WordPress is the most well-known website platform. WordPress holds 60.8% market share in Content management systems. This is how widespread and massive WordPress is.
WordPress powers 14.7% of the top websites in the world. WordPress is the only reason that Time Magazine, Sony Music and The Harvard Gazette, as well as Microsoft News, function. WordPress is a must-have for the internet.
Now WordPress is just a very simple site builder, it takes a lot of work to create a website in the levels of the bigger ones like Microsoft news and Time Magazine. Without the know-how, it would be very difficult to make a website that is as functional or as elegant as those.
Use plug-ins. WordPress plugins can be described as pieces of software you “plug in” to your WordPress website. These pieces of software will then add new functionality or enhance functionality on your WordPress site. Plugins allow you to transform your website into any type of thing you can think of.
Plugins are the heartbeat of WordPress. They are essential to maintain and enhance its function. WordPress plugins are so embedded in the WordPress environment, that there are over 55,000 plugins listed on the WordPress Plugin Directory.
Some of them are free, some are not. Some of these plug-ins are easy to use, and others take a while of getting used to. One notable plug in is the page builder plug in called Elementor.
Pink1472’s Youtube channel is reviewed in video format for those who like a visual experience. You can still read our article to get an overview of Elementor.
Elementor: A Quick Overview Friendly Variety Show
To begin with, Elementor is a drag-and-drop page builder plugin for WordPress. As the name suggests, page builders help users build their websites from the ground up.
That said, Elementor is nothing new. It has been available in the WordPress Plugin Library since it was released in mid-2016. It quickly became one of the most popular visual page builders in WordPress. From there, it hasn’t stopped and rested on its laurels.
Even today, Elementor continues to grow and evolve at a rapid pace, keeping up with the newest technologies.
Since it is a drag-and-drop builder. Elementor is very easy to use for those just beginning to build their websites. Most of the process will involve dragging and dropping website elements on your workspace.
Drag and drop builders work on the principle that “what you see, is what you get”. This means that you can see what you create while building or editing your website. It is easy to visualize how your website will look when you build it.
Elementor also allows you to do many things. It gives you the ability to create posts and pages that are unique and more eye-oppoing than the standard post or page templates from a regular WordPress theme.
When making your page, Elementor will bring you to a separate interface. This is where you get to work on your posts and pages. You don’t need to use the standard editor WordPress offers.
You don’t need to know HTML, CSS, PHP or any other programming skills to use this interface. As stated above, everything is drag and drop and done through a handy user-facing interface.
Elementor is a flexible plugin. It can be used with whatever current WordPress theme you are using. You can make and generate any content layout or page layout you can imagine with it.
Elementor even works on all kinds of WordPress themes. Elementor is compatible with all themes, so there’s no reason to be concerned if your theme isn’t compatible.
The Features of Elementor
Elementor looks like it’s a drag-and-drop page builder for WordPress Users.
However, we wouldn’t be discussing Elementor if it is all that Elementor can do.
Aside from being one of the most used and well reviewed page builder plugin in WordPress, Elementor also has the following features:
Content Elements Galore
Elementor, as a web page creator, is quite a strange name. Rather than page building, it brings about images of a monster who uses the elements to vanquish the heroes.
Elementor is not named after any mythical creature or scary monster. Its name is derived from the blocks that are used to build the pages. These blocks are called elements and form the web site.
These are the things that users need to “drag-and-drop” to form their eye popping designs. These are the Elementor names.
Responsive Design
The smart phones were first. Then came the Internet of things. Now, almost everything can be used to browse the internet. The most popular way to browse the internet is still via a personal computer or laptop, rather than using smartphones and tablets.
Now, if you are an owner of a webpage who wants the “hits” you should have no cock to pick on that cockfight. Both would be welcome to your site. As such, you would want your site to look the best it can no matter the device being used.
Elementor allows you to do just that. With its responsive design that is turned on by default, your website will look optimized no matter which gadget your viewer is using.
