Filed under: Internet, Blogging, Web services, web 2.0

MyBlogLog updates reader widget, releases API

MyBlogLog reader widgetWe have to admit we haven't given much thought to blogging community site MyBlogLog over the last year or so. The service launched as a way for bloggers to get in touch with one another and find new sites they might be interested in. But Technorati and Google Blog Search are both much more useful for finding blogs covering topics you care about.

But that doesn't mean there's no value in MyBlogLog. The service offers a couple of web site tools including a free and subscription analytics package and a "recent visitors widget," that shows the profiles of other MyBlogLog members who have visited your page. And this week MyBlogLog rolled out an updated and much improved version of that widget.

Not only does the new widget have a slick Web 2.0 look and feel, but when you hover your mouse over the name or image of a recent visitor, you see link to their MyBlogLog profile and links to their web sites. This adds value for anyone who publishes the widget on their site, and also creates an incentive for bloggers and web publishers to sign up for a MyBlogLog account since there's a better chance that someone might see their profile on a random page and click through to their site.

To get the widget, just login to your MyBlogLog account and click the "Get Widgets" button to get the HTML embed code.

In related news, MyBlogLog recently released an API that lets third party developers create applications using MyBlogLog data. The coolest one we've seen so far is Kent Brewster's Blog Juice bookmarklet.

Blog Juice

All you have to do is drag Brewster's bookmarklet to your browser toolbar. Then whenever you visit a page that's registered with MyBlogLog, you can click the bookmarklet to get detailed information on recent visitors. It's not as pretty as the official widget, but it provides far more information and works on sites that don't have the widget installed.

[via Somewhat Frank and ReadWriteWeb]