BlogRush: The Visitors Experience

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I was sat looking at my website earlier today, thinking to myself what could I do to make it better, to improve the usability of my site, and I found myself looking at my BlogRush widget. I thought, does my website/blog gain from having it here?, what do my visitors think about it?, that is when it hit me that the only way to truly know what effect the BlogRush widget has on my visitors is to ask them.

I have seen BlogRush widgets on many other sites and they fit in perfectly, causing no harm to the website/blog, but I have also been to websites where the BlogRush widget slows page load times and provides more of a hindrance to the visitor than being something useful.

So I am asking for your feedback on the BlogRush widget, you may be a blogger that has some experience good or bad with the widget, you may be someone that views alot of blogs on the Internet and has some experience of the widget. If so, post your comments below about whether you believe it to be a useful addition to a website or simply a hindrance that has got out of control.

Also feel free to comment on how you feel the BlogRush widget fits into my site, and whether you feel I should keep it or simply remove it. It does bring in some steady traffic, but if that traffic is put off by the widget then it is of no use.

Feel free to post your views below.

8 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

Sean | March 25th, 2008 at 11:55 pm #

I have used the BlogRush Widget on many of my sites, and it can bring in a bit of traffic, and blends into my site well, so have no worries keeping it, would be interested to see what other peoples views are.

I can understand why some people would not like the blogrush widget, it could slow down the page load time if you had alot of images etc on your blog.
Wayne | March 25th, 2008 at 11:57 pm #

I think the widget fits onto your site ok, I do not have any problems with it, although people with slow connections might find it slows the page load time.

I think it can be usuful some times, but often the links are not that relevant, but can admit to clicking on a few.
Geoff Schwarz | March 26th, 2008 at 12:00 am #

I am not a big fan of the widget myself, I do not find the links very interesting, there is alot of rubbish websites using it.

I like the concept, they need to be a bit more picky with the sites they allow to use it. No Offence meant, I am a keen reader of your site, you do many interesting posts.

I would suggest removing the widget though, unless it brings you massive traffic. But from what I have read, it is difficult to get massive traffic from this widget.
David Shaw | March 26th, 2008 at 12:03 am #

Thanks for the rapid response guys, was not expecting such immediate feedback.

It will be interesting to see what others think about the widget, you guys have made some good points.

Geoff, I have been considering taken the widget off, I will see how others respond, I may even perform a few tests, to see what effect removing the widget has on traffic and loads times. Could appear in a posts as a follow up to this one.
Etienne Teo | March 27th, 2008 at 6:01 pm #

I have removed it almost instantly since day 3 after trying out, while it does give good flow of traffic but none lasted more than 20 secs.
David Shaw | March 27th, 2008 at 10:51 pm #

Hi Etienne

I have seen your blog, and am a fan of your work.

I have decided that I will leave the BlogRush widget on my site until the end of March, I will then try April without it and see what happens, in terms of traffic, and page load times.

David
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