And if you are not satisfied with the default look, there are multiple options provided to allow you to customize and control how it works and looks.
Templates
Elementor is a drag-and-drop builder that makes it easy to create a WordPress page. It is not surprising to see people who don’t know where to start when creating a website.
Luckily templates exist in order to help these poor souls. Templates can be used to avoid the “blank page syndrome” that many beginners experience. Elementor offers hundreds of professionally designed templates.
These templates will be a good place to start whenever you are starting out for a new web page. Or they can be used as an inspiration to create your own eye popping websites.
Style options
Aside from templates, Elementor also provides style. With Elementor, you can get a lot of detailed style options that allow for pixel-perfect design. You don’t need to know any coding or custom CSS.
Convenience
With its multiple tools, Elementor makes it a lot easier to build your web pages. You can access right-click support to get assistance with just a mouse click. You can also use the quick find tool to help you locate what you need to build your site with Theme Builder.
The Pro version (paid version) even allows users to design entire WordPress themes.
Dynamic Content
Dynamic content is defined as any digital or online content that changes and updates based on data, user behavior and preferences.
Elementor allows you to add dynamic content from custom fields and plugins like ACF, Pods and Toolset. You can keep your pages up-to-date with any changes that you wish to reflect.
Popup Builder
The popup builder is another feature that only Pro users can access with Elementor. Popups are small web pages that can be used into whatever you like. More often than not, they are used for lead conversion.
Elementor’s Popup Builder allows you to design your popup using the same tools given for your webpage builder. You can use the same visual, drag-and-drop interface and the “what you see is what it gives you” interface.
With Elementor’s popup builder, you are sure to create popups that are as visually impressive as your page.
WooCommerce Builder
WooCommerce is an open-source ecommerce plugin for WordPress. WooCommerce’s target is usually small to large online merchants. Its main draw is for its simplicity to integrate on your website and its customizability.
This customizability extends even to Elementor which allows users to create an eCommerce store using the WooCommerce plugin. Through Elementor you can design your WooCommerce shop using Lementors. You can even include products and integrate it in your design.
The Users for Elementor
Elementor can be used by almost anyone. Digital marketers, students and everyone in between. Anyone who has plans in creating a web page through WordPress, can spice up their pages through the different functions and styles available in Elementor.
Casual User
Casual users looking for a way to add pizazz and personality in their personal websites or blogs can use Elementor. Elementor is the ideal tool to do this job.
Using the visual interface, it would be very easy for casual users to create groundbreaking or eye-opening designs even without using technical knowledge like coding, custom CSS or whatever programming language available.
Even the free version is good enough for casual users.
Digital Marketer
Elementor is also great for digital marketers and teams because it allows for lots of marketing opportunities.
It can be used as a drag-and-drop page builder to create sales pages or landing pages if you know how to do that. To really increase your sales, you could combine the plugin with Landing Page friendly plugins.
You can use the Elementor Pro features to create lead forms if you’re serious. These forms are not far from those plugins that focus more on lead conversion or landing pages.
These lead forms can be connected to popular email marketing tools. It can even be integrated with Zapier, one of the internet’s most well known automation and integration tools.
The Popup builder was mentioned earlier. This popup builder allows you to create opt-in, popups. You can place these pop ups anywhere on your site and target them to specific things.
Even the WooCommerce Builder can be used to sell products and services and design your sales pages.
Site Builders
For people whose work involves building websites for clients, there is no better choice than Elementor.
Elementor offers many features that make website building easier and more efficient. The drag and drop feature allows builders an easy way to create a website from scratch. This feature can be combined with the website preview to almost instantly see the results.
There are even themes to make the website building process easier. These themes can also be used to inspire the next website they create. They can use the aesthetics, functionality, form, or any combination of the above to build the perfect website.
Elementor users can even use the plugin in conjunction with flexible themes to build 100% custom client sites without even touching code.
But if you want to code, Elementor still allows you to do that.
Elementor: The Case
We know about Elementor’s features, and we also know who can benefit from the plugin. But we need to understand why Elementor is so important.
