In addition to using social networks to grow your business and find loyal followers, it is important to also understand the significance and power of social bookmarking sites. Whereas social networks are a type of community where like-people congregate, social bookmarking is a way to make public your favorite sites and web pages. Instead of bookmarking a site on your hard drive for your own pleasure, you let others know about it so they can bookmark the site as well. Examples of social bookmarking sites are Reddit, Technorati, Slashdot, Propeller, StumbleUpon, Digg and del.icio.us (now called Delicious).
In the early days of Slashdot, if someone let others know about your site, you could potentially receive thousands of visitors, and many websites crashed due to the unexpected volume. So, if you think these sites are a waste of time where your business website is concerned, you must rethink your strategy! To be able to get your content or news story on the “buzz” page of Stumbleupon, the “front” page of Digg or the “popular” page of Delicious is an incredible feat and definitely a boost to any website.
Stumbleupon can be be quite useful for your business as a way to attract quality traffic. Although the site will ban accounts that display outward instances of spam and self-promotion, it will send visitors to your site with just a few “thumbs-up” to your page that was stumbled. Thumbs-up is the way in which other users vote for your page. The site also allows you to make a profile page which is advantageous.
Delicious is much less restrictive because the other users do not have to vote for your page or content. You can basically bookmark every page within your website. In addition to potential traffic, the backlinks will help your search engine rankings. We are not saying, however, that you need hundreds of inbound links from the same site. Many people also express the loyalty of Delicious users, the fact that they come back regularly looking for content in their areas of interest. As a way to organize your bookmarks, you can give them “tags” which is similar to categories.
Digg is a news type site but the difference is the owners and editors do not decide what is newsworthy. The users and communities decide what is most popular. When you “digg” someone’s story, you are giving that content your vote.
Main Points for Using Stumbleupon, Digg or del.icio.us and what they can do for your business:
Cheap, viral advertising. If you are starting your business on a shoestring, using social bookmarking sites will keep you on budget.
The others users will market your brand for you if they like your content.
Can get your pages indexed faster if you have no other sites of your own.
Your profile page allows you to become an expert in your field. You can brand your talents and your services.
The traffic or leads are niche oriented. Because the users are people who hold the same interests as you, the visitors to your site are somewhat qualified.
When people make comments or questions, it provides you with more topics on which to write which in turns keeps the users interested.
In the early days of Slashdot, if someone let others know about your site, you could potentially receive thousands of visitors, and many websites crashed due to the unexpected volume. So, if you think these sites are a waste of time where your business website is concerned, you must rethink your strategy! To be able to get your content or news story on the “buzz” page of Stumbleupon, the “front” page of Digg or the “popular” page of Delicious is an incredible feat and definitely a boost to any website.
