Frequently asked questions - pfblogs.org

We've received a number of questions lately about our service. Hopefully this will serve as a pre-emptive strike for future questions.

What's the big idea?

When someone takes your content and places advertisements alongside, this person is making money off your creation. We understand that many people don't mind when their content is stolen and used for profit in this manner, but the assumption that everyone doesn't mind is unethical.

Therefore, we have created this service to show that the aggregation tools can be built without the support of advertising.

I postdated a blog entry so it would be listed above other entries. Why isn't it shown at the top?

Although you'd like your item to appear on top for a period of time, we'd rather keep the system fair for everyone. All postdated entries are automatically backdated by some amount of time.

I didn't postdate my entry but it's being backdated by pfblogs.org.

Make sure your blog has your correct time zone settings. Daylight savings time (also known as summer time in some parts of the world) plays cruel tricks on blog software.

I changed the "published on" date and time for an entry, but the update isn't reflected on pfblogs.org.

Your information is only updated on pfblogs.org when there is a change in title or url to the item. Otherwise, people could continually change their date and time to appear at the top of the list. If pfblogs.org is displaying a certain item you want updated or deleted for other reasons, contact us (remove the extra stuff in the address or else your email will bounce).

How can I add my blog to the list for aggregation?

First, consider whether the website you'd like to add is a blog. For our purposes, a blog has entries in reverse chronological order, archives for previous entries no longer displayable on the main page, and an RSS feed. If you do not have these three basic requirements, your website does not qualify.

Second, you must have content related to personal finance, either in general, or specifically tied to investing, real estate, or any other topic related to personal finance. If you do not write at least 75% about personal finance, your website does not qualify. Posts about blogging, blogging for money, PayPerPost, and affiliate linking do not count towards the 75%.

Third, you must publish original content. Short excerpts of other people's work placed in context are fine, and longer excerpts are allowed if you have explicit permission and if they are placed in context. Copying other articles disqualifies your website from inclusion.

Fourth, the blog may be spam or promote scams. For example, a website soliciting ad clicks or affiliate sign-ups is not a personal finance blog. If there is no personal finance content, your website does not qualify. Also, if your blog entries promote scams, the blog cannot be included.

If your blog passed all the above conditions, submit your blog's information for review.

Why are some blogs listed with a star ()?

These blogs are Friends of pfblogs.org. In order to become a Friend, a small donation to pfblogs.org is requested in order to defray the cost of website maintenance. More information is here.

Why was my blog deleted?

Before you assume your blog has deleted, understand that the blogs listed on the sidebar are just a selection of those most recently updated. If yours is located in this list, then your blog is still listed.

It's pretty rare a blog will be deleted. This aggregator is offered as a free service. We don't like being taken advantage of, so any attempted "gaming of the system" will not be tolerated. There will be no first warning and there will be no appeal. If you try to cheat, your blog will be banned.

I don't think I "gamed the system." What happened to my blog?

The only other situation that would cause a blog to be removed is if the pfblogs.org webmaster was led to believe your blog was about personal finance, and after watching for some time, it was determined that your blog is not about personal finance. (For example, if your posts contain little more than links to affiliates, chances are you're not really writing about personal finance.)

I think my blog is miscategorized as personal finance, real estate, or investing. How can I get that fixed?

Contact us via email (remove the extra stuff in the email address) and let us know how your blog should be categorized.

What can I do to improve my RSS feed?

First make sure your feed is well-formed and valid using this validator. If a feed is invalid, it may not be processed by pfblogs.org.

Increase the number of items in your feed by editing the template. The more items you make available, the higher the chance your summaries will be spotted by curious readers and potential visitors.

I'm a blogger concerned about my bandwidth. How often does pfblogs.org access my feed?

Your feed will be retrieved no more than once every thirty minutes. A handy ticker at the top of the screen lets readers know how fresh the feeds are. Items are temporarily stored in a MySQL database on pfblogs.org's server, so any stress will take place on pfblogs.org, not your site.

Can I subscribe to pfblogs.org with my favorite feed reader?

Of course! We provide an RSS feed of the first thirty words of the fifty most recent items. Please respect the content providers by not using this feed for commercial purposes.

How do I know you won't add advertisements to pfblogs.org?

You don't know. You are placing your faith in the pfblogs.org webmaster(s). We have been burned many times by people stealing our content in order to make money, so we understand your hesitation. You have our word that the pfblogs.org aggregator will never be turned into a money-making machine.

Why are the blogs in the sidebar different shades?

The weblogs with the most recent updates have a deeper color. As the color gets lighter, the less fresh the content from that website.

How can I spread the word about pfblogs.org?

If you have a blog, write an entry with your honest thoughts -- we can take criticism along with praise. If you have a website, include this code to place a button on your site with a link to us:

If you're a Friend of pfblogs.org, use this slightly different code:

Everyone is encouraged to create their own graphics as well.