What is Beaver Builder and why do I love it so much?
This is a long-overdue blog post about Beaver Builder, the page builder and theme I use for all my web design services. I first have to thank Ann Marie Gill for urging me to purchase Beaver Builder in 2016. At the time, Genesis was my go-to theme package for all projects. But, Beaver Builder has changed my life as a web designer. And, my clients absolutely love it. Page builders sometimes catch a lot of flack in our WordPress community. This post is my love letter to Beaver Builder.
What is Beaver Builder?
Beaver Builder describes itself as a “drag-and-drop page builder that lets you easily create drag-and-drop page layouts, all from a front-end view of your site and without touching a line of code”.
I know, you are asking, “But Cami, I’m a web designer. I know how to code.” That’s the beauty of Beaver Builder.
You can add your own code and get the website looking exactly as you want it, but your client can manage their own website without needing an ounce of coding knowledge. That is a win-win!
Their demo video gives a great overview of how Beaver Builder works:
Before being introduced to Beaver Builder, I had worked with WPBakery and the Divi theme throughout my career. Both left me frustrated and were difficult for my clients to work with. Neither replaced my reliance on Genesis themes from StudioPress. So, I was skeptical of using Beaver Builder and felt it was “cheating” to use a page builder. I’m not too proud to admit when I’m wrong. And I was totally off base by assuming Beaver Builder was just like the other page builders I had used in the past.
Why should you use Beaver Builder to build your next website?
The number one reason is that your clients will love it.
Clients can “click-and-drag” in elements they want to add on their own or duplicate features you’ve built for them. For recipes and portfolio pages, you can create templates they can reuse. Then, using Beaver Themer, you can create automatic theme features so they don’t have to consider formatting.
Once you get the hang of using Beaver Builder, you will be more proficient and streamline your website-building time. I eased into using the Beaver Builder plugin with Genesis themes. If you have a favorite theme, you can also use this method. Beaver Builder is compatible with many WordPress themes. I recommend this method of working with Beaver Builder if you already have a favorite theme system in place. It won’t bring your productivity to a halt.
Also, when clients in old themes ask for a design update, I often install the Beaver Builder plugin to do the job to share the ease of use with them. Then, when it’s time to redesign, they already know the benefits of upgrading to Beaver Builder, and I convert them to the Beaver Builder theme.
Finally, using Beaver Builder eliminates the need for added plugins. Are you using a photo gallery plugin? That’s no longer needed. A testimonial plugin? That’s a module in Beaver Builder. Gallery sorting plugin? Content grids are available. The features built into Beaver Builder are expansive and remove the need for additional plugins.
How easy is it to start using Beaver Builder?
I’m going to admit it, without Ann Marie’s help, I would have had a much tougher time getting a grip on using Beaver Builder. What’s great now is that you can also get Ann Marie’s help. She has a wonderful course for beginners on how to use Beaver Builder.
https://buildyourownwpsite.com/
Other places I have used to learn Beaver Builder are:
It’s worth watching some tutorials, mainly because the possibilities in Beaver Builder are so vast you might miss something you need to know. The basics are easy to find, but it helps to do some homework. Once you have the basics down, you’ll be blown away by how easily you can get a design off the ground.
Tools for clients to learn Beaver Builder include:
I pay annually for this plugin for my clients so they have them for reference when working on their websites without my help.
My favorite addons to purchase for Beaver Builder
#1 pick – Beaver Themer – This added plugin allows you to craft your own theme design elements . You can create custom headers and footers and display them on different pages. You can also make custom templates for archives. You can connect fields to populate content. The possibilities are limitless. This video explains it better than I ever could:
Here are tutorials for Beaver Themer.
Other addons I’ve purchased (lifetime) for Beaver Builder include:
- Beaver Builder Powerpack
- Ultimate Addons for Beaver Builder
- WooPack
- Livemesh Addons
- Beaver Builder Mega Menu
How can Beaver Builder help you save time and money on your next project?
I was so happy when I discovered I that could create a Beaver Builder page, row, or module, export them out of a site, and use them later. You can build a custom library of designs and design elements and use them as starters for your future projects. I did this for years using the simple WordPress import/export tool, and then I found the Page Builder Cloud. However, Beaver Builder has since launched its own cloud-based plugin, Assistant Pro, which has replaced Page Builder Cloud in my stack. And it’s so much more than a way to create a template library. It also supports other page builder platforms.
Here’s a video showing how it works:
What about page speed and Beaver Builder?
Word on the street is that you have to use Gutenberg only to get a decent page speed score on Google Lighthouse.
That is the score for webcamicafe.com on mobile. That score works for me! Not all page builders are created equal when it comes to page speed. And Beaver Builder works well with WP-Rocket. That’s my go-to plugin for site speed.
More benefits of using Beaver Builder
I love that I’m not fighting with set theme designs while building a site. I can create something that is genuinely my design. If I want to pull elements from a template, I can. But I’m not locked into that design, either. I also don’t have to code hooks any more. I don’t constantly have to dive into the functions.php file with that code to make things look how I want them to (but I can if I need to).
Did I mention that my annual income has increased by over 50% since I purchased Beaver Builder? That’s proof of my increased productivity.
For my clients, I’m no longer creating a code cheat sheet for them to cut and paste from. Instead, they can drag in an extra column alone if they want to turn three columns into four! As a result, we can dramatically change their website look and feel without a theme change. And it’s so easy for them to learn.
There are a handful of products that have been game-changers for me. Beaver Builder is one of them. So if you are considering Beaver Builder and want to talk about it, I’m happy to pay it forward, just like Ann Marie did for me. Just shoot me an email.
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- Ann Marie Gill gives WebCami an in-person Beaver Builder lesson.
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- WebCami meeting Robby from Beaver Builder. She almost cried.
Do you use Beaver Builder? Please share your experience in our Facebook group.
