A sidebar is useful when it answers a question the reader already has. Who publishes this? Where can I find more of this kind of story? Is there a guide to the theme I am looking at?

Start with three useful things

A short introduction establishes the voice of a site. A small set of category links opens the archive. A recent-post list offers a next step. That can be enough for a new publication.

As the archive grows, the sidebar can change with it. Replace a generic list with a reading series, a reference page, or the current project. WordPress widgets make these editorial decisions editable without putting site copy into the theme.

Make every link earn its place

Empty social icons and inactive subscription forms suggest a destination that does not exist. A demonstration site should be especially careful here: visitors need to see real examples, not interfaces that only look finished.

On this site, download links lead to an actual installation package, source links lead to the public repository, and the RSS link exposes the real site feed. The sidebars are part of the publication, not an advertising inventory.

Published by wordpress.im.