How-To
Text widgets (pre-August 2009)
Description
The text widget is as simple as it gets, but it’s actually surprisingly versatile. This short demo shows you a couple of ways you could put a text widget to use in your sidebar.
Flavor
2.7 (71), WordPress.org (179), WordPress.com (128)
Language
Producer
Speakers
Date
January 14, 2009
Tags
sidebar (17), text (2), widgets (20)
January 22, 2009 at 7:02 pm |
I watched the video but it was too blurry and unclear for me to really see what was being done. I did however
‘hear’ the video say – just add basic html. This probably means something to people that actually know basic html. Unfortunately, I don’t. I’m a clean slate and I would like to add photos and buttons onto my sidebar. Is it possible to have a clearer video so I can ‘write down’ the text information that is displayed…or perhaps do one for people who really are beginners and even explain what basic html means? It would be very much appreciated. Thank you. Cheers.
January 23, 2009 at 12:53 am |
Hi steadycat. To get much sharper video, push the HD On button on the top right of the video player – this will give you crisp 720p high definition video. You can also take this full-screen if the standard size is a little small for you to read comfortably. That option is bottom right.
January 30, 2009 at 9:08 am |
Thanks, Michael. Just to ask if there is an issue whereby some copy/ paste htmls don’t work? I want to add a dictionary link, but when I copy and paste the recommended html, it doesn’t function. It recognises the name of the link, but doesn’t load properly.
Best Wishes
January 30, 2009 at 9:35 am |
Hi Tony – are you using the visual editor and pasting the URL into the link dialogue box, or hand-coding in the HTML editor? If you use HTML you’ll need to make sure you’re in the HTML tab of the editor, as the Visual editor will effectively “neutralize” the code and display it as is, rather than producing the desired result.
If you’re trying to embed something more complex, like a widget or application, unfortunately that isn’t possible with WordPress.com blogs for security reasons.
January 30, 2009 at 5:48 pm |
Thanks Michael. When I think about it, I’m trying to embed an application, which would be smart as it allows readers to hover over a word they don’t understand, whilst coming up with a definition. Not to worry, still very pleased with how things are going.
Yia sou [I'm living in Greece!]
March 6, 2009 at 3:50 pm |
The Widget Add Text Facility does not work now. What could be the reason. When click on Text->Add->Text->Edit the box for text does not appear.
March 9, 2009 at 7:38 pm |
How do I add a picture to my sidebar? The picture is located in the My Picture folder on my desk top. Thanks … Debbie
March 10, 2009 at 6:44 pm |
There’s a forum thread that should help you out with this, here in the WordPress.com support forums.
March 19, 2009 at 12:18 pm |
oh no i did not get my answer I am trying to add an email subscription link fro m feedburner into WIDGETT BUT ONLY THE TEXT SHOIWS U AND PEOLE CANNOT CLICK ONIT AND ENTER EMAIL TO GET UODATES OR SUBSCRIBE TO ME
Puzzled Chrissie
March 19, 2009 at 1:42 pm |
Hi Chrissie – assuming you’re running a self-hosted version of WordPress, there’s a WordPress.org forum thread (linked) that will help you to resolve this issue. Otherwise, if you’re using WordPress.com, head to WordPress.com support.
March 24, 2009 at 9:58 pm |
Sorry if this is a newbie question but I’ve added a picture to my sidebar using the text widget and the <img src HTML (I copied this from another FAQ – I know nothing about HTML) but how do I make it “clickable”. I want people to be able to click the image and be directed to another URL.
Thanks
Coe62
March 25, 2009 at 4:11 am |
Not at all! If you scroll down on this page from HTML Goodies (linked) to the “Activating an image” sub-header, you’ll see an example of the code you’d need to use in this case, along with examples. Hope that helps!
March 29, 2009 at 4:39 pm |
How do I create a list as opposed to a single paragraph in the text widget?
March 29, 2009 at 8:38 pm |
That would call for a dab of HTML – there’s a handy tutorial at W3schools (linked) that shows you how to create ordered (numbered) and unordered (bullet-point) lists.
April 19, 2009 at 12:42 am |
I want to add a widget to my blog that will feed stories/images/post from another site. I guess I do not understand this. I have used the test widget for simple texts and buttons and understand that,, but do not understand these other widgets. At these other sites, I go to where it says “Get the widget” and click on the code. It says “add it to your page of blog”,, But like where and how??? Do I use a rss feeder widget?? A text widget??? I’ve used both and nothing happens.
April 20, 2009 at 5:34 am |
Michael, third-party widgets like those you’re describing, won’t for the most part work with WordPress.com accounts due to security issues. The code is stripped before it becomes active. This is why there are more default widgets included than with the self-hosted version of WordPress, in which you can place any HTML/Javascript widget directly into a text widget.
April 26, 2009 at 3:43 pm |
Even when the widget site claims there’s code available for WordPress blogs, one STILL can’t add the widget?
April 26, 2009 at 10:33 pm |
Some widgets only works on self hosted WordPress blogs – We strip most Javascript/iFrame/Embed tags on WordPress.com for security reasons.
April 27, 2009 at 1:56 am |
So, does this mean I might get a response, after all?
April 27, 2009 at 1:57 am |
Sorry I didn’t see your post before posting my other one, Yoav. I now understand what you mean as the code that was in my previous post was similarly ’stripped’. Thanks!
