Roku Direct Publisher

[jsonnentag]

Does anybody maintaining a Direct Publisher channel still have any of their episode contents returned in search results?

It worked fine before (end of last year) but no search results ever show up now.  I have a question in to Roku, but their first response was to tell me that short form videos aren't indexed and that only series are - and that I have no series (which I CLEARLY DO).  So they are low on the list of authoritative information sources.

Oh, then they just put a link over to the XML indexing specifications for searchable things, which there is NO WAY to ever put a link to for Direct Publisher channels (which I clearly specified my channel was).  I would ASSUME that all the same information is in (or could be added to) the JSON feed.

I did just look at the JSON feed specifications and even though everything ingests perfectly fine I see in the specifications that for episodes several things regarding "Rating" are listed as REQUIRED that are not in any of my feeds.  You would THINK that if something is REQUIRED and it is not present the feed would not be ingested successfully. . . .  I also see that there is listed a supposed REQUIRED "long description" (which doesn't seem to affect the feed being listed as ingested successfully when it is absent).

https://developer.roku.com/en-ca/docs/specs/direct-publisher-feed-specs/json-dp-spec.md#episode

So what I am wondering is if ANYBODY with a Direct Publisher channel and JSON feed still has any content showing up in search results.  (???)

If so, do you have all of the listed REQUIRED feed inclusions actually included or are some things not really included but listed that they are?

As far as RATINGS go, does anybody know anything about if to get search results to be visible in ALL regions of the world if you have to include every single one of the ratings systems with a rating?  There appear to be eight (8) systems.  Do you have to include ratings for ALL of them in order for people worldwide to get search results (if in fact that is what is keeping search results from being produced right now for JSON feed content)?

https://developer.roku.com/en-ca/docs/specs/direct-publisher-feed-specs/json-dp-spec.md#rating-sourc...

[Baradanikto]

Have you submitted a separate 'Search feed'?  From what I've read, it appears that you must compose a 'Search feed' and submit it to Roku for approval (via the developer portal).  It appears that that Search feed is separate from your Json feed.  And, I'm not sure that DP channels can take advantage of Search feeds because the Docs refer to SDK channels.

Let's hope you get a response from Roku.  I'd be interested in how this gets resolved.

[jsonnentag]

Well, this is the latest and it is USELESS!

The link in the "quote" going to the Knowledge Center just goes to a generic comment about how to buy advertising.  Maybe you have to buy SEARCH RESULTS, who knows.  This place: https://partnersuccess.roku.com/hc/en-us/articles/360007941433-How-can-I-promote-my-channel-to-gain-...

The part in the response about "this is all I am at liberty to share" makes it sound like OTHER THINGS are going on (that us PEONS don't get to hear about). . . .

This is what they came up with (far from impressive):

-----

David (Roku Partner Success)

Apr 30, 2021, 4:24 PM PDT

Hi,

Thank you for your patience. Just received an official response back from our teams regarding your missing titles from Roku Search. Please see quoted below:

Roku Search uses a variety of signals to only surface the most relevant search results for our users. For more information on how to grow your content’s visibility on Roku, check out our Knowledge Center article here.    

Unfortunately, this is all I am at liberty to share. Regarding content ratings, thank you for pointing out the issue with it not getting properly flagged by the system. I have passed that feedback along to the proper team. Feel free to let me know if there are any other specific questions. 

Have a good weekend!

Best,

David | Partner Manager | Contact Partner Success

[Baradanikto]

Have you tried following the process I linked (What is the process for setting up Roku Search?) in my post above?

[podworx]

I received the same poorly-explained response from my "Roku Partner".  It would appear search no longer works for any number of Direct Publisher channels.  I've seen the problem in four of my DP channels and I've installed a number of other DP channels, looked at their content, and tried to search for it. . .nothing.

This is a TERRIBLE change of events.  And it goes directly against Roku's description of the Direct Publisher platform:

Discoverable in Roku Search - Channels built using Direct Publisher automatically included in Roku's universal platform search program.

I'm shocked more people aren't upset over this.  This basically blinds Roku users to a HUGE amount of content.