WordPress developers know that widget areas are super handy for easily adding dynamic functionalities to your sites. If you have an assigned widget area (like a sidebar, for example), you can pretty much drop any widget into it, customize it, and find yourself with a whole new set of functionalities without having to do much (if any) coding. WordPress comes loaded with a generic set of widgets (latest posts, archives, a search functionality, etc), but if you find your widget selection lacking, you should think about installing a widget bundle.
The Widget Bundle plugin by SiteOrigin is a great option if you want to expand the selection and capabilities of your widgets. Once you install the plugin, you have access to an extensive collection of different types of widgets that you can easily add into your widget areas. Widgets include a Google Maps functionality, clickable buttons, an image widget, a post carousel, and a call to action widget that will allow your users to easily perform certain actions. You’ll also get a headlines widget and a features widget, plus a social media links widget, and more. The bundle comes loaded with advanced forms, unlimited colors and over 1500 different icons to choose from. With this plugin, you’ll get the features and functionalities of dozens of plugins, but you only have to do one install. The other great thing about this bundle is that it can be used as a framework for building your own widgets. If there’s something missing from the bundle that you think your site could really benefit from and you have a working knowledge of PHP, try your hand at building your own widget using SiteOrigin’s framework. This plugin would surely be a welcome and useful addition to any WordPress sit.