Why widgets are needed
On smartphones and computers, widgets are usually installed for informational or auxiliary purposes. A small window with the weather on the phone screen, a bar with the current time on the laptop desktop, a mini version of the calendar with today’s date, a window with a calculator or a music player – all these are widgets that complement the functionality of the device and provide us with useful information or features.
Businesses use these applications for commercial purposes. Widgets on website pages help advertise products, collect visitor data, communicate with customers, increase conversion rates, and increase sales. They also accomplish other important tasks:
Attract the attention of visitors. If you add bright windows and buttons to the site, the resource will look more interesting and attractive. This will increase the probability that users will stay on the site and will not leave it quickly, and the site will rise in search engine results: the time spent on the site has a direct impact on the search engine ranking.
Make an online resource interactive. Plain text can not always hold the attention of visitors, especially on sales sites. Graphic applications make it easier for the user to get information. So, instead of a long text with the calculation of the price of goods or services, you can simply embed an online calculator that will automatically determine the cost of the given parameters.
Types of widgets on websites
Callback (callback). The tool allows the client to quickly contact the company’s employees and find out all the information they need about the product or service.
Pop-up. This is a pop-up window that opens on top of the website page. It tells about promotions or calls to action: leave a phone number and get a bonus, register on the site in exchange for a discount promo code, subscribe to a newsletter of interesting news and so on.
Chats and chatbots. With the help of these tools, you can quickly consult with a company specialist or get an answer from a robot. There are also combined widgets: first the client communicates with the bot, and if it can’t help, a human joins in the correspondence.
Calculator. This widget is useful in those areas of business where buyers have to make a lot of serious financial calculations: for example, construction and building materials, lending, tourism. With the help of the calculator, the user can quickly navigate the cost of the product.
A countdown timer. This is a counter that shows the time until the end of the promotion or other interesting offer. It motivates users to make a purchase as quickly as possible.
Social network and messenger buttons. Active clickable icons in social networks and messengers allow customers to move from the site to other Internet resources of the company and interact with the brand where it is more convenient for them. On social media pages you can read interesting posts about products, watch videos, read customer reviews and generally learn more about the organization. And in messengers, you can chat with employees and ask questions.
Form of subscription to the newsletter. It is designed not only as a pop-up window, but also as a static form on the site.
The tool allows you to collect contacts of your audience (email addresses and/or phone numbers) so that you can send them useful materials and special offers in the future. It is important to speak the language of your potential customers: the mailing itself should be understandable and interesting for them.
Notification panel. Notifications of new products, services, promotions and discounts can be placed in a separate line at the top of the site. Such a widget attracts the attention of users and at the same time does not overlap the main information of the page. Guests have the opportunity to click on the link offered or simply close the notification.
Entertainment mechanics. Games, interesting polls, tests and quizzes allow you to interact with users in an unconventional and informal environment. This way you can attract the attention of your website guests, gather important information about your target audience, identify their needs, increase conversion rate, increase customer loyalty and increase sales.
Online sign-up form. The widget is used in services: medicine, veterinary, beauty industry and other similar areas of business. With the help of this tool, the user can make an appointment directly on the company website: choose the required services, a convenient date and time.
Social proof. This is a widget that shows the interest of the audience in the company and its products. The tool shows how many people have bought the product, how many units of it are left, or how many visitors are now viewing this page. This increases conversion rates and increases the likelihood of a purchase because people tend to trust the majority choice.
Upsell and cross-sell widgets. An upsell widget is a block offering a similar product at a higher price. And a cross-cell widget offers to buy additional products (such as accessories or ancillary products) in addition to the main product. Both tools allow you to increase the average purchase check.
