The sidebar… that’s probably one of the less talked about topics when it comes to Internet marketing and blogging. Most blogs these days have a sidebar alongside the content on their pages. This is a great place to add things that you want every visitor to see as they find your blog. It’s for the important components that you don’t want to hide on a page or in a blog post. It’s vital that you are using this space properly, for a better user experience and so you can benefit from the sidebar.

People come to a blog to read content. Their main purpose is to devour your information and ask you questions through commenting. Below are few things that you should have in your blog’s sidebar.

Search Function

Having a search button allows the reader to quickly find content on the topic they are searching for. If they don’t have a way to find what they want, it’s likely they will leave without reading anything.

Category List

Often called “categories” or “topics,” this is a list that makes it easy for your readers to find content that they are interested in. If I’m a new visitor, this helps me see what you normally blog about. Make it a neat list if there aren’t too many, a drop-down if there are a lot.

Most Popular Posts

The sidebar is a great place to display your most popular (usually meaning the most highly trafficked) blog posts. This way, readers won’t have to dig through pages and pages of content to find your most remarkable content.

Recent Blog Posts

Including recent blog posts makes it easy for users who enter your site through a single blog post (rather than the homepage) to navigate to your most recent content.

Social Media Options

There are many different ways nowadays for your readers to connect with you. One very effective way to help your readers is by including links to your various social media profiles.

Newsletter Signup

If you have been blogging for any length of time you will understand the importance of collecting the email addresses of your visitors. Therefore, a prominent newsletter signup widget is a must for your sidebar.

CONCLUSION

If you don’t have a sidebar on your blog, you should consider adding one right away. And if you already have one, make sure it is on the right side and contains important elements.