Wibiya closing, try the top 5 alternatives to increase user engagement
The merger between Conduit and Perion spells bad news for Wibiya users as Conduit announces that it is shutting down Wibiya.
A letter that was sent out by founders Daniel Tal, Avi Smila and Dror Ceder explained to the Wibiya users that their service will only be live until the end of 2013.
Meebo a known Wibiya competitor was also killed by Google last year and the move by conduit was kind of expected as many companies felt that such widgets for websites do not justify the investment.
Wibiya is a website bar that publishers used over that last 4 years to increase engagement with visitors. Many publishers that are using Wibiya are going to need to find a new tool to increase engagement and overall website performance.
My thinking is the best way to mourn the loss of Wibiya is to introduce some alternatives:
Alternative number 1: Bumpin
Bumpin supplies site owners with a bundle of widgets that can help make their website more social friendly. Bumpin promises that their widgets will create an interactive experience, which increases engagement among website visitors. The widgets are customizable and there is even an e-commerce app and online open chat service called shoutbox chat room for all your website visitors. The upside to using Bumpin is, the app gives you the ability to retain users and give your visitors incentive to stick around longer. The app also provides some very useful analytics, and the best part is Bumpin is quick and easy to install. On the flip side, Bumpin is a fairly unknown service, which means that for the time being Bumpin cannot added real value to your website that you cannot get from an alternative service. If you are seriously considering switching to Bumpin, keep in mind that without paying money for a premium version, you will be forced to have other company links on your widget.
Alternative number 2: BuzzGrowl
Also a freemium service, BuzzGrowl creates engagement by showcasing your social media activity on your website. Did someone just tweet your product? BuzzGrowl will show visitors a widget with the “Tweet” or “Share” and with a simple click they will be able to re-tweet or share on their social profiles. If you are trying to attract more traffic from social media network you want this widget. BuzzGrowl’s pluses include giving you the ability to attract new visitors via the help of your existing followers, as well it is quick and easy to install. The downside to BuzzGrowl is that the app doesn’t add any extra value, that you can’t personally add by creating a similar feature. BuzzGrowl’s premium version also comes at a pretty hefty price.
Alternatives number 3 & 4: WordPress Plugins
Although it hasn’t been updated for a very long time, The WordPress Bar is worth taking a look at. Similar to the Diggbar and somewhat the same as Wibiya, there isn’t a lot to report about this tool. Generally speaking, The WordPress Bar doesn’t come highly backed, but if you’re in need of a short term replacement for Wibiya this tool might be a good fit.
Sharebar will take care of all of your visitor’s sharing needs. The tool, which is always displayed while users scroll down posts will definitely encourage your users to get active. Sharebar will surely only help increase engagement and improve any publisher’s website performance.
Alternatives number 5: imonomy
If you are unfamiliar with imonomy, now is a great time to get to know this amazing product. imonomy is a tool that provides publishers with free images for their website, but imonomy is also well known for promoting engagement, increasing page views and improving bounce rate. The company comes equipped with a variety of interactive feature that publishers can choose to have displayed on their web pages. All bundled together, imonomy generates revenues, enhances engagement, and does a great deal of good for SEO. The service is free to try, and easy to get started using.
The Manual Solutions
Don’t want to lose any of your Wibiya Apps? Here is a list of what you can install manually on your own after Wibiya shuts down:
- SoundCloud: Want to share the hottest new tunes with your website visitors? The largest music community has you covered.
- Facebook Like Box: Want your visitors to be updated through Facebook? One single like and they become subscribed readers on Your Facebook page.
- Facebook Send: Want to share a post privately on the popular social network? Get the send button.
- Justuno: Offer rewards to people who like your website or tweet your latest post. The app works amazingly well with online stores that want to grow their social media following.
- ContactMe: Want a contact form that also functions as a CRM system? This app has great features that are worth checking out if you are trying to build a long-term business that builds on returning customers.
- GameTreat: Looking to engage users in a fun way? GameTreat is a great way to easily embed Flash games.
- Pinterest Widget: Interested in creating a Pin it button or a Follow on Pinterest button? Create it easily and start pinning.
Think you have a better tool to increase engagement on your website? Tell me about your Wibiya replacement in the comment section.
