Gigya does Branded Widgets
Gigya Unveils Monetization Strategy: Distribution of Branded Widgets
It is interesting to see the Widget World (so to speak) move in the direction of branded widgets. I could have told you that it is a successful model a long time ago. In fact, I have been making branded widgets for almost two years. When I first made a Digg RSS Ticker it caught on fast. To this day, it is still one of the more visited sites I have ever made.
Branded widgets work for a number or reasons. First, they aren’t advertisements. They may work like an ad, but they aren’t, the are something that users find useful. Take for example the Digg Ticker or more recently the Brides.com widgets we have developed. People are looking for news tickers and countdown widgets already, why not add a brand to it, especially a brand that people already trust.
Second, They are more viral. Sure, you can look up Superbowl ads on YouTube, but you don’t find that same kind of attention given to punching a monkey to get more information about home loans.
Finally, the Internet has opened many doors in the realm of self expression. If I am a fan of the Seahawks (which I am, and I am bitter that they lost to Green Bay) why shouldn’t I show it on my blog, social profile, or other website. If the Seahawks offered a fan widget, I wouldn’t hesitate to put it up and express my interest in the team to others. Branded widgets allow users to show off what they like.
By the way (shameless plug warning), if you need a branded widget made, I know of a company that makes them.