There are several technologies available to build and run a desktop widget: these are usually known as "platforms" Examples of platforms for desktop widgets are Yahoo! Widgets, Dashboard Widgets or DesktopX Standalone widgets, each one named after the tehnology and the engine needed to run them.

Widget platforms today work on websites (see Google Gadgets and WidgetBox) or the desktop (see Yahoo Widgets). Microsoft has a widget platform that will work on the Vista desktop and also on live.com pages. But no one has created a single widget platform that works on most websites as well as the desktop. That’s what SpringWidgets is launching.

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No matter which widget platform you are evaluating, there are five important questions you should ask and get good answers for before making your final decision:

1. What are the production capabilities of the service?
Time to market is crucial in today’s fast-changing world with fickle user preferences. Agencies, brand marketers, and entertainment companies need a solution that enables them to quickly and easily author widgets and applications for the right platform and distribution channel. Solutions that require you to create your own widgets and applications from scratch definitely will slow down your time to market. Look for solutions that allow you to repurpose the assets you already have and that build independence versus dependence on someone else’s professional services’ team.

2. Does your platform support all 5 types of widgets?
As your users become more and more tech savvy, they demand more interaction with your message and content via different destinations, formats and devices. A good widget platform provides more than just web widgets. Increasingly, social applications, mobile, start page, and desktop widgets are all part of the mix. Look for a widget platform that supports all 5 types of widgets:

3. Does your support for Facebook run more than skin deep?
Some widget platforms produce wanna-be Facebook applications that sit on top of Facebook profiles. These kinds of widgets turned applications are rarely effective. Look for a widget platform that can produce true Facebook applications. The hallmark of a true Facebook application include:

* Notify friends through mini feed on installation and selective activity as it happens through your application
* Canvas page to merchandise your widget to Facebook users
* Application integrates into user’s profile pages - doesn’t just sit on top
* User comments get written to the Wall for everyone to see
* Your application takes on familiar Facebook look and feel

4. Does the service provide both Distribution and Interaction Metrics?
In order to measure the success of your distribution and user engagement you need in-depth metrics. Distribution metrics provide information on impressions, unique users, geographic location information and more. Interaction metrics provide insight into how users actually engage with your content and message, which message is more effective, and so on. The combination of the two types of metrics enables you to continuously optimize your distribution and effectively engage your audience.

5. How is the widget platform priced?
How a technology vendor prices its services tells you a lot about them. If you are an agency or brand marketer, think twice about widget platforms where the cost of creating the widget eclipses the cost of deliverying your widget to various touchpoints. Also avoid widget platforms that seem to want you to rely on their professional services department to create the widget. What the Pros Know: to stay engaging, the content and programming (code) in your widget need to change as often as 1x per week. The widget platform you choose needs to enable you to flow changes to your widget in real time, without building a dependence on a third-party professional services group.