The gaming of Technorati favorites?
There have been a host of articles published recently about Technorati favorites and the race to get into the top 100 list on the Technorati website. Some of those people writing are Maki of Dosh Dosh, with the first largescale Technorati favorite exchange I’ve seen, and Gary Vaughan, who participates whilst calling the exchange “gaming”. Randfish at SEOmoz wonders if Technorati’s favorites are too easy to game., and had this to say:
One problem that Technorati’s Top 100 Favorited list certainly suffers from is the lack of reward for users to “tag” their favorite blogs. Doing so provides no value to the user, it doesn’t create a watchlist or add it to a Technorati Feed. You can download a nifty toolbar that lets you favorite blogs across the web and once on your favorites page, you can organize these, but the fun basically stops there.
Others who are posting about their Technorati favorites exchanges include Gayla of Mom Gadget, TechnoSpot.net and Mr Gary Lee.
So just how important is the number of people who have added you to their favorites?
According to Maki on Dosh Dosh, here are two reasons why getting into the Technorati 100 will be beneficial:
Provides social proof. Getting in the Top 100 provides social proof of your blog’s popularity. This will increase the attractiveness of your site in the eyes of advertisers and blog readers if mentioned or displayed prominently.
Expands your blog readership. You are more likely to receive visitors from Technorati if you are listed in the Top 100 most favorited list. Visitors are bloggers, which means that they are potential feed subscribers if you have quality content.
Besides these two valid reasons, I don’t know how much difference, if any, the number of favorites makes to your Technorati ranking, so I’m not spending much time or effort with them. However, I do know that some of you have been taking the time to mark my blog in your favorites, so I’ve reciprocated and also taken on board the words of Andy Beard in this article on Technorati favorites. It details how you can import other people’s lists of favorites into your own profile, quite quickly and easily, using OPML. Worth a read.
Is Andy evil, lazy or just smart? My money’s on smart, even if he would benefit from a nice, new logo.
It’s been about 40 days now since I published the post, Boost your Technorati favourites by 200% in 10 days.
Back then this little blog of mine was favourited by nine people, and I thanked them individually. This time around, I’m extending a less personal, but warmer thanks (it’s possible because I’m Irish) to those who just helped me break the 100 mark. It’s not as much as 1,740 favourites, such as that of Boing Boing, but it’s a nicer, rounder figure I think you’ll agree. Rolls off the tongue easier too.
Boing Boing is currently up there in the number 1 spot on Technorati’s list, with the number 100 spot being taken by a blog with 137 members. So I’m not too far off the top 100. Should you wish to give me a little jump start you can add Creative Design :: to your Technorati favourites. I’m not out for myself here though. I just hope there’s something of interest for you inside this short article.
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46 spot-on reader comments to “The gaming of Technorati favorites?”
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Hi,
I just added you to my Technorati favorites. btw. I have similar exchange project running in my site with StumbleUpon stumbles.
101 members now :) keep up the good work
105 now ;-)
I’ve been reading about this and thinking about putting out the same offer too. This post just convinced me it could be well worthwhile!
I’m undecided.
From a traffic standpoint I’d like to do everything I can in order to gain an edge; but from a personal standpoint I’d prefer that someone favorited me because they valued the site on its own merit.
My own fav stats jumped from 2 to 33 - but I don’t know if that was because of the gaming or by the recent addition of the Technorati favorite button to the front page. By coincidence I added it the same week.
Thanks for the nice writeup, David.
I’ve just linked you up in my original article.. hopefully it will send you some visitors and get you the faves you need to crack the Top 100. :)
Your personal viewpoint is very understandable. I had a similar reservation but then decided to give it a shot and see the results for myself.
Maki, you’re very welcome. I enjoy reading your blog.
Speaking of Stumbleupon - I’ve just started experimenting on that front and it’s been exceptionally good.
