Marius Masalar has some thoughts about blogging and link posts. Masalar sees a lot of value in them and the role they play in the makeup of the IndieWeb.
At their best, link posts are a way for independent bloggers to engage with and continue a conversation started by one of their fellows.
We use them to boost each other up, offer constructive criticism, point out other views, or amplify a message we believe in.
He makes a point, though, that link posts should contain something of value from the curator. What does the person linking to the content think about it? It’s best practice to try and explain why someone should make the jump. There are a billion things on the internet and all sorts of entertainment offline, as well. It’s up to the blogger who is linking to something to at least briefly explain why it is worth the reader’s time. It shows respect and a genuine desire to point followers to things that they might find compelling.
There’s no right or wrong way to do this, and I’m not suggesting that people who share links without commentary are committing some sort of crime against the indie web. However, if you’re going to share new ideas and experiences with someone, it seems courteous to do so with the same care and attention you’d grant them if you were making the recommendation in person.
Of course, there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with sharing nothing but a link, but the effort to put your own take on things ultimately rewards your readers.
Another view related to this is from Paul Jarvis, who laments the decline of small b blogging. Small b blogging being that art of writing for those who share interests, without thought to growth or gaming the system for metrics. In that model, presenting your own take on things found around the interwebs is integral to the implied contract with those who follow your blog.
Content is rewarded now through the act of getting someone to a website. Who cares if they read something, who cares if something was written well, who cares if there’s even content. Content now needs likes, shares, outrage, promotion, and to rank high in Google. Content online has gone from acting like an e-zine to being what it started out counter to, and that’s mass, mainstream media.
Small b blogging follows that e-zine model and differentiates itself by being honest about its intentions. Part of that is the explanation and the personal reasons for why you are linking to something you found and want to share.
