The Power and Potential of WidgetBox
Jul 25, 2007 Blogging, Personal, Technology
You may remember I’ve written before about the success of my Gummy blidget on Widgetbox. I thought I’d write a little more about how it’s helped us with the comic and how Widgetbox can potentially help you as well.
First a little background about the Gummy web comic. Before creating a blidget on Widgetbox our RSS readership was usually hovering somewhere around 40-45. Since creating the blidget the RSS subscriptions gradually increased and now the average number as of late has been around 85-100 readers. That’s of course just RSS readers. We’ve also seen an increase in traffic overall to the site as well. Can I say that all of the increases are because of the blidget? No, probably not, but I think it has certainly helped quite a bit.
The Gummy blidget is still currently the top rated blidget on Widgetbox out of over 14,000+ blidgets and will likely top 500 subscriptions by the end of the day today. Considering that the blidget links back to the Gummy web comic, I would say that’s a pretty significant potential for traffic and new readers.
So how will all of this help you? Simple. If you operate a blog that you believe fits nicely into a niche and is something others are interested in, it only makes sense to create a blidget of your blog. Each time someone subscribes to that blidget that’s more potential for traffic and readers. What if 10 people subscribe to your blidget and each of those people has even a small readership of say 50 people per day? That’s potentially 500 new readers for you.
What’s great about the blidgets is once you start to pick up a steady stream of subscribers you’ll start to get a pretty good idea of just what kind of people you’re reaching. Maybe you’ll find you’ve nailed the demographic you’re looking for and maybe you’ll find that your blog appeals to people you wouldn’t have expected. In the case of the Gummy blidget I’ve found that there are an overwhelming number of kids that are subscribing and placing the blidgets on their myspace and piczo sites. Perfect. That’s exactly the audience we want to reach.
What I haven’t even mentioned yet is perhaps the best thing about blidgets. Once you have yours all set up the way you want it, it’s pretty much low/no maintenance. Just remember to stop by every now and then and check out your stats!
Popularity: 3% [?]
Looks like you've never been here before! Today is your lucky day. For just the price of a simple mouse click, you can subscribe to this blog's RSS feed!
November 30th, 1999 at 12:00 am
[IMG External link]
November 30th, 1999 at 12:00 am
A piece we should all read. Thank you Amber:) Wolfgang’s Post I’m from confidential committee on moral abuses A meaningful post from one of the web’s finest writers. Your AGP Comfy Quilt from Jeanchia Jean being awesome once again! Mike’s Power and Potential of Widgetbox Mike describes a great way to reach more people. Touched By Low Flying Angels A very nice piece that I just loved. My 2 little rascals … from Janice A very sweet post from a very sweet lady.
July 25th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
I don’t know - do you think I am ready for blidgethood?
July 25th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
I don’t see why not..hehe. You write great content :)
July 25th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Blidgets sound great! It’s just that I have a lot of things going on on my sidebar already! I’ll get a blidget if I find a way to blend it in a little bit. :D Thanks for sharing the fact though! :)
July 25th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Well that’s the thing. You don’t necessarily have to put your own blidget on your site if you don’t want to :)
July 25th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
I guess it can’t hurt me to have a blidget…? :) Though I don’t think that my blidget will hold the same appeal as a couple cute aliens do.
July 25th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Well you’d just have to find a way to give it a little cute appeal :P
July 26th, 2007 at 12:28 am
Puppies are cute. Especially if you combine puppies with kittens. That would be cutest. Unless it was big dog wearing puppy as a hat. :)
July 26th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
I’m pretty much a sucker for anything involving kittens, so if you include them in your widget I’ll probably subscribe to it :P
July 28th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
[...] The Power and Potential of WidgetBox [...]
July 29th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
Wow, I had no idea how useful it is. I am still in the process of defining exactly what my niche is, but I am getting closer!
July 30th, 2007 at 12:25 am
[...] Mike’s Power and Potential of Widgetbox Mike describes a great way to reach more people. [...]
July 30th, 2007 at 7:40 am
Hey, Bobby! I think it’s definitely very useful. I suppose sites without a niche could benefit from it as well, however my thought process on having a niche though is because I’m guessing when people look for blidgets to subscribe to, they’re going to look for a topic that interests them.
The Gummy blidget is on pace to blow past 1000 subscriptions by the end of this week. It’s now up to 635. Amazing.