What is Elementor WordPress: Definition, Pros, and Cons and Why Should We Use It

Page builders like Elementor have transformed WordPress website creation, making it accessible to those without deep technical knowledge. It stands out for its ease of use, flexibility, and comprehensive features. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, along with a variety of design elements and templates, enables users to construct diverse websites without coding. 

So, what is Elementor WordPress? And why do so many developers use it? This article explores the plugin’s role in the WordPress ecosystem, its advantages and drawbacks, and its importance for a wide range of users, from bloggers to small business owners, in simplifying website design and development.

What is WordPress Elementor?

This is a powerful, user-friendly page builder plugin for WordPress that allows users to create and design websites visually without needing to write code. It serves as an intuitive platform for constructing websites, enabling both beginners and professionals to craft pages with ease. 

What is Elementor in WordPress? The tool that transforms the standard editor into a highly efficient visual interface, offering a range of tools and features for comprehensive website creation and design.

Brief History of Elementor and its Rise to Popularity

The platform was launched in 2016 by a team of web professionals who aimed to provide an advanced yet easy-to-use solution for website building in WordPress. Its release marked a significant evolution in WordPress website development, as it catered to the growing demand for a more accessible and powerful page builder. 

Over the years, Elementor quickly gained popularity due to its robust features, efficiency, and the fact that it offered a free version. Its growth was fueled by its ability to empower users to take full control of their website’s design, leading to widespread adoption and a thriving community of users.

Key Features of Elementor

Drag-and-Drop Editor

Its drag-and-drop editor is its core feature, allowing users to easily add, remove, and move elements on their web pages. This user-friendly interface eliminates the need for coding, making website design accessible to a broader audience. Users can simply drag widgets onto the page and adjust them in real time.

Live Preview and Responsive Design Options

With the tool, changes are visible instantly, thanks to its live preview feature. This editing ensures that users can see how their designs look as they work. Additionally, it provides responsive design options, allowing users to customize how their site looks on different devices, ensuring a consistent user experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile.

Wide Range of Widgets and Templates

Elementor offers an extensive library of widgets and templates, catering to various design needs and functionalities. From basic image and text widgets to advanced sliders, icons, and buttons, the tool equips users with a plethora of tools for creating dynamic web pages. The template library includes numerous professionally designed templates that can be imported and customized, speeding up the design process.

Theme Builder Capabilities

One of Elementor’s standout features is its Theme Builder, which allows users to design entire WordPress themes, including headers, footers, and blog post layouts. This capability extends the platform’s reach beyond individual pages, enabling the creation of cohesive and fully customized best Elementor themes without the need for multiple plugins or coding skills.

You can also Convert Figma design into website using Elementor if you have a ready project. Or you can have our specialists do it by partnering with ProCoders.

Pros of Using Elementor

User-Friendly Interface Suitable for Beginners and Professionals

• It’s renowned for its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, making it easy for beginners to get started while still offering depth and flexibility for professional designers.
• Users can create stunning websites without any coding knowledge, which democratizes web design for a broader audience.

Extensive Customization Options Without Needing to Code

• The tool provides an extensive range of customization options, allowing users to tweak every aspect of their site, from layout adjustments to detailed styling.
• With a vast array of widgets and design elements, users have the tools to create diverse and dynamic web pages.

Large Community and Extensive Documentation

• Elementor’s large user base has led to a thriving community. Users benefit from community forums, Facebook groups, and other platforms where they can share tips and get advice.
• The builder offers comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and how-to guides, making it easier for users to learn and solve problems.

Regular Updates and New Feature Additions

• The team regularly updates the plugin, adding new features, improving existing ones, and ensuring compatibility with the latest web standards.
• These updates keep Elementor at the forefront of WordPress page builders, continually enhancing its capabilities.

Cons of Using Elementor

Potential Performance Issues with Complex Pages

• The tool can create pages that are heavy on resources, particularly when many elements and complex layouts are used. This might lead to longer loading times, affecting website performance.
• Users often need to optimize their Elementor-built pages, especially for mobile devices, to ensure fast loading times.

Learning Curve for Advanced Features

• While the builder is user-friendly, mastering its more advanced features and capabilities can take time. Beginners may find it overwhelming initially.
• Users looking to leverage the full range of Elementor’s capabilities might need to climb a steep learning curve.

Premium Features Locked Behind the Pro Version

• Many advanced features, like the theme builder, pop-up builder, and certain widgets, are only available in the Pro version.
• While the free version is robust, users who require advanced functionality must invest in the Pro version, which may not be feasible for everyone.

Despite these considerations, Elementor remains a top contender in the realm of WordPress page builders for its versatility and ease of use.