Nice to see your PC was the first thing you unpacked David. :)
[...] Creative Design - David Airey Boing Boing is currently up there in the number 1 spot on Technorati’s list, with [...]
I’d seen these Technorati Link Exchanges before but I have kept away because I reckon it will only be a matter of time before they blacklist users/url?
Hi David
Got the same feelings about Technorati ‘craze’, I appreciated Dawud’s kind gesture of putting my site on list fav list post last week and have been thinking about adding to the train also, but not sue any more.
My ‘favoured by’ numbers have gone up (of course and thanks for being one of them) but I’m not really blogging for ranking, I still am a ‘conversational’ blogger - there for the conversations, not for the ‘points’.
Re stumbleupon, Chris Cree mentioned that also this week and I’ve added all three main blogs to it - result: one day hit wonder ;-) next day, back to normal (although, one very nice email from a Canadian bringing a typing error on my site to my attention, kind act).
Of my ‘favoured by people’ I only added 2 blogs to my reader, appreciate that others have ‘clicked’ the button and hope I will somehow get to know them better through conversations. I prefer link-love actions that show appreciation ;-)
Terinea Tech Tips,
I’ve mentioned this on my blog but I’ll say it here again: Reciprocal favoriting is not against Technorati’s TOS.
There’s no reason why Technorati should ban users for favoriting other blogs, because it does not in any way affect non-participating blogs in the blogosphere or even blogs being listed on Technorati’s index itself.
Engtech’s post on this topic of Technorati Exchanges is worth mentioning so I’ll just link through to him here:
Technorati Favoritism - Trading Favours
To be honest with you, I’ve gotten a bump in traffic, but I think that’s mainly because I started the link train and people just wanted to see who I was. Other than that, I haven’t got too much traffic directly from Technorati from being No. 40 on the list. But, I will say that both my Technorati Rankings and my Alexa rankings have gone up, so that should account for something.
I’ve added you to my faves.
Here’s my faves link
You have been favorited :)
http://technorati.com/faves?add=http://hackedgadgets.com
Added you up!
Do return the favor please,
http://www.technorati.com/faves/?add=http://www.deepakjeswal.com
Anyone else interested? Fave me up, i will return the favor, pls do leave a message at deepakjeswal.com
Added you a while back. 1000 members soon…
Keep up with the great articles.
I only fave been favourited by 4 people but, of course, would love more. For me it comfirms that what I write doesn’t suck so much and at least it’s proof that someone apart from me thinks its OK.
goldcoaster.wordpress.com
Just Favourited you (thought I already had)
goldcoaster.wordpress.com
I faved you too.. guess I need to join this madness on my blog as well!
Hi David,
Thnaks for adding me, so I’m dropping by and adding you too :)
There are two sides already forming on this Technorati mania, and I’m with you on this.
But anyhow, big thanks to Maki, who started all this:)
One of these day I will go for a complete pro site design, but I would have to decide which page elements to include, and that would be a major headache.
I know the logo isn’t very web2.0, but it can be easily recognised, and fairly universal.
I should be pointed out Rand’s post is very old - there is a lot you can do with Technorati Favorites such as custom search, tagging and playing with the OPML.
Jump Aboard the Technorati Fave Train…
I’ve received several messages about this Technorati Fave Train that seems to be taking the blogosphere by storm. The first message I received came from ilker of The Thinking Blog to inform me of this little ‘game.’ What’s the p…
That’s interesting to know. Thanks.
Andy,
I was just joking around.
If you do go for a logo re-design, don’t get caught up in the web 2.0 trend. A good logo is timeless whereas trends come and go.
I’ll have to look further into the favorites.
I’ve already fav’ed Creative Design so guess I can’t do it again. :-) I have to admit, that other than a Fav Exchange I don’t have much use for Technorati. When it comes to my real list of Favorites I just bookmark the site and file it under “blogs.” I know my approach is soooooo Web 1.0 but old habits die hard. I have, however been looking at ways to incorporate some of the Technorati stuff into my site as a way to let readers know what I’ve Fav’ed and what I’m reading. Sort of an extension to the basic Blogroll. When I do that, however, I’ll have to be much more careful about what I actually Fav.
