Widgets as ‘Me’dia
March 27th, 2008 by Andrew FooteEarlier this week, several colleagues and I discussed the elements that make web widgets successful. Some of the basic factors mentioned were:
• Utility: first and foremost, does it perform a valuable function for the user?
• Enchantment: does it keep people engaged and coming back for more?
• Community: does it facilitate conversation?
• Usability: does it have an intuitive and user-friendly interface?
• Multi-platform: is it compatible across personal pages, social networks, blogs, and mobile devices?
• Share-ability: does it allow people to spread the word?
What else makes a widget successful? Self-expression seems to be at the core of most. Some of the most popular widgets, such as Where I’ve Been, Slide, and iLike, are all designed around personalized storytelling. Call them what you want: vanity widgets, ego badges, blog-bling. The fact is that people crave tools that help them project their personal storylines. For instance, the Project Playlist widget is something I customized with my favorite music and have synched to my Facebook profile. It’s high in utility because it lets me advertise my taste in tunes. For me, the appeal isn’t the functionality. It’s what it says about me.
When developing branded widgets, marketers should consider how to harness peoples’ desire for expression and individuality. Think about their promotional needs first before you think about your own.
March 28th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Where do you see the widget phenomenon going? Is it going to become more mainstream? Chances are, my parents don’t have a clue about widgets…
How can we make them appealing to people who are not as in tune with social networking?
Also, are there mainstream companies that are doing this, as well? I have seen a ton on Netvibes such as the NY Times, but what about retailers etc…?
April 1st, 2008 at 6:01 pm
It’s absolutely going to become more mainstream, but it will take time. Think of GenY and the types of content/apps they’re using today. As we grow older…our desire for personalized content won’t go away. It’s only going to increase. When we’re in our 40s-50s, we may not be interested in music or game-oriented widgets, but we may be interesed in health apps (fitness trackers), widgets that monitor activity in our homes (cable usage, security systems, living room cam to see what our pets are doing while we’re at work, etc).
April 8th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I am all about seeing what my dog is doing at home while I am at work…but I would also need an audio capability to tell her to stop eating the couch!