Occasionally in the past we've appealed to Open members to "share" -- through the DIGG, Del.ic.ious, Facebook or Reddit icons in the top lefthand corner of every post -- certain select posts. Before we do that again, I thought it would help explain why we ask.
These social programs -- as well as others like Yahoo's Buzz!, and more that we'll eventually add -- help people promote and find content they like. Maybe you go to those sites to find good content. If you do, say, check out Reddit and go to its Funny index, you can see a number of stories that the Reddit members have submitted that think are funny. Other members then read them and decide to rate it them up or down, or also submit them -- effecting the rankings as a result. On DIGG, a story moves up the ratings depending on how often readers submit the same story or post URL.
In the end, these programs help draw a lot more attention to content that might not otherwise get. Case in point: Just this past weekend, many tens of thousands of people suddenly went seeking out Tequilaanddonuts' splendid Mom goes to WholeFoods piece from last month because it caught fire on Reddit. Why? Because there's strength in numbers (and the piece is very, very funny).
So, generally, I'd encourage all of you to join those programs and rate along -- and let us know if we're missing your favorite. Again, here are tools we offer on every post:
If the Open membership exercised its muscle on specific stories -- coordinating our enthusiams -- I think we could really bring a lot more readers to certain blog posts. So, in that spirit, I'd encourage any and all to share/rate/bookmark/show a little love to Edmund O'Reilly's great piece, An Open Letter from the Unemployed. It's funny and frustrating, and wildly endearing. We thank him for it.
Scott Rosenberg
caitlin shamberg
Thomas Rogers
Rebecca Traister
Lexus HS 250h
Shell
Salon.com
Comments
so far i'm just on digg and facebook (in general, but i've never used their post-rating thing). i'll join the others, and check out edmund's piece.
I am going to check out those options. It is very exciting........seeing our stories move through the morass of nay-sayers, landing in a realm of interest, projected onto a world that lies in a seemingly desperate state. I understand your concern for the discourse our work may inspire.
You're a very nice, supportive advocate for us.
Will you be my "Bro?"
It's OK if you can't.........Anyway.....thanks for the clarity.
I could find something odd in a smaller newspaper or hidden in the back of a bigger newspaper and be the first to 'Digg' it.
I have come across many fine and articulate writers in this little niche called Open Salon. To get a nice essay or poem read by the people outside, why not?
I have brought material from the outside, properly citing it and writing about it into this blog.
There is good stuff here and I will Digg it. We will see about other tools in the months ahead. I would not use anything else except Email to my children interesting articles.
Thanks
Greg
I should've asked but will ask now: Are there other sharing tools you'd like to see us offer? I'm adding it to the above post, too.
I'm a little confused. This is all very new to me. My question: can we send our own work to Reddit, or does it have to be "recommended" or sent by others?
And if that sounds like the most conceited question---please don't think it is. I'm just trying to bring more attention to my work. I'm really a bit in the shadows here, being new and all.
Like, I would kill for the ratings that Greg is complaining about---