Blog Search Engines
Lots of blogger response to the introduction of Google's new Blog Search. I would have posted something earlier, but by the time I got around to it ... it was everywhere!
I find it interesting that both Technorati and Feedster offered messages of welcome, and referred to Google's entry into their market as 'an embracing of RSS'. While it's a good point, Google's status will (along with Microsoft) bring legitimacy to Blogs & RSS; it will likely cost each of the aforementioned companies millions as an acquisition target. Ouch!
Google's engine is very fast and feedable - overall, a very nice start. One feature I would have liked to see, was making the author's name a default searchable field, and then weighting back those positive results against the relevancy of other posts (that is, don't give them any extra weight in the algorithm, but still include them). Right now, unless you use the advanced search form, it doesn't pull an author's posts by including their name in a general search. IMO, it's really important to know who's posted what with a blog; with the blogger being a critical element of blog searching. Of the big three, Feedster does this and the other two don't (please correct me if you think I'm wrong).
Speaking of 'relevancy' - a little work to do there Google... I know it's completely subjective, but I find the Technorati & Feedster results to be better (so far). Perhaps it's just easier to ignore the splog (aka 'spam blog') results when you're used to the interface...?
The other big factor for blog searching is currency - specifically how much time it takes from blog posting to inclusion in the search results. Jackson Miller has already conducted a test, with Feedster being the first to complete the task.
Google may just blow the other two companies out of the water, but not today. I'd rank the big three this way: 1) Feedster 2) Google & 3) Technorati. If Technorati gets faster (growing pains?), then it's a horse race for No 2. ... at least until Google gets out of beta. :-)
I find it interesting that both Technorati and Feedster offered messages of welcome, and referred to Google's entry into their market as 'an embracing of RSS'. While it's a good point, Google's status will (along with Microsoft) bring legitimacy to Blogs & RSS; it will likely cost each of the aforementioned companies millions as an acquisition target. Ouch!
Google's engine is very fast and feedable - overall, a very nice start. One feature I would have liked to see, was making the author's name a default searchable field, and then weighting back those positive results against the relevancy of other posts (that is, don't give them any extra weight in the algorithm, but still include them). Right now, unless you use the advanced search form, it doesn't pull an author's posts by including their name in a general search. IMO, it's really important to know who's posted what with a blog; with the blogger being a critical element of blog searching. Of the big three, Feedster does this and the other two don't (please correct me if you think I'm wrong).
Speaking of 'relevancy' - a little work to do there Google... I know it's completely subjective, but I find the Technorati & Feedster results to be better (so far). Perhaps it's just easier to ignore the splog (aka 'spam blog') results when you're used to the interface...?
The other big factor for blog searching is currency - specifically how much time it takes from blog posting to inclusion in the search results. Jackson Miller has already conducted a test, with Feedster being the first to complete the task.
Google may just blow the other two companies out of the water, but not today. I'd rank the big three this way: 1) Feedster 2) Google & 3) Technorati. If Technorati gets faster (growing pains?), then it's a horse race for No 2. ... at least until Google gets out of beta. :-)
posted by Steve Matthews at 9/15/2005
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