Introducing Google Web Elements

Inspired by the convenience of embeddable YouTube videos, Google Web Elements build on favorite products like Google Custom Search (a Google-powered search engine that automatically tailors itself to your site), Google Docs, and Google News to easily add richness and interactivity to your website with the simplicity of copy and paste. Each element is designed to help you get started quickly without spending time on the deep technical details. Yet behind it all, Google Web Elements are powered by Google's scalable and flexible developer APIs, offering a world of customization just beneath the surface, keeping up with your site as it grows.

Adding Google Web Elements to your website is as easy as visiting the homepage, choosing the ones you like, and customizing them to fit your page. For example, the News element adds headline news about the topics you choose to any page. Just go to the News element page and use the wizard to update the live preview as you change the topics and pick the best size for your site. When you like what you see, simply copy the short embed code and paste it into the HTML of your page.



The Conversation element, powered by Google Friend Connect, makes it easy to start a discussion about nearly any topic. Without writing a single line of code, you can add the Conversation element and visitors to your site can share comments and videos with each other. You can also choose to open the conversation up to the whole world, where every page discussing the same topic will participate in a truly global conversation.



The Conversation and News elements are just two of the Google Web Elements available today. Also available are Google Web Elements for Google Calendar, Google Custom Search, YouTube Video News, Google Maps, and more. To get started, visit the Google Web Elements homepage. and please be sure to let us know what you'd like to see us work on next.

By DeWitt Clinton, Google Developer Team