I replaced the old bookmarking with subscribing to a blog’s RSS feed. I do still bookmark particular articles, those that might make a good addition to a future blog post.
Thanks for already having my blog in your Technorati favorites. :D
had added your url at mine.
do exchange at yours pls..
Name: Jan Pieter Marbun
url : pieter-marbun.blogspot.com
Thanks
Hi there,
I’ve already added you to my favs a while back.
My username is fastfastlane, and link to
add me to your Technorati Favorites here.
Cheers!
I haven’t really jumped in the technorati fave thing. Main reason being the blogosphere is silled with memes and tag games, and wasn’t sure it was a really good idea, though i faved a couple of blog and many returned the favor, my rank is still in the 25K. Thanx for sharing your results David, makes me think of jumping in the technorati train! :)
[...] Creative Design - David [...]
i add u , this is me sharingthelife,
Add to Technorati Favorites
Thanks for participating in the fav exchange, I’ve faved your blog and added a link from my blog.
I’ll certainly return technorati favs and linkbacks from anyone who does the same for me.
Cheers,
Gaz
I’ve faved your blog. You can fave mine here. I like how you modded your theme, btw. :)
I just favorited your blog David, not because of the train, but because you truly have an informative, well written, and highly applicable resource.
Needless to say you were already one of my faves.
hi! added you to my technorati link and faves! here’s mine:
Add me to Technorati Too
my site is up for technorati link-fave exchanges as well :)
Here’s my site
hi there,
i have favourited and linked you. Awaiting yours :-)
My technorati address is here.
Also wrote a post on this. The url is here. So whoever favourites me or link to me, and leave a site name on my blog will get a favourite/ linkback from me too.
I am happy to report that you were already in my faves on Technorati. :) “Gaming”, “working the system” or anything else you want to call it, I have found some really great new blogs to visit, and if that makes me a player, so be it!
[...] Imran Mina’s Musings - Mina Panda Cube - Aki Jinn Lifecruiser - Lifecruiser SMS Today - SMS Today Creative Design - David Airey Jon Lee dot see eh - Jon Lee Nukilan Jejari Azhad - Shaz Azhad (exceptional) work.com [...]
Hi David
I have favorited you as well as include a link to your post at my blog.
See it http://daily-diet-recipe.blogspot.com/2007/04/technorati-favorites-exchange.html and http://technorati.com/faves/musicpoem?show=blogs
my technorati username is musicpoem
you can favorite me
http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add=http://daily-diet-recipe.blogspot.com
thanks in advance
[...] Creative Design - David Airey [...]
Hello my friend, I just finished Faving your Blog.
This my ID - ironmanxart
http://technorati.com/faves?add=http://greglunger.com/
I have a Technorati Favorites Exchange going on at my site too !
I Have the “Share the Power of Technorati Favs” setup too, by Mr. Gary Lee !
I have put you on my list there too !
http://greglunger.com/?p=68
This is a Great Experiment, it’z Working !!!******
Thank you my Friend !!!******
[...] david airey [...]
Just added you too!
Hi
I’ve added you to my favs and made a link on my post
Here’s my fav link:
http://technorati.com/faves/tblogosphere
He’s the related post
http://blogsetie.blogspot.com/2007/05/le-programme-dchange-de-favoris-et-de.html
Thanks my friend!
Cheers
Hello! I just added your blog to my favorites. My Technorati user name is marriedmelody. You can http://making-money-through-internet.blogspot.com“>favorite me by clicking here. I also started Technorati Favorites and Link Exchange and linked to your post from my blog:
http://making-money-through-internet.blogspot.com/2007/05/blog-advice-technorati-favorites-and.html. Please add me to your list of Technorati Link Exchange participants.