First of all, the most basic use of Elementor boils down as a page builder for websites.
It isn’t easy to create websites. You might be able to grasp the basics. You might even know which elements to include to make a very functional website.
However, it is still a fact that websites should be unique in order to carve out their own space in the internet. Although this may sound simple, there are many factors that must be considered when creating a website.
Then there is the website navigation, the overall aesthetic, not to mention, the security of your website. Each of these must be maintained in a pristine condition to keep users and visitors satisfied with your website’s overall performance.
It will require a lot of effort. These problems will be ten times more if you are a freelancer or website designer.
For each new client or new website you build, you will need to create and generate newer ideas to make it unique.
Plugins and page builder apps are a godsend for these people. There are many features that make website building easier and more intuitive. Work will take less time to consume.
From the multiple features such as dynamic content, version features, and drag and drop builders, Website designers will have to spend less time fine tuning websites depending on their client’s preferences.
Even starting from scratch can be a thing of the past. Many professional-grade templates are available.
And that is the main crux of website and webpage builders. They make it easier and more accessible for users to carve their own space on the Internet. Friendly Variety Show
The Examination of Elementor
The Interface
Of course, using the Elementor plugin requires installation and activation before using it. You can do so through the WordPress Repository.
Once you’re done, you can either customize Elementor’s settings to your liking or start creating and designing websites immediately.
The default settings for people just starting out should not be altered. Now we can head over to the pages and open one that we are allowed to edit.
To start editing: On the upper right side of the page, click on “Edit With Elementor”
This will bring about the dashboard that has the following parts:
- This is the Main Canvas, where the majority of the action will occur. Here you can edit and redesign the majority of your websites.
- You can drag the Elementor widgets section from which most of the functions and “apps” for your website to be placed before you place it in the main area of our website.
- Elementor Settings
- Open Elementor Widgets
- Global Settings
- Revision History
- Switch View. Switch View. This is where you can switch between different views of how your website will appear on different devices (desktop/tablet, mobile).
- Preview Changes
- Publish
From this interface, you can choose what to do with your website. You can either start from scratch. Edit an existing webpage. To get started, you can use a template. Friendly Variety Show
Elementor Structure Hierarchy
Understanding how Elementor works is essential before you can create websites. In this case, you need to get a grip of how the website elements in Elementor work as well as how they work with each other.
Elementor may be a drag-and-drop builder that can seem chaotic at first glance. However, there is actually a structure to this “madness”. Understanding this structure is key to effective website building (aside from just copying a template.)
Every page built with Elementor contains sections and columns
Sections are essentially rows. Each section is the basis of the page. You can add a background in a section, change its sizing, and do more customizations. Most of all, sections hold columns and widgets. They basically hold all the elements together.
The sections are divided by columns. Each column can be customized and controlled individually, just like the sections. Each column is home to multiple content or widgets. As such, you can make each column on a section different from each other.
These are the smallest elements of a website. These are the main elements of your website’s toppers. Your website’s function will be determined by the widgets, while its personality will be determined by the content. Of course, you can still customize and style these two.
Pre-made Templates
While they are not necessary in creating web pages (you can always make them from scratch) , having pre-made templates is always a godsend. Not only do they make your work easier and faster, they are also a source of lots and lots of inspiration.
Elementor provides you with professionally designed pre-made templates you can use for your page. You can use each template as is, or you can edit them to suit your needs or tweak them a little to make a perfect fit.
So how many templates do Elementor provide its users? Free users are given 150 and more templates available to use. If that is not enough, Pro users are given three hundred and more templates to play around with.
There are also the Elementor Kits. These “design kits” consist of a variety of templates. These templates are mostly uniform or share the same design feel. These kits are perfect for crafting whole websites that carry a singular vision on its design aspect.
Both the pre-made templates and the Elementor kits are available on Elementor’s template library. This library contains most common templates for various purposes. You might think of a website page and find the information you are looking for. Friendly Variety Show
There are pages for contact pages, about pages, landing pages, and niches. restaurants, hotels, resorts etc.) Portfolios and teampages are also available.
