Widget Ads can help you reach goals like extending your media dollars or extending your reach by making it possible to convert any existing or new DoubleClick Rich Media ad into a widget that can be shared virally across social networks and blogs. Widget Ads are trafficked in DART for Advertisers (DFA) just link any other rich media format, and may include features such as Custom Video, Dynamic Data Feeds, Interactive Elements, Polls and more. Widget Ads
may be distributed in a multitude of ways, from a branded website, PR campaign, word-of-mouth outreach, or even through another rich media ad!

Four Easy Steps to Virality

Widget Ads make it easy for interactive agencies and marketers to integrate a viral distribution option into any online campaign. Widget Ads help advertisers reach direct response and branding goals by making it possible to exchange valuable content for a space on audience members’ personal social networking page or blog. There are four simple steps to incorporating Widget Ads into a campaign:

Step 1: Create a Widget Ad using any DoubleClick Rich Media creative
Step 2: Integrate our sharing component to generate virality from the ad itself
Step 3: Distribute the Widget Ad in any one of a multitude of ways
Step 4: Measure and optimize results with DART for Advertisers

DART Integration

DFA provides reporting and control features to ensure that your widget advertising is measurable and controlled. By integrating widget distribution into the industry-standard DART platform, you’ll automatically get Widget Ad metrics including impressions, reach and frequency. These metrics provide insight into viral distribution patterns and the effect of widgets on conversion. DART ad serving controls ensure control of your message, even as it spreads virally, by allowing you to update content in real-time across social networks, as well as to turn off messages once campaigns have completed.

Familiar Creative Workflow

Widget Ads are developed using the same creative process and applications used in the development of rich media ads. This ensures that incorporating Widget Ads into a campaign is simple from a creative perspective. Creative agencies appreciate that there's no special coding or knowledge of APIs required. To make a Widget Ad, ad builders simply add our Sharing Component to any new or existing DoubleClick Rich Media creative.

Passion for Widgets

Look around the social networks. Widgets are everywhere. Any brand can tap into this widget trend with branded content and applications that people like. For example, automotive Widget Ads can let buyers show pride in their purchase. Entertainment Widget Ads can let people share their viewing passions.

Getting Results

To calculate the benefits of your widget advertising initiative, play with the possible outcomes using our Widget Ad, the DoubleClick Widget Calculator. Use the “Share this Widget” button in the Widget Ad to save it to your blog or social networking profile.