Comments on: Techmeme: Where the A-Listers Party With the Long Tail. http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/ Startup and Tech News Sat, 17 May 2008 10:07:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Josh http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2274973 Josh Tue, 06 May 2008 12:43:59 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2274973 Hey Yuvi, how about pointing your good StatBot at Techmeme and Memeorandum to determine Jeff Jarvis's relative positions in each aggregator? Or how about generalizing the inquiry? For instance, who casts the biggest shadow--however you measure it--over more than one of Gabe's properties? Hey Yuvi, how about pointing your good StatBot at Techmeme and Memeorandum to determine Jeff Jarvis’s relative positions in each aggregator? Or how about generalizing the inquiry? For instance, who casts the biggest shadow–however you measure it–over more than one of Gabe’s properties?

]]> By: m http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271524 m Tue, 06 May 2008 00:28:39 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271524 sorry, that's Yuvi, not Juvi. sorry, that’s Yuvi, not Juvi.

]]> By: m http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271515 m Tue, 06 May 2008 00:27:11 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271515 Juvi seems like a really cool and obviously smart kid.. ...but isn't his rise within TechMeme the least bit connected to Louis Gray both promoting him AND actively supporting the new StatBot project to the point of Louis being mentioned in the about page? Just saying that maybe Juvi isn't the best example for the long tail, since he in a way already had worked himself into connecting with the A-list circle before that post on techmeme (obviously did so on the merits of his bright statistical analysis though, which was a pretty good feat and also something very long tailish at the time). Juvi seems like a really cool and obviously smart kid..

…but isn’t his rise within TechMeme the least bit connected to Louis Gray both promoting him AND actively supporting the new StatBot project to the point of Louis being mentioned in the about page?

Just saying that maybe Juvi isn’t the best example for the long tail, since he in a way already had worked himself into connecting with the A-list circle before that post on techmeme (obviously did so on the merits of his bright statistical analysis though, which was a pretty good feat and also something very long tailish at the time).

]]> By: TechCrunch Japanese アーカイブ » Techmeme：大物とロングテールが共存するところ http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271504 TechCrunch Japanese アーカイブ » Techmeme：大物とロングテールが共存するところ Tue, 06 May 2008 00:24:34 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271504 [...] [原文へ] [...] […] [原文へ] […]

]]> By: SearcH◆ EngineS WEB http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271349 SearcH◆ EngineS WEB Mon, 05 May 2008 23:46:21 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271349 Those underdogs may have gotten there because their blog posts were submitted, accepted and linked to by some of the top blogs that highlight interesting stories from other blogs Consequently, they may get Digged or Reddited and get the necessary viral marketing that gets tmore notice If a top member Diggs them - it really has influence Those underdogs may have gotten there because their blog posts were submitted, accepted and linked to by some of the top blogs that highlight interesting stories from other blogs

Consequently, they may get Digged or Reddited and get the necessary viral marketing that gets tmore notice

If a top member Diggs them - it really has influence

]]> By: Derek Gathright http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271287 Derek Gathright Mon, 05 May 2008 23:30:36 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271287 I agree with #9, it's not like there are 500 tech blogs outside the top 100, there are tens of thousands. I'm cool with Gabe's algorithm on diversifying the headlines as he does, but I don't think the #1 source should say "Hey, look, the wealth IS being shared after all!" when it is still just a millionaires club. I agree with #9, it’s not like there are 500 tech blogs outside the top 100, there are tens of thousands. I’m cool with Gabe’s algorithm on diversifying the headlines as he does, but I don’t think the #1 source should say “Hey, look, the wealth IS being shared after all!” when it is still just a millionaires club.