The library not only gives, but it also receives. If you created a web page that you think you really are satisfied with, you can export them as a template and you will be able to reuse them at the drop of a hat.
This makes it easy to choose a design when you are building another page that shares design or function elements from your previous pages. These designs can be shared to the wider community online.
Designing a Page from Scratch with Elementor
Elementor lets you create and design your website from scratch or with a pre-existing template. While it is easier to build one from a template, it is still worthwhile to learn how to build one from scratch.
We can see the effectiveness of the Elementor plugin’s functions by looking at it.
To start:
- Open a blank page and click “Edit With Elementor”
- You will see a “+” button. Click on it to add a new section
- You will be presented with a page that has a selection of sections in it. Choose the one that best suits your needs. It is best to choose one that has enough columns to meet your needs.
- Now that you have your sections, you can start picking your widgets in the Elementor drag and drop them to your columns where you want to place them.
- Once you’re satisfied with the placement of your elements, you can modify them in the Content and Style sections. It is a good idea to experiment with the different options until you find the style that suits you best. Friendly Variety Show
Editing an Existing Page in Elementor To Suit Your Design
After learning how to create web pages with Elementor from scratch, we can now look at editing instead of building one from an existing page. Pre-existing pages can come from a variety of sources.
These templates can be taken from your saved pages. Some can come front he dozens of templates available from Elementor’s library. They can also be templates you have imported into Elementor.
No matter the source, one thing is true: Editing a webpage from a pre-built page is a lot easier than building one from scratch.
Let’s move on.
- It is easy to add a new widget. You just take the widget you want to use from the Elementor Panel and then drag it to where you want to place it on the page.
- Rearranging widgets on the visual preview is also done by dragging the said widget and dropping it to the new location of where you want to place it.
- Editing text from content boxes is just as simple. You just need to click on the box and then type the new text you want on the visual preview.
- You can always add sections or columns. This is particularly useful if you need to create new layouts of your widgets.
- You can customize your widgets the same way you edit text, by clicking on them. It will open the appropriate widget setting in the sidebar. This section is broken down into three tabs: Style, Content, and Advanced. Play with these settings until you find something you fancy. Friendly Variety Show
The Price of Elementor
It seems unbelievable that elementor is a free plugin when you consider all of the features it offers. You heard it correctly. Elementor is completely free
You might have noticed that the Pro version is mentioned. It is true that there is a Pro version. To enjoy most of Elementor’s features and benefits, however, you don’t need to be a pro.
You can get Elementor’s main plugin via the official WordPress repository. It is entirely free and no hidden costs or signups and registrations are needed. If you wish to upgrade to Pro, this plugin will be required.
Speaking of the Pro edition. There are currently four plans. Each of these plans adds more benefits and features. You will get a different amount of Pro Website Activation depending on the plan you choose.
The plan are as follows:
Essential Plan | Expert Plan | Studio Plan | Agency Plan |
$49 per Year | $199 per Year | $299 per year (1st year only).
$499 |
$999 per Year |
1 Pro Website Activation
100+ Basic and Pro Widgets
More than 300+ Pro and Basic Templates
60+ Pro Website Kits
Theme Builder
WooCommerce Store Builder
Landing Page Builder
Premium Support |
25 Pro-Website Activations
100+ Basic and Pro Widgets
300+ Basic and Pro Templates
60+ Pro Website Kits
Theme Builder
WooCommerce Store Builder
Landing Page Builder
Premium Support
Elementor Expert Profile |
100 Pro Website Activations
100+ Basic and Pro Widgets
300+ Basic and Pro Templates
60+ Pro Website Kits
Theme Builder
WooCommerce Store Builder
Landing Page Builder
VIP Support
Elementor Expert Profile |
1000 Pro Website Activations
More than 100+ basic and pro widgets
300+ Basic and Pro Templates
60+ Pro Website Kits
Theme Builder
WooCommerce Store Builder
Landing Page Builder
VIP Support
Elementor Expert Profile |
The case for going pro
There is a great debate if when talking about going Pro with Elementor. A lot of people find it hard to reconcile paying for a service that already offers 90% of what it can do for free. To be honest, this actually boils down to what Elementor Pro offers.
