When it comes to creating a good-looking page or website on WordPress, you need to make sure you have everything you need to accomplish it. The platform’s page builder is available 24/7, but you won’t be able to edit the site as often as you would like due to its size and location.
Third-party plugins for web design can be used to solve problems you might have with WordPress. One of the most popular is Elementor. Elementor aims to aid you in creating websites in a uniquely easy way – and when we say it’s a breeze to work with, we do mean it. No coding required!
Are you a believer that Elementor is the right page builder? Are you still undecided? We’re digging deep into all it has to offer, in order to answer your questions.
For those of you who prefer a more visual experience, here is a video review from the YouTube channel Pinky1472. To get a comprehensive overview of Elementor, you may still want to check out our article below.
Elementor in a Nutshell – What is It About? What Is Position In Editorial Writing
Elementor is a website builder plugin designed for WordPress. It’s best known for its visual and intuitive drag-and-drop editor that allows you to use a wide range of design assets and blocks and see what your page will look like to visitors in real-time.
Elementor’s interface is similar to popular website builders such as Squarespace or Wix. You can either choose a pre-made template or build a custom-made WordPress website. One good thing about this one-of-a-kind platform is that all the tools you need to build a website are within your reach – all without the added hassles of coding that may get in the way of enjoying it.
What does it have to offer?
Elementor is a WordPress plugin that lives up to its reputation. It offers a clean and simple interface that allows you to quickly navigate through all it has.
- Elementor offers a wider range of attractive and dynamic themes than the standard, plain themes that are often included with WordPress’ in-house themes.
- You get a separate and highly interactive work interface to edit your posts and pages. WordPress’s similar editor is lightweight and easy to use.
- Elementor will work with any theme that is compatible with WordPress version 5.0 or higher. You can use the plugin to refine your dull-looking theme into a more eye-catching one.
- The front-end handles all editing of your pages and websites. This means you’ll be able to see your work immediately as your visitors or customers see it. This outstanding feature gives you a better understanding of which design element keeps them returning for more or otherwise.
Elementor, as a whole, makes it easy for anyone to use when it comes to creating an impressive page. Its interface is designed to be so streamlined and filled to the brim with essential tools that even those who may need more expansive knowledge in web design can navigate through it with no problems. This, in turn, has solidified the website builder to be an ideal choice for folks lacking resources or working as a one- or three-man team.
Numerous similar web design plugins might offer working people a pleasant drag-and-drop experience as well as a few useful tools. Elementor’s standards are not met by all plugins. Elementor is a well-respected plugin that has been installed on more than 3 million WordPress accounts.
What is it that makes this web design platform unique? What else does it have that others usually don’t? We’ll find out soon as we take a more in-depth look at what Elementor has in store for us, starting with its illustrious list of features.
Meet Elementor’s Features
Completely-packed Template Library
If you’re completely new to web design or you have basic knowledge of it but don’t have enough time to commit to it, Elementor has got your back with its library of over 150 template options to choose from. All of them make the site-building experience easy on your end, as they help turn your ideas into a product that can catch anyone’s attention immediately.
Two categories are available for the platform’s templates:
- Pages – full-length templates that only require you to do low-effort customization
- Blocks are templates that can be used to create pages for specific and individual parts. Examples of blocks include portfolios, pricing tables, FAQs, portfolios, and more.
If you wish to expand beyond Elementor’s in-house template selection, you may find them from tons of third-party sources all over the internet and import them onto the platform under the My Templates tab.
Massive Widget Selection
It’s not just the vast range of templates that Elementor is lucky to be packed with. The plugin is also rich in widget choices. Widgets are smaller, more contained elements that house a wide range of content.
There are 60+ widgets that you can use to get a lot of information about how your website should look and the flexibility you have in doing so. These include text-related elements like headings, inner sections, media files such as images and videos, buttons and icons, as well as website sidebars. Elementor also offers testimonials, star ratings and gallery widgets as well as map widgets powered Google Maps.
You may add as many as you want to your page. As with the templates, you may also opt to import those from third-party sources to further expand your selection.
