Online media player provides monetization and marketing opportunities for artists and record labels

St. Cloud, MN, June 5, 2009 – W3i, a provider of marketing solutions that increase revenue, distribution and engagement for Windows applications and plug-ins, and RightsFlow, a provider of music licensing and royalty services, announced today the creation of an integrated music marketing platform designed to help artists and labels monetize free music downloads through media support.

“W3i has developed solutions to enable the distribution of free content for over nine years,” comments Robert Weber, Vice President of Business Development at W3i. “Our proprietary technology, Install IQ, and W3i’s Application Network can help downloadable content providers increase their revenue as well as ensure speed-to-market while utilizing minimal artist resources.”

As traditional music business models continue to change, artists and labels are looking for innovative sources of revenue in the digital space. “We are very excited to offer record labels and artists access to the W3i Media Player,” stated Alex Holz, Director of Client Relations for RightsFlow. “This system helps artists and labels reach music lovers searching for free music, while still generating revenue from their recordings.”

The media-supported initiative involves reaching fans searching for free music and offering DRM-free downloads of unreleased and difficult-to-find digital tracks. The initial rollout features 100 tracks across Rock, Pop, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Latin, Alternative, and Country music genres, including artists such as Say When, Carey Ott, Michael Olatuja, and Drunken Barn Dance.

“We are pleased to work with W3i and RightsFlow on this exciting program,” said Gary Taylor, manager of Carey Ott and co-manager of The New Congress. “Finding creative ways to market and monetize music is especially important for D.I.Y. artists, and earning revenue while rewarding fans with free music is an unmatched deal.”

Install IQ was the first installation system certified in the TRUSTe Trusted Download program, and users have demonstrated high satisfaction in online surveys.

About W3i:
W3i increases revenue, distribution and engagement for Windows applications and plug-ins. W3i uses a network approach combining the demand for free and trial downloads monetized by the distribution of useful downloads when the consumer is in the download mindset. W3i’s Application Network uses Install IQ, W3i’s proprietary Windows installer, the first installer to be certified in the TRUSTe Trusted Download Program. Tested and optimized on over 250 million installs–currently 7.1 million installs monthly and growing, W3i will prove to be a valued distribution partner in growing your application business. To learn more, visit W3i’s Application Network.

About RightsFlow:
RightsFlow offers Mechanical Licensing & Royalty Solutions for labels, distributors, and online music services. We specialize in obtaining bulk mechanical, DPD, and ringtone licenses including streaming, tethered, and limited downloads rights. Our proprietary “FLOW” system allows us to license, account, and pay royalties directly to the Harry Fox Agency (HFA) and the thousands of publishers not represented by HFA. Today, RightsFlow services over 1,500 labels for mechanical and DPD licensing. Some of the many clients we service include marquee companies such as imeem, E1 Entertainment, Muzak, EMI Music, Active International, Tapulous, CD Baby, IODA, Audible Magic, YouLicense, Constellation Wines (Blackstone), X5 Music Group, Zebralution and Disc Makers, among others. For more information on RightsFlow’s services and management team, visit www.rightsflow.com.

Media Contact for W3i:
Deborah Manthei +1.320.257.7571 / deborah.manthei@W3i.com

Media Contact for RightsFlow:
Gideon Kalischer, +1-212-937-6955 / gideon.kalischer@rightsflow.com

W3i’s Download Network featuring Install IQ is a Finalist in Most Innovative Service/Business Model category.

St. Cloud, Minnesota – June 2, 2009 – W3i, LLC, provider of marketing solutions that increase revenue, distribution, and engagement for Windows applications and plug-ins, was named a Finalist today in the Most Innovative Service/Business Model category for the 2009 Comp TIA SoftwareCEO Software Innovation Awards.

The finalist designation was presented for W3i’s Download Network, a leading consumer software platform. Using a network approach, W3i’s Download Network pays partners to generate traffic, installs interactive consumer applications, and delivers active users to W3i’s clients.

