Technorati authority
I have always liked Technorati, it has been a great site for keeping track of interesting topics and finding new bloggers. And it has been a great site to find sites that use my templates, since they are basically printed out in a nice list because of the incoming links to me.
A year ago I wrote in this blog that I had reached the Technorati Popular Blogs chart, and I got as high as #31 on the chart before I was removed from it. Of course I don't belong there, since the incoming links are mostly credit links from sites that use my themes and templates. But I have still kept the incoming link number and the official Technorati rank, and I have now been ranked among the top 15 sites in the world for one year according to the Technorati rank. Since I am disqualified from the real chart, I haven't got more than a few new visitors from Technorati. But today I found out that they have renamed the incoming link count, and now they call it "Authority" - which means that it is time for me to give a hint that something is wrong:
My current Technorati Authority and Technorati Rank would place me right after Engadget on the Popular Blogs chart. As cool as that may look, it is not where I belong. So I hereby ask the Technorati folks to write me a line if there is anything I can do to help out here. If not, I'll just wait for things to happen…
Comments
Comment from kos
Time: May 7, 2007, 10:55 am
But we don't need to forget that Technorati is primarily a ranking tool to tell you (and others) how your blog stacks up in the great linkage stakes.
What I have found is that sometimes people will Technorati their blogs and find that you've linked to them; then they will check out your blog. That's the only direct payoff I've found. Once, in a job interview, I did mention my Technorati ranking and the guy laughed me out of the place and called me a wanker. I did then go technorati him and found that my blog's two mentions of his blog outranked his blog itself, so that was some satisfaction, but not a whole lot.
Comment from Tomek
Time: May 7, 2007, 12:24 pm
I think You can't change that a lot of people like to read Your blog. I like Your blog because it's always something interesting to read - we have common hobby (I also try to design templates). And that is why Your blog have so high rank at Technorati. So keep up the good work. Greetings
Comment from ShopMania
Time: May 7, 2007, 12:45 pm
They say that Technorati authority is number of blogs linking to you last period. Higher the number you get more Authority. Technorati Rank is based on how far you are from the top as expressed by the number of blogs linking to you
So the above 2 are different
So the same authority will mean the same rank for blogs at the end of the top but not for the others
Hope this helps to clarify your problem :)
Comment from Andreas
Time: May 7, 2007, 1:36 pm
ShopMania: It doesn't. Rank, or the difference to the "authority" is not the point here…
"Authority" is the number of unique blogs linking to me within the last 6 months, and there is nothing strange with that. Currently that number is 26.666 blogs that have linked to me - which is of course great news for me.
But Technorati calls it "authority" rather than "incoming links", as if these links would be a rating of the authority of my blog. And since the links are mostly (not all but the majority) design credit links from people who use my designs, it has nothing to do with "authority".
According to Technorati, my site is the 5th highest ranked blog in the world in terms of "Authority". Now, you don't have to look too close to see why that is wrong. As a free website template designer, I may have one of the most linked blogs in the world - simply because a lot of people are using my designs. But that is something completely different…
If the numbers are as wild as this for me, they may be wild for others as well. And unless the Technorati folks confirm that I have truly deserved my #5 Technorati Rank and that massive "authority", I will continue to claim that my numbers are pretty to look at - but not fair at all.
Comment from Cavalcare
Time: May 7, 2007, 2:37 pm
Technoraty seems to work like google and other search engines, considering the authorithy as the number of links received.
Anyway I think there are two main differences:
1) Technoraty doesn't seem to be interested in the complexive number of links from a blog (just on one page or sitewide seems to be the same);
2) Technoraty doesn't seem to consider the "authorithy" of the linking blogs.
I think they won't change their results, notwithstanding what you wrote. The whole job seems to be made by an engine, without any human interference.
Comment from Andreas
Time: May 7, 2007, 3:59 pm
Cavalcare: Correct, but with one note. The links are supposed to be written by each site owner to be proper "Authority". In other words, content links and blogroll links should be counted - but not template links, credit links, sponsored links and automatic links.
Most of my incoming links are credit links. That is why I was excluded from the Popular Blogs list a year ago, and that is the point with this post and with my comments. I'm not asking Technorati to change anything and I don't mind the use of the word "authority" for links. I just want them (and you) to see an example of what can happen. :)
Comment from ShopMania
Time: May 7, 2007, 6:46 pm
Now I understand your point. Sorry for the previous post as I got it wrong what you said..
I think the problem is in the way they are calculating this rank which seems to be based directly on the number of incoming links (as domains)
I think they need to rely more also on the authority of the incoming link the way google does with the PR.. What do you think?
Comment from M4gnus
Time: May 8, 2007, 1:16 pm
My blogg has 3 in authority so you better watch out, Im right behind you :)
Comment from Design
Time: May 8, 2007, 3:34 pm
I think it has no what value. Will pass time and all is formed, therefore I think it is necessary to pay attention to such trifles less.
It is necessary to do that that is pleasant and to have a rest, and all rest will be.
Comment from Margret
Time: May 10, 2007, 7:18 pm
I think Technorati will end up being bought out by one of the big three Search providers soon.
Comment from Simon
Time: May 12, 2007, 3:51 pm
"as if these links would be a rating of the authority of my blog. And since the links are mostly (not all but the majority) design credit links from people who use my designs, it has nothing to do with "authority"
how should they determine how big is your authority in the internet? Maybe they could calculate some more date. A sum of incoming links, alexa rank, incoming wikipedia-links, dmoz-entry, new entries per day, number of comments/entry …
if you have many backlinks your site seems to be popular. That's what Google thinks and that's what Technorati thinks.
Google should learn the difference between a footerlink and a real link-reference.
Comment from Onlinespiele
Time: May 14, 2007, 10:35 am
As far as I see it the changed it yet again! Is it possible that there are different ranks for the blogs in different languages? Just a guess. I am not sure and not that trained in using technorati yet.
Comment from Azlan
Time: May 16, 2007, 6:46 am
[ But I have still kept the incoming link number and the official Technorati rank, and I have now been ranked among the top 15 sites in the world for one year according to the Technorati rank. ]
This means your theme designs are well-loved by others!! Congrats. Just leave the ranking there. I am really like your theme designs, Andreas.
Comment from Solomon
Time: May 7, 2007, 9:42 am
Strange they determine the importance.