]]> By: Seth Finkelstein http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271283 Seth Finkelstein Mon, 05 May 2008 23:29:45 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271283 This blog-evangelism is a well-refuted FAQ by now. It's cruel and often bullying from A-lister's. Quick links: Jon Garfunkel: "The New Gatekeepers" http://civilities.net/TheNewGatekeepers Nick Carr: "The Great Unread" http://www.roughtype.com/archives/2006/08/the_great_unrea.php This blog-evangelism is a well-refuted FAQ by now. It’s cruel and often bullying from A-lister’s. Quick links:

Jon Garfunkel: “The New Gatekeepers”

http://civilities.net/TheNewGatekeepers

Nick Carr: “The Great Unread”

http://www.roughtype.com/archi....._unrea.php

]]> By: Duncan Riley http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271270 Duncan Riley Mon, 05 May 2008 23:26:10 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271270 @josh as long as I've been blogging since 2002, Jeff Jarvis has first are foremost been a media focused blogger with a stronger bent into politics than tech (although he covers the full spectrum), hence he isn't featured on Techmeme that much because his focus isn't primarily a tech blogger or runs a tech only site. I've got no probs with your long tail point, but the commenter earlier suggested that Techmeme was flawed because Jarvis wasn't prominent; again: he's not primarily a tech blogger where as Techmeme covers tech. @josh
as long as I’ve been blogging since 2002, Jeff Jarvis has first are foremost been a media focused blogger with a stronger bent into politics than tech (although he covers the full spectrum), hence he isn’t featured on Techmeme that much because his focus isn’t primarily a tech blogger or runs a tech only site. I’ve got no probs with your long tail point, but the commenter earlier suggested that Techmeme was flawed because Jarvis wasn’t prominent; again: he’s not primarily a tech blogger where as Techmeme covers tech.

]]> By: Freaky Thangs http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271112 Freaky Thangs Mon, 05 May 2008 22:48:51 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2271112 "Where the A-Listers Party With the Long Tail" Sounds kinky. “Where the A-Listers Party With the Long Tail”

Sounds kinky.

]]> By: Josh http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270922 Josh Mon, 05 May 2008 22:06:36 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270922 @Erick. If you don't know how far out the distribution goes, then you don't know whether it rightly includes any blogs one could reasonably count as part of the long tail. If we don't know, we probably ought not report conclusions as if we do. @Duncan. Please. Jarvis may be writing more and more about Hillary's lost cause, ahem, but the guy who's writing a book about Google has historically been a regular on Techmeme and its Leaderboard (just consider this: http://www.techmeme.com/080310/p28#a080310p28). In any case, it's bloggers like him who likely constitute a large part of what this post calls the long tail. @Erick. If you don’t know how far out the distribution goes, then you don’t know whether it rightly includes any blogs one could reasonably count as part of the long tail. If we don’t know, we probably ought not report conclusions as if we do.

@Duncan. Please. Jarvis may be writing more and more about Hillary’s lost cause, ahem, but the guy who’s writing a book about Google has historically been a regular on Techmeme and its Leaderboard (just consider this: http://www.techmeme.com/080310/p28#a080310p28). In any case, it’s bloggers like him who likely constitute a large part of what this post calls the long tail.

]]> By: Hamsters http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270843 Hamsters Mon, 05 May 2008 21:50:43 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270843 Does Gabe still live with Micheal? It is clearly one of the reasons why TC is always the number 1 on techmeme. Techmeme should really be called US-meme or worst still US-A[list]-meme or most appropriately tech[crunch]meme. Gabe's so called algo is nothing but HIS A-list favorites list which he recently published. Does Gabe still live with Micheal? It is clearly one of the reasons why TC is always the number 1 on techmeme. Techmeme should really be called US-meme or worst still US-A[list]-meme or most appropriately tech[crunch]meme.

Gabe’s so called algo is nothing but HIS A-list favorites list which he recently published.

