03.31.09 |
gooseGrade.com Releases Wordpress Plugin; Showcases API Capabilities
SAN FRANCISCO, CA –March 31th 2009 – gooseGrade.com, the “crowd-sourced” copyediting solution for bloggers and the web’s largest community of citizen editors, released today gooseGrade for Wordpress, a plug-in for the popular Wordpress blogging platform. gooseGrade.com says the plug-in was developed using the company’s new developers’ API, which will be released publicly in the coming weeks. “gooseGrade for Wordpress greatly improves the utility, usability and convenience of the gooseGrade service for bloggers and addresses nearly every suggestion we’ve received from our users in the months following our launch,” said John Brooks Pounders, gooseGrade.com founder and CEO. “Using the gooseGrade for Wordpress plugin, a blogger or a team of bloggers can manage pending corrections with side-by-side and in-context comparisons of the original text without ever leaving the Wordpress admin console, and should they accept the correction the plug-in automatically edits and updates the article. Plus, we’ve added several new features which really mark the first fully mature version of the service,” Pounders continued. gooseGrade for Wordpress eliminates the need for bloggers to view, accept or decline corrections from the gooseGrade.com web site, and adds several new features such as the ability to view a “gooseGrader’s” accuracy rating and profile data from within the Wordpress admin console – a pertinent new feature, according to gooseGrade, as the service has now reached nearly one million potential gooseGraders. The plug-in was built utilizing gooseGrade’s forthcoming developers’ API, which will be released to the public in coming weeks. “gooseGrade for Wordpress is just one example of what we foresee as many rich applications which will be built around the gooseGrade API, once made available to the developer community in the coming weeks,” Pounders said. The gooseGrade for Wordpress plug-in can be downloaded from www.gooseGrade.com/Wordpress , where screenshots and a demonstration video can also be found. ABOUT gooseGrade gooseGrade.com is the web’s newest way for readers and writers to interact with each other and promises to improve the quality and accuracy of information found online. The service allows readers to post corrections (grammar, spelling, factual accuracy, and more) to blogs and other online media outlets and is sparking new debates in the blogosphere. Corrections are ultimately tabulated into a “gooseGrade” (1 to 100) indicated by a badge on the blog or web site and are ranked accordingly on the gooseGrade.com portal. Authors, however, maintain complete control over their content and can choose to accept or ignore any suggestion made by a “gooseGrader”. gooseGraders, likewise, should make their corrections wisely - they’re being scored, too! Created in 2008 by John Brooks Pounders, a 23-year-old recent graduate of the University of Alabama and a serial web entrepreneur, gooseGrade.com officially launched at the Blogworld Expo in Las Vegas in September 2008. The company is privately held and headquartered in Las Vegas. |
10.29.08 |
Survey: Author Mistakes Key Hurdle in New Media Adoption, Credibility
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Survey: Author Mistakes Key Hurdle in New Media Adoption, Credibility
LAS VEGAS, NV, October 29th – A recent survey conducted by gooseGrade.com has found that common mistakes such as spelling or grammar errors are having a profound effect on the adoption of new media and blogs as a source of news and information amongst web users. The results show that such mistakes are a key hurdle in new media’s attempt to gain the recognition and credibility necessary to overtake “traditional” media. The survey, conducted October 10th and consisting of twelve questions which were asked of 175 random* respondents did indeed show the inroads that online and new media have made into traditional media: 57.5% of those polled said they now obtain the majority of their news online – but from traditional media crossovers such as CNN.com; while only 30% of those polled said they still obtain the majority of their news from either broadcast or print. While this is certainly good news for traditional media outlets who have made the transition into new media (and who hasn’t), only 7.5% of those polled said they obtain the majority of their news from blogs. Why? The rest of the survey may lead to at least one possible answer. gooseGrade’s survey was intended to find just how much of an impact “little” mistakes have on blogs and other new media outlets. The results found that these “little” mistakes translate into a big problem for bloggers and new media authors. “In traditional media outlets and traditional media ‘crossovers’, writers have editors who ensure these little mistakes don’t fall through the cracks and act as a sort of