Cool Tool of the Week: Blog Networks on Facebook

This is the first of a weekly series highlighting Web sites, applications, widgets or whatever else you might find useful. Check back every Friday (or, you know, just subscribe) for a brief bit of endorsement and explanation.

This week's winner is the Blog Networks application on Facebook.

How it describes itself: "Your personal blogroll on Facebook. Show off your favorite blogs, network with bloggers, and discover new blogs."

How I'd describe it: Finally, an easy way to find blogs that share your interests — and promote your own blog in the process.

Getting started: When you add Blog Networks to your Facebook profile, you'll be asked to start out by finding five blogs you like. This might be more challenging than you think, since many of the best blogs have yet to make it into the database. But thanks to a legion of keywords  like "books," "church" and "design," you'll likely find some great blogs you never knew existed.

Why you'll use it: The browsing feature alone makes this application worth it. You will be floored by the incredible quantity and range of blogs that are available. You can join any blog's network, which is really just a way of showing support. You can even start a network for your favorite blogs and tell Facebook to notify the authors.

Setting up a network for your own blog is a snap, although it takes time to amass much of a following. (You can only invite a limited number of friends each day.) Also, you'll probably need to have 10 friends verify that you really do run the site. But then you can sit back and watch

Shortcomings: This isn't really an effective way to actually read blogs on a daily basis. I'd still recommend that when you find one you like, you just subscribe to it via Google Reader or a similar service.  My only other pet peeve is that it takes a while for the screenshot to appear when you set up a network for your blog, which can make you feel kinda ghetto. Seems the developers could have just let you load your own thumbnail, but no biggie.

In summary: If you're a Facebook user, go add this application pronto and start finding new brain food. And hey, while you're at it, join The Social Path network and help me feel loved for blogging on a holiday.

Comments

[Alan Wolk]

It could be all that you've (very nicely) outlined.

Or it could be a blogger popularity contest ("I've got 125 of my friends to sign up as fans!")

Time will tell- proof will be if the more interesting/well done blogs rise to the top vs. bloggers with more FB friends.

[David Griner]

That's a good point, although I expect that's mostly a short-term issue. The "fan" setup is pretty clunky, although I like that when you click on someone, you can see all the other blogs they like. I've found myself using that more than the other browsing features.

Barring any major upgrades, I think this will just end up being a pretty slick blog directory...until the spammers find it.