BasangPanaginip is one of the first Filipino bloggers I’ve seen doing the “best of 2006 post” summaries with his The 7 Most Popular Pinoy Blog Posts for 2006. He listed the Isulong SEOPH and Ituloy AngSulong mechanics pages as blog posts, but I’m not sure they qualify (still appreciate the link love and the email though). Offhand, I’d say he missed out on a lot of other good sites that continue to churn out buzz-quality content like the I hate orcs pare blog (lately haven’t seen any new posts there though, wonder if the buzz was too much to bare).
I took one quick look at the posts mentioned by Michael and then scanned the metrics he used to rate each blog. Here’s how he defined popularity:
7. How to Convert any Web Template into a Wordpress Theme (excellent read btw)
Total: 145
Technorati: 38
Google: 87
Comments: 20
I’m guessing the Technorati value refers to the number of Technorati visible links to the post URL, the Google value refers to the number of Google-visible backlinks (Yahoo! is a better backlink checker) and the comments refer to, you guessed it, the actual number of comments on the blog post. He then totaled those 3 factors, then ranked the blog posts accordingly.
It’s always hard to break down concepts like popularity into a numbers game. In the case of Technorati and Google links, these are very susceptible to spam (I didn’t bother listing comments - I’m sure you know why). Links as a measure of popularity used to be the cornerstone of the Google search algorithm but what the engines trust, smart search marketers have been able to abuse with impunity. It would be very easy to push a blog post up Michael’s list with just a few clicks of a button.
So how then can we define popularity? I’ve been reading a lot on viral marketing lately, and one of the more interesting books I’ve read this year is The Anatomy of Buzz (How To Create Word of Mouth Marketing) by Emanuel Rosen. It’s a must read for SEOs because as search engine algorithms mature, SEO will become more and more art than science, and buzz will replace reverse engineering as the prefered SEO tactic.
Rosen offers a compelling definition of buzz:
By “buzz” I refer to all the word of mouth about a brand. It’s the aggregate of all person-to-person communication about a particular product, service, or company at any point in time.
True popularity centers not on individual posts, but on the brand successfuly established by the blogger (and validated by his/her peers). You can have one blog post land on the Digg frontpage today and be completely forgotten the following week. But if you built a strong brand for yourself, i.e. if people recognize you as the blogger on _____, then you can leverage on that reputation to sprinkle buzz bonus points to all your posts. But you have to be the brand.
You have to be the problogger, the new Filipina, the opinionated, the man and the theme expert. In the SEO world, you have to be God, the father, the son, the holy ghost, the author, the tools guy, the international sensation, the keyword scribe, the experiments guy, the moneyed one, the original link baiters, the Digg expert, the patents and academe guide or the SEO asshole…to witness seemingly ordinary posts transform into thought provoking, link worthy masterpieces (or for the last one, thought provoking, link unworthy BS).
December 9th, 2006 at 2:50 PM
Thanks Marc.
And yeah, you’re right, Yahoo is better at backlinks. For example Bryanboy has virtually no backlinks at Google.
And I totally agree on your definition of buzz. A good posts, can catipulate the reputation of a bloggger. Furthermore, buzz is as a springboard, for the subsequent posts.
As you say, more art than science.
Thanks again Marc.
December 9th, 2006 at 3:01 PM
OMG, what am I?
December 9th, 2006 at 11:14 PM
Now that’s a worthy post. And where are you on the list? Me thinks you are indeed the true international sensation as you globe trot with the best of them. Comments are a great indicator of popularity in my opinion as they indicate how well the blogger has engaged his audience. Not to add to you extensive list but I don’t think you can leave out Rand Fishkin’s Daily SEO Blog.
December 10th, 2006 at 12:36 AM
Seomoz is there David :)
December 10th, 2006 at 4:08 AM
Sorry, I missed it. That’s what I get for trying to improve an already excellent post. ;)
December 10th, 2006 at 11:25 AM
Marc,
Regarding cofibean: although the blog has many posts which are heavily commented, I found out that the discussions stops at that blog. The conversation doesn’t spread.
I take into account Technorati or Google links, and not just the comments per se. That way, it would be very hard to game the most popular blog posts list using comment spam.
I hope that helps.
December 10th, 2006 at 5:32 PM
I think popularity is subjective which is pretty obvious in Michael’s list. There’s no science behind it except that it’s good linkbait. I think it would have been better if there was some sort of voting process to back it up to make it more convincing. I agree with you on branding, but that’s also quite subjective until you’ve really made your mark on the Internet. Abe has definitely done that. But for me, he owns the “blogging guru” brand. Angelo is the “problogger” and you’re the “SEO guy”. I’d like to think of myself as the “guy from Davao”, haha.
December 10th, 2006 at 5:34 PM
I’m opinionated? Ouch! LOLOLOL
December 11th, 2006 at 11:12 PM
If comments are counted , check this post http://www.pinoy-dream-academy.com/rosita-and-ivan-out/
that generated 450 sensible as well as non-sense comments in ONE DAY and still growing!
BTW, I find difficulty browsing the post of Michael… I simply could not find the list. Too much of scrolling, pictures and ads.. or just my nose too long..
December 12th, 2006 at 10:29 AM
Dennis,
My list was temporary down for the night, but is up and running now. Please see the criteria on my post.
December 13th, 2006 at 12:20 AM
hahaha…the new Filipina?=P Baka magprotesta ang Gabriela=)
I feel so unworthy to be up there on your list…my blog is and still looks like a beginners blog……because someone’s not teaching me….! Ahem!=P
December 17th, 2006 at 10:43 AM
All Hail SORSI!
http://brrreeeport.bloghi.com/2006/12/08/lookout-xiaxue-sorsi-wants-your-tiara.html
June 6th, 2007 at 4:59 PM
The popularity is subjective but with Alexa ranking people have put first step towards making it quantifiable. With current infrastructure it very much difficult to check each and every hit for every website but eventually that will happen with development that is going on in web field.