Elementor Free vs. Elementor Pro

Feature	Elementor Free	Elementor Pro
Drag-and-Drop Editor	Yes	Yes
Basic Widgets	Yes	Yes
Responsive Editing	Yes	Yes
Basic Templates	Limited	Yes
Theme Builder	No	Yes
WooCommerce Builder	No	Yes
Popup Builder	No	Yes
Advanced Widgets	No	Yes (e.g., forms, sliders)
Dynamic Content	No	Yes
Role Manager	No	Yes
Custom CSS	No	Yes
Support	Limited	Priority

• Free Version: Offers basic functionalities, suitable for simple website design.
• Pro Version: Includes advanced features like theme builder, popup builder, and additional widgets, catering to more complex website needs.

Why Should You Use Elementor?

The builder has become a game-changer in the world of WordPress web design, offering a host of benefits that streamline the website creation process. It stands out as particularly beneficial in several scenarios:

Scenarios Where Elementor is Particularly Beneficial

• Non-Coders and Beginners: For those without coding skills or with limited technical background, Elementor makes web design accessible and straightforward.
• Professional Designers: Provides a rapid development process, allowing for high-quality design with less time and effort.
• E-commerce Websites: With its WooCommerce integration, the tool is ideal for designing online stores with a customized appearance.
• Landing Pages and Marketing Sites: The ability to quickly build and test landing pages is invaluable for marketing campaigns and conversion optimization.

How Elementor Can Streamline the Web Design Process

• Intuitive Drag-and-Drop Interface: Reduces the time and complexity involved in layout creation and content placement.
• Real-Time Design and Editing: Eliminates the back-and-forth between the editor and preview mode, accelerating the design process.
• Pre-Designed Templates and Blocks: A vast library of templates and blocks speeds up the design process and provides inspiration.
• Responsive Design Controls: Simplifies the process of making websites look good across all devices without additional coding.

Comparison with Traditional WordPress Editing

• Ease of Use: Unlike the traditional WordPress editor, this one eliminates the need for shortcodes and HTML for complex layouts, making the design process much more user-friendly.
• Design Flexibility: Offers far greater design flexibility compared to the classic WordPress editor, with more control over layout and style.
• Efficiency: Streamlines the design workflow, significantly reducing the time it takes to build a professional-looking website.
• Customization: Provides extensive customization options that go beyond the limitations of traditional WordPress themes.

Elementor stands out as a robust and versatile tool, catering to a wide range of users from amateurs to seasoned professionals.

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Case Studies and Success Stories

Case Study 1: Aporia

Aporia, a model monitoring platform, offers significant value to machine learning engineers and data scientists. Despite their advanced technical capabilities, they faced challenges with their website in terms of speed and user engagement.

Challenge

The main challenge Aporia encountered was the need to optimize their existing WordPress site. They sought improvements in site speed and user engagement. Previously, their development team struggled to meet deadlines and deliver the desired level of optimization quality.

Solution

ProCoders stepped in to revamp Aporia’s website. The approach involved a thorough audit to identify key weaknesses, followed by strategic improvements:

• Migration to Elementor: The website was migrated to Elementor, which provided enhanced design flexibility and better control over the site’s layout.
• Mobile Performance Enhancement: Special attention was given to mobile optimization, recognizing the growing trend of mobile internet usage.
• Desktop Speed and Core Web Vitals Improvement: Focused on improving desktop speed and Core Web Vitals scores to ensure a better overall user experience.

Results

The results of ProCoders’ intervention included remarkable improvements in Core Web Vitals and the website’s overall performance.

ProCoders’ expertise not only addressed Aporia’s immediate challenges but also set a new standard for their website’s performance, reflecting positively on their brand and user satisfaction.

Case Study 2: Corporate Website

MESH, a company at the forefront of modernizing finance team operations with its automated spend management platform, required a website that mirrored its innovative approach. They needed a custom WordPress site that was not only fast but also provided an optimal user experience.

Challenge

MESH’s primary challenge was to develop a WordPress website from the ground up, focusing on speed, user experience, and functionality. Their goal was to have a platform that could efficiently convey their services while ensuring top-notch performance on both desktop and mobile devices.

Solution

ProCoders took on the task with a strategic approach:

Custom Site Development: A modern, fast website was built from scratch to meet MESH’s specific needs.

Custom CMS Implementation: Using Elementor, a custom content management system (CMS) was created, offering MESH flexibility and ease of use for their site management.

Optimization for Performance: Both mobile and desktop versions of the site were optimized for exceptional performance, ensuring a smooth user experience.

Results

The efforts yielded impressive results in desktop and mobile metrics. Moreover, ProCoders not only met MESH’s initial request to enhance their old website but exceeded expectations by building a completely new one. The relationship has since evolved into providing ongoing support for MESH over the past few years, ensuring their website remains at the forefront of digital performance and innovation.

Conclusion

What is WordPress Elementor builder?

It has emerged as a vital tool in WordPress website development, offering ease of use, flexibility, and advanced design features. Its integration as a page builder plugin enhances WordPress’s core functionalities, serving a wide audience from beginners to professional developers. 

As digital trends evolve, Elementor remains a key player in enabling users to easily and creatively build and manage their websites, effectively harnessing WordPress’s capabilities to cater to a broad spectrum of web development needs.