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8:23 pm
April 26, 2011
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Freelancepf
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It's up at my new website, http://www.freelancepf.com. It's just my opinion but I think Alexa rankings are ridiculous. Before you say "sour grapes", please remember that I got my last blog down to about 100k before selling it. I'm willing to admit I'm wrong if someone can point out how I am wrong. Please read the post before bashing me, lol.
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8:57 pm
April 26, 2011
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JT_McGee
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I think you've completely missed the point; everyone knows Alexa has very little value, but since it is inserted as a requirement to join Yakezie, it does have value.
If anything, Alexa ranking among Yakezie members reflects how active they are in the Yakezie community. If you have a low Alexa rank–BFS is <40k–you probably have a lot of Yakeziers checking in frequently.
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9:29 pm
April 26, 2011
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My Personal Finance Journey
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No worries FreelancePF. This is a perfectly reasonable concern. In my opinion, Alexa, like all metrics, is flaud. However, it is the best one that is available. It is sort of like GRE scores. I doubt that a GRE score really indicates how well you will do in 6 years of research in a PhD program, but it matters nonetheless, haha.
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2:46 am
April 27, 2011
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Freelancepf
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JT,
Agreed it has value within Yakezie.
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3:38 am
April 27, 2011
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Derek@LifeAndMyFinances
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I think JT said it best. Alexa by itself is not a great metric, but it does mean quite a lot among the Yakezie network. Also, just because it's a flawed metric doesn't mean that advertisers are ignoring it. I'm sure that advertisers see 30,000 or less and they are overjoyed to give out offers! I can't say for sure, but I bet BFS (Crystal) would back me up.
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5:23 am
April 27, 2011
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The Financial Blogger
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I totally agree with you!
In fact, I definitely hate Alexa and I find it totally useless (and I still have an Alexa rank around 70,000 since it was a requirement). In fact, I went from 160K to 70K simply by "playing" Alexa for a few months and then I have stopped since it was enough for me to get in the Yakezie group.
Alexa, as many other ranking sites, are simply using a big momentum to have people downloading their toolbar and get subscribers. So the only things that having a low Alexa rank means is that you have more readers that has installed this toolbar beside another… Not really any added value to any blog when you think about it…
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6:07 pm
April 27, 2011
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Budgeting in the Fun Stuff
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LifeAndMyFinances said:
I think JT said it best. Alexa by itself is not a great metric, but it does mean quite a lot among the Yakezie network. Also, just because it's a flawed metric doesn't mean that advertisers are ignoring it. I'm sure that advertisers see 30,000 or less and they are overjoyed to give out offers! I can't say for sure, but I bet BFS (Crystal) would back me up.
"Alexa by itself is not a great metric, but it does mean quite a lot among the Yakezie network. Also, just because it's a flawed metric doesn't mean that advertisers are ignoring it."
Exactly.
Some advertisers actually care about what you tell them to care about. That's how I've gotten the ad campaigns based on Moz and Alexa started. Granted, Moz is easier to push than Alexa…
My opinion is along the same lines as JT and LifeAndMyFinances, sure, Alexa is not an accurate ranking of a blog's overall popularity (otherwise I'd be a freaking millionaire), but it does let me know that my fellow Yakezie members are checking BFS out and that my readers like me enough to download a toolbar to help me out. That is info I want to know. :-)
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8:40 pm
April 27, 2011
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Sustainable PF
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My question is ..
What are your motives to join a network, such as this one, that uses Alexa as a base rank input, if you think it is bunk.
A few of my fav posters seem to have dismissed this rank system. That's fine. MoneyCrashers and Wisebread like all sorts of ranking systems.
Pls excuse the fact i'm a bit of a hard ass and don't always want to play hugs and kisses friendship blogging …
My question then, is, why play in Yakezie if you think the ranking method is flawed, in any way? What are your motives "playing" (according to the post) the Alexa game? Friends? Advertising? Being on a list?
Be straight up about why you're in Yakezie and its ranking algothrims prior to bashing them.
This post may make me the most wanted but I feel it had to be said. We're far too nice sometimes and I tire of that.
(last line as I might post it one site of naysayers)
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9:04 pm
April 27, 2011
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Suba @ Wealth Informatics
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Post edited 9:08 pm – April 27, 2011 by Suba @ Wealth Informatics
SPF, I am one of the bloggers that don't put too much weight on Alexa ranking. I am not trying to put words in FPF's mouth, this is just MY opinion. But as I admitted to not putting much stress on Alexa, I will try to answer your questions.
Yakezie was the place for me to interact with other bloggers. There are other networks/ranking in the PF world, but none of them provided the platform to develop relationship for an introvert like me. I am not good at just emailing out of the blue and develop relationship. So alexa, klout, compete… whatever it is I wouldn't have cared, I would have joined Yakezie. If I am not wrong, Alexa was chosen specifically because it can be played. I have read BFS since it was on blogger even before I knew alexa existed. I don't read Crystal because she has awesome Alexa. Even if she had a horrible ranking I would still read. I read a lot of blogs that don't even know what Alexa ranking is… For that matter, I visit almost 50 blogs with toolbar and just because I don't comment I don't get much visits from other bloggers. Do I care? nope!
