OpenLinkz

Google's (GOOG) press release describing the expansion of a beta program for what are being called Gadget Ads has showed that "widgets" are now a mature enough technology to become a serious component in Google's ad platform.

The widgets are just Google Gadgets with some commands added to the API to support tracking user clicks. Currently, the ads are being placed on sites the old-fashioned way, based on site content and advertising agreements. There is not yet a context-sensitive engine behind the ad serving function.

For now, Google is running an expanded beta with a limited number of large advertisers but the expectation is that the technology will migrate to the AdSense platform soon. The interactive nature of the Gadget Ads is said to significantly improve click-through rates.

Advertisers are hopeful that certain ads will be sufficiently fun or useful that users will want to put these widgets/Gadgets on their own pages. Advertisers are looking at Gadget Ads as having the added benefit that it simplifies the infrastructure of viral marketing.

In any case, Google has again shown inspiration in re-purposing its Gadget format for ads and will, no doubt, rake in the dollars as the ads proliferate.

Related content: see my article at the Trade Radar blog where I discuss in more detail the business implications.

I have provided a new Stock Research widget at Widgetbox. I named it Stock Linkz because it provides the same functionality as the StockLinkz Javascript widget that can be embedded in your web pages. This new variation allows a user to enter a stock ticker symbol in order to search for information. This new widget is not implemented as a pop-up menu, it is always visible.

The widget consists of a simple drop-down menu and text box. Enter a ticker symbol and select from the drop-down various stock research activities. View charts, search blogs, Google, Yahoo Finance, MSN Money or EDGAR SEC filings. The widget pops up results in a new window.

A cool feature of this widget is that it can be sized for sidebars (vertical) or as a top-of-page search facility (horizontal).

Click here to check out the Stock Linkz widget now.

I have updated the StockLinkz portion of the OpenLinkz product so that users can now search for SEC filings at the EDGAR web site. This service is provided by Google. Filings can be downloaded or viewed online. If you want to pull financial statements into spreadsheets, a format that supports that is available.

This is an excellent way to get past the analysts and pundits and look directly into the information provided by the companies themselves.