If you’ve been around Blog circles for awhile, you might remember the sale of the Blog Herald this past February. My friend and colleague, Duncan Riley took that site to the point of being the source for blogging news and gossip in the three years since he had started it. It was really quite a dominant site.
Duncan started growing weary of the site with having other responsibilities with family and also as one of the founders of b5media. After some stop and go on the sale of the site, Blog Herald fell to BlogMedia. I helped with the transfer of the site along with a mix of emotions on my part.
I loved the Blog Herald. It was actually sold on the second round of bidding. The first one had a buyer but that fell through and as Duncan was thinking about what to do next, I remember telling him, “Dunc, if you decide to hold onto it, or reinvent it or something, I’d love to get in on it with you.” Truth is, I would have bought the site if I had the money to do it. I see it as that much of a gold mine of potential.
Of potential. That speaks to the future being in the hands of the site owner. If Duncan, there is potential. If me, there is potential. If BlogMedia, then potential. No guarantees.
Interestingly, BlogMedia has seen a shakeup of sorts in recent months. I wrote about that not too long ago as a core of their people moved on to other ventures. Sadly, this appears to have left Blog Herald in disarray. What I’m about to get into is no judgement on Matt Craven. It’s just an assessment of ‘how it is’ from the perspective of an interested outside party.
What I see is a downward trend in traffic to the Blog Herald since March (graph courtesy of Alexa).
I think this graph speaks to two things:
- After the sale of the site, there was so much buzz created by the sale, and so much interest taken in what BlogMedia would do with the site, that traffic continued to climb. There were expectations from readers that BlogHerald would now become an even more established site where “the scoop” could be gained. Duncan had set a precedent for this over three years and he was only one man. What would a team of bloggers be able to do with it? Sadly, it became painfully obvious that, while Blog Herald was still a blogging news source, it was no longer the blogging news source. In fact, the traffic has declined to pre-October 2005 levels as noted in this one year traffic chart.
(the spike in September 2005 related to the launch of b5media of which Duncan was a part) - The second thing I can take from this is that much of the traffic surge of the six month span from September to February can probably be attributed to the huge buzz that was (and continues to be) caused by b5media. As one of the largest and fastest growing blogging networks in the world, b5media drew unprecedented attraction to Blog Herald and many other sites. This is not a slight toward BlogMedia, but very few networks have the star power behind it as b5media does and very few networks have the drawing (and staying) power of b5media. Blog Herald benefitted from this good will, but that good will cannot be transferred as part of a site sale. BlogMedia would have to generate their own good will to make Blog Herald continue to be the top of the heap.
Recently, Matt posted an entry at Blog Herald looking for writers. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve contacted Matt about possibly writing for the site. Am I the “star power” I was referring to? No, hardly. I am but a blip on the blogging radar and what attention I have recieved from folks like Steve Rubel and Darren Rowse is wonderful but unexpected. Though I have a vanity subscription for my name, I am still in awe and completely excited when I get one link from another blog. I definitely don’t expect to be the oft’ quoted blogger. But I digress.
I don’t think BlogMedia is able to handle the weight of Blog Herald anymore. With the recent shakeup, only Matt is blogging there these days and he is in the same position that Duncan was - trying to run a blog network while managing the weight of blogging. Blog Herald no longer breaks news - in fact, they are usually late. It doesn’t do analysis or offer commentary, it simply “reports”, often quoting other sources at the expense of pushing original commentary to the fringes.
I’m sad. Really. Blog Herald was a great site. But as I said when I began this entry, the potential is there but lies in the hands of the owners of the sites to see that potential bring returns. I don’t know Matt, besides a name. I don’t follow blogosphere gossip to know anything about BlogMedia except to pick up on an underlying feud between them and 9rules. But 9rules is bitchy too, so I don’t pass judgement on anyone. All I can do is look at what I see with my own eyes today. I hope they can turn the boat around, or sell the site. Put it in the hands of someone who is looking to make a buck on the site while at the same time demonstrating a passion for the site. It deserves that kind of love.
Stumble it!
About the Author: Aaron Brazell is the lead editor of Technosailor.com and a social media expert. His passion is to see companies and individuals use the internet and web technologies wisely and effectively to promote their brands and companies. He is Business Development Manager for Lijit and he worked as Director of Technology at b5media from 2005-2008 and is currently an independent consultant.
Add New Comment
Viewing 11 Comments
Thanks. Your comment is awaiting approval by a moderator.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
What happened when you offered to write? You are the type of writer he needs, in my opinion.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
At any rate, I sent an initial email to Matt yesterday asking if he was still looking. He responded that he recieved several applications but hadn't chose any yet and asked if I was interested. I told him I might be but I needed more informatino and that's where it is right now. Nothing really to report.
Thanks again for the compliment though. :-)
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Best,
Mike
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Craig, sorry that you feel things have gone downhill and that you've unsubscribed, I hope to win you back in the near future.
Aaron, well written post and good assessment. I do think there's a direct correlation between the number of posts (and timing of the posts) vs our traffic since February. We were on an upward trend in Feb/March when we had multiple bloggers on the site - since it was just me after early April and I post longer, but less pieces, our traffic has dropped.
There are several other factors at play but not any that I'm willing to discuss publicly - I do, however, have confidence that we're on the right track and have several new things we should be veiling in the next few weeks.
Progress is good. ;)
In any event, thanks again for the well written critcisms ;)
~M
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
I think some of the success of the blog herald has to do with the magnetic influence of Duncan, that currently Matt lacks. Matt blogs way too proffesionally and just quotes what's happening in other blogs. In other words, it's just a reporting service on blogs. :( Blog herald could use some good content. I see promise in the "how do I blog" feature.
TBH could definitely use some full-time writers who care only about the Blog Herald and not post haphazardly due to pressure. Being the first to post something matters a lot and the layout could use a change as well. It's getting a bit annoying.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Add New Comment