WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging tool into a tool being used to create all kinds of web sites.
Whatever you can imagine, someone is bound to be already building it with WordPress!
This article will help you discover the fastest way to build stunning content in WordPress.
Drag & Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Does The Default WordPress Visual Editor Meet All Of Your Content Creation Needs?
Using the built-in WordPress visual content editor to create or edit sophisticated web site pages can sometimes be challenging.
(The WordPress content editor is great for adding, formatting and editing conventional text and images, but adding complex content elements can be challenging!)
For example, let’s say you want to create something like the content shown below …
Creating the above content in a page would require adding something that looks like this inside your WordPress content editor …
Generally, this is not really an issue … unless you need to reconfigure the layout (for example, move part of the content from box 3 into box 2, or change the background color in box 2 from red to purple. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with code.
The WordPress editor is supposed to give users an easy-to-use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, but as you can see, if you are creating with complex page elements, what you see on your screen is not the same as what you are getting when the content is published …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some instances, you may even be better off working inside the WordPress html editor tab instead of the WordPress visual editor when trying to add something other than simple layouts …
Even though WordPress is very user-friendly, this makes it difficult for non-technical website owners to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental problem about having to use shortcodes and HTML to create content in the default WordPress WYSIWYG editor can be summarized by asking the following questions:
1) Speed – How long will it take to create a web page using the editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the editor 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 when working in the content editor doesn’t look at all like what you see in the front end. This means that you need to translate mentally what the content will look like when working with complex layouts. Other solutions require several steps before you can start configuring your page layout, or endlessly going back and forth between tabs and performing updates to see how your content is progressing, which interrupts the creative process, as you wait for the new content to refresh.
Many WordPress web developers have come up with different solutions aiming to address this issue. These range from stand alone 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 end up including so many complex page design features, that users end up with complicated-looking front end editors …
Many of these alternative solutions work fine, but they still fail to address the fundamental challenge of 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 your web pages to look “just right” quickly, this can become very frustrating.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like your web content editor to function?
Now that you’ve asked this question, visualize the following scenario …
- You spot something in your content that needs correction so you, simply click on the content and start typing. Your content has been instantly changed.
- You can drag and drop elements around the page, and see them exactly as they will display on the front end without having to mentally abstract from shortcodes or HTML.
- You have an idea for a specific item of content that you would like to create, so you immediately start typing, and your web page gets built as you go, with no delays, with no tab switching, and no waiting for edits to republish and reload.
Would that not be the ideal way to build content for your site? Just click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around the posts and pages?
(Imagine being able to create complex web page layouts quickly 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 And Landing Pages – Click-To-Edit Drag And Drop Content Creator And Editor For WordPress
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a truly intuitive click-to-edit drag and drop content and page editing plugin for WordPress.
Thrive Content Builder is a new and exciting way to speed up the process of adding amazing content to your WordPress website.
Once installed, Thrive Content Builder adds a visual content editor with an item menu that lets you click, then drag and drop design elements to your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new visual content builder to WordPress)
The 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 an in-depth look at all of the above and how all of this powerful functionality works seamlessly together to help you easily transform and improve your site and create awesome marketing pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder Plugin For WordPress
Thrive Content Builder lets you easily add content to your web pages using drag and drop elements …
Every element on your page can be configured, changed and repositioned with “drag and drop” and “click-to-edit” ease …
Once elements have been added to the page, you can then continue to customize or edit them without having to go through additional steps or switching tabs …
The built-in Thrive Landing Pages also lets you work inside beautiful landing pages that can just as easily be edited or customized …
Thrive Content Builder is simple, easy to use, and ideal for all WordPress users at all levels. In fact, designing pages with the Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder plugin installed is so effortlessly easy, 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
Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages were created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another great plugin we’ve previously reviewed on this site.
To read about this plugin, go here:
Plugin Benefits
Here we have listed just some of the benefits and advantages of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up content creation:
Quick And Simple To Install And Set Up. Be Up And Running In No Time.
Thrive Content Builder installs just like every plugin. Simply upload it to your Plugins folder via your admin login and activate.
Edit And Build Content In Real Time
Thrive Content Builder is simple to use and lets you create and add content right inside your web pages in real-time.
A Truly Visual Editor
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see as you work within the editor – fonts, elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what you get in the front end of your site.
Some additional benefits of this plugin include:
- Add Beautiful Layouts With Drag And Drop Ease: Create any type of layout you can imagine with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.
- Customizable Elements Included: With the Thrive Content Builder plugin you not only get a click-to-edit content editor, but the plugin also includes a jaw-dropping collection of design elements that you can use on your pages without using short codes, for e.g.: columns, styled lists, page section dividers, code insert boxes, etc.
