How to Create Custom Blog Layout for Elementor | 3 Basic to Advanced Methods

A custom blog layout is a personalized design template for blog posts or archives, built using Elementor’s drag-and-drop tools instead of the default theme layout. Creating a custom blog post template helps ensure consistency, brand identity, and an improved user experience across all your posts. 

With Elementor, you can do this visually with no coding. However, for more advanced blog layout, you may need Elementor extensions.

So, here, I’ll show 3 different methods to create custom blog layout for Elementor.

Method 1: Build a Basic Blog Post Template from Scratch using Elementor free

Method 2: Create Custom Blog Template with Theme Builder using Elementor Pro

Method 3: Build Advanced Customized Blog Post layout using Element Pack

Choose which method suits your needs.

What Are Custom Blog Post Templates?

But here’s the thing: not all blogs are created equal. Every business or niche, whether it’s travel, fashion, SaaS, or eCommerce—offers different types of content and serves different audience needs. So, your blog layout should reflect that.

For example, a travel blog might feature large hero images, embedded maps, itinerary sections, and photo galleries to visually engage readers. On the other hand, an eCommerce site’s blog may focus on product tutorials, comparisons, buying guides, related product grids, and newsletter opt-ins throughout the post.

These structural needs are different. So why force them into a one-size-fits-all layout?

Here’s the Reason Why You Should Create a Custom Blog Layout?

• Reflect Unique Branding: A health blog can use calming colors and a clean design, while a gaming blog might go for bold visuals and dark themes. Templates make this consistent.
• Improve Professionalism: First impressions count. A cluttered or generic layout can make your blog feel amateurish—even if your content is great.
• Enhance UX & Readability: Clear content sections, sticky TOC, reading progress bars, and smart CTAs help users navigate and engage better.
•  Boost Conversions: Custom layouts let you place CTAs, lead magnets, or offers at strategic points in the post, driving more sales or sign-ups.

3 Easy Ways to Create Custom Blog Layout for Elementor 

As Elementor is widely considered one of the best tools for advanced website building—not just for landing pages but also for blog layouts. It naturally becomes the top choice when you want to create custom blog post templates.

However, if you’re aiming to build a truly feature-rich and professionally styled template, the free version of Elementor may fall short. While it allows for some customization, the flexibility is quite limited. You can design a basic layout, but advanced dynamic content handling, conditional visibility, custom post styling, and widget variety will remain out of reach. 

That’s why Elementor Pro becomes the better option for anyone concious about branding and advanced design control.

But when you’re looking for something that goes even beyond the regular blog layouts, I found one Elementor Pro alternative plugin that really stands out, Element Pack. It’s an advanced extension of Elementor that gives you far more control over your blog design.

So, let’s jump into the methods.

Pre-Requisites: 

To create a custom Elementor single post template, you’ll need to install:

• Elementor Free
  
• Elementor Pro
  
• Element Pack
  

Method 1:  Build a Basic Blog Post Template using Elementor Free

Elementor free offers a basic and easy way to create a blog layout template from scratch. This method is simple but may require some more steps than others.

Step 1: Create a New Single Post Template

• Go to WordPress Dashboard → Templates → Add New
  
• Select Single Post as the template type
  
• Name your template (e.g., “Custom Blog Post Template”)
  
• Click Create Template
  
• Dismiss the library popup (we’re building from scratch)
  

Step 2: Choose a Structure/Layout

• Click the + icon to select a page structure (2-column is usually best for readability)
  
• To preview real blog content, click the (Settings) icon → Set Preview Dynamic Content:
  

• Select Post
  
• Choose a blog post from the dropdown
  
• Click Apply & Preview
  

Step 3: Add the Featured Image Widget

• Search for and drag the Featured Image widget into the top area of your layout
  
• Customize:
  

• Content tab: Image size, alignment, caption, link
• Style tab: Height, width, border, radius, opacity
  

