Comments on: Why The 2011 ‘Best Of’ Lists Just Don’t Matter

By: Jenn@t1 service

Jenn@t1 service — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:35:02 +0000

Oh, you know, these lists are great for people with list addictions. But you’re right, they don’t mean a whole lot.

You’ve made a great distinction between popularity and influence–that’s something probably most people don’t think about. Like, I read recently about a guy who went around trashing other people’s businesses and treating his customers poorly. This got him a lot of media attention, backlinks to his web site, and created a stir. He was popular. But at the end of the day, nobody wanted to work with him anymore, so his influence was 0. He clearly fell into the popularity=influence trap. And then he went under.

By: Mitaroy Goa Hotel

Mitaroy Goa Hotel — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 23:02:20 +0000

I love the beginning of your post Lisa.

As New Years Eve nears, there is an insane amount of hope in the air. The promise for a better future is at our fingertips. Then the New Year hits. And the New Year turns out much like the old one.

I wonder for how many of us the New Year is actually different from the old one. And why do we need to wait for a whole year to make new resolutions ?

Can’t we just wake up one morning and change our habits ? Go out there and do it wrong quickly…what ever it is we have been wanting to do…

Just a thought !

Cheers
Mihir

By: Paul L'Acosta

Paul L'Acosta — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 16:04:01 +0000

I created a folder and started filling it with “must reads” and “best of” lists too. I suddenly had to stop adding to it when I realized just putting some time aside to read those I pretty much needed the whole new year. Oh man, and to know there are more that didn’t make it inside the folder… Insane.

By: Lisa Barone

Lisa Barone — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:22:04 +0000

We don’t care what you do, WE JUST WANT A REAL GODDAMN PICTURE! ;)

By: Robert Brady

Robert Brady — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:08:22 +0000

Not all of the lists are bad (though many are). The easiest measure of a list is whether or not it gets the reader to DO something. A list from a highly influential person will get people to visit the sites of the companies listed, read the blogs of the top bloggers, get a quote from the top SEO agencies. A list from a popular person may get a lot of views, RTs, comments, etc. but do the readers actually take action?

By: Jim Rudnick

Jim Rudnick — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:57:03 +0000

@Lisa…those lists are as you said, just a way to build blog page views….

we ignore them….and don’t write them and don’t click on them either…

that said, I do wonder if there is a blog title somewhere out there that WOULD get me to click….I doubt it….but ya just never know, eh!

:-)

Jim

By: netmeg

netmeg — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:51:14 +0000

I’m not on any lists, because nobody knows exactly what I do. And I’m keeping it that way.

By: Sue

Sue — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:47:27 +0000

Couldn’t agree more. Popularity just means people know you (or want to) – and they want it to be public knowledge. Whether people are willing to act on what you say is a totally different measure of success.

One person could have a thousand readers/followers – but none who pay attention. He is definitely popular – but has no more influence than a person with half the readers/followers, who take action with every post.

By: Lisa Barone

Lisa Barone — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:36:19 +0000

Heh. There’s definitely a difference between popularity and influence. Hitler is a very good example. :) Also an excellent point and looking at people’s motivations behind what they’re doing. What’s their agenda? We all have one.

By: Frank Reed

Frank Reed — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:35:46 +0000

They know I’m pretty. That’s what is bothering them. :-)

Hope all is well and keep up the great work!