The (in)SPYR Subscribe widget of the StudioPress (in)SPYR theme comes with instructions for the AWeber Subscription service. In this post I will show you how to set up the custom (in)SPYR Subscribe widget for use with Google Feedburner.
Here at wilwebs.com, we are using a customized version of the StudioPress Streamline theme. For wpZaken.nl, the Dutch counterpart of wilwebs.com, I decided to go for the StudioPress (in)SPYR theme – which is a so called StudioPress Community theme.
All StudioPress themes are equipped with the Genesis eNews and Updates widget which utilizes the e-mail subscription form for Google Feedburner. In addition to the standard eNews and Updates widget, the (in)SPYR child theme installs with a custom (in)SPYR Subscribe widget.
Since this (in)SPYR widget has been developed for the (in)SPYR theme, the design of this widget has a better fit with the theme, than the general Genesis subscribe widget. That is exactly the reason why I prefer the (in)SPYR widget above the common Genesis widget.
The setup of the (in)SPYR widget is a little bit different from the Genesis widget. Unfortunately, the tutorial provided by SpyrMedia, the developer of the (in)SPYR theme, is strictly for customers of AWeber. Fortunately, it is not difficult adapt the settings for Google Feedburner. Let me walk you through the setup of the (in)SPYR Subscribe widget for Feedburner.
Grabbing Your Google Feedburner Details
First thing to do is gather the necessary details from your Google Feedburner account. Login to your Feedburner account and click the appropriate Feedburner Title. Go to the Publicize tab, and click the Email Subscriptions link in the sidebar at the left.
The first text area below the heading Subscription Management contains the Subscription Form code – the details of the Feedburner subscription form. Since the font is rather small, I like to copy this text into a plain text editor. There is no need to if you can read the text clearly.
Scan this text and find the second link; the link that ends with the Feedburner title. In case of wilwebs.com that is; http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=wilwebs. You will need this code for the Form Action field of the (in)SPYR Subscribe widget.
There is a second piece of code that you need for the Hidden Fields. This code starts on the fifth line from below. For the wilwebs.com feed that is:
<input type="hidden" value="wilwebs" name="uri"/><input type="hidden" name="loc" value="en_US"/><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" />
OK. That is all we need from your feed details.
Setting-Up the (in)SPYR Subscribe widget for Feedburner
(click to enlarge)
Now let us get back to the (in)SPYR Subscribe widget. This widget serves six fields. First we need to enter a Title for the widget. Since I prefer to have the widget in the sidebar, it has to be a rather short one. Let us put in “Get Free Updates”.
Placing the (in)SPYR Subscribe widget in the Subscribe Area instead of the sidebar will allow you to enter more characters for the title and the text areas.
The second field – titled Content – is a text area giving you the opportunity to explain what subscribers will get. Here we can enter something like: “Get free and fresh content delivered in your mailbox as soon as it is published.”
Field number three is a text area for your Privacy Note. This might be something like “Your e-mail and personal details will never be disclosed to third-parties without legal or judicial enforcement.” Or something a little bit loftier.
Then we get to the Subscribe Form of the widget. In Form Action field, you enter the first code from the Feedburner Subscription Form, here: http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=wilwebs
In the Email Textbox Name, you enter: email.
Last, but not least the Hidden Fields. Here you enter the second chunk of code from the Feedburner Subscription Form:
<input type="hidden" value="wilwebs" name="uri"/><input type="hidden" name="loc" value="en_US"/><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" />
That is it. Push the [Save] button and close the (in)SPYR Subscribe widget.
The Test Run
Every change to the backend needs to be tested, so let’s get back to the front end. Enter an e-mail address in the (in)SPYR Subscribe box and click the [Subscribe] button. When Feedburner’s Email Subscription Request appears, you know everything is working properly. Is it?
Hi, Wil! Wonderful article. And a great site. I just recently did a blog on WordPress. It was so interesting occupation, he decided to take it seriously. I really like the Genesis framework. And liked the theme (in) SPYR. However, I think that it will be difficult to handle the beginner. Tell me, please. Complex to set up this theme complete beginner?
Hi Andre, thanks for your kind words. Be assured, a Genesis child theme like (in)SPYR or Streamline – the one that wilwebs.com is running – is not more difficult to setup than any other premium theme. Let me know when you need a hand 😉
Thanks, Wil! I read your blog, and began to realize that I can cope with any challenge to WordPress.
That is the right attitude, Andre! Good luck, Wil
Hey Will,
Great article. I have a question that maybe you can help me answer. It’s a bit off topic though.
Do you know how to change “subscribe” text on the button? I looked everywhere but couldn’t find it. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks
Thanks, Nathan.
When you check my Dutch blog wpZaken, you will notice that I have replaced ‘Subscribe’ with the Dutch ‘Abonneren’. To achieve this, I had to edit the template file subscribe_widget.php, which is located in the \inspyr\includes\widgets folder. Line 40 up to and including line 43 refer to the Form Fields – use a text editor with line numbering like the free Notepad++.
I am copying my version here:
<_div class="form_fields">
<_span class="textbox"><_input name="" type="email" value="jouw emailadres" onfocus="if (this.value == 'jouw emailadres') {this.value = '';}" onblur="if (this.value == '') {this.value = 'jouw emailadres';}" />
<_span class="submit"><_input name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Abonneren">
Note: I had to place underscores directly after the opening bracket of the HTML tags, just ignore these for your copy.
Just replace the Dutch texts ‘jouw emailadres’ (your emailaddress) and ‘Abonneren’ with your own. Please note that you will have to repeat this procedure after an update of the (in)SPYR theme.
Another route, one that does not require you to dive into php, is by replacing the (in)SPYR Subscribe widget by the Genesis eNews Extended plugin. This plugin allows you to customize the button text from within the widget area.
Hope that helps – Wil
Hi Wil,
Thanks so much for the info. This is exactly what I was looking for. Again, thank you!
My pleasure, Nathan.