“I am sure that there are guys out there writing fantastic stuff who get 12 visitors a day.”
*Raises hand*
I resemble that remark.
But seriously, I had no idea the extent of the open trackback abuse until I started Harshly Mellow. I knew about OTB’s Traffic Jams, and knew that it was partly a way for him to move up in the Ecosystem because it requires linking back. Until I realized that I should take advantage of that and others like it to get noticed and read (as well as moving up, but I’d rather get the traffic even if it doesn’t mean links), I had no idea there were circles of trackbackers who were, yes, abusing the system. Knowing that was the deal made entering them less appealing.
Guess people will have to get link-noticed the old-fashioned way; e-mailing people “link my good post” e-mails, entering carnivals, and linking others so that they will notice and link you.
But hey, that’s what I’d rather have: quality links that might mean actual traffic and repeats.
Comment by Zeuswood — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 1:04 pm
Open Letter to N.Z. Bear: Sabertooth confesses!
Here’s problem with your current solution: you’re throwing some baby out with that bathwater.. All of the links below are specifically about your post at TTLB. They took a fair amount of time to locate and organize. Every link I’ve made here will be…
Yup. This whole controversy is exactly why I quit worrying about linkage and, really, even traffic (as evidenced by the fact that I haven’t posted at AKB for — what — three weeks now). I put a lot of time and effort into many of my posts; however, many are throwaway posts. I can’t really care too much about who likes what, because I can’t control that — I can only control the fact that I either enjoy writing what I write, and make it the best it can be, or I don’t write. When I start caring about traffic and links (and even the ecosystem, as useful as it is!), the fun evaporates pretty much instantly. That’s also why I quit participating in the Beltway Traffic Jam. I like James a lot, and his site is on my “Order of the Rose” blogroll, but I refuse to use his blog to simply create another link to mine (although, James, if you’re reading this, blogrolling AKB would be a nice Christmas gift!).
The point: I’m happier blogging with twelve readers who like my stuff, maybe comment once in a while, and never give me a link, than I am (was) as a marauding marsupial who was checking TTLB every ten minutes to see if I was moving up, down or sideways. Blogging can be very stressful, if you let it.
Sorry about the essay. Guess I should post it, huh?
You are right, you don’t want to pick thi fight because yuou don’t know what you are talking about.
1. Visit my site. See how I do open posts. There is actual copy there
2. I read every post I link. OK?
3. I told NZ privately and publicly the same thing: It is his site, he can do what he wants
That said, the Echosystem is a salve to conservative bloggers who are getting their blogs beat by Daily Kos
You measure popularity by — hold onto your hat — H I T S
I used linkfests to promote my posts. I am intelligent. I will figure something else out. That’ll piss you off as well
By not wanting to pick a fight, I simply meant I had no intention of hostility behind my post.
However, I do take some exception to the concept that I don’t know what I am talking about. I wholly stand by my statement that TTLB doesn’t exist to measure quality, and, further, the TTLB is distorted by what these linkfests.
I would note: much of what I wrote here was not directed at you per se, but to the overall phenom of open trackbacking.
And, as I noted in the very next post, hits are the superior method for assessing popularity.
Further, I would note that the EcoSystem also has the EcoTraffic measure, so it isn’t as if hits are being ignored. I would argue that interlinking is one valid way of measuring blog presence, and an interesting one. Ultimately hits are the only measure of readership.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 4:16 pm
BTW, I would note, that while you are a Mortal Human in the TTLB at 21st, by traffic your are ranked 543rd
However, the Washington Monthly, which is ranked 19th in the Ecosystem by linkage is ranked 17th by traffic.
Given that disparity, I don’t understand getting upset over the Bear, and I especially don’t understand your condescending tone in your comment above over H-I-T-S.
This just points out the distortion caused by open posts and especially the trackback parades.
