Probably most of you know that Danny has announced his plans for moving beyond Search Engine Watch. He is starting a new blog named Search Engine Land.
Will it become a success? I would count on it. Proof? Well, how about the reaction Danny received when he announced he would be leaving Search Engine Watch.
At last week's PubCon Danny announced towards the end of his keynote that he will be starting Search Engine Land and that Chris Sherman and I would be joining him and also leaving Search Engine Watch. Soon after, Danny announced that all the other search correspondents who write at SEW Blog will also be coming over to Search Engine Land.
It is less than 10 months since I joined blogging at Search Engine Watch. I enjoy it, but I enjoy working with Danny on a daily basis. Waking up a bit earlier is well worth the experience I get from this.
Why did I not stay at Search Engine Watch? Well, that gets a bit personal, so I posted it at Cartoon Barry. I am touched by the community response towards my contributions to Search Engine Watch and their support with Search Engine Land. Nathan Weinberg of InsideGoogle wrote in a comment;
Barry, I think you don't understand how important you were to SEW. Gary Price, then you, were the workhorses of SEW. Danny was the big name and Chris appears to be the glue, but you (and previously Gary) were the real reason to read the site: To get the news every day. A person who can do that well is hard to replace, and if SEW had lost only you, they'd already be in a tough place. I mean, when Gary left, they got lucky that you were able to jump right in and keep it going, but there's no way they'd get lucky a second time this year.
Wow, now that means a ton to me. Of course, I don't think I am the reason people come to Search Engine Watch. I know Danny and Chris are the reason, I just try to pitch in with short, quick stories related to search - so that we have a place to reference back when Danny or Chris want to do a bigger write up. Sometimes, I may do a big opinionated write up, but it is often not my style to write that way at a blog that I do not own. :)
In any event, the community is very excited for the new site. I have no idea what will happen over at Search Engine Watch. I do wish them the best. But I am looking forward to something a bit new.
Forum discussion at Cre8asite Forums.
