The article (read it here) covers three integration uses cases live on Widgetbox today:

1. Logging into Widgetbox using your Facebook account
2. Publishing widgets, ratings, and comments to your wall and news feed
3. Support for using Flash widgets in-line in the news feed

The article is an excellent summary of our recent Facebook Connect features and we look forward to rolling out more value in the weeks ahead.

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!

- Simple Widgetbox registration and/or user login
- Ability to effectively share your widgets and Widgetbox activity across your Facebook ‘Social Graph’
- Tools specifically intended to make widgets more viral and easier to distribute
- Improved on-Facebook widget integration and messaging
… And we are just getting started!

Below is a quick guide to registering through Facebook Connect and – if you already have a Widgetbox account – linking your account. You’ll realize it’s very easy! Please also read the posts on:

- Sharing / Promoting your Widgets with Facebook Connect

- Commenting and Rating with Facebook Connect

Registering Through Facebook Connect – Or Linking Your Current Widgetbox Account

There are two ways to utilize Facebook Connect for registration / login… and both are very easy.

First, new users are now able to register on Widgetbox either through their Facebook Connect login or directly through Widgetbox by providing an email address, username and password. Both work fine – but if you are an active Facebook user, you will realize that registering through Facebook Connect is simple. To get started, either click the “Join Now” link in the Widgetbox header or press the large “Connect with Facebook” graphic on the right side of the homepage. When you get to the following screen, just press the Facebook Connect button to get started:

If you are currently a Widgetbox user, you can now link your Facebook account via Facebook Connect. To do so, you can either use the same flow above (but instead of clicking “Join Now” simply click “Login” and the initiate Facebook Connect). Or, you can go to the My Account page (linked in the header) and then add your Facebook credentials.

A couple notes regarding Widgetbox and Facebook Connect:

- Connecting your Widgetbox account with Facebook Connect is important as it is a necessary action in using the other Facebook Connect tools / integrations on Widgetbox.

- It is secure and safe as the connection is authenticated through Facebook. For instance, if you logout of Facebook, your Widgetbox session would be ‘disconnected’ and you would need to re-login

- You will notice that, when your account is linked, you will see your Facebook profile photo on your Widgetbox account page. That’s one way you will know it worked!

- You can always disconnect your account through the My Account page. And you can always reconnect it as well.

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)!