WordPress Archives - Small Business Fanatics

10 Page Builders for WordPress to Create Custom Websites

March 29, 2023/in WordPress/by Marketing Fanatics

In today’s world, having a website is essential for any business or individual looking to establish an online presence.

However, not everyone has the coding skills needed to create a custom website from scratch.

Luckily, WordPress offers a variety of page builder plugins that allow you to create stunning websites without any coding knowledge.

In this article, we’re going to share with you the top 10 page builder plugins for WordPress.

Elementor

First up, we have Elementor.

This page builder plugin is perfect for those who want to create custom layouts and designs for their WordPress website without any coding skills.

With its drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed templates, creating a stunning website has never been easier.

Plus, Elementor is free to use, with the option to upgrade to a Pro version for even more features and templates.

Pros of Elementor plugin:

User-friendly drag-and-drop interface
Pre-designed templates available
Free to use with option to upgrade to Pro version for even more features

Cons of Elementor plugin:

Some features are only available in the Pro version
Can be slow to load on larger sites
Can be overwhelming for beginners

Beaver Builder

Another great page builder plugin is Beaver Builder.

This user-friendly plugin lets you create beautiful pages and posts in just minutes.

The intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to customize your website without any coding knowledge.

Plus, Beaver Builder is optimized for speed, so your website will load quickly and efficiently.

Pros of Beaver Builder plugin:

Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
Optimized for speed
Wide range of design options available

Cons of Beaver Builder plugin:

Limited free version
Can be difficult to customize templates
Some design options require coding knowledge

Divi Builder

Next up is Divi Builder, a popular page builder plugin from Elegant Themes.

With Divi Builder, you can create stunning websites using its drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed templates.

Plus, the plugin comes with a variety of design options, including custom CSS, hover effects, and animations.

Pros of Divi Builder plugin:

Large library of pre-designed templates available
Advanced design options available
User-friendly interface

Cons of Divi Builder plugin:

Can be slow to load on larger sites
Expensive compared to other page builders
Some design options require coding knowledge

WPBakery Page Builder

Formerly known as Visual Composer, WPBakery Page Builder is a popular plugin that allows you to create custom layouts for your website.

This plugin comes with a variety of pre-designed templates and elements, making it easy to create a professional-looking website without any coding skills.

Plus, it’s compatible with most WordPress themes.

Pros of WPBakery plugin:

User-friendly drag-and-drop interface
Wide range of design options available
Compatible with most WordPress themes

Cons of WPBakery plugin:

Limited free version
Can be overwhelming for beginners
Some design options require coding knowledge

Thrive Architect

If you’re looking for a page builder plugin that’s focused on conversions, Thrive Architect is the perfect choice.

This plugin lets you create custom landing pages and sales funnels that are optimized for conversions.

Plus, it comes with a variety of pre-designed templates and elements to make your job even easier.

Pros of Thrive Architect plugin:

Focused on conversions
Pre-designed templates available
User-friendly interface

Cons of Thrive Architect plugin:

Expensive compared to other page builders
Limited design options available
Can be overwhelming for beginners

Oxygen

Oxygen is a unique page builder plugin that allows you to create completely custom designs without using any pre-designed templates.

This plugin is perfect for those who want complete control over their website’s design and functionality.

Plus, Oxygen is optimized for speed and comes with a variety of advanced features, including dynamic data integration and custom post types.

Pros of Oxygen plugin:

Complete control over design and functionality
Advanced features available
Optimized for speed

Cons of Oxygen plugin:

Expensive compared to other page builders
Can be overwhelming for beginners
Limited pre-designed templates available

SiteOrigin Page Builder

SiteOrigin Page Builder is a popular free plugin that lets you create custom layouts and designs for your website.

With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed widgets, creating a stunning website has never been easier.

Plus, SiteOrigin Page Builder is compatible with most WordPress themes, so you can use it with your favorite theme.

Pros of SiteOrigin plugin:

Free to use
User-friendly interface
Compatible with most WordPress themes

Cons of SiteOrigin plugin:

Limited design options available
Can be difficult to customize templates
Limited support available

Brizy

Brizy is a relatively new page builder plugin that’s gaining popularity for its user-friendly interface and advanced features.

With Brizy, you can create custom designs using its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed blocks.

Plus, Brizy comes with a variety of design options, including custom fonts and animations.

Pros of Brizy plugin:

User-friendly interface
Advanced features available
Pre-designed blocks available

Cons of Brizy plugin:

Limited pre-designed templates available
Can be overwhelming for beginners
Limited support available

King Composer

King Composer is another popular page builder plugin that lets you create custom designs using its drag-and-drop interface.

With King Composer, you can create stunning pages and posts in just minutes, without any coding knowledge.

Plus, the plugin comes with a variety of pre-designed templates and elements to make your job even easier.

Pros of King Composer plugin:

User-friendly interface
Pre-designed templates available
Compatible with most WordPress themes

Cons of King Composer plugin:

Limited free version
Can be slow to load on larger sites
Limited design options available

SeedProd

Last but not least, we have SeedProd, a popular page builder plugin that’s perfect for creating custom landing pages and coming soon pages.

