BlogShares
Encyclopedia
BlogShares is an online stock market
for blog
s, in which participants speculate
on the future
of individual blogs. The website operates similar to how a real stock exchange
works. In BlogShares, blogs are like companies, and inbound links are the asset
s that drive valuations
. When members first join the website, they are given 500 BlogShare dollars. The website does not have an End of Day
, which is the end of the trading day in financial markets—players can trade at any time.
Several common strategies have been adopted by BlogShares members. Some players try to get their blog on the Top 100 Index on BlogShares, which lists the 100 blogs with the most inbound links. Other players purchase shares in popular blogs in the hopes that they will continue to grow. Jay Allen, a blogger from Budapest
, Hungary
, advises, "I think it's important to stress here the part about not needing a blog to play. This game is mainly about one thing: your user portfolio. [...] The aim is solely to be the one lying on the beach on a south Pacific island sipping sweet drinks from a coconut and making sure that the umbrella doesn't poke you in the eye."
Seyed Razavi, an Iran
ian-born graduate of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in Manchester
, England
, is the website's founder and programmer. After realizing that the blogosphere
was similar to a stock market, Razavi setup BlogShares to allow participants to trade virtual shares of blogs, in what he considered the attention economy
. He noted that some members play BlogShares like a role-playing game
, and some go as far as to consider themselves as a blog's chief executive officer
, demanding accurate metrics for blogs that they have stakes in. Razavi also stated that BlogShares observes that its players have experienced behavior modification
s, since the game is "a psychological phenomenon worth measuring".
Stock market
A stock market or equity market is a public entity for the trading of company stock and derivatives at an agreed price; these are securities listed on a stock exchange as well as those only traded privately.The size of the world stock market was estimated at about $36.6 trillion...
for blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
s, in which participants speculate
Speculation
In finance, speculation is a financial action that does not promise safety of the initial investment along with the return on the principal sum...
on the future
Futures exchange
A futures exchange or futures market is a central financial exchange where people can trade standardized futures contracts; that is, a contract to buy specific quantities of a commodity or financial instrument at a specified price with delivery set at a specified time in the future. These types of...
of individual blogs. The website operates similar to how a real stock exchange
Stock exchange
A stock exchange is an entity that provides services for stock brokers and traders to trade stocks, bonds, and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for issue and redemption of securities and other financial instruments, and capital events including the payment of income and...
works. In BlogShares, blogs are like companies, and inbound links are the asset
Asset
In financial accounting, assets are economic resources. Anything tangible or intangible that is capable of being owned or controlled to produce value and that is held to have positive economic value is considered an asset...
s that drive valuations
Valuation (finance)
In finance, valuation is the process of estimating what something is worth. Items that are usually valued are a financial asset or liability. Valuations can be done on assets or on liabilities...
. When members first join the website, they are given 500 BlogShare dollars. The website does not have an End of Day
End Of Day
End of day, end of business, close of business or COB is the end of the trading day in financial markets, the point when trading ceases. In some markets it is actually defined as the point in time a few minutes prior to the actual cessation of trading, when the regular traders' orders are no longer...
, which is the end of the trading day in financial markets—players can trade at any time.
Several common strategies have been adopted by BlogShares members. Some players try to get their blog on the Top 100 Index on BlogShares, which lists the 100 blogs with the most inbound links. Other players purchase shares in popular blogs in the hopes that they will continue to grow. Jay Allen, a blogger from Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, advises, "I think it's important to stress here the part about not needing a blog to play. This game is mainly about one thing: your user portfolio. [...] The aim is solely to be the one lying on the beach on a south Pacific island sipping sweet drinks from a coconut and making sure that the umbrella doesn't poke you in the eye."
Seyed Razavi, an Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian-born graduate of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is the website's founder and programmer. After realizing that the blogosphere
Blogosphere
The blogosphere is made up of all blogs and their interconnections. The term implies that blogs exist together as a connected community or as a social network in which everyday authors can publish their opinions...
was similar to a stock market, Razavi setup BlogShares to allow participants to trade virtual shares of blogs, in what he considered the attention economy
Attention economy
Attention economics is an approach to the management of information that treats human attention as a scarce commodity, and applies economic theory to solve various information management problems....
. He noted that some members play BlogShares like a role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, and some go as far as to consider themselves as a blog's chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
, demanding accurate metrics for blogs that they have stakes in. Razavi also stated that BlogShares observes that its players have experienced behavior modification
Behavior modification
Behavior modification is the use of empirically demonstrated behavior change techniques to increase or decrease the frequency of behaviors, such as altering an individual's behaviors and reactions to stimuli through positive and negative reinforcement of adaptive behavior and/or the reduction of...
s, since the game is "a psychological phenomenon worth measuring".