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How to Add a Scrolling “Sticky” Sidebar Widget to Your Blog

January 18, 2014 | by Galen Mooney

create a floating sidebar widget

Have you ever seen a blog where the sidebar widget follows you down the page as you scroll? Neil Patel’s blog, Quicksprout, is a perfect example of this. When you scroll down the page the last sidebar widget floats next to the content.

You can use this strategy to add an opt-in form or basically any call-to-action you can think of. The movement of the widget will catch your readers’ eye and they will never again have an empty space in the sidebar to look at. 

That means even more opportunities to increase conversions. If you scroll down on this blog post you’ll notice I’ve implemented the fixed “sticky” widget as well.

You can implement this on your blog in as little as five minutes. You need to be using WordPress and you need to have a 2 column layout enabled (i.e. a layout with a sidebar).

 Install the Plugin

Once you’re logged into WordPress, click “plugins” in the left-hand menu and then select “add new.” In the search box type “Q2W3.”

add a plugin in wordpress

Then you want to install the “Q2W3 Fixed Widget (Sticky Widget)” plugin.

Sticky Widget Floating Sidebar

Once you’ve installed and activated the plugin, go to the “Widgets” page under the “Appearance” tab in the WordPress panel.

Now click to expand and edit the last widget in your sidebar. You’ll not see a checkbox option at the bottom titled “Fixed Widget.”

edit widget checkbox

Check the box and voila! You now have a floating sidebar widget.

What will you use your floating widget for?

About Galen Mooney

Galen Mooney is a creative entrepreneur with a passion for simple design. She is a self-taught web designer who loves to play with code, walk her dog, and take lots of pictures. Follow me on Google+ and Twitter.

Comments

  1. Donna Merrill says

    January 20, 2014 at 2:04 pm

    Hi Galen,

    I just met you through my guest post on Rebekah Radice’s blog. Wow you made this look so easy.

    I am so not a technical person, and usually shy away from doing things myself. But here, you explained it so well, that even I can give it a shot!

    I think this technique will capture the reader’s eye and will help with conversions. I have seen it done on some blogs and I’m thinking about doing it on mine once I decide how I want to re-do the whole darn thing.

    My blog is 4 years old and needs to be spiffed up!

    Thanks!

    -Donna

    Reply
    • Galen Mooney says

      January 21, 2014 at 9:12 am

      Hi Donna,

      Glad you found this helpful! I would definitely try it out on your blog and see how it goes :)

      Let me know if you have any questions!

      Thanks,
      Galen

      Reply
  2. sarit says

    January 21, 2014 at 10:38 am

    I love this plugin. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  3. rebecca says

    April 27, 2014 at 9:20 pm

    I went through the steps, and it is complete. I am a full-blown newbie, so, now I dont know how to make it a call to action/sign up or contact me form. HOW? help please. lol.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Galen Mooney says

      May 13, 2014 at 7:23 pm

      Hi Rebecca – Try this tool to create a button: http://dabuttonfactory.com/

      Then paste the code into a text widget. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  4. Frank Biganski says

    February 12, 2016 at 6:56 am

    Hey Galen! I was searching for a particular floating sidebar widget and came across your post. But I just wanted to add that I tried the Q2W3 and it’s a great plugin however, it overrides my sticky header. That is, my theme allows me to turn my sticky header on or off but after installing the Q2W3, the plugin “turns off” my sticky header. I wish I could find a way to have a floating sidebar sticky widget and have a sticky header at the same time.

    Reply

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