Free Social Bookmarks

Using free social bookmarks provides an efficient means of sharing content on the World Wide Web. In fact, social bookmarking is quickly becoming one of the most popular web 2.0 social networking tools. Social bookmarking is easy to use and does not require any advanced technical skills.

A free social bookmarks site is a website that is designed to allow users to collect their favorite websites and blogs and share them with users who have similar interests. The sites are arranged according to category. Some social bookmarking websites allow users to rate the quality of the submitted content. Since users are less likely to give high ratings to spam-type postings, these ratings can be beneficial for anyone who is researching a specific topic.

While there are hundreds of social bookmarking sites on the Internet, the following sites have the greatest number of users.

• Technorati
• Digg
• Del.icio.us
• Stumble Upon
• Yahoo MyWeb
• Google Bookmarks
• Furl
• Reddit
• Slashdot
• Newsvine

Certain social bookmarks tend to focus on a specific theme. For example, Slashdot, whose motto is "news for nerds" emphasizes technology websites. This is evident by its table of contents, which includes categories such as Apple, Linux, Hardware and Games. As its name implies, Newsvine focuses on current events. Some social bookmarking sites, such as You Blogged are specifically geared towards bloggers.

Choosing a social bookmarking service is akin to choosing a display cabinet for your home. You want to pick out something that draws appropriate attention to your content. Before you submit to a social bookmarking website, be sure to read the content that is already on the site. As yourself if your content would be of interest to the site's regular readers and make your decision accordingly.

Many people who monetize their blogs believe incorrectly that submitting their sites to free social bookmarks will increase their earnings. An article on Science Text busts this myth.

Science writer David Bradley points out that many social bookmark users are Internet savvy, and will purposely ignore your blogs efforts at earning money. In fact, users on sites that allow user ratings may purposely vote down or bury blogs that have too many Google ads, or blogs that are characterized by an obvious, hard sell sales pitch.

Even if you are not attempting to monetize your blog, submitting it to social bookmarking websites may leave you open to spammers, stalkers and people who love to make nasty comments. Fortunately, comments can be deleted, but you will need to monitor them on a regular basis.

Some people simply prefer to place social bookmarking icons on their website. In other words, rather than spending time submitting to social bookmarking sites, they leave it up to their readers to share their content. Since many bookmarking sites such as Digg and Stumble Upon will penalize or possibly ban you for constantly submitting your own work, allowing your readers to do this might be a good idea. Some web graphic designers will even provide you with free, social bookmarking icons. Here are just a few of them:

• Sociable: this WordPress plugin will help your users to bookmark your site.
• WP Zoom: This site provides social bookmarking icons that are specially designed for Wordpress blogs.
• CSS Reflex: CSS Reflex designs free, colorful social bookmarking icons.

When used properly, free social bookmarking sites are a great way to build community on the Internet.

• Safe Facebook Applications
• How Do I Make a Podcast
• Blogging the Bible

• Facebook Login Problems
• Facebook Sign In
• Free Lesbian Chat Rooms
• Best Facebook Proxy Sites
• Funny Facebook Status

• Open Source Social Bookmark
• Social Bookmarking Sites
• Value of Internet Social Networking Sites
• Security Issues with Social Networking Websites