WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging tool to a tool that is now used to design all types of web pages – marketing pages, portfolio pages, business pages, etc.
Whatever you can imagine, somewhere around the world someone is probably already building it using WordPress!
This article will help you discover the ultimate click-to-edit front end visual content editor for WordPress.
Drag & Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Is The Default WordPress WYSIWYG Editor Still Meeting All Of Your Content Creation Needs?
Using the WordPress WYSIWYG content editor to create or edit complex content elements can be challenging for non-technical website owners.
(The WordPress WYSIWYG content editor is great for adding, formatting and editing conventional content, but adding more complex layouts can be quite challenging!)
For example, if you look at the image below …
Creating the above boxes with text and buttons in your content would require entering something that looks like this into the default WordPress visual content editor …
Normally, this is not an issue … unless you decide to reconfigure the layout (for example, move some of the content from box 3 into box 2, or replace the button inside a box from green to dark red. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with page code or html.
The WordPress editor is supposed to give users an easy-to-use WYSIWYG content editor, but as you can see, when working with complex layouts, often what you see on your editor screen may not be what you are getting when the web page is published …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some instances, some people argue that users would probably be better off working directly inside the html (text) editor tab instead of the WordPress visual editor when trying to add complex page elements …
Even though WordPress is the most user-friendly CMS platform available, this makes it hard for non-technical website owners to have full control of their own content.
The fundamental issue with using shortcodes and HTML to create content with WordPress can be summarized as follows:
1) Speed – How long does it take to create a page using the editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the editor match 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 editor does not look anything like what you see in the front end. This means that users have to mentally translate what the content will look like when working with sophisticated layouts. Other solutions require multiple steps before you can begin configuring your page layout, or endlessly going back and forth between browser tabs and performing updates to see how your content is coming along, which interrupts the creative process, as you wait for your content to load.
A number of WordPress web developers have tried to come up with different solutions to try to make the visual editor easier. Some of these range from WP plugins you can install on your site that add new functionality to the editor, to themes that come with built-in features like drag and drop editing …
(WordPress “drag and drop” editors aim to make content creation easier!)
Some solutions include so many page-building features, that users end up with complicated-looking front end editors …
Many of these alternative editors work, but they fail to address the fundamental problem with using HTML and shortcodes as described earlier. Adding and editing non-linear content 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 to create or edit complex layouts quickly, this can become quite frustrating.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like to build and edit your web pages?
Now that you’ve asked this question, visualize this …
- You see something in your content that needs changing so you, just click on the content and start changing it. Your content is instantly fixed.
- You can just drag and drop elements around the page, and see them exactly as they will appear on the front end without having to mentally visualize HTML or shortcodes.
- You have an idea for a specific item of content that you would like to add, so you just start typing, and you build your web page as you go, with no delays, no switching of tab browsers, and no waiting for pages to reload.
Would that not be the ideal way to create content for your website? Just click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around your pages and posts?
(Imagine being able to create complex web page layouts quickly for your web content with no 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 – Create Stunning Content Faster With Drag & Drop Ease In WordPress Web Sites
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a truly intuitive click-to-edit drag and drop content and landing page creator and editor for WordPress.
The Thrive Content Builder plugin is a new and incredibly easy way to set up conversion-focused pages on any WordPress site.
Once installed, Thrive Content Builder adds a visual content editor with a sidebar menu that lets you select, then drag and drop design elements to your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new visual content builder to your WordPress site)
Thrive Content And Page Builder 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.
In this article we’ll take a look at each of the above plugins and how all of this functionality works seamlessly together to help you transform and improve your business online and create amazing marketing pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder Plugin For WordPress
You can easily add content to your web pages and build complex page layouts using drag and drop elements …
Every element of your page can be built with “drag and drop” and “click-to-edit” ease …
Once you have placed elements on the page, you can then further edit these without having to go through multiple steps or opening extra configuration windows …
The built-in Thrive Landing Pages also lets you create stunning landing pages that can just as easily be edited or customized …
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder is simple, easy to use, and ideal for all WordPress users at all levels. In fact, designing web pages with the Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages plugin installed is so amazingly easy, that the developers warn that you’ll never look at the process of creating and adding content the same way 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 terrific plugin that we have previously written about on this site.
To read more about the plugin, see this article:
Plugin Benefits
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 website:
Installation Is Easy And Fast
Thrive Content Builder installs just like any regular plugin. Simply upload it to your Plugins folder via your admin user section and activate.
Create And Edit Content In Real Time
Thrive Content Builder is is not only really simple and intuitive to use, it also lets you create content in real-time.