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the leading trade association for the world’s information technology (IT) industry. The SoftwareCEO Software Innovation Awards recognize innovative software products and new business models in eight different categories. Award winners will be announced at the CompTIA special online award ceremony on June 18, 2009.

SoftwareCEO Software Innovation Awards finalists by category are judged for:

Scope – What business problem or opportunity does the software innovation address? What is the size of the problem/opportunity?

Impact – What practical results, such as sales, users or profits, has the innovation had on a software product or on the software industry? The innovation must be new and have both a current and future impact.

Novel – How does the innovation break with traditional ideas or processes?

“W3i is honored to become a Finalist especially in the area of innovation. We know W3i’s Download Network can be a key distribution and monetization strategy for publishers and advertisers of Windows and browser applications. To date, we have installed over 250 million applications, and we are just getting started,” comments Andy Johnson, CEO of W3i. “Congratulations to the W3i team for becoming a finalist in the 2009 SoftwareCEO Software Innovation Awards.”

Entries are judged by a select panel of industry experts, including analysts, consultants, writers and trade press, and subject-matter experts. A list of the esteemed panel can be found here: http://www.softwareceo.com/leadership/awards_judging.aspx.

Details about the 2009 SoftwareCEO Software Innovation Awards and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at http://www.softwareceo.com/leadership/2009/awards_finalists.aspx.

“Software innovation is more than just ideas; it’s the ability to develop those ideas and make them work in the market,” said Mark Fogle, publisher of SoftwareCEO. “The annual SoftwareCEO Innovation Awards recognize products, ideas and business models that break with conventional software ideas and processes to introduce product offerings and business models that are key to our industry’s future growth and vitality.

About W3i:
W3i increases revenue, distribution and engagement for Windows applications and plug-ins. W3i uses a network approach combining the demand for free and trial downloads monetized by the distribution of useful downloads when the consumer is in the download mindset. W3i’s Download Network uses Install IQ, W3i’s proprietary Windows installer, the first installer to be certified in the TRUSTe Trusted Download Program. Tested and optimized on over 250 million installs–currently 7.1 million installs monthly and growing, W3i will prove to be a valued distribution partner in growing your application business. To learn more, visit W3i’s Download Network.

W3i Contact:
Deborah Manthei
Director of Marketing Communications
W3i
320-257-7571
deborah.manthei@W3i.com
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About SoftwareCEO.com
SoftwareCEO is a resource-packed electronic newsletter and web portal built by software executives for software executives. It is Page One for software industry information and education on topics such as software marketing, sales, business, financing, and services. For more information, visit http://www.softwareceo.com/.

About CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy. For more information, please visit www.comptia.org.

CompTIA Contact:
Steven Ostrowski
Director, Corporate Communications
CompTIA
Phone: 630-678-8468
Email: sostrowski@comptia.org

7th annual Stevie® Awards will be presented on June 22 in New York City

St. Cloud, Minnesota – May 20, 2009 – W3i, LLC, provider of marketing solutions that increase revenue, distribution, and engagement for Windows applications and plug-ins, was named a finalist today in the New Product or Services of the Year – Computer Services category in The 2009 American Business Awards.

The finalist designation was presented for W3i’s Download Network, a leading consumer software platform.  Using a network approach, W3i’s Download Network pays partners to generate traffic, installs interactive consumer applications, and delivers active users to W3i’s clients. 

The American Business Awards is the nation’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit entries to the ABAs – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. 

Stevie Award winners will be announced during the annual gala on Monday, June 22 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.  Six hundred executives from across the U.S.A. are expected to attend.  The ceremonies will be broadcast on radio nationwide by the Business TalkRadio Network and hosted by Cheryl Casone of Fox Business Network.

More than 2,600 entries from companies of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration in more than 40 categories, including Most Innovative Company, Best Management Team, Best New Product or Service, Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program, Best Corporate Environmental Responsibility Program.  W3i will be competing in the New Product or Services of the Year – Computer Services category for Interactive Marketing.

