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Are You the Underdog in Sphinn? Where’s YOUR Vote?
By Kimberly Bock | March 15, 2008
I was in Sphinn, voting and learning as usual. And I came across this post written by someone that goes by the name Rishil. He had submitted this same topic at some point before the present post in reference. Of course he added a bit more to the present post, although not substantially so.
He wrote the post in question and submitted it to Ann Smarty’s site (considered to be an “A-list” blogger) I am not going into details about the post here.
What does concern me at this point is the commentary that followed. (or view here)
A commenter had observed:
“Just found it interesting that the “more original” piece drew 7 sphinns altogether, this one drew 9 in 2 hours. Quite a bit disappointing… ”
He went on to say:
“The problem is, the first article about this topic (which I mentioned) wasn’t really sphunn by many people.
I’d love to think of Sphinn as a site for perceptive professionals who will take care of pushing worthy stuff to the main page. So even if I only read what’s hot, I still won’t miss anything.
But in many ways, it’s the same herd mentality as everywhere else. If your an A-list blogger and/or a good networker, your posts will go hot with 40-45 sphinns even if they are about an upcoming keynote address, or covering a new feature in the Google SERP days after it has been thoroughly covered.
If you’re just a no-name blogger posting interesting stuff, most of these “perceptive” professionals will not give a damn about you.”
So Rishil had posted this same topic on his own site but it didn’t get nearly the Hot attention that this Sphinn did.
What do you think provided the juice for it to go Hot?
Here’s Annies response to the commenters concerns:
Annies response:
“@sza: actually if one is a great blogger posting interesting stuff, he will become ‘A-list blogger’ (well, meaning, people will notice his posts) sooner or later - so that’s not completely fair. Surely, at the start even a good blogger may suffer from some lack of attention - but that’s life, it’s natural.
And to be completely fair to Sphinn, that’s actually a great place for discovering new great blogs. Even if it didn’t go hot, it will get noticed and will be getting more powerful with each good post…”
Hello?
In essence, I feel that Annie was suggesting that we just deal with the fact that the A-listers have the floor, whether you have beautiful content or not. (??)
“That’s life” ?
“It’s natural” ?
“Sooner or later” ?
“Even if it didn’t go hot, it will get noticed and will be getting more powerful with each good post…” ?
Is she saying that the newcomers posts are read but not voted for ?
or (better yet)
Is she saying that the newcomers posts aren’t even worth their time in the first place, therefore not getting the vote ?
My response:
“@sza: I think we need to look at this from 2 perspectives as a means of ‘analytics’ for our individual use.
A) the ‘A-listers’ have had it within their nature to increase the popular writers visibility for reasons that do not necessarily equal ‘quality’ and / or original content. There are a multitude of excuses that can be made for this.. good bad or indifferent. It is no longer a matter of what THEY are doing to push something to the frontpage.
But as Annie suggests, so is the way of life..
B) As ‘non A-listers’ WE need to be more observant of what seems to be of interest to us, visit the site, read it, and provide a vote if it calls for it. Forget WHO submitted it, WHAT WEBSITE it came from, and don’t be what I would affectionately refer to as a “voter wanker”. Definition: Someone that checks the “Who Sphunn this?” tab to see if it’s worth your time.
Just my 2 cents that couldn’t buy a cup o jo”
Annies response to mine:
“Does anyone really do it it??? I mean checks the “Who Sphunn this?” tab to see if it’s worth his time??? For me that’s always been enough to see WHO submitted the piece…
“
Uh..isn’t that like..er…um..the topic to begin with ?
An A-lister doesn’t have to check..because they already know that the posse is going to be there assisting them. (that’s the “who” part of her comment)
My point here is that in order for the newcomers posts to go hot and establish votes and recognition for their efforts, they need to be read, without prejudice, and voted on without prejudice.
