Google Gadget Canvas / Portability Strategy
One common question among businesses considering Google gadgets or other widgets is basically this…
“Why should I encourage people to use the functionality of my web site without actually visiting my website?”
This question makes sense if someone for example is monetizing their site via adsense. If they display their content elsewhere like iGoogle or Facebook they “lose” the money making part of their website.
The real questions that people should probably be thinking is “Why isn’t my content working for me where ever it is displayed?”
If your goal is branding for example, you can immediately jump into the gadget world and achieve your goals. If your goal is helping your customers then you can jump immediately into gadgets.
To make something available via gadgets, you should ensure that your portable content is accomplishing your goals. If you are not receiving value from your content when it is portable, you may want to start designing content that will.
To illustrate this, let’s look at the Getlisted Google gadget…
This gadget uses the canvas view of iGoogle to display all the information availible about your business, as though you were at the website itself. The entire functionality is there, including the ability to sign in and use your own personal dashboard.
Since the entire functionality is availible via this gadget, there may seem to be no reason whatsoever for a user to ever even visit the GetListed.org web site.
I am okay with that.
GetListed was designed as an absolutely portable being. Wherever and however this content is displayed is fine with me. If a user is using it on Facebook, iGoogle or other widget platforms, it still does it’s job and still provides value to the users and also provides value to to me, it’s creator.
In fact, the way your content is displayed is becoming less up to you and more up to what users want.
The GetListed functionality can be placed on any website by just using an iframe for example.
Here is the same functionality on another website via an iframe at feedthebot.com…
Content portability is fast becoming a web reality.
Is your content ready?
Getlisted Google gadget code is here
Iframe example on Feedthebot is here
Related post to portability is here
Related posts:Examining Your Brand For Open Social Gadget Strategy
Google Gadget Canvas View Test – Results
Google Gadget API To Depreciate Inline Gadgets
January 26th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I agree Patrick. I think often times site owners lose sight of what makes their site great. When I developed WhosTalkin’s iGoogle Gadget I did so because I wanted to extend the functionality of our platform into the daily routine of our users. As a result, I am hoping that through giving our users the ability to integrate our platform into their daily routine, they will be more likely to recommend us and hopefully try out our paid subscription program that will be coming out in the next couple of months.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
It is an interesting point. There are different objectives out there for a web site. If you are on a pure monitization play, gadgets are not great. But I agree with above, people are way too focused on this. The reality is that if you want a website to be any type of large success, it will need buzz and brand. These things are built with repeated contact and access. Here, gadgets are great! They bring the audience. No, not the pay-per-click traffic, the real people audience. After all, that’s what the web is about, right? Connecting PEOPLE and information?
January 30th, 2009 at 11:57 am
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de?i?ik tasar?mlarda nikah ?ekeri sipari?i için adresimize giri? yapabilirsiniz.
March 22nd, 2009 at 9:47 pm
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March 22nd, 2009 at 9:48 pm
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