UPDATE: If you want to connect with 1,000 British Mummy blogs (and some Dads, too) then please visit the new Tots100 website with up-to-date listings and a brand new PR subscription option, so you can search, filter and contact the UK’s most popular Mummy bloggers direct.
Welcome to the July 2010 Tots100 index of the top 100 British Mummy and Daddy bloggers.
This month, we’ve noticed stats are down across the board – the World Cup, a rare blast of sunshine and summer holidays mean that blogs are winding down for the summer. We’ve still got 17 new blogs in the top 100, so do pop over and visit if they’re new to you.
As you may remember, I retired Who’s the Mummy from the index last month, so I’d like to say a quick thanks to my amazing sponsors at Family Holidays, who have made me my own special badge which is in my sidebar – I’m loving being Overlord of the Index. And to think my biology teacher said I’d never amount to anything in life. We’re going to update my title next month, so please do share your ideas in the comments – we’ll use the best suggestion, and give a prize to the first person to suggest it. Keep it clean, people!
**UPDATE: Some people have asked why Parentdish, Living with Kids and other commercially owned blogs are no longer listed in the index. This is because commercially-owned blogs tend to have thousands (sometimes tens of thousands) of inbound links from their owners, which puts them at a massive advantage to regular blogs. When the index was compiled manually, we could adjust this, but unfortunately this is no longer possible. We are working on a way to differentiate commercially-owned blogs in the index, and hope to have this in place by September, but in the meantime we have removed them in the interests of fairness.**
If you write a parenting blog and you’re in the UK or a British ex-pat, you can add your blog to the Tots100 index. Just leave a comment on THIS post with your blog name, URL, and your Twitter ID if you have one. You will then be listed in next month’s index.
Before signing up, take a moment to read our primer, which explains what blogs are eligible for the index, and how your score will be calculated. Please do remember that being in the index doesn’t mean you have to blog in a certain way, or when you have more exciting things to do – the index rewards quality not quantity!
You can also opt out of the index for any month, just by dropping us a line and asking to be removed from the table.
If you have submitted your blog to the Tots100 index, you can download a personalised badge for your blog, which will update automatically each month with your new Tots100 ranking. These badges are available for ALL bloggers, not just those in the top 100. If you would prefer a static badge, then those are available on the download page, too.
And now for this month’s scores!
Hi, I seem to have fallen off the index – last month I fell to #171 (possibly due to changing my domain) but this month my ranking appears to be the same? I left a comment after last months index ref the new domain name.
Do I need to re-register? If so, my new domain is http://www.notsupermum.com
Thanks
Overlord?! Like it. You need an ominous theme tune though don’t you…? To be played whenever you enter the room, and a hushed silence falls!
oops. Didn’t read the whole thing. Will have my thinking cap on for a better title: “Listress”? (although actually that’s a bit too like distress, isn’t it). Oh, well, best not go with things off the top of my head!
Hi Sally – can I check you have the right details for me? My Technorari, inlinks etc have risen but I’ve been at exactly the same rank for 3 months?
http://www.muddlingalongmummy.com
@muddlingalong
Thanks
Hannah
Oooh I’ve jumped
What about ‘The Master’ or ‘The Queen’ – not OTT at all
I hold my breath every time these stats come out… So glad I’m still in.
Thanks for all the hard work which I’m sure goes into this.
We’ll double check all your metrics for last month, but it’s common to find that if you change your URL you will drop for a few months, as you lose the points from links to your old address – it usually picks up again pretty quickly, though.
I think I emanate a general sense of darkness and danger. The theme tune would be superfluous, I feel. Although maybe I need some sweeping robes…
Arf.
We’ve got you as moving up 6 places this month from 114th last month to 108th for July.
The URL we are using is http://www.muddlingalongmummy.com/ and the Twitter ID is @muddlingalong.
I’m happy to check your stats on Monday, and I’ll let you know if anything looks awry.
I quite like this line of thinking…
Thankyou!
Love the OVERLORD badge
Wibble…I am quite afraid of the Overlord…wibble.
oooh I have crept up. It’s surprisingly thrilling you know. But then I am the parent of small children, I take my pleasure where I can get it
http://www.spudballoo.com
@spudballoo
yay I’ve moved up again! Just one thing above it says I’m 25 on my badge its showing 26
Yeay, Is it sad that I love seeing myself in the Top 100
Thanks for taking the time to explain how I was doing last month, I really appreciated your time….
