1st Rule: You Do Not Blog About Blog Networks

Posted on October 11, 2005

Martin Neumann recently shuttered his Blog Network Watch blog after just a week. He says in a post that he quit the blog because he thought he might want to join or start a blog network himself.

"You can read the reasons over there but basically I've come to the conclusion that (maybe) I'd rather be a part of a network than writing about one - and damn it, you can't do justice by doing both. I don't want to be in a position of conflict-of-interest, and that's exactly what I'd be in if one day I were to join a network and continue writing about them all. So it's best to pull the pin right now.
No matter what anyone says, individuals who continue to write about blog networks (usually with that bloggers critical eye) and also own or be a part of one have a serious conflict-of-interest, even if their intentions are A Okay. Sometimes, right or wrong, it's the perception that matters over the reality."

So, if you own a blog network, blog for a blog network or even if you are just thinking about joining a blog network remember Martin's "1st Rule of Blog Networks."

1st Rule: You DO NOT blog about Blog Networks

Of course, many blog network owners and bloggers that blog for blog networks break Martin's "rule" and frequently blog about and link to other blog networks. Is this a conflict of interest? Would it even be possible to blog away ignoring and never linking to any of the other blog networks? ProBlogger.net has a post on this very topic with a growing number of comments from other bloggers.

Updated: 10-12-05