Sidebar (Sidebar) - the most important part of the blog (after the main content). It is usually placed in the sidebar widgets RSS-subscription and social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Twitter) by which you convert casual visitors to the constants, navigation controls, a visitor found your blog on what he needs, advertising (banner and contextual) through where you earn money, links to publications and popular pages and more. In other words, on how many competent and well designed sidebar of your blog depends very much! So what's he's a good sidebar?
There are a number of criteria by which one can judge the soundness of a sidebar, here are a few:
The most important thing at the top. The higher is the widget in the sidebar, so it is more efficient.Therefore, when designing the sidebar, and prioritize them according to the position the widgets from the top down. The most important widgets should be located "above the fold", that is to be seen without the vertical scroll bar.
Sidebar is attractive but not distracting attention. Horoshy sidebar - it's kind of a compromise. It must at the same time to attract attention and do not interfere with the visitor to get acquainted with the main content. In other words, the sidebar does not have to "scream", but when someone decides to turn to him it must be noted that all made with high quality and nice (as well as quickly find there what I wanted).
Horoshaya conversion = the perfect sidebar. If you are on the blog comes a lot of visitors, but no one subscribes to the RSS and does not click on ads placed in the sidebar. This sidebar, by definition, can not be perfect, because he is not doing its job. Of course conversion is curled all the way from the sidebar, horrible content is no sidebar lift it out, but if the content you have the procedure, manipulation of the side panel can give excellent results.
Well, now, let us turn to some examples:
Tumblr Staff Blog
The main objective of the blog team Tumblr - the promotion of the platform, so at the top of the sidebar widgets are «Sign Up» (meaning Plain account on Tumblr), «30 reasons you'll love tumblr» and «We heart → Tumblr Fan Art» and only at the bottom of the widgets are "tags", "Search" and «Follow this blog».
ViperChill
Sidebar ViperChill very simple, but at the same time effective. Above you will find a form to sign up, the navigation controls at the bottom. The logic of the author's blog, in this case is - if people need the headings or tags, it is their will in any case (for that he did not hesitate to use the scroll), but the new e-book (course or subscription) should be visible.
Huffington Post
Huffington Post - one of the most successful and influential blogs in the world. Prioretetom for "edition" of this online publication is communication, so in the sidebar you can find these widgets «Most Popular on Huffingpost», «Most Discussed Right Now», «Hot on Facebook», «Hot on Twitter», «Don't miss huffpost bloggers »and so on. Enough to close integration with social networks.
Mashable
Blog dedicated to Internet technologies is simply obliged to conform to your theme, so the top of the sidebar found a place of social networking and widget subscriptions (to the same content Mashable safely be called "viral", the people of his well-picks up and carries on social networks). Moreover, we should note one more thing - Mashable is traditionally up to date focuses on current trends. That is now the center of interest in social networking Google +, she was listed first. At one time, in its place was Facebook and Twitter (today these networks are the widgets below).
Smart Passive Income
Smart Passive Income by Pat builds a brand around his own person, so the first widget that you can see paying attention to the sidebar - «Hello» (or in other words, About). The correct option if you are pursuing the same goals as Pat.
Digital Photography School
Another well-known project of Darren Rose (Darren Rowse) - Digital Photography School has an information-intensive and multi-functional sidebar, where among other things, you can find a widget that tells how to write and publish guest posts and photos (as well as containing a call to action) as well as ref. links of different photo service (eg, stock).
CopyBlogger
Finally, I have in store for you an interesting example. Sometimes the most important task of the sidebar - it is his absence. Author of the blog CopyBlogger Brain Clark (Brian Clark) did so, removing the sidebar from the main page, thus significantly increased conversion on landing pages (see at the top of the widget).
Summarizing, we will express another thought, which, incidentally, confirms our examples - the perfect sidebar for all occasions does not exist, therefore, proceed from their own needs, priorities and boldly experiment, and I wish you every success in this endeavor! In general, I think the sidebar in the first place should be a useful element of a blog, provide information that helps to orient new users - information about the blog, categories, tags, social, chips, popular articles, etc.
