Back in DecemÂber 2007, I made a bet against Google Knol, the search giant’s answer to Wikipedia. In a fairÂly involved piece, I listÂed three reaÂsons why Knol wouldÂn’t upend Wikipedia. Now fast forÂward 18+ months: Tech Crunch has reportÂed that Knol’s trafÂfic is trendÂing down. It peaked in FebÂruÂary at around 320,000 visÂiÂtors per month, accordÂing to QuantÂcast estiÂmates. Now it’s at around 174,000. (See the graph here.) The botÂtom line? You can’t win at everyÂthing. But forÂtuÂnateÂly there’s some good new things comÂing out of Google, and we’ll be menÂtionÂing them in the comÂing days.
PS In case you didÂn’t hear, Wikipedia is startÂing to put ediÂtoÂrÂiÂal restricÂtions on cerÂtain entries. The laisÂsez-faire days are comÂing to an end.
The Knol might not be dead yet. PLoS has recentÂly begun colÂlabÂoÂratÂing with Knol: http://knol.google.com/k/plos/plos-currents-influenza/28qm4w0q65e4w/1%23#. I can see a time in the near future where peoÂple who pubÂlish in PLoS will be encourÂaged, if not required, to subÂmit a Knol to Google as well. Will othÂer sciÂenÂtifÂic jourÂnals folÂlow suit?
AccordÂing to my estiÂmate weekÂly page views of knol are now 1.5 milÂlion per week. By August 2010, they will reach one milÂlion per day and knol will reach a breakeven page view levÂel. More and more authors are regÂisÂterÂing on knol. More authors are comÂmitÂting themÂselves activeÂly to knol.