Using Widgets on Magento

Widgets on Magento is a powerfull tools which save much work and allows to manage content through CMS pages, Catgories, Product detail page, etc. With Magento Widgets you can use the admin to show static blocks, banners, everywhere you want, because Magento provides differents areas for example on the header, the main area and the footer, however you can create more. This summary provides you some tips to How to use Widgets on Magento.

Static Blocks Management

Static Blocks are a type of CMS content you can find over CMS admin menu. They consist of a WYSIWYG editor where you can enter your own text or html content.

To create a new Static Block, go to CMS → Static Blocks from the admin panel and click the Add New Block.

Specifie de Block titles, de indetifier, select the Store where you like to add, the status enable, and finaly the content WYSIWYG text editor.

Create and Manage the Widget

After creating the Static Block, you can create the Widget on Magento.

To create a new Widget, go to CMS → Widget from the admin panel and click the Add New Widget. 

On the the Type dropdown select the CMS static blocks option and then choice your Design Package/Theme where you like to manage this widget.

Press Continue and give a Widget Tilte. You also have a Sort Order option in case you have more than one widget in the same area of on the layout page.

Here comes the more exaiting part. Select where you want to show your Widget!!!
You can add your widgets through categories, all categories, all pages, Specified Page, etc. Amazing!!!

Add Layout Update and then select the area where you want to display it (here the importance of the Sort Order).

The Categories section allows you to show the Static Block on either all anchor categories or on specific ones. The Block Reference drop-down lets you specify where the Static Block will appear.

Finaly, in the Widget Option (left menu) you have to choice the Static Block for this widget.  

Step by Step

1. Create the new Static Block in CMS → Static Block. 
2. Once the Static Block has been created, you can go and create the Widget in CMS → Widgets.
3. Select the correct package/theme, give a name widget.
4. Create in the Layout Update your choice where you like to disply the widget
5. Chosse which Static Block you want to display for this widget.