Popular Posts

Tuesday, March 4

Think Hatke. Think Widgets

Am trying to learn a little more about widgets and then maybe write an article on the subject - How brands and marketers can use them. Are there some examples of Indian brands using widgets?

Widgets are mini-Web applications that are downloaded onto a desktop or transported into personal Web pages, blogs or social-network profiles. For users, they are a source of constantly updated information, from weather and sports scores to personal photos, which can eliminate the need to visit multiple Web sites.

Stumbled upon these links while I was in google-yahoo mode!

1. This is a 2006 post on OpenGardens blog. It's about how advertisers/ marketers/ brands can use widgets?

2. Then there was this piece on imediaconnection.com - The what, who, why, how and wow of widgets.

3. And then there was this article - Marketers Wend Widgets Into Interactive Tactics at brandweek.com

Okay going back to my learning mode...

4 comments:

WhiteMoonWatching said...

this is so wierdly coincidental coz i fell in love with widgets recently(hence the garfield n homer n other random jazz on my webpage)...n was planning on doin some background research on them...but dint know where to start...are u, by any chance, psychic??? this is so cool!!!!

Ad Watchdog said...

Indian brands are equipped to employ widgets. They have been for a while now. The problem is getting their audience to use them effectively. The use of RSS/XML feeds across Indian Websites is a good example. Even though most major sites now offer them, the inability of most users to download a good feedreader makes most feeds redundant. So, yes, bloggers can and do use widgets effectively, but bloggers do not comprise a mass market target audience. Until that learning curve, India will have to wait.

praneeth said...

Hi manish,

some successful cases where brands used widgets -

• Southwest Airlines introduced a widget known as Ding, which consumers can download on their personal computers. Whenever exclusive discount fares are offered, the program emits the familiar ringing sound of the in-flight seatbelt bell. The discounts last only 6-12 hours and can only be accessed online by clicking on the Ding application. Ding application was downloaded by about 2 million consumers and generated more than $150 million in ticket sales in two years. Industry sources say 45 percent of Ding users come back to book again, compared to the industry rate of 27 percent repeat ticket sales

• Reebok International Ltd. recently created a marketing widget called "Shoe Fight," which lets you design a sneaker and put it on your Web site

• Harley-Davidson widget has been created for your Google start page with two tabs on the Google gadget–one features live footage from Sturgis from 9 am to 6 pm, and the other tab will showcase interviews with riders, personalities and celebrities, almost like a Red Carpet event

Widgets are playing imp role in gaining viral distribution like Youtube, growth was significantly driven by Myspace

coming to India, i dont think any brand played with widgets, Business today, live mint, ixigo do have widgets...but no clue how popular they are

Tanaya said...

i am loving widgets too.. adding widgets left right centre onto my blog.. its all so much fun.. trying desperately to find a calvin and hobbes comic strip widget.. but alas! no success.. only yahoo has it and that too for your computer desktops and not blogs and that too doesnt work most of the time.. so wats the point..