Aperio Networks' Eventspan.com Proposes 'Web Event XML Schema' to Standardize Event Listings for Webcasts and Webinars
May 22 2007
EventSpan.com, the forthcoming Web 2.0 search, syndication, and social networking website for online events such as webcasts and webinars, has released a draft of a proposed XML schema for the publishing of web event listings. The intent of the proposed draft is to seek industry feedback from marketers, B2B publishers, technology service providers, and consultants. Industry stakeholders can view the draft release and provide feedback at http://www.EventSpan.com/web_event_xml_schema."We believe a standard for the promotional listings of the ever-increasing amount of webcasts and webinars that are being produced is needed," said John Rourke, CEO of Aperio Networks, the developer of EventSpan.com. "With the feedback and suggestions we receive, we hope to incorporate them into the Eventspan search and syndication platform as well as our API for content syndication partners. This is a work in progress and we want the industry's input." Rourke indicated the beta-version of EventSpan will be released this summer.
Informational online events such as webcasts and webinars are becoming a staple on the web for business professionals and consumers to attend and view on-demand. The research firm Frost & Sullivan has noted in a recent report that "in 2006, total revenues in the web event services market reached $140.5 million, forecasting $500.5 million for 2012. As more customers are ready to invest in this type of solutions, the web event services market is expected to show impressive growth rates through out the forecast period."
By proposing this web event listing standard for webcasts and webinars, the EventSpan.com team believes this will help all competitors in the web event services market. "Having a standardized structure for upcoming and recorded web-based event listings helps people find the content they're looking for and this ultimately increases the attendance, viewership, and general usage of online events," said Rourke. "The current hodge-podge of webcast and webinar listing practices makes them virtually undiscoverable through search, and the way they're now formatted doesn't optimize conversion to attend and view event content," he added. The Aperio Networks' team working on EventSpan.com indicated it would be reaching out to online B2B publishers, event marketers and technology service providers who power online events.
About Aperio Networks and Eventspan.com
Located in New York City, Aperio Networks, LLC, creates, designs, develops, and operates web applications and publishing websites in the B2B and B2C sectors. The company uses the Ruby-on-Rails framework for the development of its web properties. Aperio also has a web consulting practice that works with select brands to design, develop and market Web 2.0 websites. Aperio also owns and publishes ConferencingNews.com (http://www.ConferencingNews.com), a news aggregator in the conferencing, webinar and webcasting markets.
Eventspan, opererated by Aperio Networks, is a search, syndication, and social networking platform in the world of webcast and webinar events. Sneak peek images and product features can be found at the pre-launch blog at http://www.Eventspan.com/blog, and the draft proposal for the web event listing standard can be viewed at http://www.Eventspan.com/web_event_xml_schema.