BlogCatalog, one of the oldest operating blog directories is expanding with a with the beta launch of Social Search, a cross-network aggregation search engine that searches multiple social networks.
The Social Search feature is built on top on BlogCatalog’s Social Dashboard, which (like many services lately) aggregates member activity across other popular networks. The search feature allows users to search by single user, friends, or by anyone who has opted in to use the Social Dashboard feature.
I haven’t visited BlogCatalog in a long time, so I was surprised by some of the other features they are also offering. Personal news feed widget SocialStream allows members to broadcast their personal aggregated social network activity, wherever they place it, a similar function also available from Plaxo Pulse. This on top of a decent enough social networking platform that is built around a members blog listing and includes friends a topical group discussion.
Ultimately any site is only as good as the number of users it is attracting, and BlogCatalog is pumping through some great numbers, with comScore reporting just over 2 million unique visitors a month for the site on 6 million page views for both January and February. As the chart shows, this is significantly more than Plaxo, who offer some similar services. Newer aggregation services (including Friendfeed) were either not available or too small to be recorded by comScore so could not be directly compared. Alexa does provide some size and influence comparison here for those interested.
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Interesting that Plaxo is the undergraph this round, even given OpenSocial…
It is amazing what blog catalog is doing with NO VC money. Imagine if they had the funding the other companies had.
I thnk are doing gr8 thngs nd may thy do more
Some interesting indicators of “up and to the right” movement for Plaxo here:
http://blog.plaxo.com/archives....._fo_1.html
The traffic-tracking sites are at best “imperfect”. For example, compare Plaxo with FriendFeed and Twitter in Alexa and Compete and see if the common view makes sense…
They, a competitor to MyBlogLog, need a competitor…
Since I am (or was the last time I checked) their top rated humor blogger, I just wanted to say congratulations to Blogcatalog for being the best place on the net for bloggers like myself to get the exposure and admiration that we all so deeply desire!!
Of course, I desire more exposure and admiration than most bloggers, but, ya know.
They do me right.
I wish i had bought when it offered on sitepoint for $40k.
Hope to get my site up there someday
YouYap.com
Wooh! New features!
BlogCatalog FTW. Seriously - it just beats out everything else. With a stick.
And here’s a podcast I did discussing the context of our updated “hockeystick” chart: http://mashable.com/2008/03/20/plaxo-podcast/
As blogcatalog’s resident horse racing expert (self appointed, mind you), I’d like to echo offendblogger’s comments. Blogcatalog is the best place on the net for bloggers - period.
Every blogger needs to get on BlogCatalog (BC)! Network and market your blog(s) with ease. One piece of critical advice: pace yourself as it can be addicting!
Don’t forget to visit me (same name) on BC, the place for bloggers who want to see and be seen! See you at BC!
As the resident Anarchist at blogcatolog, I’d like to say that I am very proud of the BC team, they have been working their fingers to the bone to get us the bestest features for blog networking. If you haven’t been by in a while, come back down, and join in the anomie!
Sorry, Ive never heard of either.
@YouYab, You’re telling me, I created and sold it a few years back to make a quick buck. Looks like a mistake now ;).
I’m very impressed with the direction the site has taken over the years.
One of the best decisions I made was selling to Jacob Gower, who always put the site first. He took one of the lower offers when he sold it and as a result kept it in very capable hands.
If I would have kept it these years I’m confident in saying it wouldn’t be in the same position it is today. I didn’t have the time necessary for maintenance and developing new features.
Great news, however. BlogCatalog started as a directory and has successfully made the transition into full a full social community.
@13 — reasonable exit strategy
They have done a great job of not only building apps but building a community on there and being response to what the community wants. Truly a marriage of users and managers working together.
As just an everyday kind of simple blogger, I added my blog to BC willy nilly, along with quite a few other sites, then I forgot about it for a long time.
I am not clear what drew me back, I think it was the addition of the discussion boards, where a technology challenged person like myself got some help.
Ever since then I have been hooked and I am continually impressed by the new features they have added.
I think a big plus point is that all types of blogs and bloggers are found here, anything from mommy bloggers, politics, humour to cooking etc.
Tony at BlogCatalog is a stand-up guy and one sharp business person. Anyone who knows him knows this is just the beginning for BlogCatalog.
Now this is more like it. Something that could actually be useful
@ YouYab Brad is absolutely correct with what he says about what Jacob did with BC & Jacob having higher offers than the one we made to buy it.
@ Brad Appreciate your kind words. You created the foundation and I will always be grateful to you.
@ Kevin @ Anok @GlobalGirl @ OffendedBlogger Thanks to each of you! We are fortunate to have such a high caliber of quality bloggers and people who engage each other on BC. The BC members know better than us what they need and we keep an ongoing open dialog with them.
Not to mention the blogging projects they’ve established and participated by bloggers planetwide, such as the Community Challenge and Bloggers Unite. All the best for Tony, Nine, the staffs, and everyone at BlogCatalog.
“Ultimately any site is only as good as the number of users it is attracting!”
Considering I had delayed joining for over a year thinking BC was just another directory… my mistake. They continue to attract based on quality and innovation!
blogcatalog.com is on great social networking site on these days, I use blogcatalog for my business social networking and it have helped me alot!
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Thank You.
thank you