YouTube Sidebar
YouTube Plugins are nothing new but I like to add my own approach to every plugin. This plugin allows the insertion of a video ID for displaying with a specific post. The video is displayed instantly. This differs from…
Consider an alternative
YouTube Sidebar shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 20+ sites, is rated 4.3/5 and was last updated 11 years ago, and scores 29/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (20+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 11 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.2 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where YouTube Sidebar stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| video | >100 |
| videos | >100 |
| youtube | >100 |
| YouTube Sidebar | >100 |
| youtube widget | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 4.3 from 4 reviews
About YouTube Sidebar
From the official readme · v3.0.0Description
YouTube Plugins are nothing new but I like to add my own approach to every plugin. This plugin allows the insertion
of a video ID for displaying with a specific post. The video is displayed instantly. This differs from plugins that
may allow a single video to be added using an entire widget – not great use of a widget in my opinion. The YouTube
widget management would become very busy if every widget was THAT basic. So the widgets in YouTube Sidebar will handle
multiple videos and even ads when no videos are available.
If this still is not enough. Try my Video Blogger plugin which allows the display of videos from other streaming
sites and offers other unique approaches to video management.
Main Plugin Links
Features List
- Two widgets, only need to use one.
- Display different videos per post.
- Multiple videos per post.
- Display an ad when post has no video.
Request Features
If you need a tool or an existing plugin customized. Please post it in this plugins forum
and I will do my best to add the service to this plugin in the way you need it.
Languages
Translators needed to help localize YouTube Sidebar.
Donators
These donators have giving their permission to add their site to this list so that plugin authors can
request their support for their own project. Please do not request donations but instead visit their site,
show interest and tell them about your own plugin – you may get lucky.
Version Numbers and Updating
Explanation of versioning used by myself Ryan Bayne. The versioning scheme I use is called “Semantic Versioning 2.0.0” and more
information about it can be found at http://semver.org/
These are the rules followed to increase the YouTube Sidebar plugin version number. Given a version number MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH, increment the:
MAJOR version when you make incompatible API changes,
MINOR version when you add functionality in a backwards-compatible manner, and
PATCH version when you make backwards-compatible bug fixes.
Additional labels for pre-release and build metadata are available as extensions to the MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH format.
Installation
- Method 1: Move folder inside the .zip file into the “wp-content/plugins/” directory if your website is stored locally. Then upload the new plugin folder using your FTP program.
- Method 2: Use your hosting control panels file manager to upload the plugin folder (not the .zip, only the folder inside it) to the “wp-content/plugins/” directory.
- Method 3: In your WordPress admin click on Plugins then click on Add New. You can search for your plugin there and perform the installation easily. This method does not apply to premium plugins.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hire you to customize the plugin for me?
Yes you can pay the plugin author to improve the plugin to suit your needs. Many improvements will be done free so post your requirements on the plugins forum first. However even a donation goes a long way to getting some priority.
Changelog
No special upgrade instructions this time. Just remember to backup your site files and database.
0.0.1
- Beta released 17th March 2015
When To Update
Browse the changes log and decide if an update is required. There is nothing wrong with skipping version if it does not
help you – look for security related changes or new features that could really benefit you. If you do not see any you may want
to avoid updating. If you decide to apply the new version – do so after you have backedup your entire WordPress installation
(files and data). Files only or data only is not a suitable backup. Every WordPress installation is different and creates a different
environment for WTG Task Manager – possibly an environment that triggers faults with the new version of this software. This is common
in software development and it is why we need to make preparations that allow reversal of major changes to our website.
Screenshots
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best YouTube Sidebar alternatives
All video plugins →
FAQ
YouTube Sidebar: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 29, 2026
Is YouTube Sidebar free?
Yes. YouTube Sidebar is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is YouTube Sidebar safe to use in 2026?
YouTube Sidebar shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 20+ sites, is rated 4.3/5 and was last updated 11 years ago, and scores 29/100 on our health check.
How many websites use YouTube Sidebar?
YouTube Sidebar is active on 20+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 20,354 times since it launched in December 2009. It was downloaded 64 times in the last 30 days.
Does YouTube Sidebar work with WordPress 7.1?
YouTube Sidebar is officially tested up to WordPress 4.2.39, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was YouTube Sidebar last updated?
The latest version, 3.0.0, was released on June 11, 2015 (11 years ago).
Who makes YouTube Sidebar?
YouTube Sidebar is developed and maintained by WebTechGlobal.
What are the best alternatives to YouTube Sidebar?
The most popular alternatives to YouTube Sidebar are Presto Player (100K+ installs), Interactive Content – H5P (40K+ installs) and Advanced WordPress Backgrou… (30K+ installs).
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