This document discusses how widgets can be used for advocacy efforts. It provides an overview of what widgets are, including that they are small web applications that can perform many of the same functions as large websites, and that they are designed to be movable and customizable. The document then outlines several ways that widgets can be used for community building, distributing targeted messages, and communicating with supporters and advocates. It concludes by demonstrating an events widget and its features for customization and viral distribution.

1. Why Widgets Work
for Advocacy
Presentation at Internet Advocacy Roundtable
Winning With Widgets (WWW)
December 20, 2007
Ralph Sklarew, PhD
principal, workingWidgets
Delivering the information of the Web together with the power to use it.

2. The Hype
The Next Small Thing
Bits of code called widgets open the door to viral
marketing across social networks. Silicon Valley
sees them as a Web revolution in the making
A New Way to
Create Buzz As Web Users Post Icons on
Personal Pages, Marketers Move In
Widgets make a big splish
on the Net Web shout­outs draw attention of
marketers, venture capitalists

3. What's a Widget?
• Widgets are small
web applications that
can do anything a
large Web site can do
• Widgets are movable, built to share ­­
copy and customize for blog, web page,
computer desktop or mobile phone/PDA
• Widgets are viral ­­ part of trend: loosen
control (but keep context) to gain audience

4. What's a Widget Good For?
Community building
Distributing Communicating Customizing
target effect tools
public awareness ads, info, id, track, analytics
meetings, presentations, papers
audience interest
stories, pictures
news,events, calendar
associate committment
polls, ratings, feedback
organization, membership
supporter empower
fund raising, alerts, mobilization
advocate support P2P communications, contacts

5. Demo: Gydget an events widget
• Customization
• Viral distribution ­­ quot;Grabquot;
• Features:
• events • calendar
• photo & message • news
• news • video