Commercial Widget Distribution Platforms

Clearspring - Springwidgets - Wildfire - Widgetbox - Widgetavenue - yourminis

There's a fast growing list of widget distribution platforms, and as I find myself talking to more and more corporates who want to know how to build and distribute, the functionality and differences between these platforms becomes more important. It's amazing how an entirely new category of business can arise in a short period of time, and even more amazing to watch different solutions evolve in relation to eachother. Obviously it's early days and most of the business models that these companies have are unproven to say the least. We're seeing a sort of arms race as companies who have started off in fairly different spaces start to congregate where they think the money (or commercial success is).  If you're looking to build and distribute a widget, take a look a these. This is a short list from a much longer set of ways to construct and distribute widgetized content. I have only included services that allow you to put what you want into the widget, not services that allow you to construct from a controlled or technology specific set of services. I'll cover those companies soon.

All the information here is more or less taken from public web sites with a bit added from conversations. If anything is wrong or missing, that's most likely because I can't find it on the website.

Free use - looks at what the product is in its basic 'free' version
Commercial version - what the commercial version of the product consists of, assuming there is one
Facebook - how does the widget handle Facebook
Metrics - what tracking data is available
Distribution - what destination sites are embedded in the platform

Clearspring
Clearspring are the original independent widget platform startup who have set the pace for widget delivery and tracking using their fairly unique model. This is the 'wrapping' model where your widget is wrapped by them on delivery. The Clearspring wrapper adds distribution and tracking services.



Free use
Widget can be made in Flash, JavaScript, HTML, or an image, then you "register" the widget by submitting its URL. The widget is pulled from the site and wrapped in the Clearspring wrapper, served from Clearspring back-end which then loads the widget in-turn

This wrapper:
          - tracks everything that happens with your widget (and you can view it all in the analytics console)
          - offers a user interface and back-end that allows users to grab your widget and share it across the web (social networks, start pages, etc.)
          - offers some advanced programming features to the widget itself
          - loads super-fast

Each Clearspring-enabled widget can be given a default homepage on the Clearspring site. This page allows visitors to grab any widget using any of the supported viral services, and to leave you comments and ratings.

You can use the platform to make API calls to interact with your widget, and to make your widget aware of it's surroundings.

Use the Clearspring console to publish your widget into the leading galleries.

Commercial version
Increased branding control, no Clearspring branding
Control over domains including configuration page
Greater flexibility over creation and customization
Multi-account management capabilities, multi account billing etc
Control distribution
Deeper analytics & reporting
Dedicated Client Services team

Facebook

Widget developers can use the Clearspring distribution platform to configure their widget for use on Facebook, and even set it up as a Facebook Application. End users can use the viral sharing services built into every widget to install it into their Facebook accounts.

Metrics

Clearspring claims huge investment in widget tracking and analytics, with detailed real-time analytics data to help you track distribution and determine optimal content placement.

Views

• number of views by the top sites that your widget is being viewed on (up to 20).

• A view is counted every time a user views the widget on any domain.

Unique Viewers

• number of unique viewers per day, sorted by the top 20 sites.Locations

Geographic

• number of widget locations per day, sorted by the top 20 sites.

Viral Hubs

• number of widgets that were created per day sorted by the top 20 sites.

Geographic

Computer Information

• number of views per day by Operating System, Browser Type, and Flash Version. 

Live Traffic

• number of Views & Unique Viewers per hour your widget has received over the past 48 hours.

Distribution

MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, Google, Windows Live, Windows Live Spaces, Netvibes, Pageflakes, Webwag, Blogger, Typepad, Freewebs, Xanga and Eons

Springwidgets

Springwidgets is a part of Fox Interactive Media who are part of the Murdoch empire who own MySpace, so they are theoretically close to developments in the social networking space. Widgets created within the SpringWidgets system work on the web, the desktop and in social networks like Myspace that restrict the use of Javascript. Springwidgets have taken a Software Development Kit (SDK) approach, where you download the SDK and create the widget on your desktop. The Springwidgets approach offers both desktop widgets and a configuration page and free widget hosting as integral parts of the offering.



Free use

Users have two options for working with SpringWidgets: First and most simply, through the "Express" process, where widgets can be created in a manner of minutes if you have an RSS, OPML,
or Podcast feed to create a blog widget or if you have just a logo or image, you can quickly create a countdown widget.

Widgets assembled using the SpringWidgets SDK are also free to distribute, The "Always Sunny in Philadelphia" widget shows off some of these API benefits well, with some features that only appear on the desktop, like a second, hidden embedded "Puppet" widget and a built in alerting system for desktop users. Any widget on the SpringWidgets "free use" platform is centrally served, which means two things, a centrally managed update system and free hosting for your widget files

Commercial version

SpringWidgets does have a commercial version of their platform, though details are not yet available on the website. Advanced customization, tracking options, strategic consultation and custom widget development are available. Don@fimlabs.com for information about commercial applications.

Facebook
Currently Springwidgets don't handle it as a platform. They will build out custom Facebook applications on a client by client basis and place their widgets in those apps.

