Yes most definitely. Although some will give you misleading information to get you to purchase a cheap theme on a restricted platform. It’s time to find out the truth about the latest WordPress core update. It’s old news actually, the update came and went. There’s still a lot of noise about the problems it caused especially for older websites.
An upgrade is good. WordPress is an excellent software and is used by 30% of websites worldwide. The invention of the Page Builder helps you to put content onto the page without having to put in shortcodes into the content management area.
WordPress is an open source software and developers and designers can use the WordPress core software under the GPL license. This is one of the great features about WordPress software anyone can use it without having to pay a fee.
Anytime you make a change to an existing system it causes a ripple effect. Developers and designers now have to adjust to the new block building style code named Gutenberg, and now integrated into all WordPress websites.
The Page Builder
The Page Builder style of adding content onto a webpage became used because not everyone is a developer or a designer. You shouldn’t have to be one if you want to have a website. Neither should you have to pay someone every time you want to change or update information in a website.
A Page Builder uses the drag and drop module system with predefined layouts so all you need to do is concentrate on the content you want to add for the particular module.
The Divi Theme came out in 2013 with a built in Page Builder, the Divi Builder. Since that time the Divi Builder has been updated, improved, and extended.
The Divi Builder proved so effective you can even use it with some WordPress Themes as a plugin. WordPress plugins add functions to your website as you need.
You are in the back end of the blog post in the WordPress dashboard. Before you use the Divi Builder you will need to include a featured image for the blog post as well as the other settings; category, tags and meta description.
The right sidebar has a different interface. There is nothing wrong with it you just have to make sure you find the right settings for the blog post.
The makers of the Divi Theme bypassed this complexity and integrated the Classic Editor with the Divi Builder and created the Divi Builder with the Visual Builder.
Select Use Divi Builder. The next screen you will see is the option to; build from scratch, choose a premade layout, clone an existing page.
Build From Scratch
Use the premade layouts and module system to build the content onto the page. All the modules have built in settings.
Choose a Premade Layout
These layouts will inspire your project. Simply load the page and start changing the design the way you want.
Clone Existing Page
This option really saves time. If you like a particular layout and have used it before you can clone the page and use it again.
Using the Full Divi Builder Experience
The Divi Theme gives you the option to return to the WordPress Classic Editor as it used to look. After using both methods, I find the combination of the Back End Builder and the Front End Visual Builder is the right complement. This way I don’t have to keep looking in a different place to find the page or post settings. After setting the categories, tags, enabling comments, an the seo title and meta description, I build the blog post on the front end.
In the Divi Theme Options locate the Builder tab and then click Advanced, 2 enable the latest Divi Builder Experience, 3 enable the classic editor, and 4 save changes.
This will bring the WordPress settings that were there before WordPress changed the editor. Change is good but there was nothing wrong with the WordPress editor in the first place. In fact there was everything right with it, what was missing was the ability to arrange the content on the page, not the functions of the editing tools.
Staring at a Blank Page
The problem with the new WordPress Editor, you’re staring at a blank page and have to know where the modules are. With Divi you’re never staring at a blank page and you select the layout of the column structure first and then put the modules where you want them.
I have used WordPress since 2003. I like the software and initially used a WordPress Theme but there were too many restrictions as I wanted more freedom within the page and the post. When the Divi Theme came out in 2013, it represented exactly the kind of flexibility I wanted with a website. I didn’t have to know how to code and I could layout the content the way I wanted to.
I don’t buy into the myth that you have to follow the design rules. Whose rules? The ones the designers made so you will have to use their services. Whatever happened to being able to build your online business the way you want it.
I get it that not everyone is a DIY person. But the do-it-yourself with WordPress isn’t difficult. The alternative is someone builds your website for you, but you’ll never be satisfied with their work. You’ll want to change it, and that gets expensive as the designer or developer will charge extra for changes to the website.
The change with the new WordPress Editor isn’t a bad one, in my opinion, WordPress is late to the Page Builder table where it should have been when the Page Builders began to develop such excellent tools. The good news; WordPress Editor now has a seat at the Page Builder table.
The Divi Theme not only works with Gutenberg but it improves the experience since you can use the Divi Builder inside the Gutenberg editor. The create of a website is a journey of discovery. There are excellent tools to use to create a website. The best part is that you don’t need to be a designer or a developer. If you need advice or help with a website project contact me.