WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging tool into a tool that can be used to design all types of pages – direct sales pages, portfolio pages, business pages, etc.
Whatever you can imagine, somewhere around the world someone is most likely already building it with WordPress!
In this article you will discover how to create beautiful page layouts with drag & drop ease in WordPress websites.
Drag & Drop Content Editors For WordPress
The WordPress Visual Editor – Is There An Easier Way To Create And Edit Content In WordPress?
Using the WordPress editor to create or edit sophisticated page layouts can be quite challenging.
(The WordPress visual content editor is great for adding, formatting and editing “linear” content, but adding more complex content elements can be quite challenging!)
For example, let’s say you want to create something like the layout shown below …
To create the above boxes with text and buttons, users would normally have to add shortcodes to the content for every element they want to create …
Normally, this is not really an issue … unless you choose to change the layout (for example, move part of the content from box 1 into box 2, or replace the background color in box 1 from red to light blue. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with page code or html.
The WordPress content editor is supposed to give users an easy-to-use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) content editor, but as you can see, if you are trying to edit complex content elements, often what you see may not be the same as what you are getting when the web page gets published …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some instances, some people argue that you could even be better off working directly with the source html itself instead of the WordPress visual editor when trying to build fancy layouts …
Even though WordPress is extremely easy to use, this makes it difficult for users with no knowledge of HTML or CSS to have full control of their own content.
The fundamental problem 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 editor match the content in the “front end” when you are creating or editing a page?
As you can see from the above image, what you see when working in the content editor does not look even remotely similar to what you see in the front end. This means that you have to abstract what the content will look like when working with sophisticated layouts. Other solutions require several steps before you can begin configuring your page layout, or endlessly switching tabs and performing updates to see how your content is coming along, which interrupts the creative process, as you wait for the updates to load.
Many WordPress web developers have come up with a range of solutions aiming to address this issue. These solutions range from WP 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 combining so many complex page-building features, that users end up with complicated-looking front end editors …
Many of these solutions work fine, but they don’t address the fundamental problem with using shortcodes and HTML as described earlier. Creating and adding 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 builder to function?
Now that you’ve asked this question, imagine the following scenario …
- You spot something in your content that needs to be corrected so you, simply click on the content and start editing it. Your content is instantly fixed.
- You can drag and drop elements on the page, and see them exactly as they will display on the front end without having to mentally translate code.
- You have an idea for an item of content you would like to create, so you immediately start typing, and your page gets built as you go, with no delays, no tab switching, and no waiting for new web pages to resave and reload.
Would this not be the perfect way to build content for your web site? A true visual content builder where all you have to do is click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around the pages and posts?
(Imagine being able to create complex web pages in real-time for your web content without 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 – The Most Intuitive WYSIWYG Content Editor For WordPress
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a ground-breaking plugin for WordPress that allows users to easily add amazing content to WordPress posts and pages with a true WYSIWYG click-to-edit and drag and drop content editor.
The Thrive Content Builder plugin is a new and exciting way to set up conversion-focused pages on any WordPress website.
Once installed, Thrive Content Builder adds a visual content editor and a sidebar menu that lets you click, then drag and drop design elements on your web 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.
Let’s examine each of the above and how these exciting features work 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 Plugin For WordPress
You can easily build complex web page design layouts using drag and drop elements …
Every aspect of your web page can be designed using simple ”click-to-edit” and “drag and drop” …
Once elements have been positioned on your page, you can continue to further customize them without having to go through additional steps or complicated configuration screens …
The built-in Thrive Landing Pages also lets you create beautiful landing pages that can also be easily edited …
Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages is simple, easy to use, and ideal for all WordPress users at all levels. In fact, designing web pages with Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages installed is so effortlessly simple, that the developers warn that you’ll never look back once you start using it
More info: Thrive Content Builder
The integrated Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder plugin was created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another great plugin for WordPress we’ve written about on this site.
To read more about this plugin, go here:
Benefits
Below we have listed just a few of the benefits of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up the process of designing pages and creating content for your WordPress web site:
Fast And Easy To Install And Use. Ready To Go To Work In Minutes.
Thrive Content Builder is quite easy to install. Simply upload the plugin file to your Plugins folder via your WP dashboard and activate.
Real-Time Content Content Creation
Thrive Content Builder is is not only very simple to use, it also lets you create, edit and add content to your pages in real-time.
What You See Is Really What You Get
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see as you work within the editor – typefaces, visual elements, layouts, etc. is exactly what you get in the front end of your site.
Additional benefits of using this plugin include the following:
- Eye-Catching Page Layouts With Drag-And-Drop Ease: Create any layout you can imagine with drag and drop ease.
