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Maximize Your Engagement with Custom Sidebars

Customize Your Sidebar to Enhance User Navigation Experience and Capture More Leads

Why This Feature Matters

Custom sidebars allow you to tailor the experience for your visitors, making navigating your pages easier and more engaging. Here’s why it matters:

  • Addresses User Needs: A well-structured sidebar serves as a roadmap for visitors, guiding them to the listings, blog posts, or tools they're most interested in.
  • Boosts Engagement: Highlighting key listings and blog posts boosts user interaction, keeping visitors on your site longer, which translates to more leads.
  • Ensures Visual Consistency: Customized sidebars maintain a cohesive look and feel across your site, improving your brand image.
  • Drives Action: Strategic calls-to-action in your sidebars can effectively convert traffic into leads.

Real-world Examples:

  • A sidebar featuring local market updates can lead to inquiries from potential buyers seeking more information.
  • Showcasing "New Construction" can prompt interest from buyers actively looking for new properties.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Access the Sidebar Manager

  • In your Sierra admin, go to Content → Sidebars

  • Click + Add Sidebar to create a new one

  • Name your sidebar (required) and optionally add a description for internal use

  • Click Save or Save and Exit

2. Add Containers to Your Sidebar

  • Click the + icon to add a container

  • Choose from 6 container types:

    • Link Box – 1 Col: Single-column list of links

    • Link Box – 2 Col: Two-column layout for links

    • Custom Content: Add text, images, or formatted content

    • Quick Search: Adds a search bar for location, zip, or MLS®

    • Today’s Listings: Displays “New Today”, “Price Reduced”, “Recently Sold”

    • Recent Blog Posts: Show up to 5 posts filtered by tag or category

     

3. Configure Each Container

  • Add titles and content for each container type

  • Drag-and-drop containers to reorder

  • Click the trash icon to delete a container

  • Click Preview Sidebar to view how it will appear live

4. Assign a Sidebar to a Page or Section

  • For sections: Go to Content → Content Pages → Manage Sections, select a section, and choose the desired sidebar

  • For individual content pages: While editing the page, select the sidebar from the Page-Specific Sidebardropdown

5. Edit or Delete Sidebars

  • Use the main Sidebar Manager page to duplicate, edit, or delete existing sidebars

  • Changes will apply wherever that sidebar is used

Best Practices

  • Use Quick Search and Today’s Listings to engage buyers

  • Include a call-to-action or lead form in the Custom Content container

  • Limit the number of containers to 3–4 for a clean look

  • Match sidebars with relevant content—for example, show “Recent Blog Posts” only on blog pages

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue: Sidebar not appearing on a specific content page

Fix: Check the Page-Specific Sidebar dropdown to ensure the correct sidebar is selected

 

Issue: Sidebar containers not displaying as expected

Fix: Make sure content (like links or images) is added inside each container and saved

FAQs

Can I assign different sidebars to different content pages?

Yes. Use the Page-Specific Sidebar dropdown on each content page.

Can I create multiple sidebars for different purposes?

Yes. You can create unlimited custom sidebars and apply them strategically.

Can sidebars include third-party links?

Yes. You can add full URLs to direct users to external sites, which will open in a new tab.

Will my sidebars appear on agent subdomains?

Yes. Sidebars created on the primary site will display on agent subdomains, though agent subdomains cannot be customized individually.