Vinny Lingham’s Blog

Presented by Nathan Fish

Web Services Overview

What is A Web Service

Wikipedia Definition: A Web Service is a collectin of protocols and standards used for exchanging data between applications or systems.

They provide a programmatic way to access a software component via an XML call over HTTP.

Definitions:

REST – Representational State Transfer
SOAP – Simple Object Access Protocol
XML – Extensible Markup Language
RSS – Really Simple Syndication

What are web services good for?

A company creates a Web Service for a specific feature or component of their software. The component can be used by others to build something unique.

Web services are not dissimilar to Lego pieces, which can be used to build your own cars, toys or castles.

Some existing web services offerings are provided by Yahoo, eBay & Google. Amazon’s API has been used by companies like www.sellerenginte.com.

Publisher Benefits

Less work
Real time data
Compelling user experience
Focus

Advertiser Benefits

Publisher Updates – links will be updated in real time
Integration – integrates data with backend systems
Increased Reach and Sales

Possible Publisher Users

Search Comparison Site
Contextual Content
Automated Link Selection
Integration with bid management software
New Platforms and other opportunities

Working with Commision Junction’s Web Services

Get a Developer Key (it’s free)
Review the API documentation and inspect the WSDL (Web Service Descriptive Language)
Got a question? Check with the community
Develop an application
Tell CJ about it

This group of panelists included:

Dan Murry – Ravenwood Marketing
Jeremy Palmer – QuitYouDayJob.com
Roshan Mendis – Travelocity
Terrence Thomas – Citi

Geoff Stevens – Moderator

The discussions were focused largely, around the fact that affiliate marketing is actually more like strategic marketing/partnerships. It was an interesting discussion, but nothing really worth writing about.

The basic premise is simply the eternal truth that success is driven by win-win relationships.

News Flash – Former head of Valueclick Media head, Tom Vadnais has been appointed as the new General Manager of Commission Junction.

Tom introduced Todd Crawford, Lisa Riola, John Locke & Dave Duckowitz and offered their assistance to everyone.

What’s going on in CJ today?

The Leader in Affiliate Marketing

Commission Junction powers 50% of fastest growing e-retailers’ affiliate marketing programs.

The preferred provider for apparel, Books/CDs/DVDs, Computers/Electronics, Office Supplies, and Sporting Goods categories.

He just showed a slide collage with our logo on it – with the likes of eBay, Yahoo, uPromise, to an audience of nearly 1000. That’s a real feel good for us sitting here!!!

Dr Elizabeth Chowlasky welcomes everyone to the 7th CJU and what hopes to be the best and largest. She also introduces John Battelle – “The Hottest Tech Business Author” today.

This proved to be a great session.

John is the author of “The Search” – How Google and It’s Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed our Culture. John is the Founder and Chairman of FMPub.net. John also founded Wired.com and HotWired.com.

John takes a trip down memory lane and discusses Prodigy, his first Internet Service Provider and how HotWired invented the first Internet Banner.

John started writing the book back in 2001, when things on the net were not looking so good.

John’s blog received over 125,000 visitors last month at www.batellemedia.com.
He also mentions www.BoingBoing.com as being a top blog with 2m visitors last month.

Web 2.0 is the new web. John goes onto discuss the Rise of Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is really the new internet – where the business are build around profitable business models.

Mid Late 90’s – we though it was a battle for software dominance, another IT industry death match: First MSFT v. Apple, then Netscape v. Microsoft.

The web is really an ecosystem, based around building platforms.

The web is a platform. So is Synthasite (shameless plug) ☺

Building on the lessons of 1990’s.

Web 2.0 Principles: The Architecture of Participation.

Leverage User-generated content and the force of many to create advance and building network efforts.

Much of what he discusses is actually in his book – which I’m sure will be a great read. I will be launching a business and technology blog focused on all the really good books out there, with guest writers from the industry – more on that later though.

Innovation is in Assembly:

Aggregate, Manage, Analyze Complexity
The essence of the “Content Business” . Lightweight Business models are proving itself – for example Adsense, CJ. By using the web as the platform, you can compete by gearing the business.

The power of the Internet is about aggregating the small. 1 million sites with 1000 users each is better than 1000 sites with 100,000 users. It’s about aggregating the tail.

Search RULES!!!

The driver of Web 2.0 business is Search. Search herald the new web OS. It’s becoming quite apparent that Google is going to take on Microsoft for the web OS.

John shows a graph from Piper Jaffray on the cost of customer acquisition – and Search is the cheapest ($8.5), based on that data – which is I remember, is from 2003, so as prices rose, it’s probably a lot more.

The tail of CTR is discussed – and that CTR’s go up, based on the length of the keyword. The youth demographic is a big opportunity on the Internet.

A lot of what John speaks about is covered by his book and he is moving to fast for me to keep up. He does discuss the power of bloggers and what their influences are in the world.

All in all, this was a good session. I look forward to reading the book and publishing a review.

Where is the Right Place? What is the right time?

As a Valueclick partner, this sessions was one not be missed – it’s interesting to see how they have grown their business, and in the process ours.

Jeff just tossed a football with a $100 bill to some guy in the audience – talking about being at the right place at the right time.

He goes on to discuss how Valueclick’s pre-bubble bursting listing in 2000 was pretty much all but fortuitous. Their listing allowed Valueclick to make strategic acquisitions with that capital, viz. Commission Junction.

Preparation, People, Commitment and Planning will help drive their business forward. He also discusses the fact that the Internet is still in it’s infancy, which I personally totally agree with.

“Without commitment, great talent is a waste” – Jeff quotes from his previous boss.

Another football gets tossed, this time it’s scripted. Circuit City’s representative discusses the synergies between ValueClickMedia & Commission Junction and how they have been able to enrich the client’s experience by cross marketing internally.

Carnival Cruise Lines, although supposed to be in the crowd, were absent. Jeff discusses the synergies with Webclients.net and CJ for Carnival.

Next up is Vaughan Smith – Internet Marketing Guru for eBay. Vaughan discusses how eBay works with Valueclick as a whole – through their various properties – Mediaplex, CJ, VC Media.

Execution – Jeff discusses the focus of Valueclick to execute on opportunities and problem solving.