Some Blogging ThoughtsI tend not to create posts about blogging, mainly because even when I had a big audience over at KH, nobody ever commented on those posts. Of course, over here, very few people comment on
any of my posts, so that's not as big a concern. ;)
But I came across a couple interesting posts today on the subject. First up is In Search of Utopia, a left-leaning group blog, which
posted an open letter to the "whales" of the lefty blogosphere, asking for more help pushing stories up to the top.
Today's story about The Leftsphere reaching out to the MSM, and Paul's response at Wizbang was another Bitch-slap, while more and more I am beginning to think that the reluctance of the big boys to share the linky love, is really not about that at all, but a fear that they may have to share the bling...In response, Oliver Willis posted a
very sensible call for emails:
I am actively asking liberal bloggers to send me tips. Don't send me "link to my blog" emails or "add me to your blogroll" emails, but tips about stuff you're writing on that further the progressive agenda. I don't promise to link them all or create a revolution, but I will look them over and post the good ones on a regular basis.Now I've been known to poke fun at Oliver, but that is a note-perfect response. A lot of bloggers think that the way to get ahead is to blog a lot and hope somebody notices. That's half-right. Blog a lot, and help people notice. How?
Trackback, comments and emails. Sending a trackback ping to a bigger blog that has posted on a story you have also covered (always with a link to the bigger blog) lets the readers of that blog know you've also written about that subject. Sometimes the bigger blogger will click on the trackback and like what you've written so much they'll amend their post to link to you. Comments work because all bloggers love their commenters. And emails work as well because, believe it or not, Glenn Reynolds is very unlikely to come across your blog while surfing the net unless you've already been linked by one of the other major bloggers.
Note especially the part about not asking for a blogroll link or saying "come check out my blog". Just about everybody ignores those emails. Rather, email your post (always including the permalink URL). It especially helps if you tie your post into something the other blogger has blogged about or has otherwise indicated an interest in. Send your nanotechnology and good-looking women protestors pictures to Instapundit.
Here's a
similar post from the right side of the blogosphere.
So I'm making a similar appeal: once a day, make a post where you help out a blogger in need. Donate a front and center link to a blog whose post quality is far beyond their hit count, and in the end, everyone wins because we all are bloggers.This looks like a fine blog, but Jordan may not have tried combing the lower reaches of the blogosphere for good posters. I did it a lot last summer, and believe me, while there are some gems out there you have to wade through a lot of sewers in order to find them. It is a lot easier for all concerned if the smaller bloggers try sending their stuff up the line. Not everything will draw interest, and certainly not every post should be emailed out to a list. I've sent two posts out to the big blogs in the last two months; one hit the jackpot and one got linked in only a few places.