Yakezie is not about alexa, as we are all bloggers and have the toolbar, it was just taken as a measure to see how Yakezie members visit each others blog.
Again, as far as I could see, all FPF said was it is not a good way to judge a blog's success. That statement is perfectly true. I don't think we should read too much into that statement. "You" pick a measure on how you want to improve your blog – traffic, money, rss, alexa, technorati… I can keep writing… It is not just Alexa, there is no one measure to judge any blog. Well, if they have 1 million page views a month and 100k rss subcribers that is obviously a successful blog.. but you get my point. Show case the metric you are good at to the advertisers. Beyond that, have your own metric…
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9:16 pm
April 27, 2011
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Freelancepf
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SPF:
SPF:
1) My motive to join the network was to connect with other personal finance bloggers. Just as most people seek out others with similar interests.
2) I was talking about Alexa rankings, not Yakezie.
3) Like I am sure many people feel when they join Yakezie, in the beginning I was very uptight about Alexa rankings. With time I realized it’s just about getting to know great people and trying to promote one another and read and give great advice on blogs. The point of my post was not meant to demean anyone and particularly not Yakezie, but to state that people should relax and not feel stressed about their Alexa rankings.
4) I don’t understand how questioning Alexa changes my being an active, engaged and supportive member of the Yakezie.
5) Competition can be good, but it should always be healthy competition. I didn’t think this was all a popularity contest.
6) What motives might underlie the need to come down so hard on another blogger who has always shown you support? To look like the protectorate of the group. It doesn't need one. I might be wrong, as might you. The truth is usually in a gray area. I didn't think questioning blogging metrics was overstepping the bounds all that much. I think the group is strong enough to survive analyzing such topics. There is no need for infighting.
7) I was just questioning a blogging metric. I am glad my post started a debate, I hope it can be an intelligent and civilized one.
8) If there is a consensus from anyone else that I have been a non-supportive member of the group then I will certainly resign. I think most bloggers in this group know me as someone who was always willing to help others when asked.
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9:24 pm
April 27, 2011
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JT_McGee
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The way Sam set this network up is completely brilliant. Everything from the alexa system to the newly reformed badge system has created a perfect gamelayer, which, despite not being tangible, does show real, tangible benefits.
Having launched with the wind of Yakezie behind my sails, my growth is now parabolic. I launched my blog in late January, and now three months later I've gone from 2 uniques per day, to 10, to 50 earlier this month, and now I'm averaging right around 75 each and every day. The growth has been exceptional.
Growth in my own traffic is largely the result of my participation here, and I have no hesitation in saying that at all. By next month, I think I'll be solidly over 100 uniques per day, with future growth coming in at a rate of at least 50% per month in traffic. I'm stoked, to say the least. I joined Yakezie because I thought it would be a fun hobby to start a finance-related blog that is not directly related to my bottomline. MoneyMamba is still my rambling blog, one that I haven't monetized, and one that I might not ever monetize. It is, for me, the ultimate escape, and having a fun platform like Yakezie to share ideas, strategies, and even playful conversation is just plain awesome. I'll admit I get super stoked when I see my blog name show up in my Google stats, which is more than likely a Yakezie member. I love it. :D
There are other sites I'm affiliated with that pull down 4k uniques per day, and yet still don't have an Alexa rank even close to 200k. The simple fact is that Alexa is necessarily skewed toward people who have installed it, and thus is also skewed toward younger webmaster types. That site should have an Alexa way higher than MoneyMamba's 196k, but it doesn't, mostly because it isn't getting a lot of webmaster traffic.
To become a Yakezier member, you have to reach 200k in Alexa, which is essentially saying that you have to be active, post twice per week (at least) and comment/network regularly with active members of the Yakezie community. So, where I will discount the value of Alexa to no end in terms of quantifying general levels of traffic, site value, etc., it is quite obvious who is getting the most Yakezie participation–participation that only comes with influence, respect, and participation of your own. (Commenting on 3 Yakezie blogs per day will probably get you to <200k; it did for me.) Budgetinginthefunstuff, again, is an excellent example here. Crystal is a Yakezie baller  and her Alexa rank reflects that.
P.S. I think you might call the OP something like "link bait," or perhaps more accurately, "Alexa bait." Who knows how many people with the toolbar installed went to click on the link.
P.P.S. Holy hell, I just realized this is brokeprofessionals.
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9:32 pm
April 27, 2011
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Freelancepf
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It is the former Broke Professionals. I already commented on my site that the ironic part of this is that my post decrying Alexa will in all reality really help my Alexa ranking, lol. I might just be bitter because I sold a site with a solid Alexa ranking and now I'm back at the bottom again, for all I know. But I don't think so, I was feeling this way prior to selling. I probably cared more than just about anyone about the Alexa ranking when I first began the Yakezie Challenge. Then a very wise person told me that was not the point. The point is the "selflessly helping others." I saw a post on these forums titled nightmare with certain people seeming a little stressed about Alexa, like I used to be. So I wrote my post. Sorry if I offended everyone. I know for sure I offended at least one person.
