1. Being crass, rude and offensive will get you attention.
The first tip is pretty self-explanatory. Saying the most ostentatious and horrid things, whether it be in a post or in a comment, will get you attention–both good and bad.
2. Major news outlets will ALWAYS win.
Take a look at the front page of the site. Chances are you won’t find a single article that isn’t released by a major news outlet, be it a newspaper, magazine or media company.
3. The majority of the Digg community isn’t like you.
Every time you think you’ve found a niche, someone will make sure you realize that you are alone. As sad as this sounds, it helps you. Being unique is better than being in a group.
4. Be prepared to be ignored, attacked and criticized.
Your comments, posts and ideas are always up for attack. Everything you do on Digg will be criticized and more than half of it will be ignored.
5. Breaking News is your best friend.
If you turn on the news and something dramatic and important is happening, use it. Update your post by the minute if possible. The Digg community loves to be on top of things.
6. Digg users hate Democrats.
If you post a liberal opinion, you will be criticized.
7. Digg users hate Republicans.
If you post a conservative opinion, you will be criticized.
8. Well-written and researched commentary will get you nowhere.
Being knowledgeable and well-informed is the kiss of death. As sad as it is, Digg is not a community where opinions are necessarily welcome. Occasionally you may get some attention for something, but it won’t last.
9. Diggs can be bought.
Yes, it is true. There are sites where evil people buy diggs for their articles. Prices are typically $1 per digg. Most sites guarantee the amount bought within 24 hours. Some users spend over $400+ dollars for a day in the spotlight. Therefore, what you find on the front page may not really be worthy.
10. Commenting on other articles gets attention.
Check out the front page and your friends’ articles. Commenting on them can lead others to your profile and therefore your articles. This is not always a good thing, but it can be.
11. User icons help.
If you have a profile, add an icon to it. The picture or image draws attention to your posts.
12. Friends and family can help break the site.
Getting your friends and family to join the site and digg your articles can help greatly. It is perhaps the easiest way of doing this without selling your soul to the Digg Devil.
13. Digg Buttons can be good and evil.
Adding a Digg button to your site and/or every post is easy and can bring in a lot of traffic. At the same time the buttons that show the number of diggs can make you look pathetic, not to mention lowering your self-esteem.
14. The algorithm is weighted.
The faster your post is dugg, the more likely it will end up on the front page. The longer it takes to get diggs, the more likely it is that it will fade into oblivion. Keep in mind the scale is in hours, not days.
15. Duplicates will be ignored.
If you submit anything that closely resembles or copies another already submitted article, you will be ignored…and probably attacked.
16. Avoid the obvious.
This one is somewhat self-explanatory. Don’t be boring.
17. Create enemies.
If you want to be really aggressive, attack other people. I personally avoid this at all costs but that is a moral decision.
18. Digg can be time consuming.
Getting attention on the site requires you to post often as well as watch the pulse of the site. You may have to quit your job.
19. “Fun” things don’t belong.
Posting funny pictures, videos and posts that have no real meat behind them will be buried. Basically that means you have been shunned.
20. Digg is symbiotic.
You have to give something to get something. Working with the community and creating a network of people that will digg your articles if you digg theirs (regardless of worthiness) is the easiest way to establish a following (albeit a fake one).
21. Know your topic.
Don’t be a moron. Write what you know.
22. Everyone has an opinion.
And they all stink the same. Be ready.
23. You will hate Digg.
At times Digg will make you happy as can be, other times you will want to leave the site–permanently.
24. Timing is everything.
Keep in mind that sites like Digg have different levels of traffic at different times of the day. Learn the patterns and use them to your advantage. Also, Digg is first and foremost a place for news. If you want to write about something that isn’t current, find a different site.
25. Digg isn’t fair.
This is the most important of the 25. The idea behind Digg is pure, but the manipulation of the system has made it dirty. Don’t expect everything you write that is good to be very well-received and be prepared to feel cheated.
I’ve been a bit concerned for some time about what I see every time I sign on to my Technorati account. The left pane has actually taken on a sort of eerie “what could it be this time” kind of feel because I always take a look at the top searches. Some blog sites swear by this box as a way of manipulating traffic to your site. If you write something about one of the top 10, people will come. But the more I watch the changes per day, the more I’m sure that writing about these topics is doing the devil’s dirty work for him.
The Slow, Agonizing Death of iTunes
November 23rd, 2009It was one of those technological leaps that we often find ourselves in. One minute you think you are one of the “cool” kids who is on the cutting edge, and the next thing you know someone has made you feel like a caveman who still doesn’t know how to make fire. Of course, I immediately downloaded iTunes and became voracious for new music. My iTunes needed to be fed. With it came my unquenchable need for new artists, songs, genres.
As time moves forward, science develops new tools. It succeeds itself continually, and now many of us find ourselves using iTunes less and less. Earlier today I accidentally clicked the iTunes shortcut on my desktop and cursed myself. I knew it would slow down my computer. More often than not, when told to close down, it will shut down for a second and reappear as if to ask “You didn’t really want me gone, did you?”
So, what have I found myself relying on more and more? Three different music services: Last.fm, Pandora and Slacker Radio. Each with its own pros and cons, and (as with all things in this world) if they simply managed to somehow combine and create the chimera of music genomes, I would have the perfect music outlet for my tastes. But, things are not so. How do you choose between the three? My generation isn’t nearly as brand loyal as our ancestors, but we still wish for simplicity. We want it all and we want it in one place.
Coming up I’ll have a complete rundown on each service’s best and worst features. I have no intention of naming a winner but hopefully in the end someone will read my musings and be able to avoid that uncomfortable cave man moment when you realize how far behind the curve you really are.
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Posted in Commentary, Technology, Web 2.0
Tags: internet iTunes Last.fm memory Music Pandora review Slacker Radio software Technology upcoming Web 2.0