The trouble with Blogging Zoom
December 10th, 2007 | by Brook Durant |
I’m not one to complain. By that I mean I’m not one to complain when things are going my way, but sometimes I just have to pipe up when I shouldn’t. This is one of those instances where I should probably keep my mouth shut and just enjoy the benefits that I am reaping. I feel however I will do more of a service by saying something.
I’m not sure how to say this to everyone so I’ll just blurt it out. Blogging Zoom is broken!(I think…). Ok so clearly I’m not 100% positive that it is broken, but I’ll tell you why I’m pretty confident it is. You can be the judge of if I am right or wrong. Before I begin laying my case out let me make it clear I am not an expert in the things of social bookmarking. No, I am simply a casual user.
- Too many zooms allowed
- From what I can tell there are unlimited zooms allowed in a 24 hour time period. I know because in the early days of BZ I tested the system. Not so much tested as “abused” it by zooming anything and everything. Literally.
Why did I do such a thing? Because I could. Because there is no incentive to conserve my zooms for those posts which truly deserve it. Meaning I could zoom through the “Upcoming Posts” without giving it a moments thought.
- No reason to read (or at least view) the articles
- I’m not a website expert, but somehow this seems like a reasonable feature to add. Make it so a person has to at least open the page they are giving a zoom to before the zoom will count. Again this goes back to just mass zooming for no reason aside from “because I can”
- Too many of my posts have gone “hot”
- This is the part where I should keep my mouth shut…
Notice I’ve submitted 34 posts (at the time of writing this article) and 34 of them have gone “hot”? I like to think I can write a decent article, but I’m batting 1000 (perfect for you non-baseball types) which seems a bit, um… far fetched to me. Am I the only one experiencing this phenomenon?
So you must be wondering why I’d complain about something like this? Because:
I needed a topicI want to sabbotage BZCourt and Vic (the creators of BZ) pissed me off- I like Blogging Zoom but believe these issues dilute its true potential
That’s right my complaint is all about number 4! Does anyone else share my concerns regarding Blogging Zoom in regards to this issue I have raised?
But what solutions can I offer? Like I said I’m just a “lay person” when it comes to things like this, but it seems to me if you…
- Limit the amount of zooms from a particular user
- Require the actual page being zoomed to be opened (if that is even possible)
it would help take care of too many posts going hot when/if they don’t deserve to.
Don't forget to subscribe to A Blog about Nothing's RSS feed!
Tags: blogging zoom, marketing, promotion, social bookmarking
By ROTUS on Dec 10, 2007
I agree with you 100% In fact I am going to zoom this post, just to prove the point.
The weakness of many blog networking sites is a lack of filters. Blogs, and posts in them, get “votes” based on the extent of a bloggers network, rather than the quality of the content. Thank God for that. Otherwise I might not have any readers at all.
By implementing your suggested changes, Blogging Zoom would become more cruel and Darwinian, which is what it should be. Survival of the fittest - it ain’t pretty but it works.
ROTUS’s last blog post..Blog of the Day - A Twofer
By Vic on Dec 10, 2007
Guys I think you are not really focusing on what BZ is really about. Remember this is not a blogger against blogger competition. In some time beign on the front page will not matter. The way we have built BZ is for the long term. BZ will be a power house in Google giving you guys endless exposure to new readers. Let bloggers submit there whole site in the long run you also benefit because there will be a site wise deeper keyword density. Your competition is not another Blogger this is one of the mentalities that needs to change to move the blogger community forward.
Your competition is not your fellow blogger your competition is the other 80% of the internet including the dominant Search Engine hogs like CNN or MSNBC.
By Mike Olbinski on Dec 10, 2007
I have to agree with Vic…the point isn’t to become like Digg, or else why make it?
The purpose is to help all of us get our blogs out there, help each other out and build more keywords that give us even more traffic.
So what if they all go hot? Just because your post has 5 zooms, there are still others out there with 45 or so, which obviously are going to be read more than ones with 5.
That means it still works as how you want it, but also helps everyone get published links.
Mike Olbinski’s last blog post..Non-elimination round: The Amazing Race to return for 13th season
By Justin on Dec 10, 2007
I think Vic is right here. I mean, if its too much of a good thing for you I can bury all your submissions if you like. Just Kidding… But really, its all about the long term. being hot and on the front page may get you some attention for a short time, but the long term ranking in Google will far outweigh that.
Also, the fact that BloggingZoom is still growing is another factor. As it grows to a larger population the difficulty of having posts go hot will be slowly harder and harder. So I wouldn’t worry too much about this fact right now. BZ is growing and as it does, I think you will be a lot more happy once you don’t get your submissions to go hot as much.
Justin’s last blog post..Find out about your hosting company with whois
By A Blog about Nothing on Dec 10, 2007
I think a few of you missed the entire point of the article I wrote. Not sure where I went wrong in my explanation, but clearly I did.
Vic - I’m not insinuating it has anything at all to do with blogger vs blogger or anything of the sort. I wasn’t even looking at it from a competitive perspective. I’d say competitively (if I were approaching this from that angle) I am doing pretty good in regards to blogging zoom.
