Ah, the widget. Beloved gadget, little module, info snippet, capsule of content or frivolous fun brought right to me. The widget is nothing new, but it’s been hyped a lot lately as marketers salivate over the advertising potential.

A long-time user of widgets, mostly for aggregating syndicated content, I was recently annoyed when I noticed a change in my iGoogle desktop. My only eye-candy widget, a picture of the day, was no longer visible, pushed off screen by a Google ad, newly inserted above the day’s image. Instantly engaged by the compelling advertisement, I delayed conquering my overflowing E-mail inbox and immediately clicked through to the advertiser's web site. Or so those wide-eyed over widgets want to believe.  

The Widget Marketing Association will tell you it is a dream. Forget the banner ad, ignored in the clutter. Recently, Google and Yahoo have both recently reported dropoffs in click-throughs. Marketers, you need a widget. Create something cool and your gadget (and your attached advertising message) will have viral appeal, passed on for free, reaching millions!

Sounds great. But that’s a scenario more likely in social networks like Facebook where users are looking to enhance their personal web sites, share experiences, and are open to engagement. What if you’re a b-to-b marketer and your audience is looking for information, not entertainment? Is a widget right for you?

Maybe. If you can make it valuable to your audience and logically tie it to your product. A business-to-business marketer can create a fun game that gets passed on just like the creations targeting consumers. But there’s a difference between getting someone’s attention and getting them to listen to what you have to offer. And remember you. So consider creating widgets that are functional, not just fun.

As long as the widget continues to deliver something of use to me, whether it’s fun or functional, it’s worth using. And for now, my picture of the day widget is still on my desktop. Because below that Google Ad it still delivers beautiful nature shots like no one else does.