A blogroll is a curated list of links to other blogs or websites that a blogger recommends, follows, or finds interesting, which they can display on their blog. Usually shown in a blog or website’s sidebar, footer, menu bar, or dedicated page, it helps foster community, share resources, and help readers find related content. Essentially, it is a “roll” of recommended blogs.
Unfortunately, WordPress deprecated the Links/Blogroll widget several years ago. However, users of the Block Editor can now access the ‘Blogroll’ block to display a list of recommended or followed blogs.
If, like me, your blog has a widget bar, you can show the blogroll there. If you don’t have a widget bar, you can display a blogroll on a page, post, or in the menubar of your blog.
In this post, I will show you how to create a blogroll in a widget bar and on a blog post or page. I’m using an iMac desktop computer for this.
How to add a blogroll to a widget bar.
- On your blog’s dashboard, navigate to Appearance – Widgets and click the ‘+‘ symbol in the top right corner.
- Find the Blogroll block by typing ‘Blogroll’ in the search bar. Click on the Blogroll block to add it to your widget bar.
For some reason, when you add a Blogroll block, it automatically populates with several blogs, some of which you may not recognise. I found this quite odd, but it’s simple to remove any unwanted ones.
- To delete a blog, select the blog you wish to remove, then click the three vertical dots (kebab menu) and choose Delete.
- To add blogs, click on the ‘+‘ symbol and select from the list that appears or use the search bar to find the blogs you wish to add.
- To change the name of your blogroll, click next to ‘Blogroll‘ and add your own description.
- Click the Update button in the top right corner to publish the Blogroll in the widget bar.
- Check your blog to ensure the Blogroll widget is visible. You can see the blogroll I created towards the bottom of the widget bar on the right side of my blog. It contains the blogs I read the most.
How to add a blog roll to a page or post.
- Add the Blogroll block anywhere on a page or post.
- To add or remove blogs from your blogroll list, follow the instructions above.
Remember that you can change the name of your blogroll. However, be aware that if your blogroll contains many blogs, it will take up a lot of space on the post or page.
You can also convert your blogroll into a reusable block, now called a Pattern, by clicking on the block, then selecting the three dots (kebab menu) and choosing ‘Create Pattern.’
A reusable block on WordPress, now often called a Synced Pattern, is a feature that allows you to save a specific block or group of blocks for use across multiple posts or pages. This is particularly helpful for those selling items on their blog, such as books. For example, if a link to your books needs updating or the price changes, the updates are automatically reflected everywhere the block appears. Clever stuff!
To answer the question I raised in the title of this post, what happens when you add a blog roll to your site? Well, that’s straightforward. It means you promote the blogs you enjoy reading most. In doing so, you help foster a community and bring its members closer together. In turn, you’ll be supporting them in developing their blogs and community. What better way to say ‘thank you’ to those special people?
I’m looking forward to seeing your blogrolls as I’m looking for some new blogs to follow. If you have a blogroll on your blog, let me know.
Note: Widget bars only show when viewing posts and pages on a desktop computer. When viewing posts on a tablet or mobile phone, click the menu button to see them.
Have you ever created a blogroll on your own blog? Which blogs or websites did you include? How do you think a blogroll can improve the reader’s experience on a blog? How often do you update your blogroll or the blogs you follow? Have you come across any new blogs from fellow bloggers’ blogrolls? If so, which ones?
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