How to hire a developer to create your gadget

Building a gadget that people will want to see everyday requires thoughtful planning. Our 3-step process – Create, Promote, and Track & Optimize – will guide you through all the steps needed to make your gadget a success.

Find someone to hire.

Hire an agency to create a gadget customized for your needs. These agencies create gadgets optimized for Google products:

Hire an individual developer to create a gadget for you. We've listed a few here:

Hire a service to make your content fit into a standard gadget format:

Note: These developers are not Google employees, and are listed for your convenience. Google does not make any representation, endorsement or warranty regarding the services of these developers.

Communicate with potential developers.

Ask a few developers for samples of their work to help you find the individual or agency that is best suited for your project.

Most gadget developers bill hourly, so a well thought out gadget development plan can save time and money. Make sure you understand the developer's payment structure and get a cost estimate for the services.

Provide your developer with a creative brief with detailed information on your goals and designs for the gadget.

For example, you can use this template to request gadget development:

  • Requestor name & contact info:
  • Description of the gadget you’d like created:
  • gadget’s objective (where it should link back to your site, most important info to feature, etc.):
  • Target audience for your gadget (age, occupation, etc.):
  • Screenshot of the gadget you’d like created:
  • What to avoid:
  • Additional pointers:
  • Final due date and milestones:

Work with your developer.

Send your developer the design guidelines for gadgets so they can optimize your gadget for maximum usage.

Ask your developer to include any codes you'll need to track your gadget's performance. Several logs analysis software applications, like Google Analytics, are available to help you track your gadget's performance.

Expect to go through at least 2-3 iterations with your developer before your gadget is exactly as you want it to be.