Free! Blog Post

Design World uses content checking software on eDelivery, and came across a straightforward email call to action from a customer that Thunderbird flagged as a scam.

The simple reason was the use of ‘free’ 3 times in the text. Simply removing the word free from the text and changing one instance to ‘complimentary’ resolved the issue. Note that the domain, subject line and company name had nothing to do with the scam flag - just the repeated term in the body copy. We’ll be sure to offer more complimentary advice when we come across other red flags.

API + WSDL = Cool Video Environment.

One of the cool new features of the Fliqz system is the API or Application Programming Interface, which enables web programmers to plug services offered by Fliqz into their own websites without having to jump though tons of hoops or reinvent the wheel. Using WSDL, Web Services Description Language, an XML structured language which lets web developers figure out what services are offered by Fliqz. Since it’s in XML, programmers can use any number of programming languages to manipulate the data. Fliqz offers an examples in Java and Visual Studio .NET. What you see on video.designworldonline.com was done using the PHP scripting language.

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Fliqz Self Serve Video

Fliqz launched a new service today. I had the opportunity to beta test this product, and I’ll give them a lot of credit for creating a great free customizable video player. This will go a long way for a lot of individuals and smaller companies. They have come a long way in just under a year in terms of their web interface and usability. While the free service is a huge improvement, the pro services are better geared for companies seeking that extra level of customization and API access in addition to special features built into the player, like ratings, custom permalinks, bandwidth, and higher customization features.

Great service and Fliqz has a lot of great features in the dev pipline. Press release here and self-promoting quote included:
Fliqz Launches First Cost-Effective Self-Serve Video Player Creator for Web Sites of Any Size

Customized Online Video Solution Levels the Playing Field for Online Commerce and Marketing

EMERYVILLE, CA–(Marketwire - November 6, 2007) - Fliqz, a leading provider of instant online video solutions, announced the release of its new Self Serve Video Player Creator today, giving businesses of any size the ability to easily implement customized video capabilities on their Web sites in as little as five minutes. Although historically price and minimum traffic requirements have prevented small and mid-sized enterprises from harnessing the power of new media, the Fliqz platform now enables companies of all sizes to effectively deploy branded, feature-rich video solutions.

“Our solution ensures that Internet businesses are once again on equal footing, allowing everyone to benefit from the engagement, immersion, and revenue opportunities brought by online video,” said Benjamin Wayne, president and CEO of Fliqz. “With the Self Serve Video Player Creator, cost and complexity no longer prevent online businesses from effectively competing. In the video revolution, Fliqz believes that no site should be left behind, and we are pleased to offer a solution that takes an inclusionary approach to the millions of small and mid-sized businesses in the U.S. that are seeking to enhance their Internet presence.”

In the beginning, the Internet served as a great equalizer; a place where all brands could be equal. However, the advent of online video imposed pricing and traffic requirements that left small businesses at a considerable competitive disadvantage. The Self Serve Video Player Creator re-levels the playing field by enabling sites to create a fully branded video experience that uniquely reflects their brand positioning. A fully branded video player, it can be easily implemented by users of any experience level in five easy steps. The player also enables logos and watermarks to be quickly added, dynamically sized automatically and allows users to adjust the opacity of watermarks when needed. Additions can then be previewed and approved by the user immediately. A video embed code is then dynamically generated to afford almost instantaneous video application to a Web site.

Previously, users looking to create custom video players had to engage a design firm to build a flash player from the ground up, which is a lengthy and cost-prohibitive process. Players then required extensive back-end integration, and changes were both difficult and costly.

“Video was a component we looked at extensively to differentiate ourselves from our competition,” said Marshall Matheson, vice president of new media for Design World. “When we evaluated the Fliqz service, it was quickly apparent this was an ideal solution for us. Other solutions did not meet our combined requirements for flexibility and price point. We were able to easily add video that works for our bottom line and garners positive results for our audience and suppliers.”

About Fliqz

Fliqz is the leader in full-service, plug-and-play video solutions. The company offers the most flexible video solutions available online, providing seamless integration and full customization to companies of any size. Fliqz eliminates traditional barriers to online video by removing the complexity associated with both site implementation and user deployment, ensuring that there is no code to develop, no infrastructure to own, and no software to maintain. The company maintains a customer network of more than 350 sites worldwide and is based in Emeryville, Calif. Additional information can be found at www.fliqz.com.

Value of Design World Online News Channel

As Marshall noted in his last post our syndication efforts are delivering big rewards for our RSS feed. In addition to the exposure, there are a number of hidden SEO benefits from our online editorial postings -

1. With every online post we try to link our pr back to your site for more information. While some might say old school SEO, it still provides relevant content linking from a site with a page rank of 5 and growing - which is good for you and your site.

2. We try and edit the text and headline of the pr as it comes through (that’s why we ask for a word doc) - the value here is that Google recognizes it as fresh content and subsequently posts it higher on the organic listings - making it easier to find on when one searches:

Check this out: if you take the recent posting from Design World online:

HEIDENHAIN Offers Bearingless Angle Encoders

Copy the headline into your google search bar - and there it is as top on the organic search terms for that release - even higher than the supplier’s own online posting.

If you are looking to expand your media reach, we can and will make a difference for you.

Willing to work harder, Scott

RSS Subscriber Reach

For the month of October 2007 DW reached a max of 96 subscribers to the DW main RSS news feed with views at 36, 258.

Some highlights here on providing additional exposure for suppliers and their PR. Again this is additional exposure via RSS to our engineering audience in addition to site traffic.

Banner hit 1011 views on their Safety Controller. http://www.designworldonline.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1008

Gems Sensors reached and additional 963 viewers with their New Pressure Folder. http://www.designworldonline.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1003

Beckhoff reached 931 RSS subscribers with their new controller. http://www.designworldonline.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1019

RSS Syndication reach for PR is growing significantly, and expect more in the coming months.