Social News Sites | Social News Watch

Social Media Nosedive – Alexa Shows Recent Drops Across the Board

Sunday, March 30, 2008 by JD Rucker 6 Comments

Every time I bring up Alexa, I get a ton of people who tell me how unreliable and worthless it is. Let’s assume for the sake of this piece that I know this. Let’s also assume that my budget for gathering data is zip and Alexa and Compete are the only real options.

With that out of the way, Alexa is showing major drops in reach for Digg, StumbleUpon, Reddit, and Mixx and other social bookmarking sites. They are all happening around the same time. Concerning? Not at this point, since the data is all very young. Worth monitoring? Absolutely. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Digg, Mixx, Newsvine, Reddit, Social Media, Social News Sites, Stumbleupon Tagged With: alexa, del.icio.us, Digg, magnolia, Mixx, Newsvine, Reddit, Social Media, Social News Sites, Stumbleupon

Social Media Outcry Brings Competition to the Table

Sunday, March 2, 2008 by JD Rucker 4 Comments

The negative comments to this post are already coming. I can feel it. Why? Because I am about to be completely ambiguous and talk theoretically, even though I have knowledge that the things I’m about to discuss are facts.

Ever since Digg, Slashdot, and the other early social news sites took hold of a new market on the internet, there have been clones and competitors popping up left and right. The next “Digg Killer” has emerged and subsequently fallen almost every week for the last couple of years. Newer networks have been proposed, many are getting worked on, and I know a lot about some, little about others. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Digg, Mixx, Propeller, Reddit, Social Media, Social News Sites Tagged With: Digg, Mixx, Propeller, Reddit, Social Media, Social News Sites, socialmedia, socialnews

A Social Network for Social Media (brilliant!)

Wednesday, February 13, 2008 by JD Rucker 4 Comments

Strange. It’s one of those things that pops up and you think, “was there really nothing like this before?”

That is what comes to mind when you look at the Social Media Social Network at Social News Central. It is a simple Ning site, but it has started off very strong. With 160 members joining since its recent creation and a member list that boasts “heavy hitters” from social media websites like Digg, StumbleUpon, Propeller, and Mixx, Social News Central promises growth and a world of potential. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Digg, Mixx, Newsvine, Niche Social Networks, Propeller, Reddit, Social Internet, Social Media, Social Networking Sites, Social News Sites, Stumbleupon Tagged With: Digg, Mixx, ning, Propeller, Reddit, Social Media, social network, social news central, Social News Sites, Stumbleupon

Best Advice for Mixx: Stop Following Digg

Sunday, January 27, 2008 by JD Rucker 9 Comments

This won’t be a popular article. It can’t be Dugg because it mentions Mixx and it can’t be Mixxed because it seems to lean towards being critical. In hopes of my true feelings being expressed and understood, let me say that I love Digg and I love Mixx. Both are the best at what they do.

What do they do? Digg serves up the ultimate in news niblets for us to ingest at our leisure. It grants incredible exposure to quality content and helps blogs, large and small, to pop up on someone’s screen who never would have visited otherwise. This doesn’t even touch on the other recipients such as YouTube, Flickr, and traditional news sources online.

Mixx does the same thing, right? Well, sort of. Mixx does offer the same type of quality content. It does grant exposure, but not on the same scale (or in the same ballpark) as Digg. Still, its strength lies in the people and their attitudes. For the most part, Mixx is a much more social and sociable platform that Digg or any of its clones. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Digg, Mixx, Social Media, Social News Sites Tagged With: Digg, Mixx, Social Media, Social News Sites, socialmedia, socialnews

Call for Quotes from Social Media Superstars

Friday, January 18, 2008 by JD Rucker 14 Comments

We are putting together a piece about social media superstars and what motivates them. Looking for opinions. Please leave your opinions or quotes in the comments of this story.

There are those who spend several hours every day on social media websites like Digg, Reddit, Propeller, Mixx, Sphinn, and StumbleUpon. These sites invariably get huge benefit by having these people, as they can themselves become part of the news. The question is, “What’s in it for them?”

Is it the fame and notoriety? Few use their real names as their profile name, so that COULD be it, but I tend to think it’s a small part.

Power? Most have heard of the Digg Effect, while a power Stumbler can have a huge effect on a website with a click of a button. Do they enjoy knowing that they’ve helped out a blog or website tremendously (or possibly killed their server) by sending thousands of people to their website? Perhaps.

Is it an earnest desire to spread quality content? Maybe they’re promoting an opinion, a trend, a product? Helping a candidate or a cause?

Maybe it’s just fun. As one top Digger who already answered the question for me noted, “Some people play Xbox 360.” He, on the other hand, shuts down servers. Hopefully, we’ll know soon enough.

The story itself will probably be posted here, but it may end up on my new blog (with nothing currently on it) at soshable.com. Either way, I’ll let you know. Please post your comments.

Visit some of the sites we recommend.

Filed Under: Digg, Mixx, Propeller, Reddit, Social Internet, Social Media, Social News Sites, Stumbleupon Tagged With: Digg, Mixx, Propeller, Reddit, Social Media, socialnews, sphinn, Stumbleupon

Banned at Digg? Talk to the Hand!

Saturday, January 5, 2008 by JD Rucker 7 Comments

The issue has been building up for a few weeks now. It’s taboo, of course, to discuss Digg.com in a negative light, but there have been “closed-door” secret meetings amongst diggers recently. Via GTalk, it’s a hot topic among active diggers.

A couple of weeks ago, Tamar Weinberg posted Why Nobody Should Buy Digg. It details some of the circumstances behind recent bannings and the apparent turnaround in how Digg handles them. In short, they don’t. If you’re banned, Digg won’t talk to you. They won’t talk to anyone else about you. [Read more...]