Widgets are the IN thing. You see them everywhere – web sites, blogs, and social networking sites. But are widgets really important or do they give way to indulgence? I would like to think the former, but the latter is all very real. Here are some things to remember that can help you make the most of your widget experience.

Use widget to offer content.
There are so many widgets out there – which one to choose and use? I think the bottom line is that you should choose widgets that will add to the experience of your visitors. Choose widgets that will enhance their visit and that will give them new information. Eye candy is all very nice to look at but it doesn’t last. Widgets that provide information, however, will keep drawing visitors back to your site.

Choose widgets that are related to your site.
Many widgets offer information, but is the information all related to your main content? While information is always good, you would be better off choosing widgets that link to what your site or blog has to offer. This way, your visitors will truly appreciate your widgets – and not just for their looks!

Avoid widget overload.
Have you ever visited a site which loaded up sooooo slowly? The chances are there are way too many widgets. More than slowing down your site, trying to cram as many widgets as possible also has a cluttering effect on your site. Now who would want a cluttered experience?

Photo courtesy of giladlotan

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Sports fanatics will certainly appreciate the convenience that widgets offer the freshest news about games and teams right on your TV. I know that this is perfect for those who cannot always watch what they want on TV. Perhaps you’ve even heard of them – Yahoo Sports Widgets and USA Today Sports Widgets.

I have not had the personal chance to compare both of these widgets but the review at CNET has quite convinced me to choose the former over the latter:

Both widgets open up to a window with a number of quick links, including headlines. Selecting one of these on both widgets brings up the first paragraph of the article. The Yahoo widget draws its content from the AP, and so these snippets of text tend to be pretty informative as the AP consistently puts their ledes at the top of their articles. The other widget, of course, uses USA Today for its content, which tends to have more literary or anecdotal starts. This means that, at times, the USA Today headlines are just a tease without providing the information that you’re really looking for.

Another convincing point is that Yahoo gets information from AP, and for some reason, I prefer AP’s information over USA Today – although that is not to say that one is superior to the other. The bottom line is that here are two excellent widgets which you can use – the choice is up to you!

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