Among website platforms, WordPress is probably the most famous. When talking about Content management systems alone, WordPress owns 60.8% of the market share. 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. It would be difficult to create a website as functional and elegant without the necessary know-how.
Enter Plug-ins. WordPress plugins can be described as pieces of software you “plug in” to your WordPress website. These plugins will enhance or add functionality to your WordPress site. Through plugins, you can make your website into anything you can imagine.
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 plug-ins are simple to use while others require some time to get 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.
A Quick Look on Elementor How To Live Preview Theme With Elementor
To begin with, Elementor is a drag-and-drop page builder plugin for WordPress. Page builders are a tool that allows users to build websites from scratch.
Elementor is not new, however. It has been available in the WordPress Plugin Library since it was released in mid-2016. It has quickly become one of the most popular, visual page builders in WordPress. From there, it hasn’t stopped and rested on its laurels.
Elementor continues to evolve and grow at an incredible pace, keeping up the latest technologies.
Since it is a drag-and-drop builder. Elementor is easy to use, even for people just starting to build websites. Most of the process will involve dragging and dropping website elements on your workspace.
Most drag and drop builders operate on the “what you see is what you get” model. That means whatever you see while editing or building your website. This makes it easy to imagine how your website would look as you are building it.
Elementor also allows you to do many things. You can create pages and posts that are more unique than regular WordPress themes.
Elementor will take you to a different interface when you create your page. 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. It can be used to create any page or content layout you can think of.
Elementor even works on all kinds of WordPress themes. So there is no need to worry if your theme will be bugging out since it is not compatible with Elementor.
The Features of Elementor
At first glance, Elementor is what it says it is, a drag and drop page builder for WordPress User to make their pages without using a code.
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. It is named after the building blocks users use to build out the page. These blocks are called elements and form the web site.
These are the items that users “drag-and drop” to create eye-popping designs. And through them, the Elementor name is apropos.
Responsive Design
The smart phones were first. Then came the Internet of things. The internet can now be accessed by almost any device. 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. You want your website to look great on any device.
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.
You can also customize the look and function of your browser to suit your needs.
Templates
With a drag and drop builder like Elementor, it would not be a surprise if there are people trying to build a WordPress page who do not know a thing about code. It will also be no surprise to find people who have no idea where to begin when building a webpage.
These poor souls can be helped by templates. Templates can help avoid the blank page syndrome that most beginners suffer from. 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. These templates can also be used to inspire you in creating your own unique 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
Elementor’s many tools make it easy to create web pages. Some of which include right-click support where you can get help with a click of the mouse. 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), allows users to create entire WordPress themes.
Dynamic Content
Dynamic content refers to any digital or online content which changes and updates based upon data, user behavior, and preferences.
Elementor lets you add dynamic content to your pages using custom fields or plugins such as 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. They are often used to convert leads.
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 is a plugin for WordPress that allows you to sell products online. Its primary draw is its ease of integration on your site and its customizability.
Elementor allows you to set up an eCommerce store with 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
Anyone can use Elementor. Digital marketers, students and everyone in between. Anybody who plans to create a WordPress website can use the various styles and functions available in Elementor to spice up their pages.
Casual User
Elementor is a great tool for casual users who want to inject some personality and pizazz into their blogs or websites. In fact Elementor is the perfect tool for such a job.
The visual interface makes it easy for casual users, even those with no programming knowledge, to create eye-opening or innovative designs.
Even the free version is good enough for casual users.
Digital Marketer
Elementor is great for digital marketers, teams and individuals because it offers many 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. You could even combine the plugin with Landing page friendly plugins to really hone in on your sales.
If you want to get serious, you can avail of the Elementor Pro features that allow you to create lead forms. These forms are not far from those plugins that focus more on lead conversion or landing pages.
You can even connect these lead forms to popular email marketing services. Zapier is one of the most popular integration and automation tools on the internet.
One feature discussed earlier is the Popup builder.This popup builder is perfect to create opt-in popups. These popups can be placed anywhere on your website and targeted to specific items.
The WooCommerce Builder can also be used to design sales pages and sell products.
Site Builders
For people whose work involves building websites for clients, there is no better choice than Elementor.
Elementor has plenty of features to make website building an easier and more streamlined process. The drag and drop feature allows builders an easy way to create a website from scratch. Combine this with the website preview, and you can almost instantly see the results of your work.
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.
The Case for Using Elementor
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.
Making websites is not an easy task. Sure, you might know the basics. It is possible that you even know what elements are needed to create a functional website.
It is still a fact websites must be unique to make their place in the internet. This might sound like an easy task, but there are a lot of factors to consider when maintaining a website.
Website navigation and aesthetics are important, as well as security. Each of these must be maintained in a pristine condition to keep users and visitors satisfied with your website’s overall performance.
Doing so will take a lot of work. Now, put yourself in the shoes of a freelancer or a website designer and you will have these problems multiplied tenfold.
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.
It is possible to start from scratch. Thanks to the multiple professional grade templates available for use.
And that is the main crux of website and webpage builders. They allow the users to have an easier and more accessible time in carving their space in the Internet. How To Live Preview Theme With Elementor
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.
With that done, you can choose to customize Elementor’s settings or immediately begin creating and designing a website.
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.
Click on the “Edit with Elementor” button in the upper right corner of the page to begin editing
This will bring about the dashboard that has the following parts:
- The Main Canvas where most of the action will take place. 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. where you can switch between views on how your website will look like on different gadgets (desktop, tablet, or mobile)
- Preview the Changes
- Publish
From this interface, you can choose what to do with your website. You have two options: you can start from scratch. You can edit a pre-existing webpage. You can even use a template to get you started with your work. How To Live Preview Theme With Elementor
Elementor Structure Hierarchy
Before you can truly begin creating websites in Elementor, you need to understand how it works. This is where you will need to understand how Elementor works and how they interact with one another.
