Ryan Deal
is a social media and creative advertising lover who’s got an eye for
good design and a passion that won’t quit. He authors a blog at .
Since its launch in 2004, Digg has attracted more than 30 million unique visitors and 327 million
page views per month. Its social bookmarking features allow users to
submit their favorite pictures, videos, and articles to be voted on by
their peers. The most popular and relevant of which, based on Digg’s
algorithm, are promoted to the front page for all visitors to see.
Digg, along with its algorithm, is constantly evolving; adding new features like the recommendation engine
and more recently, suggested submissions based on related keywords.
Here’s a quick guide for users of all levels to help you get the most
out of Digg.
Got something to add? Tell us about it in the comments.
Get the toolbar, you’ll thank me later
There are many tools
available to help you make the most of your Digg experience. If you’re
a Firefox user, the first thing you’ll want to do is download the
toolbar. When you’re browsing around, the toolbar will tell you whether or not a story has been submitted to Digg and, if so, how many Diggs and comments it’s received.
The toolbar also has a setting that will notify you when new
submissions become popular by showing the details in a small window
near the bottom of the browser. You can manage your interests to be
sure you’re only shown stories from the categories you are interested
in. Additionally, by supplying your Digg username, you’ll receive
alerts when your friends Digg, submit, or comment on stories. All of
this, of course, is fully customizable; you can turn off any feature
you don’t want.
Setting up your profile
It is important to have a good profile that reflects who you really
are. Choose an avatar that you want to represent you when people see
your submissions on the front page. Then, make sure to add links to
places where other users can find you and include some contacts as
well. Many Digg users connect off the site, so feel free to add your
Twitter account, IM names, your blog, and a brief description of who
you are and why you’re here. Here’s mine:
Make friends. After all, it is called Social Media
Now that you’re all set up, it’s time to make some friends. In
addition to reading, digging, and commenting, Digg allows its users to
add friends and share their favorite submissions. You can often find
submissions you’d be interested in by checking out the things your
friends are voting on.
One recently banned power user
suggests gaining a lot of friends. The theory here is, the more friends
you have, the more Diggs you are likely to get on your submissions.
Here’s a little inside information: if you don’t Digg your friends’
stories, they wont Digg yours. So, remember to check your friends’
submissions often and Digg those that you like.
Comment, comment, comment!
Comments are a great way to show the rest of the community who you
are. In addition, those with similar interests are more likely to find
you if you are out there communicating. And don’t forget to Digg the
comments of other users; if you do, they’re likely to check out your
profile and possibly add you as a friend or connect with you off-site.
The algorithm. It works if you work it
Before you start submitting, it is important to have a general
understanding of Digg’s algorithm. Many users have their own take on
“working the algorithm.” The idea here is, if you learn the algorithm,
most or all of your stories could hit the front page.
The only thing you really need to know is that Digg’s algorithm
favors natural diggs. Things that are natural: diggs from various
sources (IM link, email link, digg from an upcoming page, and from a
digg button on the page of the actual content). Things that are not
natural: solicited diggs (50 diggs in 10 minutes, the same users
digging all your submissions, etc.). You’ll learn what not to do pretty
quickly.
Above all, remember, it’s not about the number of Diggs a submission
gets. I’ve seen articles with more than 300 Diggs that didn’t make it,
and I have had a submission of mine go to the front page after only 30 Diggs. It’s all about the natural variety of Diggs a submission gets within its category.
Shout… in the name of love
Shouting is a great way to share a story you like or a submission
you’ve made with your friends. If your friends like it as well, it’s
likely to get more Diggs. Just be careful not to shout a submission too
much, Diggs from shouts are not considered natural by Digg and can make
it so that a submission requires even more natural votes to make it to
the front page.
Titles, descriptions, and categories… Oh my!
When submitting something to Digg, there are three main factors to consider: title, description, and category.
Title: Choosing a title for a Digg submission is a
lot like writing a headline for a newspaper article; you need to
attract the reader without misleading them. Misleading titles will earn
some negative comments and a bunch of people burying your submission.
Description: People want to know what they’re
getting into. Sometimes a good title is all you need, but for
submissions that require additional information, make sure you include
it. Remember, the point is to get people interested.
Category: Some categories are more popular than
others, so if you want a better chance of getting your submission to
the front page, you’ve got to get it into the right category. Take for
example a video of a dog falling asleep while running. Funny right? So,
you think, put it in “Comedy.” However, although “Comedy” is an
appropriate category, if you choose “Pets & Animals,” which is also
relevant, you’re submission is more likely to see the light of day.
The easy button! If you author a blog or publish
content online that you hope to get Dugg, be proactive. Give your
readers the tools they need to help your site get some attention. Digg
offers a wide range of tools and widgets to help you better optimize your site for Digg. The easier you make it for someone to Digg something they like, the more likely they are to push that button.
Holy scripts!
While there are some amazing scripts out there that will help you use Digg in new and better ways, don’t! Digg has been ban-crazy lately, most often citing the use of third-party scripts as the reason for the banning. If you stick with the tools that Digg offers, you’ll be on your way to becoming a better user, without worrying about getting the axe from the Digg gods.
Show us what you’ve got!
Feel free to add any other tips or tricks not mentioned here in the comments below. Also, feel free to contact me if you need any help with a submission or more tips on how to better optimize your blog!
