If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you probably noticed a few weeks ago that I switched the way my blog feeds into those two places. I had initially been using Networkedblogs, this addon to Facebook that purports to import your blog into FB and then forward it on to Twitter. It seemed to be working just fine, but I had a suspicion that it was stealing some of my page views. Nothing concrete, but I couldn’t find proof anywhere online that it played nicely with Google Analytics, Adsense and the like.
Finally my agent mentioned to me that he found the Networkedblogs interface frustrating when he wanted to then link to one of my blog entries, and that was that. I decided to jump ship. After asking around some, I was recommended to dlvr.it, a free service that does the same thing as Networkedblogs, but with a much more open interface–letting you track your views much more easily and know exactly where your traffic is coming from. I made the switch, and guess what?
Networkedblogs has totally been stealing my pageviews.
I would estimate that most of my readers from Facebook and Twitter have been going to Networkedblogs’ page–and thus earning Networkedblogs money, not me. (Not that my blog earns me a ton of money, but it’s the principle that counts here.) Now that I’m with dlvr.it, my traffic has taken a significant upturn. I know how many of my Facebook friends click to read my blog and how many of my Twitter fans (not who–no specifics. Don’t worry–I don’t know that YOU haven’t been reading. Your secret’s still safe.) I’m a stats junkie, and I love seeing that data.
Not that any of this is probably of any interest to you, but I figured I’d share it just the same–in case some poor soul out there is wondering about Networkedblogs and Adsense. I can spare him/her the waste of time. Just go to dlvr.it. Love it.
And since you’ve put up with me this long, here’s a movie clip for you. Name that film–no fair looking at the link!