For WordPress users, Elementor has become a game-changer in the fast-paced world of website creation. Combining creativity and usability in an intuitive interface, this robust page builder has completely changed the way web pages are created and maintained. Without writing a single line of code, Elementor opens up new possibilities for creating beautiful, responsive websites for both experienced developers and beginners. Let’s take a look at the features that make Elementor an essential WordPress tool.
Elementor's cutting-edge frontend editor
Elementor is a leading drag-and-drop page builder plugin for WordPress. Unlike traditional WordPress editors that rely on a more text-based and backend-oriented approach, Elementor offers a live frontend editor that allows you to design your pages in real-time. This means you can see exactly how your changes will appear to users as you make them. Launched in 2016, Elementor quickly gained popularity for its intuitive design, extensive customization options, and the ability to create visually appealing pages without any technical issues.
Key Features and Functionalities
Elementor stands out for its extensive range of features for both basic and more advanced design needs. Here is a quick rundown of some of its core features:
1. Drag-and-Drop Editor
The key feature of Elementor is its drag and drop editor. Using this feature, you can quickly add and rearrange elements on your page. To add elements to your canvas, simply drag them from the sidebar. Whether it’s a button, image, video, or text box, placing elements is quick and easy.
2. Live Design and Inline Editing
Elementor lets you see your changes in real-time thanks to its live design feature. The design process is simplified with this visual approach, which also eliminates the need for frequent previews and backend/frontend switching. Inline editing lets you change text items by simply clicking on them, speeding up and simplifying content changes.
3. Pre-Designed Templates and Blocks
Elementor offers an extensive library of pre-designed templates and blocks that you can use to ease the design process. There is a variety of templates available, from business pages to personal blogs. You can import a template, customize it to your needs, and publish it with minimal effort.
4. Responsive Design Tools
Creating a responsive website is a must in today’s mobile-first world. Elementor includes responsive design tools that let you customize settings for different devices and screen sizes. You can switch to mobile or tablet views and fine-tune your layout so your site looks great on all devices.
5. Advanced Styling Options
Elementor offers extensive styling options that give you complete control over the look and feel of your site. You can customize the colors, fonts, margins, padding, backgrounds, and borders for each element. For those with more design expertise, Elementor also supports custom CSS for more styling.
6. Widgets & Add-Ons
There is a wide variety of widgets available in Elementor, ranging from simple elements like headings and photos to complex features like forms and carousels. Additional widgets, including media carousels, pricing tables, and WooCommerce elements, are available in Elementor’s premium edition, called Elementor Pro. Additionally, a plethora of third-party add-ons extend Elementor’s capabilities even further.
Benefits of Using Elementor
Elementor's features offer significant benefits to WordPress users. Here are some of the benefits explained
1. User-friendly interface
Elementor’s easy-to-use interface makes it accessible to users of all skill levels. Drag-and-drop functionality, live preview, and inline editing simplify the design process, making it easy to create complex layouts.
2. Time Efficiency
Elementor streamlines the web design process by allowing you to see changes immediately and make adjustments quickly. The pre-designed templates and blocks can significantly reduce the time spent creating a page from scratch
3. Flexibility & Customization
With Elementor, you have complete control over your site’s design. Its extensive customization options allow you to customize every part of your pages to your liking. Whether you need a simple landing page or a complex multi-page site, Elementor has you covered.
4. Cost efficiency
The free version of Elementor offers a set of tools for building professional looking websitesFor users who need advanced features, Elementor Pro offers additional functionalities at a reasonable price, making it a good solution for designing high-quality websites at a reasonable price.
5. Updates & Support
Elementor is actively developed and is regularly updated with new features and improvements. The Elementor community is also vibrant and supportive, with extensive documentation, tutorials, and a helpful user forum.
Elementor Pro: Taking It to the Next Level
While the free version of Elementor is good for building basic websites, Elementor Pro offers additional features that greatly expand your capabilities. Here's what you get with Elementor Pro:
1. Theme Builder
Elementor Pro’s Theme Builder allows you to design your entire website, including headers, footers, and archive pages, directly within Elementor. This feature allows you to implement a uniform design across all pages and gives you greater flexibility compared to the default theme settings.
2. Advanced Widgets
Pro users get access to advanced widgets like forms, sliders, and WooCommerce elements. These widgets let you easily add functionality to your site, like interactive forms and product displays.
3. Marketing Tools
Elementor Pro includes tools for creating popups, integrating with email marketing services, and adding social media widgets. These features will help you engage with your audience, collect leads, and effectively promote your content.
4. Custom CSS
Elementor Pro lets you add custom CSS to individual elements or to the entire page, allowing you to create a very specific style and give you more control over the visual elements on your page.
Getting Started with Elementor
To use Elementor, follow these steps:
- Install Elementor: Navigate to your WordPress dashboard and go to 'Plugins' > 'Add New'. Search for 'Elementor' and click 'Install Now'. Once the installation is complete, click 'Activate'. This will add a new 'Elementor' tab to your WordPress dashboard.
- Creating your first page: Go to “Pages” > “Add New” and enter a title for your new page. Click “Edit with Elementor” to open the Elementor editor. On this blank canvas, you’ll start building your page.
