Where to Submit Google Gadgets

These resources are listed in the order in which I recommend you use them. If you follow this order you will likely see your gadget in search results of the Google directory in about a week or two. We will use my Kayak travel search gadget to illustrate what a successful submission looks like in each directory (click the screen shots to see how it is displayed in each one).

1) Googlemodules.com

GoogleModules is a great website. It has many things about it that are great for both users and gadget developers. For users, there is the great feature of “live preview” which allows you to see how (and if) the gadgets works, without leaving the gadget description page. For developers, it is the quickest submission process out there, and as I said in the Google Gadget API discussion group, I highly recommend you submit your gadget here first, the reason I suggest this is because if there is something wrong with your gadget, it will tell you. This particularly important for the less obvious factors such as the preview image and thumbnail image (if you forget these, your gadget will show up in the Google directory and say “no image available” Yuck). The submission process is totally automated, so you submit it one second, and the next you will see your gadget live in the GoogleModules directory. Here is their gadget submission page.

2) Google Gadget Directory

The Google gadget directory itself is the next place to submit once you have submitted it to GoogleModules (above) and ensured that your gadget displays the way you want it to. The Google gadget directory accepts gadgets, but it takes awhile for them to display, normally (for those not using this guide) around two or three weeks, depending on how many people are using or viewing your gadget. I would go on to explain that your gadget goes through two levels of “inclusion” in the Google directory.

1- Your gadget is not listed when you browse the directory, but if you search for it it will show up.

2- Your gadget is included in the directory. You know your gadget is “in” when you see it while browsing the directory, rather than searching it.

Here is the official Google directory gadget submission page.

3) Sniperoo

The Sniperoo directory allows you to submit Google gadgets and will display your gadget immediately, but it can be removed because they will look at submissions to see if they are BS or not. The process of submitting is not automatic. You will have to fill in information fields and describe your gadget and what it does. You are required to register (it is free) in order to submit gadgets, but it well worth your time. Here is their gadget submission form.

4) GadgetsDirectory

This directory was started to provide a new place for gadgets to be submitted to. The person who created this is a gadget developer who is active in the Google gadget API Discussion group. He announced the directory and I have to say I am very impressed. This directory allows you to submit your gadgets in a simple way, but also has a real person looking at the gadget. Each gadget gets it’s own page, and the gadgets are also sorted by theme or category. I really like it. I see it becoming a very popular place. You can submit your gadget here.

5) Gadzi Gadget Directory

Gadzi is a directory that is geared towards the person looking for gadgets. It was created mostly due to the difficulty I was having finding and sorting gadgets from the Google directory. There is an ever growing amount of gadgets that are about the same thing. There are hundreds of Youtube Gadgets, but there are only a few that are truly unique or useful. Submissions are reviewed by a human to determine if the gadget will be included. Here is the Gadzi Google gadget submit page.

6) GoogleMiniApps

This directory provides automatic and instant gadget submission. Each gadget gets it’s own page once you submit them.

You can submit your gadget to the Google Mini Apps directory here.

By submitting to these directories you will have a good start on promoting your gadget, but it is important to remember that interacting with other gadget developers, and asking friends to test out your gadget, is an important part of getting your gadget out to the world.

Like Google Gadgets?- see all my Google gadget articles