Bill Slawski discovered a patent application by Microsoft that seeks to "restrict the results for queries to be from blog pages."
Does that mean that blogging has had its day? Well, if the key word is restrict and Microsoft is seeking relevancy (since when are blog posts irrelevant?), then maybe they can't limit the number of blog posts that hit the results page.
Some people want this to happen. Tim Dineen, for example, has this to say:
Blogs get a disproportionate boost (relative to their actual usefulness) because they tend to be well-optimized and are more likely to gain links than a typical (albeit just as useful) website developed by a small business or unique content provider who has a web design shop build a site for their content.
Then again, bear in mind that not all blogs use Wordpress. They're using Wordpress and the platform because it's already well optimized, so restricting the results will affect those who decided to develop upon that platform.
And finally, perhaps Microsoft should take a clue from Google's success:
Because blogs are so dynamic and oft-updated, they can often be the best source of results for new events.
I'd imagine why most blogs are still #1 for many searches I perform: because they're relevant!
Here's some additional Search Engine Roundtable coverage on the success of blogs (or why Google likes them):
- Setting Up a Blog - Some Things You Should Know From an SEO Perspective
- SEO Through Blogs and Feeds
- Blog & Feed Search SEO - Blog Optimization Strategies You Need to Know
- Blog and Feed Search SEO
Forum discussion continues at Sphinn