- Learning to understand the interface: The Elementor interface consists of a large preview area in the center, a sidebar on the left, and a top bar. The sidebar contains elements that you can drag onto the page, and the top bar contains options such as 'Save' and 'Preview'.
Build your layout
Elementor's layout system allows you to create a variety of page designs, from simple to complex. This allows you to effectively build and structure your page:
- Add Sections: Click the “+” button in the editor to add a new section. Sections are the foundation of your page layout, allowing you to organize your content horizontally.
- Using columns: After adding a section, you can choose the number of columns. Columns help organize content vertically within a section. You can adjust the column width by dragging the border between columns.
- Insert elements: Drag elements from the sidebar into your columns. Elementor offers a wide range of elements, including text boxes, images, videos, and buttons. Once an element is in place, you can customize it via the sidebar options.
- Adjust section settings: Click on the section handle to access the layout, style, and advanced options settings. You can adjust the height, background, borders, and padding of the section to fine-tune its design.
Customizing & Styling Elements
With Elementor, every element on your page can be customized to the layout you want. Here are the basics of styling your elements:
- Adjust content: Each element has content settings in the sidebar where you can customize the text, images, links, and other content-related properties. For example, you can change the text in a heading or update the URL of a button.
- Style settings: The Style tab lets you customize the appearance of your elements. You can change colors, fonts, sizes, and add background images. Use the color picker to select custom colors, or enter hexadecimal codes for precise control.
- Advanced options: The Advanced tab offers settings for margins, padding, motion effects, and custom positioning. You can also add custom CSS for even more control over the appearance of your elements.
Improve your page with widgets
Elementor's extensive widget library enhances your website's functionality. Learn how to use and customize these widgets effectively:
- Basic widgets: Elementor offers essential widgets such as headings, images, text editors, and buttons. Drag a widget from the sidebar and drop it into your section or column. Customize the widget using the content and style settings in the sidebar.
- Pro Widgets: Elementor Pro, a paid version, offers additional widgets such as forms, slides, and posts. These widgets provide advanced functionality and design options that will help you take your website to the next level.
- Third-Part Add-ons: There are many third-party add-ons available that provide additional widgets and features. Some popular add-ons are Essential Addons for Elementor, Ultimate Addons for Elementor, and ElementsKit.
Advanced Features and Best Practices
Elementor includes features that allow for more dynamic and interactive web designs. Here are some of these features and learn best practices for using them:
- Global widgets: Save time by using global widgets, which can be reused on multiple pages. To create a global widget, right-click on a widget and select 'Save as Global'. This allows you to edit the widget once and apply changes to your entire site.
- Theme builder: Elementor Pro includes a theme builder feature, which allows you to design the header, footer, and other general parts of your site. Go to “Templates” > “Theme Builder” to start creating custom templates.
- Dynamic content: Elementor Pro lets you insert dynamic content from custom fields, post metadata, and more. This is useful for creating template pages that pull in different content based on the page or post being viewed.
- Pop-ups: Elementor Pro includes a popup builder, which allows you to create custom popups for newsletters, announcements, and promotions. Navigate to “Templates” > “Popups” to create and manage your popups.
- Best practices: When designing with Elementor, keep your site’s performance in mind. Use optimized images, limit the use of heavy scripts, and avoid unnecessary plugins to ensure your site stays fast and responsive.
Responsive Design and Mobile Optimization
Designing for different devices is essential in today’s mobile-first world. Elementor offers tools to make your site responsive:
- Responsive editing: Click on the responsive mode icon at the bottom of the Elementor sidebar to switch between desktop, tablet, and mobile views. Adjust the settings for each device separately to ensure a consistent and optimized user experience.
- Hide elements on specific devices: Use the advanced settings to hide or show elements on specific devices. This allows you to tailor your content to different screen sizes and ensure that your site looks good everywhere.
- Custom breakpoints: Elementor Pro lets you add custom breakpoints to tailor your design to different screen sizes. Navigate to “Site Settings” > “Breakpoints” to manage custom breakpoints.
Publishing and maintaining your site
Once your design is complete, the final step is publishing your site.
- Preview and publication: Before you make your page live, you can preview it using the eye icon at the bottom of the Elementor sidebar. Once you’re satisfied, click the ‘Publish’ button. You can also set visibility and scheduling options.
- Editing live pages: To edit a live page, go to your WordPress dashboard, find the page you want to update, and click “Edit with Elementor.” This will load the page in the Elementor editor so you can make and save changes.
- Regular updates: Keep Elementor and any related plugins up to date to benefit from the latest features and security improvements. Regular updates also help prevent compatibility issues with WordPress and other plugins.
Conclusion
Elementor for WordPress allows users to easily create professional, visually appealing websites. With its drag-and-drop interface, live editing, and extensive customization options, it is a versatile tool suitable for any web project. Whether you are building your first website or looking to improve an existing one, Elementor provides the tools and flexibility needed to build what you envision in Elementor. If you are still stuck and want to build a Elementor Specialist enable see here what Rickid can do for you.
