Widgets: To Add or Not to Add?
Widgets, today's hottest trend, can allow you to add some really cool functionality to your blog with very little effort. There are thousands of widgets out there, most of which can be seen in either the blog sidebar or found within or just beneath a post.
When it comes to adding widgets to your blog, make sure you ask yourself a few questions first:
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What value does this widget truly add?
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Will this widget really lead to the desired goal (more traffic, community involvement, brand awareness...)?
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And, the second part to the above question (I think the most important) do you have a way to measure the widget's effectiveness?
- Does this widget fit in with your brand and target message?
Personally, I tend to like widgets and their functionality, but in that same thought I only like them if they are there to serve up a better user experience.
You can have as many widgets as you'd like, but ultimately it comes down to how compelling and engaging your content is. You're primary focus still must remain on creating (and maintaining) a good content marketing strategy, and giving your reader a reason why they should return.
My recommendation would be to play around with some and see which ones are effective and which ones aren't, but remember...... your primary focus is on creating compelling content.
