Widgets, which were almost unexplainable to me last year, are now part of my everyday life online. Kind of like wondering why you would ever need a cell phone, about 20 years ago…unthinkable now.
Widgets are almost like a mini-site; not really just an ad, they are a remarkable branding tool that can be dropped into a web page to share information, other sites, video, opportunities, and more…it’s the branding opportunity that has gained interest.
Please see this great post by Leah Messinger at IMedia Connection, “9 Widget Myths Debunked“.
We are headed more and more into a user-based medium online; even an un-skilled can quickly be taught how to optimally use widgets with the right Content Management System.
This module can also help the HyperLocal communities. Much the way you open you local daily paper, why couldn’t you check in on your website and have your widget report what is going on locally?
photo credit: b_d_solis
Example of a widget; not to mention the ones on this site!