Metrics
The word from SpringWidgets is that a comprehensive metrics announcement is going to happen within the month.

Distribution
MySpace, Blogger, iGoogle, hi5, Xanga, AIM, Bebo, Friendster, Live Spaces, Multiply, Piczo, Tagged

Yourminis

The yourminis platform focuses on development with a comprehensive set of APIs for development, syndication and measurement. They also have their own 'start page' for widgets to live on. We support not only web platforms (including facebook), but also desktop with vista and air support.

Free Use

The yourminis platform offers a comprehensive set of re-usable components and an advanced API framework to enable rapid development of widgets, ranging from simple badges to complex miniature applications. Once a widget is developed on the yourminis platform, it is hosted and syndicated through our global content caching network to deliver optimal performance. You can syndicate your widget by offering a simple end user “copy me” button on each widget for syndication to top social networks, start pages, blogging platforms and even the desktop. They also publish your widget to other top widget galleries to increase awareness, distribution and discovery.

They have created an extension to the Flash IDE for widget development. This extension simplifies widget development by plugging in intellisense to help with syntax, a panel which allows for one-click local testing and debugging and integrated help documentation for all methods, events, and properties.

The yourminis widget platform can run on the desktop as well as the web, supporting desktop widgets using adobe's air platform as well as natively in Windows Vista. Mac support is coming shortly.       

Facebook

The platform enables widgets to run as full facebook applications leveraging the Facebook APIs.  They also allow you to customize the widget inline as an application, save settings, share with your network, etc.

Commercial use

Widget development fees
Tiered pricing for widgets served
Deeper analytics & reporting
Feed management
1 year reporting data history
Dedicated services and support team

Metrics

yourminis' advanced set of widget management and reporting delivers real time stats on widget views, users, interactions, clicks, geocoding, and other advanced metrics to help you understand and measure your success.

- widget management console you are presented with a dashboard view. This view displays all of your widgets and a few quick widget stats including status, views, copies, date created and date modified.

- The summary view has a graph that shows views and trend for the widget by day for 30 / 60 / 120 days. You can select any of the days to get the stats for that day including views, top referrer, interactions, dicks, unique viewers and copies.

- The default views report displays a graph of all of the views for your widget, across a selected date range and across selected domains. You can also view additional views reports sorted by domain, country, remix, avg views and geocoding.

- The default copies report displays a graph of all of the copies of your widget, across a selected date range and across selected domains. You can also view additional copy reports sorted by domain, destination, source and country.

- The default interactions report displays a graph of all of the interaction for your widget, across a selected date range and across selected domains. An interaction is defined as an action inside of the widget, including a mouseover that a user performs.

- The default clicks report displays a graph of the number of clicks for your widget, across a selected date range and across selected domains. A click can be defined as any click action taken within the widget, whether or not that opens up an external link.

Distribution

MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, Freewebs, Piczo, Xanga, Netvibes, yourminis, iGoogle, Live.com, Pageflakes, Blogger, Typepad, Vista sidebar

Wildfire (Gigya)
Gigya's Wildfire product takes a different approach, offering a simple way to add viral distribution and tracking to your widgets by wrapping them in the Wildfire code.

Free use
Gigya provides widget creators with smart and simple tools to help distribute, track and monetize widgets. Their widget distribution platform enables simple posting and sharing of widgets across social networks and blogs. When integrated, anyone can grab and post widgets from your site to their profiles and blogs. Widget providers also get access to detailed reports including information on widget distribution and performance.   

Gigya's aim is quick and easy implementation, and with as little as one line of code, Gigya’s tool can be up and running. The tool is fully customizable to match the look and feel of any Web site.

Facebook
Can post your widgets directly into the users profile using the generic "My Stuff" Facebook application. This application takes advantage of the various social viral features on Facebook, allowing users to share your widget with their Facebook friends, etc.

Commercial use
Gigya do not offer a commercial version. However, the only stipulation they make is that the Gigya logo/link remains on the widget, the system is free to use for commercial purposes. This may or may not be acceptable to commercial clients.

Metrics

• Posts – number of times a widget was posted
• Wildfire loads – the number of times the Quick Posting interface was loaded.
• Posts / loads – the ratio between the Quick Posting interface loads and number of posts.
• Impressions in profile – the number of times your widgets were viewed on the pages they were posted on.
• Stickiness – the ratio between daily profile impressions and daily
• posts. Higher numbers suggest widgets stays longer on page.
• Posts by Social Network – The number of posts per social network for the entire chosen date rate

Distribution

MySpace, Friendster, Tagged, Blogger, hi5, Freewebs, Xanga, LiveJournal, BlackPlanet, MyYearBook, Piczo, Wordpress, Typead, Multiply, iGoogle, Netvibes, Pageflakes, Orkut

Widgetbox
Widgetbox is more of a widget aggregator, though they have built a good widget wrapping service that allows you to use your own widget within their service. Although they provide most of the tools that their competitors do, their service is still firmly based within their own gallery of widgets. This offers both opportunities and problems for commercial use of the platform.