A Truly Visual Content Builder
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see as you work within the content editor – typefaces, elements, layouts, etc. is exactly what your visitors will see in the front end of your site.
Some additional benefits of the plugin include:
- Add Beautiful Web 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 visually exciting drag and drop content editor, but the plugin also includes a collection of professional design elements that you can insert into your layouts without using shortcodes, like columns, star ratings for review pages, testimonials, custom HTML and CSS, etc.
- Ideal For Non-Technical Users: Not having to constantly switch tabs as you tweak your content and then wait for the page to reload 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 layers of menus to get what you want done.
(Insert, edit and customize page elements like testimonial boxes, flat design elements, borderless content, section dividers, responsive maps, etc.)
Plugin Features
Thrive Content Builder offers a number of great features to site owners. Here are just some:
- All Editor Functionality Is Still Available: You have access to all of the regular content editing options that you are used to (e.g. bold, paragraph formatting, 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 when editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin includes a range of attention-grabbing and customizable elements that will help 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.
- Mobile-Friendly Design: Add responsive elements like column layouts, guarantee boxes, content dividers, e.g. which will display correctly on different-sized screens.
- Add Animation To Web Pages: The plugin’s Event Manager feature lets you create animated buttons, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Web Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages – Landing Page Sets
Thrive Landing Pages provides sets of 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 easily add conversion-optimized web pages to your site)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money building landing pages for your WordPress web site
- 100% conversion-optimized page templates
- No tech skills required
- Works with all themes
Thrive 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, 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, expect to see new templates in the future for email lead generation, sales pages, training pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Completely Customizable And Flexible Landing Page Template
Typically, in order to fully customize a landing page template, you would need to either hire 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 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 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 templates …
The landing page templates included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Modify text in all buttons, bullet points, headlines, etc.
- Remove text, images or any other component of your landing page
- Change any background images and edit colour
- Change the color of text, buttons, links, etc.
- Select your own fonts
- Use your own images and graphics
- Change content area size
- Change the order of elements on the page
- Translate pages into a different language
- Add any kind of custom content in the pages
- Start with a blank web page and create your own templates, or even build your own custom landing pages library.
(Change or edit anything on the page)
Transform Your Website Into A Powerful Marketing Machine With Thrive Lightbox
The Thrive package includes Thrive Lightbox, which lets you add fully editable two-step opt-in forms and animated elements to your content pages …
(Add opt-in forms and animated elements to your WordPress web site with Thrive Lightbox)
Two-Step Opt-in Forms
A two-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)
Thrive Lightbox Event Manager
An “event” consists of a trigger and an action. You can make an opt-in form appear when your visitor clicks or hovers their mouse over a button or an image, or when someone scrolls down to a certain point on the page. You can also use the Event Manager to animate attention-getting elements on your pages, using a range of effects (e.g. fade out, slide in from left to right, roll in, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your WordPress website 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.
Feedback From Users
Below are a couple of the testimonials plugin customers have provided for 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”
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“I’m blown away by the plugin. Keep up the incredible, WordPress changing work, guys! Dean Phillips”
Thrive Content Builder – Useful 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 on pages or posts that were not created with the plugin.
You can add short codes inside Thrive Content Builder or Thrive Landing Pages and they will be displayed correctly on the front end.
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 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 unlimited software updates, and one year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a risk-free, 30 day, complete money-back guarantee.
This is an exciting product for WordPress users that will just keep getting better.
Product 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 Licensing – This license lets you run the plugin on a single domain. Cost includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Cost = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites License Edition – This allows you to use the plugin on all of your personal web sites. Pricing includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Cost = $87.00.
- Agency License – Use on your sites and on client websites. Includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Price = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: The cost of purchasing Thrive Content Builder can vary, depending on whether there are any promotions or limited-time special offers. The pricing above was current at the time this review was written. This may or may not be the actual price charged by the product author when you visit the product site and there may be additional upsells or one-time offers after purchasing.
Check the plugin’s website for current pricing details:
Additional Plugin Information
The developers of the Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder plugin 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 web page elements and beautiful, conversion-optimized template sets that help make designing your content faster, and on the other hand, you have 100% control over the design process and the freedom to change everything on your web page, using the plugin’s visual content editor, that allows you to work unhindered by overly complicated options.
For ”how-to” videos showing plugin usage, 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 click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, do it, and you will see the change happen instantly. If you want to move something, all you need to do is simply drag it and drop it into its new location. There are no extra steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your web presence and create awesome sales pages and engaging content, this plugin delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
For more information, visit the plugin website here:
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