How to add Widgets to your blog.

Ronovan Blogging How To, , , , , , ,

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Recently I published a How To article and in closing I mentioned if anyone had a How To they would like to see to let me know through the Comment Form on the About page. I got a request.

Widgets in the Sidebar, how?

Depending on the Widget this can be very simple, or a little less simple, but overall not that difficult.

I will show how to add four types of Widgets. If you don’t know how to get to where you select the kind of Widget you like in your Dashboard, make certain to keep reading before jumping to a certain section. The below links take you to sections of this article.

Let’s get started.

  • As always we’re headed to the Dashboard of your Blog first. I of course use WordPress.
  • In the Dashboard, when you look down the list of options you have you will see Appearance near the bottom.
  • Hover your cursor over this and then choose Widgets from the menu that shows. You can actually click Appearance and the list of options will show below the word Appearance but I like to hover.
  • You have a lot of Widgets you may use but be careful you don’t overcrowd your screen. Make certain what you choose has a real purpose for being there.

Different Widgets obviously have different purposes and it takes different steps for each kind. Some require you add a link from another website. Some require you add an image link from the Media portion of your blog Dashboard. But for each the next things are the same.

  • Click the Widget you want to add.
  • Select the Widget Area you want to add it to.
  • Click Add Widget.
  • And eventually Click Save.

Something useful to know: You can then drag your Widget up and down the list of Widgets to place it in  the order you would like. Perhaps you want more eyes on your Facebook Like Box than some other Widget. Just drag it to a more prominent position.

That’s the basic how to add a Widget process. As I said, some Widgets will require a little more work. Some of those are how you want them to appear or how many in a list you want to show. Those are simple.

Twitter Timeline

One not so simple one but very popular Widget is the Twitter Timeline. For the (TT) click here to go to the article I wrote in July titled Adding the Twitter Timeline to your Sidebar. This article includes images of the process.Return to top of page.

Image Widget

The Image Widget is also popular to use. You will need an Image URL to place in the Widget information. The Image URL is the URL attached to an Image you have in your Media Library. Click to your Media section on the Dashboard and find the image you like and then copy and paste the link into the appropriate box. If you want people to click the image to go somewhere else, you need that URL address as well. As for the Width and Height? For my own blog I have found 210×210 pixels is as wide as I go without losing part of the image. You will change the numbers in the Widget area itself.Return to top of page.

Top Posts and Pages

Top Posts and Pages is probably one of the most popular Widgets to use that I have seen in my wandering about. For this one you need to chose between a Text List-a list of article names, an Image list-List of names with Image, or Image Grid-A side by side two column grid of images from your most popular posts and pages, at least that’s what it does on mine. You need to have an image inside of the post for it to grab or it will grab what it wants. I place one near the top of a post just in case. I can always come back and create an image if something happens. No specifics for size. The Grid makes it fit. You will also need to chose based on Likes or Views.Return to top of page.

Adding Video

Some people like to have a video in their Sidebar. For a time I had a Video Welcome to Ronovan Writes. I looked terrible and sounded bad. I removed it. But if you want to add a video you use the Text Widget:

    • Go to Youtube.
    • Select the video you want.
    • Choose Embed.
    • Copy the Code that comes up in the box. It will look something like this:
    • Paste that into the Large empty box under your new Text Widget. Now the numbers showing about, 210? I did that. Why? Because what you will see in Youtube is different. But you want it to show nicely for you in your sidebar, just change those numbers.
    • Give it the Title you want.
    • Click Save.
    • Done. Unless you want  to drag it to a new position among the current Widgets.

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Adding Widgets is a lot easier than people think. For one thing, remember this; You aren’t going to break anything. Something doesn’t work right, delete it and try again. I may add another article about this in the future.

For facebook Widgets click How to Add your Facebook Page to Your Blog.

My apologies to the lady that asked for this. I was working on it when I went to the Emergency Room.

Remember, if you have a How To you would like to see, go to my About page and fill out the form. I’ll get to work on it as soon as I can. It’s the teacher in me. I enjoy it.
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Much Respect

@RonovanWrites

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35 thoughts on “How to add Widgets to your blog.”

  1. Thank you, Ron! I have a question since you like teaching. Recently I closed my facebook writer’s page and transferred the direction to my personal page. I am receiving those posts but the box on my wordpress page is now a blank, white box. Can’t figure out how to fill it in. Again, thank you!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • You go to
      Dashboard
      Appearance
      Widgets
      Scroll down to Text
      Once you’ve added it to your Widget Area Name it in the Title
      Then you can type whatever you like in the big Text Box and hit Save.
      If you would like more, let me know.

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      Reply

  8. that’s funny.. I didn’t think you sounded at all like a duck or like anyone I ever saw on Dynasty… just sayin 😉

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  14. Reblogged this on Finding Myself Through Writing and commented:
    Sometimes widgets scare me. They never seem to land exactly where I want them or perform the way I expect them to. RonovanWrites has made it a lot easier for widget challenged bloggers like myself to get it right the first time. Thanks Ronovan! ~Elle

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  19. Thanks so much for the step by step with screen shots for the technologically challenged. That’s me! Someday, please, would you show us how to collect email addresses on a WP blog. That plug-in was way too frightening to attempt. Thanks again!

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