Query about Automated blogs

googlesuccess · 11-02-2006, 04:49 PM

I recently purchased the script rss2blog for making automated blogs. I am little hesitant to put such blogs on my production websites which already have good PR and good traffic generating business.

I'd like to know if anybody has created such blogs and if search engines treated them favorably or banned the sites.

RobS · 11-02-2006, 05:12 PM

I wouldn't use it.

Why risk it.. google will find out..

googlesuccess · 11-02-2006, 05:29 PM

Well, I use RSS based news on some of my sites with legitimate links to the original new articles. It keeps my pages fresh and Google has been favorable to these pages and the site in overall. Technically the automated blogs are not much different from such RSS based news - that is why I'd like to know from someone who has first hand experience with such automated blogs.

RobS · 11-02-2006, 05:32 PM

Thats different.... its PART of the website, if you have a FULLY automated blog like that it will hurt in the long run... google doesn't favour them.

Using rss as PART of a blog is different as well.

So.. you need to say which one are you planning?

Julie · 11-02-2006, 08:43 PM

Don't do it. It's evil.

RobS · 11-02-2006, 08:48 PM

I agree julie... it is... hurts in the end..so why bother... lol

googlesuccess · 11-02-2006, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobS

Thats different.... its PART of the website, if you have a FULLY automated blog like that it will hurt in the long run... google doesn't favour them.

Using rss as PART of a blog is different as well.

So.. you need to say which one are you planning?

I mentioned before that my intention was to put the automated blog on my production site which already has a good PR and traffic.

A.N.Onym · 11-03-2006, 12:03 AM

It sounded like you wanted to put the automated blog on your production hosting, not on your website. You can setup industry news to be published on your site, but I really don't see the benefits of having a fully automated RSS to posts blog, except for traffic. What value will your visitors get from it?

Why not just either comment on the news (unique comments), write articles (unique and useful articles) or create full-blown pieces of content (very useful, linkable stuff).

Anyway, if you don't link from your main site to the automated blog, you won't be harmed. If you do link to your duplicate content aggregator, you probably wont get hurt - but that's not clear to me, whether linking to duplicate content hurts or not.

googlesuccess · 11-03-2006, 12:33 AM

My website is about selling cars online. you can check it at best-trade-car.com. It gets more than 1400 uniques already and we sell more than 60 cars per month - but still my client wants to increase the business. There is nothing much to write about our own stuff related to cars every day. If we start writing unique content it spoils the focus of our blog. So I just want to get another blog or article directory just for search engine purpose. Of course I will test this automated blog on a test website for few months first. I just wanted a feedback from somebody who had really used such tools.

A.N.Onym · 11-03-2006, 04:25 AM

I am sure there are ways you can integrate your new (self-written) content into your existing blog. Can't spoil a site by relevant, quality content.

You can try to find guest bloggers, pay for quality articles, etc.

For instance, you can simply add the "Tips" category and write how to choose used cars, how to choose the used cars dealer, what to look for when receiving a used car, how to keep the car healthy for a longer period, etc. It is just one category and you can write infinitely about helping used cars buyers.

Really, there may be a lot of ideas for writing content.

There are other benefits of writing content yourself:
- the content will be unique (no duplicate filter)
- it will be focused on and tuned to your website
- it will be of higher quality than stolen content
- you'll get higher conversion rates with better, unique content
- you'll be able to integrate links to your internal pages within self-written content easily and naturally

Really, why optimize sites for the search engines? Try doing it for the humans.

martyan · 11-03-2006, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by googlesuccess

If we start writing unique content it spoils the focus of our blog.

When does unique content spoil the focus? I think A.N.Onym's advice on adding tips will help you a lot.

RobS · 11-03-2006, 07:28 AM

Great advice there A.N Onyms..... well as been said IF you have added content...go for it..if they are NOT just crap.. and they ARE relevant.. think it will help..

googlesuccess · 11-03-2006, 06:28 PM

Thanks Onyms ! Yes, I agree with your suggestions. They are surely helpful.
However, we have to look into some practical limitations too.

It is very difficult to find bloggers in Japan who know English and Japanese automobile industry. Again Japanese do not like to outsource to people whom they can not meet. That is a cultural trait.

Most of our customers are dealers from foreign countries and not individual buyers. We have to convince them to buy from us and not from other exporters/dealers - so it does not make much sense offering general tips - how to select a dealer etc. So we have to be careful in the content that appears in our main blog. We do that by being transparent to our customers.