| Widgets are giving webmasters a simple way to | | | | independent website owner in both directions. The |
| generate revenue from the dead space on their web | | | | space on their website is not worth much and driving |
| pages. By adding a small piece of code on each page | | | | traffic there is expensive. |
| the webmaster not only brings relevant targeted ads | | | | Traffic is King |
| to site visitors but also generate revenue or additional | | | | For the webmaster there is nothing more valuable than |
| traffic depending on the network providing the widget. | | | | traffic. Whether you are selling chicken cooking |
| The technology is simple and the options are growing | | | | machines or trying to get your poetry noticed you |
| every day. | | | | need traffic to be successful. Technology has made |
| Power in Simplicity | | | | putting together a website pretty simple. However, |
| One of the reasons widgets have become so popular | | | | driving consistent traffic to a website is much more |
| is because of their simplicity. Ron Popeil, one of the | | | | complicated. Pay-per-click companies like Google, |
| greatest television pitch men of all time, sold millions of | | | | Yahoo, and others use an auction system for |
| chicken rotisserie machines on late night TV with five | | | | keywords because companies with deep pockets are |
| simple words, Set-It-And-Forget-It! Widgets work on | | | | willing to pay top dollar for traffic. Again, this system |
| the exact same principle. The webmaster puts a little | | | | does not favor the small webmaster trying to promote |
| snippet of code on the web page and the ads, games, | | | | his or her website. |
| pictures, or music is piped to the computer screen. It | | | | The Entrepreneurs Step In |
| literally opens a little window into the web page that | | | | The key to successful entrepreneurship is identifying |
| someone from the outside can control. The | | | | and filling needs, often with very simple solutions. The |
| webmaster drops in the widget and the content is | | | | answer to the small webmasters dilemma was not |
| rotated in. | | | | only simple but had been around since medieval times. |
| How much is that Doggy in the Window? | | | | Cut the robber baron out of the middle and form a |
| Have you ever wondered how the bundle of ads on | | | | cooperative system where participants can support |
| the right side of your screen is always of at least | | | | each other in realizing their goal, in this case, driving |
| general interest to you? When you are using Google it | | | | traffic to their websites. Several new firms are now |
| puts ads there that are related to your most recent | | | | doing just that by setting up cooperative type systems |
| search. That makes sense because the mad scientists | | | | that serve the small webmaster and blog owner. |
| at Google control which ads are sent and know the | | | | Building a Widget |
| search words you just used. Because Google knows | | | | Although there are some subtle differences between |
| who is looking into that little window on the web page | | | | the firms that offer this type of system most include |
| they know exactly what kind of puppy to put behind it | | | | the following steps. |
| to get you to buy. It is the ultimate in targeted | | | | * Join the network (generally both free and pay |
| marketing. | | | | options are available) |
| Monetizing the Window | | | | * Identify the ad categories they think would be most |
| Advertisers are all about getting their products in front | | | | successful on their site |
| of people who will buy them, and if website visitors | | | | * Choose a style and size of widget or ad block that |
| meet that criteria they have real value. Google is willing | | | | best fits their site |
| to pay the webmaster a penny or two every time an | | | | * Create text ads that will go in widgets on other sites |
| ad in the window is clicked. It is called monetizing your | | | | * Put the simple code generated by the system on |
| web traffic. That is the good news. The bad news is | | | | their web pages |
| that unless you have about a gazillion visitors to your | | | | How the Systems Work Just like Google AdWords |
| website you are never going to make much money. | | | | these systems send targeted ads into the widgets but |
| Not only that, but if the webmaster wants to use | | | | there is no pay-per-click system. Instead, every time a |
| Google Ads to drive traffic to his or her website the | | | | widget is viewed on the webmasters site a credit is |
| cost for each visitor can be very high. | | | | earned to have one of the webmaster's ads shown |
| Real World Examples | | | | on another site in the network. This is a |
| If a person has a website that sells e-books they can | | | | self-perpetuating system because views generate |
| sign up with Google to place small ads for them on | | | | credits which generate traffic which generates more |
| relevant websites. When someone clicks on one of | | | | views, more credits, and on and on. In addition, most |
| those ad they are directed to the e-book website and | | | | systems have links on their widgets so webmasters |
| a click fee is deducted from the webmasters account. | | | | receive recognition for referring other members to the |
| At the time of this writing the keyword e-book | | | | network which is rewarded with even more |
| marketing had a cost-per-click from Google of $3.06. If | | | | advertising credits. Through what is called The Multiplier |
| the keyword used was debt consolidation the cost | | | | Effect, the focus on traffic will ultimately be of much |
| would be $20.59 per click. Even something as obscure | | | | greater value to the small webmaster than selling the |
| as wicker baskets carries a cost-per-click of $1.55. In | | | | space on their web pages. |
| these cases the odds seem to be stacked against the | | | | |