WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging tool to a tool that is now used to create all kinds of websites.
Whatever you can imagine, someone is most likely already building it with WordPress!
This article will help you discover how to create stunning content and design beautiful page layouts with drag & drop ease in WordPress.
Drag & Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Does The Default WordPress Editor Meet All Of Your Content Creation And Editing Needs?
With so many improvements that the WordPress platform has gone through in recent years, many WordPress developers feel that the WordPress editor is lagging behind all of the other developments being made to the software.
(The WordPress WYSIWYG content editor is great for adding, formatting and editing conventional content, but adding complex page elements can be quite challenging!)
For example, if you look at the screenshot below …
To create the above layout, you would normally have to add shortcodes to the content for every page element you want to display on your web page …
Normally, this is not an issue … until you decide to change the layout (for example, move some of the content from box 3 into box 2, or change the background colour in box 1 from dark green to gold. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with code inside the editor.
The WordPress visual editor is supposed to provide non-technical users with an easy-to-use WYSIWYG editor, but as you can see, if you are working with complex content elements, often what you see in the WordPress content editor is not what you get …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some situations, you may even be better off working inside the WordPress text editor tab instead of the visual editor when trying to add non-linear page elements …
Even though WordPress is the most user-friendly CMS platform available, this makes it difficult for WordPress users with no knowledge of HTML or CSS to have full control of their own content.
The fundamental problem of using HTML and shortcodes to create content with WordPress can be summarized by asking the following questions:
1) Speed – How long does it take to create a web page using this editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the ”back end” match the content in the “front end” when you are creating or editing a page?
As you can see from the above screenshot, what you see in the content editor looks nothing like what you see in the front end. This means that users need to abstract what the content will look like when working with sophisticated layouts. Other solutions require multiple 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 coming along, which can interrupt the creative process, as you wait for your updated content to reload.
A number of WordPress web developers have come up with a range of solutions aiming to make the visual editor easier. Some of these solutions range from WordPress plugins you can add to your site that add new functionality to the editor, to WP themes that provide built-in features like drag and drop editing …
(WordPress “drag and drop” editors aim to make creating complex layouts easier!)
Some solutions end up requiring so many page-building features, that users end up with complicated-looking front end content editors …
Many of these alternative editors work fine, but they fail to address the fundamental issue of using HTML and shortcodes as described earlier. Creating, 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 become very frustrating after a while.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like your page editor to behave?
Now that you’ve asked this question, imagine the following scenario …
- You spot something in the content that needs correction so you, just click on the content and start changing it. Your content is then instantly edited.
- You simply drag and drop elements around the page, and see them exactly as they will display on the front end without having to mentally visualize any code.
- You have an idea for a specific item of content you’d like to add, so you simply begin typing, and you build your web page as you go, without delays, no switching of tab browsers, and without waiting for new content to refresh and reload.
Would this not be the perfect way to create content for your WordPress web site? A true visual content editor 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 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
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a ground-breaking WordPress plugin that lets you easily create and edit content on your posts and pages with true click-to-edit and drag and drop simplicity.
The Thrive Content Builder plugin provides WordPress users with a new and exciting way to speed up the process of creating content on.
Once installed, the plugin adds a visual content editor and a sidebar menu that lets you select, then drag and drop design elements on your web page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new content builder to WordPress)
The plugin is actually a combination of the Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages plugins combined into one, plus an additional plugin feature called Thrive Lightbox.
Let’s examine all of the above and how these powerful features work together to help you easily transform and improve your website and create awesome marketing pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder – Click-To-Edit Drag And Drop Content Builder Plugin For WordPress
With this plugin installed easily add content to your web pages using drag and drop elements …
Every aspect of your page can be created using simple ”click-to-edit” and “drag and drop” …
Once elements have been positioned on a page, you can continue to further customize or edit these without having to go through additional steps or opening more settings windows …
The built-in functionality of the plugin also lets you build highly attractive landing pages and easily customize these …
Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages is simple, easy to use, and ideal for all WordPress users at all levels. In fact, working on content with the plugin installed is so effortlessly easy, that the developers guarantee that once you start using it, it’ll ruin the experience of using all other content editors forever, and you will never look back!
For more details about this plugin go here: Thrive Content Builder
Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages were created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another great plugin that we have written about on this site.
To read more about this plugin, go here:
Benefits Of Using Thrive Landing Pages And Content Builder
Below are 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 site:
Ready To Go To Work In Minutes
Thrive Content Builder installs like every other plugin. Simply upload a zip file containing the plugin files to your Plugin folder via your WP admin user login and activate.
Real-Time Content Content Creation
Thrive Content Builder is is not only really simple and intuitive to use, it also lets you build and add content to your web pages in real-time.
What You See Is Truly What You Get
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see as you work within the content editor – fonts, visual elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what you get in the front end of your site.
Additional plugin benefits include the following:
- Add Eye-Catching Web Page Layouts With Drag And Drop Ease: Create any layout you can imagine with drag and drop ease.
