Beginning to Blog - Widgets

This week I really wanted to go into writing posts but I then realised that I hadn’t yet mentioned good old WIDGETS. I have to say that I struggled with these for quite a while.

So what is a widget?

“In computing, a web widget is a software widget for the web. It’s a small application with limited functionality that can be installed and executed within a web page by an end user. A widget has the role of a transient or auxiliary application, meaning that it just occupies a portion of a webpage and does something useful with information fetched from other websites and displayed in place. Other terms used to describe web widgets include:^{[citation needed]} portlet, web part, gadget, badge, module, webjit, capsule, snippet, mini and flake. Widgets are typically created in DHTML, JavaScript, or Adobe Flash.”

Taken from Wikipedia

Clear as mud? Hmm thought so. I think of widgets as little ‘badges’ although they can be clocks, countdowns, pictures, links etc. If you look down the right hand side of my blog most of these are widgets (I say most only because I really am not sure if they all are or not!) As these are useful as well as help to make the blog look professional, I decided that I needed to cover these now (I know that I put these on my blog before I posted my first post).

So where do you find them?

Well to start with there a whole list right here on WordPress.

DASHBOARD – APPEARANCE – WIDGETS

Here you will have 2 lists. The one on the left is the available widgets. In order to place one onto your blog all you have to do is click and drag the chosen one across to the other column. It really is as easy as that! If you then click on the little arrow you will be able to fill in some more required information, nothing too tricky I promise. Usually a case of a bit of cutting and sticking.

As you scroll down you will see a huge variety of widgets that you can choose from. You can link into other accounts you have such as Facebook, Twitter (you can have your most recent tweets showing), Flickr (I have my photo’s showing). Probably the most important is a follow me one. This allows people to sign up and receive an e-mail every – time  you post something on your blog.

I also have a calendar showing when I have posted something. Other people put a list of categories they write about or a list of the blogs they follow. You will also see that I have badges advertising sites that I am on e.g. Hellocotton, as well as some of the awards that I have been lucky enough to have been given. The way that these are added is again simple. On the websites there will be the badge along with a load of computer text. Once you have dragged the widget across you can open the widget by clicking on the little arrow. Now you will have some boxes where you can enter information in. For an image you simply have to copy the computer text and paste it into the URL box. You can then add in more information – what writing do you want displayed, the web page people will be taken to if they click on it etc.

To be truthful, this is probably another area that I need to re-visit as when I started I obviously had nothing. Then, as time went on more things get added and it gets a bit cluttered. This is another important point – very little on your blog cannot be changed – it is not permanent.

I am now hoping that you will have a professional looking blog layout. Next week we shall have a go at writing something to put in them

Anyone have any questions?

 

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• Posted in: Beginning Blogging
• Tagged: Blog, links, Web page, widget