Sensis Bureau » Widgets http://www.sensisbureau.com Sensis Bureau Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:45:56 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Don’t build a widget just for the sake of having one? http://www.sensisbureau.com/2008/10/don%e2%80%99t-build-a-widget-just-for-the-sake-of-having-one/ http://www.sensisbureau.com/2008/10/don%e2%80%99t-build-a-widget-just-for-the-sake-of-having-one/#comments Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:35:49 +0000 Manaf Al-Naqeeb http://www.sensisbureau.com/?p=127 There are thousands of online widgets out there, some have succeeded but most have failed. You really need to think about whether your brand warrants building a widget for.  Unless it can drive engagement and add value to a consumer’s life, a widget is pointless. In my opinion, the minimum requirement for building a widget is having plenty of resources to keep the content fresh because it’s an application that the consumer will want to use on a regular basis. Even then, there are no guarantees that it will be successful, so make sure to think about it from the consumers’ perspective and how it can benefit them.

]]> http://www.sensisbureau.com/2008/10/don%e2%80%99t-build-a-widget-just-for-the-sake-of-having-one/feed/ 0 Beyond Online Billboards http://www.sensisbureau.com/2008/09/beyond-online-billboards/ http://www.sensisbureau.com/2008/09/beyond-online-billboards/#comments Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:13:37 +0000 Manaf Al-Naqeeb http://www.sensisbureau.com/?p=37 It is becoming increasingly difficult to get people’s attention online so how should advertisers adjust to this new situation? First, let’s look at what they’re buying when they place an online ad. They are buying a piece of real estate on a Web page that’s essentially no more than a link to another Web site. That space can also be exploited to function as a site within a site. Instead of just a link to get users to click and go somewhere else—something they hate to do—the ad should actually let them do something right then and there without switching sites. Users should be able to browse products, customize orders, and eventually make a purchase. This concept of a little Web site embedded within another Web site is called a widget.

Widget ads are just the first step. Instead of simply trying to build brand awareness, marketers now have the ability to reach out to customers with useful features. An airline might offer a widget that lets users track their frequent-flier miles and search for award trips right from their iGoogle pages. A temp agency could provide a widget that would allow users to browse the latest job posting and even allow the user to establish contact. These types of applications can be useful, engaging, and viral—when you see one on your friend’s profile, you are likely to install it as well. Online advertisers have to adapt their approach to match consumer behavior, or risk irrelevance. They need to move beyond billboards and deliver useful, engaging applications people will want to use and share.

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