Short Note On "Top Patent Blogs"
“There are no grades of vanity, there are only grades of ability in concealing it”
-- Mark Twain
While these lists pop up from time-to-time, the IP Watchdog recently compiled a list of the "top 25 patent blogs." The list places yours truly at number 13:
Certainly a respectable number, but not one to inspire vanity. When I went to verify the ranking on Technorati, I discovered that the rank in the "top blog" listing was considerably different from what Technorati was showing me:
Apparently, my ranking (84,457) was cut in half for the listing. When I checked the other blogs, the numbers were different too (although not to this degree). What does this mean? I don't know. While I track readership like any other blog or website, anyone who blogs in a highly specialized area (i.e., you're not competing with Drudge or Gizmodo) knows that, after a certain point, the rankings become fuzzy. And depending on the rank methodology used, the rankings can become distorted.
I don't usually make hay out of such issues, but given that the list has been widely distributed, I thought I'd set the record straight (at least to the readers of this blog).
Posts
"Depending on the rank methodology used, the rankings can become distorted."
Yes, for sure. I wouldn't worry about where you land in the Technorati Top 25. You're solidly in that elite group, and that's more than respectable. There are many measures of a top-notch blog, and the Technorati scheme of counting inward references is just one such measure.
I would concentrate on maintaining a characteristic 'voice' and reliably covering a well-defined range of issues. (I think you have done both very well.)
In other words, focus on being the best at what you do. You define that. Don't optimize to other folks' yardsticks.
Peter-
Since I created the original list I have also noticed variations as well. My blog has obtained more authority but dropped in the Technorati rankings since I put the list together. I have gotten many e-mails from folks telling me they were in the top 1,000,000, and then I check and they are not. There seems to be something a bit unusual about the rankings. I have no idea how the Technorati rankings can vary so much in such a short time frame.
This bears further looking into. If you get any information please let me know.
-Gene
Thanks for the comments.
One possible explanation is that I noticed my website wasn't "pinged" by Technorati in a while (since Sept. 2008). Maybe this had something to do with it.
Who knows?
Post a Comment