Focus on web publishers The forgotten audience Christian Heilmann, Yahoo UK Ebay, London, 30.08.2007

Who is this? Christian Heilmann Lead Interaction Architect at Yahoo UK Author of several books with long titles full of web development gobbledegook.

Christian Heilmann

Lead Interaction Architect at Yahoo UK

Author of several books with long titles full of web development gobbledegook.

Who is this? Blogger and web magazine author for several years. Speaker at several conferences for web development and accessibility.

Blogger and web magazine author for several years.

Speaker at several conferences for web development and accessibility.

Who is this? Coffee addict. No TV owner No car owner Foreigner.

Coffee addict.

No TV owner

No car owner

Foreigner.

We all love distribution As service and media providers we want our information out on the web. Having third parties link to our products gives them credibility. It also makes search engines give us some good lovin’

As service and media providers we want our information out on the web.

Having third parties link to our products gives them credibility.

It also makes search engines give us some good lovin’

We all love distribution Lots of search engine love is a good thing.

Lots of search engine love is a good thing.

Why do people link to us? They like the content They want the kudos to be the first to have found something cool on the web. Quirky auctions Inappropriate imagery (pet snake) Bargains

They like the content

They want the kudos to be the first to have found something cool on the web.

Quirky auctions

Inappropriate imagery (pet snake)

Bargains

Why do people link to us? They want to enhance and verify their own content. “ Photos of our event on flickr” “ Find the same camera on ebay” “ Find other movies or albums by that awesome artist.”

They want to enhance and verify their own content.

“ Photos of our event on flickr”

“ Find the same camera on ebay”

“ Find other movies or albums by that awesome artist.”

Why do people link to us? They want a slice of the pie! Text ads Search referrals Sales referrals Freebies by referral

They want a slice of the pie!

Text ads

Search referrals

Sales referrals

Freebies by referral

How can we make people link to us? Banners Badges Widgets APIs

Banners

Badges

Widgets

APIs

What are publishers? There are several types of publishers on the web. Each of these have different approaches and needs. Each have their place and help us distribute our goodies.

There are several types of publishers on the web.

Each of these have different approaches and needs.

Each have their place and help us distribute our goodies.

Consumers / Connectors

Consumers / Connectors These people do not care about technology, all they want is use the services we offer. They primarily want to use the technology to connect to other people.

These people do not care about technology, all they want is use the services we offer.

They primarily want to use the technology to connect to other people.

Consumers / Connectors This could be dating, chatting with people with the same interests or keeping up with family and friends.

This could be

dating,

chatting with people with the same interests or

keeping up with family and friends.

Consumers / Connectors Products of interest: Webmail Chat systems Instant Messaging

Products of interest:

Webmail

Chat systems

Instant Messaging

Consumers / Connectors These people are the big mass, the ones that keep a constant stream of revenue flowing. They are also great for reaching out to people you can’t reach.

These people are the big mass, the ones that keep a constant stream of revenue flowing.

They are also great for reaching out to people you can’t reach.

Content Publishers

Content Publishers These are the folks that create content for social sites and the web. That mythical 10% that is responsible for 90% of what we call UGC.

These are the folks that create content for social sites and the web.

That mythical 10% that is responsible for 90% of what we call UGC.

Content Publishers Bloggers, Video editors, Photographers, Writers, Poets, Musicians, (…)

Bloggers,

Video editors,

Photographers,

Writers,

Poets,

Musicians,

(…)

Content Publishers These people want to publish what they have done. They are interested in the platforms they use for that.

These people want to publish what they have done.

They are interested in the platforms they use for that.

Content Publishers Products of interest: blogging systems image editing suites audio and video software and services

Products of interest:

blogging systems

image editing suites

audio and video software and services

Content Publishers They do fiddle with these tools, but are not that interested in developing. The main focus is to create content and get kudos for having created it.

They do fiddle with these tools, but are not that interested in developing.

The main focus is to create content and get kudos for having created it.

Content Publishers This group should be very dear to our hearts. They are the “early adopters” of products and inspire other people to try them out. They are a minority, but one with a massive voice.

