Netvibes presents first Sponsored Widgets Search Results

The First Sponsored Widgets are now on display in the ADD CONTENT (Updated) and the Ecosystem of Netvibes.

As I was posting yesterday, Netvibes' CEO, Tariq Krim, has decided to reserve the first 3 Widgets search results or Widgets category results to Sponsored Widgets.

The sponsoring starts already in the Netvibes' Ecosystem Homepage with 2 Widgtets highlighted.


What is strange is to see the Slide Slideshow sponsored and also 3rd in the results ;)

But it is inside of the ecosystem, that the sponsored widgets appear: 3 in the first row.
Check here the Business category:



Here also, the sposored widgets are highlighed and market Sponsored as I was asking yesterday. That way it will be easy to jump to the real results ;).

I still think that an "open and ethical service" as Netvibes will have much better revenues sources than "Sponsored Search results".

And I agree with what another user, Chris, commented on my yesterday' post:
"Sponsored search results...sounds like the web circa 1997" ...

To conclude, I would still recommend Netvibes to improve their Search results.

If you are looking for the Widget Sport Category you will see this:
2 Sponsored Widgets: one for the News of the World Newspaper with just 1 over 4 tabs on Sport and the Kentuky Derby horseracing widget. As they are sponsored I will not discuss their interest.
But look at the first "real result": the VELIB Widgtet !!! Well, if you are not from Paris, France you will probably not know that is not a Widget on Cycling as a Sport but a Where to find widget for the a public bicycle rental programme in Paris, France ??!!

Incidently, is a very good widget if you are in Paris and it was done by Philippe one of my favorite widget designers ;)