WordPress Page Builders: Things No One is Addressing

WordPress Page Builders provide point-and-click interfaces for creating WordPress pages. If you need more developmental skills, page builders help you quickly build WordPress sites without learning to code.

If you’re already using page builders in WordPress, here is a list of Tips you need to consider.

Let’s address the topic in more detail.

What are Page Builders?

Page builders are Tools that help users create, design, and manage WordPress pages without learning how to code or navigate complex infrastructure.

Once installed in WordPress, a page builder provides a point-and-click interface with drag-and-drop options for creating, designing, and managing WordPress custom pages.

The primary purpose of using a page builder is:

• It helps users quickly design custom pages without writing a single line of code

The page builder automatically generates the source code. In this case, all you have to do is Install a page builder of your choice, create a WordPress page as usual, and load the page with the page builder’s interface to create a custom design. Period.

Examples of page builders include:

• Divi Builder
• Visual Composer
• WP Bakery
• Beaver Builder
• Elementor
• Brizy
• … and WP Page Builder

Related Reading: Is WordPress Dying?

WordPress Page Builders: Things You Need to Know

Learn how a Page Builder works

Keep in mind that you can only change page builders sometimes. If you do, the custom pages you have designed with a specific builder will stop working, and the pages created with a page builder will not work on others.

First, before you’re ready, ensure you have learned how a particular page builder works. Every builder has its design psychology. Let’s consider an example.

Take Divi Builder, for example. It features main Sections, followed by Rows of drag-and-drop design interfaces, and then Modules. If you don’t understand Divi’s design psychology, you’re seriously unable to create custom designs.

Set the basic Parameters

Once you have a page builder, you must set essential infrastructural elements. For example, here is the list of things you need to take into account:

• Set how the page builder’s interface should behave. This includes setting various design-related options.
• Set if the page builder is automatically adopted for pages, posts, or custom post types.
• You can set whether the default header, footer, and sidebar should follow the WordPress defaults or the page builder’s interface.
• Code snippets: Can you set whether to turn specific options on, off, or off with code snippets? For more information on code snippets, see this resource.

Learn how to backup Custom Templates

After you’ve created custom pages, you need to take the site’s backups.

Every page builder has its backup system. However, before taking backups, consider the following scenarios:

• Site backups refer to manually taking the whole site’s backup or using automated plugins.
• Page Builder backups refer to taking templates’ backups, which are the templates created with a page builder.

The site’s backup will back up everything on a WordPress site, including Themes, Plugins, Uploads, Database, and other files.

On the other hand, backups in a page builder will only backup custom templates being created. In this case, you’ll need to learn how to take templates’ backups in the page builder you’re currently using. This is no technical knowledge and requires a few minutes.

Speed Issues while using a WordPress Page Builder

Many believe “a page builder can slow down WordPress page speed”.

However, the story continues. We should adequately investigate whether the statement is true in the real world.

A custom home page design built with a page builder like Divi Builder and checked with GT Metrix can show if the statement is True.

Recently, the trending page builders have improved page speed. Simply put, the custom pages you design with page builders are now fast and efficient.

Let’s consider an example.

In the previous months, from August 2023 to December 2023, the Divi Builder speed was terrible. They updated their Tool, and now, the custom pages you design with Divi Builder are fast enough, efficient, and work smoothly. Problem solved.

So, before you’re ready to take action, make sure you’ve checked your favorite Tool for speed issues. You can find reviews and A/B tests or use a staging site to make informed decisions. Period.

Code Snippets can break WordPress

Users can more often use code snippets in page builders. Code snippets help users make minor changes in WordPress without learning to write source codes.

In this case, you need to consider two cases while using a page builder.

1. Whenever you update the page builder, you may need to replace code snippets in WordPress.
2. For individual sections designed with the page builder’s platform, you may need to place, edit, and manage code snippets separately, such as codes placed in an element’s CSS area.

So, considering the above situation, you should take proper precautions when using a page builder in WordPress.

Page Builder’s Updates

Vendors release periodic updates for Themes, no doubt. The case with WordPress page builders is the same.

When a page builder’s new version is released, it is usually a significant update, but the custom pages you’ve already designed may have minor compatibility issues.

You should keep in mind that the above scenario can cause trouble if not treated well. So, in this case, you should travel on the following roads:

1. Make changes to make the custom pages more responsive to the new update
2. Re-design the pages with the new release (Takes time, no doubt)
3. Ask developers’ assistance to handle the case with proper precautions without affecting the sites’ pages

To handle such scenarios, always test new updates on a staging website first. This improves how new updates are applied in WordPress.

Key points

• Only install a page builder if you’ve checked various Tools’ page-building experiences. To proceed, use a staging website for A/B tests.
• Sign up for a lifetime license. It helps you avoid compatibility issues in case of vendor updates.
• If possible, avoid using code snippets with page builder. In most cases, you should have designed everything with a building interface instead of using manual code snippets for design options.
• Always take periodic backups, especially after designing custom pages in WordPress. Taking page backups is even more critical when using global templates. In this case, focus on taking backups for templates only, not the whole set, or keep both separate.
• Remember that more plugins, 3rd party integrations, and custom code snippets can create WordPress conflicts. Keep fewer candidates in WordPress.
• Always follow the page builder’s official recommendations, news, and product updates.

Over to You

Page Builders provides seamless design experiences for beginners. Designing custom pages with a Page Builder, such as Divi Builder, without learning how coding works in WordPress is enjoyable.

The point of impact is when you start thinking about using a page builder for life. This includes WordPress maintenance, compatibility issues, backup options, restoration of custom templates, error prevention, speed issues, and the basic Know-How of a Page-Building Interface.

Let’s summarize the basic routine for users using a Page Builder for the first time.

• Step (1): Check which page builder suits your requirements and test various candidates on a staging website.
• Step (2): Sign up for a page builder. A small fee, usually $50 to $100, is charged for a regular user of one website.
• Step (3): Install the page builder application in WordPress. Before proceeding, make sure you have read the vendor’s official recommendations.
• Step (4): Enter the license information once the page builder is installed in WordPress.
• Step (5): To proceed, create WordPress pages. Once you have made a page, you can start designing it with the builder.
• Step (6): Load the page builder’s custom page-building interface to start designing the process. It would help if you had understood how the page builder’s interface works.
• Step (7): Save the changes once you have finished designing the custom page.
• Step (8): Test the page by loading its URL in the browser. It’s simple. Also, make sure you’ve checked the page speed with GT Metrix.
• Step (9): If page speed affects page performance, make necessary changes. Knowing how designing standards work is fruitful here.
• Step (10): Use the page builder’s official templates, if any. This helps users learn how designing custom pages with standards works, import ready-to-use pages, and start planning with a professional touch without knowing how to navigate complex infrastructure.

That’s it.

If you need more assistance regarding using WordPress Page Builders, ask us. We help our customers design seamless custom WordPress websites, do SEO, and remove WordPress errors.