filter between writers and readers. Even the most well-regarded and well-respected journalists and writers at major media outlets make mistakes – they’re human,” says John Brooks Pounders, CEO of gooseGrade.com. “That is precisely the reason they have editors. Traditional media has understood for a very long time that small mistakes – a misspelled word, a minor grammar error, or even a missing comma negatively affect readers’ perception, experience, and enjoyment of their publications,” Pounders continues. gooseGrade’s survey found that errors in online content foster a sense if mistrust among many readers of new media; reduce time-on-site and site stickiness, and discourage readers from sharing content with others. Amongst the survey’s key findings: · Bounced Traffic: When asked, “How often have you come across on article during on online search, and after reading one or more spelling, grammar, or factual errors browsed away from the site without further exploring the site or its content,” nearly 44% answered either “often” or “very often” while another 36% answered “sometimes”. · Perception and Credibility: In regards to spelling and grammar alone, 65% said their perception of an author, web site, or blog is negatively impacted if they encounter spelling or grammar errors with another 27.7% saying ‘maybe’. · Time on Site, User Distraction: An incredible 87.8% of respondents said they find spelling or grammar errors distracting when reading online content and have spent less time browsing a web site than they otherwise would have because spelling or grammar errors on the page became too distracting. · Key Challenge in New Media vs. Traditional Media: An amazing 88.4% of respondents said that spelling, grammar, and factual errors contribute to some peoples’ perception of bloggers being less credible than the “traditional” media. · Sharing: When asked only about spelling or grammar errors, 64% said they are less likely to share, link to, or forward an article to a friend if it contains spelling or grammar errors while another 27.7% answered maybe. In regards to factual errors, the results were even stronger: 85% answered yes, they were less likely with another 10.4% saying ‘maybe’. · Readers want to help: more than 55% of respondents said they feel compelled to correct errors they find on blogs or other web sites.
“While to many the results may seem obvious, there does exist the idea amongst many bloggers and members of the new media community that these errors are minor and can be overlooked. We believe that that the results of this survey should help to persuade online authors into believing that these minor errors are an important hindrance in new media’s march to overtake traditional media in the new year and beyond,” Pounders said. “We also believe this survey helps to create the context for our offering. gooseGrade allows the most engaged members of your readership catch and correct these minor mistakes before other readers see them – creating a filter mechanism such as exists in traditional media. It is this filter mechanism which we feel will help new media gain further credibility and ultimately win the media battle, and survey respondents also agreed. 70% of all respondents and 88% of print readers said that if the blogs they read on a regular basis were using gooseGrade it would increase their confidence in the accuracy of their content,” Pounders concluded. *Survey Details: gooseGrade asked a demographically diverse group of 175 respondents on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk web site to complete the survey. The complete survey results can be found at: http://www.goosegrade.com/reader-perception-survey-results
ABOUT GOOSEGRADE gooseGrade.com is the web’s newest way for readers and writers to interact with each other and promises to improve the quality and accuracy of information found online. The service allows readers to post corrections (grammar, spelling, factual accuracy, and more) to blogs and other online media outlets and will soon be sparking new debates in the blogosphere. These corrections are ultimately tabulated into a “gooseGrade” (1 to 100) indicated by a badge on the blog or web site and are ranked accordingly on the gooseGrade.com portal. Authors, however, maintain complete control over their content and can choose to accept or ignore any suggestion made by a “gooseGrader”. gooseGraders, likewise, should make their corrections wisely - they’re being scored, too! Created in 2008 by John Brooks Pounders, a 23-year-old recent graduate of the University of Alabama and a serial web entrepreneur, gooseGrade.com officially launched at the Blogworld Expo in Las Vegas in September 2008. The company is privately held and headquartered in Las Vegas. Press Room: http://www.dimepr.com/clients/goosegrade/pressroom/ # # # |
10.02.08 |
Early Beta of gooseGrade Goes Live
