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?