Losing TouchI have been struggling on if I should write a blog post on the feeling I get that I am losing the deep connection I once had with the SEO industry. I know many of you might feel that even implying this, that you think I am crazy. But honestly, I use to know almost every little thing that was taking place in the industry that was public (and most non public) in nature.

As the industry grows, I have to take on more to be able to properly cover the growth of the industry. The more blogs I subscribe to, the more forum threads I need to read, the more stuff I need to write - leaves me with less time to "participate" in the industry I help document. Not participating as often as I like is sad. Heck, I don't even have the time to reply to most the comments left here or at the Search Engine Roundtable.

So why am I writing about this now and not a week or two ago? Well - Louis Gray wrote a blog post named Bloggers' Interactions With Readers Decrease With Prominence and showed this chart:

Blogging Stages of Interaction

I would not classify myself as an "industry legend," I am extremely well read in the industry, but the only "legend" in this industry would likely be Danny Sullivan.

But I honestly feel like I just don't have the time anymore to do be "in the communication," like I once was. I now feel more like I am "reporting on the communication," without always being a part of it. Well, I am a part of it, but not as much as I once was. In the past few weeks I have been trying to be more part of the communication and I will continue to do so.

Louis Gray documents what are "interactions:"

  • Allowing blog comments
  • Responding to blog comments
  • Commenting on FriendFeed about your blog
  • Tweeting links to your blog posts
  • Digging your blog
  • Stumbling your blog
  • Pimping your blog on others' blogs

Okay, I am not that bad where I do not allow comments - I do. But I am not always good with responding to them. I try so hard to comment at FriendFeed but I rarely do, I do have it set up to auto post to FriendFeed (but most people do that). I automatically Tweet my blog posts, and I do Tweet a few times a day outside of that. I only Digg my blog posts when they come up on my reader (yes, I subscribe to a site command on Digg). I never use Stumble, never. I rarely "pimp" my blog to individuals.

What I think I have learned from Louis's post is that I am currently a stage three blogger but I am just border line stage four. Louis says, "Two characteristics of Stage 3 bloggers also emerge: The sheer volume of readers makes keeping up with all of them impossible. A new kind of reader shows up, people who exhibit troll-like behavior."

Am I at that point, sometimes I do feel that way. "It's these two dynamics that cause some bloggers to head onto the next stage," explains Louis. But I do not want to head to the next stage - I do not want to lose my connection with the industry. I want to communicate, participate and be like it was three years ago. But is that even possible these days with the volume of bloggers, forums and social networking sites/apps out there?

Is it that there is too much? Or just different methods of participation then in the past? Or maybe it is both. Or maybe I am just crazy and I am participating more then most people and I should not worry about it.