How To Make Sticky Sidebar in WordPress

Wondering how to create a sticky sidebar? No wonder, the sidebar is one of the important elements in a blog. We can create a floating or sticky sidebar widget in WordPress easily with minimal effort.

You need to make sure that it should be clean instead of keeping it too messy.

A blog’s sidebar plays an important role, as discussed previously. The click-through rate (CTR) for this area tends to be the highest. Because a sidebar will be fixed at the same position even if the user scrolls the page. Hence more viewable and clickable.

Though, there are plenty of things can be added, but let’s see the important ones.

• Display an About Me Widget
• Add an Opt-in Form
• Promote Social Media
• WordPress Social Sidebar
• Use a Popular or Related Posts Plugin
• Display a Google Map
• Emails Subscription box
• Popular Posts
• Advertisement or Affiliate banners.

Anything, which would help reader to know about your site, you or even some on-going good offers.

Why Use a Sticky Sidebar Widget?

If you want to keep people’s attention once they come to your website, use a sticky sidebar widget. Those are eye-grabbing and quickest way to communicate with them.

• Increased Visibility – Even though users scroll the pages, the sticky sidebar made by you always appears. That certainly makes the visibility better for any specific content, product, offer and what not.

• Higher Conversions – In addition to being more noticeable, floating sidebars also lead to higher conversions. You can increase conversion rates by asking people to sign up or make a purchase.

• More Subscribers – It is a smart idea to add an email subscription widget to your WordPress site and make it sticky. One reason why you should build a larger email list is because email campaigns are the most cost-effective way to market your brand.

• Improved User Experience – Sticky sidebars help you make your site more navigable for your users. Use it effectively for the required content and help your readers.

• Additional Revenue Streams: Sticky sidebars are a great way to increase the chances people will see and click on your ads, regardless of whether you sell ad space on your site or are an affiliate marketer.

How to Create Sticky Sidebar in WordPress with Plugin

You can access the Q2W3 plugin from your WordPress dashboard.

Step 1. Plugin – Add New plugin and search for Q2W3 Fixed Widget.

Step 2. Install and activate the plugin.

Step 3. Navigate towards the Appearance – Widgets

Now, you’ll be able to see all of the widgets on the WordPress dashboard. It is just a matter of selecting the widget you wish to be displayed while scrolling.

In this example, I am about to make an Email Subscription box that floats to increase the blog’s subscribers.

Step 4. Choose the widget, and now you would be able to see an extra option “Fixed Widget,” check the box to activate it.

Here you go, now the changes will show up live on your blog. The WordPress floating widget has been successfully added to the sidebar.

Multiple widgets can also be edited in the same manner. If you want to make a sticky sidebar, add all the widgets you desire to be floating.

Similar Plugins as Q2W3 – does the same job

We have seen above process with Q2W3 plugins, but there are some more plugins which will also do the same job. You may try those as well, the workflow would be almost the same.

• Sticky Menu, Sticky Header (or anything!) on Scroll – The WP Sticky Menu (or Sticky Header) On Scroll plugin allows you to make any element on your pages “sticky” as soon as it hits the top of the page when you scroll down. Although this is commonly used to keep menus at the top of your page to create floating menus, the plugin allows you to make any element sticky. Make a sticky header, sticky menu, sticky widget, sticky logo, sticky call to action, or a floating menu.

• WP Sticky Sidebar – Floating Sidebar On Scroll for Any Theme – WP Sticky Sidebar plugin will make your floating sidebar menu visible at all times, making it permanently visible while scrolling. The biggest problem with default sidebars is that they can be seen only when the user is in a particular viewport where the sidebar appears. So what’s wrong with that? The biggest problem is that your visitors can’t navigate easily from anywhere on the site using the sidebar menu, and in many cases, your bounce rate will skyrocket because you will find that your website’s visitors are leaving the site because they did not find what they were looking for.

FAQ’s on Sticky Sidebar in WordPress