Web Elements let you easily add richness and interactivity to your site simply by copying and pasting a snippet of code. Inspired by the convenience of embeddable YouTube videos, each Web Element is built upon existing Google products. For example, the Google News element, introduced on this blog earlier this year, dynamically pulls in content from Google News based on news topics you select and displays within an embed on your site. With the official launch of Web Elements, you can choose to include Web Elements from products like Google Custom Search, Calendar, Docs, Friend Connect, and more.
Need more inspiration on how to integrate Web Elements into your site? Here are a few ideas:
- If you're using a Custom Search Engine on your site, the Custom Search element can help you integrate search results much more seamlessly with the look and feel of your pages. You can continue to earn revenues from searches while offering a better user experience to your users with better results styling.
Who's using it: The Mayo Clinic uses the Custom Search Element as their main search function. The look and feel of the search results blends in smoothly with the rest of the site.
- To enable your visitors to post comments and links on your site, use the Conversation element. The element also lets visitors participate in conversations via Friend Connect.
Who's using it: St. Simons Blog uses the Conversation element to let users in St. Simons Island and Georgia's Golden Isles connect with each other.
- The YouTube News element displays the latest YouTube videos from a number of news content partners including the Associated Press, CBS Online, Washington Post, Bloomberg, NY Times, Russia Today, Al-Jazeera English, and more.
Who's using it: CitizenTube is YouTube's official news and politics blog. They display the YouTube News element on the right-hand side of the homepage labeled as "Latest News Videos".
- The Spreadsheet element allows you to display a table of information to your users which pulls from any Google Spreadsheet you choose. Whenever you update the Spreadsheet, the element will also update automatically. This is an easy way to keep dynamic content on your site fresh.
Who's using it: Metal Italia is an Italian heavy metal fan site. The site uses the Spreadsheet element to display album information for heavy metal artists.
Using a Web Element on your site (or two, or seven)? We'd love to hear what you think and how they've been working for you. Just leave a comment on this blog post!
18 comments:
Can we access the Conversation Element via the Google API? You mention the API above, but I can't find any API/customization/tinkering abilities beyond the front-end/HTML settings (like colors, size, scope, etc.).
If you have a link to Google Web Elements API calls (like you have for Friend Connect), it would be great if you could point me there. I'm a big fan of the Conversation Element, especially Global Conversations. Way cool idea!
Thanks!
- GlobalConv.com
Some Cool Things About the Conversation Element
I've been playing with the Conversation Element on-and-off for a few months. Here are a few things I like:
1) The whole idea of Global Conversations (GC) is fascinating. Webmasters can drop a Conversation Element onto their site, and if they give it a name (like "beer" or "Star Trek" or "news") that is also being used on other websites' GC's, they automatically "tap into" and join the global conversation, increasing participants and activity.
2) You guys recently fixed the "re-login issue" so people can now stay logged in to Conversation Elements - such as if they bookmark to return later to see what's new in the conversation.
3) Of course, the whole "login with an account you (probably) already have" thing is very handy. No need to burden users with yet another account to create.
4) Simple copy-and-paste HTML code for website insertion.
5) You guys take care of all the hard work - the Javascript front-end code, the back-end database processing, authentication, etc.
6) Conversations can be translated to other languages at the click (well, two of them) of a mouse.
7) Simple threading and pagination.
8) Inclusion of YouTube videos (which I haven't personally tried yet).
9) Content flagging system so the community can decide to drop naughty posts.
Thanks again!
- GlobalConv.com
Cool..:)
I'm going to check it out..
Indeed these widgets are pretty cool.
I'm using Google Docs Spreadsheet to publish a side by side comparison of Mac versus PC here:
http://www.funk.co.nz/blog/technology/things-related-to-mac-os/mac-versus-pc-comparison
Its great being able to occasionally edit the file, and the changes are instantly updated to my old blog post - very cool.
WE are exciting with the Google web elements and it is very very interesting work for the google publishers.
Yay!!
I'm using this amazing elements (cons: 1. it might drive traffic out of might site 2. the default sizes are design headache), on my celebs site:
www.WorldWide-Celebs.com
and maaaan!!!
I chose YouTube element and got great content for my site, relevant etc. I might add another one, cause I found out that people who look for and read about celebs, would love some sports info, and I would love you to add more YouTube channels...why not all channel out there?!
G, tnx!
well i have just a word for you people i.e wow .. but will it require some coding work as i don't know coding
May I know how Google Web Elements will increase AdSense revenue ???
Yes, Google Web Elements improve SERP and attendance of my pages increases.
But … they can not convince visitors to click on ads.
Mark: It's copy-paste simple! You'll need access to paste the HTML snippet into your website -- that's all. Your webmaster can do that for you too.
Hobo: I think the gist is that these Web Elements give more reasons for visitors to come to, or return to, your site, offering more potential for AdSense click-throughs.
- GlobalConv.com
What is difference between the spreadsheet web element and the spreadsheet publishing feature available on Google docs? The HTML is a little different. Which one is better?
I just read here [http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Google+Docs/thread?tid=0ca72389c9b26ef4&hl=en] that these documents will soon be crawlable. Does this mean that AdSense will also be able to match ads to their content? They mention documents published using the Google docs publishing feature but not web elements. Will both the crawlable?
I will study it & I carry your all suggestions hope so they all are good for my site.Thanks a lot for your tips.
I am trying to make a article out of this blog. Its a new information for me and trying to spread it to my friends.
I'm using it as 'jobs board' on my site (in Hebrew). Just created a simple spreadsheet, and published it via the elements wizard.
It's Great!!
:-)
Check it out:
http://www.mc-cotvim.com/Wanted.html
I like it! Simple and pretty More templates easy to download
please help me make google adsense
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