Adding a button in WordPress Elementor is a straightforward process that allows you to guide your visitors with clear calls to action. You can achieve this using Elementor's powerful native Button widget, or by utilizing enhanced button widgets provided by various Elementor addons for additional functionality and styling options.
Adding a Button Using Elementor's Native Widget
Elementor's default Button widget offers extensive customization to create effective and visually appealing buttons for your website.
1. Access the Elementor Editor
First, navigate to the page or post where you want to add the button and open it with Elementor.
- From your WordPress Dashboard, go to Pages or Posts.
- Hover over the desired item and click "Edit with Elementor".
2. Locate and Drag the Button Widget
Once inside the Elementor editor:
- In the Elementor sidebar on the left, use the search bar to type "Button" or scroll down through the Basic widgets section.
- Drag the "Button" widget from the sidebar and drop it into the desired section or column on your page layout.
3. Customize Button Content
After placing the button, the Elementor sidebar will automatically switch to the Content tab, allowing you to define its basic properties:
- Text: Enter the text that will appear on your button (e.g., "Learn More," "Shop Now," "Contact Us").
- Link: Paste the URL that the button should direct to. You can link to internal pages, external websites, or even specific sections on the same page.
- Size: Choose from predefined sizes (e.g., Small, Medium, Large) or set a custom size.
- Icon: Select an icon to display next to your button text, choosing its position (before or after text) and spacing.
- Alignment: Align the button to the left, center, right, or justify it within its column.
- ID (Optional): Assign a CSS ID for custom styling or targeting with JavaScript.
4. Style Your Button
Switch to the Style tab in the Elementor sidebar to refine your button's appearance:
- Typography: Customize the font family, size, weight, transform, style, decoration, line height, and letter spacing.
- Text Color: Set the color of the button's text for both normal and hover states.
- Background Type: Choose a solid color or a gradient for the button's background.
- Normal State: Define colors for the default appearance.
- Hover State: Set distinct colors and effects (e.g., background, text color, animation) that appear when a user hovers over the button.
- Border Type: Add a border to your button, customizing its type (solid, double, dotted, dashed, groove), width, and color for normal and hover states.
- Border Radius: Control the roundness of the button's corners.
- Box Shadow: Apply a shadow effect for added depth.
- Padding: Adjust the internal spacing around the button text.
5. Advanced Settings (Optional)
The Advanced tab provides further control over your button's positioning, responsiveness, and special effects:
- Motion Effects: Add entrance animations or hover animations.
- Background: Apply advanced background options (image, video) to the button's container.
- Border: Fine-tune border settings with more control.
- Positioning: Adjust width, vertical align, and Z-index.
- Responsive: Hide the button on specific devices (desktop, tablet, mobile).
- Attributes (Pro): Add custom HTML attributes.
- Custom CSS (Pro): Apply custom CSS for unique styling.
Enhancing Buttons with Elementor Addons (e.g., Responsive Addons)
While Elementor's native button is robust, many users opt for third-party addons to access advanced features, pre-designed templates, and unique styling options not available by default. An example is the "Responsive Addons for Elementor Plugin," which provides an extended button widget. The process for using an addon button widget typically involves these steps:
1. Install and Activate an Addon Plugin
Before using an addon's button widget, you must install and activate the plugin:
- From your WordPress Dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for the desired addon (e.g., "Responsive Addons for Elementor" or "Responsive Elementor Addons").
- Click "Install Now" and then "Activate".
- Example: You can find various Elementor addons on the official WordPress Plugin Directory.
2. Add the Addon's Button Widget to the Page
After activation, the addon's widgets will appear in your Elementor editor:
- Open the Elementor editor for your page.
- Scroll through the widgets panel. Addon widgets are often grouped under their respective addon name (e.g., a section named "Responsive Addons").
- Drag the specific "Button" widget provided by the addon (which might have a distinct name like "Advanced Button" or "Responsive Button") and drop it onto your page.
3. Customize the Addon Button Widget's Settings
Addon button widgets often come with expanded content options:
- In the Content tab, you might find additional fields such as:
- Subtext: To add a smaller descriptive text below the main button text.
- Advanced Icon Options: More control over icon spacing, size, and hover effects.
- Button Type/Style Presets: Pre-designed button styles to quickly apply.
- Dynamic Tags: More extensive options for linking content dynamically.
4. Style the Addon Button Widget
The Style tab for an addon button widget typically offers more granular control and unique design elements:
- More Hover Effects: A wider range of sophisticated hover animations.
- Shape Dividers: Options to add decorative shapes above or below the button.
- Multiple Background Layers: Ability to combine solid colors, gradients, and images for backgrounds.
- Advanced Border Options: More complex border styles and animations.
- Padding and Margin Control: Enhanced controls for responsive spacing.
Key Button Customization Options at a Glance
Here's a comparison of common customization options, highlighting how addons often extend native Elementor features:
| Setting Category | Native Elementor Button Widget | Elementor Addon Button Widget (e.g., Responsive Addons) |
|---|---|---|
| Content | Text, Link, Size, Icon, Alignment | Text, Link, Icon (more options), Subtext, Type Presets, Dynamic Content |
| Style | Typography, Colors, Background, Border, Hover Effects | Advanced Typography, Multiple Background Layers, Complex Hover Animations, Shape Dividers, More Border Styles |
| Advanced | Motion Effects, Positioning, Responsiveness, Custom Attributes/CSS (Pro) | Custom CSS, Entrance Animations, Extensive Responsiveness, Advanced Positioning, Custom Layout Control |
Best Practices for Designing Buttons
When adding buttons to your WordPress site with Elementor, consider these best practices to ensure they are effective and user-friendly:
- Clear Call to Action (CTA): Use concise, action-oriented text that tells users exactly what will happen when they click (e.g., "Download Now," "Read More," "Get a Quote").
- Visibility and Contrast: Ensure your button stands out from the background with sufficient color contrast.
- Consistency: Maintain a consistent style (color, shape, typography) for similar types of buttons across your website.
- Responsiveness: Always check how your buttons appear and function on different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile) to ensure a good user experience. Elementor's responsive controls are crucial here.
- Accessibility: Use appropriate text sizes and provide enough padding around the text to make buttons easy to tap for all users. Consider adding
aria-labelattributes for screen readers if using custom code.
By following these steps and best practices, you can effectively add and customize engaging buttons on your WordPress website using Elementor.
