Widgetbox Knowledgebase » Getting Started http://docs.widgetbox.com Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:31:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 What are the Types of Widgets in Widgetbox? http://docs.widgetbox.com/using-widgets/about-widgets/what-are-the-types-of-widgets-in-widgetbox/ http://docs.widgetbox.com/using-widgets/about-widgets/what-are-the-types-of-widgets-in-widgetbox/#comments Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:13:14 +0000 George http://docs.widgetbox.com/?p=844 Template Widgets

Our Template widgets allow you to easily create a customized widget from your own content. With no coding knowledge necessary, you can create a widget in minutes. You customize which fields you’d like to include in your widget and personalize the text. You can also customize the look and feel of the widget by choosing different images, fonts, stylings, and colors.

Examples of Template widgets include:

  • Countdown widgets: Create a countdown to any event
  • Slideshow widgets: Upload photos and create a slideshow
  • Poll widgets: Choose a question and provide different answer choices to create a poll

Blidgets

Blidgets are specialized widgets that display your blog. Blidgets allow you to turn your feed-based content into a personalized widget that you can share with others. Simply enter in your blog or feed-based address (url) and the Blidget template will convert your content into a Blidget. You can further personalize your Blidget by customizing the look and feel with different fonts, stylings, and colors.

Examples of Blidgets include:

  • Blog: Turn your blog or feed into a widget
  • Twitter: Turn your Twitter updates or favorites into a widget
  • Flickr: Turn your Flickr photostream into a widget
  • YouTube: Turn your Youtube videos into a widget

Pro vs. Basic Modes

Our Template widgets and Blidgets have two different modes users can choose from—Basic and Pro. The Pro versions of these widgets come with enhanced features that aren’t available with the basic versions including:

  • Additional font and styling choices
  • Additional text fields
  • Multiple tabs of content for Blidgets
  • Uploaded headers and background images
  • Ability to hide the “Get Widget” button
  • No ads

The basic versions of our Template widgets and Blidgets are available to everyone. Pro versions of our Template widgets and Blidgets require a Pro subscription to create. If you are a Pro subscriber, you can choose to create Basic widgets or Pro widgets. Basic widgets will not require you to use any of your account’s Pro credits. Regardless of whether you create Basic or Pro widgets, Pro subscribers should not see any ads on any widgets created.

Developed Widgets

If you are a developer, or familiar with different coding languages and applications, you can develop your own widget from scratch without a template. Create your own widget from HTML, Flash, or JavaScript. You can also import widgets you have previously developed as Google gadgets. Developed widgets do not offer Basic or Pro modes, and can thus be created by anyone regardless of subscription level. However, Pro subscribers have access to these additional features when developing their own widgets:

  • Ability to hide the “Get Widget” button
  • No ads
  • Premium stats including geo-location data
  • Priority review on submittals to our gallery

Facebook Fan Page Apps

These widgets allow you to easily create customized apps for your Facebook Fan Pages with no coding knowledge necessary. Many of our Facebook Fan Page apps are similar to Pro template widgets and Blidgets, but the difference is you create these widgets specifically for your Facebook Fan Pages (Template widgets and Blidgets can only be installed to a personal profile on Facebook). Facebook Fan Page Apps are only available to Publisher Pro and Business Pro users.

Examples of Facebook Fan Page Apps include:

  • Blog: Instantly put your company’s blog on your Facebook Fan Page
  • Twitter: Easily add your Twitter updates to your Facebook Fan Page
  • Gallery: Spotlight articles about your company on your Facebook Fan Page
  • Poll: Add a poll to your Facebook Fan Page

Widgets in the Widgetbox Gallery

There are over 170,000 widgets in the Widgetbox gallery covering a wide range of topics and interests, including games, celebrity gossip blogs, news headlines, educational quizzes and many many more.

If you are a developer you can add widgets you’ve developed to our Widgetbox gallery to make them available for users to install. Simply submit your widgets for approval, and you’ll generally receive a decision within 2 business days.

If you are a user, you can install any of the widgets in our gallery to a personal website, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, or almost any other widget-friendly site. Browse by tag, topic, or featured lists to find fun and useful widgets to install.

