Search-Powered Web Apps

I wrote a blog post a little while ago entitled “Audi S4s are like crack”. When searching me through Lijit for that post, people sometimes just type in “crack”…which means that “crack” then shows up as one of my popular searches, and on my stats page, and (if someone just did it and you happen to be there to see it) on the Lijit homepage. Since I’m not really a big fan of crack (the drug) and haven’t amassed a lot of interesting, searchable content related to it, I sometimes find all of that a little misleading, as well as ever so slightly embarrassing.

Figuring that some of you may have experienced this same phenomenon, we added a feature that allows you to filter the searches displayed about you. Just look for the “Filter displayed searches” link on your profile page (under the “Searched About” cloud) or at the bottom of the “Top 25 Searches” list on your stats page.

Enter the terms you no longer want to display and — shazam! — they’ll display no more. If you change your mind and want to see those searches again, simply remove the term from your list and they’ll pop right back into view. Easy as that.

Now it’s even easier to modify your network! In last night’s update we added the ability to modify your network without leaving the blog you are on. If you are a Lijit user and you visit a blog that displays our search capability, now our Wijit adapts and lets you add the person to your network! If you’re on your own blog, you can immediately jump to your stats page, and if that person is already in your network, then it will tell you.

Sure it’s cool for your search to cover not only your own content, but also that of folks in your network. Damn cool in fact. Which makes it frustrating that it’s so difficult to set up your network.

We hear you, and we feel it too.

For now, you can add other folks to your network by one of two ways:

• If they are a Lijit user, simply go to their profile page and click the “trust” button. (It’s in the block with their picture.)
• If not, click the “Add RSS Informer” button up by the Lijit logo. Then enter the URL of their RSS feed.

We’re working on what is (IMHO) the most obvious solution for a blog: tying your network to your blogroll. After all, blogroll links represent the largest open social network around.

Today we added a Search Wijit customizer. If you’ve already have a Wijit installed, you can now match it to your blog. Just go to the Wijit pickup page. And if you don’t yet have a Wijit, well then sign up and get one!