- Design Elements Included: With the Thrive Content Builder plugin you not only get a visually exciting drag and drop content editor, but the plugin also includes an impressive collection of functional and eye-catching design elements that you can add to your layouts without using shortcodes, like columns, borderless content, call to action buttons, responsive videos, etc.
- Ideal For Non-Technical Users: Not having to deal with technical stuff, or wait for your updated content to refresh frees up your attention and allows you to be more focused while you work or click through multiple steps to get what you want done.
(Insert, edit and customize page elements like testimonial boxes, flat design elements, styled lists, dividers, countdown timers, etc.)
Plugin Features
Thrive Content Builder offers website owners many great features. Below we have listed just some of those features:
- Regular WordPress Content Functionality Is Still Available: You have access to all of the built-in WordPress content editing options that you are used to (e.g. underlines, paragraph centering, headings, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Multi-Style Elements: The plugin makes a “drag and drop” table of multi-style elements available on your post or page screen for editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin includes a range of attention-grabbing and customizable elements that will help you increase the effectiveness of your sales pages, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonials, and guarantees. In addition to customization options, various elements also offer multiple design options.
- Responsive Web Element Design: Add mobile-friendly elements like column layouts, text boxes, dividers, e.g. which will display correctly on different-sized screens.
- Add Animation To Pages: Thrive Content Builder’s Event Manager feature lets you add animated page content, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your 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 lets you add conversion-optimized pages to your website)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money building and customizing web pages for your website
- 100% conversion-optimized page templates
- No web coding skills required
- Works with any theme
Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages not only lets you create beautiful content in your WordPress posts and pages, but you can also choose from dozens of beautifully designed, conversion optimized landing page templates and fully customizable …
(Landing page sets that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language)
There are currently over thirty templates available, with more templates planned for release. In addition to the existing templates, the developers plan to release new web page templates for email lead generation, sales pages, training pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Fully Customizable Landing Page Template Sets
Typically, to be able to have a fully customizable landing page template, you would need to either hire a web site developer to do the work, or learn how to code web pages 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 mess around with 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 creating conversion-optimized web pages.”
Thrive Landing Pages gives you attractive 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 …
The landing page templates included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Change text in all headlines, buttons, bullet points, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other element of the landing page
- Replace all background images and edit color
- Change the color of buttons, links, text, etc.
- Select your own fonts
- Use your own images and graphics
- Modify content area size
- Change the order of elements on your pages
- Translate pages into a different language
- Add custom content inside any of the pages
- Use pre-designed, customized pages, or create your own landing pages from scratch and save them as new web page templates.
(Change and customize any element of your page)
Thrive Lightbox – Transform Your Website Into A Marketing Machine
The Thrive plugin combo also includes the Thrive Lightbox plugin, which lets you add fully customizable 2-step opt-in forms and animated elements to your site …
(Add opt-in forms and animation to your WordPress website with Thrive Lightbox)
Thrive Lighbox 2-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process can help improve your conversion rates. When visitors click on an image or button 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 your visitor clicks or hovers 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 page, using various effects (e.g. fade out, slide in from left to right, roll in, 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 all events, triggers and design.
User Feedback
Here are some of the testimonials and feedback that users have provided for Thrive Content Builder:
“I have had nothing but the best experience imaginable with this tool since I purchased it. This is by far one of, if not the best plug-in I have purchase to date and it has definitely made working with WordPress a whole new experience. Jim Bond”
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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 – Useful Tips
Thrive Content Builder works with any WordPress theme, not just with the Thrive Landing Pages plugin. You cannot use Thrive Content Builder to edit content on existing pages or posts that were not created with the plugin installed.
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 using Thrive Content Builder.
Thrive Content Builder Support
Thrive Content and Landing Page 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 very well-supported, and users get lifetime upgrades, plus one 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 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 License – This allows you to use the plugin on one site only. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Cost = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites Licensing – This edition lets you set up the plugin on unlimited sites that you own. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Price = $87.00.
- Agency License – This license option lets you install the plugin on all of your own domains and any client sites. Includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Cost = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: The cost to purchase Thrive Content Builder can vary, depending on whether there are any promotions or limited-time special offers. The price above was correct at the time this review was published. This may or may not be the actual price set by the product author 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 the latest pricing details:
Additional Information
The developers of the Thrive Content and Page Builder 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 the time-saving benefits of ready-made page elements and beautiful, conversion-optimized templates that help speed up page design and content creation, and on the other hand, you have complete control over the design process and the ability to change and customize anything and everything on your page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, that lets you see exactly how the content you are working on will display after publishing.
For a demo video of the plugin, including help documentation and tutorials, FAQs, customer helpdesk, contact details and more, visit the Thrive plugins website.
Get The Plugin …
If you want to edit something, simply click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, you will see the change happen instantly. If you want to move something, simply 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 amazing sales pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content, Thrive Content Builder delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
For full details, visit the plugin website here:
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