WordPress.com

1. danpoz
   Member
   Mar 30, 2009, 10:12 AM

   I've read a few threads here, and I'm wondering what it would take to automatically add social bookmarking links to each post? Its a great way to generate traffic (and doing so automatically is just one more way to make the process blogging more of a joy and less of a hassle).

   I'd imagine we'd want a single button, and we'd want to limit it to services (since there are problems with allowing email links in). By default it would be switched off, but could appear at the beginning, end, or both beginning and end of a post.

   What are the obstacles to implementing this?

   Warm Thanks,
   Dan

   The blog I need help with is blog.educationtoempower.org.

2. raincoaster
   Member
   Mar 30, 2009, 10:17 AM

   The first one I can think of is the trendiness of social bookmarking sites. They come and go with great rapidity (ever used Magnolia?).

   The second is that single buttons go to single sites by definition, and most people who are loyal to single sites and are using Firefox already have the "Add to Whatever" button; I have three of them in my browser bar right now.

   The third is that if your idea of a single button is one that then opens up like Add This to have lots of different ones, you're going to lose 80 % of people because of that extra click. I like the single buttons in a row the way I have in this Social Bookmarking post:

   http://raincoastermedia.com/2007/07/15/social-bookmarking-links/

   They're pretty, but they're also too in your face to ignore.

3. sensuouscurmudgeon
   Member
   Mar 30, 2009, 4:35 PM

   raincoaster, I've been using an AddThis button for a long time, figuring that it's easy to copy to the end of posts, and it's probably better than nothing. But I have no clue as to whether it's done any good. I suspect not.

   I never used code like yours because I'm already doing plenty of after-posting work. First, I add the post's url to the dummy permalink code I include with AddThis; and after that I add a link to the post to one of my tables of contents. But if AddThis isn't doing anything, I suppose I should get serious, even if it means another chore to perform after posting.

   So I just gave your code a whirl on an old post. It works exactly as you say. If I add AddThis buttons and my dummy permalink code to it (with "addy" instead of what I've been using) I think I can do it all without too much additional effort.

   Thanks for the information.

4. danpoz
   Member
   Mar 30, 2009, 6:42 PM

   raincoaster, thanks for the code! I agree, the extra click is going to lose users.

   I do wish there was a way for this to be automatic. As a recovering web developer, I'd happily take up the habit again if there was a shortage of hands to get the job done (and I'm sure the community could turn up far more skilled advocates for this than I).

5. danpoz
   Member
   Mar 30, 2009, 6:52 PM

   People might find this approach useful too (using a bookmarklet in firefox makes it a much speedier process.

6. danpoz
   Member
   Mar 30, 2009, 7:04 PM

   Ok this is even nicer! A greasemonkey script!

7. danpoz
   Member
   Mar 30, 2009, 8:33 PM

   I edited the script to make a few changes: http://blog.educationtoempower.org/2009/03/30/social-bookmarks-for-wordpresscom/

8. raincoaster
   Member
   Mar 31, 2009, 12:26 AM

   There's GetSocial, which is very popular. I haven't used it, but people are very happy with it.

9. sensuouscurmudgeon
   Member
   Mar 31, 2009, 1:29 AM

   raincoaster, I've been adding your code to several of my posts, and it works just fine. I made one modification, however. You use a colon between the buttons. I decided to use a dot (alt-7). Either one looks fine, but I'll stick with the dot.

   Do you know of any other buttons available here at WordPress -- maybe with the names of the sites to go along with the buttons? Or does everyone recognize the buttons? (I know nothing about social bookmarking, but if two minutes of extra effort produces more hits, I guess it's worthwhile.)

10. raincoaster
    Member
    Mar 31, 2009, 2:23 AM

    Everyone pretty much recognizes the buttons. But you might try GetSocial as well, it's easier.

    Now that I have a faster computer, I should start using those buttons again. I had to stop because Word was crashing my old computer. But I used to get 15-20% of my traffic from Digg and reddit and stumble because of those buttons.

11. gerardlim2009
    Member
    Mar 31, 2009, 8:58 AM

    Thanks for the useful plug-ins some are recommending. The problem with social sites is the speed at which they change. So it is a huge challenge to automate this activity.

12. danpoz
    Member
    Apr 1, 2009, 4:28 AM

    I've read mixed things about GetSocial on Linux (I run Ubuntu), so the greasemonkey approach feels the best for me.

    I think it could be automated if there was a way for users to add in the urls they want themselves. Alternatively, wordpress.com could architect it such that they make a couple sites available, and in preferences you can pick ones inserted into every post. Personally I think adding it to the post screen (much like categories or tags) is the best approach. "Click this to add Social Bookmarking Links". Then you could even adjust them post by post!

13. tigerspider
    Member
    Apr 1, 2009, 5:47 AM

    Thanks!

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