I’ve had a lot of talk this week about the “Rotating Blogroll” that is now being implemented in numerous blogs. The more I have thought about it, and the more I have talked to others about it, the conclusion that I have come to is that they are nothing more than examples of a non-committal relationship between bloggers.
Here’s my rant.
Every blogger out there wants more and more people to link to them. They are taking the time to type something and they want people to read it, dang-it. The way (most) people do this is to ask for links in exchange for linking to others, sort of like I did yesterday. We all like link love, and it’s the best way to spread your blog around to more and more people. Then my stats will go up and I will look awesome and impressive to everyone that sees me. You link to me and I will link to you, that’s how it works right?
Here’s what the “Rotating Blogroll” says to me:
“I like you a lot, and I appreciate all the time that we have shared together, and I love that you linked to me and all… but ummm…. your name on my front page is… you know… taking up ‘me’ space, and my blog is starting to look a little cluttered. I mean this blog really is about me right? You understand. I mean, it’s not like we still can’t be friends right? I think I just need a little space. It’s not you, it’s me…”
**as to be read in the rejecting voice of a high school girl**
The “Rotating Blogroll”, to me, is simply saying to people, “I want your link bad enough to ask for it, and I will even link to you, as long as it doesn’t infringe on my space. I will ask you to do something that I am not willing to do myself. And to some that makes perfect sense. To some they will say, “Yeah, this is my blog and people should be grateful to maybe pop on to my link list every fifth page refresh or so.”
I guess the major question that I would have to those with a rotating blogroll is, why are you linking to those people in the first place? Why have you taken the time to add them, maybe checked out their blog once, and then throw them on a rotation where they have a one in five, maybe even one in ten, chance of being clicked on? I call it non-committal and I won’t do it here, no sir.
Now I have to go before I fall off this soapbox and look stupid in front of you all…
What do you think? Arguments for it? Against it?
RSS
I’ve seen bloggers make a call for link love, which we answered, but have never seen our link on their roll while theirs sits nice & comfy on our roll.
I understand that sidebar space above the fold is precious real estate. But if a blog has 8-10 posts on the front page, then there should be plenty of space below the fold for a full blogroll.
To be fair though, I could see how blogger would want to rotate if they had a thousand readers asking for links.
I am with you on this. However I do see Cool Dad’s point about implementing the Rotator when you get to mega numbers.
Not a fan of the rotating blogroll, though I don’t feel as strongly about it as you seem to. I don’t like the clutter of excessively long lists (pshaw, like mine is that long) so I do use an expandable blogroll. I’ve got the main blogroll that comes up expanded as default and then two shorter link lists that default to collapsed. Keeps them on the front page, but allows me to minimize the clutter.
You’ve got a very nice layout here Brody, and have managed to fit a pretty extensive blogroll into a fairly small space.
I think the layout on some blogs, and maybe factors like font size, can lead to visual overload in some cases. Or the list can be fairly long sometimes, and bloggers don’t want to have to choose which are the “higher ranking” blogs on their blogroll. So the rotating blogroll is sort of a compromise — it limits the visual overload factor and gives “equal opportunity” for those on the list to be featured closer to the top from time to time.
I don’t have a problem with it. But I do wonder how it affects search engines and link-ranking, since at any given time the page is hit, it has random possibilities for what is being displayed.
Here are my thoughts on links. (And these are strictly my thoughts - I don’t expect other people to do it the same way…)
I don’t ask for links. I offer them in a variety of ways (with no return link love required) and I try to write stuff that is valuable enough that people might want to link to it.
I’m in no hurry to have a bigtime blog and it’s really important to me to know that everyone who links to me -really wants to link to me.
Since I don’t ask for links, if I want to grow my readership, I need to focus on being a better writer, developing relationships and creating content worthy of links.
It’s certainly not a fast way to grow a blog, but it works for me.
So, I don’t think I’d ever have a rotating linkroll it wouldn’t be helpful to my readers - so why do it? The only way I could imagine it done well is if a full link list were in the footer of a design and a rotating blogroll in the top sidebar. That way everyone still gets the link love, but occasionally a few links get spotlight attention.
I personally don’t care for the rotating blogroll. Sometimes I randomly check out other peoples blogs and if I forget to add them to my list I can’t find them again.
I think if you invite them to be linked than you shouldn’t put them on a rotating list. I have yet to see my link on another bloggers rotating list. If you haven’t asked for links than I guess you can do whatever you want though.
