3 Ways To Utilize Google Friend Connect

Date December 4, 2008

The masterminds behind Google are pushing an initiative known as OpenSocial which aims to connect many different types of web sites using one single API. One of the fruits of OpenSocial is Google Friend Connect which seems like a technology demo on the surface, but I’ve found a couple of possibly useful gems to utilize. First off, to get started with Google Friend Connect, make sure you are logged in your Google Account, then navigate to http://www.google.com/friendconnect. If all goes well, you should see this screen:

Google Friend Connect: Add social features to your site

Click “Set up a new site” and you’ll be presented with a wizard to set up your website. I don’t want to focus on this part, but the main four steps to creation are:

  1. Add two required files to your web server
  2. Copy “members gadget” code
  3. Paste into a page on your site
  4. Choose more social features as desired

The focus of this blog post will be step 4. I’m going to show you some of the things you can do with Google Friend Connect which may not be obvious.

  1. The first of the three is done by default once your site is setup: Setup a members gadget. The members gadget lists current members of your website, allows you to view their profiles, and add friends. If this sounds familiar, then you’re not crazy because MyBlogLog offers a very similar service. You’ll find the interface to be similar as well:
    The Inquisitr
    Image taken from inquisitr.com

  2. Google Friend Connect: Add social features to your site

    The second use is not obvious and is accessible by clicking the Social gadgets link in the sidebar of the Google Friend Connect site. From here, there are a few gadgets to choose from (and I do mean a few). Choose Wall Gadget from the list of options, and it will walk you through the process of adding this gadget to your website. What is a wall gadget? Do you remember Shoutbox? Well, that’s essentially what it is, but this Facebook generation calls it a “wall”. If you’re a fan of the Facebook wall, and want it on your site, you can do so with your Google Friend community. Google takes advantage of its Youtube power and allows you to also embed Youtube videos in the wall. Unfortunately, they’re not truly “embedded’ but offer a javascript popup window of the video. Good enough methinks. Once it is setup, it looks similar to this:

    GFC

  3. The third use is my favorite. It exists in the same section as the wall gadget and it is called the Review/Rate gadget. This gadget allows your Google Friend community to review or rate your entire site or individual pages.
    Which Gaming Console Should You Buy This Holiday? | Bwana.org

    I believe this is a useful mechanism to solicit feedback from your community. It offers the familiar 5 star system that everyone knows and loves and supports anonymous feedback as well (The wall gadget also has an anonymous option for the daring).

I’ve implemented all three of these social gadgets on bwana.org and will soon implement them on bwana.tv and see it how it goes. As with OpenSocial, the whole Google Friend Connect thing is still fairly new and rough around the edges, but I believe these three gadgets will add value for some of the early adopters out there.

Feel free to join my website by utilizing the members gadget in the sidebar. You can also rate this blog post if you feel it is useful.

Update: Here’s Google’s official video

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