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Thanks for the suggestions
All of you, thank you for the suggestions. We keep making changes to Blogit as appropriate so we'll consider your suggestions as we move forward.
Regards,
Brian
Blogit Team
www.blogit.com: The online writing marketplace.
posted by
BlogitStaff
on July 28, 2004 at 10:24 AM
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Brian
In which case then, would it not be a good idea to stop people from commenting on blogs that they haven't read? Because there is nothing more irritating to me than someone who blatantly hasn't read the post and is just commenting for the sake of seeking a return comment.
posted by
chris2303
on July 28, 2004 at 1:17 AM
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Okay, in consideration of what T-99 stated,
How about considering at least a number count without revealing the readers' identity? Kinda like websites visitor counters have, except it is only counted through Shaycom's server? That way, we can check and verify for ourselves the number of visitors whether (invisible or not) to our ranks and earnings on a daily basis. This not only protects privacy, but assures accuracy and fairness. It will also weed out the cheaters among us. I do think that you (Shaycom)
should be able to see where (which accounts) all clicks are
coming from and
to in order to catch multiple account bloggers' cheating habits if you can't already. I think it would easily expose culprits of "click rings" and other dishonest practices.
posted by
SpitFire70
on July 26, 2004 at 6:37 PM
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Ariala, it's not a matter of being #1.
It's a matter of being fair so that everyone is equally and honestly compensated in rank and earnings. We all know some bloggers are cheating the system; especially using multiple names. If they're able to cheat & get away with that, what else are some getting away with?
posted by
SpitFire70
on July 26, 2004 at 6:00 PM
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If you guys want to be #1, I suggest you post some bikini and lingerie
shots. I think that will soon be added to the Blogit page under ranking advice.
Ariala
Unofficial Blogitstaff
posted by
Ariala
on July 26, 2004 at 1:20 PM
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Re: Yeah...
Chris, note my response on how comments do not impact either earnings or rankings. But let me respond further! If someone is just viewing the New Comments page and deciding to respond to the conversation taking place amongst several Blogit members -- and sometimes that conversation has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the actual content of the post as you know -- then neither your ranking nor earnings will be impacted.
As for sharing the Blogit ranking policy with you in response...I do think it addresses part of the question. That only the number of daily unique readers impact ranking. This is a simple characterization of the Blogit ranking system since we continue to tweak it to make sure that we reduce or remove the impact of multiple accounts, and prevent anyone from unfairly playing the Blogit system.
Regards,
Brian
Blogit Team
www.blogit.com: The online writing marketplace.
posted by
BlogitStaff
on July 26, 2004 at 12:47 PM
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Re: Becky, thanks for responding.
Spitfire, I'm not sure I understand your question here so I'll try to address the general issue of how rankings are calculated. Let Becky or I know if we're still confusing you.
The main rankings for blogs (as can be seen by going to a writer's Profile page and checking the number next to the blog name) are based on 7 days of data.
The daily rankings are the ones seen by checking the list for the last 24 hours which shows the Most Popular Blogs Today!
As I said, I've seen certain bloggers' posts REMAIN #1 even after the blog changes! Meaning it changes topics within minutes and still remains in the #1 spot. This just doesn't make sense; mathmatically or logically as far as the rules pertain.
So if a blogger posts something to a blog that continues to get read by people even as they post new things to that blog, then they're daily ranking -- and eventually their overall 7-day ranking -- will remain at the same spot. The ranking is based on your blog not on a post so not sure I understand your question above.
Regards,
Brian
Blogit Team
www.blogit.com: The online writing marketplace.
posted by
BlogitStaff
on July 26, 2004 at 12:37 PM
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More clarification about comments
FYI, leaving comments and/or viewing of comments do not add to either a blogger's ranking or earnings at this time. Only the total page views of someone's writing will contribute to their earnings.
And rankings, as Becky pointed out, are based on unique readers so it doesn't matter if you go back to read someone 10 times during a day, that'll still count as one unique reader for the sake of rankings.
Brian
Blogit Team
www.blogit.com: The online writing marketplace.
posted by
BlogitStaff
on July 26, 2004 at 12:29 PM
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Further response
Let me add to our previous Blogit Staff response to your query SpitFire.
1. We're looking at ways to make it easier for a writer to share who they are reading -- if they so want. But as I pointed out in another response that is their privilege alone.
And currently they can make sure you know they are reading you by commenting, or emailing you, or making their reading/payment distribution lists public.
And whether or not you know if they've read you, you will still get a share of their payments to writers if they do read any of your writing.
2. It is important to use to make sure that the system remains fair which is why we keep tweaking it. And we very carefully monitor anyone who has multiple accounts especially if they are trying to have an unfair advantage.
Please be assured that we have made several changes over the last 18 months to make sure that no one can unfairly impact the ranking or earning systems. No matter how many accounts they might own! 
3. If a certain blogger has a loyal readership and if they constantly have a significant number of readers reading everything that they're writing then their rankings for several blogs will rise to a similar ranking during the day. As Becky of Blogit Staff pointed out with her post it is the number of unique readers that impacts a ranking and over a seven-day period.
Of course, some writers on Blogit have been especially good at marketing themselves, writing prolificly and well, and in building a community around their blogs by commenting on others' blogs.
As I mentioned in #2 we have already made changes to how rankings are calculated to make sure that the Blogit rankings and earnings system remains as fair as possible since that is the most essential part of the Blogit community. Thanks for the post -- we'll make sure we keep reviewing the system even more regularly than before to make sure no one is gaining unfair advantage. This is very important to you and to us.
