If a posting on your blog has ever been dug by Digg or dotted by Reddit or tagged by Del.icio.us then you know how much influence social bookmarking sites have in not only driving traffic to your blog, but also in spreading the reach of your idea. A simple mention on such popular social bookmarking sites can catapult a blog and/or an idea into a new realm of awareness.
But would it surprise you to learn that of the 300,000 registered Digg users, a mere 30 users are responsible for submitting 33% of the postings which regularly land on Digg’s homepage? Would it also surprise you to learn that one of Reddit’s most influential users is a 12-year-old boy? (Sounds like another occurrence of the “1% Rule.”)
The Wall Street Journal recently dissected the underbelly of social bookmarking sites by detailing how the few impact what the many view as being popular online with a well-written and highly informative article titled, “The Wizards of Buzz.”
This article also explains how payola schemes, which pay people to plug certain websites in hopes of gaming the system, are impacting the algorithms social bookmarking sites use to filter out the most popular postings on the web. Interesting stuff!
If you subscribe to the WSJ, you can access this worthwhile article here. For free access to this article, click here.
John,
Sounds like "Citizen Marketers" got it right.
Posted by: Lewis Green | February 12, 2007 at 12:04 PM
Really fascinating post... one of the best you have ever posted. This reminds me of Gladwell's Tipping Point, in that the few generally influence the many. And also that, little things make a huge difference.
Posted by: Vince | February 15, 2007 at 12:02 AM