Top 4 Success Strategies for Decentralized Content

Edelman’s SVP, Steve Rubel, outlined the following “Strategies for Success in a Decentralized World” at Widgetcon today:

1)      Fit in

a.       Think about how to make content small so it fits in where ever people want it.

b.   Example: John Edwards has button for social networks and allows them to connect with all the spaces in which he participates

2)      Share

a.       If I have the same widget in two places like desktop and on website, how does it connect up? Calls for Web Standards for data exchange

b.      How to find partners to work with you to find and create value?

c.       Tip: think money, fame or power for these value exchanges

3)      Connect

a.       Ability to send messages through the content on any website where I go

b.      Google Talk widget is great to allow for chatting

c.       Want to see competitors like Widgetbox and Clearspring sharing too

4)      Be Open

a.       Being closed is deadly

b.      Open to letting people plug whatever they want to into a space

c.       NetVibes—brand can create a space for consumers to use. Agnostic to content—videos, news, etc.

d.      Totally open system and how to showcase things from other places from outside of sphere

e.       Example of opening up to outside sources: incase– make guitars, ipod cases, etc. imports/links to flickr images tagged with their items (another example is the flickr stream of ad images to the right in this blog–never know what it’s going to display, but often is pleasing…)