Do you have a favorite blogging social network?

Please take the poll in the sidebar and let us know what your favorite blogging social network is.

Take the Poll!

If I don’t have your favorite, please let me know in the comments to this post and I’ll add it to the poll. Just a note, I may delete any links in the comments so just leave the name. Adding extra links in a comment on this blog automatically sets the comment as spam.

By blogging social network I mean something on the terms of BlogCatalog or MyBlogLog.

Networks aimed at blogs and blog owners. Networks designed to help you find other blogs of similar interest and network together to increase each other’s readership. To make both blogs stronger. At least, I think that was the original premise.

There are rumors that MyBlogLog is dying.

Andy Beard has pretty much said flat out he thinks Yahoo is letting MyBlogLog die a slow death. It is very true that updates on the MyBlogLog blog seem to have stopped. It makes you wonder if there is anyone still there. Screen updates of your blog no longer seem to work.

Additionally, there does not seem to be the same number of users going to other blogs as there was in the past. Or at least, not as many logging into MyBlogLog. It is a shame because it has been my favorite blogging social network since I joined.

There seem to be three main blogging networks that I still notice.

BlogCatalog, Google Friend Connect, and MyBlogLog.

I’ve never had much in  results from BlogCatalog. I just never really got into it. I seems a bit harder to use than MyBlogLog. That may be why I have not seen the same results I have from MyBlogLog. Other that I know of seem to be disappearing.

Google Friend Connect is another that I have noticed in the past year.

Actually, I have taken a long time to look at Friend Connect. Other things the past year have had priority. I am still trying to figure out what it can do. I really like the newsletter and poll options. Basic use seem easy enough, but I am still at loss how the social aspects work. MyBlogLog makes it so easy to join a community you like or follow a blogger you like.

I’m open to suggestions for blog social networks.

Am I missing a popular one? Do you see a new one that is going to blow everything else away?  What is the best in your view? What is your favorite? Let me know in the comments.

Please take the blogging social network poll in the sidebar.

Today is January 12, 2010. I am going to leave it up for a while till there are some results (hopefully). Then I’ll put up another poll.

You may notice the Google Friend Connect  widget.

I thought I would give this a try. It seems that MyBlogLog is slowly dying. That is a real shame, as I really like MyBlogLog and often check both the stats and what those in my community are doing.

We’ll see where the Google Friend Connect takes us.

I admit I am not sure how popular this is or will be but it never hurts to test. I’ll be spending some time looking at what it provides and how to work it in my site.

Join my community!

Google wrongly labels Alphatrends.net and blocks author’s access.

Is your blog safe?

Alphatrends is the BlogSpot home for Brain Shannon’s financial videos.

His analysis of stock trading videos are some of the most subscribed financial videos on YouTube. He has over 600 videos and over 5000 YouTube subscribers. He posts a video on stock analysis daily at his blog. Here is an example:

Friday, I got a message through MyBlogLog that he was unable to update his blog because Google was blocking him as a spam blog.

My first reaction was "You’ve got to be kidding." One look at Brian’s videos will show you they are not spam. The is quality content. In fact, most of it is a bit over my head, but I want to learn about stocks and subscribe to his blog because, eventually, I’ll understand. His blog consists of his daily videos and an occasional post about something related.

Alphatrends is not a site you would think could be labeled as spam.

Brian has a PR from Google of 5. He has an Alexa rating of 159,700. This is a financial blog, not a blog that is going to attract lots of readers with an Alexa toolbar. In other words, Alphatrends has good links and decent traffic. I think it is from the content and not from Brian working hard promoting his blog.

Brian is back up on Alphatrends.

Usually, Google is quick to fix these situations. It still takes time. If your label as spam by Google, you get no warning. You are guilty until proven innocent. That can take a couple days. I noticed that while Brian was not able to update his blog, AdSense was still advertising. What happens if your AdSense account gets labeled as spam also? You would not be able to remove it from the blog as Google blocks your updates and still keeps the blog showing. You better hope they let you back in.

I think this is a good example of why any blogger should look into their own hosting.

Brian has a domain name already Alphatrends.net. All he would need is hosting and he would not have been cut off from his blog. With your own hosting, even with a bad host, you should at least have a warning before something like this would happen. In Brian’s case, I doubt if any host would have considered a complaint against him valid.

If you are using WordPress.com or Blogger/Blogspot you are adding an unnecessary risk with your business.

If you are looking into stock trading, Alphatrends is a blog you should look at.

Brian Shannon does not give investment advice. He teaches how to understand stocks and evaluate them technically.

For Alpahtrends.net maybe hosting might be a good investment at $10/month.

Joining the MyBlogLog Train

Coincidentally, after doing a post about some of the advantages of using MyBlogLog, I was tagged for the MyBlogLog train.

I was tagged by Jane May from her personal blog Jane May Blogs.

Here are the rules:

1. Write a short introduction about how you found this list and include a link back to that blog.
2. COPY the rules and ENTIRE list below and post it on your blog.
3. Take “My New Community Members” and move them into the “The Original Community Members” list.
4. Find 3 new blogs, join their MyBlogLog Community and add them to the “My New Community Members” section. Remember to also add the “Join the Community” link next to your new blogs. This is just a link to the blog’s community page. ( Example: http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/community/shawnknight/ )
5. Join as a member to each Community listed here by clicking on “Join the Community”. The goal is that all of the new Members listed will join your community, and you should do the same!

