What a Delicious idea: How to…Use Social Bookmarking

What are social bookmarking sites, why do we care about them, and how do they differ from traditional bookmarking? Part of the reason I chose this topic was because I had no idea what their appeal was.  My group and I set out to discover the best explanation for how to use social bookmarking sites in an effective manner from a PR perspective.

There are a variety of social bookmarking sites like Digg, StumbleUpon, and Reddit, just to name a few. We found an excellent video by Common Craft explaining the allure and nuts and bolts of the social bookmarking site del.icio.us. Known for their simple and entertaining approach to “How to” videos, my group members Sarah, Danyel, and Auravelia, all decided that it was the most effective and entertaining video that explained everything one would need to know about using social bookmarking sites.

The “How to” video discusses three main points:

1. The difference between online and offline bookmarks

Some people might wonder what the appeal of social bookmarking sites really is. What’s the advantage to using one as opposed to taking the traditional route of just using a bookmark from your browser? One advantage is that your bookmarks will be available online, as opposed to just on your personal computer. That way, you can log onto any computer to access your saved bookmarks instead of kicking yourself for not remembering the website you have saved at home.

2. How to use a social bookmarking website

The video explains how to save and organize your bookmarks into categories so it will be easy for you to find links in the future. Whenever you come across a website you want to bookmark, simply click the del.icio.us icon, and a screen will pop up asking you to enter more information, in order to classify it appropriately. For example, if I found a great website explaining Twitter, I would tag it under “Twitter” “Social Media” “HumberPR” “How to” so when I need to find this link in the future, I know exactly where to look. Similarly, other users who are looking for the same topic are able to search these tags, and will come across the website I saved.

3. The value of sharing bookmarks with others.

Having your bookmarks saved and organized online by tags for other users to see is beneficial because it allows for an exchange of content based on interests. Instead of having your own static bookmarks, you can search for a topic and instantly see all the relevant links other have posted that will likely be of interest to you. This sense of community and exchange of content adds great value to your personal and professional network.

The PR perspective

Using a social bookmarking site like del.ico.us contributes to your personal brand because users are able to see what kind of bookmarks you are saving and what kind of online presence you have. For example, in another video explaining social bookmarking, Michael Pranikoff (director of emerging media at PR Newswire), describes how he only bookmarks links about PR and technology, because those are his interests and how he wants to be represented online. So it is essential that you think about which bookmarks you are saving, as they are public and representative of you and your brand. You may want to think twice about saving a link  to an inappropriate video or website if you don’t want it associated with your personal brand.

Overall, social bookmarking site have great advantages over its offline counterpart. The ability to access, exchange, and search for specific content is a useful tool to have for any PR professional.

Check out Sarah, Danyel, and Auravelia’s takes on how to use social bookmarking sites.

Related Links

Check out more “How to” blogs

Watch a more in depth explanation of del.ico.us

Watch a video explaining social bookmarking from a PR perspective