Scott Karp at Publishing 2.0 posted a piece about standards in blogging and responses to comments on his earlier writing on gatekeepers. The comments in this post turned more toward gaining attention in the blogging world. These two topics are very much related. If it is the goal of a blogger to move up the rankings, get more hits, get more links, s/he is best served by creating a connection a well connected node. The A-list bloggers serve the function of hubs within the network. Readers are fed from these well connected centers to outlying blogs. In other words, there is great value for a reasonably un-connected blogger to create a connection to a very well connected one. The problem is that these links are bi-directional. A link from the unconnected blogger (through a blogroll, comment, trackback, anything that asserts their presence to some degree) to the well connected one is worth very little unless the latter reciprocates in some way.

Where this links to the quality of writing is through the ego-driven quality of most blogs. Surely one of the best ways to get a blogger to respond to a link (thereby linking to you) is to put them in a position where they feel they have to defend their ego (as represented by their own bloggings). What this sets up is an environment ripe for loud, raucous writing (attacking or praising, though doubtless the former would be more successful) rather than carefully thought-out exchanges of ideas. This is not to say this is all that happens, or that there is no possibility for a serious, respectful debate, but it is easy to slip into the unproductive, ego-driven state.

My own writing on this blog is an example. A week or two ago I wrote about folksonomies and linked to a post by Thomas Vander Wal. I both praised and criticized his writing and he responded in a comment. This is one of the few posts I have made that actually received comments and I don't doubt that it is due to the personal references I made. The brief exchange that took place was not heated or insulting, but it was predicated by my criticism of one of his ideas. My linking to other relevant posts and blogs serves the purpose of showing visitors what I have been reading and influenced by, but it also increases the chances that the highly-connected blogs will reciprocate a link and lead readers here.

So here I have linked to Scott Karp's post and a trackback will be sent. In comparison to me, he is a highly connected node. Will he notice? Furthermore, will he respond? If he doesn't, is it because I have not made such harsh criticism of his writing as he has received in the comments on his own blog? Or is it because what I have written is not worthy of response?