Basic Page Builder Questions About Handing Off Site to Client

Hi all,

I’m relatively new to using page builders. In fact, Bricks is the first one I’ve ever purchased.
I’m curious how it works with clients after I’ve built their site. Once I’m done building their site and hand the site off to the client:

  • Will the client be able to use my installed instance of Bricks for as long as they want? It’s similar to installing a theme in that once it’s installed and the license key is added, the client and all the users they add can access the builder to edit their site, correct?

  • How easy/difficult will it be for a client with very basic WP knowledge to use Bricks after I hand the site off to them?

Thanks!

I think Bricks is not so easy to start with when a client is a beginner. With Bricks, one needs to know basics about a section, container, div, flex box etc in my opinion. But maybe it would work fine when the client knows how to import remote templates and just replace the content.

But when it comes to structur with margin/padding, its too difficult for beginners. They could change margin inside the page visually, but that way its not working as good as when you put a margin in the left side in styles field.

I would say Bricks for now is not easy enough for clients/noobs. You could tell them to check online tutorials or let you make the changes for them. By the way thats the same question I had/have and did not find another solution.

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With regards to licences, they will have access to the builder so long as you allow them to. You can either allow them to use your licence, or encourage them to buy their own, which is good for you, as it funds further development in Bricks, and good for them as they’re not tied to you.

With regards to handing off… I think I’ve noticed a rather polarised opinion across the userbase. Some think you should never pass off at all (and force a maintenance fee), and others just let the site go free. I used to be in camp 2, but it ended up being a headache, because I suck at charging for ‘bits and pieces’, and clients will invariably turn your creation into bits and pieces.

My final Elementor client has become quite proficient with it, which is both a blessing and a curse. Quite often I’ll be asked to go in and do a “quick tidy up” for mobile screens, which is, of course, a PITA because he’s been using pixels everywhere, with the occasional rem, hidden in a random breakpoint, just because he was feeling fruity.

I have recorded simplified tutorials for each builder, and provide it, along with the main documentation, as well as my prices for adjustments and maintenance with, and without my service plan.
I then provide an editor account, and an admin account, and install a user log plugin.
I warn clients that each price is doubled if the problem was caused while in the admin account.

Essentially, I don’t want to keep any information, or access away from them - it’s their product, after all… However I do make choosing my service plans seem like an incredibly good idea.
Generally, this seems to keep their involvement with the site to a minimum, and I get a regular income.
In return, they get to relax, use my licences (whichever have been used to build and maintain the site), WP rocket, premium backups, free hosting (some reseller deals are fantastic), site monitoring, and a heavily discounted “further design” rate.

If you’re not already, I’d highly suggest investing in a group of white label maintenance plugins/software/platforms, and not-too-gently nudge your clients into paying your a regular fee for maintenance and cheaper updates.

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Yeah I figured as much. I haven’t had a chance to install/use bricks just yet, but hoping to do so this next month. I think I’ll use bricks for certain projects and perhaps a simple theme for projects that require client hand-offs.

Thanks for the feedback!

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This is great information. I appreciate the thorough feedback. I’m still relatively new to website development, and most of my previous work has been just creating very basic sites with only gutenberg, beaver builder, etc and a theme, so handoff has been fairly easy. Some clients do manage to screw up the site though. I think I need to put more thought into different service packages like you have.

You’ve definitely given me a couple things to consider moving forward. I appreciate that.

Cheers!

what do you mean with "white label maintenance " ? This “white label” I only know from Themes or Plugins when you activate white label, the customer does not see the name of the theme/plugin and you can put your own name/agency. Do you mean that?

Pretty much, just where I can.
WP compress offer white label, as do WP vivid, and my reseller webhosting company allows me to whitelabel the cPanel and use my own nameservers. All of them offer bulk prices.
For things like security, I prefer not to white-label, and make a big deal of showing WordFence off to my clients.
Overall, my clients pay slightly more per year than the sum of their yearly individual licences, but when I factor in my time configuring them, plus the discount on my design rates, I figure they’re getting a pretty epic deal.

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