Think Customers: The 1to1 Blog

Right now the Web 2.0 term "widget" defines a vast array of information placeholders. Anyone with a Facebook profile, iGoogle homepage, or desktop application aggregator uses widgets, and many probably don't even realize it. Until recently widgets were used mostly for live weather forecasts and newsfeeds, but a number of companies have developed business uses for the social media gadgets. Today's Marketing Xfactor lead story shows how companies are using widgets for promotion, syndication, and advertising; reaching customers offline and providing better information when they're online. With their use in Apple's iPod and Leopard operating system, and widespread use in social networking and blogs, widgets are the next social media tool businesses will need to embrace. Have you used widgets before (with or without knowing it), or are you just now learning what they are?