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How do I make a custom widget that

1) can include anything I want (not specifically posts or pages), for example either an ad, or a "call now for a quote" kind of box?

2) that can accept/post subscription forms like AWeber?

Amberjalink
2012-01-16 13:56:00
Thanks - but that doesn't help. (Self hosted) - unfortunately it looks like the site cut OFF part of my question. I know how to do a widget. I wanted to know how to do it code-wise, so that the widget appears in the widgets list on install of the theme every time. (i.e., if I wanted to install the theme on many sites and have the same widgets, I'd like to preload them to save work).
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James Bruce
2012-01-16 17:01:00
Are you coding your own widget via a plugin? In that case, just add the widget code to the themes functions.php file instead, and it will automatically appear every time the theme is used as you want. 
Amberjalink
2012-01-16 17:08:00
Thank you!
Sahil Dave
2012-01-15 10:09:00
In wordpress.com websites you can add simple HTML codes as a widget to your website by going to Appearance > Widgets.From there you can add a TEXT Widget and write some codes in it to work.I had added a Image through HTML code to redirect the user to my Facebook Like Page. 
James Bruce
2012-01-15 09:42:00
1. If you're using Wordpress.com, that's impossible. 2. If you're using a self hosted Wordpress.org install, that's incredibly easy by just adding a text widget to wherever widgets are supported in your theme. Sounds like you're with the former?