Today, we introduced the Widgetbox blidget. A blidget turns any blog into a widget. And, we don’t just mean an RSS feed widget. Now you can easily create a customized blidget to include any elements from your blog such as photos, post links, images, audio clips and other digital content. We created blidgets to expand on the functionality of RSS feeds and enable you to leverage the richness of your content. Because a blidget can include any of your blog’s digital assets, it more accurately reflects you and your blog — something an RSS feed with lines of text in a fancy skin isn’t bound to do.
It takes but a few simple steps to create and install a blidget. The Widgetbox Blidget Maker – found through the “Make A Blidget” badge here – automatically presents you with which RSS feeds, images and digital assets are available to include in the blidget just by entering your blog’s URL. You can customize the look and feel of your blidget by selecting your layout, theme, and headline style. Our one-click integration feature easily installs the blidget with a “Get Widget” button onto your blog and simultaneously into the Widgetbox gallery. Then, without knowing anything about RSS technology, your readers can take this blidget and install it on their own blogs, social networks and web pages.
To see examples of blidgets, take a look at Om Malik’s GigaOm blidget. It’s our top featured widget today. And, you can see our very own blidget on our front door right panel.
Blidgets make it easy to share blogs. And, blidgets make it easy to express personality. Combined, we expect this to ignite viral blog networks. When people embed their favorite blidgets on their blogs and social network pages, they’ve added an expression of their interests that is readily available for their network of friends and readers to take and share. Blidgets will create a new level of connectivity.
We expect to see some creative uses of this new feature. In fact, it would not surprise us if blidgets evolved to platform-less social networks. They have the properties to become social networks in their own right – personal expression, rich interactivity, easy integration and viral adoption – to name a few.
As a footnote, like all our registered widgets, blidgets come with our free Widgetbox Syndication Metrics. You will see a wealth of information about the use and adoption of your blidget as it spreads across the web.
