How to Add a WordPress Widget to a Blog Post or Webpage

Widgets are useful tools that can be used on a WordPress site to increase usability and enhance user experience. Visually, widgets can be content blocks within your website’s sidebar or footer, where you can add anything from a navigation menu to a brand logo to a lead form.

While you can use native WordPress functions to add widgets to your website, the default settings don’t allow you to display (or disable) these widgets on specific posts or pages, whether you want them there or not. 

The solution? Plugins. Plugins are pieces of software that extend existing or add new, custom functionality to your site. This post will go over the benefits of using widgets and give step-by-step instructions on how to use six different plugins to add widgets to specific pages and posts on your site.

Why Add a Widget to a WordPress Page or Post

Typically, when you add a widget to a sidebar, it would display on every page of your website. This content typically serves as a reminder to the visitor to engage with the additional resources that you have to offer.

However, this sidebar content isn’t always relevant to all posts and pages on your site. Instead, you want to show site visitors relevant, page-related content that provides further value, like an About Us page with a contact form widget (like the one shown in the image below) for site visitors with additional questions. 

Let’s go over how you can restrict widgets to different posts and pages to ensure that you’re providing your site visitors with the most valuable, relevant information.

Display Widget on Specific Page

Let’s go over a few WordPress plugins that can help you add and remove plugins from specific pages. With an easy setup process, you can update your page in just a few minutes. 

1. AMR Shortcode Any Widget

AMR Shortcode Any Widget is a popular widget for non-technical users. You can insert widgets onto your pages with a simple shortcode.

• Install and activate the plugin.
• Go to Appearance, then Widgets.
• Navigate to the area labeled Widgets for Shortcodes.
• Drag and drop your desired widgets to this area.
• Add a title to the widget and click Save.
• A shortcode that looks like this will pop up: [do_widget id=media_gallery-2]

• Navigate to the specific page or post where you want to add the widget. 
• Insert the shortcode into the Visual Editor.
• After following these steps, it should appear on the page or post like this:

2. Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget)

Content Blocks is another shortcode plugin unique in that you can create custom widget content using the built-in WYSIWYG editor.

Here’s how to use it:

• Install and activate the plugin.
• On the left-hand side of your dashboard, click Content Blocks.
• Then, click Add Content Block.
• Give the new content block a title.
• Insert this new block into the Visual Editor.

• Click Publish. 
• On the same page, scroll down until you see Content Block Shortcodes on the right-hand side.
  
  
• Copy the shortcode and insert it into the Visual Editor for the page or post you want to display the widget on.
• Preview the content to see your changes, and click Insert Content Block when done.

3. WP Page Widget

WP Page Widget is a useful tool for creating widgetized page layouts in sidebar-enabled WordPress themes. 

Here’s how to use it:

• Install and activate the plugin.
• On the left-hand side of your dashboard, go to Settings, then Page widgets settings.
• Next to Available for post type, check Post and Page, or wherever you’d like it to be displayed.
• Select the desired sidebars or sections of your page that you’d like to customize. 
• Optional step: select Yes to customize by default to ensure that you always have control of where widgets are displayed on your site. 
• Preview your changes if desired or simply select Save Changes.

• Navigate to the desired page or post where you want to add the widget and scroll down to the Page Widgets section. 

• Drag and drop the desired widgets into this area.
• Preview the content to see your changes before they go live.

4. Custom Sidebars – Dynamic Widget Area Manager

Custom Sidebars helps you display custom widgets on pages or posts by category, ensuring that site visitors only see relevant and related content. 

Here’s how to use it:

• Install and activate the plugin.
• Navigate to Appearance, then to Widgets. Here you’ll see a new area called Custom Sidebars.

• You can create a custom sidebar or drag and drop the default included widgets into the section marked Theme Sidebars. You can control where the sidebar appears (in the sidebar or footer section) for both types.
• Click the down arrow on the desired widget, then click Visibility (as shown below).

• Click the + button to indicate when the widget will display on specific pages or posts.

• Save your widget settings.
• Preview the content to see your changes.

5. Cherry Sidebars

This unique plugin can display widgets within different areas on your site and assign widgets to display on different groups of pages or posts. 

Here’s how to use it:

• Install and activate the plugin.
• Go to Appearance, then Widgets.
• You’ll see a new widget area labeled Cherry Sidebars underneath the default sidebars customizer.
• Drag and drop your pre-downloaded widgets.

• Navigate to the specific page or post where you want to add the widget. 
• Scroll down until you see Post Sidebars on the right-hand side menu.

• From the drop-down menu, select the sidebars you want to use.
• Save the page or post.
• Preview the content to see your changes.

6. Sidebar & Widget Manager for WordPress

Sidebar & Widget Manager for WordPress is a feature-rich plugin that gives you full control over displaying widgets on your site. You can select the relevant pages or posts to display your widgets and change their placements on each page. 

Here’s how to use it: 

• Install and activate the plugin.
• Navigate to Appearance, then to Widgets.
• Click the Set Visibility button and choose the pages where you want your widgets to be displayed.

You can also change where widgets are positioned on your pages and posts by creating custom sidebar widgets. Here’s how:

• First, navigate to the Pages section. 
• Build your layout or select a default option from the dropdown menu.
• Drag and drop the sidebars that contain the widgets you want to display.

• Preview the post or page to see your changes.

Choosing a Plugin to Display Your Widgets

Customizing your blog posts and webpages with widgets can inspire engagement with site visitors by featuring additional content. 

While WordPress’s default settings may not include the features you need, the additional plugins on this list offer alternative solutions to help you build the WordPress site you want .