The gooseGrade team is pleased to announce that their service went live to the public in the early hours of this morning. The service is still considered to be in early beta but is fully open to the public at www.gooseGrade.com. We’re encouraging all interested bloggers to add the gooseGrade widget to their blog today - after registering on gooseGrade.com the process should only take a few minutes. gooseGrade will help you to generate more traffic, futher connect with your readers, and improve your content. If you encounter any problems during the install process, please send an e-mail to ggbloggerhelp@dimepr.com and we’ll help you get up and running on gooseGrade in no time. The gooseGrade team is continuing to work on UI, usability, and several additional features over the coming days. Check back often as we’re just getting started! |
09.29.08 |
gooseGrade Soft Launch Shortly After Midnight Tonight
gooseGrade is scheduled to soft launch shortly after midnight tonight. gooseGrade anticipates it’s service to be live for the 2008 Vice Presidential debates tomorrow, September 29th. Readers, get ready for some vice presidential fact-checking; authors, check back shortly after midnight tonight to get the javascript code you’ll need to add gooseGrade to your blog. It’s a painless, single line of javascript. Please help us spread the word about our launch so that there is a nice selection of blogs for our readers to choose from tomorrow. We are especially encouraging political writers to install gooseGrade tomorrow; we’re certain it will increase (repeat) traffic and stickiness for your political blog during and after the Debates. For up-to-the-minute updates, please e-mail goosegrade@dimepr.com. |
09.19.08 |
Official Press Release: gooseGrade Unveiled at Blogworld Expo
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Timothy Williams “gooseGrade” Unveiled at Blogworld Expo, Allows Readers to Correct Writers’ Mistakes Online Service represents a new way for readers and writers to interact, promises to improve the quality and accuracy of information found online
LAS VEGAS, NV, September 20th – A group of young Web 2.0 entrepreneurs have unveiled “gooseGrade”, a new social media and blogging tool, at the Blogworld Expo being held this weekend in Las Vegas. The tool, certain to create controversy in the blogosphere, allows readers to critique and suggest corrections to bloggers and other online authors. The tool’s creator, a 23-year-old recent graduate of the University of Alabama, says the mission of gooseGrade is to improve the quality and accuracy of information found online. “As a blogger, I was used to receiving e-mails from conscientious readers saying it’s ‘its’ not ‘it’s’,” explains John Brooks Pounders. “The idea sort of grew from there.” Bloggers can easily install the tool in about a minute, Pounders says. Once installed, readers are able to suggest corrections based on grammar, spelling, factual accuracy, and more without leaving the author’s page. The service ultimately tabulates a “gooseGrade” for both the author or blogger and the “gooseGrader” - the term used for readers who suggest a correction, which Pounders goes on to explain. “All pages begin with a gooseGrade of 100 – a perfect score. Each time a reader suggests a correction, the writer’s gooseGrade is lowered. When the writer takes action – that is, when they choose to either accept or decline the reader’s suggestion, the writer’s grade is restored,” Pounders explains. “gooseGraders – that is, readers who suggest corrections, are also awarded a gooseGrade, based on the percentage of times writers choose to accept or decline their suggestions, which discourages gratuitous correcting,” continues Pounders. Pounders stresses the fact that writers are never forced to accept a correction they don’t agree with and their gooseGrade only reflects their level of participation. So long as writers take action – either by accepting or declining readers’ suggestions, they are able to maintain their grade. When live, users will also find a portal at gooseGrade.com linking them to the latest news, opinion, and content on the web – “ranked by gooseGrade, of course,” Pounders said. gooseGrade believes the potential impact of their tool to be far greater than simply correcting typos and grammar, however. gooseGrade allows readers to suggest when a writer may not have their facts straight – something certain to be a hot-button issue during a political season. While the first public announcement of gooseGrade is taking place this weekend at the Blogworld Expo in Las Vegas, the service will officially go live on September 26th, the same day as the 2008 Presidential Debates. In the meantime, gooseGrade is inviting “pre installs” of the blog component from early adopters in the blogosphere and new media. “We’re eager to see the impact gooseGrade will have on the political discourse in new media this year,” says Pounders. “It’s exciting.”
