You need everything to create a WordPress page or website that looks great. 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.
Thankfully, third-party web design plugins are there to address those woes you may often experience with WordPress’s own, and one of the most notable 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. Plus, no coding is required!
Are you a believer that Elementor is the right page builder? Or are you undecided? To answer your curiosities, we’re deeply diving into everything it offers.
Here’s a Pinky1472 video review for those who like a visual experience. You can still read our article to get an overview of Elementor.
Elementor in a Nutshell: What Is It About? How To Shrink The Slide Show On Elementor
Elementor is a WordPress website builder plugin. 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.
With an interface that’s more akin to that of popular website builders like Squarespace and Wix, Elementor lets you either opt for a ready-made professional template or create a good-looking WordPress website from the ground up. 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.
- With Elementor, you’re greeted with an illustrious range of dynamic and attractive themes compared to the more standard and plain templates that often come with WordPress’ in-house themes.
- To edit your pages and posts, you have a completely separate interface that allows for interaction. There’s no single sign of bulkiness associated with WordPress’s similar editor – everything is built to be silky smooth on your end.
- You can keep your current theme, even if it’s from WordPress – Elementor can deal with all WordPress themes as long as they’re compatible with version 5.0 of the platform or higher. You can use the plugin to refine your dull-looking theme into a more eye-catching one.
- All the editing for your pages and sites is done from the front end. You’ll see your work as soon as your customers or visitors see it. This remarkable feature allows you to better understand what design elements keep customers coming back for more.
Elementor as a whole makes it simple to create a stunning 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 has made the website builder an excellent choice for those with limited resources or who work in a small 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 will soon find out as we look deeper into Elementor’s features, beginning with its impressive list.
Meet Elementor’s Features
Fully-packed Template Library
Elementor’s library of more than 150 templates is perfect for those who are new to web design, or have some knowledge but don’t have the time. 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.
The platform’s templates are classified into two categories:
- Pages – Full-length templates which require very little customization
- Blocks – templates for individual and specific parts of a page – examples of which include FAQs, pricing tables, portfolios, etc.
You can find templates from other sources than Elementor’s own and then import them into the platform via the My Templates tab.
Huge Selection of Widgets
Elementor has a lot more than just a wide range of templates. The plugin is also rich in widget choices. Widgets can be smaller and more contained elements, which house a variety of content.
With a whopping total of 60+ widgets, you gain lots of insight into how you want to structure your website as well as the flexibility of doing so. Some of those include text-related elements such as headings and the inner section, media files like images and videos, buttons, icons, and website sidebars. Map widgets powered by Google Maps, testimonials, star ratings, and gallery widgets are also part of what Elementor has in store.
You may add as many as you want to your page. To expand your selection, you can also import templates from third-party sources.
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. Simply drag whatever widget you like best from the left sidebar, and drop it into your workspace. You can also adjust the layout of the page by moving it to another location.
Elementor also offers right-click support, which allows users to make minor edits without having to look at the sidebar. This is something that a few WordPress web design plugins don’t offer.
Included is a Navigation view section that gives you a comprehensive list of content arranged accordingly to Elementor’s page structure – we’ll discuss that later on in full detail.
The editing interface also includes a Finder tool that will help you navigate quickly between pages and 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. Elementor understands that every detail is important when creating a website that stands out. It allows you to modify and fix any design elements in the site you are building.
You can amend some necessary adjustments to your site’s content blocks, widgets, images, and text. You can also modify the font, size, and color of text content and headings.
Those are some of the basic editing tools you can explore in Elementor. The plugin also has more advanced options to let you tweak specific adjustments to your content elements. The plugin offers advanced customization options that include widget positioning within columns, custom CSS settings, animation effects and exact margins and padding for numbers.
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. You’ll be glad to know that the platform gives you full control to do whatever you want to make your website more appealing on smartphones and tablets, as with 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. You can choose from any one of the three viewing options to edit or omit widgets.
A Chance 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.
Elementor’s Revision History tool is a great help in this situation. With it, you can revert to any of the previous versions of the page you’re editing without sacrificing the rest of your design elements.
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 has many more upgrades and additions than the previous version. You might be interested in one.
Among the things you may get to enjoy if you choose Elementor Pro include exploring an expanded library of themes, templates, and design blocks; custom CSS and advanced coding capabilities; creating forms and pop-ups within the platform’s editing interface; integrations with WooCommerce; and, of course, the theme builder.
Elementor Pro offers four subscription options, each tailored to different individuals or groups. It also includes a special website builder and hosting plan for next-level 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 in the first year, then $499/year after; 100 pro website activations, VIP customer support in under 30 minutes
- Agency Plan – $999/year. 1000 Pro Website Activations. VIP Customer Support in Less Than 30 Minutes.
