Cornerstone – The WordPress Page Builder

WordPress is undoubtedly one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) in the world. Its versatility and user-friendly interface have made it the go-to platform for individuals and businesses alike. While WordPress offers a range of features and customization options, the true power lies in its plugins. One such plugin that has gained immense popularity is Cornerstone – the WordPress page builder. In this article, we will explore the features, benefits, and how to effectively use Cornerstone to create stunning web pages.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. What is Cornerstone?
3. Key Features of Cornerstone
   • Drag-and-Drop Interface
   • Pre-designed Elements and Blocks
   • Responsive Design Options
   • Frontend Editing
   • Inline Text Editing
4. How to Install Cornerstone
   • Step 1: Purchase and Download
   • Step 2: Install the Plugin
   • Step 3: Activate Cornerstone
5. Getting Started with Cornerstone
   • Adding a New Page
   • Accessing the Cornerstone Editor
6. Building Web Pages with Cornerstone
   • Adding Sections and Rows
   • Customizing Columns and Elements
   • Using Pre-designed Blocks
   • Integrating with WordPress Themes
7. Advanced Features of Cornerstone
   • Global Blocks and Elements
   • Custom CSS Options
   • Revision History and Undo/Redo
   • Importing and Exporting Content
8. Optimizing Pages for SEO with Cornerstone
   • Meta Tags and Descriptions
   • URL Structure and Permalinks
   • Image Optimization
   • Responsive Design Considerations
9. Cornerstone Add-ons and Extensions
   • Ultimate Addons for Cornerstone
   • Convert Pro
   • Content Blocks for Cornerstone
   • Templatera
10. Conclusion

1. Introduction

In today’s digital landscape, having a visually appealing and functional website is crucial for online success. Cornerstone, as a WordPress page builder, empowers users to create and customize web pages without the need for coding knowledge. It provides an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and a plethora of features that enable users to design professional websites efficiently.

2. What is Cornerstone?

Cornerstone is a powerful page builder plugin developed by Themeco. It seamlessly integrates with WordPress and offers a wide range of tools and options to build, edit, and customize web pages. With its user-friendly interface, even beginners can create stunning websites in no time.

3. Key Features of Cornerstone

– Drag-and-Drop Interface

Cornerstone’s drag-and-drop interface makes the web design process incredibly easy. Users can simply drag elements onto the canvas and drop them into place. This intuitive approach allows for quick and precise positioning of content elements.

– Pre-designed Elements and Blocks

Cornerstone provides a library of pre-designed elements and blocks that users can easily add to their web pages. From buttons and icons to pricing tables and testimonials, these ready-to-use elements save time and effort in designing from scratch.

– Responsive Design Options

With the increasing number of mobile users, responsive design is paramount. Cornerstone offers responsive options that allow users to create web pages that adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes. This ensures a consistent and optimal user experience across all devices.

– Frontend Editing

Gone are the days of switching back and forth between the backend editor and the frontend preview. Cornerstone enables users to edit and customize their web pages directly on the frontend. This real-time editing experience provides instant feedback and reduces the need for constant page refreshes.

– Inline Text Editing

Editing text within Cornerstone is as simple as clicking on the text element and making the desired changes. This inline text editing feature eliminates the need for separate text editors and streamlines the content creation process.

4. How to Install Cornerstone

To start using Cornerstone, you need to follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Purchase and Download

First, visit the official Themeco website and purchase the Cornerstone plugin. After completing the purchase, download the plugin files to your computer.

Step 2: Install the Plugin

Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard and navigate to “Plugins” in the sidebar. Click on “Add New” and then select “Upload Plugin.” Choose the Cornerstone plugin file you downloaded and click on “Install Now.”

Step 3: Activate Cornerstone

Once the installation is complete, click on “Activate” to activate the Cornerstone plugin. You are now ready to start building beautiful web pages with Cornerstone.

5. Getting Started with Cornerstone

Adding a New Page

To create a new page with Cornerstone, go to your WordPress admin dashboard and click on “Pages” in the sidebar. Then, click on “Add New” to create a blank page where you can build your design.

