Embedding

WordPress.com enables easy embedding of external services through something we call WP shortcodes, which is basically a special syntax which we then translate to Flash or Javascript code inside a post. We do this for a couple of reasons:

• It allows us to maintain the security of cookies and such on the WordPress.com domain.
• Embeds and other rich media wreck havoc on WYSIWYG editors, this is far easier for people to copy, paste, and move around.
• The code is generally much shorter than the equivalent HTML code.
• We can update the translated HTML while leaving the shortcode the same.
• We track how much different external services are used, for example we know there have been hundreds of thousands of posts with embedded Youtube videos.
• A closer relationship with partners.
• We promote the shortcodes in the posting interface.

Because of the success of these codes thus far, we get several requests a week to add them. Generally we don’t have time for that many, nor are our users asking for these services. (We’ve already integrated the ones they’ve asked for most.) So the following things make embed deals more attractive:

• The shortcode promoted on your pages.
• “Blog with WordPress” links on item pages.
• Affiliate programs or revenue sharing.
• Other forms of cross-promotion, we have nice amounts of traffic.