Convenient Drag-and-drop Editing
Elementor’s user interface is the most notable feature. It has been best-known for its drag-and-drop capabilities, allowing users to build and edit pages as freely as possible. Drag the widget you prefer from the left sidebar and drop it in your workspace. You can also adjust the layout of the page by moving it to another location.
Apart from that, Elementor offers right-click support to assist users without having to go over the sidebar for slight edits all the time – something a couple of WordPress web design plugins aren’t equipped with.
You will find a section called Navigation View that provides a complete list of content, arranged according to Elementor’s page layout. We’ll talk more about that later.
Also included within the editing interface is a Finder tool to help you further navigate swiftly between pages or content elements.
Fine-tuned Control over Your Elements
Elementor, a simple WordPress page-building plugin is packed with design options that can be used by anyone. It knows that the finest of details matter when it comes to creating an eye-catching website, so it allows you the liberty to edit and fix every single design element in whatever you’re building.
You can make necessary changes to your site’s content blocks and widgets, images, text, and text. You can also modify the font, size, and color of text content and headings.
These are just a few of the basic editing options you have in Elementor. The plugin also has more advanced options to let you tweak specific adjustments to your content elements. Widget positioning within columns, setting exact margins and padding in numbers, animation effects, and custom CSS settings are part of the plugin’s line of next-level customization options.
Optional Features for Your Mobile-Friendly Page
All of Elementor’s templates are mobile-friendly by default, but you may be wondering if you could make some changes to match how you want it to look. The platform allows you to customize your website to look better on tablets and smartphones, just like everything else.
Just click the Switch view icon along the sidebar, and you’ll be greeted with three viewing options, each for the desktop, tablet, and mobile phone. If you want to omit a widget or limit whatever you want your clients/customers to see, you may choose any of the three and edit right away.
An opportunity to look back at the changes you’ve made
Sometimes a few ‘undo’ actions may not be enough to fix a huge design mistake. Similar situations could have occurred if you tried to edit on any other design platform.
That’s where Elementor’s Revision History feature comes in handy. You can easily revert to previous pages without losing any design elements.
The Pricing
The Elementor plugin is offered completely for free, letting you take full advantage of all its core web design features and elements needed to create a good-looking site or page. Elementor Pro, however, has more additions and upgrades that are miles ahead of the previous version, some of which may interest you in trying one.
Elementor Pro will allow you to explore a wider range of themes, templates and design blocks, as well as custom CSS and advanced programming capabilities. You can also create forms and pop-ups in the platform’s editing interface, integrate with WooCommerce, and use the theme builder.
Elementor Pro offers four subscription options, each tailored to different individuals or groups. The plan also offers a website builder and hosting plans for advanced site management. All tiers can be paid annually and all share the same premium features. The only thing that sets them apart is the number of website activations, and the time it takes to respond to customer questions.
Elementor Pro Plans
- Essential Plan – $49/year. 1 Pro Website Activation. 24/7 Customer Support
- Expert Plan – $199/year, 25 pro website activations, 24/7 customer support
- Studio Plan – $299 for the first year, and then $499/year thereafter; 100 pro websites activated, VIP customer support in less than 30 minutes
- Agency Plan – $999/year. 1000 Pro Website Activations. VIP Customer Support in Less Than 30 Minutes.
The Elementor Cloud Website Builder + Hosting plan is $99 annually. It gives you the same features you can expect from any Elementor Pro plan but includes stunning hosting and CMS capabilities. It offers a wide range of templates and design assets. Your website is protected by Google Cloud Platform integration, SSL and robust website management.
Elementor Free vs. Elementor Pro
Now comes the complicated part: Is the free WordPress plugin version still suitable for your needs, or do you think the Pro version has such a big advantage that it makes you want to try it instead?
If you want to build a website or landing page without thinking of adding anything else to further attract your clients, you may choose to stand by the free plugin variant. Elementor Free has many features that are already impressive in retrospect. Its core tools are just as dynamic as those of other web design platforms, which offer the same level or more delivery. It is so dynamic that business teams can use the free version. What Is Position In Editorial Writing
With Elementor Free, you can:
- Create optimized mobile-friendly versions of your site and page
- Check out the version history of your website.
- Make use of fully customizable themes as well as built-in pre-made templates
- You can add or modify website blocks as you wish.