 

Free use
Widgetbox allows an external website to configure a widget on behalf of a blogger and pass the configured widget on to Widgetbox for installation onto the user’s blog.

The developer registers the widget via Widgetbox’s widget registration wizard. The widget can be one of several types: flash, image, remote HTML or hosted HTML. The wizard allows the developer to build a configuration screen, which allows bloggers to personalize the widget for their site.

All widgets go into the Widgetbox gallery from where they can be configured and downloaded. Widgets are stored either on the developer's server or hosted at Widgetbox.

Commercial use
Widgetbox have a Certified Partners program (though this is currently free). Partners are

• rotated in as a featured widget on the front page,
• included on the partner page, and
• benefit from promotions

Facebook

Your widget must be registered as a Remote Flash widget (http://docs.widgetbox.com/developers/guide/flash/) as the Facebook App currently supports only Flash.  If you would like it to appear under a specific category in Facebook, your widget should be tagged that way.

They are working on a new version of the app that will make all of the widgets in our gallery available.

Metrics
Each widget has an analytics dashboard that tracks key metrics like # people who have subscribed to your widget, where your widget is being used, # page views, and which subscriptions are driving other people to get subscriptions themselves.

• Subscriptions - A “subscription” occurs when a blogger or web page owner personalizes a Widgetbox widget and gets it for their web page.
• Hits - A ‘hit’, or page view, occurs when a web surfer views a web page with the subscribed widget on it.
• Referrals - A ‘referral’ occurs when a web surfer viewing a web page containing your widget clicks the ‘Get Widget’ button underneath the widget. This takes them to the widget’s home page on Widgetbox. At this point they can themselves subscribe to the widget.
• Conversions - A ‘conversion’ occurs when a person who has been referred to a widget subscribes to that widget.

• Break down the data by specific subscriptions to a widget. See what internet domains those widget subscriptions are placed on.
• Break down the data by time period.   Hourly, daily, weekly and monthly increments.
• Charts a widget’s new subscriptions and active subscriptions over a time period.

Distribution
TypePad, Blogger,  Blogger post, MySpace, Facebook, Netvibes, Pageflakes, iGoogle, Freewebs, hi5, Piczo

Widgetavenue
Widgetavenue is the newcomer to the party, only launching this week in beta. However, they come to a party deliberatly and straight on, promoting themselves as a Widget Distribution Platform. Their product is built on an automated three step process. Filling out a form that points to your widget, wraps it in their own wrapper and provides some basic widget services with more promised in the near future.

Free use
Through their web based form, hoose a standard format such as basic HTML, Flash, Image Files, or Javascript. Make sure your content looks  nice in a small window, and is easy to use.
Use the  shaker. Just  fill a quick form, and create a cross-platform widget, that you can use on many different widget platforms including Desktop widgets.

Commercial use
No information about commercial use yet

Facebook

No information about Facebook yet

Metrics
You can even monitor the traffic of your widget using the analytics link inside the widget.

Distribution
iGoogle, Netvibes, Microsoft Live, Pageflakes, WebWag, Dashboard, Vista sidebar, MySpace, Facebook, Blogger, e-mail


Collating this information has been a lot harder than I expected it to be. I thought I knew most of this, but when I went to double check I found it very hard to track down a lot of detail. It's almost as if several of these companies don't really realise the need to compare products. They are all looking to compete in the same space, but no-one has even got as far as offering a comparative chart yet - standard marketing fare in most industries. It would be almost impossible for a casual user to choose one service over another - maybe that's a reason at this stage not to rock the boat.
I'm sure I've missed a few. I know about a lot more services that could be listed here - but I decided to keep it pure.

Comments

[Nikhil]

Very nicely collated comparisons. Just the thing I was looking for. A million thanks to the author.

Anyone know of research like this for desktop widgets?

[Jodi McDermott]

Ivan,

I was doing some research on our friends in the industry and ran across your post. Great comparisons of everyone. Clearspring has added several new reports to the analytics console since your post - interactions, clicks, clickthroughs, time spent and interaction time just to name a few. We also standardized all of our terms and definitions around those used by the Web Analytics Association (where applicable).

Looking forward to future posts.

Thanks, Jodi

[Menno Bieringa]

Good stuff, saved me from doing a lot of research.

[Jt.]

What about the Goowy / Yourminis widget platform?

http://yourminis.com/

[Joel]

One clarification on Clearspring. You're showing the "old" sharing menu. The "new" menu has more Destinations including:

MySpace, Facebook (Post and App), Friendster, Google, Windows Live, Windows Live Spaces, Netvibes, Pageflakes, Webwag, Blogger, Blogger Sidebar, Typepad, Typepad Sidebar, Freewebs, Xanga and Eons.

Also, when comparing platforms, it's important to note that Clearspring is significantly larger than the other platforms. We've served over 10 billion widgets.

Anyway, thanks for the writeup.

Joel

[lawrence]

Nice summary Ivan!