The Insider’s Twittering Live From the Field page showcases the Twitter widget, powered by Widgetbox. The widget, included below, includes a custom header and footer, two tabs, and dynamic Twitter updates.

The widget is a wonderful example of what a user can build with a Widgetbox Pro account. Go Pro and get started!

The first step is connecting your Widgetbox account with Facebook (read why and how).

Once your Widgetbox account is connected with Facebook, sharing and promoting is simple and effective. There are two primary options:

Share Through the Get Widget Menu

Whether you created the widget or you just grabbed and embedded it, sharing the widget on Facebook is a powerful way to tell friends (either about the widget itself or where you have placed it!). Once you grab the code via the Get Widget menu, you will now see a link to “Share on Facebook”:

By clicking the Share button, you will be prompted with a Facebook Connect window that includes the widget name, description, logo and link. Before publishing, you will also be allowed to write an additional caption for your Facebook Feed. You can choose not to write additional content and simply press Publish – or, you can also choose to write something additional and it will be included in your Facebook post (but not on Widgetbox):

When published, it will appear in your Facebook feed and be available to your friends (and their friends!)… opening it to thousands of additional viewers and subscribers.

Use Facebook Share

Another method of posting on Facebook is to use the the new “Share on Facebook” button that is now available on every widget details page (directly beneath the widget). Using the Share button does not require users to use Facebook Connect.

Once clicked, you will receive a Facebook window allows you to either ‘Post to Profile’ (in other words the Facebook Feed) or ‘Send a Message’ directly to your Facebook friends (via Facebook mail). In either option, you will be able to include an additional message or publish directly:

If you have chosen to share via the feed it will look similar to the below:
- my message
- the widget icon / logo
- the widget name and details
- the ability for friends to comment, like and share

Excitingly, if the widget is flash-compatible, you will notice a blue play button. When clicked, the widget that expands ands plays directly in the Facebook feed!

Once you have either registered through Facebook Connect or linked your Widgetbox account, there are two powerful ways to share your activity with your Facebook ‘Social Graph’:

1. Share & Promote Your Widget (read here)
2. Share Your Comments and Ratings (see below)

Once you are logged in and connected with Facebook, you will see your Facebook Profile Picture beside Widgetbox’s comment box. This represents that you are actively connected with Facebook:

Once you write a review of the widget (provide a rating and a review), you will be prompted with a Facebook Connect window that:

- shows your rating (’Ryan just rated Gamefly Top 10 New Releases 5 of 5 stars…’)
- shows your review (’Fuel is the #1 game across PS3 and Xbox 360…’)
- shows the Widget’s graphic / logo
- allows you to write an additional caption for your Facebook Feed

You can choose not to write additional content and simply press Publish. This will post your review to your Facebook feed and allow your friends to access the review and visit the widget. You can also choose to write something additional and it will be included in your Facebook post (but not on Widgetbox).

This is powerful, social way to share your feedback, suggest widgets to friends and drive more awareness for your content (whether the review, widget, etc)!

If you are interested in creating similar integrations with your user-base, please contact us directly (shawn @ widgetbox.com)!

The latest Blidget Pro enhancement is a very big one:

You can now turn your Blidget Pro into Facebook Applications!

That’s right: your Blidget Pro is now fully Facebook compatible. It runs on the profile page, has its own ‘canvas page’, is sharable, and hits the Facebook newsfeed…. meaning your Blidget Pro is ready to be viral and shared across your network of friends and colleagues. The best part: it’s another feature included in the Blidget Pro package.

