March and April offered good things for Web Monetization.
We shipped a new tool for publishers who already use Google Ad Manager, letting them add Web Monetization as a way for audiences to unlock a paywall. We introduced analytics tracking for publisher tools, giving us valuable ways to learn about how users engage with what we've built. And our globally distributed team were lucky enough to meet and work together, under the same roof for three days.
Publisher Tools
Web Monetization for Google Offerwall
The headline ship of the period is the Google Offerwall integration. A new integration for publishers who use Google Ad Manager to add Web Monetization as a way for their audiences to remove a paywall. The new tool is a bridge between two ecosystems that support revenue channels for publishers.
Analytics for publisher tools
We introduced analytics so we can understand how publishers actually use our tools. The goal is to understand how a publisher moves through setup: which tools they explore, whether they connect their wallet, whether they customise their interactive tools, and whether they follow-through to generating the script.
Improvements and fixes
Under the hood, we wrapped up the architecture overhaul and codebase refactor across all publisher tools. The payoff is better performance, a codebase that is easier to maintain, and a smoother path for open source contribution and adoption. Alongside this, we resolved a bug causing widget unresponsiveness on payment failure, and improved error handling so that both publishers and their audiences always know what's happening with a payment.
We improved configuration management for a seamless, more consistent experience across all publisher tools. Whether switching between tools or connecting to different wallet addresses, the correct configuration loads automatically. We also updated the website to make the Web Monetization WordPress plugin and the newly shipped Offerwall tool easy to access.
Browser Extension
Speed and agility
We replaced a third-party library with a lightweight wrapper around a browser-native equivalent. The extension is now smaller, faster to load, and lighter on memory. Still on speed, the extension now starts a payment session faster, the moment it detects that you have landed on a web monetized site that your wallet is able to pay.
Connect a wallet
We updated wallet key addition to stay compatible with changes made on the wallet side, keeping the wallet connection process smooth.
Pay as you browse
Added to that, your support for creators now continues uninterrupted when refreshing your wallet key configuration. Previously pay-as-you-browse was interrupted by a wallet key refresh. Now the extension resumes automatically.
The welcome screen
We moved the post-install welcome screen inside the extension. It's a structural change that tidies up the codebase and makes the project easier to navigate for anyone contributing for the first time.
Team work
Work week
We published a recap of our three-day work week in Romania. We had thirteen people that made up four workstreams, working towards one shared goal. Read the full story here.
On the horizon
Please join the community call on May 28th, at 1:00 PM UTC.
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/fjy-vjef-ogj
Please join us!
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