Who Do You Link To?
Linking to the source is what us bloggers do, right? However, how exactly do you determine which source is the “right” source? Do you merely link to the site where you first found a news item? Do you link to the sites they linked to? Do you do research and try to find the original source? This is the dilemma that’s been bugging me for the last couple of days.
The thing is, I can make it really easy on myself and just link to wherever I read the news, but is it fair to the other bloggers? What if this site merely wrote a short commentary on someone else’s original story? If you look at Techmeme and how it threads stories, this kind of behavior can completely cut off the original source. If some small blog discovers a story, and then Engadget follows up, and everyone links to Engadget, then Engadget will get the bulk of Techmeme traffic, not the source blog.
So, let’s say we agree that one should always take effort to link to the original source. But things aren’t that simple in this department. Many a time a technology blog will find a mainstream story and find a new, tech-related angle that might make the story even more interesting than the original. In this case, linking to the original source is a bit unfair; especially if I don’t follow this mainstream publication in the first place.
I rarely follow up other stories; I try to do original stories if possible. As far as linking goes, I’m trying to find the original source related to technology and not go further; however, I have a bias towards good commentary and smaller blogs - the big ones are going to get linked to anyway.
I’d like to hear your opinion on this, especially if you’re a blogger! Who do you link to?
November 23rd, 2007 at 6:44 am
[…] The Zen of Steve wrote an interesting post today!.Here’s a quick excerpt [IMG link]Linking to the source is what us bloggers do, right? However, how exactly do you determine which source is the “right” source? Do you merely link to the site where you first found a news item? Do you link to the sites they linked to? Do you do research and try to find the original source? This is the dilemma that’s been bugging me for the last couple of days. The thing is, I can make it really easy on myself and just link to wherever I read the news, but is it fair to the other blog […]
November 23rd, 2007 at 6:49 am
I totally agree with you on linking to good commentry over official sources. I think it depends on the context - for quantitative stuff where there’s a responsibility to lik to acurate information then I would try to link the officail source. For qualitative stuff where the commentry and ongoing discussion are the real value, I’ll link to the source which I personally find the most entertaining (in the hope that it improves *my* EntertainmentRank - SEO joke?…I’ll get my coat)
November 23rd, 2007 at 7:53 am
@Dave: thanks for the comment. SEO jokes, try telling one of those to your girlfriend (;
November 24th, 2007 at 6:45 am
I get a bit bored with reading blog after blog that consists only of “TechCrunch reports that…” or “Blah, blah, blah (tip: Mashable)”. We all read those blogs in the first place and if someone’s got a smaller blog that just echoes them, one has to ask why they’re bothering.
If I blogged about something other than the highly specialist subject I do, I’d link to wherever the original story came from; if something’s in the Guardian, then gets picked up by TechCrunch, I’ll link to the Grauniad.
November 24th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Yeah, linking to the source can be annoying…
there’s a site that can help with that, where original content from the site can be embedded on a blog in it’s entirely. If you find interesting content from listbums.com use it as a post and keep your readers reading your blog!!!!!!!!
Have a nice day :>
November 24th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
when i blog, i link to what i’m talking about (direct sources).
when i’m just spreading the news, i don’t blog — i share via google reader.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:03 am
@everyone: thanks for your feedback. Andy: you’re right, that’s why I often avoid blogging about subjects everyone else talks about.
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