Widgets 101 Picture-In-Picture Web: A look at Widgets, Micro Applications and Portable Content By: Joanna Pe ña-Bickley

Picture-In-Picture Web: A look at Widgets, Micro Applications and Portable Content

By: Joanna Pe ña-Bickley

What is a Widget? A widget is a web based application that can live on web page, your desktop or on your operating system. A widget can facilitate: Portable content Sharing content with friends through viral functionality such as: Send to a Friend Code Posts Or direct install into social networks or platforms

A widget is a web based application that can live on web page, your desktop or on your operating system.

A widget can facilitate:

Portable content

Sharing content with friends through viral functionality such as:

Send to a Friend

Code Posts

Or direct install into social networks or platforms

Two Types of Widgets There are two major categories of Widgets: Web Widgets Web Widgets run inside a web page and are also known as “modules” or “badges”. Web Widgets allow anyone to create their own website “mash-ups” by embedding content from one site into a page on another site. These types of Widgets are completely based on browser technologies — HTML, Flash, etc. And while they have been around in various forms for a while, the use of the term “Widget” to refer to these web page modules is relatively new. Desktop Widgets Widgets have conventionally meant a desktop-based mini-application that shows discreet information, often connected to the Internet.

There are two major categories of Widgets:

Web Widgets

Web Widgets run inside a web page and are also known as “modules” or “badges”. Web Widgets allow anyone to create their own website “mash-ups” by embedding content from one site into a page on another site. These types of Widgets are completely based on browser technologies — HTML, Flash, etc. And while they have been around in various forms for a while, the use of the term “Widget” to refer to these web page modules is relatively new.

Desktop Widgets

Widgets have conventionally meant a desktop-based mini-application that shows discreet information, often connected to the Internet.

What Are Widgets Used For? Distribute Information…answers, events, places, prices, people Integrate information, analyze it and present it in interesting ways… network for members, finding the right job, e-learning Communicate… people to people by text, images, audio video or virtual reality; through computers, phones or cell phones for learning, advertising, sales, support, fun or friends Create personalized, secure and self-serve experience Scheduling for events, facilities or services such as rooms, meetings, transportation and people Shopping…From product/service research to inventory selection to purchase to payment to shipping and delivery Community building for affinity or loyal groups, companies, associations, fans, neighborhoods, schools or churches

Distribute Information…answers, events, places, prices, people

Integrate information, analyze it and present it in interesting ways… network for members, finding the right job, e-learning

Communicate… people to people by text, images, audio video or virtual reality; through computers, phones or cell phones for learning, advertising, sales, support, fun or friends

Create personalized, secure and self-serve experience

Scheduling for events, facilities or services such as rooms, meetings, transportation and people

Shopping…From product/service research to inventory selection to purchase to payment to shipping and delivery

Community building for affinity or loyal groups, companies, associations, fans, neighborhoods, schools or churches

Why Use Widgets? Why Use a Desktop Widget? The advantages of a desktop widget over a web widget include: Lives outside of the browser Access to local resources Potential for offline use & background downloading Greater interaction with the rest of the system through standard desktop interaction Desktop widgets blur the line between the web and the desktop by pulling the content out of the browser and integrating it into your desktop Why Use Web Widgets? They provide clear communications (without spam) Extend brand beyond website Powerful search engine optimization tool Placed by the user where it will be seen frequently They give you presence on home pages, blogs, Google strategy page, MySpace, Facebook and cell phones They can present results to the user

Why Use a Desktop Widget?

The advantages of a desktop widget over a web widget include:

Lives outside of the browser

Access to local resources

Potential for offline use & background downloading

Greater interaction with the rest of the system through standard desktop interaction

Desktop widgets blur the line between the web and the desktop by pulling the content out of the browser and integrating it into your desktop

Why Use Web Widgets?