Sure, Elementor might offer a drag and drop builder, which at first glance can make it a chaotic and free builder. However, there is actually a structure to this “madness”. Understanding this structure is key to effective website building (aside from just copying a template.)
Each page created with Elementor has 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. Sections hold widgets and columns. Basically they hold the other elements of the website together.
The sections are divided by columns. Just like the sections, you can control and customize each column individually. Each column can be home to multiple widgets or content. You can also make each section’s columns different.
These are the smallest elements of a website. This is basically the toppers of your website. The function of your website will depend on the widgets and its personality will depend on the content. These widgets can be customized and styled.
Pre-made Templates
Although they aren’t necessary for creating web pages, you can still make them from scratch. However, pre-made templates are always a blessing. 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? Elementor offers 150 templates to free users. If that is not enough, Pro users are given three hundred and more templates to play around with.
Then there are the Elementor Kits. These “design kits” consist of a variety of templates. These templates have a common design or are generally uniform. These templates are great for creating websites with a single design theme.
Both the pre-made templates and the Elementor kits are available on Elementor’s template library. This library holds most of all common page templates for different purposes. You might think of a website page and find the information you are looking for. How To Live Preview Theme With Elementor
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. You can export web pages that you are happy with to a template so you can reuse them whenever you want.
This makes it easy to choose a design when you are building another page that shares design or function elements from your previous pages. You can even share them to the greater 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. Although it’s easier to use a template to create one, it is worth learning how to make one yourself.
Through examining it sprocess, we can clearly see how good the functions of the Elementor Plugin is.
To begin:
- Click “Edit with Elementor” to open a blank page
- There will be a “+” button. To add a new section, click on the button.
- A page will appear with a variety of sections. Pick the one most suited to your needs. Preferably the one with enough columns for your needs.
- Once you have created your sections, you are able to drag and drop your widgets from the Elementor to the columns you wish to place.
- When you are satisfied with where you placed your elements, you can customize them in the Content, Style, and Advanced Sections. It is a good idea to experiment with the different options until you find the style that suits you best. How To Live Preview Theme With Elementor
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.
They can come from your own saved pages. Some can come front he dozens of templates available from Elementor’s library. Or they can be other templates that 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 get on with it.
- 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. Simply click on the box to open it and then enter the text you desire 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.
- By clicking on the widgets, you can modify them in the same way as text. It will open the appropriate widget setting in the sidebar. This section is broken down into three tabs: Style, Content, and Advanced. These settings can be adjusted until you find the right setting. How To Live Preview Theme With Elementor
The Price of Elementor
With all the features elementor provides its users, it seems too good to be true that it is just a free plugin. Yep, you heard it right. Elementor is FREE
You might have noticed that the Pro version is mentioned. And it’s true 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 available. Each plan has more features and benefits. 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
More than 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
100+ Basic and Pro Widgets
More than 300+ Pro and Basic Templates
60+ Pro Website Kits
Theme Builder
WooCommerce Store Builder
Landing Page Builder
VIP Support
Elementor Expert Profile |
The Case for Going Pro
When it comes to Elementor Pro, there is much debate. Many people struggle to pay for a service that offers 90% of the benefits it could offer 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: How To Live Preview Theme With Elementor
- 50+ Additional content elements or modules
- Additional page templates available in 300+
- You can create a theme using the theme builder.
- 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 can be used on the website, even if they are not on the same page.
- Add custom CSS to any Elementor Blocks for further customization
- Deploying Elementor elements in sidebars and widgets
You can choose Elementor Pro Version if you don’t think these extra features are sufficient or you require some of these features on your website. How To Live Preview Theme With Elementor
The Pros and Cons of Elementor
Pros
- The core product for Elementor is entirely free. Elementor is free to use, unlike many plugins.
- You have many options to create your website. These features are also very simple to use.
- It allows users to build custom web pages and page layouts with eye-popping design that may not be accessible in your basic theme or on WordPress’ basic builder.
- Drag and drop builders eliminate the need to have HTML, CSS, orPHP skills. No Coding is Required when you got Elementor by your side
- Chooses the “What you see is what you get” approach, makes it easy for you to build your website without switching to previews. This approach can help you save time.
- All pages made with Elementor are 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. You can literally fine tune all details of your page.
Cons
- Sometimes, the custom styling to links does not always go as intended.
- Sometimes you may need to stick with Elementor’s default typography or color settings.
- It can be difficult to correct misaligned elements, particularly when it comes to their margin values. This is because most blocks, columns, and content elements have their own margin settings.
- Some people have observed that Elementor can sometimes slow down the overall speed of your website. How To Live Preview Theme With Elementor
The Verdict for Elementor
Elementor is an excellent page builder. It has all the features you want and need for a basic page builder and more. It caters to both beginners and veteran page builder alike. What’s more is that you get all of its features for the low low price of free.
So if you are looking for a drag and drop page builder plugin for WordPress, you will never go wrong with Elementor.
I’d even say that Elementor’s developers have made a fortune and have not stopped trying since. It is incredible that Elementors are still one of the top choices today, given their age.
Common Questions about Elementor
Does Elementor work with WordPress Themes?
Elementor works with all themes provided they adhere to the WordPress Codex coding standards.
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, the advanced version of Elementor, is available.
It is not free, unlike regular Elementor. However, it adds a lot of features and completes the needed tools that web creators need to build a professional, pixel perfect website. How To Live Preview Theme With Elementor
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? How To Live Preview Theme With Elementor
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. If you are interested in the Pro version of Elementor Pro, you can pay for it and then use it for one month to decide if it is worth keeping.