Moving it along, or luring them in
Kevin O’Keefe, founder and president of LexBlog, has an interesting post about how the best blogs out there are sending audiences away, rather than keeping them in. The two giant examples on either end of the spectrum is Yahoo, which tries to trap users into their site, and Google, whose content is all about getting you out to the edge.
Personally, I’ve given this push-and-pull aspect of blogging some thought. Our goal here at BuzzShout is to create a great resource for finding new web technologies. That means at the core is BuzzShout, with links leading to new web technology sites at the end of the spokes. At present, I think that many users experience BuzzShout as a huge linked list, providing them with up-to-date information in the Web 2.0 world. However, our plan is to bake in some more functional goodies to the point where there is a balance between the urge to stay at BuzzShout, and the urge to check out the latest links.
In the end, I disagree with Kevin that you need to be massive linkers to make your blog successful. The real issue is the fundamental difference between the two types of bloggers: referential and experiential. There are many examples of both types of bloggers that have become successful through their content, not links.
This blogger classification can also be extended to sites, as we have seen with Yahoo and Google. I think that what most sites need is a good balance between the two. The aim is to make a community that is valuable within itself, but that also provides interesting links to the edge.
What do you think about this issue? Are you a fan of linked list sites? Or do you really like sites that keep the content in the center?
Categories - Commentary, Blogs | 
July 23rd, 2006 at 11:38 am
I prefer for the portal to bring all the best content to me. The best would be if I could customize my portal to include a feed of all my favorite sites and blogs. If I could have a one-stop shop to bring me the best content it would make my hectic lifestyle a wee bit easier.
July 23rd, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Wow, I thought the “send them away to get them to come back” “meme” was ingenious. Everyone was jumping on it saying that was the way to win. But this - this post here- is truly ingenious: “I think that what most sites need is a good balance between the two. The aim is to make a community that is valuable within itself, but that also provides interesting links to the edge.” The sites that don’t do so well are the ones that think they are the only ones that exist and the site that do well are those that try to take part in the grander picture, try to be involved or join the conversation.
Seriously, would anyone care about anything online if there were only people sending people away. If everyone thought sending people away was the key there would be no point. Content is still king in that content provides a reason for all this linking in the first part. This is a great post, thanks a lot.