They provide clear communications (without spam)

Extend brand beyond website

Powerful search engine optimization tool

Placed by the user where it will be seen frequently

They give you presence on home pages, blogs, Google strategy page, MySpace, Facebook and cell phones

They can present results to the user

Examples of Widgets - Web Widgets

Examples of Widgets - Web Widgets

Examples Of Widgets - Desktop Widgets YouTube - Apple Widget HBO Apple: Retail U2 Fan Widget Spa Finder Harry Potter Release Countdown CNN News Feed

Who Makes Up the Widget Landscape? Widget Box Spring Widgets Wdgty Clear Spring Gizmoz FreeWebs SnapVine Widggipedia

Widget Box

Spring Widgets

Wdgty

Clear Spring

Gizmoz

FreeWebs

SnapVine

Widggipedia

How are they relevant? Widgets allow us to create and share content, making it portable across the web, mobile devices and television. They may it easy for us to share our favorite content with our friends, family and colleagues. We can wear our brands, communities and special interests like a badge of honor.

Widgets allow us to create and share content, making it portable across the web, mobile devices and television.

They may it easy for us to share our favorite content with our friends, family and colleagues.

We can wear our brands, communities and special interests like a badge of honor.

Measuring a Widget’s success: ComScore In June, ComScore announced that it would begin measuring widgets. Widgets reached about 21% of the worldwide Internet audience in April, ComScore found. About 40% of widget use, or 81 million of those people, came from North America. Slide had the largest reach, followed by RockYou, Picturetrail and Photobucket. Widget Penetration Highest in North America As more and more sites across the Internet employ Web widgets, the worldwide penetration will continue to grow. In April, widget penetration was highest in North America where 40.3 percent of Internet users visited a website with an embedded widget, followed by Western Europe (24.3 percent) and Latin America (17.5 percent). Widget Measurement Definitions The current universe of widgets is defined as embedded flash (.swf) objects. The ComScore Widget Metrics service will evolve in its tracking of widget file types as the market dynamics and content delivery systems change. The report currently focuses on the individual widgets, and not the platforms that deliver them. Desktop widgets are also not included.

In June, ComScore announced that it would begin measuring widgets.

Widgets reached about 21% of the worldwide Internet audience in April, ComScore found. About 40% of widget use, or 81 million of those people, came from North America. Slide had the largest reach, followed by RockYou, Picturetrail and Photobucket.

Widget Penetration Highest in North America

As more and more sites across the Internet employ Web widgets, the worldwide penetration will continue to grow. In April, widget penetration was highest in North America where 40.3 percent of Internet users visited a website with an embedded widget, followed by Western Europe (24.3 percent) and Latin America (17.5 percent).

Widget Measurement Definitions

The current universe of widgets is defined as embedded flash (.swf) objects. The ComScore Widget Metrics service will evolve in its tracking of widget file types as the market dynamics and content delivery systems change. The report currently focuses on the individual widgets, and not the platforms that deliver them.

Desktop widgets are also not included.

Measuring Your Widget’s Success There are a number of ways to track the distribution of your widget. You can track the number of impressions served if you are serving video, the number of full views consumer data if you are selling something, purchases if you are a game, how many people played you if you are a toll, how many people used you how many people passed it on of the people who received it, how many of those people posted it which social networks you are distributed in whose page you are appearing on

There are a number of ways to track the distribution of your widget.

You can track

the number of impressions served

if you are serving video, the number of full views

consumer data

if you are selling something, purchases

if you are a game, how many people played you

if you are a toll, how many people used you

how many people passed it on

of the people who received it, how many of those people posted it

which social networks you are distributed in

whose page you are appearing on

Best Practices Use the widget to push information Allow consumers to customize your widget to their liking Make sure that your widget can be distributed and is portable to all social networking applications Keep it Simple! One thing at a time Give it one objective Make multiples if you can

Use the widget to push information

Allow consumers to customize your widget to their liking

Make sure that your widget can be distributed and is portable to all social networking applications

Keep it Simple!

One thing at a time

Give it one objective

Make multiples if you can

Widgets 101 Picture-In-Picture Web: A look at Widgets, Micro Applications and Portable Content By: Joanna Pe ña-Bickley More On Widgets @: http://joannapenabickley.typepad.com

Picture-In-Picture Web: A look at Widgets, Micro Applications and Portable Content

By: Joanna Pe ña-Bickley