Video: How the Web Strategist should approach Widgets, with Ro Choy of RockYou (4:30)
Categories: Video, Widget StrategyPosted on February 8th, 2008
In my role, I get briefed by companies that I cover in my space (social networks, widgets, and related products). If I feel the speaker is strong, and can deliver a succinct message that’s helpful to my audience, I’ll do a video. Ro Choy of RockYou (warning: auto playing music) clearly meets these requirements.
If you’re not familiar, RockYou is one of the leaders in what I call the widget network category. They create hundreds of widgets that were initially launched on blogs, then moved to Facebook, and will now be deployed on other social networks that allow development (Bebo, MySpace, etc). Between RockYou and their competitor Slide, they account for 8/10 top applications on Facebook (as I learned from Ren last night)
In this video, you’ll learn about his methodology (which I even discussed last night at the panel as a best practice). He discusses how web strategists should approach widget creation.
How the Web Strategist should approach Widgets
Level 1: Branding: Applications, like Microsites
Level 2: Interaction: Include the brand as part of the experience
Level 3: Custom: Build your own application
Pitfalls to watch out for
They’ve an office location that I’m familiar with, in downtown San Mateo across from central park where I used to play as a very young web strategist. (map)
11 Responses to “Video: How the Web Strategist should approach Widgets, with Ro Choy of RockYou (4:30)”
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About
Jeremiah Owyang
Silicon Valley
The views expressed on this website/weblog are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer, Forrester Research.
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Great one Jeremiah, 2 categories included in this post : video + Silicon Valley Sightings…
Really interesting to have the widget vendor view of this area (and that looks honest), a client view would be good to watch…
PS: thanks for all that great content you give us Jeremiah !
Posted by Matthieu Moyse on February 8th, 2008 at 7:47 am
This is an excellent interview, Jeremiah.
As an Account Manager at an interactive firm, I’m constantly fielding questions from clients about widgets. I particularly like the discussion in the interview around pitfalls.
Keep up the good work!
Posted by Melissa Robison on February 8th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Matthieu
Thanks for noticing my taxonoy of categories! Wow! you’re really paying attention.
I’m reserving Silicon Valley Sightings just for pictures of locations, not interviews.
Ro is really a great interview, we talked out the premise first, he was well prepared. Best of all, he knows how to lead by providing value, rather than pitching like most vendors. He’d be great for panels or speeches.
BTW: Vendors that Push and Pitch NEVER make my video, I also only let them talk about themselves, (unless it’s a case study or point) till the end of the video, they must EARN your time. Put the value up front on the video, and solve problems.
Posted by jeremiah_owyang on February 8th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Melissa
Great, it’s important we don’t just be ra-ra, every tool and strategy has a downside,we should explore all sides, but learn to overcome them.
Thanks for the feedback.
Posted by jeremiah_owyang on February 8th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Great interview. Really liked the distinction between building a widget and a microsite as an example. Understanding the different objectives, advantages and even disadvantes behind any tactic is so important and often overlooked.
Posted by Rebecca Muller on February 8th, 2008 at 8:49 am
Make that disadvantages (lesson - don’t run a virus scan while trying to type a comment on a blog).
Posted by Rebecca Muller on February 8th, 2008 at 8:49 am
Of widgets and digital communications planning……
I stumbled upon the blog site of Jeremiah Owyang on How the Web Strategist should approach Widgets. It is an interesting video on how web strategists should integrate widgets/desktop gadgets in the consumers’ experience of the brand in the digital eco…
Posted by marginally subversive communication thoughts on February 9th, 2008 at 10:11 am
[...] How The Web Strategist should approach Widgets [...]
Posted by How to Aproach Widgets from a Web Strategist Perspective–Widgets Lab on February 11th, 2008 at 2:49 am
[...] Video: How the Web Strategist should approach Widgets, with Ro Choy of RockYou (4:30) (tags: widgets marketing strategy) [...]
Posted by links for 2008-02-11 on February 11th, 2008 at 4:22 am
Jeremiah,
totally agree with you, Mr Choy really deserve to be on this blog (and probably in panels or conferences).
Posted by Matthieu Moyse on February 13th, 2008 at 6:27 am
[...] is another interview with Ro Choy with talking about the power of widgets and Facebook applications. This interview is courtsey [...]
Posted by 40 Million Users Per Month for Social Media Site RockYou.com on March 7th, 2008 at 12:12 pm