2007 year

• Publishing Dynamics' VP

  of strategic services shows you how to get the most mileage from the Flash banners you are publishing now.

  Today's popular use of Flash is a lot like a really nice new microwave: I know there's a ton of great technology built in, but I only ever really use the "Popcorn" button.

  Luckily, I don't make a living by taking advantage of microwave cooking technology.

  However, I do make a living making the most of Flash technology, and I still see a lot of brands only pushing the "Popcorn" button when they could take one more step, push just one more button, and really turbo-charge campaigns they've already bought the space for.

  You are already making web widgets
  It's true. When brand managers ask, "Can we make a widget for [insert social networking site here]," I respond, "Do you run PointRoll or some comparable technology as part of your online media buy?"

  Of course, the answer is yes. On the banner side, the results of expandable rich media buys are indisputable; much more time spent engaging, and many more clickthroughs. What's more, these banner buys are intense on the development side. For each campaign, there are as many as 16 different variations that must be accounted for.

  So, let's take a step back and look at the mechanics of this buy. Take one concept, make it interactive with Flash and suit it to be easily integrated via a number of syndicated channels (portals, et cetera).

  This is no different from developing for inclusion on a blog or a social website. In fact, it may be easier than the process of fine-tuning Flash assets for syndicates like PointRoll.

  As you conceptualize your next campaign, adding one function that copies a "source embed tag" to the user's clipboard takes the campaign you've paid to syndicate and allows it to be used as a widget wherever people can paste it. I think some may call that "Big Seed Viral Marketing," if you want to get really fancy about it.

  And as if that wasn't enough, it gets even cooler. When you change your campaign, you can simply change-out the Flash file on your server, and all the embedded Flash you've virally placed across the web will change, too.

  Remember, all users have done is paste in the location of the Flash movie, not the movie itself. Keep the dimensions and the file name the same, and you've got an expanded ad network without spending an additional dime.

  More behind-the-scenes magic
  Another unrealized part of Flash technology is just how much varied functionality is built in. Many people think of Flash as some kind of mystery that works within the web.

  The fact is Flash is far more advanced than any web browser, and the Flash player that is now virtually ubiquitous doesn't need a browser. But this is where user perceptions dictate usage. So, until Adobe makes a huge push to compete with Microsoft and Mozilla, the user population will always see Flash as something that takes place within the browsing experience.

  As marketers, it's important to see the difference and understand just how powerful Flash can be in practice.

  There are a few built-in facets to Flash that a limited number of brands are taking advantage of with great success, namely Shared Object Libraries, built-in calendars and clocks and cross-platform portability.