Lijit

We are super excited to announce a new update to our Wordpress Plugin. The same plugin that brought sweet search functionality and stats information to your wordpress blog is now even better.  You might not notice much, as the core of this update revolves around backend functionality. So what does that mean to you???

• Our search form override functionality is now compatible with just about any wordpress theme out there.  (if you find one that doesn’t work, let us know, and we’ll try to add it)
• The plugin enables new widget functionality which results in faster widget loading for your readers.

If you are using Wordpress 2.7 or higher, you should see auto upgrade notices for version 1.1 showing up in your admin console within the next 24 hours. You can just auto upgrade from your plugins screen. Or, you can always manually install/upgrade the plugin from the Lijit Wordpress Plugin page. For handy install tips and instructions, you can always reference our Lijit Help pages for guidance.

As always, if you have any suggestions or feedback, don’t hesitate to drop us a line at support@lijit.com.

Lijit gets around. For some Friday afternoon fun, I wanted to share some of the Lijit sightings we’ve been sent….

If you happen to see Lijit as you’re out and about, be sure to snap a pic and send it our way. We love having photographic proof of where we are. Big thanks to everyone who helped make this post possible.

Not soon after Ryan lost his kite, I told him he was the lucky next employee to be featured on our company blog. As you might imagine, this was enough to turn Ryan’s frown upside down. I was happy to return the favor since Ryan is continually bringing a smile to everyone’s face in the office. Whether he’s sharing his tea stash (seriously, it’s next to his desk) or teaming up to play foosball, Ryan is, as we like to put it around here, good sauce. Judge for yourself after reading his profile…

What is your Lijit contribution?

As part of Lijit’s Web team, I code some of the core components of our application that users see on a daily basis. 90% of the work I do involves some sort of acronym, such as “PHP” or “XML”, with the exception of “JavaScript”. I also contribute to foosball development in the office - being the “less skilled” half of any team I join - by helping to keep my teammate’s foosball skills sharp.

What sound or noise do you love and why?

One of my favorite sounds is someone asking me “Do you have lunch plans?” because I enjoy getting out of the office and getting to know my coworkers on a different level. And, by the time I’m asked that, I’m almost always very hungry. I also enjoy hearing “Let’s get some drinks” and “Yes, I will make out with you”.

When I work, I usually listen to downtempo music, followed by podcasts such as “This American Life” or “CastaBlasta”.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally and why?

Problem solving and overcoming challenges is extremely rewarding to me, and I’m lucky to be in a profession where that is essentially the job description. When coding through a problem, there are a few Zen moments, when everything makes sense and you know you are on the right track. It’s a good feeling.

Working out is awesome too - and can definitely get me going. I almost always feel great after a workout.

What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt and why?

I’ve discovered that I enjoy teaching - not necessarily in an academic setting, but I enjoy explaining things and helping people learn and grow.

Something you’re guilty of…

Perhaps I make fun of Twitter too much. Or not enough?

I can be a heavier drinker - of caffeine.

Sometimes people can’t tell when I’m sarcastic. And I was really happy to answer these questions.

Although Ryan can be an occasional rule breaker, as evidenced in the above photo, he’s generally an upstanding guy who writes a mean haiku when he’s inspired. Also, while he may say he makes fun of Twitter too much, you can find and harass Ryan on there if the desire strikes you. I appreciate him being a good sport and taking the time to help make our blog that much cooler. Plus, I can attest that he’s a good guy to have hanging around.

Today, we gathered as a company for one of our regular brown bag lunchtime meetings. The point of these brown bags is for different people to share their area of speciality at Lijit, helping to keep us all informed of what everyone else is working on. We also wanted an occasion to celebrate our newest publisher, a little site that you might have heard of, and there was really only one way to do that properly.

Cheeseburgers all around! Luckily, our CEO was feeling especially sentimental and did a great job of recording the event for posterity. Thanks for the pictures Todd!*

*Although if some of us had known you were taking pictures, we might have tried a little harder to look awake…no offense, Shawn.

