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Does Anyone Take Technorati Seriously Anymore?

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I Held Out

On January 29, 2006, I wrote a post to Technorati about a problem I was having. I documented communication since August of 2005. I’ll quote from it because the words I’m quoting are to this day still true.

The original issue has never been resolved. It involved the fact that Technorati wasn’t accurately tracking links to my account and that the count kept getting stuck and links kept getting missed.

At the time I wrote, isn’t 5 Months Patience Enough? Now it’s been 30 months and my blog is still wonky in the Technorati index.

Anyone who has followed the list of posts I’ve written about Technorati knows that I give a lot of space to a group that works hard with an overwhelming task. But what’s the point when the basic service — 180 day index of “blog reactions” — has in my case been, at the most, only 75 days. I sure would the other 105 days in my count.

On May 19, 2006, I recorded a comment to benchmark the problem.

Recently, I was told the problem would be fixed immediately.

It’s been more than immediately and still nothing.

Do you even pay any attention to Technorati anymore?

UPDATE: Here are some responses I got to this question on Twitter.
Does Anyone Take Technorati Seriously Anymore?

  • I haven’t taken Technorati seriously for close to a year now. Sad, really. Was a great idea for bloggers. No more… ;(
  • Personally speaking, no. I used to check it out regularly, but haven’t in months.
  • I haven’t looked at Technorati in months.
  • no the technorati rank seems to be more akin to a random number generator at the moment.
  • I never took them seriously, but that’s just me.
  • I haven’t visited Technorati in months, to be honest.
  • I only use it to look at who links to me… that’s it.
  • I had been using Technorati quite a bit. But somehow, 200+ links to me disappeared in the last two weeks. I don’t believe it.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Google Changes the Game — 10 Sites Hit in October . . . Now Look

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NOT Just a PageRank Update

The Living Web

Every Monday, I check in to see how the web world is treating me. It seems that Technorati has left me out in the cold . . . my 180-day archives have been only 60-90 days deep for over a year now. When I wrote last week, no one answered. . . .

But it’s looking like Google may be having a change of heart . . . We could have a mutually-beneficial relationship again. Something more than a PageRank update is definitely going on. PageRank seems to be getting an entirely new definition.

  • I see it in my backlinks.
  • I see in new site links for Successful-Blog.
  • I see it in the way my SERPs are playing out and in the Webmaster tools information being reported.
  • I see it a change in PageRank for LizStauss.com, The SOBCon08 Blog and one other URL I own.

Other signs life and page rank is changing . . .

  • Live PR Live Pagerank appears to be dead. Every site is coming up 0. Note: the Alexa ranks are coming through fine.
  • The same thing — 0 PR for every site — appears to be happening at Smart PageRank
  • iwebtools PageRank Checker is reporting changes and lots of “Datacenter down” responses.

And then, of course, there are the blogs taken down hard last October . . .

10 Sites Hit in October . . . Today

Some stats collected by Daily Blogging Tips last October and the current page rank reported by more than one tool. NOTE: Google datacenters are still dancing, not all datacenters are reporting. That means numbers could go anywhere.

I love looking for patterns in Google thinking.

What does this mean? Do you care?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

WTF? T-rati Monster Diggs Up a New Feature!!

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I Know What You’re Thinking

Maybe you caught it. Last night at about 9:40pm CST — that’s Chicago time — if you went to visit Technorati, you would have seen a white screen with words that said something like this

Doh! The Technorati monster has escaped again! We’ve gone to find him. We’ll be back in no time. (I’m remembering as best as I can.)

Shortly thereafter, when service returned, a smiling Dave Sifry announced on his own blog and on the official Technorati WTF page a new Technorati feature by saying,

I hope you’ll come to love as much as I do. It’s called WTF (no, not that: It’s “Where’s the Fire.”)

Where’s the Fire?

WTF - Where's the Fire? at Technorati

Where’s the Fire is about what is HOT! in the blogosphere. Here’s when you write a WTF blurb.

  • When you write post that sizzles or read one that fries you, write a WTF blurb about it.
  • When you think it’s time that folks knew about how YOUR passion for blogging makes you a hot ticket, write a WTF blurb then too.
  • When you’re the first to find out that America’s sweetheart has doused her latest film in gasoline, write a WTF blurb about it.

Okay so, you can write about news and fast breaking information If you think folks are interested in that kind of stuff.

Here’s how you use the WTF blurbs.

  • When you have a burning question about what your next post will be, search the WTF blurbs.
  • When find a blurb about a story boiling with debate or buzzing with electricity, vote it up!
  • When you find a blurb that turns you on to something so cool it’s hot, vote it up!

You know the drill.

There’s a new toy in the Technorati neighborhood. The T-rati-Rex must have Dugg it up when he ran away last night.

No worries. Janice says her team is still our team — this new feature didn’t shake their system.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
To Dave Sifry, Janice Myint and Technorati
Congratulations on the Tag Page at Technorati! Is it Our Turn Now?

To Dave Sifry, Janice Myint and Technorati

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Dear Dave, Janice, and all the Technorati Team,

I’m sorry I rained on your parade yesterday. That wasn’t very nice of me. Usually I’m more careful of such things.

My head was still attached to my heart. The problem was I was only thinking of the people on this side of the equation. I could have let you celebrate your glory for a day. How arrogant of me to charge right in there to find fault. I really am sorry.

But how did you respond?

With winning colors!

Every comment that I forwarded was attended to as far as I can tell — fast, effectively, and without a word of “hey look us.”

And then this morning, an IM from Janice with the biggest surprise of all.
Major corrections to my link count.

Sometimes it’s even harder to move when everyone’s watching.

Thank you, Dave, Janice, and everyone who heard me.

Thank you, for letting me know I bet on the right team.

Liz's Signature

see
Congratulations on the Tag Page at Technorati! Is it Our Turn Now?

Staying Connected in Times of Weirdness

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I've been thinking . . .
Trackbacks coming into and going out of Successful-Blog have been mystically enchanted. I am unable to know where they go, when they go, or get word when they’ve been sent to me as well. A famous blogger is helping me sort out this mystery . . . film at 11 on the SETI channel.

Until then, please know that issues at Technorati — links are disappearing for no reason — and WordPress –trackbacks aren’t coming in or going out– have made it hard for me to know about your generosity. If you haven’t heard a word about a connection or gesture you’ve made, please email me — lizsun2 at gmail [dot] com so that I can drop by and properly ay, “thanks.”

Liz's Signature