This group should be very dear to our hearts.

They are the “early adopters” of products and inspire other people to try them out.

They are a minority, but one with a massive voice.

Developers

Developers, Developers, Developers

Developers These are the real “early adopters” who develop publication platforms. However, they are not as vocal as they spend time developing, not blogging about it.

These are the real “early adopters” who develop publication platforms.

However, they are not as vocal as they spend time developing, not blogging about it.

Developers They are very important to us, as they bring products to content producers. They also help us improve our products immensely. However, they require a special communication voice and tone.

They are very important to us, as they bring products to content producers.

They also help us improve our products immensely.

However, they require a special communication voice and tone.

What do publishers give us?

What do publishers give us? Their trust (our systems will be available) Their screen estate Link love Visitors (people WILL leave their sites)

Their trust (our systems will be available)

Their screen estate

Link love

Visitors (people WILL leave their sites)

What do we give publishers?

What do we give publishers? The connectors and the developers are easy to make happy. All they want is systems that work, and they can use. However…

The connectors and the developers are easy to make happy.

All they want is systems that work, and they can use.

However…

Avoid the one big mistake

Avoid the one big mistake Applications need to be available They also need to be secure – I trust you with my data They also need to tell me when I do things wrong (no, “password” is NOT a viable password)

Applications need to be available

They also need to be secure – I trust you with my data

They also need to tell me when I do things wrong (no, “password” is NOT a viable password)

Avoid the one big mistake If you offer an API, show commitment. It has to be available 24/7 It has to be backward compatible = plan it well It has to have output formats catered to different needs.

If you offer an API, show commitment.

It has to be available 24/7

It has to be backward compatible = plan it well

It has to have output formats catered to different needs.

An API is for life, not just for the next press release!

Avoid the one big mistake Be all ears: Offer mailing lists frequented by people in the know Take on improvement requests and give feedback on these Support new platforms when they crop up.

Be all ears:

Offer mailing lists frequented by people in the know

Take on improvement requests and give feedback on these

Support new platforms when they crop up.

What do we give publishers?

What do we give publishers? Catering to consumers is easy, we know them as our users. Catering to developers is also easy, we have those living in a habitat in the office anyways. Publishers, however are a different beast.

Catering to consumers is easy, we know them as our users.

Catering to developers is also easy, we have those living in a habitat in the office anyways.

Publishers, however are a different beast.

What do we give publishers? As we are not sure of how they work we offer badges and widgets that are really catered to consumers.

As we are not sure of how they work we offer badges and widgets that are really catered to consumers.

What do we give publishers? Fixed functionality Fixed size Fixed design Keeping the brand secure Targeted at bringing users to our sites.

Fixed functionality

Fixed size

Fixed design

Keeping the brand secure

Targeted at bringing users to our sites.

What do we give publishers? Let’s take a look at a schema of a publisher site. This could be a blog, a small web site, a myspace or facebook account or even a profile in a photo or video sharing site.

Let’s take a look at a schema of a publisher site.

This could be a blog, a small web site, a myspace or facebook account or even a profile in a photo or video sharing site.

Navigation, Search, This is what this is

CONTENT

Me, Me, Me

BADGE

BADGE

Obtrusive We expect people to like our stuff so much, they give up theirs. The reasons are: Being scared of brand washout Not wanting to deal with technical support “ We know best” mentality

We expect people to like our stuff so much, they give up theirs.

The reasons are:

Being scared of brand washout

Not wanting to deal with technical support

“ We know best” mentality

Obtrusive But what about the brand of the publisher? What about banner blindness? What about the technical issues?

But what about the brand of the publisher?

What about banner blindness?

What about the technical issues?

Technical issues?

Technical issues A lot of banners and badges were built to work in outdated browsers. What worked in 1998 does not necessarily perform well these days. Web sites and applications these days get more and more complex. Outdated tricks and workarounds stand in the way of these.

A lot of banners and badges were built to work in outdated browsers.

