Warwick Blogs – apparently 'infamous'
Writing about web page http://blogs.bit10.net/ben/2006/07/31/being-talked-about-on-other-blogs/
After my entry, asking about Web Design companies I got a comment from Ben King of Bit10, and being inquisite I decided to read his blog , which said:
While doing some vanity searches for bit10, I came across this on the infamous Warwick blogs..Interesting to see what peoples perception of us is!
So, I wondered what he was searching for on Google to find my Blog entry, and discovered that searching for bit10 blog came up with my entry 3rd in the list!
That led me to the thought, why are Warwick Blogs "infamous"?
So I had a look to see how many companies are talked about on Warwick Blogs, so, started with searching for ntl blog whichc showed two Warwick Blog entries on the first search page, talking about NTL.
Although, what I thought was quite a shame was when searching for something more Uni. relevant. i.e University Blog the second entry, albeit linking to Warwick Blogs had the description:
02/08 – Downtime 4/5/6 Aug; 07/07 – Entry permissions; 24/07 – Keeping your blog; 04/07 – Request for help; 17/07 – Two years · More news » …
Searching for research blog came up with nothing from Warwick Blogs (on the first page), and PDP blog only had two Warwick Blog results.
Conclusion:
Generally Warwick Blogs are used for procrastination and life gripes, rather than any useful research or academic purpose.
I think this entry illustrates this point effectively, and now I'll get back to work…
04 Aug 2006 14:06
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Tags: Computers Job Life
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John Dale
What about the entries which Google and you don't have permission to see? One–third of all entries are private to an individual or small group. Perhaps the useful research and academic work happens there, and the procrastination is just the publically visible part.
04 Aug 2006, 15:24
True…maybe I should have said "Generally Warwick Blogs, as viewed from the outside world, are used for procrastination and life gripes, rather than any useful research or academic purpose."
I know I personally have academic, research and work–related entries hidden away from everyone, but the chosen few!
But then, as the saying goes, "first impressions are everything", although I am definitely an advocate of "it's what's inside that matters…
04 Aug 2006, 15:44
Matthew
John, is there any kind of evidence that has been compiled by elab about how much "useful" academic/research work does take place on the blogs system? Presumably you can see everything, regardless of how private it is?
04 Aug 2006, 16:03
Ben King
Its important to remember the incredible importance and value of 'procrastination and life gripes' and other non educational/research content.
We actively encourage clients to allow their staff to blog on whatever they like (within certain guidelines). Relevance is ironically almost irrelevant, in fact can be hinderance, the broader and more diverse an organisations blog content, the better positioning Google will give it and more chance you have that someone will stumble across your organisation.
This in turn in best case generates business of some kind, worst case generates raised awareness… either way good!
This is simply because of Googles love affair with new content – particularly blogs!
Warwick, whether deliberately or not, have capitilised on this and searching on a wide range of subjects will pretty quickly give you a Warwick hit, its text book!
04 Aug 2006, 22:47
My bad.
05 Aug 2006, 01:59
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