And, for the record, my traffic rank is 743 and my TTLB EcoSystem ranking is something like 157, o I am somewhat out of whack as well.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 4:24 pm
Steven,
As one of those blogs with about 12 readers, I agree whole heartedly with your statement that readers are what’s important. To me, getting a mention and a link from another blogger that I respect, and has taken the time to read what I have written and point it out to his or her readers, is a lot more gratifying than seeing my blog move up and down the TTLB Ecosystem scale.
Back in August when I posted all of the pictures I had taken out in Crawford when the Sheehan Circus first got started, I got a lot of hits thanks to Michelle Malkin and other bloggers linking directly to the picture post. Very gratifying, but ultimitely it only did a little in building up the number of daily readers I had. But because of that initial link and all the ones that followed, I shot all the way up into the high end of the large mammal end of the scale. Way, way out of line for a small blog like mine. It didn’t make sense to me, no matter how cool it was to me personally. And after a week it was gone.
Working with other small bloggers in helping promote each others blogs by commenting on stories, expanding on what they started, or by being skeptical of what each of us was saying has done a lot more in slowly raising the profile of our blogs in a very competitive environment. We’re doing it by boosting the quality of our writing and acknowledging the good work of our fellows.
Getting the recognition is all well and good, but I’d rather get it by writing good posts, having fun with it, and being myself. I’ve never participated in a carnival or a trackback party. It just felt wrong for some reason. Maybe I’m too humble, but that’s just how I feel. So the Bear going in and changing how the Ecosystem works doesn’t bother me in the slightest.
Comment by Greg — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 10:19 pm
Greg hits upon the one thing the trackback orgies do that there isn’t a lot of in the blogosphere: do-it-yourself promotion of small (just starting out) blogs. When we began, the carnivals were small, and the trackback thing was non-existent. If you wanted to move up, you used the blogroll and you e-mailed people.
That’s not so easy now. I’d like to see (and thought the PM/OSM would be) a place that could highlight original content from smaller scale blogs – giving them a chance for a greater readership without having to resort to tricks like the trackback orgies.
Unfortunately, I don’t see OSM/PM being that vehicle. They are too interested in the money aspect.
Comment by bryan — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 10:53 pm
“And, for the record, my traffic rank is 743 and my TTLB EcoSystem ranking is something like 157, o I am somewhat out of whack as well.”
I don’t grok that. How are you out of whack? Traffic and links are two different things.
Do columnists and radio hosts who blog have an advantage in generating traffic? Sure they do, and more power to them. The TTLB Ecosystem is a different animal. If someone with a few thousand hits a day figures out a way to bust their butt and generate as many links as Hugh Hewitt, isn’t that sort of… American?
“Greg hits upon the one thing the trackback orgies do that there isn’t a lot of in the blogosphere: do-it-yourself promotion of small (just starting out) blogs.”
Bingo. I also spend a lot of time scouring Technorati and Google for others blogging on subjects I’m discussing. All of the open track back self promoters have also spent a heckuva lot of time promoting other blogs.
Steven, if length of time posting meant anything I’d be more popular than a whole host of other weblogs. TAM will be 6-years old next month. That’s ancient compared to Glenn Reynolds, Power Line, and especially Michelle Malkin. More popular weblogs have just found ways to be more interesting to more readers. That’s the cold, hard truth of a meritocracy. PJM could possibly change that if weblogs inside the company link primarily to one another. I’ve seen no evidence but it could happen. (Do we know what’s in the contributors’ contracts about linking?)
I too am a beginning blog with some decent traffic. I have been working carefully to increase my readership without just becoming a meaningless, link-crazy writer. Don Surber has provided me some good traffic and I appreciate that. However, links to substantive blogs and with media tied into Technorati are just as successful. Like all business enterprises, the blogger needs to consider their personal objectives and goals. I would prefer to provide substantive value-added than hit the top of the TTLB ecosystem.
I have no problem with self-promotion. It is pretty much a must. However, my problem with at least some of the trackback business is that it was explicitly designed to generate TTLB evolution. That is faux success when all one is doing is essentialy agree en masse to link to other blogs. It isn’t based on the quality of content at all.