Aside from the ones listed above, Elementor Pro has its other benefits. This include: Friendly Variety Show
- 50+ Additional content elements or modules
- Additional page templates available in 300+
- A theme builder (which allows you to change headers and footers for your current theme)
- WooCommerce Builder allows you to rebuild WooCommerce Product Pages
- Popup Builder (which allows you create popups and then integrate them with an on-opt-in form, some offers or discounts).
- Visual form builder (which can be integrated with multiple and popular marketing tools)
- Global widgets that can be used through the website (even not on the same page)
- Add custom CSS to any Elementor Blocks for further customization
- Sidebar widgets and widgets can be used to deploy Elementor elements
If you think these additional features are enough, or if you need some of these features for your webpage, you should definitely go for Elementor’s Pro Version. Friendly Variety Show
Elementor: The Pros and Con of Elementor
Pros
- Elementor’s core product is completely free. Unlike most plugins, you do not need to get the Professional plan in order to get the most out of Elementor
- There are plenty of features to use for creating your webpage. These features are also very simple to use.
- This allows users to create custom web pages or layouts using eye-popping designs that are not possible with the default theme or WordPress’ basic builder.
- Drag and drop builders eliminate the need to have HTML, CSS, orPHP skills. Elementor is your friend!
- The “What you see, is what you get” approach makes it simple to build your website. This can save a lot of time.
- Elementor pages are all responsive. You can even see how your pages would look on mobile, tablet, and desktop while you build your website.
- This plugin allows you to adjust all alignments, margins and padding values. All details can be fine tuned.
Cons
- Sometimes the links’ custom styling doesn’t always work as expected.
- There are times where you can get stuck with Elementor’s default typography and color settings.
- It is difficult to fix misaligned elements, especially talking about their margin values. This is because most blocks, columns, and content elements have their own margin settings.
- Elementor can slow down your website’s overall speed, according to some users. Friendly Variety Show
The Verdict on Elementor
In conclusion, Elementor is a splendid page builder. Elementor has everything you need to build a simple page. Both beginners and veterans can use it. You get all its features at a low price.
Elementor is the best drag-and-drop page builder plugin you can find for WordPress.
I would even go far as to say that the developers of Elementor have struck themselves gold and never really let go since then. Given Elementors age, it is amazing that they are still among the top choices today.
Common Questions about Elementor
Is Elementor compatible with WordPress themes?
Elementor Works with all themes as long as they follow the coding standards of WordPress set by its Codex.
Does Elementor Work with other WordPress plugins
Elementor works with almost all WordPress plugins.
There might be some incompatibility issue here and there, but you can report these incidents to Elementor’s support for them to locate and find a solution about the issue.
What is Elementor Pro?
Elementor Pro is the more advanced version of Elementor.
Unlike regular Elementor, it is not free. However, it adds a lot of features and completes the needed tools that web creators need to build a professional, pixel perfect website. Friendly Variety Show
Why is the Studio subscription to Elementor Pro discounted?
Elementor simply wants to offer a lower entry price point for their studio plan.
This is a great deal at 40% off This discount is only valid for one year. During renewal, Studio plan users will be required to pay the full price.
How can I pay for Elementor Pro
The folks at Elementor access Stripe, PayPal, or any credit card to pay for Elementor Pro.
Is there a Demo Version of Elementor Pro available? Friendly Variety Show
There is no Demo version for Elementor Pro.
However, they do offer a refund policy that lets you cancel the pro plan as well as get a refund within the first 30 days. So if you want to try the Pro version, the best thing to do would be pay for Elementor Pro, try it for a month, then decide if you want to keep it or not.