Have you ever noticed that some blogs seem to rise to the top of Digg over and over again?
You might think that they’ve discovered some magic formula for getting attention, built a “Digg culture” on their blog, or they just get all of their friends to Digg their posts.
And they might.
Though, many of them took the most important step before they even started their blog. They chose a niche that the social media crowd already loves.
The Secret: Give Them What They Want
The most successful blogs don’t try to manipulate readers into voting for their posts. They just give them what they want.
It’s all about focusing on your audience. If you want to be on the front page of Digg, write about topics that Diggers love, such as Ron Paul, Apple, or blogging.
What if your blog doesn’t cover these types of subjects? What if you’re passionate about a “mundane” subject like gardening?
The traditional advice is to slant some posts to get attention. For example:
- Prince Charles Is Growing Marijuana in His Garden (scandal: 950 diggs)
- An Introduction to Square Foot Gardening (frugality: 734 diggs)
- Eating You Alive? Try Eco-Friendly Garden Plants That Repel Mosquitoes (surprising: 796 diggs)
It works. The only question is, do you really want to slant all of your posts just to attract attention? Doesn’t that kind of take away the point of blogging about gardening?
Sure. You could end up writing about something that doesn’t really interest you and quit.
The Secret to Long-Term Social Media Success
The best solution isn’t to slant your posts. It’s to find the overlap between your passions and the topics social media users already love.
Let’s get back to the gardening example.
If you’re a fanatic, you might be tempted to ruminate about the history of different types of plants, but unless it involves sex, murder, or politics, you won’t get much attention from social media. Instead, look to your passions.
For instance, you might believe that gardening makes the world a better place. It just so happens that Digg loves stories about helping the environment and saving the world.
So, you decide to start a blog called “GreenThumbing.org: Changing the World, One Green Thumb at a Time.” You write posts like:
- Warning: You’re Consuming 2 Gallons of Pesticides per Year
- How Do We End World Hunger? The Answer Is in Your Own Backyard
- 21 Ways That Gardening Makes You a Happier Person
I don’t know for sure that all of those titles would make the front page of Digg, but I think they would have a shot. More importantly though, you’d be writing about something both you and people around the world adore.
The result? A blog that’s successful for a long, long time.
If you hate get rich quick schemes, penny pinching, and advice without substance, you might just love Jon’s blog, On Moneymaking. Subscribe here.
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This is a good point. Another reminder that the headline means everything. Even with a great, informative, original article. If you right a ho-hum headline, you’re sunk…
Magnificent article, and consistent with the diminishing level of digger’s intelligence
wow! I just literally stumbled across your blog and as a first time blogger this week, actually
I had two failed attempts not worth mentioning, I will definitely be back, as your info, from a short browse is extensive to say the least.
I try to think about grabs my attention and add that to my page… what would I read…what a title says is what makes people look at the rest of the article.
Great point.
This is yet another reminder that the old rules still apply–give people what they want, provide high quality content, write well. There is no secret. It’s just that many bloggers are only now discovering this eternal truth.
You hit it right on the nail when you said that it’s all about customer-focus.
Great blogging is about having the uncanny ability to give it to ‘em in the way that they find enticing and appetizing.
Again…Thanks for the post!
Dang fine post and it gave me several ideas and showed me how to use those ides.
Thanks Jon.
I just started a blog, and I’m trying to engage the social networks with my content. In addition to what Jonathan has suggested, choose to write on topics you’re actually passionate about. That sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised how well readers can recognize your own interest in your work.
Great post.. You really hit the nail on the head about what diggers like.
Braaavo! Bravo!
Welcome Jonathan Morrow! Please hang around a bit! A magnificent first contribution, especially about over lapping social networks. Thank you indeed.
Also BRANDON, nice comment about passion! Sometimes I can write a weeks worth of material in one sitting. I call it “Writer’s Rush” albeit, when judging a weeks work at maybe 500 words per day it really isn’t that much of an accomplishment.
I will read over a few of the most popular stories in my category before submitting. Gives my mind the mentality to make a successful headline. The title seems to be the most important part as it grabs them in.
i havent been a big digg person but i am going to use your info and try and write a post for digg that relates to my niche.
The problem is that if the post it outside the your blogs framework (aka you never usually talk about it), those visitors won’t subscribe anyways.
hey these are wise tips, i was beginning to wonder what nobody was digging me/sphinning or those sort of things, but the problem is = what do you really want?
It gave me several ideas and showed me how to use those ides.
Thanks Jon.
An enlightening post. Bloggers often think about Apple vs Microsoft, Linux and so on when they want some Digg effect to happen on their blogs.
This post really blasted our thinking wide by mashing up what Diggers want and the topic we are blogging about.
Looks like I’d better figure out how to put those sweet little chicklets on my blog-
People will dig it!
Thats a great post. I haven’t ever really gotten anything to the top of digg, but following your advice I’m sure will help.
