Once considered the leading search engine for blog-related queries, Technorati has fallen by the wayside in recent years. With no known strategy around new forms of media, the company quickly began to lose ground as Twitter and other conversational tools grew in popularity. In early July when the company launched Twittorati, it already seemed too late. However, in a surprising move, Technorati is switching gears again with an invitation for writers to join the Technorati blogging network.
In an email to members, the company is encouraging users to become Technorati writers. While it may seem like a natural fit for members to write about their blogging experiences, the company appears to want to expand beyond that by offering members a chance to state their favorite topics and interest areas. While it seems like a strange and cannibalistic move, it will be an uphill battle to persuade regular bloggers to double up on their posts and contribute.
Earlier in the email Technorati addresses why member authority has fallen across the site. The company explains, “As our intent is to measure the influence and attention received on an ongoing basis, we stopped counting static blogroll links, and these links have now aged out of the authority calculations.”
If this tells us anything, it’s that in this new environment of conversational media, many have abandoned their blogs for less labor intensive forms of expression. We just hope the company has some form of compensation for contributors. It’ll be tough convincing bloggers to contribute posts and patch holes in what might already be a sinking ship. Nevertheless, if you’re the type of person who likes a challenge and you’ve got the energy to increase your posts, you can apply for the program on Technorati’s contact page.