Sean,
I didn’t mean to suggest that Glenn’s success is solely about time, but I have no doubt that the act that he was an early blogger helped greatly. He certainly was one of the early bloggers who was noticed by the media–being a law prof no doubt helped.
Still, I also have no doubt that if he was starting afresh now that he would be popular, but not THE blog.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Thursday, November 24, 2026 @ 9:20 am
BTW, I would note that I have visited at least three new blogs as a result of this interchange and having people comment or trackback me, but I have never visited a new blog from the open trackback posts at Surber’s site or elsewhere.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Thursday, November 24, 2026 @ 9:21 am
I have never visited a new blog from the open trackback posts at Surber’s site or elsewhere.
Excellent point, Steven. Neither have I, but I did just visit a blog for the first time by following a trackback to this post because I knew it was relevant to the subject of the post.
OT posts are a goulash of links, and are being used primarily to ‘game’ NZ Bear’s system–it is his system, and participation isn’t compulsory.
If the purpose of OTs is simply to provide exposure to the bloggers who participate, then why request a link back to the post?
And why is it that bloggers who host OT posts (by simply using a feature provided by their blogging software) are ‘just trying to gain readers’ or ‘help other bloggers’ (I’ve read both assertions in posts on this subject), but NZ Bear, who’s put a considerable amount of time and effort into developing and maintaining his system, is some kind of tin-pot dictator?
If you ask me, NZ is being very gracious in dealing with his critics. Ecosystem membership isn’t an entitlement program.
“I am sure that there are guys out there writing fantastic stuff who get 12 visitors a day.”
*Raises hand*
I resemble that remark.
But seriously, I had no idea the extent of the open trackback abuse until I started Harshly Mellow. I knew about OTB’s Traffic Jams, and knew that it was partly a way for him to move up in the Ecosystem because it requires linking back. Until I realized that I should take advantage of that and others like it to get noticed and read (as well as moving up, but I’d rather get the traffic even if it doesn’t mean links), I had no idea there were circles of trackbackers who were, yes, abusing the system. Knowing that was the deal made entering them less appealing.
Guess people will have to get link-noticed the old-fashioned way; e-mailing people “link my good post” e-mails, entering carnivals, and linking others so that they will notice and link you.
But hey, that’s what I’d rather have: quality links that might mean actual traffic and repeats.
Comment by Zeuswood — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 1:04 pm
Open Letter to N.Z. Bear: Sabertooth confesses!
Here’s problem with your current solution: you’re throwing some baby out with that bathwater.. All of the links below are specifically about your post at TTLB. They took a fair amount of time to locate and organize. Every link I’ve made here will be…
Trackback by The Tar Pit — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 1:21 pm
Yup. This whole controversy is exactly why I quit worrying about linkage and, really, even traffic (as evidenced by the fact that I haven’t posted at AKB for — what — three weeks now). I put a lot of time and effort into many of my posts; however, many are throwaway posts. I can’t really care too much about who likes what, because I can’t control that — I can only control the fact that I either enjoy writing what I write, and make it the best it can be, or I don’t write. When I start caring about traffic and links (and even the ecosystem, as useful as it is!), the fun evaporates pretty much instantly. That’s also why I quit participating in the Beltway Traffic Jam. I like James a lot, and his site is on my “Order of the Rose” blogroll, but I refuse to use his blog to simply create another link to mine (although, James, if you’re reading this, blogrolling AKB would be a nice Christmas gift!).
The point: I’m happier blogging with twelve readers who like my stuff, maybe comment once in a while, and never give me a link, than I am (was) as a marauding marsupial who was checking TTLB every ten minutes to see if I was moving up, down or sideways. Blogging can be very stressful, if you let it.
Sorry about the essay. Guess I should post it, huh?
Comment by Scott Gosnell — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 2:48 pm
You are right, you don’t want to pick thi fight because yuou don’t know what you are talking about.
