What a Cross-Blog Conversation Looks Like

A cross-blog conversation is a public conversation that starts with a posting or comment to one weblog, and then spreads to a posting or comment in a different blog. This can get difficult to follow unless everyone involved makes an effort to include specific cross-links -- and even then it can get confusing!

If you're not sure what a cross-blog conversation looks like, here's a very simple example...

Earlier today I published a posting called "I Wish Blog Comments Were Easier to Follow." I was pleased that this posting attracted several thoughtful comments.

One reader, Michael Hiemstra, did something I really love: He picked up on the theme of my posting and wrote a posting on his own weblog which offered his take on the same topic. See: "Following the Comments." That posting also includes a link back to my original posting. (Thanks, Michael!)

After he published his posting, he jumped back to my posting and left a comment that included a link to his posting. In effect, his brief comment on my blog served as both a teaser and a connection to his blog.

I noticed and followed his link, read his excellent posting on his blog, and then left my own comment there.

THE BENEFIT: WIDER EXPOSURE AND INVOLVEMENT

Cross-blog conversations are cool because they expose the audience of more than one blog to an ongoing conversation, thus giving more people the opportunity to jump in wherever it suits them. This benefits everyone involved: bloggers, commenters, and readers alike.

... The downside, of course, is that cross-blog conversations can be hard to follow.

For instance, what if Michael hadn't mentioned to me that he'd published a posting that picked up on my theme? I may still have discovered it, but then again I may not have found it promptly or at all. If I didn't know what he said, it would be hard for us to have a real conversation.

Even worse, it would be nearly impossible for the readers of either of our blogs to discover and participate in the relevant conversation on the other blog. Not every blog reader wants that much context, but it's a shame to deprive them of the option.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: DON'T FORGET TO CROSS-LINK

That kind of problem happens a lot with weblogs. So if you're starting or joining a cross-blog conversation, do everyone a favor and include appropriate cross-links right in your posting or comment. Then take a second to comment back or e-mail the person who wrote the item that you're branching off from and let them know what you're up to.

Until there's an easy way to automatically track conversations across blogs, we'll all have to pitch in and do it manually. But it's not really hard. Just consider it a public courtesy.

Do you have an example of a cross-blog conversation you'd like to point out? Comment below!

Comments

[Jeremiah Owyang]

Amy, great blog, you explain what and how things work in a clear and easy way to understand --well done.

This conversation 'exploded' in the blogosphere yesterday as David Tebbutt questions whether Microsoft's biggest blogger, Robert Scoble, is relevent for Microsoft's needs.

http://teblog.typepad.com/david_tebbutt/2006/01/corporate_blogg.html

The conversation, comments, and post spread to a variety of blogs, including Robert Scoble's as well as his partner Shel Isreal

http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/2006/01/03/have-i-outlived-my-usefulness/

http://redcouch.typepad.com/weblog/2006/01/should_scoble_l.html

[Beth]

Hi,

Not too long ago, I got involved in a cross-blog conversation about cross-blog conversations. It started with a post called "Can Blogs be facilitated?"

I tried to leave some bread crumbs in the woods and summarzied the conversation at the end:
http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/2005/10/what_a_fabulous.html

When I've gotten into cross-blog conversations, it usually happens because
a.) I've a read post that causes me to think or comment and I dash off something.
b.) I feel like the comment was just a warm up to some good thinking and go back to own blog and flesh it out and ping the blogger.
c.) The original blogger reads my post, leaves a comment and responses.

I've noticed that cross-blog conversations tend to be short -- two or three exchanges between 2 or 3 people.

Here's an exception where about a half dozen of us got into the conversation:
http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/2005/05/in_a_post_calle.html
and
http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/2005/05/definitions_and.html

I've noticed that I've mostly gotten into cross-blog conversations with other bloggers where I've been a regular reader and posting comments.

There are some tools that are designed to help you spot the distributed "conversation" in blogs - see http://blogs.icerocket.com/ for an example - but takes a few days to get indexed.

See also:
http://www.fiveacross.com/blog/2005/01/threaded-blog-conversations.html
http://www.thevirtualhandshake.com/blog/2005/09/14/the-conversation-is-real

[Amy Bellinger]

Here's a good one going on right now about hyperlinks subverting hierarchy http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/mtarchive/hyperlinks_v_hierarchy.html

In a very different, much less formal way Dave Winer's OPML blogger community talks across backyard fences among neighbors. The conversation is enabled by the changes page http://changes.opml.org/ which shows who's posted in the last few hours. On occasion, when I've been blogging there at the same time that some of my particular OPML friends are there, it will even happen in real time. I could probably find an example of a real time exchange if anybody's interested.

[Amy Gahran]

Jeremiah -- thanks for drawing our attention to the "has Scoble outlived his usefulness" cross-blog conversation. Wow, that's very interesting, especially given some conversations I've had lately concerning character blogs. It seems that some marketers and companies feel that character blogs are "safer" for them because the the blogger is unlikely to derive much personal reputation or benefit for it. Sor of like, who plays Ronald McDonald? Who cares?

I'll be writing about this later, definitely.

Thanks!

- Amy Gahran

[Amy Gahran]

Beth -- thanks for pointing out the cross-blog conversation that occurred between you and Steve Shu. It is indeed a great example. Also, I didn't know about either of your blogs -- I've got you both in my feed reader now!

Some stuff that you and Steve said got me thinking, so I've continued that in this new post:

http://www.rightconversation.com/2006/01/blogs_as_a_barr.html

Thanks!

- Amy Gahran