WordPress Widgets 101 What They Are and How to Use Them

As you begin designing your first WordPress site, there are a few basic features youll want to become familiar with. For example, youll need to learn how to use default content types such as pages and posts. In addition, its essential to understand the ins and outs of WordPress widgets.Widgets are simple elements you can use to build your websites sidebars  (and potentially other areas, as well). They enable you to easily add text, links, and various types of information to designated areas (determined by your theme). The default WordPress widgets are sufficient for many sites, but you can also download additional options if youd like.In this post, well tell you everything you need to know about widgets. This includes what they are, how to use them, and what options they provide. Plus, well introduce a few plugins you can use to add even more widgets to your site. Lets take a look! Understanding how widgets work is essential, since they are a very simple way to customize your site and include the exact elements you want.How to add a widget to your WordPress siteTo add a widget to your site, youll need to log in to your dashboard, then navigate to Appearance → Widgets:Here, youll see a list of the default WordPress widgets, each with a title and brief description. On the right, youll find one or more designated widget areas, with headers (such as Sidebar or Footer) to tell you where theyre located. Depending on your theme, there may already be some widgets in these areas.To add a new widget, simply click on it and drag it over into a widget area:You can do the reverse to remove widgets from your site. And you can also drag individual widgets up or down to reorder them. Thats it! If you view the front end of your site, you should see the new feature:In addition to the method above, its also possible to add widgets to your site using the WordPress Customizer. The process is quite similar, just located inside the WordPress Customizer. And the advantage of that approach is that you can see what your widgets will look like on the front end of your site in real time.Beyond that, many of the default widgets include various customization options as well. Lets take a look at some of the most important features you have access to.WordPress default widget optionsOut of the box, WordPress comes with a small but useful collection of widgets. The ones you use will depend on your sites needs and audience, but there are a few that are worth checking out regardless.First up, the Text widget is the most versatile of these modules. If you drag one over to your widget area and open it by clicking on the arrow in the top right corner, youll see two boxes:Theres a space for a title, then a miniature version of the WordPress editor. Using this widget, you can add nearly anything to your sidebar. This could be simple text, a collection of links, or a media file.Next, take a look at the Search widget:This module is as simple as they come. The only customi zation choice here is the title (which is optional). However, this widget is crucial, since it will add a fully functional search bar to your site. Providing visitors with a search feature helps them more easily find what theyre looking for.Finally, check out the Recent Posts widget:As the name suggests, this will add a list of your most recently published posts to your widget area. This is a smart way to encourage visitors to explore your latest content. You can add a custom title, configure how many posts will be displayed (up to ten), and decide whether to display each posts date.We recommend taking some time to look through the rest of the basic widget options. Youll find that they provide a lot of flexibility. If you want even more choices, though, there are some handy plugins that can help you out.How to expand your widget selection WordPress Popular Posts Author(s): Hector CabreraCurrent Version: 4.2.2Last Updated: December 6, 2018wordpress-popular-posts.4.2.2.zip 90%Rati ngs 3,510,683Downloads WP 4.7+Requires While the default WordPress widgets are sufficient for many sites, some users may want additional options. Fortunately, it isnt hard to find plugins that will expand your collection of widgets.For example, there are a number of plugins that simply add a single new widget to your dashboard. These include:WordPress Popular Posts: This plugin provides you with a customizable widget that shows off your most visited posts within a particular time range.Image Widget: With this widget, youll get a more flexible and customizable image module than the default WordPress option.Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails: An upgrade to the existing Recent Posts widget, this one lets you add a thumbnail image to each post in the list.If youre looking for something more comprehensive, you can also find plugins that overhaul the entire widget experience. Wed recommend checking out:SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle: With this plugin, you get a whole new collection of wid gets, such as a Slider Widget and a Social Links Widget.Custom Sidebars: This plugin makes your existing widget areas more customizable, such as by enabling you to add different widgets to specific pages.Whatever youd like to do with your widgets and sidebars, its likely theres a plugin that can help. With a little effort, youll have your widget areas customized to perfection in no time!ConclusionWidgets are a simple WordPress feature, but one that should not be overlooked. Using widgets, you can customize your sidebars with no knowledge of design or coding. Plus, adding them to your themes widget areas is as simple as dragging and dropping them, then tweaking a few settings.To start using WordPress widgets on your site, youll simply need to navigate to Appearance → Widgets in your dashboard or access the WordPress Customizer. Then, you can drag whatever widgets youd like to use into your sidebars or footer. There are plenty of default options that enable you to include text, a search bar, and more. For additional flexibility, you can turn to plugins such as WordPress Popular Posts  and  Custom Sidebars.Do you have any questions about how to use WordPress widgets on your site? Give us a heads-up in the comments section below! Learn what #WordPress #widgets are and how to use them on your site