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How to Add Custom Social Media Icons to Your Blog {Without HTML Code}

Easy way to add social media icons to your WordPress Blog

After finding my blog theme, and purchasing several add-ons to make my blog sparkle, one of the very first things that I wanted to do was to add custom social media icons to my sidebar.

Not only does this make it easy for my audience to find me, it also adds extra credibility to my site.

I had seen a ton of really cool icon sets being sold all over the internet and in blogging forums and wanted to track down the “perfect” set.

So, I headed right over and I downloaded the Pretty Blog Design Kit from Blog Pixie at Creative Market which is full of incredible images! She has some amazing, sparkly stuff.

And we all know how I feel about that.

Setting Up the Icons in My Sidebar

I had absolutely NO idea how to install these suckers. So, I did what every new blogger does. Naturally, I checked out Pinterest. Pinterest is my go-to for all things life-related. You just type in a search and BAM! Answers all over the place. I have a Pinterest board for just about everything.

News Flash. There are things from how to wipe a baby’s ass to how to properly trim your nails. But guess what??? Nothing on how to add custom social media icons without HTML. Not even a tidbit of how-to.

So, I searched Google, my other BFF. Guess what?

Google had nothing life-changing either. A couple of posts about changing my sidebar using HTML code. I figured that I would just have to get in the trenches and figure it out. I mean, how hard could it be if I followed the directions???

Yah.. that wasn’t happening

A few places gave good tutorials on how to code with HTML and I really gave it a shot but I just couldn’t seem to nail it down. Fumbling though the attempt at HTML-never-ending-code-please-stop-or-I-won’t-remember-my-name, I came across a page dedicated to WordPress’ newest updates.

Being a blogger, but often an over-looker, But this time I thought to myself:

slow down and look, Sasha! You might find something you need.

Well wouldn’t you know it! With WordPress’ newest update, the Text widget got an add-on. The option to upload MEDIA!

This seriously made my dreams come true. (Well, the immediate ones, anyway). I had been struggling for three days, searching every possible site to find out how to do this.

Add pretty custom social media icons in just a few simple steps!

This is literally so easy to do! Here are the step by step directions:

1. Go to your Widgets Menu in the sidebar in WordPress.org

2. Drag the TEXT widget into the sidebar of your choice

3. Click the ADD MEDIA button – You will see a box like this:

How to Add Custom Social Media Icons to Your Blog {Without HTML Code}

4. Upload your icons into the Media Library (you can also do this before you start if you are really organized. I was too excited to go this route).

5. Choose the social media icon you want to display. On the right hand side, change the Attachment Display Settings to Link To: Custom URL

6. Insert your social media URL as it appears in the web address of your social media site in bottom the right side bar. (ex. http://www.pinterest.ca/everydayshessparkling.com)

How to Add Custom Social Media Icons to Your Blog {Without HTML Code}

7. Modify the size if needed to fit your sidebar (you can also set this after)

8. Insert Into Post (bottom right)

Before You Publish

I would suggest to go back and click on each icon and edit (click on the pencil) to edit the image details. You can change the size, add captions and ALT text here but the big thing is to make sure to click the box for the link to open in a new tab so that your viewers don’t get directed away from your website.

When you are finished, click on the Update button, Save the widget and click on done. You can then preview your handy work! 

I can’t believe how simple this is with the new update. I’m really thankful that I started my blog now and not during the previous update.

That’s it! Aren’t they pretty!!

(This was from an old blog theme that I’ve since updated but I still love how they look!)

Custom Social Media Icons

You can check out the final copy in my sidebar and snag your own from the Pretty Blog Design Kit from Blog Pixie at Creative Market.

You can also find a ton of great freebies there every week. I LOVE FREE!! Here are this week’s freebies!

Have you tried to do any custom social media icons add-ons sans HTML? How did those go for you? I’d love to hear your comments below.

Sasha Lassey signature

Find more ways to rock your blog here:

13 Essential Plugins for Beginners on WordPress

How to Create a Resource Library for Your Website in 5 Simple Steps

100+ Best Blogging Tools and Resources for 2020

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