May 6, 2011
By Donovan Jackson

Everyone (including you) should build a Nokia Ovi mobile app for your blog. Why? Because it’s really easy, you can reach millions of people and you could win prizes from Nokia valued in the hundreds of thousands of Rands.

If you have a blog, chances are it’s because you have something to say. But how to tell readers that it’s up there in the overpopulated internet? Yes, it’s a problem we’re all familiar with. Part of the answer lies in RSS or Atom, the two predominant standards for simple content syndication on the Web. But that on its own doesn’t get you to the millions of viewers.

That’s where the other part comes into it. Nokia Ovi Store. With over 5 million downloads a day, this is a place LOTS of people visit. Combine RSS or Atom with Nokia Ovi Store and BOOM! Massive public.

OK, let’s move on a bit. By using Nokia’s Ovi App Wizard, you can get your blog on to the Nokia Ovi Store in a matter of minutes. No, you don’t have to be a programmer; if you can write a blog, you will be able to create the app. Making it even easier, check out this comprehensive overview of Web content feeds as they apply to the App Wizard.

Go to SXSW, courtesy of Nokia

Interested? Good. Not only do you expose yourself to a huge audience by building a Nokia Ovi Store application, you also stand a chance to win big. That’s because if your application receives the most downloads during July 2011, you’ll be going to geek heaven: South by Southwest, in Austin, Texas. You’ll also bag a R25 000 Nokia advertising contract for your blog if you are the winner or the runner-up.

There’s no way you can afford not to enter this one; we’re talking about huge global exposure for your blog, made even more convenient for readers since they can read it straight on to their mobile device or smartphone (you did read the comprehensive overview, didn’t you ).

Blogging business or personal? Bring either

Since blogs do tend to fall into the broad categories of business or personal, the good folks at Nokia will judge each category independently and yes, that does mean the winner of the business category also gets to go to SXSW.

What are you waiting for?

On your marks, get set, create your app. Yes, it is pretty much as simple as that, and the entry form will be available on the site on the 16^th May – so be sure to check back then so that we can begin to track your downloads (rest assured, we won’t publish these without your permission) for the month of July.  You will have until the 30^th of June 2011 to enter your MobiApp for the competition, but get going with creating it so long.

If you run into any hassles in creating your app, help is always at hand; Publish.ovi.com follows one of the best traditions of the net. And as a last resort, if your application has not been accepted to Nokia Ovi Store within 48 work hours, contact us on Ringaz@ovi.com.

Check back here regularly, where we’ll post updates on the competition, provide tips on using the Nokia Ovi App Wizard and answer questions in the comments field. Join in on the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #MobiBlog.

But most of all: get going with that app; there is much at stake.

And good luck.