How to Install & Use Elementor for Website Design in WordPress
Elementor is one of the most popular drag-and-drop page builders for WordPress, making it easy for anyone (even those without coding experience) to design beautiful, professional-looking websites. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to install and use Elementor for website design.
Step 1: Install Elementor
- Log in to Your WordPress Admin Dashboard
- Open your WordPress website and log in to the admin dashboard (yourwebsite.com/wp-admin).
- Install Elementor Plugin
- In the left sidebar of your dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
- In the search bar, type Elementor.
- You’ll see Elementor Website Builder in the search results. Click on Install Now.
- After the installation is complete, click Activate.
Optional: Install Elementor Pro
- Elementor has a free version with plenty of functionality, but the Pro version offers advanced features like additional widgets, theme building, pop-ups, and advanced design options. To use Elementor Pro, you need to:
- Go to the Elementor website and purchase a Pro license.
- Download the Elementor Pro plugin from the website.
- Go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin in WordPress, upload the downloaded Elementor Pro zip file, and click Install Now.
- Activate Elementor Pro and connect it to your Elementor account.
Step 2: Create a New Page with Elementor
- Create a New Page
- In the WordPress dashboard, navigate to Pages > Add New.
- Give your page a title (for example, “Home” or “About Us”).
- Click the Edit with Elementor button. This will take you to the Elementor editor where you can design the page.
- Set Page Layout to Elementor Canvas (Optional)
- In the Elementor editor, on the left panel, click the Settings icon (gear icon) at the bottom left.
- Under Page Layout, select Elementor Canvas if you want a full-width page without any theme elements like headers or footers. This is ideal for landing pages, but for regular pages, you can keep the default layout.
Step 3: Use Elementor’s Drag-and-Drop Editor
Now that you’re in the Elementor editor, here’s how you can use the drag-and-drop interface to design your page:
- Add Sections and Columns
- Elementor uses Sections and Columns to structure your page. To start building, click the + button to add a new section.
- You’ll be prompted to choose a column structure (e.g., one column, two columns, etc.).
- Add Widgets
- On the left panel, you’ll see a list of Widgets (Elementor’s building blocks for adding content to your page).
- Drag any widget from the left panel to the section or column on the right. For example:
- Heading: For adding titles or headers.
- Text Editor: For paragraphs or text blocks.
- Image: For inserting images.
- Button: For adding clickable buttons.
- Video: For embedding videos from YouTube or Vimeo.
- Simply drag and drop the widget to the desired spot on your page.
- Customize Each Widget
- After adding a widget, you can easily customize its appearance.
- When you click on a widget, a settings panel will appear on the left side, allowing you to modify things like text, size, colors, and alignment.
- Style Tab: Adjust typography, background color, borders, padding, margins, etc.
- Advanced Tab: Control advanced design settings like margins, animations, positioning, etc.
- Elementor also allows you to preview these changes in real time.
- Resize and Rearrange Elements
- You can resize sections, columns, and widgets by clicking and dragging the handles on the edges.
- To rearrange widgets, simply drag and drop them to new locations.
Step 4: Use Pre-designed Templates (Optional)
If you don’t want to start from scratch, Elementor offers a library of pre-designed templates:
- Access Templates
- In the Elementor editor, click on the Folder Icon located in the center of the page (between sections).
- You can browse through hundreds of pre-designed templates for different types of pages, such as home pages, contact pages, landing pages, etc.
- Insert a Template
- After selecting a template, click Insert. The template will automatically be added to your page.
- You can then customize the template to suit your needs (change text, images, colors, etc.).
Step 5: Add Additional Design Elements (Optional)
Elementor offers a range of powerful tools for enhancing the design and functionality of your page:
- Create a Header and Footer (with Elementor Pro)
- If you have Elementor Pro, you can use the Theme Builder to design custom headers, footers, and even single post templates.
- Go to Templates > Theme Builder and create a new header or footer. Then, customize it as you would any other page.
- Add Pop-ups (with Elementor Pro)
- With Elementor Pro, you can create pop-ups for email sign-ups, promotions, or notifications. Go to Templates > Popups, and create a pop-up design.
Step 6: Preview and Publish Your Page
- Preview Your Design
- Click the eye icon at the bottom left of the Elementor panel to preview how your page will look.
- You can also toggle between different device views (desktop, tablet, mobile) to ensure your design is responsive.
- Publish Your Page
- When you’re happy with the design, click the Publish button at the bottom of the Elementor panel to make your page live on your website.
Step 7: Edit Existing Pages with Elementor
To edit an existing page using Elementor, simply go to Pages in the WordPress dashboard, click on the page you want to edit, and click Edit with Elementor.
You can now update the page’s design using the same drag-and-drop interface.
Additional Tips for Using Elementor:
- Global Settings: Set global fonts, colors, and other design elements in Site Settings to ensure a consistent look across your site.
- Save Sections and Widgets: If you create a custom section you like, save it as a template so you can reuse it on other pages.
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Elementor offers handy keyboard shortcuts to speed up your design process (e.g., Ctrl + Z to undo, Ctrl + Shift + Z to redo).
Conclusion
Elementor is a powerful, user-friendly page builder that makes designing websites incredibly easy. Whether you’re creating a simple blog page or an intricate landing page, Elementor’s drag-and-drop interface allows you to customize every element without writing a line of code. By following the steps above, you can start building professional-looking websites quickly and efficiently.