The best part of Todd documenting our cheeseburger feast? Getting to watch Walter, our COO, really enjoy his burger. We’re talking edge-of-your-seat excitement here people.

See? We do know how to have fun without alcohol.

I first came into contact with Ronald Lewis when I sent an email to thank him for signing up for and installing a Lijit widget on his blog. This was back in early 2007, and means (if you do your math correctly) that Ronald was an early adopter back when we only had a handful. We appreciate his local support and the fact that Ronald always has wonderful things to say about our service. This post is long overdue and I’m happy to finally be able to sing his praises in proper blogging fashion.

From his professional bio, Ronald Lewis is a Denver-based author, technologist, speaker, blogger, activist, and entrepreneur. On his blog, he writes about how he landed a book deal, his suggestions for improving personal development, and how he’s managed to get so much press coverage. Recently featured by CNN and BusinessWeek for his future outlook on television and opinion of dating, he has advised individuals and businesses on everything from cloud computing to open source software.

From my own personal dealings with Ronald, he’s a super nice guy and just to prove it, brought his mom to the Front Range Blogger Meetup a few months ago. (How cute is that!)

How long have you been blogging and what made you start?

I’ve been blogging for more than thirteen years now (1995), well before the “automated blog” came along with WordPress and other blogging platforms. I was given a Unix shell account at Wayne State University, where I was forced to learn HTML to create my first homepage on the web.

After learning the basics of HTML, I posted random thoughts in chronological order, and so, my blog was officially born!

What has been the greatest thing you’ve gotten from blogging?

The greatest thing I’ve gotten from blogging is the ability to establish my voice and presence around the world. I am always in awe when I view my website’s stats to notice visitors from every corner of the globe. It’s inspiring to know that your thoughts, opinions, desires, and more can be instantly published and read by anyone. That’s powerful!

Of all the posts you’ve written, what has been your favorite and why?

Of all the posts I’ve written, my favorite at the moment is a story about XOShareholders.com, a website I co-launched in 2001 to launch a shareholder revolt against XO Communications. It was a successful grassroots campaign that netted the site some 2,300 shareholders owning 24 million shares in the company. It also landed me my first book deal.

Speaking of your first book deal, your book comes out this June. What is it about and how will you be using your blog to promote the book?

I do have a book coming out in June! It’s my first and I’m quite excited about it! Stick It To The Man is an unconventional how-to guide to leveling the playing field between consumers and the elite that often take everyday people for granted in business, government, and society.

I’m using my blog, Lijit, and other tools to cross-pollinate social networks, Amazon, etc. with timely information about the book, such as its release, events, tour, and more. The Lijit Wijit is especially helpful for visitors searching for information related to the book, because it easily mines disparate information into a single display. This is perfect for a new author like myself, because it prevents “flighty” Internet users from leaving the page to find what they’re looking for.

How has Lijit helped you to become a better blog publisher?

Lijit has helped me become a better blogger by exposing my content to a larger audience. This doesn’t mean you’ll receive a million hits in one day, but knowing there’s one more prominent property for readers to find your content is a compelling reason to use the network.

I appreciate Ronald taking the time to answer my questions and share his blogging experiences with us. Be sure to keep an eye on Ronald’s blog for more information about the arrival of his book. I’m so excited to say that I knew Ronald back when…

Before Mark joined Lijit, we were having problems with numbers. The kind of problems that only a really good finance guy can solve. Especially a really good finance guy with a real live calculator. So, we were really excited to have Mark (or Chess as he’s called by some around the office) come aboard. Not to mention the fact that when he started here, he had the added benefit of already working with a bunch of us in the past.

However, you probably don’t know him, so I managed to strongarm him into answering some questions for me. Those finance guys…they just don’t know how to arm-wrestle. Enjoy learning the ways of the Mark.

What is your Lijit contribution?

I am the OFG (only Finance guy)- I am responsible for the Accounting and Finance functions at Lijit, which involves producing timely and accurate financial statements, handling a variety of financial analyses, and managing company financial planning.

What is your favorite word and why?

