Google has launched a new set of ‘common APIs’ for Social Networks called OpenSocial.
Using the OpenSocial tools, web developers can create new ‘Gadgets’ that can plug into Social Networking websites and utilise their social networks to attract users and spread the gadget.
If you have ever seen one of the ‘Apps’ that developers have created for Facebook, you will get the idea.
What does this mean for web designers? For a start, it could be a very fast way to attract a large audience to your online applications or websites. Say you have a site that tells snowboarders about conditions at different resorts around the world. You could use Google’s OpenSocial to create a Gadget that users can customise to show their local resort’s conditions in their MySpace profile. Because OpenSocial is going to be used by all the main Social Networking sites (with the possible exception of Facebook) you won’t need to redevelop code for each site you want to have your ‘Gadget’ available on.
Take a look at this video for more details and inspiration:
