Comments on: MindValley Launches SocialRank To Aggregate Niche Blog Content

By: Social rank at Bratku

Social rank at Bratku — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 15:24:40 +0000

[...] that is just the beginning: Our goal is to identify the top 1,000 niches on the Net and launch sites to cater to each of these [...]

By: Bratku

Bratku — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 15:22:00 +0000

Surely, each coin has two sides… I agree that this SocialRank thing might be obused, but on the positive side, it’s what users want – get most relevant and latest information on things that are interesting for them.

By: Bratku

Bratku — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 15:22:00 +0000

Surely, each coin has two sides… I agree that this SocialRank thing might be obused, but on the positive side, it's what users want – get most relevant and latest information on things that are interesting for them.

By: Ben Yoskovitz

Ben Yoskovitz — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:27:13 +0000

Deb – Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I really didn't think about the “splog” issue. Maybe I'm naive…

But I still think it was a good / fair interview and the resulting dialogue was also quite interesting and hopefully, worthwhile!

By: Ben Yoskovitz

Ben Yoskovitz — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:27:13 +0000

Deb – Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I really didn’t think about the “splog” issue. Maybe I’m naive…

But I still think it was a good / fair interview and the resulting dialogue was also quite interesting and hopefully, worthwhile!

By: --Deb

--Deb — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 03:28:35 +0000

This was a great interview, thank you! My knitting blog is actually one of the ones they've quoted and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. On the plus side, they give credit for the posts they copy, with a link back to the actual, originating blog, and I've gotten a few hits that I wouldn't otherwise have gotten. On the negative side, it does feel like splogging since my content is being used elsewhere. And it does have that “soulless” kind of feel to it, just like the JACK radio stations that play random, computer-generated music with no DJs to provide heart. As I say, I'm torn about the way I feel about this, but it could be worse….

By: --Deb

--Deb — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 02:28:35 +0000

This was a great interview, thank you! My knitting blog is actually one of the ones they’ve quoted and I’m still not sure how I feel about it. On the plus side, they give credit for the posts they copy, with a link back to the actual, originating blog, and I’ve gotten a few hits that I wouldn’t otherwise have gotten. On the negative side, it does feel like splogging since my content is being used elsewhere. And it does have that “soulless” kind of feel to it, just like the JACK radio stations that play random, computer-generated music with no DJs to provide heart. As I say, I’m torn about the way I feel about this, but it could be worse….

By: phill

phill — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 10:29:15 +0000

These sites are just one step above spam. The social rank is not a transparent ranking and does not identify the most important posts, but rather is clearly set to get bloggers (who used to at least link to each other) competing for the right to get on a list so that these folks get fresh stuff to put against their adsense.

Do not believe them that they go based on comments and links back. The evidence so far is that is not even a majority of their ranking. And yes, i am part of a site that on a daily basis gets more links and comments on every post than any other in the niche. This is no resting on laurels (but who the hell is this guy to be leveling everyone anyway. Blinklist is the most parasitic sloggy thing around.) These sites add zero insight. They add nothing to the conversation and in fact if this type of thing continues to proliferate we lose many of the good things aobut blogging..Nothing is added to the conversation and nothing interesting is revealed.

phTry http://www.aiderss.com for a helpful way to find the best of blog postings. Try http://www.spotplex.com for a transparent ranking based on what readers are really reading. Try http://www.tailrank.com for interesting reading and to see how different bloggers are covering issues you care about. http://www.megite.com as well.

This whole endeavor arguably crosses the lines of fair use with the plastering of adsense. These folks add nothing and want to seemingly destroy some of the great things about blogging. There has always been competition and that competition is good for getting folks to do better work. this type of competition and ranking is meant not to identify the most read, respected and trusted bloggers, but rather the soulless pursuit of empty seo impressions.

I say pass on this whole thing and they will slink off like the spammers they are. Or we could get a ruling on fairuse.

Even the name, Social Rank, smacks of no soul. Sorry. better luck next time guys.

Think about it.

By: phill

phill — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:29:15 +0000

Do not believe them that they go based on comments and links back. The evidence so far is that is not even a majority of their ranking. And yes, i am part of a site that on a daily basis gets more links and comments on every post than any other in the niche. This is no resting on laurels (but who the hell is this guy to be leveling everyone anyway. Blinklist is the most parasitic sloggy thing around.) These sites add zero insight. They add nothing to the conversation and in fact if this type of thing continues to proliferate we lose many of the good things aobut blogging..Nothing is added to the conversation and nothing interesting is revealed.

phTry http://www.aiderss.com for a helpful way to find the best of blog postings. Try http://www.spotplex.com for a transparent ranking based on what readers are really reading. Try http://www.tailrank.com for interesting reading and to see how different bloggers are covering issues you care about. http://www.megite.com as well.

This whole endeavor arguably crosses the lines of fair use with the plastering of adsense. These folks add nothing and want to seemingly destroy some of the great things about blogging. There has always been competition and that competition is good for getting folks to do better work. this type of competition and ranking is meant not to identify the most read, respected and trusted bloggers, but rather the soulless pursuit of empty seo impressions.

I say pass on this whole thing and they will slink off like the spammers they are. Or we could get a ruling on fairuse.

Even the name, Social Rank, smacks of no soul. Sorry. better luck next time guys.

Think about it.

By: Ben Yoskovitz

Ben Yoskovitz — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:55:34 +0000

@Martin: Computer aggregation isn't easy, but neither is human aggregation. Let's face it, humans can be duped too, and it's much more expensive to have humans do the aggregation.

Seems like a combination model is the best, where computers do the heavy lifting, and humans pick the cream of the crop at that point. Combine that onto a site with some original content, and you'd have a solid media play.