ABOUT GOOSEGRADE gooseGrade.com is the web’s newest way for readers and writers to interact with each other and promises to improve the quality and accuracy of information found online. The service allows readers to post corrections (grammar, spelling, factual accuracy, and more) to blogs and other online media outlets and will soon be sparking new debates in the blogosphere. These corrections are ultimately tabulated into a “gooseGrade” (1 to 100) indicated by a badge on the blog or web site and are ranked accordingly on the gooseGrade.com portal. Authors, however, maintain complete control over their content and can choose to accept or ignore any suggestion made by a “gooseGrader”. gooseGraders, likewise, should make their corrections wisely - they’re being scored, too! Created in 2008 by John Brooks Pounders, a 23-year-old recent graduate of the University of Alabama and a serial web entrepreneur, gooseGrade.com will officially launch at the Blogworld Expo in Las Vegas, September 19-21. The company is privately held and headquartered near San Jose, Costa Rica. Press Room: http://www.dimepr.com/clients/goosegrade/pressroom/ # # #
|
News Release Archive01.20.09 |
The Washington Post: Can You Spell “Barack Obama”?
Many Americans and others are still unable to spell Barack Obama’s first name correctly. At least that is the conclusion of the folks at GooseGrade, a service that allows readers to post corrections for grammar, spelling and factual errors on blogs and other online media outlets using a free widget. |
10.03.08 |
AvingTV Interview with gooseGrade CEO at Blogworld Expo 2008
|
09.26.08 |
CNET: GooseGrade lets readers copyedit your blog
by Josh Lowensohn We all make mistakes. To err is what makes us humans. But at the same time, it can be pretty embarrassing when it’s something that’s seen by many–like a blog post. A new service called gooseGrade is trying to change that by crowd-sourcing blog copyediting to readers. The hope is that they’ll help fix your mistakes instead of filling up the blog’s comments or your e-mail in-box with correction recommendations. |
09.19.08 |
Beth Kanter on gooseGrade
 I needed GooseGrade in 1995 …
I am a terrible copy editor. I don’t see my typos especially dropped words or words spelled correctly but the wrong word. Actually some of my typos are pretty funny … Full article >> |
09.14.08 |
Check back here or subscribe to our feed for the latest media coverage
Please check back here or subscribe to our Media Coverage feed for the latest clips regarding gooseGrade.com. For media inquiries, please write to goosegrade@dimepr.com or call 1-818-322-4858. |
Media Coverage Archive10.02.08 |
Early Beta of gooseGrade Goes Live
The gooseGrade team is pleased to announce that their service went live to the public in the early hours of this morning. The service is still considered to be in early beta but is fully open to the public at www.gooseGrade.com. We’re encouraging all interested bloggers to add the gooseGrade widget to their blog today - after registering on gooseGrade.com the process should only take a few minutes. gooseGrade will help you to generate more traffic, futher connect with your readers, and improve your content. If you encounter any problems during the install process, please send an e-mail to ggbloggerhelp@dimepr.com and we’ll help you get up and running on gooseGrade in no time. The gooseGrade team is continuing to work on UI, usability, and several additional features over the coming days. Check back often as we’re just getting started! |
09.29.08 |
gooseGrade Soft Launch Shortly After Midnight Tonight
gooseGrade is scheduled to soft launch shortly after midnight tonight. gooseGrade anticipates it’s service to be live for the 2008 Vice Presidential debates tomorrow, September 29th. Readers, get ready for some vice presidential fact-checking; authors, check back shortly after midnight tonight to get the javascript code you’ll need to add gooseGrade to your blog. It’s a painless, single line of javascript. Please help us spread the word about our launch so that there is a nice selection of blogs for our readers to choose from tomorrow. We are especially encouraging political writers to install gooseGrade tomorrow; we’re certain it will increase (repeat) traffic and stickiness for your political blog during and after the Debates. For up-to-the-minute updates, please e-mail goosegrade@dimepr.com. |
09.22.08 |
gooseGrade Receives Warm Welcome at Blogworld Expo
gooseGrade was unveiled this past weekend at the 2008 Blogworld Expo in Las Vegas and received immense interest among attendees. The gooseGrade team would like to thank everyone for their feedback and support. |
09.17.08 |
Follow us on Twitter during Blogworld
We’d like to encourage you to follow the gooseGrade Team on Twitter @gooseGrade. We’ll be organizing some Tweetups for some interesting discussions, giving away some free gifts (chocolate eggs, anyone?) and more. We’ll also keep you up to date with any pertinent information (weather, etc.) which may affect those attending Blogworld. Remember, we’re at booth 237. And we have goodies. See you in Vegas! |
09.14.08 |
Product Launch at Blogworld Expo: Sept. 19-21, 2008
|
Events Archive