“It took years for W3i’s team to fine-tune the proprietary technology for Install IQ, the installer that drives the success of W3i’s Download Network.  To date we have installed over 250 million applications.  My congratulations to the team for becoming a finalist in the 2009 ABAs,” comments Andy Johnson, CEO, W3i. 

Members of the Awards’ Board of Distinguished Judges & Advisors and their staffs will select Stevie Award winners from among finalists in final judging that will continue through June 3.   Finalists were chosen by business professionals nationwide during preliminary judging in April through early May.

“Despite very tough economic conditions, many organizations and individuals continue to perform well,” said Michael Gallagher, founder and president of The Stevie Awards.  “The results of the 2009 ABAs thus far are a testament to the resilience, creativity, and hard work of American organizations, executives, and workers.”

Details about The American Business Awards and the list of finalists in all categories are available at www.stevieawards.com/aba. 

About W3i
W3i increases revenue, distribution, and engagement for Windows applications and plug-ins. W3i uses a network approach combining the demand for free and trial downloads monetized by the distribution of useful downloads when the consumer is in the download mindset.  W3i’s Download Network uses Install IQ, W3i’s proprietary Windows installer, the first installer to be certified in the TRUSTe Trusted Download Program.  Tested and optimized on over 250 million installs–currently 7.1 million installs monthly and growing, W3i will prove to be a valued distribution partner in growing your application business. To learn more, visit W3i’s Download Network.

About The Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, The Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.  Honoring companies of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide.  Learn more about The Stevie Awards at www.stevieawards.com.

Supporting sponsors of The 2009 American Business Awards include High Performance Technologies Inc., John Hancock, Lifelock, RCN Corporation, Softpro, and Ultimate Software.  Media sponsor is the Business TalkRadio Network.  Localization partner of the 2009 Stevie Awards is Lionbridge.

Contact:
Deborah Manthei
320-257-7571
deborah.manthei@W3i.com

During a leading casual game publisher’s recent earnings call, the CFO cited that one of the primary reasons their quarterly revenue fell (Q1 2009 versus Q1 2008) was that they were generating less revenue from distributing the Google Toolbar offer with their downloads.

This is precisely the problem game publishers are faced with when having only a single offer to leverage with software recommendations from their installer, versus a marketplace of third party offers such as those provided by W3i’s Install IQ process. Had this game provider been a client of W3i’s Install IQ platform, they would have been able to recommend other offers with their downloads instead of relying solely on a Google Toolbar, and therefore closed the gap on their lost revenue from users which had now already all received the Google Toolbar offer in the prior year’s downloads.

Other companies with Windows applications should take note of this provider’s challenges, and proactively integrate with W3i before these revenue decreases show up in their quarterly financial numbers.

Today, I attempted to download from this provider to see what business models they were leveraging.

1. $9.99 Monthly Recurring Subscription – The most prominent business model is to get you to register with your credit card for a free trial to their paid membership. You have 30 days to try the membership, after which time you will be auto-billed monthly at $9.99.
   
   To cancel the trial membership, I was instructed to call their 800 number and provide my account number. I wasn’t too enthused that I could register online but was required to make a phone call to cancel. However, the customer support rep was immediately available and didn’t make life too difficult. Overall, I was pleased with their customer support.
2. Display Ads On Website – After subscribing to the free trial credit card subscription, you can then browse their catalog of online and downloadable games. The website has numerous banner ads on display which help them in generating revenues.
3. 60 Minute Try Before You Buy Downloads – Even with a membership I was still encouraged to download 60 minute trials of various game titles.
4. Toolbar and Other Software Recommendations – The first downloadable trial game came with Google offers including a Toolbar and Desktop Search option.

The Google Toolbar, when first opened, spawned an alert offering to change my default search as well as enable PageRank, further driving value to Google.

I tried downloading additional trial games and only one additional software recommendation, for Google’s Chrome Browser, was offered.

This demonstrates that even today the company has not yet diversified its dependence on Google’s very limited number of offers to be leveraged by their software recommendations.