Cass
Hi, I’d love to be considered for this. My blog is Jenmum’s Adventures in Parenting. Address http://jenmum.wordpress.com You can find me on Twitter at @jenmummy
Thank
Jenny
Wow look at all those NEW people! How fabulous and well done everyone. And a nod of respect to the OVERLORD for what sounds like a whole heap of hard work x
I thought I was going to move up this month! Confused the heck out of me, when I saw I went down lol. Shall have to see what I did different ROFL. I am thinking that you need to be Mistress of the List or maybe even Alpha and Omega… Shall get a proper think on though!
Ah right – think I must have clicked on an old badge link and got the wrong number sorry
Those are the right details so guess its just a matter of quietly climbing up until bam! I’m back in!
Thank you!
great I’ve jumped ten points!!
please add me next month too
http://www.mommyhasaheadache.blogspot.com
Up and down, up and down… did you match my position with my mood swings?
Overlord is too masculine. What about Grande Dame? Or Enchantress?
Hi, please add me—guess I’m pretty new:) Thanks.
http://www.nappyvalleyhousewife.blogspot.com
Hi Sally – would love to know where we’ve gone!? Gigi x
Hi Everyone
I’m a newbie. Can I be added in?
http://secondtimemummy.blogspot.com
@second_time_mum
Thank you,
Leanne x
: )
It’s done the same to me! I’ve gone up too!! yaaayy!!!
Thank You for putting this together Sally! Look forward to meeting you & Flea on Thursday! 
HA! Thank you very much. I don’t know how I got on the list but it’s lovely to be here anyway. Cheers xx
Booperkit
booperfunk.com/booperkit
Twitter – Booperkit
Could I be added next time if possible?
http://www.rockandrollbabyworld.blogspot.com
twitter: @rockbabyworld
Thanks!
Hi Sally – please can we get back in the game?!? I’ve sliced some oranges for half time if that helps. x
Hi
Could I be added please,
http://allabouttheboysdesignerclothes.blogspot.com/
Twitter allaboutheboys
Thank you
Karen Jones
Hope to be included next time
Blog name: PlayPennies
Twitter: PlayPennies
Thanks Sally!
Hi, I’d like to be included in the Tots 100 please:
Blog name: Children’s Books for Grown-ups
Twitter: @NatashaWorswick
Thank you!
Hi there,
I thought I’d signed up last month to join in but can’t find my name on the drop down list for a badge?
Mari’s World
http://marisworld.wordpress.com/
Twitter ID mariannewhooley
Could you please check for me – maybe I dreamt it?
Sorry not able to post a comment and just checking
Please could you add me to the next list
Mari’s World
http://marisworld.wordpress.com/
Twitter mariannewhooley
Thank you
Could I please be added to the list?
I thought I tried last month but couldn’t find my name
Mari’s World
http://marisworld.wordpress.com/
Twitter mariannewhooley
Thank you!
I would like to be added to the list
She’s gone mad in Dorset
http://shesgonemadindorset.blogspot.com
new to it all so no idea if its the right way to do it.
Elise
Hi,
Please could you add me to the index:
Blog name: she had us at hello
Thanks so much.
Dee
Am starting to wonder if I’ve somehow been blacklisted!
Either that or my blog is just crap ha ha!!!!!!
Hobbies aren’t supposed to turn you into obsessives are they!
I nervously am asking to be added to the list. I have been umming and awing since the inception and still feel really nervous about it becoming a bit of an obsession for me (which it probably will be), but I guess I feel ready to try and get more readers and see what else I can do with my blog.
So, I would like to tentatively step into the ring, thanks.
http://www.slugsontherefrigerator.com
@katgold
Well, after umming and ahhing for months, I would like to ask to be put on the index. I still am very nervous and worried it will become an obsession (which I am sure it will), but it feels like a good time to try and expand my blog and see what else I can do with it. The Index is a great way to try and do that.
