If you’re building a website, you’ve likely seen terms like Elementor WordPress Page Builder and website builders in your search. WordPress is a very popular website platform, known for being free, customizable, and simple to learn.
However, beginners may find website design overwhelming due to the many concepts and choices involved. Fortunately, you can create an engaging site without any code skills. This article will introduce Elementor, a free page builder that makes WordPress a top choice for designers and business owners.
We’ll walk you through how Elementor works, guide you through the installation process, share tips for optimal results, and explore top alternatives like WonderSuite.
What is Elementor?
Elementor is a drag-and-drop page builder designed for WordPress. With its visual editor you can create stunning pages without needing any coding skills. It’s built to help you design dynamic websites quickly and efficiently.
This WordPress plugin is a complete solution. It lets you manage all your website design in one place. You can custom your website to match your brand. Add motion effects, choose from various fonts and use enhanced background images.
Key Elementor features
Drag-and-drop editor
Easily add and rearrange page layout by dragging and dropping widgets from the sidebar. This makes the design process intuitive and code-free.
Live preview editing
The live preview feature shows your design changes instantly. It removes the need to switch between editor and preview modes. This allows for faster editing and refinement of your site.
Responsive design controls
Optimize your website’s appearance on desktops, tablets, and mobiles using specific settings for each device type. This ensures a seamless user experience across all platforms.
Pre-designed templates and blocks
Access a vast library of professionally designed templates and blocks to jump-start your design process. You will save time and gain creative options.
Theme builder
Customize every part of your WordPress theme, including headers, footers and archive pages without coding. This gives you complete control over your site’s look and feel.
WooCommerce integration
Easily build and customize online store pages with WooCommerce widgets. They let you create a beautiful, functional eCommerce site.
Global widgets
Create reusable widgets for multiple pages. They will ensure design consistency across entire websites and save time on adding call-to-action buttons and contact forms.
Third-party add-ons
Use third-party add-ons and integrations from the WordPress ecosystem to extend Elementor, adding more customization options and features to enhance your site.
Why use Elementor page builder?
Page builders let anyone create a website without a designer or developer. These tools come with pre-made elements that simplify the entire creative process. A good WordPress website builder can save you time and money.
It will let you avoid hiring a developer to code a static HTML/CSS site. Elementor is the most popular website platforms used for its drag-and-drop editor, making the website creation process simple and accessible to all skill levels.
It allows you to design, edit and customize your website’s layout without needing to code. This provides an easy, flexible and efficient way to build pages, making it a great choice for beginners and experienced users alike.
What can you create with Elementor?
With Elementor, the possibilities are endless. You can build anything from complete websites to specific landing pages including sales pages, promotional content and custom forms with ease.
Unlike the default WordPress editor, Elementor gives you more creative freedom and powerful tools to bring your vision to life. If you can dream it, Elementor helps you easily turn it into reality.
Elementor pricing: Is Elementor free?
Elementor has free and paid plans. It’s a flexible option for various budgets and website needs.
The free version of Elementor is powerful, offering basic widgets and templates, ideal for creating simple, functional websites. It’s perfect for beginners or anyone wanting a simple site.
For more advanced capabilities, Elementor Pro is available, providing additional widgets, templates and design options. It also includes premium updates and dedicated support.
How much does Elementor cost?
Elementor Pro comes in several pricing plans depending on how many sites you want to build. These options are budget-friendly while offering enhanced tools for professional-grade website design.
How to install Elementor
Installing Elementor is quick and easy, just like other WordPress plugins. Here are two simple ways to get it done.
Installing Elementor via Elementor
- Visit Elementor and click on “Get Started.”
- Enter your email and password to create an account.
- Answer a few questions about your website and your experience with site-building.
- Choose how you want to build your site, there are many paid plans, but you can also opt for the free plan. For this guide, we will select the Free plan.
- Elementor requires a live WordPress site, so enter your domain name for verification. Elementor will check to ensure your site is compatible with WordPress.
- Once your site is confirmed, click on “Install Elementor.”
- You may be directed to your WordPress admin login page. If so, log in. If you’re already logged in, you’ll be taken straight to the Elementor plugin page. Click “Install Now.”
- After installation, you will see a confirmation screen. Click “Activate Plugin.”
Installing Elementor via the WordPress dashboard
- In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins and select Add New.
- Use the search bar to type in “Elementor” and find the Elementor website builder.
- Click Install Now, and once it is done, hit Activate.
The Elementor page builder plugin will appear in your sidebar. This menu is for adjusting Elementor’s settings in the back end, but you’ll use it directly on your pages for editing.
