Comments on: Portland widget startups on the cusp of something big http://siliconflorist.com/2008/03/21/portland-widget-startups-on-the-cusp-of-something-big/ Rose City + Silicon Forest Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:17:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Mike Berkley http://siliconflorist.com/2008/03/21/portland-widget-startups-on-the-cusp-of-something-big/#comment-2393 Mike Berkley Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:18:45 +0000 http://siliconflorist.com/2008/03/21/portland-widget-startups-on-the-cusp-of-something-big/#comment-2393 Great post, Rick! You really nailed it. Scott, regarding monetization of widgets... As "social advertisements" (marketing context), widgets are by-definition monetizable, as you point out. However, there are also compelling e-commerce and 3rd party advertising opportunities for monetization. In this sense, a widget is not very different than a concentional web site (a distributable web site, that is). Great post, Rick! You really nailed it.

Scott, regarding monetization of widgets… As “social advertisements” (marketing context), widgets are by-definition monetizable, as you point out. However, there are also compelling e-commerce and 3rd party advertising opportunities for monetization. In this sense, a widget is not very different than a concentional web site (a distributable web site, that is).

]]> By: mediaChick (Michelle Anderson) http://siliconflorist.com/2008/03/21/portland-widget-startups-on-the-cusp-of-something-big/#comment-2381 mediaChick (Michelle Anderson) Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:20:26 +0000 http://siliconflorist.com/2008/03/21/portland-widget-startups-on-the-cusp-of-something-big/#comment-2381 "Distributed Marketing Applications" huh? Certainly a more impressive name for powerful widget technology. So, should we nickname them DMAs? Marketing Apps? Ooo ... MApps! Or how about The Apps Formerly Known as Widgets? =) “Distributed Marketing Applications” huh? Certainly a more impressive name for powerful widget technology. So, should we nickname them DMAs? Marketing Apps? Ooo … MApps! Or how about The Apps Formerly Known as Widgets?

=)

]]> By: Scott Andreas http://siliconflorist.com/2008/03/21/portland-widget-startups-on-the-cusp-of-something-big/#comment-2374 Scott Andreas Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:43:24 +0000 http://siliconflorist.com/2008/03/21/portland-widget-startups-on-the-cusp-of-something-big/#comment-2374 I agree that widgets are a great way to offer persistent, positive opportunities for brand interaction. Nike+ is another great example of this; it's on my Dashboard, in my shoe, and in my nano - and I love it. But I don't see much of a future for monetizing independent widgets outside of a marketing context. They're really cool and easy to create, but it'd be tough to get people to pony up. RIAs? Maybe. Mobile? Yep. But widgets? Not by themselves. I agree that widgets are a great way to offer persistent, positive opportunities for brand interaction. Nike+ is another great example of this; it’s on my Dashboard, in my shoe, and in my nano - and I love it.

But I don’t see much of a future for monetizing independent widgets outside of a marketing context. They’re really cool and easy to create, but it’d be tough to get people to pony up.

RIAs? Maybe. Mobile? Yep. But widgets? Not by themselves.

]]>