© 2007 - 2011 Allan Cockerill All Rights Reserved
Tinu_Abayomi-Paul has been busy writing about Social bookmarking lately, and in particular the buying and selling of votes.
Tinu makes so much sense here (as she always does) that I had to add my own twenty cents worth.
I find that the growing demands to Digg, Stumble and Sphinn sites are growing more time consuming.
Tinu says: Feel free to send me anything, once you’ve friended me.
For me, this is the central issue – these are social networking sites that we are talking about, and networking means relationship!.
If I don’t know you, why should I bookmark something for you?
And if we are friends in the online sense of the word, a string of links via instant message isn’t a friendship, it’s a dictatorship!
Buying votes is a misuse of the system, and a violation of the terms of service.
Whether one agrees with the terms or not, they are set by the owners of the site, which is their right.
Social networking is a social activity, not a business activity. Business can come out of it, and is a great outcome if everyone is happy with it.
I find it a real bug bear though when someone befriends me on Facebook for instance, and then immediately sends me an invitation to check out their gaming/membership/whatever site as soon as I accept their invitation.
These are the shortest online relationships that I have, because I feel that I am simply being taken for granted!
If Tinu was offering something though I would definitely look, as because I know her, I feel that she can be trusted.
Of course, the same goes for my other friends on these sites as well.
I make a point of using Stumbleupon, Digg and Mixx fairly often, but I only vote if I like a site, and it has good content.
If I am checking a friend’s site and I like it, I will vote for it. Simple.
But please, don’t expect me to vote for poor or duplicate content, or any content that goes against my own values.
If you contact me via IM or by some other method, I will always respond.
If 99% of that contact is simply to ask me to Digg or Stumble something though, don’t bother.
That’s the quickest way to end up on my ignore list!
Points to Remember About Social Networking:
- Don’t try and buy or sell votes – it’s unethical and doesn’t work!
- Social networking is a social activity, not a business one!
- Dictating to people doesn’t work and causes ill feeling!
- Vote for good content, ignore the bad!
- Make good friends, good business follows!
- Upset people and bad business follows!
The way to success on social networking sites is to treat others with respect, just the way you’d want them to treat you!
And if you want people to bookmark your site, then for goodness sake get proactive and promote theirs as well!
I have so many people that ask me to Digg, Sphinn and Mixx their sites, yet rarely do the same for others that it leaves me wondering about the point of it all!
© 2007 - 2011 Allan Cockerill All Rights Reserved
