Blogs, uhh, good God, what are they good for.....(sung to the tune of the song War)...
Has anyone noticed lately that more blogs posts are about other blogs, which are writing about whats being reported in other blogs than about something original from the author ?
Far be it for me to be a cynic, but it sure seems like more blogs are being written with the goal of getting traffic than with the goal of saying something original. Its almost as if bloggers are the new rappers with Blog Pimpin and Blogwars becoming analogous to Rap Wars.
You know, if The Game called out 50 Cent in a song so that 50Cent would retaliate with a song saying something to the effect of "I got shot 9 times, you ain't got shot non, so shut the hell up son". And then the Game would rap right back and they both hoped that it would create attention on the radio and on TRL, 106 & Park, in Vibe, The Source, etc and when it was all said and done, music sales would increase. Then they would make up and do a co-production joint and put together the Drop Your Weapons Truce Tour.
In the Blogosphere, self promotion is out of control. Self Diggin , Slashdotting and Deliciousizing are pretty much par for the course, but more prevalent is the new habit of writing about whatever the top story is on the aggregation sites. If its at the top of Techmeme, there are a core of bloggers that you know are just going to write about the top ranking story. Why ? Because then your blog gets listed under the top of mind, top of page topic. Which leads to more traffic. Thats BlogPimpin.
Then of course there are blogwars. There are people who no matter what I write about technology, will write about it. There are others that no matter what I write about stocks or the market, will comment on it. The same with movies, copyright and sports. Why ? Because when people search on my name, or for my blog, on sites like Icerocket.com and technorati, their blogs will show up. Plus, if they get really lucky, I might engage them right back and drive traffic directly to their blog. 50Cent and The Game ain't got nothing on Mark Cuban and .....
Of course its not just me they write about. Anything that looks good in the tag cloud, videos, movies, whatever, they will post about it in short order. Any blogger with a high profile, they are after him or her.
Its all about Big Pimpin for traffic baby. Welcome to trying to make a living in the Blog Game. It puts the rap game to shame.
Blog Pimpin
Recent Posts
- The Internet Hammer and the everything Nail (7/04/2008)
- Ruh Roh - Porn could sink Youtube in Viacom case.... (7/03/2008)
- NBC vs Fanboys vs Sports Talk Radio vs The Olympics (6/29/2008)
Reader Comments
(Page 1)2. We doin' big bloggin, we spendin' cheese (Check 'em out now )
Big bloggin'
On B.L.O.G.'s
We doin' big bloggin' up in DFW
It's just that Jigga-man, Pimp-C and B.U.N.B.
Check em out now
Posted at 2:44PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Russell Burns
3. The thing about blog pimpin' that just drives me nuts sometimes, is that the person taking ideas from popular blogs doesn't attribute the idea of the content to the big popular blogger. I've had smaller blogs and bigger blogs rip my content without so much as a link back and it irks me big-time.
4. Please stop making fun of me. I'm hardcore pimpin'. (I know that begging you to stop making fun of me and stating that I am a hardcore pimp totally contradict each other)
I do, however, add my own commentary. Plus, I make long and boring stories short and digestible.
It's working.
Mostly because there is nothing new and interesting on my subject and if it is, the big boys always get the scoop first.
Politics as usual in the blogosphere.
In the meantime, I am going to enjoy the additional traffic.
Posted at 3:05PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Jesse
5. So I hate to use this comment to pimp my own blog, but I wrote a very related article last week called "Stop Blogging": http://www.studiomoustache.com/blog/2006/10/31/stop-blogging/
Posted at 3:05PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Mark Allen
6. Thanks for telling it like it is Mark! Imagine reading a newspaper in which every writer, in every section, talks about the same thing while endlessly referring to the other writers' articles...about the same thing. Welcome to my feed reader.
Posted at 3:09PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Mike
7. Welcome to the world of Internet Marketing. Links are one of the most valuable tools for SEO's and Internet Marketers. People are blog spamming like crazy and also just trying to drop a line to get a link.
Sites like yours seem to give the "link juice" away freely. Most blogs these days are using the "rel=nofollow" tag on everything that allows users to post. Your site uses this in the body of a post, but the commenters name is linked to their site with link juice intact. Even though I know I am enraging many commentors on your blog, I suggest adding the tag to this part of the comment as well. You will cut out the bs of the guys who just say "Yep, I agree" and then drop a link to their site.
Just look at how I linked mine. You are helping me to rank better for the term "Bad Ass Mo Fo". A comment like this everyday on your blog and others and I will soon be #1 on Google!
Posted at 3:21PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Bad Ass Mo Fo
8. Mark
If I search on a alternative search engine http://www.google.ie/search?hl=en&q=mark+cuban&btnG=Google+Search
you only get your own juice.
Small guys like us need a little of your juice.Its free.
Spread the love
Posted at 3:28PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Pat Phelan
9. I think what we are seeing is the typical maturation of any creative medium. It starts out as a few grass roots people laying the foundation, then more and more people begin to catch on, until finally you have the total commercialization of the idea into a product you see in every corner of the web.