]]> By: Duncan Riley http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270740 Duncan Riley Mon, 05 May 2008 21:27:33 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270740 Josh 9 probably because Jeff Jarvis ISNT a tech blogger. Try memeorandum.com Josh 9
probably because Jeff Jarvis ISNT a tech blogger. Try memeorandum.com

]]> By: Erick Schonfeld http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270726 Erick Schonfeld Mon, 05 May 2008 21:25:09 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270726 @Ian (4), perhaps I should have qualified that statement to say: "it doesn’t matter who you are, <em>there is a chance, often good, that</em> other blogs will find you and link to you.” After all, nothing is guaranteed. @Aidan (7), glad you found the post useful enough to plug a link to your blog. :) @Josh (9), better metrics are always welcome, but that last third of headlines coming from outside the top 100 could be coming from the top 1000, 5000, or 10,000. How far out does the distribution go? We don't know. Maybe Gabe does. @Ian (4), perhaps I should have qualified that statement to say:

“it doesn’t matter who you are, there is a chance, often good, that other blogs will find you and link to you.”

After all, nothing is guaranteed.

@Aidan (7), glad you found the post useful enough to plug a link to your blog. :)

@Josh (9), better metrics are always welcome, but that last third of headlines coming from outside the top 100 could be coming from the top 1000, 5000, or 10,000. How far out does the distribution go? We don’t know. Maybe Gabe does.

]]> By: Josh http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270530 Josh Mon, 05 May 2008 20:46:12 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270530 Pardon the correction: Right now not even very famous bloggers like Jeff Jarvis are *not* on the Techmeme Leaderboard. Pardon the correction: Right now not even very famous bloggers like Jeff Jarvis are *not* on the Techmeme Leaderboard.

]]> By: Josh http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270502 Josh Mon, 05 May 2008 20:39:05 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270502 Calling blogs outside the Techmeme Leaderboard's top 100 part of the long tail is like calling mere multimillionaires part of the great unwashed. While I wholeheartedly agree that the democratic structure of the internet and blogs allows us to get ours news from sources that are a "complete surprise," this analysis of just doesn't prove that Techmeme helps us toward that goal. Why? Because you would think that a blog would have to pretty seriously more obscure than just not being in the top 100 to be a complete surprise. Right now not even very famous bloggers like Jeff Jarvis are on the Techmeme Leaderboard. I know we all love the story about the bright stats kid who can magically make sense of numbers with colorful charts, but this strikes me at least as pretty shoddy reporting. If the Techmeme doesn't have good data about the long tail--e.g., by letting us look at blogs that are outside the top 1000, 5000, or 10,000 blogs--that's okay. The data may well lend themselves to grounding other interesting claims, just not ones about the long tail. Calling blogs outside the Techmeme Leaderboard’s top 100 part of the long tail is like calling mere multimillionaires part of the great unwashed.

While I wholeheartedly agree that the democratic structure of the internet and blogs allows us to get ours news from sources that are a “complete surprise,” this analysis of just doesn’t prove that Techmeme helps us toward that goal. Why? Because you would think that a blog would have to pretty seriously more obscure than just not being in the top 100 to be a complete surprise.

Right now not even very famous bloggers like Jeff Jarvis are on the Techmeme Leaderboard.

I know we all love the story about the bright stats kid who can magically make sense of numbers with colorful charts, but this strikes me at least as pretty shoddy reporting. If the Techmeme doesn’t have good data about the long tail–e.g., by letting us look at blogs that are outside the top 1000, 5000, or 10,000 blogs–that’s okay. The data may well lend themselves to grounding other interesting claims, just not ones about the long tail.

]]> By: alphaxion http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270433 alphaxion Mon, 05 May 2008 20:25:40 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270433 I have to agree with the sentiment that anyone not on the "A-List" (or "internet famous" for another term) stands a nigh on impossible task of getting their views heard. I've tried spamming myself out to such sites with pretty much no luck - regardless of how many times I have been told that my content is pretty good. I was an early adopter of mixx.com but was flooded out by the digg evacuees and their supporters. The long tail just never gets a look in, yet as soon as someone who either works for one of the top blogs or is already a big net personality mentions the same thing then it's all over the place. Then again, massive circle jerks are nothing new and it is foolish to believe that it wouldn't happen on the net. Too many people hero worship instead of bother straying from the mainstream of any media. I have to agree with the sentiment that anyone not on the “A-List” (or “internet famous” for another term) stands a nigh on impossible task of getting their views heard.