Elementor Cloud Website Building + Hosting is $99 per year. It gives you the same features you can expect from any Elementor Pro plan but includes stunning hosting and CMS capabilities. You get a remarkable range of design assets, templates, and editing capacities, and your website is fully protected with 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. So dynamic that even business teams can get away from using the free version instead. How To Shrink The Slide Show On Elementor
Elementor Free allows you to:
- 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
- Add or edit out website blocks however you need them.
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 that allow you to use and edit the same widget across multiple pages without having to edit it individually;
- A front-end form builder and a pop-up editor if you want more ways to attract potential customers;
- Integrations with the popular e-commerce platform WooCommerce, complete with template blocks and widgets that let you build an online storefront;
- You can create your own theme using the Theme Builder feature. How To Shrink The Slide Show On Elementor
Elementor Pro should not be considered the only way to grow the WordPress plugin if you don’t want to license multiple websites. As previously mentioned, Elementor Free is already sustainable enough for most users – there are plenty of flexible themes and templates out there that can be integrated with Elementor, a notable example of which is Astra.
Elementor: How does it work?
First, install the Elementor plugin and activate it in WordPress. After you have installed the plugin, you will see a settings panel. You can modify any content while editing. Otherwise, you may head straight to WordPress’s pages section.
From there, you will notice the Edit with Elementor button placed conveniently along the bar above the canvas. You will be immediately redirected to the builder interface as you click the button. The image below perfectly illustrates what it looks like. How To Shrink The Slide Show On Elementor
Based on the image, here are some things you should know as you explore this interface.
- The canvas or workroom. It’s a huge part of the interface that takes up most of the screen.
- The widgets area. Situated on the left side next to the canvas, it contains lots of content and design elements that are ready to use.
- 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. Essentially considered a form of the menu button, it allows you to return to the widgets list – nine little squares 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 You can convert your desktop page to tablet-friendly or mobile-friendly versions by clicking the small monitor icon. This icon can be used to edit the content you wish your customers to see on their smartphones.
- 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. It’s gray if your page is being updated. This time, unlike green, you cannot click it. How To Shrink The Slide Show On Elementor
Structure Hierarchy
Before we can even begin building, you must first understand the structure hierarchy that Elementor follows. 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 a collection of sections and columns.
On the one hand, a section is a row that you can customize with plenty of design elements, such as background, colors, sizing, and more.
The columns, on the other, go inside a certain section. These, in turn, are where the widgets or content elements are placed. 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. Click the Edit with Elementor link in WordPress’ page design interface. You’ll soon notice a plus (+) button highlighted in red violet – click on that to add a new section. How To Shrink The Slide Show On Elementor
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. From there, you may populate those 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. These widgets can be rearranged and rearranged within the page.
Now is the time for fine tuning the details and making the page more attractive. There are three main editing tabs to explore: Content, Style, and Advanced.
Designing a pre-existing or pre-made themed page is much easier than doing so from scratch. You would usually only need to make minor adjustments between sections, columns, and widgets, unless you are adding 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 missing?
Don’t get us wrong – based on what we’ve shown you so far, Elementor is surely poised to be among the very best WordPress web design plugins out there. 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. With that in mind, you might need to refresh and reopen it to get it back on track.
- Although most of Elementor’s features can be used for free, some may find them to be essential, but they are only available in Elementor Pro. This may prove frustrating 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. How To Shrink The Slide Show On Elementor
- Some editing refinements may not go exactly as you wish them to. 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 is filled to the brim with expert-level core features and tools included in the free version, plus more useful upgrades in any of the Elementor Pro plans. Furthermore, most users will likely find it easier to grasp than 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.
We do have a few users in mind who will find Elementor more suitable. 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. How To Shrink The Slide Show On Elementor
Alternatives to Elementor
Just because Elementor has advantages that may far exceed other contemporary web design plugins doesn’t mean you should consider it as the only choice worth considering.
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 are already enough to create an attractive website.
Other noteworthy web design plugin alternatives to Elementor include SeedProd and the SiteOrigin Page Builder.
Final Verdict: Is Elementor Worth Trying?
Answering the question is yes. If you’re searching for a top-notch drag-and-drop page-building instrument for WordPress that’s stuffed with professional-grade design tools and features, with most of those core features offered for free, look no further than Elementor. How To Shrink The Slide Show On Elementor
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 How To Shrink The Slide Show On Elementor
Can I export or upload my templates to Elementor
Yes, Elementor can import your templates. 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 types of pages can I create using Elementor?
With Elementor, you can create homepages, landing pages, landing pages, about pages, or any mixed-interest pages under the sun.
If you’re subscribed to Elementor Pro, you can create full websites and even online stores apart from numerous pages.
Does Elementor slow down my website?
Elementor will not slow down your website so that it takes as little time as possible to load. A website built with this plugin might take two seconds longer than one built from WordPress’s built in website builder. Nonetheless, both equally bit faster than the version made through, say, Beaver Builder.
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.