the fundamental problem with using HTML and shortcodes 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 layouts quickly, this can start to become very frustrating after a while.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like your content editor to work?
Now, imagine this …
- You look at your content and if you see something that needs correction, simply click on the content and start writing. Your content is instantly edited.
- You just drag and drop elements on the page, and the page looks exactly as it will appear on the front end without having to mentally abstract from shortcodes or HTML.
- You have an idea for some content that you would like to create, so you just start typing, and your page gets built as you go, with no delays, without switching of tab browsers, and without waiting for new pages to resave and reload.
Would that not be the perfect way to create content for your web site? Just click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around the pages?
(Imagine being able to create complex web page layouts in real-time 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 – Create Stunning Content Faster With Drag & Drop Ease In WordPress Websites
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a revolutionary plugin for WordPress that gives you total control over every aspect of your content layout using true click-to-edit and drag and drop simplicity.
Thrive Content Builder provides you with a new and incredibly easy 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 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 merged into one, plus an additional plugin feature called Thrive Lightbox.
We will take a look at each of the above and how these exciting features work together to help you transform and improve your site and create awesome marketing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder Plugin For WordPress
This plugin lets you easily add content to your web pages and build complex page layouts using drag and drop elements …
Every element on your page can be created by ”clicking-to-edit” and “dragging and dropping” things around the page …
Once elements have been positioned on a page, you can then continue to customize these without having to go through additional steps or switching tabs …
You can also work inside stunning landing pages that can also be easily customized …
Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages 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 warn that you’ll never look back once you start using it
For more details, visit the plugin site here: Thrive Content Builder
Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages were created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another fantastic plugin for WordPress that we have recommended on this site.
To learn more about this plugin, go here:
Benefits
Here we have listed just a few of the benefits of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up your page design and content creation process:
Ready To Start Using In Minutes
Thrive Content Builder is quite easy to install. Just upload a zip folder containing the plugin to your Plugins folder via your administrator area and activate.
Real-Time Content Content Editing
Thrive Content Builder is is not only very simple and intuitive to use, it also lets you create and edit content in real-time.
A Truly Visual Content Builder
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see as you work within the editor – fonts, visual elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what you get on the front end of your site.
Some additional benefits and advantages include the following:
- Beautiful Page Layouts With Drag-And-Drop Ease: Create any kind of layout you can imagine with drag-and-drop ease.
- Add Design Elements With No Short Codes Involved: With Thrive Content Builder you not only get an amazing click-to-edit WordPress content editor, but the plugin also includes a jaw-dropping collection of web design elements that you can insert into your content layouts without using shortcodes, such as tabbed content, styled lists, testimonials, responsive Google map embeds, etc.
- Ideal For Non-Technical Users: Not having to constantly switch tabs as you edit content and then wait for the new 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 layers of menus to get what you want done.
(Add, edit and customize web page elements like testimonial boxes, flat design elements, content reveal feature, call to action buttons, code insert boxes, etc.)
Thrive Content Builder Features
Thrive Content Builder offers website owners many features. Below we have listed just some:
- Regular Content Editor Functionality Is Still Available: You have access to all of the regular content editing options that you are used to (e.g. bold formatting, centering text, headings, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements Menu: The plugin adds a “drag and drop” list of multi-style elements to your post or page screen when creating and editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin comes with various 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 guarantees. In addition to customization options, various elements also offer multiple design options.
- Responsive Design: Add responsive elements like columns, guarantee boxes, section dividers, e.g. which will display correctly on all different kinds of devices.
- Add Animation Events To Web Pages: Thrive Content Builder’s Event Manager feature lets you create animations, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – 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 all the way from signup to purchase, product download and more.
(Thrive Landing Pages plugin lets you easily add conversion-optimized pages to your website)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money designing and customizing web pages for your web site
- 100% conversion-optimized landing pages
- No coding skills required
- Works with all WordPress 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, conversion optimized web page templates and fully customizable …
(Landing page sets that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language)
There are over thirty templates available, with more templates scheduled for future release. In addition to the available 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
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 web coding languages like HTML and CSS 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 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 attractive pre-designed page templates that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that lets you change or edit anything on your page templates …
The landing page template sets included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Edit text in any button, headline, bullet point, etc.
- Remove text, images or any other part of your landing page
- Change the background image or colors
- Edit the color of text, buttons, links, etc.
- Choose your own fonts
- Select your own images and graphics
- Modify the size of the content area
- Change the order of web page elements
- Translate pages into different languages
- Add any type of custom content anywhere inside your pages
- Start with a blank page and create your own page templates, or even build a custom landing page templates library.
(Change or edit anything on your page template)
Thrive Lightbox – Transform Your Web Site Into A Powerful Marketing Machine
The Thrive plugin package also includes the Thrive Lightbox plugin, which lets you add fully editable two-step opt-in forms and animated elements to your pages …
(Add opt-in forms and animated objects to your WordPress site with Thrive Lightbox)
Two-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process helps increase your conversion rates. When visitors click on an image or button they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Opt-in forms help improve your conversion rates.)
Thrive Lightbox 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 in, slide in from bottom to top, rotate, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your WordPress web site with Thrive Lightbox)
A lightbox and event is created automatically for your landing pages, but you also have complete control over your events, triggers and design.
User Testimonials
Here are some of the testimonials that plugin users have provided 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”
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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”
Plugin Tips
Thrive Content Builder works with any theme in WordPress, not just with Thrive Landing Pages. Note, however, that you cannot use Thrive Content Builder to edit content that was 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 Content and Page Builder Plugin provides free updates, new landing pages and upcoming features. The plugin developers are constantly working on adding new features and improving existing ones.
Thrive products are very well-supported, and users get unlimited software updates, plus one year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a no-risk, 30 day, complete refund guarantee.
This is an exciting product for WordPress users that will just keep 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 License Edition – This edition allows you to configure the plugin on a single website. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Cost = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License – This license option allows you to set up the plugin on all of your personal sites. Pricing includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Cost = $87.00.
- Agency Licensing – This license option enables you to install the plugin on all of your own sites and your client domains. Price includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Cost = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: Current pricing for the Thrive Content Builder product depends on whether there are any promotions or limited-time specials being offered. Currently, the plugin sells for the pricing shown above. This may not be the actual price set by the product developer when you visit the product site and there may be additional upsells or one-time offers after your purchase.
Check the plugin’s website for the current pricing here:
Additional Information
The Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages 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 time-saving features like ready-made page elements and beautiful, pre-designed templates that help speed up your content creation, and on the other hand, you have 100% control over your design process and the ability to change everything on your page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, that lets you work unhindered by overly complicated options.
For ”how-to” videos of the plugin, including help documentation and tutorials, FAQs, customer help desk, contact details and more, visit the Thrive website.
The Bottom Line …
If you want to edit something, just click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, you can see the change happen instantly. If you want to move something, you drag it and drop it into its new location. There are no additional steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your website and create awesome sales pages and content, this plugin delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
For more details, visit the plugin website:
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