April 27, 2009 at 2:06 am |
I am SO lost right now, I want to post a picture in the side bar, and have been going in circles with older posts of help on apparently older versions of WordPress.
Can ANYONE just give me a “newbie” understandable answer to how I can post a picture that is on my computer onto my sidebar? And how to post something that will link it to another site? Specifically, I want to post my NaBloPoMo logo/picture so it’s pretty, and when someone clicks on it it will go to that site.
Sorry if I sound frustrated, I REALLY appreciate the help!
-Meg
April 27, 2009 at 7:20 pm |
The first thing you need to do is upload the picture from your computer to the internet. You can do that using your WordPress.com Media Library. After you upload it, you will need to find what is called the “File URL.” The “File URL” is displayed on the Edit Media page for each image listed in the Media Library. Once you have the File URL, you can create some html that will display the image as a link. The last example on the “Text Widget Links WordPress.com Support Page” shows the html that you need to use. You will need to replace the URLs in the example with the URLs for your image and the link you want to use.
April 28, 2009 at 10:05 am |
I am trying to wrap a swf file in a simply hyperlink in the right adbar on seriousbull.com. When you hover on the swf files, the link shows in the status bar but the top one isn’t clickable and the bottom one goes to the wrong link and that link (to a windstream page) isn’t in my code anywhere. Anyone have any ideas why this is happening? This is on a standalone wordpress.org installation. Thanks!
April 30, 2009 at 3:55 am |
Rhonda – Linking swf files can be a little tricky AFAIK, especially when the flash files have links embedded inside them.
May 3, 2009 at 3:49 pm |
How DO you make the buttons clickable?
May 6, 2009 at 3:50 pm |
You need to wrap them in a link.
May 9, 2009 at 10:32 am |
I’m trying to enable people to subscribe to my blog through Feedburner–I’m trying to get people to opt-in via e-mail instead of RSS.
Supposedly we are able to embed code from Feedburner to a WordPress blog. However when I paste the code in the text box and save, then view the blog, the Feedburner code apparently changes.
Any idea why this is occurring?
May 10, 2009 at 8:53 pm |
You just need to make sure to use the Subscription Link Code from FeedBurner. The WordPress.com help page about email updates shows an example of exactly which code to grab.
May 12, 2009 at 1:28 am |
@Yoav: Is the link wrapped into the text box, a page or a regular post?
@Sheri: The instructions for Feedburner are simple enough and I believe I am doing what your link for the WordPress.com page you suggested. But apparently the code just keeps changing when I save it.
Does anyone know of alternative ways of doing this? What seems to work is to just create html code to send a message directly to my e-mail. Old school yes but it seems like my only alternative so far.
Thanks–Leo
May 31, 2009 at 8:35 pm |
How do I get rid of the border around the text box. No matter what I put in the box a border shows up. I’ve tried to wrap a noshow and even border it to 0. it still has a thick border. Any thoughts? Thanks.
June 2, 2009 at 12:16 am |
Hi Matt – it might be worth your submitting a ticket to WordPress.com support or checking out the .org forums if you’re self-hosting to resolve this issue for you.
June 5, 2009 at 4:23 pm |
Thank you for the explanation on text widgets. I am developing a section of our website using WP blog. A good portion of this is using pages – with each page having a title that shows up in the right column. I am wondering how to go about using a text widget for that title. Other text widgets I’ve added are linked to other pages on my site. But this seems as if it would link the text widget to the page itself. Gosh, this might not make sense. Help?
June 5, 2009 at 8:44 pm |
You can make a list of your pages using the Pages widget. It also lets you exclude any pages you don’t want to include. We have a video about it here
June 13, 2009 at 5:21 pm |
Hi, I’m new. While learning more about WordPress I saw something, somewhere about placing a little text ad, with a link, and also you could place a little list of links on the sidebar. I now can’t find this information. Can anybody help? Thanks
July 7, 2009 at 10:14 pm |
Hi, Michael: I load the link by filling out the form. I get the message “Link added.” When I go to the site, the link is not in the Blogroll. Why not? I go back and do it again. All the data is there so all I do is drag and click it back into the form/box, and again click on “Add.” I get the same confirmation, and the same thing happens. I log off and also restart my computer and it still isn’t there. Why not?? I have used this process to add the other 3 links to my Blogroll. Is three the max I can have for a Blogroll? Help!!!
Thank you.
July 8, 2009 at 9:28 am |
Sounds unusual. Could you submit these details and any other details you have to either WordPress.com support, or the WordPress.org support forums (depending on your version). The tech wizards there will be able to help you resolve the issue you’re having.
July 9, 2009 at 7:23 pm |
It would be nice, if it had buttons to insert the html code for you. I didn’t see anything like that in the video.
July 31, 2009 at 3:16 pm |
It’s great. but i still dunno how to add in my sidebar?????????
July 31, 2009 at 9:30 pm |
Please check out this documentation page on WordPress.com Support for more information on how to add widgets to your sidebar.
November 23, 2009 at 5:09 pm |
Thanks for the information, but can you be a bit more descriptive? I work for a similar company and can’t find the exact solution. If possible can you email me? Or let me know when you have updated your post. thx in advance! Mike