With SeedProd, you can create stunning pages in just minutes using its drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed templates.

Plus, the plugin is optimized for speed, so your pages will load quickly and efficiently.

Pros of SeedProd plugin:

Optimized for speed
User-friendly interface
Pre-designed templates available

Cons of SeedProd plugin:

Limited design options available
Limited support available
Limited free version

Key Takeaways on Page Builder Plugins

Creating a custom website has never been easier thanks to these popular page builder plugins for WordPress.

WordPress offers a variety of page builder plugins to create custom websites without coding skills.
The top 10 page builder plugins for WordPress include Elementor, Beaver Builder, Divi Builder, WPBakery Page Builder, Thrive Architect, Oxygen, SiteOrigin Page Builder, Brizy, King Composer, and SeedProd.
Each plugin has its own unique features and benefits to help you create stunning websites quickly and efficiently.

From Elementor to Thrive Architect, these plugins allow you to create stunning designs and layouts without needing to know how to code.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced website designer, there’s a plugin on this list that’s perfect for you.

10 Most Common Issues (and fixes) with WordPress Websites

March 23, 2023/in WordPress/by Marketing Fanatics

WordPress is a popular content management system used by millions of websites worldwide – including the white house’s website!

But like any other software, it can sometimes encounter issues that can affect the performance, security, and user experience of your website.

In this post, we’ll explore some common issues with WordPress websites and their fixes step-by-step.

1. Slow loading times

Slow loading times can frustrate users and negatively impact your website’s search engine ranking. To speed up your website, you can:

Use a caching plugin

Caching plugins can improve your website’s speed by storing frequently accessed data in the cache, reducing the server load and improving response times.

Optimize images

Large images can slow down your website. To optimize them, compress them using an image optimization plugin or service.

Minify CSS and JavaScript files

Minifying files removes unnecessary code, reducing the file size and improving page load times.

Free tools for improving slow loading times

Some popular solutions to consider to speed up your website.

Plugin – WP Fastest Cache

This plugin offers a simple and effective caching solution to speed up your website.

Plugin – Smush

Smush optimizes images on your website to reduce their file size, improving website speed.

Manual Fix – Use a CDN

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) can improve website speed by storing content on servers closer to the user, reducing page load times.

2. 404 errors

404 errors occur when a page or resource is not found on your website. To fix 404 errors, you can:

Check that the page exists

Ensure that the URL is correct, and the page exists on your website.

Update permalinks

Updating permalinks can sometimes fix 404 errors. To do this, go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes.

Check for typos in the URL

Typos in the URL can cause 404 errors. Double-check the URL to ensure there are no typos.

Free tools for finding or fixing 404 errors

Some popular solutions to consider for 404 issues.

Plugin – Redirection

Redirection can help manage 404 errors by redirecting users to the correct page or resource.

Plugin – 404page

This plugin allows you to create a custom 404 page with helpful information and links to other pages on your website.

Manual Fix – Update Permalinks

Go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes. This can sometimes fix 404 errors caused by incorrect permalinks.

3. White screen of death

The white screen of death is a common issue that occurs when a WordPress website displays a blank white screen instead of the expected content. To fix this issue, you can:

Deactivate plugins

Deactivate all plugins and check if the website works. If it does, activate each plugin one by one to identify the problematic plugin.

Switch to a default theme

Switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-One and check if the website works. If it does, the issue may be with the theme.

Check for PHP errors

Enable WP_DEBUG in your wp-config.php file to display PHP errors. This can help you identify the issue and fix it.

Free tools for finding or fixing white screen of death

Some popular solutions to consider for the infamous white screen of death.

Plugin – WP Rollback

WP Rollback allows you to roll back to a previous version of a plugin or theme that may be causing the white screen of death.

Manual Fix – Increase Memory Limit

Edit your wp-config.php file and add the following line: define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);. This can sometimes fix white screen of death caused by a memory limit issue.

Manual Fix – Disable Plugins and Themes

Deactivate all plugins and switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-One. This can help identify the plugin or theme causing the issue.

4. Broken links

Broken links can negatively affect your website’s user experience and search engine ranking. To fix broken links, you can:

Use a plugin to check for broken links

There are many free plugins available that can scan your website for broken links and report them to you.

Fix or remove broken links

Once you’ve identified broken links, you can either fix them by updating the URL or remove them if they’re no longer necessary.

Free tools for finding or fixing broken links

Some popular solutions to consider for broken links.

Plugin – Broken Link Checker

This plugin scans your website for broken links and reports them to you.

Plugin – Link Checker

Link Checker is another plugin that checks for broken links and reports them to you.

Manual Fix – Use the Google Search Console

The Google Search Console can help identify broken links on your website.

5. Database connection errors

Database connection errors occur when WordPress is unable to connect to the database. To fix this issue, you can:

Check database credentials

Ensure that the database credentials in your wp-config.php file are correct.

Repair the database

You can repair your database by logging into your web hosting control panel and using the built-in repair database tool.

Restore from backup

If all else fails, you can restore your website from a backup.

Free tools for finding or fixing database issues

Some popular solutions to consider for database connection errors.

