Of widgets and digital communications planning...

I stumbled upon the blog site of Jeremiah Owyang on How the Web Strategist should approach Widgets.  It is an interesting video on how web strategists should integrate widgets/desktop gadgets in the consumers' experience of the brand in the digital ecosystem.

This is an interview with Ro Cho of RockYou, one of the widget-app providers in platforms such as Facebook.

In this interview, there are apparently three levels of 'engagement' that a brand can do with its target audience: (1) branding as one would using a microsite, (2) brand-centric interaction, and (3) customized solutions - i.e., building your own brand application.

I think it is interesting take on social widgets.

However, I believe that there are no levels of 'engagement' - rather, there is only one and can only be one.  And that is based on consumer-/audience-relevance.  Branding an app is good - and developing interactions with consumers is good.  Even creating your own brand-specific, brand-centric app is good.  But it does not maximize the real opportunities that are hidden behind social widgets - and the whole digital social networking technology.

One can only unlock these opportunities if the brand - and how its message is expressed and is ultimately experienced - are relevant to consumers.

Relevancy is critical.

Cho also suggests that web development is different from say creating websites and other advertising campaigns.  To a certain extent, I would say, yes, it is indeed different.  From a craft-viewpoint, it is very different as it would entail a lot of considerations.

But the fundamentals remain the same:  it is about creating relevancy.  It is about enhancing users' experience of a brand in the digital sphere.  It is about (buzzword alert) "engaging" consumers and audiences more deeply to effect a shift in attitudes and in behaviors.