I've been monitoring MSN's A-list for a while. And I think that all bloggers should consider using it as a compliment to Google Trends.

MSN's A-list is basically a blog where MSN posts links to specific searches in their search engine. Big deal right? Well, the thing about A-list is that most of the links are for very popular, specific phrases. Many of these phrases are not one time events, but phrases that will be just as relevant next year as this year. So unlike Google Trends which mostly captures topics that fade with time, MSN's A-List captures many topics that will recur on a cyclic basis.

Blogging Tip: Create posts that use the same phrases that MSN A-List uses for their links.

By doing this, you will be positioning your blog to gain search traffic in the future. Hopefully for a long time.

Let's take a look at today's A-list and how you can use it to create content on your blog.

I see the following searches linked:

Sarah Palin and vetting
Background checks
Research your house history
"Murder Houses"
Seller disclosure rules by state
Credit checks
Better Business Bureau
Neighborhood crime statistics
Local school information
Rotten neighborhoods
Federal gun background check requirements
Online encyclopedias

Now if I were a blogger, I'd take this list and work up a list of titles that incorporate these phrases:

Sarah Palin, Vetting and The Truth: Even if she was vetted, it's the impression that counts
Background Checks 101: Which organizations are most likely to dig up dirt on your past?
Why You Should Research Your House History Before Purchasing
What exactly are "Murder Houses"?
How to find seller disclosure rules by state
Credit Checks Matter: What you need to know

etc.
etc.
etc.

Robert Scoble writes:

One trend that bloggers don’t want to talk about? A number of my blogging friends have seen their traffic go down lately. They assume that their readers are off in social networks. I think they are absolutely right.

Hugh McLeod responds:

The time of the A-List is dead. Thank Christ. Not a moment too soon.

Brian Clark follows up:

Value will always be key. And I think you’ll find that the migration of pure social chatter off of blogs and onto social networking applications is a good thing for the rest of us who are looking to build businesses powered in whole or in part by blogs.

I think this is a joke - no, not the funny kind, but the ridiculous kind.

For as long as I've been reading 'about blogging', we've had this A-list debate. It's similar to high-school social hierarchy, where the popular boys and girls get all the attention and there are always a few rebels ready to call their time up.

Let's face it, there will ALWAYS be an A-list. The names will change, some old ones will fade and new ones will take their place, but in essence, the psychology of the A-list will always be there.

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