Plugin – WP-DBManager

WP-DBManager allows you to optimize, repair, and backup your database, fixing database connection errors.

Manual Fix – Check Database Credentials

Ensure that the database credentials in your wp-config.php file are correct.

Manual Fix – Repair the Database

You can repair your database by logging into your web hosting control panel and using the built-in repair database tool.

6. Hacked website

A hacked website can be a serious issue that can compromise your website’s security and user data. To fix a hacked website, you can:

Remove malware and viruses

Use a reputable malware and virus removal tool to remove all infections from your website.

Update plugins and themes

Ensure that all plugins and themes on your website are up to date to prevent future security vulnerabilities.

Change all passwords

Change all passwords for your website, including the WordPress admin account, FTP, and database.

Free tools for fixing or preventing hacked websites

Some popular solutions to consider to help fix or prevent malicious content.

Plugin – Wordfence

Wordfence is a popular security plugin that offers malware scanning, firewall protection, and login security.

Plugin – Sucuri Security

Sucuri Security offers website security solutions, including malware scanning, website firewall, and website cleanup services.

Manual Fix – Remove Malware and Viruses

Use a reputable malware and virus removal tool to remove all infections from your website.

7. Plugin conflicts

Plugin conflicts occur when two or more plugins on your website have compatibility issues that cause errors or unexpected behavior.

Deactivate plugins to identify the conflicting plugin

Deactivate all plugins and reactivate them one by one until you find the plugin causing the issue.

Update plugins

Ensure that all plugins on your website are up to date. Outdated plugins can cause compatibility issues.

Use an alternative plugin

If you’re unable to resolve the issue, consider using an alternative plugin that provides similar functionality.

Free tools for finding or fixing plugin issues

Some popular solutions to consider for discovering plugin issues.

Plugin – Plugin Organizer

Plugin Organizer allows you to control the order and activation of plugins, preventing conflicts.

Plugin – Health Check & Troubleshooting

This plugin allows you to troubleshoot plugin conflicts by deactivating all plugins, except the one you’re testing.

Manual Fix – Update Plugins

Ensure that all plugins on your website are up to date to prevent conflicts.

8. Login problems

Reset your password

Use the “Lost your password?” link on the login page to reset your password.

Check for email delivery issues

Ensure that emails from your WordPress website are not being marked as spam or blocked by your email provider.

Check for plugin conflicts

Deactivate all plugins and try to login again. If you’re able to login, reactivate each plugin one by one to identify the conflicting plugin.

Free tools for finding or fixing login issues

Some popular solutions to consider for issues with logging in.

Plugin – Login Lockdown

Plugin – WPForms

WPForms allows you to create custom login forms, making it easier for users to log in.

Manual Fix – Reset Your Password

Use the “Lost your password?” link on the login page to reset your password.

9. Sidebar and widget issues

Sidebar and widget issues can occur when widgets are not displaying correctly on your website. To fix these issues, you can:

Check for conflicting plugins or themes

Some plugins or themes may conflict with your widgets. Try deactivating all plugins and switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Three to see if the issue is resolved.

Update the widget settings

Check the widget settings and ensure that they’re configured correctly.

Use custom CSS

If you’re familiar with CSS, you can use custom CSS to modify the widget’s appearance.

Free tools for finding or fixing sidebars and widgets

Some popular solutions to consider for fixing issues with sidebars or widgets.

Plugin – Widget Options

Widget Options allows you to control the visibility of widgets on your website, preventing conflicts and improving website performance.

Plugin – Custom Sidebars

Custom Sidebars allows you to create custom sidebars and widget areas, reducing conflicts and improving website customization.

Manual Fix – Use Custom CSS

If you’re familiar with CSS, you can use custom CSS to modify the widget’s appearance and fix widget issues.

10. Contact form errors

Contact form errors can prevent users from submitting contact forms on your website. To fix contact form errors, you can:

Check email delivery settings

Ensure that your email delivery settings are configured correctly in the contact form plugin settings.

Check for plugin conflicts

Deactivate all plugins and try submitting the form again. If the form works, reactivate each plugin one by one to identify the conflicting plugin.

Test form submissions

Test the form submissions to ensure that they’re being delivered to the correct email address and that the message content is correct.

Free tools for finding or fixing contact form issues

Some popular solutions to consider for contact form problems.

Plugin – Contact Form 7

Contact Form 7 is a popular plugin that allows you to create custom contact forms for your website.

Plugin – WPForms

WPForms is a drag-and-drop form builder plugin that allows you to create custom forms and surveys.

Manual Fix – Check Email Delivery Settings

Ensure that your email delivery settings are configured correctly in the contact form plugin settings.

Key Takeaways

In conclusion, these are some common issues that can arise with a WordPress website, along with their fixes.

By addressing these issues promptly, you can ensure that your website remains secure, user-friendly, and optimized for performance.

If you’re unable to fix an issue on your own, don’t hesitate to seek professional help from a WordPress developer.

SBF is a Mendocino County marketing company based in Ukiah, CA. We focus on designing simple or custom WordPress websites, providing fast and reliable hosting, transparent SEO and PPC reporting and more.