]]> http://docs.widgetbox.com/using-widgets/about-widgets/what-are-the-types-of-widgets-in-widgetbox/feed/ 0 Why Use Widgetbox http://docs.widgetbox.com/developing-widgets/getting-started/why-use-widgetbox/ http://docs.widgetbox.com/developing-widgets/getting-started/why-use-widgetbox/#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 07:54:22 +0000 Team Widgetbox http://docs.widgetbox.com/?p=630
Great Tools.
We give you tools to create an HTML/JavaScript-based widget from scratch or from your existing widget-sized Web Page, Flash file or RSS feed. You can also import your Google Gadget. We’re here to give you the best tools for making and distributing widgets so you can focus on being creative.
Fast and easy distribution on the web and in the wild.
We make it dead simple for a user to get your widget. Each time your widget is installed on a site, we place a Get Widget button beneath it. Users click the Get Widget button to pick a site to install your widget to or use it to grab the HTML embed code.
The largest widget gallery on the web.
We give you a free listing in the Widgetbox gallery, the world’s largest widget gallery and a destination for millions of users looking for widgets!
The leading widget gallery provider to social networks, start pages and blog platforms.
Our Custom Gallery product lets social networks, start pages and blog platforms create widget galleries for their users. Widgetbox and our Custom Gallery partners can create the targeted connections your widget needs to succeed.
Get started right now!
Turn your blog into a widget you can share with others using our Blidget tool. Then, read the Widget Developers Guide to learn more!
]]> http://docs.widgetbox.com/developing-widgets/getting-started/why-use-widgetbox/feed/ 0 Widget Developer Guide http://docs.widgetbox.com/developing-widgets/getting-started/widget-developer-guide/ http://docs.widgetbox.com/developing-widgets/getting-started/widget-developer-guide/#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 07:44:07 +0000 Team Widgetbox http://docs.widgetbox.com/?p=626 Widgetbox makes it easy to make new widgets from scratch or from your existing remote widget, Flash file or RSS feed. You can also import your Google gadget.

Table of Contents

Making and Distributing Your Widget

Here are the key steps in making and distributing a widget.

Sign Up

Create a free Widgetbox account. You can use the same account to make widgets as well manage the widgets you’ve installed on your favorite site(s).

Make A New Widget

Access the Make A New Widget start page . Create a new HTML/JS widget from scratch or make a new widget using your existing content.

Initially your new widget will be a private, unlisted widget — meaning it can only be accessed via its unique Widget URL. Your widget can not be found by users when they search the Widgetbox gallery.
Test Your Widget

Your widget’s Widget Dashboard provides you a Test Widget link that allows you to view your widget as others will see it.

Install your widget to your favorite site. Ensure that it functions as you intended.

Send your widget’s Widget URL to your friends or colleagues so that they can try it out, too.
Submit to Gallery

When you’re sure your widget works, submit it to the Widgetbox gallery. This is done by completing a simple form that describes your widget.
Wait for Approval

We look at each widget to make sure it functions correctly and meets our widget publication criteria.

We generally approve widgets within a day, sometimes two. If there are problems, we will reject the submission and will identify the issues that need to be fixed.

Widget Metrics

From your widget dashboard, you can access metrics such as how many people have subscribed to your widget, how many times your widget has been viewed and the websites where it’s been installed.

Updating your Widget

You can continue to make changes to your widget after it is listed in the gallery.

You can preview your changes without affecting users who have already installed your widget. When you’re ready to broadcast changes to these existing copies of your widget, simply press the Publish Changes button we provide.

Types of Widgets

Widgetbox allows you to create a new HTML/JS widget from scratch or make a new widget using your existing content:

HTML/JS Widgets An HTML/JS widget includes HTML and/or JavaScript code you enter into the Widgetbox editor.

If you have an existing widget that generates a <script> tag that a user puts on a site, choose this option. Any per-user variables within your tag can be placed into a Widget Settings form containing fields where users can specify a value.

You can also build entirely new widgets using this facility.

More on HTML/JS widgets.
Remote and Flash Widgets  

These are widgets that you host yourself, “remote” from Widgetbox, such as a widget-sized web page or SWF file.

  • Flash widgets, such as those that use an <embed> tag.

    More on Flash Widgets.

  • Remote widget. If your remote widget makes use of query string parameters to dynamically change the content displayed, you can graphically create a Widget Settings form that allows users to specify these values.

    More on Remote widgets.
Blidgets (Blog / RSS Widgets)

A Blidget is a widget that displays your blog. Simply provide the URL to your Blog or RSS feed and Widgetbox will create a new widget that displays its content.

More on Blidgets.

Hello World Widget

When you make an HTML/JS widget, you can begin by using our “Hello World” example widget. This widget demonstrates how you can use Widget Settings in your Widget Code to create a user-customizable widget.