At this point, it's just the same old, same old rehash. Then it becomes more of a tedium than a new way to share ideas. Eventually, it will either die out due to over saturation, or it will become a mainstay like news websites.
Then something else new and exciting will catch on and the whole process will start over again. Blogs have gone the way of everything else, and the resulting mediocrity is par for the course.
V
Posted at 4:00PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Voorshwa
10. I'm gonna pimp this blogpost.
Posted at 4:36PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Kip Nickell
11. What'd I say...
http://tweblog.com/2006/11/07/be-thou-my-blog-pimp/
...a couple days ago. ;)
Posted at 4:40PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Toby Getsch
12. I think you can draw similarities between blogging today and Rush Limbaugh. First, they seem to be both about self promotion, second, they'll say whatever they want to get a rise out of someone and get some publicity, and finally, in the end they'll talk a lot and not say a damn thing. Yet they both hit their mark because you've heard the ads on their site or his show.
Posted at 4:41PM on Nov 9th 2006 by kent estep
13. what i need is something like feed aggregation. a feed reader which only shows me one entry for a topic and i could drill down (if i want to) to see who posted about that topic and who was first...
its not easy to create a solution like that but google has done it with the news already... anyone up for that challange?
14. I have thought about this post for a while. I smiled at reading it and admired the tangle that it created for anyone who responded. I also looked at the number of comments to this post and to others and found that not many were intrepid enough to respond and that the ones that did were in good humour with what it said.
This is to say kudos. No, my comment is nothing new, nothing vital or earth shattering, but a simple bow to a very clever idea.
This blog, written in the manner of a self-fullfilling prophecy to itself, is the first I have read of your blog. But for the observation that it makes, I will read further on.
Thank you.
Posted at 4:55PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Jessica
15. Nothing original to say in response to a post about Blog Pimpin? Shut yo mouf fool!
If Mark Cuban *really* doesn't want to be the BlogHo for all of the Blog Pimps in the world then he could slow down the traffic and block links. But a better question is... why should Mark want to do that?
AFAICT this blog isn't directly bringing in any revenues. In fact with fines for stuff in the blog this might be a very expensive method of self-promotion. But the answer is obvious when you think about it... Mark Cuban wants to be the #1 BlogHo in the world!
You're #3 right now Mark... just show a little more skin or get a boob job to keep the Blog Pimps happy and you'll hit #1
Posted at 6:02PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Jason Barnett
16. "I got shot 9 times, you ain't got shot non, so shut the hell up son"
OK, Mark you need an intervention. I know David Stern is schooling you, but as a white billionaire there is never an excuse for rapping.
and no, I don't care if Sarver did it.
Posted at 6:11PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Adam Cains
17. I almost forgot, in it's subtlelty the irony of you blogging about self-promotion almost passed me by.
Posted at 6:15PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Adam Cains
18. Mark,
First, I assume you are having a bad week, considering how the Mav's are doing (running and ducking!).
But part of blogging IS linking. I read a LOT of blogs (over 400) and have friends that read my blog that only follow 8 or 10 other blogs - they follow me because then they don't have to read some of those other blogs - they trust me to link to anything that is really cool that follows our collective interests.
Blogging *should* save time - but I do agree with you that there is a lot of pure "blogging for attention". But isn't that natural? Doesn't everyone desire some attention (and don't bloggers especially?).
You blog - is it for the attention? If not, why? To just vent? If so, would venting here be as fun if nobody read what you wrote?
And yes, I am a huge Spur's fan... but to be honest, if the Spur's aren't in a position to kick-butt then I do cheer for your Mavs.
Rob
Posted at 6:35PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Rob La Gesse
19. "Far be it for me to be a cynic, but it sure seems like more blogs are being written with the goal of getting traffic than with the goal of saying something original."
Well, yeah, isn't that what's going on across arts and media in general? I mean, you're involved in film somewhat. I'm sure you see it, and how it is all connected to culture and so forth, negative implications, et cetera... et cetera.
The ridiculous thing about the whole mess is that "something original" is more likely to earn you more traffic or make you more money, it is just a lot harder to go about things that way, the quality way (i.e.: "the long way").
I'm sure you see similar issues with the NBA as well:
Decision makers taking their eye off the ball, what matters, and instead chasing after spectacle.
In the long run this isn't good for anyone.
20. If I see a relevant, interesting comment on a blog and there is an accompanying URL, I check it out. I think it's a good system that I hope to benefit from as well. Though I know it's abused by some, find me a system people don't abuse if given the chance.
So, in true Xzibit form... guess I'm about to pimp my video blog!
Thanks for the ride, Mark!
Posted at 6:41PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Average Betty
Add your comments
Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry: inappropriate or purely promotional comments may be removed. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.
1. I agree with your thoughts on blog topic recycling, Mark. I guess sometimes blogging is just another way to get the word out about something you care about. And other people may care about the same thing. :-/
Blogging subjectively on the topic can make the blog more unique and interesting.
Hear about YouTube getting sued?
Should we expect an "I told you so" entry? :D
Posted at 2:43PM on Nov 9th 2006 by Tony Chung