Step 4: Add the Post Info Widget

• Drag and drop the Post Info widget below the featured image
  
• Configure the layout:
  

• Choose Default or Inline
• Enable/disable: Author, Date, Time, Comments
  
• Style:
  
• Adjust spacing, icons, typography, and colors
  

Step 5: Add the Post Title Widget

• Drag and drop the Post Title widget
  
• Customize:
  

• HTML tag, size, alignment (in Content tab)
• Typography, shadow, stroke (in Style tab)
  

Step 6: Add the Post Content Widget

• This displays the main body of your blog post
  
• Drag and drop Post Content widget under the title
  
• It will automatically pull your post content
  

Step 7: Add Social Icons for Sharing

• Drag the Social Icons widget below your content
  
• Add or remove platforms
  
• Customize icon style, layout, columns, size, spacing, and links
  

Step 8: Add the Author Box Widget

• Search for the Author Box and place it after social icons
  
• Customize:
  
  • Source: Default or custom
    
  • Show/hide profile picture, name, bio
    
  • Set alignment, layout, and HTML tag
    
• Style typography, borders, and image size
  

Step 9: Add Post Navigation (Next/Previous Post)

• Drag and drop the Post Navigation widget
  
• Configure:
  

• Enable/disable arrows or labels
• Choose from arrow design options
  
• Style:
  
• Customize title, arrow, borders (normal and hover state)
  

Step 10: Add Related Posts Widget

• Drag in the Posts widget from Elementor Pro
  
• Adjust:
  

• Layout style: Grid or List
• Columns, number of posts, image position, content display
  
• Style:
  
• Control spacing, colors, and typography
  

Step 11: Add Post Comments Widget

• Drag and drop the Post Comments widget below Related Posts
  
• This enables user commenting on your blog post
  

Step 12: Save & Publish Your Template

• Click Update
  
• If prompted, click Save & Close
  
• Your new template is now live and will automatically apply to all blog posts (unless you define specific conditions)
  

Method 2: Create Custom Blog Template with Theme Builder using Elementor Pro

Well, if you don’t have that time to build from scratch, or you get overwhelmed by the design of your custom blog post, then, this method is for you with a ready-made template.

Step 1: Create a New Template

• Go to Templates → Add New
  
• Select Single Post
  
• Name it and click Create Template
  

Step 2: Choose a Template from Elementor Library

• Once the library opens, browse through pre-made Single Post templates
  
• Hover and click Insert on the template you like

Step 3: Customize and Publish

• After inserting the layout, make necessary edits (colors, fonts, spacing)
  
• Click Publish and Save & Close
  

Your new layout is now applied across all blog posts.

Final Preview: What You’ll Achieve

Here’s what your custom Elementor blog layout template will typically include:

• Featured Image
  
• Post Meta Info (author, date, etc.)
  
• Post Title & Content
  
• Social Share Buttons
  
• Author Bio Box
  
• Navigation (Next/Previous Post)
  
• Related Posts
  
• Comments Section

You’ll maintain a consistent, branded, and professional look across every single post.

Method 3: Build Advanced Customized Blog layout using Element Pack

If you’re already using Elementor Pro, you know it’s powerful, but Element Pack unlocks even more advanced blog design features that Elementor Pro alone doesn’t offer. 

With Element Pack, you can add filterable blog grids, post timelines, masonry layouts, AJAX post loading, smart post lists, and dynamic loop builders to give you complete design control and interactivity without writing a single line of code.

Well, here are the Blog Layout Features you’ll Get in Element Pack (But Not in Elementor Pro):

• Smart Post List 
• Blog Timeline 
• Post Tab / Grid / Masonry 
• Advanced Filterable Blog
• Dynamic Loop Builder 
• AJAX Content Loading 
• Interactive Animations
• Conditional Visibility & Triggers 

Here’s how to create an advanced blog layout using Element Pack + Elementor:

Step 1: Enable the Custom Widgets for Blog Layout

Before you start designing, make sure the necessary blog widgets are activated.