Consistency - because it is a foundation for success both personally and professionally.

What turns you off creatively, emotionally, or spiritually and why?

Lately, I’ve been turned off by the overwhelming negativity of the mainstream media. I notice this especially in business and sport coverage because I follow those areas the most closely. As an example, sports coverage used to focus on individual and team achievement, now it seems like it’s all about manufactured locker room controversies, nasty salary negotiations, brushes with the law, etc.

I think there is some carry-over to our society in general or maybe society is driving the demand for negative news? Either way, I think the pendulum has swung too far to the negative slant in reporting.

What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt and why?

College football offensive coordinator. There are a few reasons I would like to attempt this. First, it involves complex decision making based on analysis of both real-time and historical data for play calling - in a way, it’s very similar to business decision making. Also, the results of your decisions are known right away, allowing for a constant flow of new information that can be utilized immediately. I think the coaching/teaching aspect of it would be rewarding as well. On top of the specifics of the job, what could be more fun than being directly involved in college football?

Something you’re guilty of…

I am guilty of being a college football addict. (See answer to #4). I have gone to or watched on TV nearly every single University of Colorado football game for the last 15 years, including traveling to at least one away game per year.

 

Mark looks really happy in the above picture because just a week or so before it was taken, his wife gave birth to twins. So that smile is really a slap-happy grin due to lack of sleep. Whatever the reason, we’re all smiles around the Lijit office having Mark here. And when our company starts making large amounts of money, he’s just the one to trust to count it all.

(Side note: Don’t you enjoy the fine artwork that Mark has hanging in his office in the above pic? Yes, it is a post-it note with an outdoor scene of mountains drawn on it.)

(Last side note: When I asked Mark if I should link to his blog in this here profile, he said that it was less a blog and more a “static webpage”. That means he doesn’t update his blog. For shame, Mark…)

Maybe it’s because our logo is green or maybe it’s because we can appreciate a holiday designed to be celebrated with beer, but whatever the case, we’re happy to be spending this holiday with some of the best bloggers out there. Our publishers cover the spectrum when it comes to content and it’s always amazing to see what different people have to say about a day like today.

Some of our publishers like to see just how crafty they can get with green while other blogs celebrate the craft projects that may not be blessed with the luck of the Irish.

Of course, there are the blog publishers who share their favorite Irish jokes, their favorite pictures from Ireland or the real story behind St. Patrick’s Day.

And where would be on any holiday without appropriate food and drink? Whether it’s posting a traditional corned beef and cabbage recipe or something a little less traditional, like Irish Car Bomb cupcakes, your palate is sure to be pleased.

To wash down those delicacies, there is the ubiquitous green beer that comes out of the faucets in Ireland. While I may have just made that fact up, one of our publishers is making sure all of his readers know everything they should about beer and another one of our favorite blogs offers up a complete list of St. Patrick’s Day cocktails.

If you’re in the mood for dancing a jig or two, we have a publisher who created a special playlist just for today and another publisher who recommends the best places to enjoy traditional Irish music…in the Adirondacks.

Let’s not forget the important role that color plays in today’s celebration. If you’re into all things green, then our many publishers have you covered there as well.

We had one blogger share a fabulous Irish quote and taking a cue from her, we’d like to share a toast with all those Lijit publishers out there:

May the lilt of Irish laughter
lighten every load.
May the mist of Irish magic
shorten every road…
And may all your friends remember
all the favors you are owed!

If you’re Lijit and writing about leprechauns, shamrocks or other byproducts of Ireland today, leave us a comment and be sure to include a link to your post. Sláinte!

Before Shawn graced us with her presence at Lijit, we didn’t have a QA team. Okay, we had one, but it consisted of everyone already employed by Lijit coming in for releases and doing lots of late-night testing. So you can only imagine how happy we were when Shawn was hired. As it turns out, not only is Shawn awesome at what she does, but she’s also a wonderful person to have around. Plus, she was game enough to answer the questions that I ask of everyone in this series.

What is your Lijit contribution?

