Social Media Marketing and Optimization

#2. Widgetbox

Type: Cross Functional App/Widget Creator
Good for: People that want to make multiple platform widgets and more than a Blog Application
Cost: Free (with advertisements)
Pros: Easy to use, great directions, it creates a true Facebook app,  you can create more than one type of application, works with OpenSocial
Cons: Widgets contain advertisements, end result not as clean as others

Website: http://www.widgetbox.com

WidgetBox is a little different and a little broader.  It’s totally free, and you can create a cross functional widget. You set up the widget first, then you choose which platform you want to distribute it to. For example, we’re going to set up a FaceBook app using my RSS feed, but you can also use your flash content, html content or webpage.  You can even make a Vista Gadget (would be awesome if you could make your own Mac Widgets, but sadly you can’t ☹):

In the first step you choose the location of your RSS feed , your colors, your pictures, your header style and whether or not you want your widget listed publicly in their database:

After that you submit your “blidget” to their server. From there you can start creating a Facebook App.

From there it will walk you through the Facebook developer application, similar to Blogfuse (Part 1 of this blog).

The directions are much more straight foward than Blogfuse. It’s also cleaner, easier to follow, does more and is also totally free. The only downside to the widget is that it ads advertisements and is not as clean as others.
Note:
WidgetBox App:

VS. BlogFuse App:

I’m not as impressed with the end result as I have been with others, but it’s free and the directions are great for a beginner.  I would have also liked to see a premium option so that I could remove the advertisements from my FaceBook app.
Bottom Line: Absolutely great tool, and goes far beyond just creating a Facebook App. It also has a host of other things for your widget including promoting your widget and encouraging others to install it also. The biggest downside is the advertisement. The end result is not as clean and it doesn’t look as professional.  However, I would still highly recommend Widgetbox to a beginner, since the directions are very easy to follow.

Tomorrow: Appinabox.com