Widget Ad Networks: Making Money from Widgets

I predict that 2009 will be the year widget ad networks become a reality. Companies like Clearspring, Widgetbox, Gigya, SpringWidgets, and iWidgets have provided free widget distribution and/or development platforms for a number of years. Expect that to change in the future.  Widget platform providers are externally and internally experimenting with mechanisms to monitize their previously "free" services (ClearSpring announced their widget ad network in Dec 2007, Gigya announced theirs in January). The monitization trend makes senses, Web 2.0 companies have to figure out how to generate revenue, and with where the economy and financial markets are today, there is not better time to start than now.

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Expect to see the following types of ecommerce models being applied to widget distribution.

  • Recommended and sponsored widgets channels
  • In-Widget advertising
  • Mini ad banners within widget sharing menus
  • Trial and premium widgets
  • Premium widget delivery and tracking
  • Paid widget distribution