WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging application into a tool being used to design all types of pages – landing pages, product showcase pages, business pages, etc.
Whatever you can imagine, someone is bound to be already building it using WordPress!
This article will help you discover the fastest visual editor for WordPress sites.
Drag And Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Is The Default WordPress Content Editor Meeting All Of Your Content Creation Needs?
With so many improvements that WordPress has gone through in recent years, many WordPress developers and users feel that the WordPress content editor is not really suitable for building or changing complex layouts.
(The built-in 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, if you look at the illustration below …
To create the above layout, you would normally have to insert shortcodes into the content for every single page element you want to display …
Normally, this is not really an issue … unless you want to change something in the layout (for example, move part of the content from box 1 into box 2, or change the background color inside box 3 from bright red to light green. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with code inside the editor.
The WordPress visual editor is supposed to be an easy-to-use WYSIWYG content editor, but as you can see, if you are trying to add complex layouts, often what you see in the visual editor is not the same as what you are going to get when your page gets published …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some cases, you would probably be better off working with the source html itself instead of the WYSIWYG editor when trying to create fancy page elements …
Even though WordPress is the most user-friendly CMS platform available, this makes it difficult for non-technical users to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental problem with using shortcodes and HTML to create content in WordPress can be summarized by asking the following questions:
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” match the “front end” content when you are creating or editing a page?
As you can see from the above image, what you see when working in the back end doesn’t look at all like 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 multiple steps before you can start configuring your page layout, or endlessly switching tabs and performing updates to see how your content is progressing, which interrupts the creative process, as you wait for the page to reload.
Many WordPress developers have tried to come up with a range of solutions with the objective of making the visual editor easier. Some of these solutions range from stand alone plugins you can install on your site that add new functionality to the editor, to WordPress themes that provide 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 design features, that users need to learn how to work with complicated-looking front end content editors …
Many of these alternative solutions work fine, but they still fail to address the fundamental problem with using shortcodes and HTML as described earlier. Adding and editing sophisticated content elements on a 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 ”perfect” quickly, this can become very frustrating after a while.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like to build and edit your web content?
Now that you’ve asked this question, visualize this …
- You spot something in your content that needs to be corrected so you, simply click on the content and start typing. Your content is then instantly changed.
- You just drag and drop items on the page, and see them exactly as they will appear on the front end without having to mentally visualize any HTML or shortcodes.
- You have an idea for a specific item of content you would like to add, so you immediately start typing, and you build your web page on the fly, with no delays, no tab switching, and without waiting for edits to refresh.
Would that not be the perfect way to create content for your site? A true visual content builder where all you have to do is click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around the page?
(Imagine being able to create complex page layouts quickly for your web content without technical skills required!)
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 – Click-To-Edit Drag And Drop Content Creation Plugin For WordPress
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a unique WordPress plugin that allows anyone to easily create and edit content on their posts and pages using a truly visual click-to-edit and drag and drop content editor.
Thrive Content Builder is 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 and an item menu that lets you click, then drag and drop elements on your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new editor to WordPress)
Thrive Content Builder And Landing Pages 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.
We will examine each of the above and how all of this powerful functionality works seamlessly together to help you easily transform and improve your web presence and create awesome sales pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder For WordPress
With this plugin installed easily add complex design layouts to your web pages using drag and drop elements …
Everything on your page can be designed by ”clicking-to-edit” and “dragging and dropping” things around the page …
Once you have positioned your elements on your page, you can then edit or customize them without having to go through additional steps or switching screens …
You can also create 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, designing web pages and working on content with the plugin installed is so effortlessly simple, 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 amazing plugin for WordPress that we have recommended on this site.
See this article to read more about this plugin:
Benefits Of Using Thrive Content Builder And Landing Pages
Below are just some of the benefits and advantages of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up your page design and content creation process:
Installation Is Easy And Fast
Thrive Content Builder is really easy to install. Simply upload a zip folder containing the plugin files to your Plugins folder via your administrator area and activate.
Edit & Build Content In Real Time
Thrive Content Builder is is not only really simple to use, it also lets you create and add content to your 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, elements, layouts, etc. is exactly what your visitors will see on the front end of your site.
Some additional plugin benefits include:
- Stunning Page Layouts With Drag & 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 builder, but the plugin also includes a jaw-dropping collection of functional and attractive web design elements that you can use on your layouts without using short codes, for e.g.: columns, feature grids, section dividers, responsive Google map embeds, etc.
- More Enjoyable Content Creation: Not having to wait for your page to refresh frees up your attention and allows you to build the content your business needs, quickly and without having to edit code or click through multiple steps to get what you want done.
