WordPress Plugin of the Week: Image Widget

The venerable Image Widget has been around a long time. Currently on version 4.0.6, t’s been downloaded over 661,000 times as of this writing, and I’ve been using it myself for at least 3 years on client sites.

It’s a simple little plugin with a narrow purpose: use the native WordPress media manager to add image widgets to your site. It’s great for WordPress site managers or editors who don’t want to deal with adding img code to text widgets, and I like it because it is very easy to use.

Install it from within WordPress admin: go to Plugins > Add New and search for Image Widget.

Once done, to add a new image widget go to Appearances > Widgets and drag the Image Widget to a sidebar. You’ll then see the interface to the right.

Select an image from the Media Library or your computer by clicking on ‘Select an Image,’ then enter a title (the headline for the widget), ALT text for those who may not be able to see the image, and a caption if you like. The caption will show under the image.

If the image needs to link somewhere else, add the link. Then choose the size and alignment for the image and click ‘Save.’ You can always change out the image in a particular widget by clicking on ‘Select an Image’ again, and you can use more than one Image Widget in a page or post.

If you need to add a single image and caption to your site, say for a special or an ad for an upcoming event, this is an easy way to do it.

This series is for helping WordPress editors and managers add useful  functionality to their websites in the easiest and most efficient way possible. I’ll be reviewing plugins I recommend for my own clients.