Ryan Weber, Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Co-Founder, W3i, LLC
Entrepreneur and pioneer of Internet marketing focusing on increasing revenue and distribution for digital downloads.

St. Cloud, Minnesota, May 7, 2009 – W3i, provider of marketing solutions that increase distribution, revenue, and engagement for Windows applications, announced today that VoloMedia is now part of W3i’s Download Network (WDN).  VoloMedia, provider of advertising and reporting solutions for portable media, is using W3i’s Download Network to broaden its user base for its iTunes plug-in to grow its panel of users for more effective advertising.

“W3i’s Download Network can be a significant source of new users for growth companies with Windows applications and various types of plug-ins,” said Rob Weber, VP of Business Development at W3i.  “VoloMedia joins a network of application companies in their efforts to ramp up user acquisition at a known ROI.  During the installation process, WDN leverages the demand for popular free or trial downloads by matching them with other download companies seeking distribution, like VoloMedia, giving the user a value-add.”

“W3i’s distribution capabilities are helping us reach our target users,” notes Jeff Karnes, VP of Marketing and Products for VoloMedia. “Their installation and download process is a great way for us to promote our unique iTunes plug-in.” 

W3i used its consultative services to optimize this distribution channel for VoloMedia, demonstrating how using proven techniques to engage the user can increase lifetime value and make their marketing spend more effective.

About W3:
W3i increases revenue, distribution and engagement for Windows applications and plug-ins. W3i uses a network approach combining the demand for free and trial downloads monetized by the distribution of useful downloads when the consumer is in the download mindset.  W3i’s Download Network uses Install IQ, W3i’s proprietary Windows installer, the first installer to be certified in the TRUSTe Trusted Download Program.  Tested and optimized on over 250 million installs–currently 15 million installs monthly and growing, W3i will prove to be a valued distribution partner in growing your application business. To learn more, visit W3i’s Download Network.

About  VoloMedia:
VoloMedia provides a unique combination of products with a nationwide ad sales team to deliver advertising and reporting solutions for portable media, extending the reach and monetization of video and audio podcasts. The company’s products and services are utilized by some of the largest and most well known media companies, including ABC News, FOX News, MSNBC, Washington Post/Newsweek, and Public Radio International in its Business, News, and Politics podcast verticals.  Other VoloMedia content verticals include Entertainment, Health, Music, Sports, Technology, Video Games, and Women. http://www.volomedia.com.

Contact:
Deborah Manthei
Director of Marketing Communications
320-257-7571
deborah.manthei@W3i.com

Jocelyn Johnson
212-924-9500
PR Contact for VoloMedia
jjohnson@gravitas-pr.com

Many of the online marketers I speak with have been using AdWords for years.  They love the ROI they see from the program but a common gripe has to do with the fact that many of them are having difficulty increasing reach and growing their customer acquisition efforts.

When I hear this my immediate question is always, “Are you advertising on the content network?”  The typical response is usually a variation of, “We’ve tried it in the past, but the quality of the traffic was always extremely poor.”

At W3i we’ve found Google’s Content Network, as well as similar offerings from other publishers, to be a great source of ad inventory to increase reach and grow user acquisitions for the W3i Download Network.  Whether it’s audio, video, games or utility software there are a plethora of relevant sites to advertise on in Google’s vast network.  After all, where do you think the users you’re bidding on in search end up when they don’t click a paid ad?  That’s right, probably a site that is displaying AdSense ad units.  Google’s robust algorithms do most of the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on what you do best.  To help jumpstart your AdWords account using Google’s Content Network I’ve put together a list of tips to keep in mind.

