Step 1: Add the Text widget (See how to add and remove widgets from your site)

Step 2: Enter the custom name, and HTML/text into the widget.  For an example, I will be entering a link, followed by an image, followed by some custom text.

Step 3: Remember to click “Save Changes” on the widget page.  When you view your new custom widget, it will appear on the right hand side.  See my example below:

HTML Reference: (Click here to see an intro to HTML from W3Schools.org)

Here are some basic HTML tags that will help you setup your text widget:

Links: <a href=”http://yourwebsitehere.com”>This is the text visitors will see and click on</a>

Remember that the </a> is important to add at the end of the link.

Images: <img src=”http://yourwebsitehere.com/LocationOfPhoto/photo.jpg”>

Your image must already be available on the internet.  You may use a photo you have uploaded to your site, or at a third party location (like Photobucket.com).   Click here to see how to find a photo URL in your IDX site.

Breaks and Spaces: <br> will create a break in your text.  This will make the next piece of content move to the next line.

<p> is similar to break, however it creates a space in between the last piece of content and the next.

Please note that certain HTML tags are not allowed and will automatically removed by the system.  Javascript is also automatically removed for security reasons.

Step 1: From the “Design” menu, click “Widgets”

Step 2: Click “Add” on the link next to the “Search” widget.  Click here to see more information on adding and removing widgets.

The search widget has now been added to your site.

Step 1: From the “Design” menu, click “Widgets”

Step 2: Select the “Add” link next to the “Tag Cloud” widget.  This will move the widget to your list of other active widgets in the blue bubbles on the right hand side.  Click “Save Changes” to publish the new widget to your website.

Your Tag Cloud widget now appears on your IDX site with all of your most common tags listed.  Click a tag to be taken to a list of the blog posts tagged with that item.

Step 1: Make sure you have a photo already uploaded that you want to use.  You will need to retrieve the photos URL.

Step 2: Add the “Simple Image Link” widget.  Click here to see how to add and remove widgets.

The Simple Image Link requires a name, photo URL, link text, and destination link location entered to be a complete and fully functional widget.

When you are done, a widget will appear on your site similar to the one below:

Step 1: Add the “RSS” widget. Click here to see how to add and remove widgets.

Step 2: Edit the RSS widget options including the required RSS feed address to read from.  You may also enter a name and how many recent posts are displayed.  There are also options to show or hide some detailed information like the author of the post.

Once your changes have been saved, the RSS reader widget will appear on your site.  See the example below of what you might see.  (Note: For the example we chose to use MSNBC Top Headlines, however you may want to use the RSS address to your external blog or a blog that has relevant and related material to compliment your site.)