Thanks!
Awesome post! The title alone can make a huge difference in the amount of people that will actually click to find out more information.
Great post with good information. Just what I’ve been looking for (in addition to that ellusive magic bullet). I’ll absolutely use the stuff in the psot & the comments, but I want to tap the “group wisdom.” I’ve been trying to improve my rankings, increase my traffic, etc., but with limited success. I’ve been looking for tools to help automate (OK, idiot-proof) the process. I’ve found three that look promising — Artemis, Glyphius, & Nemeas. Does anyone have experience with these?
Thanks,
Doug
Thank you! Someone finally showed me the light,as to why my blogs stink. I am busy writing about what I think is interesting and not paying attention to my readers. They have told me time in time again write something that I want to read or I won’t come back, and they haven’t. thanks again jimi
Doug, you can check out Brian’s thoughts on Glyphius here:
http://www.copyblogger.com/why-creativity-can-kill-your-copy/
Like he says though, it’s just a tool for optimizing your copy. The best software available is still your brain.
I’ve found reading copywriting books to be helpful. If you haven’t already, read all of the books on this list:
http://www.copyblogger.com/copywriting-books-you-should-buy/
This is useful advice. I think that it’s important to balance content of the blog, in terms of its niche, with marketing strategies. For me, the niche is first and foremost. As long as adding keywords and phrases, and even topics that are designed to increase visitors, Digg ratings, or link love, comes naturally within the context, it’s a great way to build the blog.
-Melissa Donovan
Writing FORWARD
Great tips. One thing to remember, however, is that we don’t want to act like we’re in jr. high again, so concerned about being popular. Of course I want to make sure I’m writing for an audience, but I should always remain true to myself and to my own views and interests.
Great post! This is why I subscribe.
Hey, didn’t know those little chicklets can be that useful.
Anyway, that’s one great advice in getting more attention.
Great tips! The one question I do have in mind, is how many per cent of digg visitors actually subscribe to your blog? How many of them look beyond the dugg article?
Great tip about titles. I will revise my titles in my previous comic blogs to include a little snippet of what the comic is about. Thanks
http://savvmari.com
This is a very useful post and gives an important insight on how to make blogs relevant to the social communities out there that actually visit and read the posts. Thank you
Nah, diggers don’t love blogging, they hate blogging.
Most of the stories about blogging are buried before they make it to the front page, even if they are well written and unique.
Unless, of course, MSaleem submits them.
Nice, Jon!
It seems so simple, but finding that intersection between what you love and what your readers love is what it’s all about.
I wouldn’t really call it “link bait” but one thing is sure, that’s one hell of a headline.
great post!!! keep up the great effort!!!
Regardless of how provocative the titles are – it appears that you have the best chance if a top member with lots of friends DIGG the piece
or
If the blog has a very loyal following and is in the Technorati 100, and places the Digg button and number on the post
Fantastic article! Thanks for the gret information.
I’m seeing glennwolsey.com getting dugg every week, I’m so jealous
Choose the right social media is very important. every social media web site have specific topic and the best is to select which one you can get more people interested to your topic.
Garden blogging is mundane?
Well I never!
;0)
What a brilliant idea. I have always created blogs in areas which _I_ liked, rather than targeting the hot sectors. I suppose this is important for my motivation… but if the sector isn’t hot, then I success is that much more difficult.
I love this post. Thanks for opening up my mind to some new ideas, especially after reading it early in the morning, when the new ideas are flowing. My Digg posts generally only get boosts from friends. Since I write on real estate, the field is full of writers and topics. It is hard to be original. But this post gives me some ideas. Thank you.
great! I will follow your guide, and I think it works.
Fantastic post. There is an odd balance in writing material that could do well on Digg and actually writing material just so it will do well on Digg. Your approach seems to focus on the integrity of writing in your niche, while making it meaningful to social sites, too. Not easy at all.
Kudos!
wicked thanks for that. there aren’t enough articles out there that help “boring” industries/topics utilise Digg.
Great post, thanks for the suggestion
A good headline coupled with an interesting image certainly helps. It also helps if the visitor can give a Digg while reading the page rather than having to go back to Digg to do it.
I use Digg as a source of blog post headlines and ideas. Just think of it as free market testing.
Personally, I find it a shame that we’ve all got to go down the route of the tabloid journalist to get read. However, if sensationalist headlines are the order of the day to draw in the crowds then I’ll give it a crack.
Unfortunately it never pays to over-estimate the intelligence or taste of the reader ! The most popular newsagent magazines seem to have an 8th grade reading level.
Thanks for the post! Helped me considering I just created a new politics blog. If you check it out let me know what you think!
your attempts to explain about tha real situration of creating a blog is realy intersting and hepfull to blog creaters.me too have to learn lot from you.
Great tips! I have to try them out.
But as a lot of other people already mentioned it is somewhat strange that people now a days only aim to get to the front page of digg.
Nice website.
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