(Thrive Content Builder lets you easily create, edit and customize web page elements like testimonials, columns, content reveal feature, section dividers, responsive maps, etc.)
Features
Thrive Content Builder provides many powerful features to site owners. Here are just a few:
- Built-In WordPress Content Functionality Is Still Available: You have access to all of the built-in text editing options that you are used to (e.g. bold, centering text, heading styles, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Multi-Style Elements Menu: The plugin makes a “drag and drop” table of multi-style elements available on your post or page screen for creating and editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin provides you with a range of eye-catching and customizable elements that will help increase the effectiveness of your sales pages, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonials, and guarantee forms. In addition to being customizable, multiple design options are also available for various elements.
- Responsive Web Element Design: Add mobile-friendly elements like columns, text boxes, content dividers, e.g. which will adjust to display great on different device screens.
- Add Animation To Pages: The plugin’s Event Manager feature lets you insert animations, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Web Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Landing Page Template Sets
Landing page template sets are templates that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language to take your visitors from signup to purchase, product download and more.
(Thrive Landing Pages provides you with conversion-optimized page templates)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time building attractive-looking web pages
- 100% conversion-optimized page templates
- No web coding skills required
- Works with any theme
Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages not only can be used to create beautiful-looking 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 …
(Thrive Landing Pages provides sets of templates that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language)
There are over 30 templates available, with more templates scheduled for release. In addition to the templates that are currently available, the developers plan to release new web page templates for email lead generation, sales pages, course pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Customizable Landing Page Template Sets
Normally, in order to fully customize a 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 code or use overly 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 creating conversion-optimized web pages.”
Thrive Landing Pages gives you beautiful pre-designed web pages that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that allows you to change and customize any element of your page templates …
The landing page templates included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Change text in any bullet point, headline, button, etc.
- Delete text, images or any other component of the landing page
- Change any background images or color
- Change the color of text, links, buttons, etc.
- Select your own fonts
- Use your own images and graphics
- Edit content area size
- Change the order of page elements
- Translate everything on the page into different languages
- Add custom content anywhere in the pages
- Start with a blank page and create your own page templates, or even build a library of custom landing page templates.
(Change or edit any aspect of your page)
Thrive Lightbox – Transform Your WordPress Website Into A Marketing Machine
The Thrive package also includes Thrive Lightbox, which lets you add fully configurable 2-step opt-in forms and animated objects to your WordPress site …
(Add opt-in forms and animated elements to your web pages with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
2-Step Opt-in Forms
A 2-step opt-in process can help increase your conversion rates. When visitors click on a button or image 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 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 pages, using various animation effects (e.g. zoom out, slide in from top to bottom, roll out, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your marketing pages with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
A lightbox and event is created automatically for your landing pages, but you also have complete control over events, triggers and design.
User Testimonials
Below are just some testimonials and feedback plugin users have published about Thrive Content Builder:
”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”
***
“I’m blown away by the plugin. Keep up the incredible, WordPress changing work, guys! Dean Phillips”
Plugin 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 WordPress shortcodes inside the Content Builder or Landing Pages plugin and they will display correctly on on your site.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content you build with Thrive Content Builder.
Support
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder Plugin provides 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 very well-supported, and users get unlimited upgrades, plus one year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a risk-free, 30 day, complete refund guarantee.
This is an exciting product that will just keep getting better.
Plugin 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 edition enables you to set up the plugin on a single site. Price includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Cost = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License – This allows you to set up 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 Edition – This edition lets you use the plugin on all of your own domains and all client websites. It includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Price = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: The cost of purchasing this product depends on whether there are any promotions or limited-time special offers. Presently, the software is selling for the pricing shown above. This may or may not be the actual price set by the product seller when you visit the plugin site and there may be additional upsells or one-time offers after you’ve purchased.
Check the plugin’s website for current pricing details:
Additional 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 the time-saving benefits of ready-made web page elements and beautiful, pre-designed template sets that help to speed up content creation, and on the other hand, you have 100% control over your design process and the ability to edit everything on your page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, that lets you see exactly how the content you are working on will appear to visitors after publishing.
For ”how to” videos showing plugin usage, including installation instructions and tutorials, FAQs, support helpdesk, contact details and more, visit the plugin website.
Get This Plugin …
If you want to edit something, you just click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, you can see the change happen immediately. If you want to move something, all you have to do is drag it and drop it into its new location. There are no complicated steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your website and create amazing sales pages and engaging content, Thrive Content Builder delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
To learn more, check out the plugin here:
***