WordPress 101: Widgets That Save You Time Without Costing Money

 Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

A blog is intended to serve you, helping you reach a larger audience and create unique content that will draw readers in. At the same time, a blog is not meant to be a full-time job. With this in mind, many developers have created WordPress widgets to simplify blog maintenance. A widget is a small block of code that performs a very specific function. Typically, a widget’s design adds structure to your sidebar. To help you get started, here is a list of WordPress widgets that not only save you significant time in blog maintenance but are also completely free!

Image Widget

If you are not comfortable with HTML, this widget will be a game changer for you. Image Widget allows you to add a photograph, logo, or banner to your website without the need for any code. It also allows you to caption, link, and align the image.

WP Biographia

Biographia places a biography box on your site. This widget has lots of options including the placement of the box on all your pages, multiple settings, and support for social media links. Also, Biographia has modifications for multi-user sites that display the biography of the contributor responsible for each page.

Social Count Plus

Social Count Plus is a widget that displays your social media follower count in your sidebar. By showing your follower numbers, you encourage trust and engagement. Plus, in this simple way, you drive traffic to your social media accounts.

WP Twitter Feeds and WP Instagram Widget

These are two different widgets with the same basic function. You can display your Twitter or Instagram feeds beautifully on the sidebar of your site. WP Twitter includes your avatar images and shows your Twitter name. WP Instagram is a low-fuss, low-setup tool that showcases your latest Instagram photos while allowing lots of flexibility.

Business Contact Widget

This is an invaluable tool for clearly displaying contact information. Business Contact Widget includes your telephone number and email address, but it also has the capability to show a map to your physical address or the business hours of your organization. Additionally, users can send a message directly from the widget.

These basic tools are great time-savers as you craft your WordPress site, especially if you have minimal coding experience. In addition to the countless WordPress widgets currently available, developers release new ones every day. Because of these boundless options, you can likely find a solution for any blog-related need you encounter. Explore the many available options on the WordPress website. Find more WordPress tips and tricks from our team at Quill Marketing here.