Numerous changes on Internet websites happened in 2007 but two major trends stick out as vital to bloggers and site owners. First, larger sites will move away from blistering speed updates and move toward quality posts. Next, expect the larger blog sites to consolidate into large e-paper sites (formerly news sites). Both trends will happen quickly during the first quarter of 2008 and sites that do not meet Internet consumer expectations will be left behind.
Linking vs. Original Content
The majority of us are no longer interested in sites that only link to other sites. We desire original content with little or no snark and the post must contain useful information on using a new device or help us to determine if a new soon-to-be-released product is worth the wait.
Consider Nick’s comments regarding the pay incentives on Gawker Media as an important clue about the importance of frequency and quality. Most of the post on ValleyWag explains the new pay incentives for bloggers. However, there is a key phrase worthy of attention.
Early on in the commercial blog era, frequency was the key to the success of a site: Engadget took a lead because it churned out 24 posts a day while Gizmodo, fearful of overwhelming its audience, stuck to a dainty dozen items.
Slashdot was an original linking site that shifted slowly to a site to read and write comments about the story or commentary. Eventually people left Slashdot and moved toward Digg and other social sites. Linking to someone else’s original content helped some sites become noticed because linking increased the frequency of posts by bloggers and filled the void between developing original content. In 2007, though, the update frequency became one of the reasons aggregator sites were heavily trafficked. Updates became too much – and too often. It became impossible to visit numerous sites and sift through repetitive links to stories already read.
People needed relief from the noise. People still need relief. For example, regarding Internet noise, I would rather visit TechMeme once and learn about the biggest stories or commentary of the day rather than sift through hundreds of RSS feeds. In fact, I wiped out my RSS feeds. Friends of mine told me similar disgust with the overwhelming number of bloggers and posts. Things just could not remain the same.
Things are changing in 2008
As the frequency of posts change this year to quality, expect a blending to happen between titles of a freelance reporter and a blogger. The Consumer Electronics Show created a new blogger category for attendees. People without press credentials but publish regularly are placed in the blogger category. This designation would have been acceptable years ago but bloggers are a dying breed. Instead, we will have Internet Reporters who specialize in particular content areas and publish regularly on larger e-paper sites. More important, there will be a very important distinction between a regular publisher of original content and a link blogger. In fact, social sites like Digg will fade as people pick their favorite places to congregate. In fact, Digg is a site now in peril because of the nasty attitudes by some commenters. Nasty people are on the out as immature.
If you publish to your own blog or operate a website, how will you change policies so that you do not fall behind the latest social changes?