Ask YC: What's wrong with getting linked to from blogs and prominent sites? | Hacker News Reader

Ask YC: What's wrong with getting linked to from blogs and prominent sites?

4 pointswumi13 comments

Honestly, I think getting linked to a major blot such as TC or any other is not worth it for most startups. Unless your product is so superior and so obviously necessary, I can't see how getting covered or linked to will produce anything more than short-term success.

Maybe a discussion of how many major sites have grown 'organically' vs. getting major coverage..

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I think trying to create a product that is superior + obviously necessary should be the goal for most startups... Getting on TC is then just a resulting symptom.

That said, top-tier blogs are a good way for many in the startup scene to really jumpstart their project, but getting a writeup there is certainly not a requirement to success, and there's plenty of echochambering that goes on in them too, so I can see why many choose an alternate route all together.

Perhaps you'll find this post relevant to your question: http://redeye.firstround.com/2008/01/after-the-techc.html

For us, getting on TechCrunch//GigaOm//etc was a strong benefit. Those blogs have a big reach. It got us a lot of other coverage, investor interest, and established some level of credibility out of the gate.

Well put. I guess it's a chicken and egg complex. Does the success bring the bloggers, or do the bloggers bring the success?

good article, and a good link to one of Riya's co-founders: http://munjal.typepad.com/recognizing_deven/2006/05/episode_...

I have no doubt that it can be and is extremely helpful to a lot of startups, but I've seen a lot of products that aren't superior nor obviously necessary, but have some news item (i.e. funding or alpha/beta/public launch) and therefore get covered

just throwing a thought out there -- I guess if the product's already well-made it will only spur the rise to app stardom, and if its not, just be the "cocaine high" that Riya talked about

Getting linked to from those sites helps more than you think. For one, it's exposure to a million plus people. True, most of them never click through, and most of the ones who do never stick, but if you even get 50 customers out of it that's pretty sweet given that it takes zero time on your part. I wouldn't recommend putting a lot of effort into getting Crunched or Dugg, but it's certainly a good thing when it happens.

You'd also be amazed how many people contact you after a TechCrunch. Dell salesmen, other people in your niche, and all sorts of assorted nutjobs wanting to partner with you or sell you something you don't need. I don't know of anyone who got anything useful that way, but I'm sure it's happened.

I'm told there was a day when being featured there meant something, and instead of crazies contacting you it was investors, but those are long gone. Still, it's certainly not bad.

I think a TC post is worth nothing to most startup unless

1. you are targeting thier audience

2. you are after hype to get some VC's interested

3. you are targeting a mainstream audience and hope that other bloggers or mainstream media will pick you up after seeing you on TC

You are better off targetting blogs aimed at your target audience.

A blog with 2000 readers is going to have more value and be easier to get coverage on.

Anyone know of any where that list these b and c list bloggers by niche? I would pay for that list.

Yeah, that would be a great list. I think you could compile one by browsing Technorati a whole lot.

I looked at that but you can't really get any feel for audience size from Technorati. If you could mashup a service like compete.com with Technorati then you would no doubt have a powerful tool. I was thinking of hiring someone to get started on a list. Who knows maybe there is a startup in it because it would be useful to marketing companies as well as startups.

I've been working on compiling this type of directory. When its finished its gonna go up at www.buzzfolder.com . Email office at unchartedventures dot com if you want me to let you know when i finish it. should be about a week now...

cool, I have dropped you an email.

It definitely won't hurt your startup. It will bring in some sales/users, but it's not a magic bullet. At worst, it's a free link from a high pagerank, relevant site.

good point about the pagerank and could be helpful if you are in a crowded market.

so high in fact, google search a company they've covered (try weebly or rescue time ) that they're pretty often the #2 search result

> Maybe a discussion of how many major sites have grown 'organically' vs. getting major coverage..

Explosive growth 100% organically is a total myth.

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