Hope that helps! Let Becky and I know if we still haven't answered your questions.
Regards,
Brian
Blogit Team
www.blogit.com: The online writing marketplace.
posted by
BlogitStaff
on July 26, 2004 at 12:23 PM
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I don't mind seeing how many clicks a particular author has gotten, and I post my distribution list, but I would really rather NOT have the DETAILS available for everyone.....it isn't really anyone's business who I read or what I read.
Since this is a subscription I pay for, I believe my desire for privacy should override the desire for making this info public.
posted by
Tamara99
on July 26, 2004 at 7:16 AM
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Yeah...
...It always amazed me how I could notch up over 40 comments in one post, and yet still remain at number 2 behind a blog that received 4 comments and sometimes less. I understand that each comment doesn't necessarily mean a click, but when you're talking of the amount of exposure my blog was getting, it did seem a little wrong. Especially when the blog above me (Ariala's) was still at number one after being up for over a day!
And please don't copy and paste a section of Blogit's rankings policy as a response, if I even get one. I know how the theory behind the rankings supposedly work. It just seems Spitfire's question was given an "automatic answer", which ultimately failed to be of any use.
posted by
chris2303
on July 26, 2004 at 5:36 AM
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Becky, thanks for responding.
I do understand how it works here, since I've acutally been an active member for a year come this Friday. (I'm not trying to be sarcastic!) Now, when you stated,
"Since the rankings are calculated over seven days, even four days is not necessarily sufficient to change a blog's ranking. The calculation favors consistency over single-day popularity." That still doesn't answer my questions and/or comments on fairness and is also a bit hypocritical in all. "Single-day popularity & "calculated over 7 days...eveb 4 days is not necessarily sufficient to change a blog's ranking" doesn't make sense to me. As I said, I've seen certain bloggers' posts REMAIN #1 even
after the blog changes! Meaning it changes topics within minutes and still remains in the #1 spot. This just doesn't make sense; mathmatically or logically as far as the rules pertain. Now, I'm not trying to be difficult (obviously, I've been an active member for a year and you hardly ever personally hear from me) but something's up and it's not a good thing! I truly don't believe I am alone in these issues.
posted by
SpitFire70
on July 25, 2004 at 11:01 PM
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Ms. Becky,
I think we may have a misunderstanding here. What this post was referring to was one user with multiple accounts manipulating the rankings. What, I believe, Spitfire was going for was a request to find a way to know who read each Blog. I understand that this would be a huge undertaking. What I suggest is making all distribution lists public. Perhaps that would be a smaller undertaking and would take care of the problem. Actually, what would take care of the problem is to only allow one account per credit card, but I don't see that happening. If someone wants to pay for a great number of accounts so they can test out other personalities then that is their choice. Using those accounts to 'stuff the box' is unethical, though.
posted by
Kay-Ren
on July 25, 2004 at 8:52 PM
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Rankings
Blog popularity rankings, as shown on each member profile, are based on the number of unique readers each day for the past seven days. We believe this is a useful indicator of the value of a blog, since it benefits blogs that consistently attract readers.
"Unique readers" means that no matter how often someone reads a blog, they are only counted once when the rankings are calculated. The purpose is to ensure fair rankings by allowing each person to only "vote" once.
Since the rankings are calculated over seven days, even four days is not necessarily sufficient to change a blog's ranking. The calculation favors consistency over single-day popularity.
Here are some suggestions that may help increase your blog's readership, which in turn helps improve rankings and earnings:
- Initially, add posts to a single blog, instead of creating multiple blogs. Readers will be more likely to remember your blog's name.
- Post frequently, at least once a day if possible. Recently updated blogs will appear on the home page under New Posts, and are also more likely to appear in Featured Blogs.
- Split long posts into several shorter ones. Many online readers prefer to read shorter posts.
- Read and comment on other writers' posts. Interested readers will click your nickname to read your blogs, and the blog's author may recommend your blog.
- When a post receives comments, it is likely that the topic appeals to readers. Consider writing on similar topics.
- To appeal to different groups of readers, write multiple blogs on different topics.
posted by
BlogitStaff-Becky
on July 25, 2004 at 7:19 PM
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Hey, Myddrin!
It seems ya got your name back! Kewl. Nice job Shaycom!
posted by
SpitFire70
on July 25, 2004 at 5:48 PM
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Personally I think that clicks should only be gained when a comment is added and not when a person just reads the post. I myself have read a post more than once just to remember certain information, but the post did not interest me enough to make a comment as the information was about general subject matter such as on religion or food, ect. Every time I go back I know that I am giving them clicks. I think that if the post is worth a comment, its worth clicks then, not when you are just looking to see if you really want to make a comment at all. And I think a system should be set up to keep a person from having more than one subscription on blogit. This could be done with the credit card number itself. If the card is used on a active account, then it should be prevented from opening a second subscription while the first is still considered active, even if cancelled. You guys do a great job and I really appreciate all of the effort to help me. These suggestions are to help all who participate in blogit, both writer and staff. thanks shadow
posted by
Keshet
on July 25, 2004 at 4:18 PM
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Spitfire said it eloquently, and I agree wholeheartedly!
I was the first to suggest that you find a way to abolish the invisible clicks in the interest of a) being able to see who is clicking you when no comment is left and b) attaining fairness, or at the very least, proving that there are no alliances and I am wrong. If I am proven wrong then I will eat the tasty crow with gusto, but is there a way to abolish those invisible clicks and see who is clicking whom???? Thanks for a great site, btw!!
posted by
Julia.
on July 25, 2004 at 3:39 PM
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