• Go to Element Pack → Core Widgets
  
• Enable the following widgets:

✔️Post Slider

✔️ Post Card

✔️ Post Block / Post Block Modern

✔️ Post Gallery

✔️ Post Grid / Post Grid Tab

✔️ Post List

✔️ Post Title / Post Content / Post Info / Post Featured Image / Post Comments

✔️ Single Post

These widgets are the building blocks of your advanced blog layout.

Step 2: Create a New Blog Template

• Go to Templates → Add New
  
• Choose Single Post as the template type
  
• Name your template (e.g., “Element Pack Blog Template”) and click Create Template
  

Note: With Elementor and Element Pack, you’re not limited to just blog posts. You can create a wide variety of dynamic templates, including:

• Single Post Templates 
• Archive Pages
• Author Pages
• Category Pages 
• Tag Pages
• Error 404
• Search pages

This makes it easier to maintain a consistent design across all your content types while also giving you the freedom to make each layout tailored to its purpose.

Step 3: Design the Blog Layout Using Custom Widgets

Once you’re inside the Elementor editor, it’s time to build your custom blog layout using Element Pack’s blog-focused widgets.

Simply drag and drop your desired widgets onto the canvas to structure your blog page the way you want.

Here are some powerful widgets you can use:

For Blog Listings:

• Smart Post List – Display your posts in a sleek, readable format
  
• Blog Timeline – Great for storytelling or chronological posts
  
• Post Grid / Masonry / Tab – Arrange posts in dynamic layouts
  
• Advanced Filterable Blog – Let visitors filter blog posts instantly
  
• Post Grid Tab – Combine grid layout with category tabs
  
• Post Card / Post Block Modern – Create engaging, card-style previews
  
• Post Slider – Showcase featured or trending posts with sliders

For Single Post Elements:

• Post Title – Customize how your post titles appear
  
• Post Content – Display the full post content with full control
  
• Post Info – Show author name, date, category, etc.
  
• Post Comments – Integrate the comment section into your layout
  
• Post Featured Image – Style your featured images for visual impact

Note: You can also make a photo gallery for your images in your blog post to enhance the image layout.

Step 4: Use Advanced Templates for Blog Post

To speed up your workflow and maintain a consistent design across your blog, you can take advantage of Element Pack’s advanced ready-made templates.

Here’s how:

• Inside the Elementor editor, click the Element Pack Template Library icon.
  
• Browse through professionally designed blog-specific templates such as:
  
  • Featured blog layouts
    
  • Magazine-style blog templates
    
  • Author-focused post designs
    
  • Minimal or image-heavy blog formats
    
• Choose a template that fits your blog’s tone and content style
  
• Insert it into your editor with a single click, then customize as needed
  

These templates are built using Element Pack’s widgets, so you can easily swap out content, rearrange sections, or style it to match your brand—without starting from scratch.

Bonus Tip: Save your customized layout as a reusable template for future blog posts. This keeps your design consistent and saves you time down the line.

Step 4: Customize Layout and Styling

• Adjust padding, spacing, typography, and colors to match your brand
  
• Add motion effects or hover interactions to make it visually engaging
  
• Use Element Pack’s advanced options like conditional visibility or AJAX load for smoother UX

Step 5: Set Display Conditions

• Click the arrow next to the Publish button
  
• You can simply publish your post and view or save it as a template for further uses.

Pro Tip: Use Element Pack’s Dynamic Loop Builder if you want full control over how each post renders and it’s great for magazine-style or niche content blogs.

Conclusion:

Create a custom blog layout for Elementor gives you complete control over how your content looks and feels. Whether you’re using Elementor Pro or enhancing it with Element Pack, you can design layouts that match your brand, improve user experience, and make your blog stand out. So, skip the default theme limitations and start building a blog layout that truly reflects your goals and style.

Even, if you don’t want to use Elementor and want to change blog layout in WordPress default, you can check out this content- How to Change Blog Page Layout in WordPress.