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Pwned: The StumbleUpon Digg Experiment Initial Results

Friday, September 5, 2008 by JD Rucker 23 Comments

First, a disclaimer about this experiment and the analysis.

In retrospect, this experiment was flawed. The subject matter and style of delivery was very clearly geared in favor of one of the combatants. When it was initially conceived, it was decided that the experiment would best be delivered through a post that announced itself. By checking traffic statistics on a post titled: “The StumbleUpon Digg Experiment”, there would be equal billing, equal exposure, and most importantly, equal chances through the delivery methods to give both sides a chance.

We were wrong. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Digg, Social Internet, Social Marketing, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Social News Sites, Stumbleupon Tagged With: blogs, Digg, internet, marketing, Social Media, Social News Sites, socialmedia, socialnews, Stumbleupon

The Godfather and Social Media

Friday, September 5, 2008 by JD Rucker 10 Comments

In many ways, the top level websites of social media can be compared to the fictional world of The Godfather. Sounds weird? Hear me out.

The Godfather showed us a world of beauty and corruption. Alliances were made and broken. Those who were good to the family were rewarded, while anyone who stepped in the way was hit.

Social media works in much the same way. It can be beautiful, offering the best of the web compiled into loosely organized areas where masses of people can flood a worthy website and enjoy its offerings. It can be corrupt, as spammers use the power of social media to drive traffic to unworthy websites. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Social Internet, Social Networking Sites, Social News Sites Tagged With: Digg, Newsvine, Propeller, Reddit, Social Media, Social News Sites, stumble, Stumbleupon

Front Page Addiction: Destroying Families, Ruining Lives

Sunday, August 31, 2008 by JD Rucker 18 Comments

*** As my first real parody piece, I am moving this up in the blog to see if it gets more comment luv. ***

A little-known but dangerous epidemic is spreading across members of social media websites like Digg, Reddit, Propeller, Newsvine, and Mixx. Like a secret scourge, SM-FPA (social media front page addiction) isn’t making national headines yet, but the effects have been felt in thousands of households across the world.

“Ever since my wife’s submission hit the front page of Reddit last month, we only see her on the way to the bathroom,” said Jake Dixon. His wife Amber, better known as “diggwho”, made the front page of Reddit with a story titled Bush makes more people mad by saying something stupid. Since then, Amber has been submitting 15-25 stories per day and has a submission hit the front page 3-5 times per week. She declined to be interviewed.

Research scientists at the Social Media Institute of Technology (SMIT) in Kolkata, India, say that Mr. Dixon and his family are not alone. They have documented 342 confirmed cases of SM-FPA in 2007 and estimate the actual number in the thousands. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Social Internet, Social Marketing, Social Media, Social News Sites Tagged With: advertising, business, Digg, internet, marketing, Mixx, Propeller, Reddit, smm, social bookmarks, Social Media, social networks, Social News Sites, socialbookmarking, socialmedia, socialnetworking, socialnews, stumble, Stumbleupon

The StumbleUpon Digg Experiment

Friday, August 29, 2008 by JD Rucker 76 Comments

(The results are in. Read them at StumbleUpon vs Digg).

Bloggers and webmasters out there who watch their traffic as closely as we do have been amazed by the “Stumble Effect”. Many know about the sudden burst of traffic that comes from the “Digg Effect” when a submission reaches the front page of Digg (or even better, if it reaches the “Top in All…” section on the frontpage). This is normally a day of joy (or terror if your server bombs) followed by limited tricklings of traffic.

Stumble has a different, more steady infusion of traffic that it can send to a website that gets stumbled, especially if it is hit by multiple top users. The effect is sustained, but more importantly, can be rejuvinated by a thumbs up and/or review by the right person/people.

Digg, on the other hand, has the advantage of having “controlled” traffic. Anyone watching their posts as they’re submitted and rising on Digg can pinpoint if and approximately when their page will go popular. You know when the traffic is coming and you know when it will stop. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Digg, Social Internet, Social Marketing, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Stumbleupon Tagged With: Digg, Social Media, Social News Sites, socialmedia, socialnews, Stumbleupon

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

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