Elementor Pro might be the right choice if you need to license multiple websites. One of its advantage that sits above the free version is that there is a lot of value added to it. This means that you have more options and more features to help you get the most out of your software. These include:
- An expanding list of over 300 themes and 100+ premium block templates;
- Global widgets allow you to use the same widget on multiple pages and not have to modify it individually.
- If you are looking for more ways to draw potential customers, there is a front-end form creator and a pop up editor.
- Integrations with WooCommerce are available, with templates blocks and widgets to help you create an online storefront.
- You can create your own theme using the Theme Builder feature. What Is Position In Editorial Writing
Elementor Pro should not be considered the only way to grow the WordPress plugin if you don’t want to license multiple websites. Elementor Free, as mentioned above, is sustainable enough for most users. However, there are many flexible themes and templates that can be integrated into Elementor. Astra is a notable example.
Using Elementor: How Does It Work?
To get the Elementor plugin to start, the first thing you will need to do is install and activate it in WordPress. Once you’ve installed it, there’s a settings panel that you can visit if you wish – you may opt to modify whatever you want to see while you do the editing. Otherwise, you may head straight to WordPress’s pages section.
You will see the Edit with Elementor link located along the bar above your canvas. You will be immediately redirected to the builder interface as you click the button. The image below perfectly illustrates what it looks like. What Is Position In Editorial Writing
Based on the image, here are some things you should know as you explore this interface.
- The workroom or canvas. It takes up the largest part of the screen.
- The widgets area. It is located on the left side, next to the canvas. It contains lots of content as well as design elements that can be used.
- Settings. It is represented by three horizontal lines. This symbolise the ability to access a variety of fonts and colors.
- The Open Elementor Widgets button. It is essentially a menu button that allows you to return the widgets list. Nine little squares are used to represent this.
- The Global Settings button. This button is represented by the cogwheel icon. It takes you to more advanced settings.
- The Revision History button. Displayed as a clock icon, it allows you to take a look at the history of previous versions of your page or website.
- Switch to another view This small monitor icon lets you convert the desktop version of your page into tablet-friendly and mobile-friendly iterations. You may use this to edit what you want your customers to see through their phones.
- Preview Changes. Click the small eye icon to see all the changes to your page.
- The Publish/Update button. When the shaped button turns green, you are ready to publish. If it’s grey, it means your page is updating – this time, unlike when it’s green, you can’t click it. What Is Position In Editorial Writing
Structure Hierarchy
Before you can begin building, it is important to understand the structure hierarchy Elementor uses. If you’re especially new to website design, this similar framework has been abided by many experienced creators and other basic web design platforms.
In Elementor, your primary goal is to create a page. A page is where it usually contains a series of sections and the columns that come after that.
A section can be described as a row you can customize with many design elements such as background, colors and sizing.
The columns, on the other, go inside a certain section. These are the places where widgets and content elements are located. Each can be styled and sized individually.
This is Elementor’s hierarchy structure.
Page > Section > Column > Widget/Content element
Designing a Page
Let’s create a page now that we have an understanding of the skeletal structure. On WordPress’s page design interface, click the Edit with Elementor button. You’ll soon notice a plus (+) button highlighted in red violet – click on that to add a new section. What Is Position In Editorial Writing
The next thing you must do is select the structure of your section. You may choose a single column or multiple, depending on what type of content you wish to add. You can then populate the columns with content elements. Simply drag any widget from the interface’s widget area and drop it onto them, be it a heading or an image. You can even adjust or rearrange them and sections and columns within the page.
Once you’re happy with the structural placement, now is the time to retune the finer details to make the page look more presentable. You can explore three main editing tabs: Style, Content, and Advanced.
Designing a pre-existing or pre-made themed page is much easier than doing so from scratch. Most of the time, you would only need to make slight adjustments in between sections, columns, or even widgets – unless you need to add a new design element. Elementor’s drag and drop functions make it much easier to refine some changes than coding.
The Disadvantages: What Else is Lacking?