1. Implement Conversion Tracking.
   Perhaps this goes without saying, but the one thing needed prior to diving into any network is a method for tracking return on investment (ROI) at a granular level.  Google’s Conversion Tracking option provides the simplest tool for measuring key performance indicators (KPI’s) on the Google network. Of course there are non-Google tracking options as well.  Establishing conversion tracking up front will provide the needed clarity for decision making down the road.  After all, you can’t grow what you can’t measure!
2. Segment your search campaigns from your content campaigns.
   Be sure to separate your search campaigns from content campaigns.  For those who are fairly new to Adwords you may think “no brainer”, however, there was a time that co-mingling search and content was thought to be the way to go.  We know better now.  Separating search from content allows ads to be written with the context of the user interaction in mind.  Another benefit of segmenting campaigns is the creation of keyword lists specific to content placements.  Best practices call for smaller groups of keywords (10-20 keywords) and the use of broad matching. The bottom line is users behave differently on search than they do on content, and segmenting the two allows for optimization by network.
3. Remember to set a campaign budget!
   The fastest way to get noticed by your management is to not set a campaign budget! We don’t suggest this. Google’s content network is huge and can burn through thousands of dollars in a matter of hours, so make sure you’re setting reasonable caps, especially as you dip your toes into the water.
4. Utilize Cost Per Click (CPC) bidding on the content network.
   CPC bidding greatly simplifies the online marketing process. Review search network campaigns to determine a starting range for content campaigns. Google typically recommends starting content bids at about half of the rate of your search bids.
5. Keeping the budget tip above in mind – BE AGGRESSIVE!
   If you don’t get aggressive, you will never get the opportunity to show Google’s algorithms how well your ads perform.  We typically start with bids well above our estimated allowable CPC knowing we will lower them to meet our ROI goal once we begin to see some performance data rolling in.
6. Focus on clicks initially.
   Use the AdWords auto ad-optimization feature to make sure you’re going to auction with your highest click-through rate (CTR) ads.  You can always test different ad copy once you’ve scaled your campaigns, but focus initially on getting high effective cost per thousand impressions (eCPM) ads into the network.  Regardless of the way you are paying Google (CPM or CPC), your bids are always translated into eCPM so they can be compared to other ads in the auction and Google can maximize its revenue.  For example, if you are bidding .25 CPC and Google estimates your CTR will be 1%, Google will go to auction with an eCPM bid of $2.50.
7. Try using Frequency Capping.
   Frequency Capping is a relatively new feature which was introduced as part of the Doubleclick acquisition.  It allows you to limit the maximum number of times during any given time period your ad can be shown to each user.  This is commonly used when buying banner ads on a CPM basis because of the following logic.  Typically, each consecutive ad impression a user sees (depending on the length of time in between) will yield a lower CTR than the prior.  The logic behind this is basically that if a user is interested in an advertisement he or she will engage it the first (or first few) time(s) he or she sees it.  Using this knowledge you can frequency cap your ads so that each impression has the highest chance of yielding a click, thereby aligning your interests with Google’s (Google only gets paid when there is a click).
8. Research!
   Research the sites that rank high organically on keywords in your search campaigns. There is a high probability these are the same types of sites that your ads will be shown on in the content network.  Pay careful attention to the context of this type of site, and use this information when choosing content keyword themes and writing ad copy.  You can also use this information to target sites that you know rank well organically for your top performing keywords.
9. Use the Placement Performance Report.
   Using the Placement Performance Report will allow you to see your historical performance on every site in the content network, including conversion rate.  From there you can take two actions: exclude low performing placements and target high performing placements in their own campaign.
10. Bid to performance.
    Using the ad scheduling feature to adjust your bids by hour and day of week will allow you to increase your bids during the times you convert the best and reduce bids (or pause bids) when you’re performing poorly.  You’ll be surprised how much your conversion rate varies by day of week and time of day.  Look at the data and see for yourself!

Maximizing our ad spend is a crucial element for the success of W3i.  If you are looking for more revenue, distribution, or engagement for your Windows applications, contact W3i.  W3i has spent nine years perfecting a Windows installation technology, Install IQ, which provides a lot of marketing opportunities for companies with consumer demand for their Windows applications.

Peter Novotny, Manager of Marketing, W3i, LLC
Peter Novotny uses his years of experience in Media Buying and Search Engine Marketing to lead the B2C user acquisition efforts for W3i’s web properties.

