Tuesday 15 January 2013

Blogging Awards & Some Thoughts

In the last week there has been numerous posts about awards and the value of them. You can read a really good discussion at Finding Eliza with a link to an article called Blogging Awards & SEO & a further posts and comments over at Family History Across the Seas hosted by Pauline, along with a post at Australian Ancestral Journeys

It became clear that many of the genealogical bloggers appreciate the gesture of receiving the award, but feel uncomfortable of the forwarding of it. Feeling, that it singles out fellow bloggers, in addition to the SEO.

I have to say I agree. There are lots of blogs that I visit and comment on, and whilst I am very grateful that others feel that my blog is worthy of an award, and that people read my posts and leave comments. I do not like passing them on.

Several times last year I wrote a post saying that I had been awarded an award and then linking to the main page of the awarder - much in the same way as I have linked to Pauline in this post, and the way that I often to link to other bloggers when I write posts, as a courtesy and acknowledgement.  I then went onto to say this -
"I follow a tremendous number of blogs and many of them are versatile. I have therefore decided not to pass along the award, but to make a further loan $25 to the Kiva Project that I have mentioned several times on this blog. I am a member of the Genealogists for Families Team"
Therefore I have decided that should I be nominated for a blog I shall no longer forward it on. Nor will I be awarding any awards.  Instead I shall
  1. Use it as an opportunity to undertake something of lasting value by making a loan to KIVA via the Genealogists for Families Team 
  2. Create a page for blogs that I follow regularly and enjoy.


8 comments:

  1. I really like this idea Julie and will do the same.

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  2. I think it's a great idea and bravo to you for thinking of it!

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  3. Julie, that's a generous and strategic way of dealing with this problematic issue. BTW it was Aillin who alerted me to the core dilemma initially by referring to Caroline's post. Shared knowledge works wonders :-)

    I'm reluctant to put an "award free" notice on my blog (not quite sure why, I confess) but have decided not to award any myself in the future based on all the considerations discussed.

    I've been giving some thought to adding a page to my blog with the awards given previously and acknowledging those who gave them. I would also lead in with the link to the "Why not" article. Haven't quite made up my mind about whether to add it or not.


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    Replies
    1. Thanks Pauline. I have made an amendment to the post and linked to the post written by Aillin.

      I already had a page for the awards previously received and a link to the person who had nominated. So I have left that, and added a link to this post.

      I have to say, that I feel much more relaxed about the whole thing!

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    2. That's good. I'll be glad to move on I must say.

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  4. Well said! I'm not a fan of old-fashioned chain letters, and these seem to me to be rather similar. It sounds like you have found a comfortable and kind solution.

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