I’m saying it is far to easy to submit an article and have it go “hot”. I gave a couple of the reason I think this might be happening and offered a few quickly devised solutions.
Mike - You don’t think there should be a more restrictive standard for going “hot”? I guarantee that many people when they see a hot post believe it to be better than the average article. That’s just how the human mind works. And what do you mean becoming like Digg? I didn’t even mention Digg.
Justin - It’s not that I’m unhappy they have gone hot. I’m perplexed how they have all gone hot. This one now as well. Like I said to Mike above when I click on a “hot” post in BZ I’m really expecting something a cut above the average by the virtue of it ranking hot. In no way am I saying it should never happen it just seems too easy.
I see what you’re saying and perhaps I have the concept of blogging zoom wrong. If the only goal is networking bloggers and gaining search engine rankings then I don’t suppose it matters one bit the quality of articles that are presented to the readers. If that’s the case I can’t help but wonder why there is even a voting feature.
By Jason A Clark on Dec 10, 2007
I think I see what you’re saying because I’ve mentioned the same thing in posts before. I’m not really sure what the “hot” post feature is even for other than to make the submitting bloggers feel good about themselves…which it may be…and it might be worth it.
After all, Vic has a good point. There’s no competition so it doesn’t really matter if a post goes hot or not. I see what you’re saying about people thinking a “hot” post might be better than other posts, but I’m not sure that’s really a problem per se.
I think Justin is right on with the solution that will ultimately win out - as more and more people join BloggingZoom it will become more difficult (I’m assuming) for a post to go “hot”, thus, solving the issue at hand.
Jason A Clark’s last blog post..First Look At M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Happening†Poster
By Mike Olbinski on Dec 10, 2007
I think you guys need to notice the difference between “hot” and “getting 5 zooms”.
Yes, getting 5 zooms is the benchmark, but all it does it get your link published. Being published means you have link back to your blog using the keywords, etc., that you put in that BZ submission.
This is a link that Technorati sees as a link to you. You wont get that with < 5 zooms.
It’s really not a matter of “hot” as a matter of “published”.
I don’t think of mine as hot, I think that 4 people liked them enough to zoom and get me a published link out there.
Not only does it help by adding a link, but it’s another place that people on Google will find when searching.
What I meant by becoming Digg is that you want it to be more like that by making it harder for a blog post to go hot and make it on the frontpage I guess.
And I’m trying to point out that BZ isn’t about that…
Mike Olbinski’s last blog post..?Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? poster released
By blackysky on Dec 10, 2007
bloggingzoom is not digg.. the idea wasn’t to be hot or not.. it is a place to get exposure…. that’s it … BZ is a self promotion friendly website… not like digg … I think you miss the idea behind it…
By Mobile Notary Review on Dec 10, 2007
I think Justin is right, it will all work itself out in the end. The site is growing so give it a chance.
Mobile Notary Review’s last blog post..FREE Market Research with Google Alerts
By A Blog about Nothing on Dec 10, 2007
Mike - My whole point being that regardless of the purpose behind a hot rating it is far to easy to get that rating. The problem isn’t the concept it’s the people who use it. Or rather abuse it. Like I said in the post I know for a fact that people will just start on page one and start zooming without ever looking at the article.
Blacksky - You miss the idea behind my article. If the idea isn’t to be able to be “hot or not” why is it even displayed? If they need/want to track it great, but why are we able to see how many times it has been voted for and who voted for it? I’m not saying it’s the only reason for zooming, but it definitely feeds our egos.
Bottom line: I’m not ragging on BZ. I think it is a great service, BUT I’m a firm believer in earning your way to things. Be that a “hot” post, or being published by BZ, or an ice cream sundae. It seems to me it is far to easy to earn that reward in this case. That’s all I’m saying. After all you don’t give a kid an “A” on a report because they tried do you? Hell no! You give them an “A” because they busted their ass. You give them a “D” because at least they tried.
By Mike Olbinski on Dec 11, 2007
Abuse? Hardly…this is just everyone helping each other. Why have it go hot? Who knows, maybe they will increase it when the place gets busier down the road?
Either way, it’s working as it should and there is no reason to change it.
I don’t see how it gets abused. There are a ton of blogs on there, a lot still below 5, and a lot over 30…no matter how much some people want to randomly zoom, the best ones usually rise to the top.
I don’t think there are problems at all. I think the problems lie in people trying to make problems out of nothing
Your bottom-line:
I have earned my way in there…I comment a lot, I help zoom others stuff, and I post my own. I give feedback, etc.
I would think there are a lot of people on there who do nothing but submit their own posts, and never zoom others, or comment, and I doubt their posts have a 100% published rate.
Mike Olbinski’s last blog post..Mike?s DVD picks for 12/11/07
By A Blog about Nothing on Dec 11, 2007
Mike - Helping each other by what? I guess I should ask you how important is quality vs quantity in your mind when it comes to this issue? Will you zoom a crap article just to “help someone out”? Do you personally take the time to read each and every article and decide if it truly deserves to be zoomed?
