5 Ways To Create A Google Plus Profile Widget

If you own a blog, one of the best ways to get more Google+ followers is to display a sleek looking widget that allows people to circle you on Google+ with a simple click. Some of the big web personalities have jumped on board with Google+, and so far, using widgets has proven been very effective in increasing their Google+ following.

However, there are a few options, so I have gone through the myriad of resources and listed the 5 best Google+ profile widget choices below.

1.) Widgets Plus Google Plus Widget

My absolute favorite thus far has to be the great looking and versatile Widgets Plus tools. In fact, it’s the one I personally use on one of my websites.

I have chosen not to include a “stream” or list of updates, however, that is one of the options. Having updates can be beneficial to give people an idea of what you often post about. In my opinion, the widget looks much cleaner in the basic form.

To install the widget, simply copy and paste your Google+ profile number:

https://plus.google.com/113700089599268336343/ <– profile number in bold.

Then copy and paste it into the site, which will generate a code that you can copy onto your site. If you are using WordPress, just add a text widget to your sidebar and paste the code there. You will instantly have the widget displayed on your site!

It couldn’t be any easier. The widget also seems to get updates every once in a while, so this is a great option to spread your Google+ presence, and it is currently my favorite option.

2.) GGPLS Google+ Feed Widget

Another great widget that kind of resembles the Twitter feed widget is the G+ Feed Widget by GGPLS. It has very easy installation instructions– a fortunately common trait for all of the widgets featured here.

I found that this widget was simple, easy to use, and one of the better looking widgets when it came to displaying your Google+ stream. Though I preferred the more sleek look of the widget featured above, it’s still a solid option that is sure to be improved.

3.) Scriptrr Google Plus Profile Stream

Another great option, although in my opinion less aesthetically pleasing than the previous two, is the Scriptrr Google Plus Stream widget. It can take your profile number and turn it into a displayable stream of your Google+ updates. It’s very similar to the Twitter stream widget, commonly found on blogs.

While I prefer the more minimal design of the former two options, this may be to your liking and is certainly a very viable option to getting your profile displayed on your website.

4.) Google Plus Statistics Widget

One of the earliest widgets fulfilling this need was the Social Statistics Google+ Statistics Widget. This widget will allow you to show off not only your profile, but also the stats related to it, such as your follower and following count!

If you don’t have a strong following, this widget may not be advisable if you are concerned about social proof, as your follower count is prominently displayed. If it is not concerned (or if you’ve hidden your following count) than this widget makes for a clean option to display your Google+ page.

5. The Official Google+ Profile Badge

This option is only available to those who are a part of the Developer Preview (which we’ve talked about previously). It was just released today for all those wanting to test it out on their sites. Definiately the best option, just not available to all.

This badge allows people to add you to their circles without even leaving your site! How cool is that? If you’re linking to a page (like you can see in the sidebar on this site) it will show the people who have recently +1′d your page, alongside giving people the option to +1 right then and there.

So as you can see, there are a handful of great options out there. Try them out, and let us know which is your favorite in the comments below!