When Blogs Grow Up

The redesign of Technorati, once a blog search engine, marks the transformation from a niche market into something much more mainstream. CEO Dave Sifry, in his interview with Wired mentions that people can now get a full "360 degree context" of the web, which includes (but is certainly not limited to) video, user-generated content, podcasts and games.



Improved functionality includes better and easier tagging and a more streamlined (and colorful!) interface. The general layout remains simple to use, and feels somewhat like a cross between YouTube and del.icio.us.

This new approach speaks to the fact that consumers are increasingly influenced by information provided by their peers. While CNET used to pride itself on "expert editors reviews," they are increasingly emphasizing user reviews. Which begs the question- as advertisers continue to promote products and services, whose voice will have the most authority online? Will there eventually be a shift back to "experts" or is the collective power of the common person going to stick around for a while?