Since beginning With Grace and Gold in 2014, we have found blogging has been a wonderful way to build community, to serve creative small business owners, and to house all we know and can share about small business ownership, social media marketing, and more. Every area of your blog can add value to your readers’ lives or businesses, so today, we want to share tips for creating a purpose-driven blog sidebar.

What to Include in Your Blog Sidebar

1. Your head shot and a brief biography. When you include your head shot and a brief biography in your blog sidebar, you can give your readers a name and face to build a meaningful connection with. When you share who you are, what you do, and who you serve, you can give readers an opportunity to perceive you as a go-to resource in your field. Let readers know what they can expect to gain from reading your blog.
2. Social media links. Links to your social media profiles can provide visitors with easy access to your social media channels. Including your social media links in a quick and easy way can help foster community and build brand awareness.
3. A search bar. Chances are, your blog readers are visiting your blog to gather specific information or inspiration. Having a search bar available allows readers to freely explore your blog content and to further engage with all of the content you’ve created.
4. Your recent work. Your blog sidebar is a great place to share recent work and to show your readers what your area(s) of expertise are. That way, when a brand new visitor comes upon your business for the very first time via a blog post, you can immediately share your expertise with them. Whether you include a portfolio highlight, or you share your Instagram feed, showcasing your work in your sidebar serves as a way to help visitors better understand your expertise.
5. Category links or category buttons. By including category links or buttons in your blog sidebar, you can help visitors to engage with your content in a user-friendly way. We recommend having about 5 categories within your blog. That way, you can carve out a specific niche through your blog and let readers know you’re the go-to person for a specific topic or series of related topics.

Since 2014, With Grace and Gold has provided brand and web design for creative small business owners. Hire With Grace and Gold or shop With Grace and Gold’s pre-made designs and Showit website templates – and come away with an elevated brand and web design for your small business!