1. Visit my site. See how I do open posts. There is actual copy there
2. I read every post I link. OK?
3. I told NZ privately and publicly the same thing: It is his site, he can do what he wants
That said, the Echosystem is a salve to conservative bloggers who are getting their blogs beat by Daily Kos
You measure popularity by — hold onto your hat — H I T S
I used linkfests to promote my posts. I am intelligent. I will figure something else out. That’ll piss you off as well
Comment by Don Surber — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 3:41 pm
Don,
By not wanting to pick a fight, I simply meant I had no intention of hostility behind my post.
However, I do take some exception to the concept that I don’t know what I am talking about. I wholly stand by my statement that TTLB doesn’t exist to measure quality, and, further, the TTLB is distorted by what these linkfests.
I would note: much of what I wrote here was not directed at you per se, but to the overall phenom of open trackbacking.
And, as I noted in the very next post, hits are the superior method for assessing popularity.
Further, I would note that the EcoSystem also has the EcoTraffic measure, so it isn’t as if hits are being ignored. I would argue that interlinking is one valid way of measuring blog presence, and an interesting one. Ultimately hits are the only measure of readership.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 4:16 pm
BTW, I would note, that while you are a Mortal Human in the TTLB at 21st, by traffic your are ranked 543rd
However, the Washington Monthly, which is ranked 19th in the Ecosystem by linkage is ranked 17th by traffic.
Given that disparity, I don’t understand getting upset over the Bear, and I especially don’t understand your condescending tone in your comment above over H-I-T-S.
This just points out the distortion caused by open posts and especially the trackback parades.
And, for the record, my traffic rank is 743 and my TTLB EcoSystem ranking is something like 157, o I am somewhat out of whack as well.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 4:24 pm
Steven,
As one of those blogs with about 12 readers, I agree whole heartedly with your statement that readers are what’s important. To me, getting a mention and a link from another blogger that I respect, and has taken the time to read what I have written and point it out to his or her readers, is a lot more gratifying than seeing my blog move up and down the TTLB Ecosystem scale.
Back in August when I posted all of the pictures I had taken out in Crawford when the Sheehan Circus first got started, I got a lot of hits thanks to Michelle Malkin and other bloggers linking directly to the picture post. Very gratifying, but ultimitely it only did a little in building up the number of daily readers I had. But because of that initial link and all the ones that followed, I shot all the way up into the high end of the large mammal end of the scale. Way, way out of line for a small blog like mine. It didn’t make sense to me, no matter how cool it was to me personally. And after a week it was gone.
Working with other small bloggers in helping promote each others blogs by commenting on stories, expanding on what they started, or by being skeptical of what each of us was saying has done a lot more in slowly raising the profile of our blogs in a very competitive environment. We’re doing it by boosting the quality of our writing and acknowledging the good work of our fellows.
Getting the recognition is all well and good, but I’d rather get it by writing good posts, having fun with it, and being myself. I’ve never participated in a carnival or a trackback party. It just felt wrong for some reason. Maybe I’m too humble, but that’s just how I feel. So the Bear going in and changing how the Ecosystem works doesn’t bother me in the slightest.
Comment by Greg — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 10:19 pm
Greg hits upon the one thing the trackback orgies do that there isn’t a lot of in the blogosphere: do-it-yourself promotion of small (just starting out) blogs. When we began, the carnivals were small, and the trackback thing was non-existent. If you wanted to move up, you used the blogroll and you e-mailed people.
That’s not so easy now. I’d like to see (and thought the PM/OSM would be) a place that could highlight original content from smaller scale blogs – giving them a chance for a greater readership without having to resort to tricks like the trackback orgies.
Unfortunately, I don’t see OSM/PM being that vehicle. They are too interested in the money aspect.
Comment by bryan — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 10:53 pm
“And, for the record, my traffic rank is 743 and my TTLB EcoSystem ranking is something like 157, o I am somewhat out of whack as well.”
