This was actually a question I asked to a fellow photography blogger, Courtney of Click it Up a Notch! after I discovered it on her site and got Bio-box envy! I loved the tab look and how she color-coordinated it to her website. Here’s hers:
Wordpress actually comes with a bio box that you can use by filling in the bio section in each User’s Profile. But, it is kind of blah and I wanted something that would encourage clicks and more interaction for my guest posters.
Courtney was gracious enough to tell me what it is (before I learned how to figure that out myself with Inspect Element-see below for that hack). It is a paid plugin called Fanciest Author Box (affiliate link). There is a free version of the plugin called Fancier Author Box. It is nicer than what comes built into WordPress, but not as nice as Fanciest!
When you first install the plugin, you will find the settings for it under Settings in your Dashboard. That is where you can change the color scheme and decide which tabs will be shown. The new version of the plugin has a Pinterest tab built in. I just found that out while writing this post. So I am going to update mine later today to include Pinterest.
After customizing your settings, you need to fill in special information in each post author’s User Profile. Just open up your own User Profile, and now there will be a new section called Fanciest Author Box User Details.
I love this plugin but there are plenty of free ones that are better than the built-in version. Below are some I like. So you might want to try some of these before you buy a paid plugin!
Fancier Author Box
Author Bio Box
WP Biographia
Simple Author Box
Guerrilla’s Author Box
*Inspect Element Hack: Any time you are on any website, you can “inspect” the backend of a blog with Inspect Element. Put your cursor right over my share buttons below and RIGHT CLICK. Then choose Inspect Element. Then a bunch of html craziness comes up in a window at the bottom of your screen.
Now look around and you will find “Hupso Share Buttons”. That was an easy one. You already found the plugin I use for my Share buttons. BUT, scroll down because right after that is the Author Box and it doesn’t say “Fanciest Author Box” anywhere. That is when you have to get creative…which is what I call “Google-it”. I just copied the part that says ts-fab-bio, and pasted it into the search box, and most of the results will get you to the bottom of it!
Have fun with your new Author Box plugins, and tell me in the comments what amazing things you have learned now that you know how to use Inspect Element (I know you went right to your favorite blogger’s site)!
Michelle says
Hey Jill! Great info!
Do you know if there are any third-party apps or widgets available to us not on WordPress?
Jill Levenhagen says
Michelle, I am completely clueless outside WordPress.org! Sorry!
Southern Angel says
Once upon a time when I had a well established blog I was about to add one of those. Then life came out of nowhere and I had to sell my computer and give up my site until things got more financially stable, which is not a fun time. Now I am back and having to start all over from scratch.. This will be put on my blog asap!
Lenze says
I have the fancier author box. I love thus far, however I can’t get a picture to show up. But that has not deterred me from it.
Jillian @ Baby Doodah! says
I have been wondering about this bio box for ages! I knew about the Inspect Element Hack, but NEVER thought to use it to find what someone is using…typically I use it for finding colors or sizes of things. THANK YOU for sharing this awesome post, which will be put to use!! Woop woop!
Jill Levenhagen says
Yay! I love it when we figure out something “BIG”. I remember when I learned that I could figure out those things with the Inspect Element! It really helps!
Dina says
I can’t thank you enough Jill for telling your little secret of beautiful bio box. I was looking for this information. I am going to try free plugins. Thank you.