If you’ve spent any quality time lately in the social media space, you’ve probably heard all about Web widgets. You may not even know exactly what a widget is or does, but have probably used one. Over the past few years, the Web has seen an explosion of widgets, and all signs seem to indicate that the popularity of widgets continues to be on the rise.

So what exactly is a Web widget?

A Web widget is a small customizable piece of code, typically Flash or Javascript, that can be embedded in Web sites, blogs, social network profiles, forums, and other Web 2.0 applications to perform specific functions. Like mini-applications, widgets are Web-based tools that provide additional functionality, usefulness, or entertainment value to existing sites. Unlike desktop widgets, Web widgets do not require anything to be downloaded or installed on your computer; instead, users copy & paste the Web widget’s code snippet into the appropriate section of their site in order to use it.

What kind of Web widgets are out there?

One of the best things about widgets is that there’s so many to choose from. Custom widgets exist for practically any purpose you can think of, and they don’t, you could always create your own. Some of the most popular types of widgets include feed widgets that pull in and display RSS feeds from around the Web, countdown widgets that count down the time remaining until a notable event, playlist widgets that share embedded music tracks, and video widgets that play embedded video clips. One of the most popular types of widgets for bloggers are Twitter widgets, which synch and display a user’s recent Twitter updates in the sidebar of their blog. There’s also widgets for casual games, social bookmarking, specialized calculators, pregnancy tickers, polls-you name it, and there’s probably a widget for it!

Custom Widgets

Many sites develop their own custom widgets to combine site content and functionality in a way that is extremely useful to visitors. Amazon.com, for example, offers a whole host of useful widgets that do everything from allowing users to share product recommendations to showcasing hot Amazon deals. The New York Times offers its users widgets that display the latest breaking news, headlines, and movie reviews. Site visitors can then embed custom widgets like these into their own sites or blogs to engage their own visitors, and at the same time link to and promote the site providing the widget!

There are a number of widget sites that enable anyone to create their own custom widgets. Among the most popular are WidgetBox and SpringWidgets, which each offer a wide selection of user-created widgets and the ability to easily develop your own.

Benefits of Using Widgets

Implementing a custom widget on your site or blog is a great way to enhance your site’s functionality, as well as provide a useful tool for your visitors to use and share In return, widgets can generate more traffic, promote your site or brand, and enhance a visitor’s site browsing experience. Here’s a quick list of some of the things widgets can do for you:

• Increase your site’s traffic - When users share your widget, they’re essentially sharing a big, clickable link to your Web site or blog, creating the potential for an increased number of visitors.
• Promote your site’s content - Because widgets are embedded throughout the Web, your site content is constantly exposed to new audiences and new potential visitors.
• Enhance your site’s functionality - Widgets can add some really useful features to your site, such as custom calculators, countdowns, or other helpful tools.
• Engage your audience - Widgets are a great way to spice up your site content, providing additional items of interest for visitors to look at, interact with, and share.
• Create backlinks - When your widget is posted on someone else’s site or blog, it’s creating a healthy backlink to your site, which is beneficial to SEO.

Getting Widgets Right

Widgets are an exciting part of the social media experience, and when implemented correctly, can be a huge boost for your site. But implementing widgets on your site just for the sake of doing so is a bad idea. Like all things related to web marketing, success requires a strategy, and widgets are no exception. Widgets are fun and exciting, but it is possible to over-do it (and under-do it), as well as seem like a copycat. Think about what your business does, and how you might offer something truly useful to your visitors. Widgets should only be as complex as they need to be. Some of the best widgets are simple and designed to only do one thing, but do it well. With a well thought-out widget idea and implementation strategy, your custom widget could be a huge success and an integral part of your online marketing campaign.

Comments(3)

3 Comments »

1. Widgets are actually good. It is multi-purpose and it gives the site that sense of business-like look.

     Comment by Kvikmike — July 27, 2009 @ 10:29 pm

2. I have got some good information so thanks to you. I want more information of how to develop custom widgets? What program/language is need and what type of server is most helpful?

     Comment by inexpensive web design — November 28, 2009 @ 5:48 am

3. I think you can develop custom widget using PHP and Javascript
   .-= John Wesley´s last blog ..Hello world! =-.

     Comment by John Wesley — January 22, 2010 @ 1:20 pm

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