Want to add interactive calculators, quizzes, or polls to your WordPress site without losing your mind? You’ve probably bumped into Outgrow—a tool for building these things without coding. But making the content is only half the battle. How do you actually get it onto your WordPress site, so it looks good and works well?
This guide is for site owners, marketers, or anyone who wants to embed Outgrow content on WordPress without wasting hours on trial and error. I’ll walk you through the process, point out what can trip you up, and help you avoid common headaches.
Before You Start: What You Actually Need
Before diving in, let’s get real about what you’ll need:
- Access to your WordPress site (Editor or Admin role).
- An Outgrow account with published content you want to embed.
- Patience for some copy-paste work (sorry, no magic button).
If you’re using a page builder (like Elementor, Divi, or WPBakery), most of these steps still apply. Classic Editor, Block Editor (Gutenberg), or a page builder—it’s all doable.
A quick heads-up: Outgrow content can slow down your page load, so don’t go overboard. And if you’re using a super locked-down WordPress setup (like WordPress.com’s free plan), embedding scripts might not work. Self-hosted WordPress gives you the most flexibility.
Step 1: Build and Publish Your Outgrow Content
First up: get your interactive content ready in Outgrow.
- Log in to Outgrow.
- Build your quiz, calculator, poll—whatever you need.
- Hit “Publish” in Outgrow.
Honest take: Outgrow’s builder is pretty easy, but don’t get lost in the weeds tweaking colors or fonts. Focus on something that works and looks good enough. You can always tweak later.
Step 2: Grab the Embed Code from Outgrow
Once your content is published:
- In Outgrow, go to your content dashboard.
- Click on the project you want to embed.
- Find the “Embed & Share” or “Embed on Website” option (they move this around sometimes, but it’s usually pretty obvious).
- You’ll see a few embedding options:
- Iframe embed (most reliable)
- Script/Javascript embed (works for popups or advanced behavior)
- Popup/Chatbot embed (only use if you really want a popup or chatbot)
What actually works best? - For most WordPress sites, iframe embed is the safest bet. It’s simple—just copy the iframe code. - Script embeds might not work on every theme or may get blocked by security plugins. - Popup embeds can annoy visitors and slow down your site. Use sparingly.
Copy the iframe embed code. It’ll look something like this:
html
Step 3: Decide Where to Embed (Post, Page, or Widget?)
Where do you want the content to show up?
- Blog post or page: Good for calculators, quizzes, or anything you want people to see while reading.
- Sidebar/widget: For smaller polls or quick tools.
- Landing page: For big, hero-style calculators.
Pick your spot. The process is mostly the same, but there are some quirks, especially with widgets.
Step 4: Embed the Outgrow Content in WordPress
A. Using the WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg)
- Go to the post or page where you want to add the content.
- Click the “+” button to add a new block.
- Search for “Custom HTML” block.
- Paste your Outgrow iframe code into the block.
- Preview the page. You should see your Outgrow content loading.
- Adjust width/height in the iframe code if it looks weird.
Pro tip: If your Outgrow content looks squished or cuts off, play with the height
attribute in the iframe. Try height="800"
or higher for big calculators.
B. Using the Classic Editor
- Switch to the Text (HTML) tab, not Visual.
- Paste the iframe code where you want it.
- Update or preview the page.
C. Using a Page Builder (Elementor, Divi, etc.)
- Drag in an HTML or Code widget/module.
- Paste the iframe code.
- Resize or tweak as needed.
Sidebar widgets:
Want to stick a calculator in the sidebar? Go to Appearance > Widgets and add a Custom HTML widget. Paste the code, save, and check how it looks. Be careful: sidebars are narrow, and most Outgrow tools need more space.
Step 5: Tweak Appearance and Responsiveness
Here’s the honest bit—embedding third-party content is rarely “one and done.”
-
Responsiveness: Most Outgrow iframes are responsive by default, but not always. If it’s not resizing on mobile, add this CSS to your theme’s customizer or a CSS block:
css .outgrow-iframe-wrapper { position: relative; width: 100%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; / Adjust for aspect ratio / height: 0; overflow: hidden; } .outgrow-iframe-wrapper iframe { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }
Then wrap your iframe in a div with
class="outgrow-iframe-wrapper"
. -
Loading speed: Outgrow embeds can slow pages down. Don’t put too many on one page. If you notice lag, try lazy-loading your iframes or using a plugin like “WP Rocket” to defer loading.
-
Styling: You can’t easily style the inside of an iframe. If you want total design control, you’re out of luck. Minor tweaks like margins/padding around the iframe are fine, but you can’t change Outgrow’s built-in colors or fonts from WordPress.
-
Popups: If you’re dead set on a popup, use the Script/Javascript embed in Outgrow. But honestly, most popups annoy people. Only use if it’s core to your strategy.
Step 6: Test Everything—Don’t Skip This
Seriously, test it:
- Check the page on desktop, tablet, and phone.
- Try different browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox).
- Make sure the content loads fast and isn’t cut off.
- Click through the quiz/calculator to make sure results work.
If something’s broken:
- Double-check your iframe code. Did you copy the whole thing?
- Look for plugin conflicts. Security or caching plugins can block embeds.
- If it still won’t work, try embedding on a blank page with no plugins. Sometimes themes or plugins just break things.
Step 7: Keep It Updated (and Know When to Quit)
A couple of things to remember:
- If you update your Outgrow project, the changes go live anywhere it’s embedded. No need to re-embed.
- If Outgrow changes their embed code, you might have to update your site later.
- If it’s not working and you’re out of patience, consider linking to the Outgrow content in a new tab instead of embedding. It’s not as slick, but it always works.
What to Ignore (Mostly)
- Shortcodes: Outgrow doesn’t offer native WordPress shortcodes. Don’t waste time searching.
- Outgrow WordPress Plugin: As of now, Outgrow doesn’t have a dedicated plugin. Any unofficial plugins are usually clunky or outdated.
- Advanced integrations (Zapier, HubSpot, etc.): These are for data, not embedding. Don’t get sidetracked.
Quick Troubleshooting Tips
- Blank space where the embed should be? Reload, check for plugin conflicts, or test a different browser.
- Mobile users complaining? The iframe height might need adjusting, or your theme’s CSS is squashing things.
- Slow page load? Limit to one Outgrow embed per page.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple
Don’t overthink it. Outgrow embeds are mostly copy-paste, but little details matter. Test on real devices, don’t overload your pages, and be ready to tweak. Start with one tool, see how it looks, and iterate. If you hit a wall, linking out is always a fallback.
Bottom line: focus on what helps your visitors—not just what looks flashy. Good luck, and don’t hesitate to try, break, and fix things. That’s how everyone learns.