My New Community Members

Affiliate Programs – Join the Community

The Wrong Advices -Join the Community

Money Making Ideas in Blog – Join the Community

The Original Community Members

Digitalkeyto - Join the Community
Dosh Dosh – Join the Community
HMTK – Join the Community
Jimi Morrison’s Head – Join the Community
Jane May – Join the Community
Jeff Kee – Join the Community
Nice4Rice – Join the Community
Nathan Drach – Join the Community
Mr. Gary Lee – Join the Community
Jon Lee – Join the Community
Everyday Weekender – Join the Community
Bryan’s Rants – Join the Community
Shawn Knight – Join the Community
Kelly Cho – Join the Community
Reformat This – Join the Community
Ms. Danielle – Join the Community
The Man of Silver – Join the Community
Nate Whitehill – Join the Community
Leo Chiang – Join the Community
Garry Conn – Join the Community
Samanathon – Join the Community
Feats of a Chilean Dot Com Entrepreneur – Join the Community 

Once again, I think MyBlogLog is a great resource for building your blog up.

So, I think this meme is worth the effort. I am already a member of several of the communities listed so it will not even be that much of an effort.

Also, try to take the time to check out the different blogs and comment on them.

Also, leave a comment in the community. I am sure many of these will also do the same for you. Everybody gets ahead. You’ll also have a great excuse to check out some new blogs.

Can you develop your blog with MyBlogLog?

I saw the avatars for MyBlogLog for weeks (months?) on several blogs I frequent.

Now, if you do not know what MyBlogLog is, you may be thinking some similar things as I was when I saw it.

• Why would I want my photo (or avatar) on someone else’s blog?
• It looks like another plugin I’ll have to figure out.
• I do not like my picture and do not want to show it anyway.
• Why would I want someone else’s avatar on my blog?
• Looks like a waste of time.
• I’m not really into chatting and being social.
• How do I get my picture on this blog like those people?

I have a bad habit of dismissing things I do not understand.

Do you? I also am a bit leery of socializing online – I type way too slow to carry on much of a conversation with instant messaging.

What have I discovered about MyBlogLog? This has been one of the most interesting things I have done in the way of promoting this blog. If you are starting a blog, this is a method you should really look into.

First, what is MyBlogLog?

 It is a blog community. It is also a bit hidden from the casual viewer to a blog. On a blog that is a member of MyBlogLog, you usually (but not always) see a widget with the avatars of the latest visitors that are members of MyBlogLog showing. There is more behind it though.

Click on the View Reader Community link at the bottom of the avatars and you will see a page that shows other bloggers that are part of that blogs community with a highlighted list of the latest members. Members can also leave a short text message about the blog here. You can click on the blogs author to see if the author has any other blogs in MyBlogLog. On the authors page you will also see the blog communities the author has joined.

How can it help you develop a blog?

Ever left a comment on a blog and never heard found it again? Whenever I see a blog I find interesting with a MyBlogLog community I always try to make a comment on the community page or author’s page. I also join the community. The blog author now has an easy way to find out who left the comment and can pay a return visit if they like. This really increases the chance they will visit. Your avatar is also on their blog for a bit as well as well as on the community page.

This method also works very well coupled with Blog Explosion.

Blog Explosion is a great way to view a lot of different blogs, but you do not see the URL of any blogs you visit so it is not easy to come back and visit when you find an interesting one. When you find an interesting blog that is also a member of MyBlogLog, it is easy to join the community and visit again later. Again, comments will also bring many of them to your blog.

Some people join every community they can, up to the daily limit. While I have hit the limit, I try to keep it to blogs I have an interest in. I use it like a bookmark. I know where to look when I want to find an interesting site.

I have been using MyBlogLog for about a month now.

Along with more frequent posts, I have seen a huge difference in traffic. My Alexa rank is about a third of what it was a month ago. I also now have comments. Regular comments were something that I had very few of before MyBlogLog. I have even been tagged for a couple memes through MyBlogLog. They also provide some limited stats for your blog free-with better stats for a small fee.

The best part of it is how much fun I have had.

I have visited some fantastic blogs and had some of those bloggers visit back. I would like to think I have even started to form some blogging friends this way. Some of the private comments I have gotten on my community page have really been an encouragement. As much as the desire and maybe need to make money online or blogging, meeting some of my readers and other bloggers at least this way, is even more motivational. It has been addicting.

MyBlogLog is not perfect.

It has a little bit of spam. The bloggers who comment on the community page without visiting the blog. I wonder if these idiots realize you can tell they have not been to the blog (they often say how nice it is also). There is a comment or message daily limit. While this is an attempt to stop the spam, I can see where it would really be an inconvenience in legitimate use. I think there needs to be a better method. Also, some avatars that are used are not appropriate and most often not even relative to the blog it represents. I have avoided visiting some blogs because of stupid avatars.

If you are not using MyBlogLog give it a try.

The widget is easy to install (I put it in text widget here in WordPress). You can use an avatar if you do not like your own photo. You will find it can really give your blog a boost. Even more fun, you may develop some blog friends. Which is what I think is becoming more important to me.

MyBlogLog