We don’t mean to mislead you, Elementor is certain to be one of the best WordPress web design tools. But, there are always imperfections in the world. While there are many things that we love about it, there are a few that some of you may find inconvenient:
- Sometimes the editing interface can be a little slow. Although it’s fast, efficient, and ultimately very convenient, it can freeze too quickly. To get it working again, refresh it and reopen it.
- Though most of Elementor’s features are offered for free, there are a few that may appear essential but are only limited to Elementor Pro, which may be a bit discouraging for some. For instance, you can’t set site-wide styles in the free version, as you’re essentially stuck to a few pages simultaneously. What Is Position In Editorial Writing
- You may find that some editing adjustments don’t work as you expect. On the one hand, if you add custom styling to certain links, you may end up with the default typography and font color. On the other, you may have difficulty locating the exact margin value whenever the alignment of your design elements is off.
Who Should Use Elementor?
Elementor has a wealth of expert-level features and tools. The free version includes these, as well as additional useful upgrades for any Elementor Pro plan. It is also easier to use than most other WordPress web design plugins.
With that being said, it’s no wonder why many individuals like Elementor as a whole – it’s both a popular DIY solution for folks who may not have on-hand expertise with web design and a quick, feature-rich platform for a wide range of businesses.
However, there are some specific users we have in mind that will find Elementor to be a more suited choice. These are:
- Casual internet users. Elementor offers many customizable benefits that are especially useful for bloggers and website owners.
- Digital marketing professionals. Design tools aside, most of Elementor’s features are built to be marketing-ready – from the seamless integrations to thousands of platforms using Zapier to the pop-up and e-commerce widgets.
- Site builders. Elementor is an excellent stepping stone for those who are interested in creating websites for clients. What Is Position In Editorial Writing
Alternatives to Elementor
Elementor may have some advantages over other web design plugins, but that doesn’t make it the best choice.
Many WordPress web design plugins offer similar functionality to Elementor. Some may only offer a few. WordPress’s web design features are not for everyone. We all know this. That’s why plugins were created.
Right now, there are two other leading WordPress web builder plugins out there that are on the same par as Elementor in terms of features: the Divi builder by Elegant Themes and Beaver Builder. Divi, one on hand, offers the same feature-rich range as Elementor and has the same ability to edit your website from a front-end interface as your clients see it. However, despite giving off a very similar edge, it somehow doesn’t include a free option. On the other hand, Beaver Builder may not be as flashy as the other two plugins, but it still manages to pack as many essential design tools as possible into one platform. These tools are enough to make a website look great.
Other noteworthy web design plugin alternatives to Elementor include SeedProd and the SiteOrigin Page Builder.
Final Verdict: Is Elementor Worth Trying?
To answer the question: yes. Elementor is a premium drag-and-drop page building tool for WordPress. It’s packed with top-quality design tools and features. Most of these core features are offered free. What Is Position In Editorial Writing
There’s no question as to why people keep coming back to this impressive plugin to create pages and websites. Elementor is different than other web design plugins in that it allows anyone to create whatever they want with no restrictions. Unlike others, it doesn’t force you to upgrade to a higher plan or a paid license, ensuring there’s enough space for everyone.
Here’s some advice before we let you explore Elementor for yourself: if your job involves running multiple websites and creating them for clients, we recommend you try Elementor Pro. Otherwise, the free plugin for WordPress will work just as fine!
FAQ What Is Position In Editorial Writing
Can I upload or export my templates to Elementor?
Yes, you can import your templates to Elementor. Apart from letting you create one from scratch with the help of the Theme Builder feature, you can import your personalized themes into the website builder under the Templates tab.
In a similar function, you can export your templates to be used on other WordPress sites – a handy function if you work for multiple clients as a website-building professional.
What pages can I make with Elementor?
Elementor allows you to create landing pages, homepages, landing page, landing pages and about pages.
If you’re subscribed to Elementor Pro, you can create full websites and even online stores apart from numerous pages.
Is Elementor slowing down my website?
Elementor won’t slow down your website to the point where it will take as many seconds as possible to load. However, a website that was built using this plugin may be two seconds slower than the one made from WordPress’s built-in website builder. Both are still faster than the Beaver Builder version.
The reason why WordPress websites that are made using plugins take longer may derive from multiple factors: poor hosting, large media files, slow themes, and too many plugins at work.