Subterrainean wrote:
Really been digging the updates on the SA Champs. Really easy to find out whats going on, and to actually follow the progress of the comp. And updated regularly.
Waves seem to have been decent as well for a change...
Setting a good example as to what the coverage should be like, well done!
Thanks bru ... the contest updates is something I've been wanting to do for a while and I thought I'd give it a go and use this event as a test and aim to get all events using the system. Derek has been helping out at the event by posting all the updates through a mobile interface which I developed to input and unfortunately some of the spots have been lacking in mobile coverage so he's been having to take a bit of a walk to be able to post the results.
The system is hooked up through the Twitter API and posts live to the
http://www.twitter.com/SAChamps2009 account and then there's an RSS feed to syndicate the feed.
http://www.sixty40.co.za/rss/contest_fe ... php?id=332
This feed is syndicated to our Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/sixty40 and our Twitter account
http://www.twitter.com/sixty40 and can be used by anyone in any number of means - the simplest being if you has a Reader, just add the feed.
The contest has had some great daily coverage (nice shots Mr Thurtell!) --- so hats off to the organisors for making sure they have a good photographer at the event.
To me - approaching it in this manner is starting with the basic building blocks. Too many comps go and put up a live webcast but then they don't have the live followers and you can't watch at a later time when you're off work. These updates are here to stay and you can view them now, tomorrow or years down the line as a historical record of the event.
I literally started developing this a few days before the contest in my spare time so promoting it was not an option but we've noticed a marked increase in traffic to the contest page and with a little bit of effort - e.g. creating widgets to add to other sites or blogs and encouraging their use - we can really push these updates and get more exposure for the events.
So it seems a success and I'll be trying to encourage as many events as I can to use it in future.
Stoked to have been able to help get this out there but if anything, it's been great following all the news myself and I'll be looking to try improve the quality of the updates by putting some guidelines together for anyone who will be using.
Jerry has been watching the updates and said how it is the first time in 8 years (from memory) that he hasn't been at the SA champs and how through the accurate and frequent updates he felt in touch with it all. There was so much stoke in his voice about it.