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Should you use a WordPress Page Builder?

I love using WordPress Page Builders – they make creating beautiful websites easy. But – should you use them?

By: Alex Cooper

Updated:

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The Pros and Cons of Using Page Builders for WordPress Websites

What’s a page builder?

What’s this all about?

Page builders are great!

They make it quick and easy to make great looking websites with WordPress.

However, a lot of people, including professional web developers, say they should be avoided.

Some say that they negatively affect performance and have bad SEO implications.

Why use Page Builder?

  • If you’re new to WordPress
  • You don’t have the time to learn the WordPress block editor
  • You don’t have design skills and want to make a site that looks stunning easily

Why Avoid a Page Builder?

  • You want the fastest possible performance
  • You want the best possible SEO
  • You might want to change to another theme or builder in the future

Let’s explore these arguments…

The case against Page Builders ❌

Performance Issues

A common critique of page builders is their potential to slow down websites.

Elementor PageSpeed Score
Elementor PageSpeed Score

While this can be true, it’s not an absolute rule.

The performance largely depends on the choice of the page builder and the complexity of the added features.

With good hosting and by using a plugin like WP Rocket you can still achieve good speed.

Cloudways tested some page builders, and they were able to achieve some good scores.

SEO Concerns

Page builders can generate messy code that complicates the crawling process for search engines.

The additional code can increase crawl time, and since search engines like Google prioritize resource efficiency during crawling, this can be problematic for SEO.

Google basically hates it when a website confuses and slows down its crawler.

Difficulty in Switching Builders

Moving to a different theme or builder is difficult once you’ve built a website.

This is a fact.

However, changing themes or builders in WordPress is inherently challenging, regardless of whether a page builder is used.

The Case for Using Page Builders ✅

Ease of Use for Beginners

For newcomers to website creation, page builders offer an easy way to get started.

Their drag-and-drop interfaces, coupled with pre-designed templates and blocks, enable rapid website development without deep technical knowledge.

I would always recommend a page builder to someone with no experience of WordPress.

Time and Cost Efficiency

Page builders can significantly reduce the time and cost associated with building a website.

They eliminate the need for extensive coding or relying solely on the basic WordPress editor, thereby streamlining the development process.

Moving Beyond Page Builders

With experience, users may find it beneficial to transition to using the native WordPress block editor.

This approach can offer better performance and SEO advantages, although it may require a steeper learning curve.

A theme like Popcorn is a good place to start.

What do you think? 🤔

Do you use a page builder? Which one is you favourite?

Or are you against using a page builders? Why?

Let me know in the comments!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main advantages of using a page builder for WordPress websites?

Page builders offer a user-friendly interface, pre-designed templates, and time-saving features, making them ideal for beginners and those seeking to quickly set up visually appealing websites.

How do page builders impact website performance and SEO?

Page builders can potentially slow down websites and complicate SEO due to additional code. However, careful selection and proper optimization can mitigate these issues.

Is it challenging to switch from one page builder to another in WordPress?

Yes, transitioning between different page builders can be difficult due to the unique way each builder structures its content.

This is a general challenge in WordPress, not exclusive to page builders.

About Our Content Creators

The content creators at WP Eagle are led by Alex Cooper who has over 18 years experience in WordPress and building websites.

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