Nervously in thanks,
Kat
http://www.slugsontherefrigerator.com
@katgold
the late grit just realised it was out again. has another month passed already? that should reassure kat from the slugs that lists don’t become an obsession; it just feels nice to be listed at all, and i appreciate the work that goes into it. (better still is to see some of the writers i love push on here. go, belgian waffling, go!)
hi Sally
I have tried to be included before but can’t find my blog (mumazing) on the badge list so I shall try again!
Thanks
Sam http://www.mumazing.co.uk
I can’t even manage to comment now! Perhaps this is what happened last time.
http://www.mumazing.co.uk please!
Thanks Sally
Sam
Hello Sally,
Little M would like to be considered please – he blogs on my behalf!
Mummy’s Busy World
http://www.mummysbusyworld.blogspot.com
@verybusymama
Thank you!
Maria
Hi Sally,
Apologies if comment is a duplicate – having trouble commenting
Little M would like to be considered please, he blogs on my behalf!
Mummy’s Busy World
http://www.mummysbusyworld.blogspot.com
@verybusymama
thank you!
Maria & Little M
belatedly catching up with this, my badge is showing me at 108, have we drawn or am I doing something wrong? Am assuming if I’ve previously been within the top 100 then I’m still on the list?
Hi, I’m not new to blogging but I didn’t realise I could ask to be added to the Tot 100 – will probably regret it when I don’t make the top 100 but here goes!!
http://mummymatters.wordpress.com
@mummymatters
Thanks,
Sabina x
So in the interest of ‘fairness’ why are commercially-owned blogs Babychino and Bambino Goodies still in the index when others have been taken out?
Hi Mary Lou
Thanks for the comment – it’s a great question!
The issue isn’t so much whether a blog is about a business, or run to make money – lots of blogs in the Tots100 have sponsors, or advertising, or promote a business to some extent. I’ve always tried to be open and include lots of different sorts of blogs in the index.
Where it becomes tricky though, is when a commercial company like AOL or News International hires a professional journalist to write their blog which is hosted within a commercial website. On the surface, those blogs look like parenting blogs just like any other, so it seems natural to include them in the Tots100.
But underneath they aren’t just regular parenting blogs – they’re corporate websites. And THAT completely stuffs up the metrics. So Sticky Fingers has around 30,000 inlinks which are picked up in the metrics based on Google and Yahoo. As parent blogs go, that’s a pretty impressive score. But Parentdish has 1.1m inlinks, almost all of which come from AOL (its parent company).
When the index was done manually, I could account for this by excluding links from specific domains when scoring links for commercial sites, and this created a level playing field. Now the index is done automatically, a piece of code goes off and talks to Yahoo and Google and gathers the data, then scores it, and ranks it. It’s not possible for me to make the same tweaks I used to.
So I’m left with the option of keeping these commercial websites in the index and skewing the rankings massively OR excluding them until we can work out a way to score them while being fair to the other bloggers in the index who aren’t part of a larger corporate website.
Hope that clarifies things a bit.
Like it! And thanks for the nod.
Ah, the index, she likes to surprise you.
Will do!
No, but I hope you’re on the up now!
I am enchanting, it’s true
Done!
You are still there, but perhaps not in the top 100 this month. If you download a badge it will show your score each month, if that helps?
Done!
You’re welcome!
Done!
Added!
I am partial to a bit of citrus. As explained, I think you’re still in, try downloading a badge? Let me know if you’re still having problems, though.
Done!
Will try, but as explained in my email we’re waiting on a technical fix
Done!
You’re definitely in for August!
That’s perfect – just add a Twitter ID if you have one.
Done!
LOL.
Your blog is still in the index, have you tried downloading a badge to see what your rank is? You’re definitely still in my spreadsheet so let me know if you’re still stuck next month.
Well, you’re allowed to leave again if you don’t like it, I promise.
Thanks, I hope people are exploring some of these new blogs – there are some amazing writers out there just waiting to be discovered, aren’t there?
Yep, you’re listed, you should show up for August.
Done!
No worries, we’ve added you.
Hi, I’d love to be included to The List too please!
x
Blog name: Pure Unadulterated Softthistle
Twitter: @softthistle
Thanks!
HI Sally, was just reading through this post from JUly and realised i have never given you my twitter id which is elsiebutton. perhaps you already have it!
elsie x