Share Your Blog, Twitter Updates, or YouTube Videos with Widgetbox Blidgets

Pioneered by Widgetbox, Blidgets are widgets built from your feed-based content: a blog feed + a widget = a blidget!

Simply enter in your blog or feed-based address (URL) and your feed will automatically be converted into a Blidget you can share with others.

Examples of content feeds that can go into a Blidget include:

• Blogs
• Twitter updates or favorites
• Flickr photostreams
• YouTube videos
• And more!

As with all of our widgets, Blidgets can be placed just about anywhere: MySpace, Blogger, Facebook, TypePad, iGoogle or your favorite website.

To further customize your Blidget and take advantage of some just-released features, Go Pro.

The new features available to Pro subscribers include:

1. Feature Pro templates in-Blidget. Pro users can use template widgets to easily create customized content such as slideshows, polls, forms, or countdowns, and include that content as separate in-Blidget tabs.
2. Include different scrollbar designs or opt to hide the scrollbar. Choose from three distinct scrollbar designs—or opt not to display a scrollbar altogether.
3. Limit the number of posts or videos that appear. Pro users can decide how many posts they want to appear in their Blidget—as few as one post or as many as they'd like to share.

Get started making a Blidget »

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Our Popular Slideshow Widget is Better than Ever

Here at Widgetbox we’re always looking to improve our widgets to make them even more fun and useful for you. We recently made some cool improvements to our popular Slideshow widget that will make it even easier for you to share your images.

The Slideshow widget allows you to easily turn your content into a professional looking slideshow—simply upload images from your computer, and in just 5 minutes you’ll have a personalized slideshow to share with friends.

Make a slideshow to show off your new puppy, the office Halloween party, your last vacation, or just about any other slideshow you can think of.

Install your personalized slideshow on MySpace, Twitter, a blog, or any other web page of your choosing.

Pro account users get even more customization for their slideshows, including: 16 themes, multiple slideshow settings, and advanced stylings of fonts and colors. As with all Pro widgets, Pro users can also opt to remove the Get Widget button.

Not currently a Pro user? Try Widgetbox Pro for free with a 7-day trial and start adding Pro features to your widgets.

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YouTube Widgets: How to Make Your Own

The latest installment of Widgetbox's Screencast series: "How to make YouTube Widgets with Video" You can also access video tutorials on how to make other widgets with in-line video capabilities: YouTube, Vimeo and Hulu! ... And if you want to stay current on our latest screencasts and video-tutorials - grab the widget:

Learn more about the Blidget Pro and read other Tutorials

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Use Widget Tabs to Promote Multiple Websites, RSS Feeds

Have a presence on several websites? Have multiple RSS feeds that you'd like to merge into a single widget? Want to include your favorite blogs in one great widget? The Blidget Pro makes this easy by allowing the addition of tabs within a single widget.... yet another reason to Go Pro! Here's how:

Provide a Label and Select Add Tabs

In the second part ("Customize Blidget Content") of the Blidget Pro creator, you will notice two relevant elements: 1. Label Entering text here automatically adds a label for your widget's content - placing it directly above the widget's body. This label appears in a horizontal bar which will also house other tabs. When adding a label, be descriptive but short. In this case, I have used the label "New Posts". 2. Tabs Creator Click the "Tabs" link to open the creator. Then click "Add New Tab"!

Choose the Tab's Format

Four great options: 1. RSS Feed 2. YouTube Feed (with video play!) 3. Vimeo Feed (with video play too!) 4. Hulu Feed (also with video play!) For this example, let's use the RSS Feed as an example:

Customize the Tab & Add an RSS Feed

Three easy steps to get started: 1. Content / Source: input your feed's URL here 2. Tab Label: input the name of the tab and remember to keep it descriptive but short! 3. Layout: choose how the tab's content will appear - List, Slideshow or Bricks view

Tips & Tricks with Tabs

Tabs are a terrific way to add increased content, value and promotion to your widget. There are countless usages of tabs, but here is a great example of how bloggers and blog networks can use the tabs effectively. Gawker Media operates several popular blogs from Gawker to Gizmodo to Kotaku. By using tabs, we can create a single Gawker widget that highlights content from across Gawker's network of blogs. This is a powerful widget that can be displayed across Gawker's network to promote content from each of their blogs. And it's a terrific way for readers and fans to consume headlines from all the Gawker properties:

Learn more about the Blidget Pro and read other Tutorials

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In-Widget Videos from YouTube, Hulu & Vimeo

The new Blidget Pro now allows you to add videos from YouTube, Hulu and Vimeo directly inside your widget. Your widgets can now display the latest videos and, when clicked, load the video directly on your website... bringing a new level of interactivity to widgets: Adding video to your new Blidget Pro is simple and you can get started by either inputting the video feed directly into the Blidget creator OR by adding a new tab. The below walk-through is using the Tab Creator:

Add YouTube Videos

- Select your YouTube feed by inputting your favorite YouTube user-ID or search term - Give a label (such as 'My Videos') - Then select the Layout format (it looks particularly good in Brick view!)

Add Vimeo Videos

- Input your Vimeo User-ID and then choose whether to display your videos or favorite videos - Give a label (such as 'My Vimeo Videos') - Then select the Layout format (it looks particularly good in Brick view!)

Add Hulu Videos

- If you have a Hulu username, you can have the widget display your video history, activity feed or recommendations - Or, you can add a search term (ie "Simpsons") and the widget will display the corresponding videos - Give a label (such as 'Simpsons Episodes') - Then select the Layout format (it looks particularly good in Brick view!) Here are a few examples of Hulu widgets constructed using the Blidget Pro:

Learn more about the Blidget Pro and read other Tutorials

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