Tech Ravings

It’s rare that a web service comes out that makes me go OOOOH!, but BlogRush has done just that. I mean from my point of view as someone who makes widgets and plugins for various platforms how many tracking services do we need? What’s the bottom line relavence of the information displayed? Does it work?

I subscribed to BlogRush around October of of 2007 to check them out and that was during version 1.x. Not really interested in the service but their pitch of delivering visitors to my site by placing their widget in my code was something I wanted to see if they delivered. Not having the time to check up with BlogRush I never really verified any information until today. I can say I’m impressed with the new version!

When I logged in I was greeted with a dashboard I don’t remember seeing, yet found that they have syndicating my feeds to other member sites. I got a display of how many readers clicked through the member sites to read my posts and with BlogRush’s algorythms a display of how important the post was to the reader. That’s powerful information to me. Based upon the BlogRush stats I can see that readers love my cakePHP posts!!

As to how BlogRush works is by a crediting system. OK I’ll admit that I’m a bit lost on this but on the top level I earn 1 credit for everytime the BlogRush widget is loaded on my page. After that I get confused. However these credits mean my posts are displayed on other BlogRush members sites and are providing click thru’s.

Check out BlogRush. It’s the only site I’ve found that not only provides me with visitors as advertised but also provides me with invaluable information on just what topics are important to my readers. Additionally they are still working on new features as well as creating a brand new site to help bring more visitors. Win and Awesome on the net!

I have just completed upgrading the PayPerPost Tools plugin to include Zookoda as well as IZEARanks. Even if you don’t use all the websites you can still use each one independantly, Zookoda or IZEARanks, etc.

Wordpress users who install this plugin can now have a single convienent place to install the various code pieces offered by the IZEA websites and optionally display the code/widget without needing to edit the template. On installation of the widget you simply need to place in the template the various code peices that you wish to use and then manage those from the plug in manager from there.

Just in case any of the IZEA servers are in-operative this plug in makes sure that this will not impact your sites performance. Every time a visitor comes to your site each of the IZEA servers are checked to ensure that the JavaScript files can be downloaded. If not then the IZEA widget that is affected won’t be displayed. So your visitor isn’t left hanging or errors aren’t displayed.

Download is HERE!

You may notice that I now have a Page Rank of zero dropping from a three overnight. Why is that? Is it because I work for Izea(PayPerPost)? is it because of my Blog Rush widget? I personally can not answer that but Google can. So to Google let me say.

I have been using you as a search engine as far back as I can remember. I.E. your startup. During my internet marketing and SEO days I ran many AdWords campaigns for my clients and specialized in them. I never used Overture or Yahoo as I enjoyed your services much more.

As I switched to development I also developed with the Google Web Toolkit and widgets. I was even preparing to enter the Android Developer Challenge.

Alas Brutus you have penalized me and for what? To monopolize your AdSense program. Sheer hatred or fear of loosing money?

By your own requirements you are violating your own terms of service. http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=66736. When I ran AdWords campaigns for myself and clients it was great to have link backs from sites that ran AdSense because you indexed them when my ads were showing.

So I will now leave you Google. You have effectively shunned your customers and developers. With this attempt to dictate the internet content by weilding the weapon of Page Rank you have cut off your own foot.

Scott Krutsinger,
Code Ninja -  Izea