WordPress Widgets

Widget

What the heck are WordPress Widgets?

Here is how WordPress.org defines widgets:

A WordPress Widget is a tool built into WordPress that is designed to provide a simple way to arrange the various elements of your sidebar content (known as “widgets”) without having to change any code.

So what does that mean exactly? Well WordPress templates have at least one sidebar (or should) and are designed so that you can easily put your very important information into that sidebar.

Some elements that come to mind are your opt-in box, links to your social media sites, affiliate links, your Facebook Fanpage widget, your Ezinearticles.com widget, and subscription links like RSS.

Some widgets come already installed with your template and others need to be added if required/wanted.

What I like about the sidebar generally is that it gives more space “above the fold” (above the fold being everything that a viewer can see before they have to scroll).  You have very little time to make an impression so you want your viewer to see as much as possible rather quickly.  Hence, you usually see opt in boxes in the top right of the sidebar.

For more information about widgets, click here to see my short YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByIBZZuWe_k