I’ve tried spamming myself out to such sites with pretty much no luck - regardless of how many times I have been told that my content is pretty good.
I was an early adopter of mixx.com but was flooded out by the digg evacuees and their supporters.

The long tail just never gets a look in, yet as soon as someone who either works for one of the top blogs or is already a big net personality mentions the same thing then it’s all over the place.

Then again, massive circle jerks are nothing new and it is foolish to believe that it wouldn’t happen on the net. Too many people hero worship instead of bother straying from the mainstream of any media.

]]> By: Aidan Henry http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270416 Aidan Henry Mon, 05 May 2008 20:22:35 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270416 This is an embarrassment of a title and an article. The fact that you refer to yourself as an A-lister is disheartening. Obviously, TC is successful - there is no need to bring ego to the party. We all know that Digg and Techmeme are dominated by the big blogs. Is there any need to point out the obvious? The level of quality on all these blogs has degraded and this post confirms that. Completely useless post. Cheers, Aidan www.MappingTheWeb.com This is an embarrassment of a title and an article. The fact that you refer to yourself as an A-lister is disheartening. Obviously, TC is successful - there is no need to bring ego to the party.

We all know that Digg and Techmeme are dominated by the big blogs. Is there any need to point out the obvious? The level of quality on all these blogs has degraded and this post confirms that. Completely useless post.

Cheers,
Aidan
http://www.MappingTheWeb.com

]]> By: Sprague Dawley http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270290 Sprague Dawley Mon, 05 May 2008 19:58:50 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270290 Yuvi's analysis actually proves that the mythology of the Net being a democracy where everyone has a chance to be hears is practically untrue. It turns on the word "chance". If 72% of the Techmeme headlines are coming from just 100 entities -- out of the thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, who write about tech matters -- it means the chance of anyone outside of the 100 being noticed is vanishingly small. Yuvi’s analysis actually proves that the mythology of the Net being a democracy where everyone has a chance to be hears is practically untrue. It turns on the word “chance”.

If 72% of the Techmeme headlines are coming from just 100 entities — out of the thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, who write about tech matters — it means the chance of anyone outside of the 100 being noticed is vanishingly small.

]]> By: Jeremy Wright http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270257 Jeremy Wright Mon, 05 May 2008 19:51:41 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270257 I'd argue this actually proves the point. Just as much info is posted from the top 10 as the rest of the Top 100. This is worse than an 80/20 rule. Then there's some mix of non-listed content. Which *doesn't* mean it's an equal playing field and that anyone with good content can get in. I mean, if lowly blog #100 only gets in a few times a month, what are the odds of the unwashed masses getting in? On the one hand I'm not complaining because our blogs are on there daily. On the other I'm taking the opportunity to complain because we've had instances where dozens of top blogs have linked to us and gotten no coverage - and then TechCrunch has a post with no links and it gets halfway up the page. Either way, doesn't matter, TechMeme doesn't really push much traffic (to itself or linked sites) anyways. Just saying, that to play as if this is some democratized system (it's not) that's as fair to the top folk as to folk nobody's ever heard of is disingenious, and I'm pretty sure you know it Erick. I’d argue this actually proves the point. Just as much info is posted from the top 10 as the rest of the Top 100. This is worse than an 80/20 rule. Then there’s some mix of non-listed content. Which *doesn’t* mean it’s an equal playing field and that anyone with good content can get in.

I mean, if lowly blog #100 only gets in a few times a month, what are the odds of the unwashed masses getting in?