I greatly appreciate you linking to me!
I sort of agree. I was just scared to say it. I’ve never seen my link on a rotating blogroll that I’m supposedly on.
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yes. hold the line.
rotating blogrolls are lame.
also, sometimes i’ll want to find a new blog but can’t remember the name/url. thus, i try to go back to the blog where i originally found said new blog. if it has a rotating blogroll, i’m just up a creek…
in summation, rotating blogrolls are bad.
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ps, thanks for linking to me.
Why I have mine.
1. If I had all the links that link to me I would have almost 3000 links on my front page for you to wait to load and look through.
2. Over half of them die and I don’t have the time to check them so the blogroll becomes a cemetery with a few of the living.
3. Let’s face it. In the utopian blogroll you are talking about there is no one out for stats. But honestly, this blog and the ones in the blogroll do care about having lots of readers. So the “hug” you are giving is not as mutual as you think.
4. People that want another “number” added to their Technorati ranking get it with rotating blog rolls.
5. I highly doubt you have a blog relationship with BooMama.
6. And in the end, people will link to a blog if they like the content. It has been over a year since I asked for a “reciprical link”. Once I figured out how to build community, the rotating blogroll became a place for one thing. For people who want stats to get it from me. I spent 2 years asking for links. They deserve to ask for them too.
But in the end, as gene comments above me, they are lame, and I will continue to use it.
Great discussion.
You might just get another link, linking to this discussion.
If you want it.
Falling off my soapbox too.
Los
FYI - links on rotating blogrolls are only counted by google or technorati or any other ranking system if your particular blog is listed at the time that their spiders crawl the site with the rotating blogroll…
For the record Los…
Me and BooMama are BBFF’s (that’s “blogging best friends foever” for those of you who aren’t 11) since we hung at Winter Jam… and she doesn’t even link to me….
And several folks on my blogroll are people that I regularly call or even say… ichat every once in a while.
Personally, I think your blogroll looks great as is. You’ve got a good number of links, but they fit nicely on the page.
Why fix what isn’t broken?
That being said, some people with huge blogrolls should probably rotate.
I realize that I’ve added nothing to the conversation, but that’s my opinion!
Amen, preach it!
Nicely said! Well done!
I like Kat’s input as well! Rotating blogrolls are a slight even though I pretend to understand.
I agree with you 100%.
I hope you consider me a blog friend D:
Ha just kidding. Even considering me a blogging acquaintance would suffice. Or may a blogging nuisance would be more fitting….
i happen to think that having the ability to link to other blogs from yours is completely cool. i also happen to think that the list you provide should be soley blogs that you endorse. this is not myspace people, if you have a blog linked, it should be a blog that you actually care about and think others might care about too. dropping names is cheap to me, but people like to do it (and i wont say who, you know who you are). i prefer to keep my links to people or blogs that mean something to me.
that being said, blogrolls are stupid. if you care enough to link them, make it a permanent link. like you said brody, being non-committal (for your own gain, you selfish people) is something i hope i never step down too.
sorry, i dont mean to be mean, so i hope no one took it to be mean. maybe i am just frustrated with stupid people name dropping when they dont even fully support the other person.
You’ve made your blogroll look nice, and I like that.
I don’t have a rotating blogroll. I usually add friends or blogs I’ve read and like. Sometimes I forget to add blogs I like. It doesn’t bother me if they’re rotating or not, but I couldn’t imagine having a sidebar with hundreds of links to blogs. That’s just loco mayn.
Honestly, I really want more people to read my blog, I can’t remember the word you used for that to me the other day…but I do. I want more links also. But I also cannot remember how to do that either. There are several folks I read from your blog, Tracy, Kat, In the Quiet, Jessie and of course family and close friends. I am just gonna say that. As for “rotating links” I have no idea what that is. But, I love you and I am proud of all your doing.
Sincerly, Your Mother
Amen and Amen. You are right on, Brody. Right on. People you bring to the dance, should leave with ya.
But, that doesn’t happen often.
Randy
what los said for me.
and, to each their own.
the end.
and just for this post . . . I am linking you. http://www.johnvoelzblog.blogspot.com
I love the picture that you chose for this post, Brody . . . you’re hilarious!
