Z-list Breaks Technorati

I am just starting to take a few baby steps back into the blogging world after my Christmas/New Year “break” … and have found 100s of new links to Servant of Chaos and many of my favourite blogs. The Z-list appears to be running rampant and unrestrained, mutating at every turn (nice work Sandy), leaping from a marketing-oriented meme to a more generic, self populating and self propagating virus.

One of the most interesting things has been the rapid rise of the Technorati rankings of most of the blogs on the Z-list — with those involved early gaining the most. Servant of Chaos, for example, had a ranking of somewhere around 40,000, but is now sitting <10,000 — and while traffic has increased a little, it is has not had a dramatic improvement. BUT as you would know if you are a regular reader, there have been very FEW posts here over the last couple of weeks, and the percentage of new visitors is up. Will these new visitors become regulars? Will they comment and engage with the posts? It is all too early to tell. But what is certain is that Mack Collier’s clever experiment is causing havoc with the rankings.

Douglas Karr has a very pretty version of the Z-list here … and also shares 100 things that he has learned during 2006. It is some list. I have ONE … but at this point it feels the most powerful and overriding … The Power of Community to create change can never be underestimated — I am thinking that this will remain an underlying theme here for the rest of 2007.

Oh, and there is a SECOND … you don’t need to meet face to face to create firm and strong friendships. Thanks particularly to Cam, for creating the FOGROLL and to each and every one of you on it. I am truly blessed to be able to call you all friends.

The Viral Garden
Resonance Partnership
Mindblob
Masi Guy
Marketing Profs: Daily Fix
Marketing Nirvana
Logic + Emotion
It Could Get Worse 2.0
HolyCow
Hee-Haw Marketing
Greg Verdino 2.0
eSoup
ConverStations
Conversation Agent
CK’s Blog
ChaosScenario
BlogHer
bizsolutionsplus
Biz and Buzz

12 thoughts on “Z-list Breaks Technorati

  1. Hi Gavin, Mac’s idea to launch this z-list has blessed many, me included. I hope to build more community this year than I did in past and you alraedy know the value. Do you have a tip for me about community-building? I’d look forward to your insights.

  2. Gavin,
    You’re right: “The Power of Community to create change can never be underestimated”. We did learn a lot through the Z-List phenomenon. And of course a lot also between the lines of Cam’s FOGroll.
    What I’ll remember from that is that essential messages travel at the speed of light, spread without time/space limits, are impossible to blocks (Squidoo twister)… and most of all: touch, touch, touch… people who share common perspectives, points of interests, or share a way to sense things that surround them (remember DA’s BSP?).
    From a blogger’s perspective, 2007 won’t be like 2006. It’ll be a lot richer, with a lot more genuine connections. It’s an honour to be connected with you and the “Fantastic Listers” (Yeah… sounds more cinematic than the Z-Listers, plus still rules with Bat-Mack, right!). ; )
    Your Belgian (Alien) friend. ; )

  3. I was also thinking about this recently, and I came to the same conclusion as you, Gavin. Community is the heartbeat of the blogosphere, and even if you have great content, if you don’t also have an interest in and interaction with other folks in the blogosphere, then your blog is really just a narcissistic exercise. Blogging and community are inseparable. This lesson was driven home through the Z-List experiment.
    Another thing that occured to me was that, although it’s nice to have mastermind’s like Seth Godin who we all seem to clammer to, it’s also important to hear ideas from a wide variety of sources. Even if someone doesn’t and never will have a blog at the tippy top of Technorati, he/she still may have ideological gems sprinkled throughout their blog.
    The last thing I’ve learned is that not everyone is cut out to be widely popular. A lot of the blogs on the Z-List are very niche oriented, sort of “boutique” blogs. And like a small boutique, they offer very targeted products to a very small group. They’ll never reach the top of Technorati, but they’re still excelling within their niche and are excellent blogs.
    So, being loved by everyone isn’t necessarily a goal we should all strive for, although surely getting Z-List exposure helps folks find us more easily, which is a good thing!

  4. I’m seeing the same results from the Z-list meme – big boost in Technorati ranking (from about 16,000 to 8,000) but very little increase in real traffic.
    Still, I’ve met a few people because of the Z-list, so from that perspective it’s been positive. I wrote my own review though, about the Z-list and the downfall of it…

  5. Gavin,
    Thanks for carrying the z-list on. I have seen some boost in Technorati ratings since this began. I too have met some new great bloggers because of this list and that is very cool.

  6. Gavin,
    Welcome back my friend. You represent what is great about the blogosphere. Since starting my blog 6 months ago, I have made friends all over the world. Thank you for being one of them.
    Lewis

  7. Hey, thanks for all your great comments!
    CB … you are more than welcome — the Z-list has brought so many great blogs to my attention!
    Robyn, it just so happens that the very clever Mike Sansone has an article on HOW to build communities that explains it all much better than I could. You can find it here:

    My dear alien friend — I agree — I think 2007 will be a fascinating blog year. I look forward to deeper and richer connections with the people I have met, and are yet to meet!
    Doug, thanks for dropping by … I guess it depends on where you see the strengths and weaknesses of the Technorati rankings. My view is that the Z-list just exposes the weaknesses even more.
    Sharon … great insight! One of the things I have always admired about your blog is your clever thinking and clear analysis. You are right about the boutique/mainstream differential — but that is the beauty of the long tail — there is an audience out there for all of us!
    Ben and Kirsten, great to meet you both. Making connections has definitely been one of the benefits of the Z-list!
    Lewis, you are too kind. Turning connections into friendships is one of the most rewarding things about blogging. I too, am proud to call you “friend”.

  8. Hi Gavin,
    Thanks for adding the Z-list collage. It was fun to work on and seems like others are enjoying it, too. The best part about it for me was the community building.
    Sandy

  9. “Never underestimate the power of a small group of dedicated people to change the world. Indeed, it’s all that ever have.”
    by Margaret Mead
    The Z-list is the embodiment of this quote.
    Thanks,
    Chris

  10. When the Z list first came out, my first thought (not a very good one) was some that it was kind of popularity contest. Wow, first impressions can be so wrong. We listed, we met, we meshed. Can’t translate that into Latin, but, who cares? Nobody speaks the language anymore, anyway.

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