Do not underestimate the value of help and support related features in your application or service. Properly supporting your users can be a key differentiator in today’s market. It can help ease the learning curve users must traverse when adopting your service and facilitate continued product-usage. To not support or clumsily support your users is like dropping someone in the middle of a jungle without a survival kit. If you don’t give your users the tools and education needed to survive: they won’t, plain and simple. Here are three guidelines I’ve followed in products I’ve managed that provide a common sense approach for properly supporting your users:

1. Help should be Accessible: Access to a Help/FAQ section should be in the same “physical” spot throughout the application or service experience. Users should always know where to access Help or an FAQ. Don’t confuse them by moving it around or making it accessible in some areas and not others. These sections should be neatly indexed and searchable.
2. Avoid Technical or Industry Jargon: Speak your user’s language. Don’t confuse them by using jargon that’s over-technical or industry-speak. Just because you understand it doesn’t mean your users will.
3. Provide Multiple Support Methods: Hopefully your support documents are so brilliant that no user needs to contact you. But let’s face it, some do want to contact you, and that’s OK. There is no better way to build relationships and gather invaluable user feedback than providing human support via multiple contact methods. A support email address and online support form are musts. Make them easy to find. Hiding them or making them difficult to access means you don’t want to talk to your users and, for this; your users will repay you by not using your service. Phone and chat support are great ways to engage your users and provide them exceptional customer service – consider these methods as well.

One more thing; your Customer Support Team is critical to developing strong user relationships. Do not underestimate the value they bring to your product.

Following these three common sense guidelines to providing world-class support will ensure your users have the tools they need to succeed when using your application or service. Do not send your users into the jungle without giving them the tools to survive, hoping they’ll find their way through on their own.

Eric Montag, Product Manager, W3i Holdings, LLC
Eric uses his experience in graphic design, mobile, and internet marketing to lead the charge in product research, planning, and execution, from both a consumer and business standpoint.

It is always great when you can talk to Internet marketers face-to-face and learn some of their insights first hand.  I attended ad:tech San Francisco this week,  meeting with a handful of top marketers in charge of various types of Windows applications.

Their Windows applications include:  a cutting edge Outlook plug-in, security applications primarily geared for consumer use, various types of utility applications for helping users to get their PC to operate at the best possible level, and a top video player application. Each of the marketers talked to me about their various marketing campaigns, and all of them stressed how important it is to meet ROI goals, especially in light of the current economic condition.

• Paid search is working for many… The marketer from the cutting edge Outlook plug-in stated that since their app is so new to the world, most users haven’t discovered a need for the product category yet and, therefore, there isn’t much search traffic available to market this new application.
• Radio is not worth it… The marketer at the utility application company stated that if he had to do it all over again, he would have never invested into getting a radio advertising campaign off the ground. He said measuring the ROI has proven challenging, and way too much effort for what he gets out of it.
• Co-promotion has some legs… The security application company was working to white label their technology to a handful of very large security companies to ramp up their growth.
• Social marketing is helpful, but too unpredictable… The utility application company has a Windows application with a social marketing strategy, and was in the process of winding down the product because it never got any traction. The cutting edge Outlook plug-in company was quite pleased with the social traction he was getting, but wanted to ramp up faster, and in a more controlled manner. Even successful social marketing campaigns need a spark to light the fire.
• Bundling works… All four of the marketers at these Windows application companies stated that bundling was an area they were going to invest more energy and budget into because the ROI was very measurable and the volume of distribution was very meaningful.

If you have a Windows application, and haven’t figured out how to generate a meaningful ROI by participating in bundling, we should talk.  Contact W3i to learn more. 

About the Author:
Rob Weber is the VP of Business Development and Co-Founder of W3i Holdings.  Rob has over nine years experience developing innovative ways to increase revenue and distribution for Windows applications.

Ok, so I have a simple little app, how hard can it be to make it usable?  Not user-friendly, but truly usable.