Give me a big fat blogroll ANYDAY over a rotating blogroll. In fact, I pretty much ignore rotating blog rolls. I don’t know… they seem a little arrogant. I know they are probably, most of the time, not intended to insinuate arrogance. (However, I imagine there must be a slight moment of glow when the blogger just HAS to resort to the rotating blogroll because he’s just so friggin popular. Barf.) Now, that may be my pride or something… don’t know, haven’t devoted much time to rotating blogroll psychoanalysis.
SG is the only blog that I frequent that has one and all I know is, I use to click on a different blogger every time I was there… and after a short ponder, I guess I don’t anymore. Not doggin’ Shuan, because it wasn’t really intentional on my part. I just think people, (me) in general, like something sort of stable.
As far as fair, as a blog rotater, I would just try to live by the golden rule. Would it be okay with “you” the blog-rotater, if all your link buddies removed you for 2/3 of the day?
But I don’t know. Just rambling here. I hate any and all things that have to do with popularity with a burning passion. And if I ever start caring that much, I know I will be caring less about writing and relationships. If that happens, I have left strict instructions to myself to punch myself in the face.
So I suppose, overall, I agree. But hey, I’m not trying to link 3000 people for crying out loud.
I’m against the rotating blogroll for sure. Of course I don’t have the chore of having to sort through 3000 people who link to me. I guess life’s rough all around.
Haha, just teasin Los. Nothin but love.
Ach! I’m torn — Is the blogroll for ME or for OTHERS?
Probably for both, eh?
I collect links because I feel a kinship with that person or group. Ideally, I would have all the time in the world to sit a read through and interact with the blogs of EVERYONE I wanted to connect with. But, seein’ as how I don’t have that kind of time this side of Heaven, I can manage a chunk of folks to go see through a technical mechanism like a rotating blogroll, in addition the folks I will frequent more often determined by the degree of “relatability.”
But still, I can stand by your argument as well, and thus, I struggle with the idea of the “snippet-roll”, too.
Ach! I dunno. I think what Anne said, “to each their own” is about right.
I don’t suppose there is no right or wrong way to blog, nor is there a standard of blog conduct, is there?
SO, is it better NOT to have a blogroll at all than to have a rotating blogroll. There are some bloggers on your blogroll that don’t do any type of blogroll. If a blogroll is manageable, like yours, I think a permanent one is great. But if I got to Ragamuffin Soul and there are 3000 links it is pretty much useless.
I totally agree on this one dude! I will never give into the rotating gay blogroll!!!
i dont think the rotating blogroll is for this dispensation anyway
I’d say if you are linking to 3,000(ish) people there is no harm in having a separate page that has all of your links. It then remains a browsing grounds for new blogs to read, and everyone is listed, it loads fast, and everyone is happy.
Keep your “Top Fives” or “Featured” blogs on the front page and then recommend (with a very obvious button) that your readers check out all the other blogs you link to.
Just a thought.
Hey Brody! I’m new to the whole blog thing, but I tend to agree. I enjoy seeing who you all link, because then I can explore & discover blogs that really hit home or bloggers that seem to speak my language. Some of my standard reads have either always been or switched to rolling & it’s a little frustrating because I feel like I’m missing something. Just a neophites opinion. PS. Hysteria on the “rejecting voice of HS girl”
i didn’t realize blog rolls could induce such drama.
Anne,
Does it make you regret your decision to reinstate your blogroll? Just curious.
I seem to recall that the reason you had avoided one in the past was because you wanted to avoid such drama…
cough, cough.
I’m not sure that this is all that dramatic. Nor am I convinced, Anne, that there needs to be coughing from you. If you haven’t had a blogroll then you haven’t offered to “swap links” have you? Doesn’t that make you a different case?
I still hold to my original thoughts about rotating in general but most comments on here are from people who have made the effort to link to someone only to find themselves on rotation. I think that rubs people wrong. That’s all I’m saying.
damned if you do. damned if you don’t.
thazzallimsayin.
i dont regret adding one, no. but i do think people can take it way too seriously.
I feel kinda dumb for not even thinking about this.
I’ve struggled with not *reading* enough other blogs. I *love* your blog — one of my faves anywhere — but I still don’t read it as much as I’d like, given time.
I also haven’t finished an update of my blogroll that I started like two months ago. I feel guilty about that, too. I just haven’t thought much about this, but it clearly matters. It’s kind of weird/cool to watch an ethical system develop in a new technology.
Brant,
You do not cease to crack me up…
[...] At In Case You Were Wondering, Brody talks about those rotating blogrolls in a post called “Rotation,” and there is a spirited discussion in comments. If you are considering a rotating blogroll, [...]