What worked in 1998 does not necessarily perform well these days.

Web sites and applications these days get more and more complex.

Outdated tricks and workarounds stand in the way of these.

Technical issues Every request to another server when the page is loading is slowing it down immensely. A lot of banners and badges have a Russian Doll behaviour – it looks like one request but become many more.

Every request to another server when the page is loading is slowing it down immensely.

A lot of banners and badges have a Russian Doll behaviour – it looks like one request but become many more.

Technical issues Sloppy code might interfere with other scripts in the page. There is no way to find out what is going on in the third party code, users need to trust it and it is hard to reproduce errors.

Sloppy code might interfere with other scripts in the page.

There is no way to find out what is going on in the third party code, users need to trust it and it is hard to reproduce errors.

Unobtrusive Just Google it :-) Badges and widgets could become unobtrusive. We allow the publisher to decide the look and feel. We also allow the publisher to place the content in the right context.

Just Google it :-)

Badges and widgets could become unobtrusive.

We allow the publisher to decide the look and feel.

We also allow the publisher to place the content in the right context.

CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT relevant badge content CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT

CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT relevant badge content CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT BADGE

Me, Me, Me My ebay stuff My photos My videos

Me, Me, Me My ebay stuff My photos My videos My ebay stuff BADGE

Power to the publisher That way, we can profit from the competence of the publisher. Users can choose when to see the badge which counteracts banner blindness. Choosing already means showing interest = more likely to result in a transaction.

That way, we can profit from the competence of the publisher.

Users can choose when to see the badge which counteracts banner blindness.

Choosing already means showing interest = more likely to result in a transaction.

Seeding opportunities If your API is read and write this also means you have a seeding opportunity. Relevant visitors of the publisher site can enter information or upload data from a site they trust, and don’t have to go to one they can’t be bothered about.

If your API is read and write this also means you have a seeding opportunity.

Relevant visitors of the publisher site can enter information or upload data from a site they trust, and don’t have to go to one they can’t be bothered about.

Content distribution is a leap of faith

Show me the money! Premature monetization is the death of good distribution models. Web surfers are a cynical bunch, and publishers even more so. Distribution mechanisms are first and foremost an opportunity to raise product awareness and link love.

Premature monetization is the death of good distribution models.

Web surfers are a cynical bunch, and publishers even more so.

Distribution mechanisms are first and foremost an opportunity to raise product awareness and link love.

Show me the money! Give out free and good, and good things will come back to you. It worked for me.

Give out free and good, and good things will come back to you.

It worked for me.

Thanks! Christian Heilmann [email_address] http://wait-till-i.com http://icant.co.uk http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Christian Heilmann

[email_address]

http://wait-till-i.com

http://icant.co.uk

Credits “ File not Found” by Ape Lad: http://www.flickr.com/photos/apelad/1266913887 “ Connect 4” by Banalities http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardsummers/379654824/ “ Publisher” by Jason Cartwright http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasoncartwright/168646014/ “ Developer’s Paradise” by Nik Cubrilovic http://www.flickr.com/photos/perfected/348699072/ “ stretchcat” by Constintina http://www.flickr.com/photos/constintina/550573052/ “ Give” by Neil McQuaid http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcquain2/689551864/ “ Riley the Golden Retriever” http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennykhan/306241846 “ This is Sparta”, “Smiling Cat”, “You Rock”, “Beaker” found on the Internets

“ File not Found” by Ape Lad:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/apelad/1266913887

“ Connect 4” by Banalities

http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardsummers/379654824/

“ Publisher” by Jason Cartwright

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasoncartwright/168646014/

“ Developer’s Paradise” by Nik Cubrilovic

http://www.flickr.com/photos/perfected/348699072/

“ stretchcat” by Constintina

http://www.flickr.com/photos/constintina/550573052/

“ Give” by Neil McQuaid

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcquain2/689551864/

“ Riley the Golden Retriever”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennykhan/306241846

“ This is Sparta”, “Smiling Cat”, “You Rock”, “Beaker” found on the Internets