Below are a few screenshots demonstrating how simple it is to turn your widget into a Facebook App. To get started, simply:

- Go to “My Widgetbox”
- Pick which Blidget Pro you want and go the “Mange My Widget” page
- Then click the “Make a Facebook App” button:

Customize Your App

Walk through the step-by-step flow… it’s just a few simple steps. You’ll be able to customize the look of version that appears directly on the Facebook Profile:

Facebook App: On The Profile

You will have two versions of the Facebook App: one for your profile page (think of it like a mini-app) and the full version on the canvas page:

Facebook App: Full Canvas Page

Learn more about the Blidget Pro and read other Tutorials

]]> http://blog.widgetbox.com/2009/03/turn-your-widgets-into-facebook-apps-with-blidget-pro/feed/ 21 http://blog.widgetbox.com/2009/03/new-on-widgetbox-facebook-tabs-more/ http://blog.widgetbox.com/2009/03/new-on-widgetbox-facebook-tabs-more/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:05:05 +0000 Jillian Jones http://blog.widgetbox.com/?p=1134 Each week, Widgetbox rolls out enhancements and new features. This week, we have four important announcements:

1. Blidget Pros Go Facebook
A full post is coming… but the big news is that Blidget Pros are now Facebook compatible: on the profile, on the ‘canvas page’, via the news feed and more!

2. Reordering of Blidget Pro Tabs
One of the great features of Blidget Pro is the inclusion of tabs and custom tabs. Now, you can rearrange the ordering of the tabs with our simple UI (up and down arrows!). Now editing and updating your widgets is simple!

3. New About Us Section
Go ‘Inside the Box’ and learn more about Widgetbox, best practices, the team, etc

4. New Try Blidget Pro Section
Before you ‘Go Pro’, gain access to features, examples, screencasts and more

Don’t miss an update – subscribe to What’s New on Widgetbox via widget, RSS or email:

1. The New on Widgetbox Widget

2. The New on Widgetbox RSS Feed

Subscribe via RSS

3. Subscribe by Email!

The Blidget Pro keeps getting better!

Last week we introduced two new features for Blidget Pros:
1. Geographic & in-widget click tracking
2. Add/remove the Get Widget button

Today, we are excited to announce our most exciting new feature yet:

Custom Blidget Pro Tabs

The custom tab enables you to add content to your widget that is not feed-based – meaning, you can add custom, formatted text, links and pictures directly inside your widget! With the custom tab, you are able to:

- Add text and images
- Format that content: font size, color, alignment, etc
- Create hyperlinks to promote your content and sites
- Change the content on an ongoing basis… and have it automatically refresh across the web

Looking for ideas on how to use the new custom tab? Here are some ideas:

- Bloggers: In addition to your blog and Twitter tabs, add a custom tab that describes your blog and links to it
- Small Businesses: Add a custom tab that describes your business and prominently provides contact information (email, phone, URL, etc)
- Brands: Use the custom tab to further your brand awareness. Add a logo and links to more information.
- Realtors: Create a custom tab that describes your services and encourages viewers to schedule appointments

If you already have a Blidget Pro, simply login to edit it and press the “Add a Tab” button. There is a new “Custom Tab” option within that menu.

Learn more about the Blidget Pro and read other Tutorials

]]> http://blog.widgetbox.com/2009/03/introducing-custom-tabs-for-blidget-pros/feed/ 4 http://blog.widgetbox.com/2009/03/whats-new-on-widgetbox-stay-current/ http://blog.widgetbox.com/2009/03/whats-new-on-widgetbox-stay-current/#comments Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:18:57 +0000 Jillian Jones http://blog.widgetbox.com/?p=1110 We keep rolling out new features on Widgetbox… in fact, we do it every week!

Are you struggling to keep up with all ofthe new tools and improvements available from Widgetbox?

Here are three great ways to stay current with Widgetbox and make sure your widgets are leveraging our newest, most powerful features. All three options will update with each new Widgetbox announcement. So pick one (or all three!) and be sure not to miss the next exciting announcement:

1. The New on Widgetbox Widget

2. The New on Widgetbox RSS Feed

Subscribe via RSS

3. Subscribe by Email!

Over the last couple weeks, we’ve added several features to the Blidget Pro…. In fact, yesterday we announced the ability to add / remove the Get Widget button on Blidget Pros.

Today, we are excited to announce upgraded analytics for Blidget Pros. Now, you get access to premium reports and mapping for your Blidget Pro including:

- Views by Country
- Uniques by Country
- Clicks
- Clicks by Domain
- Clicks by Target URL
- Clicks by Country

Learn more about the Blidget Pro and read other Tutorials

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