Abused because people just zoom without regard to what they are zooming. They don’t even bother looking at it many times. That’s what I mean by abuse.
I don’t know that I would consider commenting, giving feedback and zooming articles (my own and others) as earning my way. I’ve clearly done all three of those things and I can’t say I’ve somehow “earned” anything.
We’ll just agree to disagree. I still think it is a great resource but I believe that its effectiveness is diluted.
By Mike Olbinski on Dec 11, 2007
Effectiveness as put by you, but as planned by Court and Vic, it’s been as effective as they’ve wanted it.
We are all getting backlinks to our site, and deeper keyword depth with the search engines.
Secondly, as BZ grows, more and more articles will be submitted that people will miss and not zoom. It’s already starting now.
So it will balance out in regards to how YOU want it anyways.
I just think jumping on them after two months is ridiculous, especially when you don’t understand the point behind why they made BZ.
Mike Olbinski’s last blog post..Mike?s DVD picks for 12/11/07
By A Blog about Nothing on Dec 11, 2007
As I said we will just agree to disagree. About pretty much everything you’ve just stated, Mike.
By Court on Dec 11, 2007
BloggingZoom is broken? Please! If the fact that users are increasing their traffic and RSS counts means it’s broken, then yeah I guess it is broken. ???
Nice bait though. I hope it was everything you hoped it would be.
Court’s last blog post..You Can Now Blog On CourtneyTuttle.com
By A Blog about Nothing on Dec 11, 2007
Court - If you think this was somehow meant to be bait I don’t know what to tell you.
Perhaps you should read the entire post before you assume what the intention behind it is?
By Court on Dec 11, 2007
I did read the entire post.
Court’s last blog post..You Can Now Blog On CourtneyTuttle.com
By A Blog about Nothing on Dec 11, 2007
Court - Then what on earth made you think it was meant to be bait? Because if you did someone else probably did too which means I need to make sure not to repeat the error in the future.
By Court on Dec 11, 2007
Brook I could use this post as an example on my site as how to bait. You used a title that is 100% negative. You then tried to smooth it over within the post itself. You put the (maybe) in the HTML title but didn’t put it in the title itself.
Your title doesn’t reflect the true message of the post, and that is the benchmark characteristic of bait.
Brook I’m not saying that there’s something wrong with what you did. You can say anything you want on your site. I just hope that the positive benefits outweigh the obvious negative ones.
Court’s last blog post..You Can Now Blog On CourtneyTuttle.com
By A Blog about Nothing on Dec 11, 2007
Court - Ok that makes sense and you’re right about how it looks (when I look at it from the perspective you just pointed out). I didn’t even consider it as being a potential bait when I wrote it.
Whether it has “worked” or not I can’t really say. It’s certainly generated discussion which is always good.
By Mike Olbinski on Dec 11, 2007
Discussion isn’t always good, especially if it’s just done as “bait”…then it serves no purpose except to rile people up.
Mike Olbinski’s last blog post..Some HD-DVD news and bargains at Amazon
By A Blog about Nothing on Dec 11, 2007
Mike - Well if you get “riled” up over what someone says on their own blog that’s pretty much on you. And if you think this is/was bait then I imagine you’re feeling kinda of silly dangling out there at the end of the hook, huh?
By Vic on Dec 13, 2007
Brook just the fact alone that you where a OneMansGoal groupy says it all. But at the end of the day all you did was push away people that could have helped you. Mike is one of the coolest cats at BZ not only does he Zoom your post but he comments on peoples site. My recommendation stop repeating all the mistakes you learned at OneMansGoal.
Vic’s last blog post..Images Does It Matter?
By Making Sales Making Money on Dec 13, 2007
Some posts are not made to be understood. I will put this one there
Making Sales Making Money’s last blog post..Content + Traffic + Pre-Sell = Monetize
By A Blog about Nothing on Dec 13, 2007
Vic - You figure I’m a one mans goal groupy because… why exactly?
If you have an issue with one man’s goal that’s on you and not one bit my concern. Personally I couldn’t care less one way or another for or against Bryan (or whoever owns it now)
As far as Mike goes, who is he? If he (AND THIS GOES FOR EVERYONE) doesn’t like me speaking my mind, or has a problem with something I say, or who I say it about I won’t lose any sleep over it. That’s a nice way of saying I really don’t care. He and everyone else is well within their right to have their own opinion. Just like you, Vic. Just like me.
By A Blog about Nothing on Dec 13, 2007
MSMM - Sorry, I don’t think I know how to make it any clearer for you.
By bloggernoob on Dec 14, 2007
tell me that’s photoshop. very trippy
bloggernoob’s last blog post..I’m getting too many paid posting gigs
By A Blog about Nothing on Dec 15, 2007
Bloggernoob - I’m assuming you mean the guy with the snakes coming out of his nose in the Ball python post? I don’t think so. I recall seeing him (or someone very similar) on a nature program doing the same exact thing.