How to Use Elementor in WordPress?

Creating a website used to be something only developers or designers could do, but times have changed dramatically. Now, with tools like Elementor, building professional, attractive websites in WordPress has become accessible even to complete beginners. Whether you’re a blogger, small business owner, or just someone wanting a beautiful online presence, understanding how to use Elementor in WordPress is a game-changer.

In this long-form guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get started with Elementor, from installation to designing your first page—without using a single line of code.

Introduction to Elementor

Before diving into the steps, it’s essential to understand what Elementor is and why it’s so widely used. Elementor is a drag-and-drop page builder plugin for WordPress that allows you to create custom layouts for your website using a visual editor. Instead of writing HTML, CSS, or JavaScript, you can simply drag elements like images, text, buttons, and more into place.

This plugin comes in two versions:

  • The free version is perfect for basic website building and includes essential design elements.

  • The Elementor Pro version adds powerful features like theme building, advanced widgets, popup creation, WooCommerce tools, and custom CSS.

Now, let’s get into how to actually use Elementor in WordPress.

Step 1: Installing Elementor on WordPress

To start using Elementor, you need to install the plugin on your WordPress website.

First, log in to your WordPress dashboard. From the left-hand menu, navigate to Plugins > Add New. In the search bar, type “Elementor” and click the “Install Now” button next to the Elementor Page Builder plugin. Once installed, click “Activate.”

This will add a new menu item called Elementor to your WordPress dashboard, and you’ll now be ready to begin creating custom pages.

Step 2: Creating Your First Page with Elementor

After Elementor is installed and activated, you can start building your first page.

Navigate to Pages > Add New in your dashboard. Give your page a title, then click the blue button that says “Edit with Elementor.”

You’ll be taken to the Elementor visual editor. On the left side is a panel filled with widgets like “Heading,” “Text Editor,” “Image,” “Button,” and more. On the right is your live preview area—what your page will look like.

Click the plus icon to add a new section, choose a column layout (like one column, two columns, etc.), and then drag widgets from the left into your columns. For example, you can drag a Heading widget into the section and type your title, then drag an Image widget below it.

Step 3: Understanding Sections, Columns, and Widgets

Elementor’s core building blocks are:

Sections: These are the top-level containers on your page. Think of sections like rows.

Columns: Inside sections, you can place one or more columns. Columns divide your section into vertical areas.

Widgets: These are the content elements—such as images, buttons, text, icons, and videos—that you place inside columns.

By combining these three building blocks, you can create virtually any page layout you want.

Step 4: Styling and Customizing Your Content

Once you've added content, Elementor makes it easy to customize the design.

Click any widget to open its settings in the left panel. For example, clicking a text widget lets you edit the font, color, size, and alignment. Clicking on a button widget allows you to set the button text, style, background color, and hover animation.

For every widget and section, you’ll see three tabs:

  • Content: Set the basic content, like text or image URLs.

  • Style: Control colors, typography, background, and spacing.

  • Advanced: Add margins, padding, motion effects, and custom CSS.

Elementor offers live editing, so every change you make updates in real-time, giving you full control over your design.

Step 5: Responsive Design Made Easy

One of the biggest strengths of Elementor is how it handles responsive design. You want your website to look great on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

Elementor provides device preview options at the bottom of the editor. You can switch between desktop, tablet, and mobile views and tweak settings for each device. For example, you might reduce font size on mobile, hide certain elements on tablets, or change image alignment for small screens.

This ensures your website is optimized for all screen sizes, which is crucial for user experience and SEO.

Step 6: Saving Your Page and Publishing

After designing your page, it’s time to make it live.

Click the green “Publish” button at the bottom of the panel. If your site is already public, the page will now be visible to the world.

You can always come back to edit it using “Edit with Elementor” again.

Step 7: Using Elementor Templates

If you don’t want to start from scratch, Elementor provides dozens of pre-made templates for entire pages or sections.

Click the folder icon in the editor to access the template library. You’ll find templates for homepages, about pages, contact pages, and more. Simply click “Insert” to add it to your page.

You can then customize the content, images, and colors to match your brand.

Step 8: Advanced Features with Elementor Pro

While the free version is excellent for beginners, upgrading to Elementor Pro opens up a whole new world.

With Pro, you can:

  • Use Theme Builder to customize headers, footers, and archive pages.

  • Create dynamic content from custom fields.

  • Build popups and landing pages with triggers and targeting.

  • Access premium widgets like Forms, Slides, Price Tables, and WooCommerce features.

  • Add motion effects and custom code for advanced styling.

This is especially helpful for freelancers, businesses, and agencies who need more flexibility and functionality.

Step 9: Connecting with Elementor Hosting (Optional)

If you want a simpler experience, consider using Elementor Hosting—a managed WordPress hosting service optimized for Elementor.

It comes with Elementor Pro pre-installed, fast servers, free SSL, and automatic backups. It’s perfect if you want to avoid dealing with third-party hosting providers.

Step 10: Final Thoughts – Mastering Elementor

Learning how to use Elementor in WordPress is a skill that unlocks creative freedom and eliminates the technical roadblocks of web design. From creating simple landing pages to building full websites, Elementor’s intuitive interface and powerful features make it one of the best tools for beginners and professionals alike.

Whether you’re launching a blog, portfolio, or online store, Elementor helps bring your vision to life—quickly and beautifully. Try the free version today or upgrade to Pro version for the ultimate experience.

Conclusion

In a world where your online presence matters more than ever, Elementor provides a fast, easy, and flexible way to build your dream website. With no need for coding, a vast library of design elements, and both free and premium tools available, it’s the perfect choice for beginners using WordPress.

By following this guide, you now have the foundation to confidently start designing with Elementor. Keep exploring its features, test different layouts, and soon you’ll be crafting stunning pages that look and feel professional.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Is Elementor free to use?
A: Yes, Elementor offers a free version with essential features. For more advanced tools, you can upgrade to Elementor Pro.

Q2: Can I use Elementor with any WordPress theme?
A: Yes, Elementor works with almost all WordPress themes, especially those marked “Elementor-compatible” like Hello Theme or Astra.

Q3: Do I need coding knowledge to use Elementor?
A: No, Elementor is designed for non-coders. Its drag-and-drop interface allows you to build pages visually.

Q4: What is the difference between Elementor and Elementor Pro?
A: Elementor Pro includes extra widgets, theme builder, WooCommerce support, popups, and advanced customization options.

Q5: Can I build an eCommerce site with Elementor?
A: Yes, especially with Elementor Pro, which supports WooCommerce widgets and templates for online stores.

Q6: Is Elementor SEO friendly?
A: Yes, Elementor outputs clean code and integrates well with SEO plugins like Yoast SEO.

Q7: Can I switch back to the WordPress editor after using Elementor?
A: Technically yes, but switching may cause layout or content changes. It’s best to choose one editor per page.

Q8: Does Elementor slow down my website?
A: Not significantly, especially if you use lightweight themes and optimize your media. Elementor Hosting also ensures performance.

Q9: Can I reuse sections or templates in Elementor?
A: Yes, you can save any section or page as a template and reuse it across your site.

Q10: How do I get support for Elementor?
A: Free users can access the knowledge base and community. Pro users get premium customer support.

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