Comments built into Hello World’s Widget Settings and Widget Code will help you understand the interaction between these two panels. Here’s how to get started:

1. Access the Make a New Widget start page.
2. Click “HTML / JS”.
3. Accept the default options shown below.
Make a New Widget - Hello World
4. Click Continue

Good start! You’ve just made a widget named “My Widget”. It’s not shared in the Widgetbox gallery, so play around with it as much as you like!

Widget Settings

The most successful widgets allow users to customize the content displayed within them. Here are some common examples:

  • Text fields that ‘tune’ a news or search widget.
  • Drop down menus that adjust colors/fonts/other formatting options.

Widgetbox helps you to graphically create a user-facing configuration form, called Widget Settings, for your widget. When a user changes a Widget Setting, this information is passed to the widget. Widgetbox passes the information to each type of widget differently:

  • HTML/JS Widgets: Widgetbox embeds a Widget Setting at spot in your widget code as determined by simple replacement tags, as described in HTML/JS Widgets.
  • Flash Widgets: You have the option passing each Widget Setting via the URL, as a FlashVar, or a plugin value as described in Flash Configuration.

  • Remote Widgets: Widget Settings are passed as URL query string parameters. For example, if the Widget Settings form contains a setting called “myParam”, it it sent to the remote widget as domain.com/path?myParam=value

Links

The most common problem with widgets is in its links. Widgetbox renders each widget in an iframe and thus its links need to target _new or _blank or _top. One way to automatically do it for all links in the widget is described here.

What makes a good widget

  1. Form factor. The most common place to put a widget is in a blog sidebar. The default TypePad sidebar fits a widget that’s a maximum of 170 pixels wide. If you are targeting sidebars, we recommend your widget be able to be squeezed to that. The best is to give people a choice of form factors.
  2. Customization. Users love to be given choices in how to display the widget. Give lots of options as far as the size, colors, fonts, placement of logos and content within the widget. If your widget displays a list of items, give the user a choice of how many items to display.
]]> http://docs.widgetbox.com/developing-widgets/getting-started/widget-developer-guide/feed/ 0 What’s a Widget? http://docs.widgetbox.com/using-widgets/about-widgets/whats-a-widget/ http://docs.widgetbox.com/using-widgets/about-widgets/whats-a-widget/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:00:23 +0000 Team Widgetbox http://docs.widgetbox.com/?p=545 Yeah we get that question a lot. Widgets are simple, fun, and useful applications that can be embedded on a webpage, blog, or social media page.

Chances are you’ve already seen widgets, and recognize them, even if you don’t know them by name. Ever seen a quiz or a game on a friend’s Facebook wall? A countdown to an event on a co-worker’s blog? A YouTube playlist on your wife’s MySpace page? Then chances are you’ve seen a widget before.

Widgets are great because they allow you to easily create customized content with no coding knowledge necessary. If you can type text and choose colors or images, you can make a personalized widget in less than five minutes. Seriously. You can also look through the thousands of developed widgets in our gallery to find fun and useful widgets to install. Browse by tag, topic, or featured lists. Read more about the types of widgets in Widgetbox.

Simple to Build, Simple to Manage

We make it easy to manage and track the widgets you’ve created and/or installed. Simply register for an account and you can edit and save widgets you’ve created, instantly see the widgets you’ve installed, and view stats for any widget you’ve developed.

Multiple Sites Across the Web

Widgetbox widgets can be installed almost anywhere on the web. Install widgets on Facebook pages, Twitter, Blogger, iGoogle, or pretty much any other widget-friendly site. Installation is simple and our installation menu provides a list of many popular sites. Simply click on the site where you’d like the widget to appear and with one click it will be installed.

For developers, our wide selection of installation sites means that for any widget you create, you only need to write the code once, and it can be placed anywhere on the web.

But I’m a Brand or a Business. How Can Widgets Help Me?

Whether you’re a blogger who wants more people to visit your blog, a web developer who wants to easily syndicate your content, or a Fortune 500 company looking to raise brand awareness and increase revenues, Widgetbox widgets can help you achieve your objectives.

Widgetbox serves millions of widgets per day and helps widget owners reach tens of millions of people per month. Widgets help you reach new users, drive traffic back to your site, increase search engine optimization, and extend the reach of your content and services on sites all across the web.

Learn about additional business opportunities on Widgetbox ›

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