- Design Elements Included: With Thrive Content Builder you not only get a drag and drop content editor, but the plugin also includes a jaw-dropping collection of web design elements that you can add to your content layouts without using short codes, like flat design elements, borderless content, page section dividers, custom HTML and CSS, etc.
- Ideal For Non-Technical Users: Not having to wait for pages 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 layers of menus to get what you need done.
(Add, edit and customize page elements like testimonials, tabbed content, feature grids, dividers, responsive video embeds, etc.)
Thrive Content Builder Features
Thrive Content Builder offers WordPress users many features. Here are just a few of these:
- Built-In Content Editor Functionality Is Still Available: You have access to all of the built-in text editing options that you are used to (e.g. bold formatting, centering text, font sizes, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Elements: The plugin adds a “drag and drop” table of elements to your post or page screen when editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin comes with a range of attention-grabbing and customizable elements that will help you increase your sales conversions, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonials, and guarantees. In addition to being customizable, various elements also offer multiple design options.
- Responsive Design: Add responsive elements like columns, boxes, content section dividers, e.g. which will display great on different screens.
- Add Animation To Your Pages: The plugin’s Event Manager feature lets you add animations, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages – 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 plugin gives you access to conversion-optimized page templates)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money creating gorgeous landing pages for your website
- 100% conversion-optimized page templates
- No coding skills needed
- Works with all WordPress themes
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder not only lets you create beautiful content in your WordPress posts and pages, but you can also choose from dozens of beautifully 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 30 templates available, with more templates being worked on. In addition to the templates shown above, the developers plan to release new page templates for email lead generation, sales pages, course pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Fully Customizable And Flexible Landing Page Template Sets
Typically, in order to have a completely customizable landing page template, you would need to either pay a web developer to do the work, or learn web coding languages like HTML and CSS 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 stunning pre-designed web page templates that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that lets you change and edit any element of your page template …
With the landing page templates included with this plugin, you are able to:
- Edit text in any bullet point, headline, button, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other component of the landing page
- Replace all background images or colors
- Edit the color of text, links, buttons, etc.
- Select your own fonts
- Use your own images and graphics
- Edit the size of the content area
- Change the order of page elements
- Translate everything on the page into a different language
- Add custom content in the pages
- Use pre-designed, customized pages, or create your own landing pages from scratch and save them as new page templates.
(Change or customize any aspect of the page)
Transform Your Website Into A Marketing Machine With Thrive Lightbox Plugin
The Thrive plugin package includes Thrive Lightbox, which lets you add fully configurable two-step opt-in forms and animated objects to your web site …
(Add lead capture forms and events to your pages with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
2-Step Opt-in Forms
A two-step opt-in process helps increase your conversion rates. Visitors click on a button or image, and then they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Capture more leads and subscribers with a two-step opt-in process)
Thrive Lightbox Event Manager
An “event” consists of a trigger and an action. You can make opt-in forms appear when when visitors click or hover their mouse over a button or graphic elements, or when someone scrolls down to 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 top to bottom, roll in, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your sales pages with Thrive Lightbox)
Lightboxes and events are created automatically for your landing pages, but you also have complete control over your events, triggers and design.
User Testimonials
Here are a couple of the testimonials users have provided for 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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“I’m blown away by the plugin. Keep up the incredible, WordPress changing work, guys! Dean Phillips”
Thrive Content Builder Plugin – Useful Tips
Thrive Content Builder works with any WordPress theme, not just with the Thrive Landing Pages plugin. Note, however, that you cannot use Thrive Content Builder to edit content that was not created using the plugin.
You can add WordPress short codes inside Thrive Content Builder or Thrive Landing Pages and they will be displayed correctly when published.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content you build with Thrive Content Builder.
Plugin Support
Thrive Content and 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 software is well-supported, and users get unlimited updates, and one year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a no-risk, thirty day, complete refund guarantee.
This is an exciting product for WordPress users that will just keep getting better.
Product 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 license enables you to configure the plugin on 1 site only. Price includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Cost = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites Licensing – This option lets you set up the plugin on all of your personal web sites. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Cost = $87.00.
- Agency License – Use on your web sites and on all your client web sites. Pricing includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Cost = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: The price of this product can vary, depending on whether there are any promotions or limited-time specials being offered. When we last checked, the software is selling for the amounts shown above. This may not be the actual price charged by the software author when you visit the 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 Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder plugin developers emphatically 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 the time-saving benefits of ready-made web page elements and templates that help speed up the content creation process, and on the other hand, you have complete control over your design process and the freedom to change and customize everything on your page, using the plugin’s click-to-edit and drag and drop features, that allows you to see how the content you are working on will display to visitors when published.
For demo videos showing how the plugin works, including installation instructions and tutorials, FAQs, support helpdesk, contact details and more, visit the plugin 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, just drag it and drop it into its new location. There are no extra 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 complete details, check out the plugin here:
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