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6:18 am
April 28, 2011
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Kay Lynn Akers
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When Sam started the Yakezie Alexa was the only metric used for the Wise Bread rankings. We all climbed up those ranks pretty fast and obviously caused a stir in the community because the methodology for rankings at that site was changed.
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7:27 am
April 28, 2011
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The Single Saver
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I wrote the "Nightmare" post and it was meant to be a humorous look at my Alexa rank journey. Yes, I did dream about a rising Alexa and yes, I did find it funny and upsetting at the same time. I'm not "stressed" about it but that doesn't mean I don't want to strive for continuous improvement. And so, the Alexa ranking is important to me. Mine is down to just above 170,000 and that makes me proud. People can discount that all they want and say it means nothing in the 'big picture' but to me it shows I am growing and improving each day.
Right now I am getting about 100 unique visitors per day, and most of them are not Yakezie members. Yet my Alexa is still dropping. So even though in the 'big picture' that stats might be skewed, I still think it is a good metric of how much my site is improving in popularity. Discounting Alexa if you are a big site is fine and dandy, but for little guys like us who can't even get ranked by Google, it is the only real indicator we have.
Blogs, just like regular businesses, are judged within their niche. You can hardly compare farmer's markets to big box stores, for instance. Not can you compare a PF blog to a news website like CNN. That fact that so many PF bloggers have the Alexa installed means that Alexa is a great way to judge popularity and success within our niche, in my opinion.
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7:38 am
April 28, 2011
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Freelancepf
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Single Saver,
I think you raised a lot of great points demonstrating the possible utility of Alexa rankings. You are getting a great amount of traffic to already have 100 unique visitors on average per day. I just think that is a better demonstration of the popularity of your blog than the Alexa ranking. As I have stressed throughout–that is my opinion. There are few things I will say I am 100% right about. My opinion very well could be wrong. I think what a few people have said, and that I overlooked from the start, is that it is a personal choice what metric you use. I tried to write the post in a way that got across that I no longer believe in that metric–but everyone has their own metrics and that is what is important to them. Maybe I didn't get that point across as I would have liked. I also want to point out that nobody has a smaller site than me right now. I only started my blogs a week or two ago. I guess what I was trying to say is that this time around I am not going to stress out about Alexa, like I did when I was new to blogging. I hoped showing that Alexa is "not the end all be all" of blogging metrics might be a comforting thought to some of the newest Yakezie Challengers.
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9:38 am
April 28, 2011
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Eric – PersonalProfitability.com
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I actually had this very discussion last night with Sam in person!
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11:37 am
April 28, 2011
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Sandy @ yesiamcheap
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The only metric that matters to me is… PageRank so that I can command more money since it's the defacto rating system for advertisers, followed closely by Quantcast. Otherwise, I don't particularly care what the other numbers say.
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12:29 pm
April 28, 2011
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Money Reasons
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Actually, as far as Yakezie is concerned, Sam mentioned up front that Alexa isn't a perfect accurate traffic ranking system.
For those of you that haven't read the initial post the started the ball rolling for the formation of the Yakezie group, check out this original link on the Financial Samurai's site:
http://www.financialsamurai.co…..challenge/
My viewpoint on the initial Alexa challenge is that it became more about the power of teamwork, and because of that teamwork, we have all grown more quickly (and should continue to do so).
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1:58 pm
April 28, 2011
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Sustainable PF
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FPF – i'm not insulted at all but I wonder why engage in a competition that is based on a metric you do not agree with. If the goal is to simply network you don't need to be a challenger or a member. It seems people can hang out around these parts without participating in the challenge.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and my opinion of alexa isn't actually that far from yours. I do however respect the metric as it is used in authoritative lists of PF blogs (all of which have pros and cons).
There are a lot of metrics that will have varying amounts of "clout" depending on who uses which metric to evaluate a site. Alexa is one of those metrics as is mozRank, PageRank, technocrati, yahoo inbound links, klout etc etc etc.
Btw, your close to 1mil in a short time – congrats! ;)
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2:18 pm
April 28, 2011
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Freelancepf
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SPF:
Possibly a good point that it would be somewhat hypocritical to be a challenger in a system I do not believe in. I don't expect you to know everything that's going on with me, but as I wrote in a previous post on Yakezie, I am not currently a challenger with either of my blogs. I'm just here for the community aspect. Here is what I wrote previously on these forums when asked to re-start the challenge by a Yakezie member:
"Thanks everyone. I probably will restart the challenge but perhaps with another site since this is more of a "business" site for me. I suspect it will not be as easy to complete the challenge the second time around. I may be a perma-challenger from here on out."
I was just trying to be polite, though. I have no intention of starting the challenge again at this time. I reserve the right to do so, but I'm not planning on it. I just like hanging out with a bunch of great people, you included and near the top of that list, SPF. I really hope we all meet our blogging objectives, whatever they are.
Anyway, you should know better than to argue with an attorney, SPF. You'll never win. Even if you're right.
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