# How to Display a Different Sidebar for WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide
Want to customize your WooCommerce store and show different sidebars on various pages? Perhaps you want a product-focused sidebar on your shop page, but a customer service-focused one on your contact page. This is totally achievable! This guide will walk you through several methods, from the simplest to the more advanced, so you can choose the best approach for your skill level.
Why Use Different Sidebars?
Before diving into the how-to, let’s understand *why* you might want different sidebars. Imagine a real-world bookstore. Their main aisle might have displays for new releases and bestsellers (like a product sidebar on your shop page). But near the checkout, they might have a rack for gift cards and related items (like a sidebar promoting related products or services on a checkout page). Different sidebars help you tailor the customer experience and boost conversions.
Here are some common scenarios:
- Shop Page: Display bestsellers, featured products, categories, or sale items.
- Product Pages: Show related products, customer reviews, or upsells.
- Checkout Page: Feature FAQs, shipping information, or contact details.
- Blog Pages: Include popular posts, categories, or social media feeds.
Method 1: Using WordPress’ Built-in Widget Areas (Easiest)
This is the simplest method, perfect for beginners. It relies on WordPress’s built-in functionality and doesn’t require coding.
Steps:
1. Create New Widget Areas: Go to Appearance > Widgets. At the bottom, you should see an option to add a new widget area. Give it a descriptive name (e.g., “Shop Sidebar,” “Checkout Sidebar”). Save your changes.
2. Assign Widget Areas to Pages/Templates: This is where you might need a little help from your theme or a plugin like “Elementor” or “Beaver Builder”. These page builders often allow you to select which sidebar appears on each page or post type within their settings. Check your theme documentation or the plugin’s help files for instructions on assigning widget areas to specific templates or pages. If your theme doesn’t have this feature, you might need to edit your theme files (Method 2).
3. Add Widgets: Go back to Appearance > Widgets and drag and drop the relevant widgets (e.g., products, categories, recent posts) into your newly created sidebar areas.
Reasoning: This is the cleanest and easiest method, making it ideal for those with limited coding experience. However, it’s less flexible than the other methods.
Method 2: Using a Child Theme and Functions.php (For Coders)
If you need more control or your theme doesn’t offer options to assign sidebars, you can use a child theme and edit the `functions.php` file. This requires some coding knowledge, so proceed with caution. Always back up your files before making any changes!
Steps:
1. Create a Child Theme: This is crucial to prevent your changes from being overwritten when your parent theme updates. Learn how to create a child theme if you haven’t already.
2. Add Custom Sidebar Registration: Add the following code to your child theme’s `functions.php` file to register new sidebars:
function register_custom_sidebars() { register_sidebar( array( 'name' => 'Shop Sidebar', 'id' => 'shop-sidebar', 'description' => 'Widgets in this area will be shown on the shop page.', 'before_widget' => '', 'before_title' => '', 'after_title' => '
', ) );
register_sidebar( array(
‘name’ => ‘Checkout Sidebar’,
‘id’ => ‘checkout-sidebar’,
‘description’ => ‘Widgets in this area will be shown on the checkout page.’,
‘before_widget’ => ‘
‘,
‘before_title’ => ‘
‘,
‘after_title’ => ‘
‘,
) );
}
add_action( ‘widgets_init’, ‘register_custom_sidebars’ );
3. Conditional Display of Sidebars: This is the trickiest part. You’ll need to use conditional statements in your theme’s template files (e.g., `archive-product.php` for the shop page, `checkout/form-checkout.php` for the checkout page) to display the appropriate sidebar based on the page context. This often involves using `is_shop()` or similar WordPress functions to check the current page.
Example (Illustrative – adjust based on your theme):
Reasoning: This method provides the most flexibility, but it requires significant coding knowledge and Explore this article on How To Create Add To Cart Button In Woocommerce a thorough understanding of your theme’s structure.
Method 3: Using a WooCommerce Sidebar Plugin (Convenient)
Several plugins are designed to manage sidebars in WooCommerce. These offer a user-friendly interface and often include advanced features. Search the WordPress plugin directory for “WooCommerce sidebar” or “custom sidebars.”
Reasoning: Plugins provide a balance between ease of use and functionality. They’re a great option if you want more control than Method 1 but lack the coding skills for Method 2.
Remember to always back up your website before making any significant changes. Choosing the right method depends on your technical skills and the level of customization you need. Start with the easiest option (Method 1) and only proceed to more advanced methods if necessary.
