|
I recently joined forces with two other prolific bloggers, TysBlog & LaTease, in a determined campaign to break the Digg code. We downloaded the document “Breaking the Digg Code,” written by Khalid of InvespBlog which reveals a four-week step-by-step instructional program to launch your submissions to the front page of Digg. I drank the Kool-Aid and dove into the Digg community with the delight of an amateur, a word whose Latin roots are derived from the word love, lending myself to be in a state of love. Four weeks later, hundreds of *active friends* and thousands of Diggs deep, I am still in a state of amorous affection but not necessarily for any great success achieved on the site. With over 200+ shout requests in my inbox every two days, it seems like I would have to spend an inordinate amount of time on the site to yield the small proportion of the Digg love back. On average, I’d say 10-15% of people will return the shout favor and this is due to lack of time I’ve had the account. In essence, I need more street-cred to ensure my friends my commitment and authority on the site. But I still have hope. Truth be told, my heart is all a flutter with the knowledge gained; my intense immersion in the Digg community taught me techniques that can be applied towards ANY social networking community. - A short cut to making friends is commenting in an "added-value" way. Try to avoid superlatives and hyperbole but rather think of your comment as a short bio about yourself.
- When you make a friend or they add you, send them a note thanking them; bookmark and comment on their content. Also, see if they exist in other networks and add them as a friend. It extends the social love and engenders your credibility when you show your support.
- If someone bookmarks your content, add them as a friend; they are more than likely the long-term homie you want to befriend.
- A headline that’s a conversation starter is easy to get behind and share worthy. Be: funny, curious, controversial, silly, outlandish, provocative and wild.
- Submit in the proper category and be topical. Check out what's gone popular in your preferred category before submitting. If something similar has gone popular you may want to wait. And if it’s basketball season, you may reconsider posting about football. Think: time & place.
Conclusion:
Social context is crucial. Maybe Digg is not the place for your promotional efforts. You wouldn’t want to be shouting about knee-high argyle socks in a room full of forty-something hot rod owners. It takes a little time and effort to find your niche community and ferret out your people so do your reconnaissance before you friend someone up: read their bio, check out their blogs, and watch how they participate. These efforts will pay off and will pave the way for you to make real, long-term connections. Happy socializing in context!
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed