Cross-linking and attribution are critical to conversation and social media
As one of the many, many bloggers who slog away everyday to bring not only news, but also insight and opinion to readers it bugs me when the huge news sites, don’t often link to us little guys. No, we’re not always first, but like the advice I’ve been given in the past: “if you can’t be first, be smarter”.
Mathew Ingram discusses this issue going over Louis Gray’s post about Mashable not linking or giving quotation credits when due. Mathew closed his post with the key point–small blogs can be “discovered” when they are given the acknowledgement and props they deserve:
Attribution is something that has been — and is still — a long-running debate in traditional media as well. Television stations “rip and read” newspaper stories, but newspapers themselves routinely take articles from wire services like Reuters or Associated Press and use virtually the entire thing, but put their own writer’s byline on it. Sometimes they put a small “with files from” at the end of the story.
The fact that you can link on the Internet is one of the most powerful forces there is. A link from Mashable can help people find new blogs such as Louis’s, and they shouldn’t be stingy with their attribution — and they definitely shouldn’t be lifting quotes holus-bolus. I hope Pete and his team can set a good example for others. Source: I’m glad Louis Gray called out Mashable - - mathewingram.com/work
This issue isn’t new, of course, we have the same issue with photography online. I provide my pictures with a CC license that allows you to use my pictures, and even make derivative works from them, as long as it is non-commercial and you give me credit for the photo.
Outlinks and props are key to how I blog. I generally but a good quote into my posts, as you can tell, and try to at least include links to other blogs as well.
When I was writing for the HomelyScientist and PimpYourWork here at b5, I didn’t link out enough. At least to the folks who link back. And this stifled the growth of both blogs I think. When I was starting with blognation I knew I had to get it going fast. The only way I could do that was to read more and more Canadian blogs and link to them. Often. In nearly every post.
Quotes, props, congrats. It’s all part of what makes this new media great, IMHO. This is way I shared my OPML file of Canadian blogs with all of you (I’ll refresh it on the post soon, but the aideRSS feed is already updated).
I hope Louis’ and Mathew’s posts make folks like Mashable change how they report the news.
Tags: attribution, linking, Louis Gray, Mashable, Mathew Ingram, Social MediaRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Social Media
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