Top Dave

Thursday, March 22, 2007 by Dave Winer.

Randy Morin notes that I've been gradually changing the way Scripting News works. It's true. I'm trying some experiments, to learn, but not to improve the rank of the site, rather to make it more useful to readers, and make it more likely that the things that I want to get attention, get attention. 

For example, I noticed that I was always in the choir on TechMeme, but rarely did people discuss what I was interested in. Over time this got more pronounced. So I decided to opt-out of TechMeme, and rebuild, and see if I could reposition Scripting News as an originator of ideas, which it always has been. It seemed to me that Gabe's engine had drawn an incorrect conclusion about this site. I've noticed that Scoble can get an essay near the top of TM, even if no one is pointing to him, and if three excellent sites point to an essay here, it barely makes a blip on TM.  

So I don't think his system is fair, or right. But unlike the B-list complainers, I'm not going to try to guilt Gabe into fixing it. I think a route-around is the web way of doing it. Make it all happen outside Gabe's world, and that will get his attention. 

Now I may not be into SEO, but the changes are improving my rank, nonetheless. I've noticed that my articles now are showing up closer to the top of searches in the areas they cover. Of course I like this. Nothing wrong with a little respec! 

BTW, I've been doing this with O'Reilly for a long time. I don't get invited to speak at their conferences, but they talk about what I want them to talk about anyway. Blogging, RSS, podcasting -- these are always big topics at ETech and the Web 2.0 conference. Same with SXSW. You think people don't know I'm behind these things? Heh. Of course they do.  

You know the old Godfather rap, keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer. Seems Tim and Hugh could learn a few tricks from Don Corleone.