Widget Monetization Panel at Social Ad Summit

Hooman Radfar, Clearspring
Heidi Henson, RockYou
Sam Wick, Userplane
Ben Pashman, Gigya
Kevin Barenblat, Context Optional (moderator)

Definitions of widgets?

Moderator: I’m an advertiser and I want to do business with you. What am I buying?

Userplane: They built a platform and they want to add community elements. They use us to help make it distributable. We’re B2B focused. Widget strategy can take advantage of audience that’s already out there.

RockYou: We’re distributed media network, 70 million users, also created extended ad network of independent ap developers. LIkeness Quiz – people can see how compatible with their friends. Can create custom quiz like for Indiana Jones – top 10 favorite scenes from Indy movie.

Clearspring: Can advertise within widget – ESPN, Fox Sports, etc. Can help brands advertise within other brands. To go more deeply, we help them build their own widget distributed within their own network.

Gigya: First, there’s a widget to be built – advertiser, developer, or us. Our currency is the install. Certain # of installs to specific audience. Advertising’s about audience. Upside to widget: advertisers aren’t locked in to specific platform. Won’t be one or the other for long.

RockYou: Widget is still contained in a certain area, a little different experience of gauging user interaction. They work with PointRoll and others. On ad network, 2x interaction level. Users don’t click through as much. Some new metrics may be needed.

Clearspring: There’s a space in the ecosystem for everyone. You should get different performance on ads on new platform vs. old.

RockYou: There’s no singular solution for brand advertisers. Creating own app can make sense.

Worked with Context Optional for Microsoft app, Office Poke.

Userplane: There are ways for companies to create value so we can provide brands with what they want in targeted environments.

RockYou: Fits with behavioral targeting aims, where users are voluntarily saying their interests, who interests them, what’s important to them.

Gigya: As distribution increases, monetization increases.

Moderator: If I’m a media buyer, how do I know who I’m targeting?

Clearspring: You absolutely know. Look at traditional media – pass along effect. You don’t know who’s seeing it, etc. Power with widgets is measurability – what network it’s on, how many people interact with it, how it’s shared.

RockYou: Can target by demographics but also by affinity, like speed racing app for people who have affinity for cars.