What Should I Put in My Blog's Sidebar?

So you're filling the biggest column in your blog with great posts, but the smaller column (or columns) is looking bare. If you're asking yourself what to put in your blog's sidebar, look no further. Read about 15 popular blog sidebar items to help you decide how to best utilize that space.

As you think about what items to put in your blog's sidebar, remember, your blog's sidebar can help you:

• Increase the number of page views on your blog by encouraging readers to click on links, read more and stay on your blog longer. More page views = more interest from advertisers and higher payouts from advertising efforts.
• Monetize your blog. You can display many kinds of ads in your sidebar from Google AdSense to Amazon affiliate ads and more.
• Convert visitors to loyal readers by making it easy for them to subscribe to your feed and visit again and again.

You can fill your blog's sidebar with anything you choose. Think about your goals for your blog then start adding the items that will help you meet those goals. Don't be afraid to test different sidebar items. One of the most interesting aspects of being part of the blogosphere is the never-ending supply of new things to try, and your sidebar provides a perfect place to test many of them.