MyBlogLog - Adding to the Conversation

MyBlogLog. Many moons ago I first saw this widget on a few other sites. I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave my face and my name (I now use my name almost everywhere transparently) on their sites. I also wasn’t sure if I’d end up mistakenly on a site that I wouldn’t want my name left on publicly. So I was rather wary.

Still months go by and I start seeing more blogs with this widget in the side bar. So it’s time to learn how it feels and what I learn.

I upload the widget. I don’t like the header so i make it white and then label the widget recent comments. I try to make the bottom border less visible. Yes there is more code below I just don’t edit it. So my initial widget looked similar to the one on the left.

I visited a few more sites. I saw widgets without the names. I made a mental note that it was more powerful. It reminds me of the Twitter type of faceroll. Facerolls are not new they were part of early blogroll advances too. Facerolls were different, they were static, they weren’t a who was here last.

I like this new format (right) much better. I still see no reason for the link at the bottom, I may just make it white. I personally think this should be the default.

MyBlogLog enables me:

• To connect quickly with reader who visit my blog. The every changing facemap intrigues me. I’ve never known really who reads, why they read etc. It’s going to give me a better idea.
• Learn more about my readers. Just taking me to their blog is cool.
• Share with others. I now think it is a nice gesture to say I was here! I can do it without leaving a comment or more.

Mybloglog gives me away….

• Example when Dina sends me a link (or vice versa) we are often 1 - 2 on the mybloglog we are visiting.

MyBlogLog is taking my money

• Yes I signed up for the statistics and paid service. Thought I’d test that too.

I have some other ideas of how to use it and why it is important. I’m still on a go slow with them. MyBlogLog wants all sorts of other info from me. So far they have my blog, my picture and that’s about it. I’m not yet ready to give them more.

There’s some potential here. I also like the personality and color it simply brings to my page. It’s one step more to recognizing this as a community. Upsizing it makes that visibly more obvious.

I’ll also add the wordpress plug-in shortly to provide photo’s for commenters.

Overall, MyBlogLog is adding to the conversation. It’s enabling me to bring my blog slowly and surely closer to the sorts of things I see in Facebook. I think that’s cool. I’d like to know what other users think.