- Ideal For Non-Technical Users: Not having to deal with technical stuff, or having to wait for your page to refresh 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.
(Thrive Content Builder lets you easily create, edit and customize page elements like testimonials, flat design elements, borderless content, section dividers, responsive Google map embeds, etc.)
Features
Thrive Content Builder provides many features to web site owners. Below we have listed just some:
- All WordPress Editor Functionality Is Still Available: You have all of the regular content editing options that you are used to (e.g. bold, paragraph formatting, headings and font sizes, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements Menu: The plugin adds a “drag and drop” list of multi-style elements to your post or page screen for creating and editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin includes a range of attention-grabbing and customizable elements that will help you increase your conversions, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonial boxes, and guarantees. In addition to customization options, various elements also offer multiple design options.
- Responsive Page Design: Add mobile-friendly columns, boxes, dividers, e.g. which will display correctly on devices with differently sized screens.
- Add Animation Events To Your Pages: Thrive Content Builder’s 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 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 lets you add conversion-optimized web pages to your website)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money building great-looking landing pages
- 100% conversion-optimized landing page templates
- No technical 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 landing page templates and fully customizable …
(Landing page template sets that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language)
There are currently over 30 templates available, with more templates scheduled for release. In addition to the existing templates, expect to see new templates in the future for email lead generation, sales pages, lesson pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Fully Customizable And Flexible Landing Page Template Sets
Typically, to be able to have a fully 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 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 building conversion-optimized web pages.”
Thrive Landing Pages gives you beautiful pre-built page templates that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that allows you to change or customize any element of your page template …
The landing page templates included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Change text in any button, headline, bullet point, etc.
- Remove text, images or any other element of the landing page
- Replace all background images and edit color
- Edit the color of text, buttons, links, etc.
- Select your own fonts
- Select your own images
- Edit content area size
- Rearrange the order of elements on the pages
- Translate everything on the page into different languages
- Add custom content anywhere inside the pages
- Use pre-designed, customized pages, or create your own from scratch and save them as new web page templates.
(Change and customize any aspect of your page template)
Transform Your WordPress Site Into A Powerful Marketing Machine With Thrive Lightbox Plugin
The Thrive package also includes the Thrive Lightbox plugin, which lets you add fully customizable 2-step opt-in forms and animated objects to your pages …
(Add opt-in forms and animation to your WordPress web site with Thrive Lightbox)
Thrive Lighbox 2-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process helps to increase your conversion rates. Visitors click on a button or image, and then they are presented with your opt-in form …
(When visitors click on the button, they are presented with an opt-in form)
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 page, using various effects (e.g. fade out, slide in from left to right, roll out, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your WordPress website with Thrive Lightbox)
A lightbox and event is created automatically for your landing pages, but you also have complete control over events, triggers and design.
Feedback From Users
Here are just a few of the testimonials and comments that customers 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”
Useful Tips
Thrive Content Builder works with any theme in WordPress, not just with the Thrive Landing Pages plugin. You cannot use Thrive Content Builder to edit content that was not created with the plugin.
You can add shortcodes inside Thrive Content Builder or Thrive Landing Pages and they will be displayed correctly when published.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content you build using Thrive Content Builder.
Thrive Content Builder Plugin Support
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder Plugin comes with free updates, new landing templates 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 lifetime upgrades, and one year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a risk-free, thirty day, complete refund guarantee.
This is an exciting product for WordPress users that will just keep 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 – This license lets you run the plugin on 1 web site only. It includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Cost = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites Edition – This option lets you install the plugin on all of your personal web sites. Price includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Cost = $87.00.
- Agency License – Use on your websites & on client websites. Includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Price = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: Current pricing for the Thrive Content Builder software can vary, depending on whether there are any promotions or limited-time specials being offered. The above reflects the price at the time this review was written. This may not be the actual pricing charged by the software developer 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 Plugin Info
The developers of the Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages plugin 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 page elements and beautiful, conversion-optimized template sets that help to make designing your pages faster, and on the other hand, you also have 100% control over your design process and the freedom to edit anything and everything on your web page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, which lets you see how the content you are working on will display when published.
For a demo video of the plugin, including help documentation and tutorials, FAQs, customer help desk, contact details and more, visit the Thrive Content Builder website.
Our Recommendation …
If you want to edit something, you just click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, do it, and you’ll see the change happen instantly. If you want to move something, simply drag it and drop it into its new position. There are no extra steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your website and create awesome marketing 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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