mashup* Widgets event

I Chaired this mashup* widgets event in London last night. The event was sold out with a great panel and audience. You can see a great slide show here.

mashup* Event - Widgets

We will look at one of the key emerging online trends: widgets and gadgets of content/functionality for social networks and other sites. Widgets offer huge potential as carriers of marketing, brand and advertising messages into social networks and other destinations. Successful widgets are viral in nature can distribute your content or marketing message across the Internet. This event will inform and inspire you, giving you a thorough understanding of the opportunities in the widgetsphere and how to leverage them.

One of the most interesting aspects was the questions from the floor, many sent in via SMS during the event. Apart from the obvious and repetitive (and somewhat desperate 'Where's the money?'), it was really the first time I'd seen some widget issues raised, such as widgets and SEO, issues around security, can widgets talk to eachother, are there any widgets standards bodies. A great evening all round, widgets are alive and well out there!

Comments

[DanC]

I was there, and really enjoyed the event.

I did think that it could have been better however, and the whole issue of monetisation should have been nailed earlier and more decisively.

As I see it some widgets will make money, some won't, largely depending on their goal. No one really asks whether the M&Ms website (for example) directly makes money because they know that it is there to allow people to investigate and interact with the brand, and the issues are similar for widgets. Some will make money, but mostly they are a way of distibuting content, and encoraging people to spend time with brands.

A previous Mashup on Social Networking was also plagued by 'where's the money coming from' comments, and in the light of this you and the other panellists should have been warned to expect it and address it very early on in your own presentations and opening remarks.

I really enjoyed the event, as I say, and would welcome any good examples of widgets that you can post.