Technorati's Troubles
Many of the readers of this blog will know that I have been working for months on getting Technorati to respond to at least one of my many tickets.
My question was -- why are there four separate URLs listed for my blog? The answer was partly with my tool, I had not completed the domain name mapping. Ah! Hint, my real domain name links are at the top of the list with possible additions for when my posts linked to a TypePad URL, the two listed at the bottom. At some point I think I had 656 cumulative links (don't ask).
The topic of this post is not that. It's possible that Technorati might have bitten more than it could chew. As detailed in a recent article at Forbes.com,
Blog search-engine startup Technorati's own technorati, including its chief technologist Tantek Celik--an ex-Microsoft computer scientist known for groundbreaking work in defining Web standards--and vice president of engineering Adam Hertz, are leaving.
Will the company survive? Sure. But it will need to change if it is to flourish.
Downtime and performance issues for the site have not helped. But more serious issues may be due to Google preferring direct traffic from content on articles than from searches of that content on Technorati.
As stated in the article, the site is trying simultaneously to reach publishers and consumers of user generated content—a broad mission. The article concludes that the focus of a reinvented company might be less as search engine and more as data hoarder. I think focus is good. The only use I make of this tool is as a reference tool to see who is linking to me so I can thank them and launch deeper conversations. I suspect many of us use it that way.
What do you think? Should the company's focus change? How do you use Technorati, if at all?
Somebody llke Google or Technorati should buy them. I'm not sure if they have the chops to make it on their own.
Posted by: Geoff Livingston | July 08, 2007 at 10:55 PM
Hi Valeria - I've had the same experience (only with 2 domains though luckily). I've written about it on my blog and to Technorati asking how tough it could be let someone that 2 URL's link to the same content (and merge this way). As for a company that helps you listen to what's going on, they do a lousy job at listening themselves. No reation, no email back, ... nothing. And yet they claim to have 'authority'...mmm, doubt that.
Posted by: Kris Hoet | July 09, 2007 at 07:22 AM
Geoff -- maybe you meant Yahoo?
Kris -- at first I thought there were two for me only as well. Then I discovered that TypePad created a separate URL for the weblog folder they ask you to name when you start the account. So the top level had one URL each for the domain and the TypePad address and then each post had a slightly different URL that included the folder name. Technorati tracks all of these s e p a r a t e l y!
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | July 09, 2007 at 10:14 AM
I have the same problem and Technorati didn't respond for months now. I guess they only cater to the original Top 100 blogs *sigh
Posted by: ilker -=- The Thinking Blog | July 09, 2007 at 11:50 AM
I have recently updates problems on technorati. Despite 2 posts, nothing moved the last 3 days.
Posted by: Philippe | July 09, 2007 at 02:59 PM
I really don't use technorati, although I'm registered and it automatically picks up my new stories. Wordpress shows me my incoming links and search terms used. I kind of don't know what to use TR for.. (hands up in air)
Posted by: Mario Vellandi | July 09, 2007 at 03:30 PM
Ilker -- I never received a response that addressed my question. I have kept record of 5 of those messages. They basically send me to the support forums. So I went and posted a questions on the forums and I cannot find that anymore.
Philippe -- don't hold your breath. Find another way to accomplish what you need to do. My first inquiry dated Nov. 27, my second Dec. 15, the third Jan. 23, fourth Apr. 23, fifth July 4 ;-)
Mario -- TypePad shows some of the incoming links, not all of them. I pick up some from FeedBurner but the majority I still find on one of the four accounts there. Since I mapped the domain it has become easier to focus on one or two.
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | July 09, 2007 at 04:34 PM
Just to play angel's advocate...
I had a problem with Technorati about a month ago. I sent them an email. They sent an automated one back. They fixed the problem in 30 minutes. They sent another email that it was fixed. I thanked them.
If I were to give an assessment of their quality and speed of service, it would be an A+. My problem was a little less in-depth, but they did a great job. Maybe I just got lucky...
Posted by: Ryan Karpeles | July 09, 2007 at 04:50 PM
Technorati is not the best with customer service. I too have sent emails to them and either got sent to the forums or no answer at all.
Change in focus can work if done right, but in Technorati's case, I think they are spreading themselves too much and doing it more out of fear from Google, than out of creating the best experience for its users.
Posted by: Stephanie Quilao | July 10, 2007 at 03:54 AM
Ryan - maybe you need to pass on that email address you're using to reach them ;)
I think it's stunning that a company that tracks the conversation is such a bad listener, it's like you don't believe in your own service.
Posted by: Kris Hoet | July 10, 2007 at 04:42 AM
Ryan -- do pass that email address along.
Stephanie -- yes, trying to outdo another company can and dos dilute the focus on becoming the best at something on one's own rights/strengths.
Kris -- ironic indeed.
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | July 10, 2007 at 09:41 AM
I to have had some websites with blogs on them other than my personal blog, but i have never gotten any links from tr. I have been trying for months but eventually just gave up on them.
Posted by: esvl | July 10, 2007 at 04:16 PM
Valeria - Same problem here, just two sites though.
http://technorati.com/people/technorati/prblog
VERY frustrating!
Posted by: Kevin Dugan | July 10, 2007 at 09:48 PM
Now, wouldn't it make sense for Technorati to figure out how to merge those numbers given that there are *so many* people (customers) in the same boat?
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | July 11, 2007 at 09:58 AM
Valeria - sure that makes sense. When I wrote about it on my blog I made the same suggestion. You can claim a blog, how difficult can it be to claim 2 or more url's to point out to the same blog... Don't expect them to change anything soon though.
Posted by: Kris Hoet | July 12, 2007 at 04:29 AM
My newest issue with Technorati is that every time I go there through my bookmark I'm signed on as someone else (a different person every time)!!! I have to sign out and sign back in to see my blogs.
It's freaky.
Posted by: ann michael | July 15, 2007 at 08:46 PM
Kris -- given that so many people use Technorati as their reference for finding blogs and ranking them, they have a very poor excuse for not cleaning up their act.
Ann -- that is freaky! Now I don't feel too bad for having 4 blogs, which are in fact the same blog sorted in 4 different ways. Did you put in a ticket?
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | July 16, 2007 at 06:29 AM