Simple is not easily achieved.  There are several things that come into play, and the first is that if you are reading this to support your app, you are probably too close to it to make it usable.  Let me give you an example:

If you have ever lived with a toilet that required jiggling of the handle, you see this play out when guests arrive. “Just jiggle the handle” you say off-handedly.  After several minutes of your guest trying and failing, you will come in and jiggle and all is well.  Is your guest stupid? No, they simply don’t have the same time and experience that you do that makes this a usable experience for you, but not for them.  

Same principal applies for anything on the internet.  Your best expert knows nothing.

Now, after understanding that you understand too much about your application, the next approach is the VIMM model.  VIMM stands for Visual, Intellectual, Memory, and Motor (cited from Human Factors International’s Science and Art of Effective Web and Application Design).

Like most effective concepts, this should be common sense, but frequently is forgotten in the effort of software (well, actually, any) design and improved usability.  So here are the questions you should ask, in the framework of your non-expert expert’s mind:

Visually does this make sense?  Crazy examples — Is the word Red in blue type?  Are all the fonts different?  Are there more than 0 flashing, dancing, or burning images?

Intellectually does this make sense? More crazy examples — Is the download button before I tell someone what they are getting?  Does it ask for my country before the state?

Is Memorization easy or hard?  Frankly, if you take care of the first two, this one should be a no-brainer, but looking to big, successful, pervasive software companies for some standards doesn’t hurt either.

What Motor skills are required? Alright – this one is a pet peeve, probably because I have no motor skills.  More importantly, I have been asked to read through pages of information and the “Next” button is always in a slightly different place.  Seems like nothing, all I have to do is move the mouse and click. No biggie, right?  Well, I do have to say that this has prevented websites from engaging me more times than not.  It is about as irritating as if they’d cut all the pages into different sizes on the trashy paperback I read at the beach with my frozen drink, and I don’t want that experience ruined either.

Most of the time, these things are written off as “ok”; usually by the expert in the software who doesn’t care that he is still jiggling his toilet handle. 

Bottom line here…
If you assume that everyone on your website is just like you, pretty soon it will just be you.  It pays to focus on improving usability. 

Kristin Oberhaus, Product Manager, W3i Holdings, LLC
Kristin has over 13 years of product management experience and is a certified usability analyst. She is an avid believer in pragmatic marketing.

St. Cloud, Minnesota, April 9, 2009-W3i, LLC today announced a global partnership with Yahoo!, under which W3i will continue to offer the Yahoo! Toolbar, as well as sponsored search and contextual advertising services, to over 16.5 million visitors monthly.

As a leader in desktop and browser marketing solutions, W3i provides its users with useful, safe, free software and utilities to improve their Internet experience.  W3i’s goal is to connect users with downloads that add utility to their desktop and make their time on the Internet more productive.

“Our partnership with Yahoo! allows us to offer world-class search capabilities to our users. Yahoo! has made impressive strides with its search marketing system, and continues to innovate to drive the most compelling user and advertiser experience,” said Andy Johnson, CEO of W3i. “As a leader in delivering quality, downloadable content, W3i is excited to continue our partnership and looks forward to growing our relationship with Yahoo! even more over time.”

About W3i:
W3i delivers proven, integrated desktop and browser marketing solutions.  With solutions tested and optimized on over 200 million installs–currently 4.2 million installs monthly, W3i can increase revenue and traffic for downloadable software, applications and digital content or provide a receptive consumer base for customized, targeted distribution programs while the user is in the download mode.  W3i’s solutions utilize Install IQ, a proprietary Windows installation system and download manager developed by W3i.  Install IQ is the first installation system to be certified in the TRUSTe Trusted Download Program.  To learn more about W3i, visit www.w3i.com.  For premium quality, free consumer content, visit freeze.com (screensavers, wallpaper and clip art), wallpapers.com (animated, static and Wallery wallpapers), screensaver.com (3D and flash screensavers), and my.freeze.com (latest news, home page).

Contact:
Deborah Manthei
Director of Marketing Communications
320-257-7571
deborah.manthei@W3i.com

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