On the one hand I’m not complaining because our blogs are on there daily. On the other I’m taking the opportunity to complain because we’ve had instances where dozens of top blogs have linked to us and gotten no coverage - and then TechCrunch has a post with no links and it gets halfway up the page.

Either way, doesn’t matter, TechMeme doesn’t really push much traffic (to itself or linked sites) anyways.

Just saying, that to play as if this is some democratized system (it’s not) that’s as fair to the top folk as to folk nobody’s ever heard of is disingenious, and I’m pretty sure you know it Erick.

]]> By: Ian Lamont http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270235 Ian Lamont Mon, 05 May 2008 19:47:18 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270235 "That means that if you have something interesting to say, it doesn’t matter who you are, other blogs will find you and link to you." Sorry, Erick, there is no guarantee interesting people or posts will ever be linked to or discovered. I don't know how many times over the past three years I've entered a new blog in my Bloglines account, only to find that I am the first subscriber, or noticed that the blogger has little or no comments, even though he or she has been at it for years. They don't have the right amount of link love, self-promotion skills, or SEO savvy, and they're relegated to the margins as a result. Google is one of the main problems: Plain ol' search emphasizes inbound links (spammy or otherwise), paid results, SEO tricks, and Google News results, and Google Blog Search is filled with spam. Techmeme's A-List and MSM dominance is also a problem -- if the NYT says anything about the Internet, it's featured. Other problems: The narrow tech focus, the presence of PR-driven "discussions," and the number of useless links -- i.e., someone blockquoting a news article and saying "check this out!" Techmeme is a useful service, and Gabe is a nice guy, but there's a lot of room for improvement, IMHO. “That means that if you have something interesting to say, it doesn’t matter who you are, other blogs will find you and link to you.”

Sorry, Erick, there is no guarantee interesting people or posts will ever be linked to or discovered. I don’t know how many times over the past three years I’ve entered a new blog in my Bloglines account, only to find that I am the first subscriber, or noticed that the blogger has little or no comments, even though he or she has been at it for years. They don’t have the right amount of link love, self-promotion skills, or SEO savvy, and they’re relegated to the margins as a result.

Google is one of the main problems: Plain ol’ search emphasizes inbound links (spammy or otherwise), paid results, SEO tricks, and Google News results, and Google Blog Search is filled with spam.

Techmeme’s A-List and MSM dominance is also a problem — if the NYT says anything about the Internet, it’s featured. Other problems: The narrow tech focus, the presence of PR-driven “discussions,” and the number of useless links — i.e., someone blockquoting a news article and saying “check this out!”

Techmeme is a useful service, and Gabe is a nice guy, but there’s a lot of room for improvement, IMHO.

]]> By: Michael Cant http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270222 Michael Cant Mon, 05 May 2008 19:44:44 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270222 Nice to see that the web remains wide open, the truth is in the numbers, and everyone seems to have an audience for their voice, no matter how small. Nice to see that the web remains wide open, the truth is in the numbers, and everyone seems to have an audience for their voice, no matter how small.

]]> By: Peter Kafka http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270020 Peter Kafka Mon, 05 May 2008 19:07:13 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2270020 First rule of Techmeme. Always post about Techmeme. First rule of Techmeme. Always post about Techmeme.

]]> By: Cindy Szponder http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2269977 Cindy Szponder Mon, 05 May 2008 18:58:23 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/techmeme-where-the-a-listers-party-with-the-long-tail/#comment-2269977 Just goes to show that there is still room for everyone. The blogosphere is so large, that niches and microniches are still readily available and up for grabs. As this chart shows, even tech subjects still have room for the one-person blog. In essence, if you have something useful and relevant to say, you can still be heard. Just goes to show that there is still room for everyone. The blogosphere is so large, that niches and microniches are still readily available and up for grabs. As this chart shows, even tech subjects still have room for the one-person blog. In essence, if you have something useful and relevant to say, you can still be heard.

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