Elementor’s impact on site performance
A common concern when using a page builder plugin like Elementor is whether it will slow down your website. Elementor aims for high performance.
But how you use it can slow your site. Let’s explore what you need to know and how to optimize your site for better performance.
Efficient code
Elementor has clean, efficient code. So, it won’t slow your site. However, like any tool, improper use can lead to performance issues.
For instance, extensive widgets or large images can slow down your site, as can unoptimized content, leading to slower page load times.
Optimization tips for better performance
Limit the use of heavy widgets
Elementor has many widgets to enhance your website. But too many or heavy ones (like carousels, sliders, or video backgrounds) can slow your page load time. Be mindful of which widgets you include and remove any that aren’t essential.
Optimize your images
Large, uncompressed images are one of the most common causes of slow websites. Always compress images before uploading them. Use next-gen formats like WebP for faster loading.
Use caching plugins
Caching plugins, like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache, can significantly reduce load times by storing a version of your site for faster access. This ensures that returning visitors don’t have to reload your site each time they visit.
Leverage a content delivery network (CDN)
A CDN distributes your site’s content across servers worldwide. It delivers it to users from the closest server. This cuts latency and speeds up loading times, especially for remote visitors.
Minimize JavaScript and CSS files
Reducing the scripts and styles that load on each page can boost your site’s performance. Elementor has a setting to minimize and combine CSS and JavaScript files. This helps reduce server requests.
Update Elementor and WordPress on a regular basis
Keep Elementor and WordPress up to date. This gives you the latest performance improvements, bug fixes and security patches. Elementor’s dev team is always optimizing the plugin for speed and functionality.
Elementor’s ongoing optimizations
The Elementor team prioritizes performance by regularly releasing updates that boost speed and efficiency. They have added features to load only necessary resources including lazy loading for media, improved CSS loading and an optimized asset and content management system. These enhancements reduce resource usage and keep Elementor sites fast and responsive, even with complex designs.
With, Bluehost’s WonderSuit packs a ton of features AI-powered site creation, hosting for 10 websites, caching, free domain, SSL, CDN, security tools, and more all designed for seamless optimization and performance
How to use Elementor in WordPress
Elementor makes it easy to bring your design ideas to life. With its live editing feature, you can see your changes in real time as you create content for your site. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get started with the Elementor editor.
Elementor tutorial
Elementor has a user-friendly interface and you can learn the basics in just minutes. Its intuitive Elementor interface makes it easy to start designing and if you need more help, Elementor offers extensive documentation to guide you through every step. Follow this guide to build a strong foundation for using Elementor effectively.
- Create a new page or post: Start by creating a new page or post in WordPress and clicking on Edit with Elementor.
- Enter the Elementor editor: Once inside, you’ll see the Elementor editing screen.
- Elementor sidebar: On the left, there’s a sidebar with all the drag-and-drop tools you’ll need to build your page. Before dragging widgets onto your page, know the structure of Elementor. It has three key building blocks.
- Sections: These are the largest blocks that house your content.
- Columns: Within sections, you can group content by adding columns.
- Widgets: They sit inside the columns. They include text, images, or buttons.
You can drag widgets into sections or columns as highlighted by blue boxes on the screen.
Note that widgets can’t be added to certain areas, like the navigation bar.
- Drag-and-drop widgets: Click, hold and drag a widget from the sidebar into the desired section. For example, you can drag a widget to an empty area at the bottom of the page.
- Widget customization: Search for specific widgets, like headings and images. You can also look for advanced options, like animated text or carousels. You can personalize each widget’s content and design after dragging it into place.
- Site settings: Click the hamburger menu in the top-left corner to access Site Settings. Here, you can set default fonts and colors. You can also configure other global settings that apply to your whole site.
- Revision history: Elementor has a built-in Revision History feature. Click the History icon at the bottom of the sidebar. You can trace changes under the Actions tab. Or, revert to earlier versions under the Revisions tab.
How to build your first web page in Elementor
One reason Elementor stands out is its ease of use. You don’t need any coding experience to create your first entire website. Follow these steps to build your first page with Elementor:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard
- Click Pages and then Add New.
- Click Edit with Elementor to open the page builder.
- Load the editor: Elementor will load. You can then start designing in the workspace it displays.
- Add widgets: Drag and drop widgets like a Heading, Text Editor, or Image onto your page. You can easily customize each widget once it is in place.
- Publish your page: Once your page looks good, click the eye icon to preview it. When you’re ready, hit the green Publish button.
Elementor templates
Elementor has many pre-designed templates. They help you quickly build your WordPress site. These templates come in two forms: pages and blocks.
- Pages are complete layouts for full pages of content.
