Monetize the Realtime Web with OneRiot’s API

OneRiot, a realtime search engine, is today announcing significant upgrades to its Realtime Search API. The upgrade includes support for RiotWise, OneRiot’s ad network for the realtime web. This is big news for any site shopping around for a realtime API because OneRiot will share the revenue from the ads it provides with the developer of the website using their API. Additional new features enable their partners to deliver vertical and domain-specific search experiences for their users.

OneRiot opened its search API to web developers in June 2009. The API is now powering hundreds of millions of searches for a growing number of partners, and that includes other search engines. That makes this a great example of how alternative or specialized search engines can work together to improve their users’ experiences which is so good to see.

OneRiot’s API 2.0 offers developers a plethora of updates, including:

· RiotWise Ads – Any developer using the OneRiot search API will now also receive RiotWise ads for the realtime web. These are relevant to the search results returned by the API. Developers can choose to display them (and get paid) or not. Use of the API is free.

· Domain search – This enables realtime search across a specific website or network. The Guardian was the first partner to experiment with this new functionality, launching their new “Zeitgeist” tool earlier this month at http://guardian.co.uk/zeitgeist.

· Vertical search – Developers can choose to receive realtime results for specific verticals such as news, videos and images.

· Niche search – A range of niche verticals are also available, such as gadgets, politics and music.

· Tweet format – Developers can now receive search results and ads formatted like a tweet – 140 characters, including a bit.ly shortened URL. This is ideal for developers of Twitter and mobile applications working with limited real estate.

· All of these changes and relevant documentation for API 2.0 can be found on the OneRiot Developer Network here.

And now here’s the obligatory quote: :-)

Tobias Peggs, GM of OneRiot: “We’ve been delighted, and amazed, at the innovation shown by the developer community embracing the OneRiot API. I’m sure these updates will spark even more creativity. At the same time, we’re excited to be rolling out the RiotWise ad network to more developers.”