Website sidebars are not merely for decorative purposes. While this is a part of your site’s overall design, there’s really more to it. In fact, this part of your website should be used properly as it can affect your business profitability. Abusing it can result in poor sales while knowing how to use it the right way can increase your sales and readership too.
Are You Using or Abusing Your Sidebar?
Sidebars are really interesting; and if you are a webmaster, you know that it’s easy to put in a lot of things on that area of your blog or website. You can put images, videos, ads, search boxes, category boxes, calendars, etc., etc. And the procedure is really easy too since widgets can just be dragged and dropped to their places and these will take effect in real-time.
That is, of course, on the assumption that you are using the WordPress publishing platform. But even though you are allowed to put all kinds of stuff on your sidebar, it would not be wise to abuse this prerogative.
The Right Approach to Designing the WordPress Sidebar
Having a few widgets on the sidebar is still the best approach especially when you are working as an Internet marketer. It wouldn’t matter so much if you are running a personal blog, and if you have no desire of monetizing it. But if you are after sales, then it would be more practical to follow the unwritten rules on sidebar optimization.
A few widgets that target special purposes are the only ones really required on your sidebar; too much clutter can confuse your site visitors and drive them away.
A Closer Look at Sidebars That Are Too Busy
A sidebar that has too many blinking ads and images may appear to be attractive at first. But their overall effect can actually be quite distracting. With too many ads and options, your site visitors will be provided with too many options too; options that can overwhelm them in a negative way. What you really want to do is present your potential customers with a limited number of choices so that they can make up their minds quickly.
How Sidebar Affects Your Earning Potential
Needless to say, your website’s sidebar can influence your earnings especially if some of your banner ads are placed here. You certainly would want your customers to click and buy from you through these ads, and working on the presentation can influence the outcome of this purpose.
That’s why your ads should also be chosen wisely so that these can work with your website’s purpose. Unrelated promotions and campaigns are not only inappropriate but confusing too.
Limit Your Widgets
By limiting the number of widgets on your sidebar, your readers and visitors will be able to concentrate more on the contents of your blog or website. And this is really the main purpose of your site anyway as your customers are looking for information and data, and not for colorful blinking ads.
