Our sister site, Performancing has recently announced the release of the pMetrics API, which allows third-party developers to come up with all sorts of applications that make use of data gathered and displayed by the pMetrics analytics package for bloggers.
Nearly every piece of information you can see from the web interface can also be accessed via the API, and you can get it in XML, JSON (JavaScript), or serialized PHP formats for easy implementation in a variety of applications.
Along with the release of the API, Performancing is also running a contest in which the first five “fun and useful” widget submissions will get $100 prizes each.
- Widgets that overlap in fundamental functionality will be competing on a first come, first serve basis
- A “fun” widget is one that people will want to put on their blog
- A “useful” widget is one that displays interesting information
- Widget submissions should come with links to live demos
- Widgets must meet our technical guidelines
- In submitting your widget, you are giving us permission to host and distribute your widget if we choose to.
Some suggestions for widgets include those that display tag counts, geolocation, monthly/daily summaries, backlinks, and even a “spy” functionality that lets readers see what others are currently doing in real-time.
So far I think the contest is still ongoing, as the Performancing team hasn’t announced winners yet. So if you think $100 (and perhaps a ton of backlinks) is worth your time, then get start coding away! At the very least, if not for the widgets contest, then you might be interested in taking advantage of the new pMetrics API with other applications and uses.