Bringing more quality to the company and the features we release to our publishers by noticing and squashing bugs in Lijit’s offices before they crawl outside.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally and why?

Experiencing that you’ve done something good by seeing things come full circle. In July 2002, I had to put my Australian Cattle Dog, Kaena, down after a hard fought battle with a nerve sheath tumor, a low incidence type of cancer. It took 2 years to be diagnosed however, after the diagnosis, his lame limb was amputated and he lived a happy 18 months as our “tripod”. Knowing that this type of cancer was rare, I vowed to donate him to research when the time came. My personal loss became a gain for science. The lead veterinarian on Kaena’s case at Colorado State University wrote me a note expressing gratitude for the immense knowledge that Kaena’s case provided to all the veterinarians, both seasoned and new, that were present during his autopsy.

What sound or noise do you hate and why?

2 things…breaking, slamming and banging things in anger. It’s wasted energy, you’ll need to use more time and energy to fix what you’ve broke, and you can’t take back the impression you just made. Plus the high-pitched shrill of screaming people hurts my ears.

What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt and why?

Barrel Racer. I marvel at the teamwork, speed, control and athleticism that exist between horse and rider in professional barrel racing.

Something you’re guilty of…

Having too much fun on hockey road trips.

How can you not love someone with a name that’s as fun to pronounce as Shawn’s? Don’t believe me? Say her name a couple of times and appreciate the way it rolls off the tongue. And let’s not forget about the fact that she’s a hockey mom from Hawaii. We love having Shawn as part of our team and hope we don’t scare her off anytime soon. (And she looks fab in her Lijit vest!)

You can read the guest post she wrote last year about why she enjoys working at Lijit or check out her blog to find out more.

We are excited about our newest offering for blog publishers: the ability to create and maintain your own Content Network. Many of our users were requesting some way to build topical communities that would promote their content and help to drive traffic to individual sites. We listened and now you can organize groups of bloggers that write about a common area of interest.

There are three Content Networks currently up and running: The Security Bloggers Network, The Venture Capital Bloggers Network, and The Cycling Bloggers Network. With the release of the Conent Networks, Lijit provides all the tools for you to easily create one of your own. Lijit will host the main site, aggregate all the RSS feeds from the individual bloggers, and allow your readers to search through the entire network of experts. Additionally, we give you the ability to monetize your network through display and search advertising.

The real beauty of the Content Network lies in the simple fact that by collecting similar content in one place, readers have an amazing way of searching across a number of different bloggers writing about the same thing. When you visit the Security Bloggers Network, you can do a search that will bring back results from all of the 200+ bloggers who are a part of that network. No one knows the industry better than those blogging about it and now, readers can benefit from all that expertise in one place.

You can read more and find out how to start your own Content Network here. We love hearing feedback and are proud to be able to empower bloggers to do even more!

After our release last night, we’re proud to introduce a super-cool integration that allows you to see blog comments in your search results. If you’re using JS-Kit, Intense Debate, or Disqus, you’ll now see something different when doing a Lijit search.

For example, if you do a search on Guy Kawasaki’s blog for Twitter, this is what you’ll get…

Underneath the search result, you’ll see how many comments the post received and when you click on the link, you’ll get a preview of the first couple of comments. There is also a “View more comments” link that will show you all the comments on the post.

Why is comment integration important?

–People that write and read blogs are always interested in what others have to say.  One of the most valuable pieces of any blog is the comments section because it’s an excellent indicator of reader engagement and shows the conversation taking place around a topic. Lijit understands that and with this integration, give you the ability to judge a search result by checking out the comments before you click on the result.

–The integration of comments into search results is an important step forward in the integration of widgets and the content that BOTH publishers and readers find valuable. Lijit is proud to offer a unique search experience that is not available anywhere else.

–Lijit was founded on the notion of trust.  We recognize the critical importance of your social network in establishing and conveying trust.  This is yet another example of how Lijit uncovers more valuable information for publishers, readers and commenters alike.

We are proud of this new feature and want to know what you think. Leave us a comment with your feedback and enjoy the enhanced search functionality!