I don’t grok that. How are you out of whack? Traffic and links are two different things.
Do columnists and radio hosts who blog have an advantage in generating traffic? Sure they do, and more power to them. The TTLB Ecosystem is a different animal. If someone with a few thousand hits a day figures out a way to bust their butt and generate as many links as Hugh Hewitt, isn’t that sort of… American?
Comment by Sabertooth — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 11:16 pm
“Greg hits upon the one thing the trackback orgies do that there isn’t a lot of in the blogosphere: do-it-yourself promotion of small (just starting out) blogs.”
Bingo. I also spend a lot of time scouring Technorati and Google for others blogging on subjects I’m discussing. All of the open track back self promoters have also spent a heckuva lot of time promoting other blogs.
Comment by Sabertooth — Wednesday, November 23, 2026 @ 11:32 pm
Links and Minifeatures 11 23 Wednesday
Carnival of the Vanities is up at Don Surber’s. Recommended posts:
Trackback by Searchlight Crusade — Thursday, November 24, 2026 @ 12:52 am
Steven, if length of time posting meant anything I’d be more popular than a whole host of other weblogs. TAM will be 6-years old next month. That’s ancient compared to Glenn Reynolds, Power Line, and especially Michelle Malkin. More popular weblogs have just found ways to be more interesting to more readers. That’s the cold, hard truth of a meritocracy. PJM could possibly change that if weblogs inside the company link primarily to one another. I’ve seen no evidence but it could happen. (Do we know what’s in the contributors’ contracts about linking?)
Comment by Sean Hackbarth — Thursday, November 24, 2026 @ 3:16 am
I too am a beginning blog with some decent traffic. I have been working carefully to increase my readership without just becoming a meaningless, link-crazy writer. Don Surber has provided me some good traffic and I appreciate that. However, links to substantive blogs and with media tied into Technorati are just as successful. Like all business enterprises, the blogger needs to consider their personal objectives and goals. I would prefer to provide substantive value-added than hit the top of the TTLB ecosystem.
Comment by The Lone Elm — Thursday, November 24, 2026 @ 6:13 am
Sabertooth,
I have no problem with self-promotion. It is pretty much a must. However, my problem with at least some of the trackback business is that it was explicitly designed to generate TTLB evolution. That is faux success when all one is doing is essentialy agree en masse to link to other blogs. It isn’t based on the quality of content at all.
Sean,
I didn’t mean to suggest that Glenn’s success is solely about time, but I have no doubt that the act that he was an early blogger helped greatly. He certainly was one of the early bloggers who was noticed by the media–being a law prof no doubt helped.
Still, I also have no doubt that if he was starting afresh now that he would be popular, but not THE blog.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Thursday, November 24, 2026 @ 9:20 am
BTW, I would note that I have visited at least three new blogs as a result of this interchange and having people comment or trackback me, but I have never visited a new blog from the open trackback posts at Surber’s site or elsewhere.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Thursday, November 24, 2026 @ 9:21 am
I have never visited a new blog from the open trackback posts at Surber’s site or elsewhere.
Excellent point, Steven. Neither have I, but I did just visit a blog for the first time by following a trackback to this post because I knew it was relevant to the subject of the post.
OT posts are a goulash of links, and are being used primarily to ‘game’ NZ Bear’s system–it is his system, and participation isn’t compulsory.
If the purpose of OTs is simply to provide exposure to the bloggers who participate, then why request a link back to the post?
And why is it that bloggers who host OT posts (by simply using a feature provided by their blogging software) are ‘just trying to gain readers’ or ‘help other bloggers’ (I’ve read both assertions in posts on this subject), but NZ Bear, who’s put a considerable amount of time and effort into developing and maintaining his system, is some kind of tin-pot dictator?
If you ask me, NZ is being very gracious in dealing with his critics. Ecosystem membership isn’t an entitlement program.
Comment by John from WuzzaDem — Thursday, November 24, 2026 @ 11:09 pm