Accessing the Cornerstone Editor

After creating a new page, you can access the Cornerstone editor by clicking on the “Edit with Cornerstone” button. This will launch the editor, allowing you to start building your web page.

6. Building Web Pages with Cornerstone

Cornerstone provides a wide range of tools and options to create visually stunning web pages. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to build web pages using Cornerstone:

Adding Sections and Rows

The first step in building a web page is to add sections and rows. Sections act as containers, while rows divide the sections into columns. By adding and customizing sections and rows, you can create a well-structured layout for your content.

Customizing Columns and Elements

Once you have added rows, you can further customize the columns within them. Cornerstone offers options to adjust column widths, backgrounds, and margins. You can also add elements such as text blocks, images, videos, and more to each column.

Using Pre-designed Blocks

Cornerstone provides a collection of pre-designed blocks that you can easily insert into your web pages. These blocks are professionally designed and cover various page elements like headers, footers, testimonials, and contact forms. Leveraging these blocks can significantly speed up your design process.

Integrating with WordPress Themes

Cornerstone seamlessly integrates with most WordPress themes, allowing you to create customized designs while maintaining the overall theme aesthetics. You can use Cornerstone’s features to enhance the existing theme and create a unique website that aligns with your brand.

7. Advanced Features of Cornerstone

Global Blocks and Elements

Cornerstone allows you to create and save global blocks and elements. These can be reused across multiple pages, ensuring consistency in design and saving time when making changes.

Custom CSS Options

For advanced users, Cornerstone offers custom CSS options. You can add custom CSS code to individual elements or sections, giving you full control over the appearance and styling of your web pages.

Revision History and Undo/Redo

Cornerstone keeps track of revisions, allowing you to undo or redo changes made during the design process. This feature provides flexibility and peace of mind, knowing that you can revert to a previous version if needed.

Importing and Exporting Content

With Cornerstone, you can import and export content between different websites. This is particularly useful when working on multiple projects or when collaborating with others. You can easily transfer layouts, designs, and elements from one site to another.

8. Optimizing Pages for SEO with Cornerstone

To ensure your web pages rank well in search engine results, it’s important to optimize them for SEO. Cornerstone offers several features that can help improve your website’s search visibility:

Meta Tags and Descriptions

Cornerstone allows you to add meta tags and descriptions to your web pages. These meta tags provide information to search engines about the content of your pages, helping them understand and index your site effectively.

URL Structure and Permalinks

Having clean and SEO-friendly URLs is crucial for search engine optimization. Cornerstone enables you to customize the URL structure and set meaningful permalinks for your web pages.

Image Optimization

Images play a vital role in web design, but they can also impact page loading speed if not optimized correctly. Cornerstone provides options to optimize images, ensuring they are compressed and properly sized for optimal performance.

Responsive Design Considerations

With the increasing number of mobile users, having a responsive website is essential. Cornerstone allows you to preview and optimize your web pages for different screen sizes, ensuring a seamless experience across devices.

9. Cornerstone Add-ons and Extensions

To enhance the functionality of Cornerstone, several add-ons and extensions are available. Here are a few popular ones:

Ultimate Addons for Cornerstone

This add-on provides additional elements, templates, and blocks that extend the capabilities of Cornerstone. It offers a wide range of options to create unique and interactive web pages.

Convert Pro

Convert Pro is a powerful lead generation tool that integrates seamlessly with Cornerstone. It enables you to create eye-catching pop-ups, slide-ins, and other opt-in forms to capture leads and grow your email list.

Content Blocks for Cornerstone

Content Blocks is a collection of pre-designed blocks specifically designed for Cornerstone. These blocks cover various categories, including services, pricing, team members, and more, making it easy to add professionally designed elements to your web pages.

Templatera

Templatera is a powerful template manager for Cornerstone. It allows you to save and manage templates for sections, rows, and individual elements, making it convenient to reuse designs and maintain consistency across your website.

10. Conclusion

Cornerstone is a game-changer when it comes to building and designing web pages on WordPress. Its intuitive interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and extensive features make it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced web developers. With Cornerstone, you can unleash your creativity and create visually stunning websites that captivate your audience.