How Do I Add HTML TO The Sidebar?

  • First of all, I am NOT a tech guy. This is my first ever blog. So please feel free to talk down to me.

    My problem is that I installed a WordPress blog that was “SEO” optimized by someone else. I want to add an e-mail sign up form from Aweber, which is just html. I am trying ti do so through theme editor but there is no where to save the changes and I get the “you need to make this file writable” message at the bottom of the page.

    I searched the forum and found lots of posts about changing permissions. I know how to do this using my FTP program, but I don’t know which files or folders to change to what. I read that if I have the wrong permissions set anyone can hack into my blog.

    Also, I read several posts by someone named Boober who says not to use theme editor but to edit the file directly through my FTP program (so it can be undone later if needed, I think). This sounds like a good idea but, again, how do I do that?

    I’m a very inexperienced blogger but a very experienced, licensed plumber. I would be thrilled to trade some plumbing advice for some WordPress advice. What should I do to be able to modify my blog, whether in the sidebar or elsewhere?

    Thanks in advance for any help.

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  • First, I don’t know what the ideal permissions are once the design and coding is finalized, but in order to make the changes you want to make, the permissions must be set properly (ie read, write, execute). You can always change them back when done.

    If you only want to add code to the sidebar, just change permissions for sidebar.php. Otherwise, do the entire theme folder (select the box about recursively if you see it).

    Once the file is editable, paste in the html, save, and you’re all done!

    You do not of course need to use the theme editor — download the file you want to change, use notepad or such (NEVER MICROSOFT WORD. That’s important) then upload the new file. You might want to keep a copy of the original somewhere in case something gets messed up along the way.

    I’m not that patient, so I open the file using theme editor, copy the contents on my computer, then make my changes. If I’ve made a mistake I can always copy the “backup” I just saved. Then I can the effects right away.

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