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. Sure, the platform’s in-house page builder is always ready to assist you, but the problem is you can’t edit it as much as you’d like because of how bulky and out-of-the-place it is.
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 is designed to make it easy to create websites. No coding required!
Are you a believer that Elementor is the right page builder? Or are you undecided? We’re digging deep into all it has to offer, in order to answer your questions.
Here’s a Pinky1472 video review for those who like a visual experience. 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? Localhost Elementor Menu Page Linking
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.
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. This unique platform has one advantage: all the tools that you need to create a website are at your fingertips.
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.
- 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.
- 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. 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 simple to create a stunning page. The interface of Elementor is so simple and packed with useful tools, even people with more advanced knowledge in web design, can use it without any difficulty. 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. Still, not all of them can live up to Elementor’s standard. With that being said, Elementor has gained a positive reputation among many WordPress users – more than three million of them have had the plugin installed on their 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. They make site-building easy as they turn your ideas into products that will grab attention.
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.
Huge Selection of Widgets
Elementor has a lot more than just a wide range of templates. There are many widget options available in the plugin. 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. To expand your selection, you can also import templates from third-party sources.
Convenient Drag-and-drop Editing
If there’s one thing that Elementor is most prominent for, it has to be its highly convenient user experience. 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. Similarly, you may tweak some adjustments between the page’s elements by dragging it to a different 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. 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.
Those are some of the basic editing tools you can explore in Elementor. You can also make specific adjustments to the plugin’s 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.
Options 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. 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.
A Chance to Look Back at the Changes You’ve Made
Sometimes, a few ‘undos’ actions are not enough to correct a major design error. You might have encountered similar occurrences if you tried editing on any 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
You can use the entire Elementor plugin for absolutely free. 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. 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 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 under 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. 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 is already feature-rich in retrospect – its series of core tools are as dynamic as other web design platforms where their premium plans bring the same level of delivery. It is so dynamic that business teams can use the free version. Localhost Elementor Menu Page Linking
With Elementor Free, you can:
- Create optimized mobile-friendly versions of your site and page
- Go through your website’s version history
- 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. It offers a lot more value than the free version. This means that you have more options and more features to help you get the most out of your software. These include:
- A growing list of more than 300 themes and over 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.
- The ability to create your personalized theme from scratch through its Theme Builder feature. Localhost Elementor Menu Page Linking
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?
First, install the Elementor plugin 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.
From there, you will notice the Edit with Elementor button placed conveniently along the bar above the canvas. As soon as you click on the button, you will be redirected to builder interface. The image below perfectly illustrates what it looks like. Localhost Elementor Menu Page Linking
Based on the picture, here are a couple of things that you should expect as you explore the interface:
- The workroom or canvas. It takes up the largest part 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. Symbolized by three small horizontal lines, it is where you get to access a wide range of colors, fonts, and other design assets.
- 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. It is represented by the cogwheel icon and takes you to the more advanced settings.
- The Revision History button. It is displayed as a clock icon and allows you to view the history of pages or websites in your past versions.
- 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. Once you click the tiny eye icon, you’re given a full look at the changes you’ve made to your page before you’re ready to publish it.
- 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. Localhost Elementor Menu Page Linking
Structure Hierarchy
Before you can begin building, it is important to understand the structure hierarchy Elementor uses. This similar structure has been used by many web designers, including those who are more experienced in website design.
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.
On the other hand, the columns are located within a specific 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
Now that we know how the skeletal outline works, let’s go ahead and create a page. 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. Localhost Elementor Menu Page Linking
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. Drag any widget from the interface’s widget section and drop it onto those columns, whether it is a heading or an images. 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 missing?
We don’t mean to mislead you, Elementor is certain to be one of the best WordPress web design tools. However, nothing in this world is always perfect. There are many things we love about the world, but there are some things you might find annoying.
- 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. Localhost Elementor Menu Page Linking
- You may find that some editing adjustments don’t work as you expect. You may find that the default font and typography of certain links is what you have chosen, even if you add your own styling. You may also have trouble finding the margin value if the alignment of your design elements is not correct.
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. 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 include:
- Casual internet users. Bloggers and hobby website runners, in particular, will enjoy the wide, customizable benefits gladly offered by Elementor.
- 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. Localhost Elementor Menu Page Linking
Alternatives to Elementor
Elementor may have some advantages over other web design plugins, but that doesn’t make it the best choice.
There are plenty of nice web design plugins for WordPress that deliver close to the same level as Elementor, with some that may offer only a few. WordPress’s web design features are not for everyone. We all know this. That’s why plugins were created.
There are currently two other top WordPress web builders plugins that are comparable to Elementor in terms if features: Divi builder By Elegant Themes and Beaver Builder. Divi is able to edit your website directly from the front-end interface, just like your clients. However, despite giving off a very similar edge, it somehow doesn’t include a free option. Beaver Builder is a more straightforward plugin than the others, but it packs as many design tools as you need 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. 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. Localhost Elementor Menu Page Linking
It’s easy to see why so many people continue to use this plugin to build websites and pages. We believe that Elementor stands out from most web design plugins because it allows individuals of all skill levels to build whatever they wish with no major obstacles in the way. Elementor isn’t like other web design plugins that require you to upgrade to a higher plan, or to purchase a paid license. This ensures there is 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 Localhost Elementor Menu Page Linking
Can I upload or export my templates to Elementor?
Yes, you can import your templates to Elementor. You can create a new template using the Theme Builder. Additionally, you can import your personal themes to the website builder via 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?
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 won’t slow down your website to the point where it will take as many seconds 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. Both are still faster than the Beaver Builder version.
WordPress websites made with plugins can take longer to build due to multiple factors, including poor hosting, large media files and slow themes.