- Blocks are individual sections, like headers, footers, or FAQs, with preconfigured widgets.
You have full rights to use any of these templates to build professional websites for your website’s content or business. The template library is searchable by page type, template name, or dynamic tags, making it easy to find what you need. Plus, all templates are mobile-responsive and can be added to any page with just one click.
Here’s how to use Elementor templates
- In the Elementor editor, scroll to the bottom. It says “Add widget here.” Click the white folder icon.
- A library of templates will open. To preview a template, click the magnifying glass icon or hover over the image.
- Click the green Insert button to add the template to your page.
- If you’re not connected to Elementor’s template library yet, you’ll be prompted to do so. Elementor will redirect you to their website to either sign in or register.
- Once you’ve registered or signed in, your connection will be confirmed.
- Return to the page you were editing and insert your chosen template.
Elementor and customization
Elementor lets you fully customize your website, allowing you to create a custom website with unique layouts for blogs, portfolios, or testimonials. It offers features like custom post types, custom code and flexible CSS options. You can also add custom HTML, CSS, or JavaScript for advanced functions.
With Elementor, you can style your entire site using widgets, page-specific or custom CSS and even apply custom fonts for a consistent, branded look.
Additionally, with the WonderStart tool, answer a few quick questions and watch your site take shape. Enjoy accelerated setup, faster publishing, and ongoing personalization, giving you full control with Bluehost’s WonderSuit.
How to use advanced features in Elementor
Elementor Pro unlocks advanced features to elevate your WordPress site. The Pro version enables Elementor to give you access to better widgets, theme and pop-up builders and custom fields. This gives you greater control over your website design.
In this section, we’ll guide you through using some of these advanced tools to enhance your site.
How to create a Popup in Elementor plugin
Pop-ups are a great way to capture email leads and boost engagement. Elementor’s pop-up builder simplifies the process of creating custom forms. Follow these steps to build your own pop-up:
- In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Templates > Popups > Add New.
- Give your template a name and click “Create Template.”
- Choose a template from the library, or create your own layout.
- Once you’re satisfied with the design, click Publish and then Save and Close.
- Open a new page in Elementor (press CTRL + E on PC or Command + E on Mac to quickly search).
- Drag the Button widget onto your page.
- In the button settings, go to Link, then select Dynamic > Actions > Popup.
- Choose Popup, then select Open Popup and choose the one you just created.
- View your live page.
- Click the button and watch your pop-up appear!
Customize WooCommerce product pages in Elementor
Customizing WooCommerce product pages with Elementor lets you create unique, attractive layouts. This can boost sales and improve the shopping experience. After installing WooCommerce and Elementor on your WordPress site, add products. Then, use Elementor’s drag-and-drop builder to create custom product pages.
Alternatively, you can use the WonderCart feature from Bluehost’s WonderSuit to easily set up and customize checkout pages for your eCommerce store. You can use a pre-build template or design custom product pages.
You’ll access various product widgets that showcase your items to align with your brand. Elementor’s flexibility lets you create great-looking, high-converting product pages.
Affordable alternative to Elementor with Bluehost hosting
Introducing WonderBlocks, a strong alternative to Elementor. It has a full library of block patterns and page templates. It’s affordable if you buy hosting from Bluehost.
WonderBlocks has pre-designed templates for your site. They include images and suggested text. These templates are based on your inputs during the WonderStart onboarding process.
Like Elementor, it lets you build custom, beautiful websites without coding. You can easily personalize these templates to fit your brand. So, WonderBlocks is ideal for those seeking a pocket-friendly yet powerful website builder.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Elementor is a popular visual drag-and-drop page builder designed for WordPress. It allows users to create stunning, customizable websites without any coding skills. Users can add elements like text, images, buttons and forms to their pages using a visual editor. They just drag widgets from the sidebar. Elementor’s live preview feature also lets users see changes in real time.
Elementor has a free version. It has basic widgets and templates for simple websites. However, Elementor Pro unlocks advanced features. These include more widgets, templates and design options. It also provides dedicated support and premium updates. The Pro version has powerful tools. They are the Theme Builder, Popup Builder and WooCommerce integration. They help create a more dynamic and professional website.
Elementor is designed with performance in mind and its code is efficient. However, too many widgets, unoptimized images, or large files can hurt performance. To ensure your site runs smoothly, use optimization techniques. This includes image compression, a caching plugin and custom CSS and JavaScript.
Yes, Elementor lets users create custom WooCommerce product pages with its drag-and-drop edit. You can use pre-designed templates or build your product pages from scratch. You can use various WooCommerce widgets to showcase your products. They will align with your brand and improve customers’ shopping experience.