Sphinn is an excellent educational source. The A-listers put a lot of effort into their submissions and we should read and vote accordingly for them (if we find it worthy)
But Sphinn is also a place that has a purpose. It is designed to allow for newcomers submissions to be read and voted on accordingly as well.
Why are they being neglected? It needs to stop. Obviously if changes need to happen, it has to start somewhere. Get the education we need from the A-listers, give them kudos as it calls for it.
But stick to the program that Sphinn was designed for.
The frontpage has the same 5 faces over and over and over. Where are those others (like you) that also have something to bring to the kitty ?
**Let me just add also that I went to my profile to see if anyone had requested friendship with me. I don’t like to overloook them if so.
I found a request and checked them out.
Come to find out, a day and a half ago, they submitted a post by an A-lister..Deb Mastaler. If it had been posted by an A-lister, it would’ve gone hot already. It was not..therefore it has only received 4 votes before mine.**
Don’t feel obligated to the A-listers. Be your own entity, follow and support others in the underdog boat and build your own arsenal of reciprocation. Establish a network of your own and be a giver.
I’ll do my part in support of the underdog for good content. Hopefully you will too.
Until later, have fun learning damnit!
Topics: Controversy |
March 15th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
A good cause, Kimberly, and one that we all need to work on, whatever our position on the totem pole. I go solely by titles, so if someone wants to get my attention, then have a creative title. I’m not concerned by who started the sphinn entry or who is supporting, it’s the content that counts. Thanks for this.
March 15th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
I agree with your points, but I have to agree with Annies points. All social networks work that way; Top diggers, stumblers or sphinners have authority and more friends and sometimes call the shots.
It’s the “social” factor in social networks.
If it weren’t like that, these networks wouldn’t be social.
I don’t say I find it fair though, but - yes - that’s life….
March 15th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Ok, once again,I disagree (is that only the second time with us?).
[off topic] that’s Rishil not Rashil.
And now copy-pasted from the Sphinn comment:
1. I do not consider myself ‘A-lister’;
2. Hello!? This is me - you were one of my first social friends and you should remember that I was among those newcomers you are talking about only 1-2 months ago
- therefore I was talking based on my own recent experience. Only because I am a newbie I feel I have the right to say that it is fair and Sphinn is an excellent place to discover newbies like myself.
You cannot enter a new niche (even with excellent thoughts and ideas) and get noticed in a day - yes! that’s life and that’s what I think is really fair.
You should prove you are good by being consistent and by working hard. Life is not easy, I am sorry to say this, but it isn’t - and do you really think that’s not fair?
Yes, I read posts submitted by everyone - but I do have more trust in ‘A-listers’ as you put it because they earned my trust - just like I had to earn the trust of many people who vote for my posts.
March 15th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
I have no idea who is handing out the ‘A Lister – B Lister’ titles and could care less. My misguided mate Gabs once called me a ‘Top 20 persons to watch’ at Sphinn, a graciously generous Guru said I was ‘a top blogger you’ve never heard of’ and a confused collective labelled me a ‘social media Ninja’ – so freakin what? I hang them with my rubber chicken nomination out in the coup.
This is SOCIAL media… heavy on the social and not so much on the media. That is why this type of phenomenon exists as you well know my dear. It is not about the biased editorial practices of a wayward media outlet, this is all about the community – if they want a fair shake, start your own pligg site.
I read and Spinn what strikes me and often I am drawn to people with like minded interests to mine… those are my mates, thus I trust and enjoy their submissions. As for myself, I have nearly 200 submissions and can say I have drawn from a wide variety of blogs/sites in that time. Unfortunately I can only keep so many feeds in my reader and if a new wants me submitting their stuff… they simply need to get my attention as more than a few folks have.
Forget all of this silly talk of A Listers and simply start making friends and networking… it is, after all – social media :0)
Dave
March 16th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Like it or not, this will happen on all these kind of services, as everywhere counts if you’re a popular user with lots of friends or not. And i won’t call it the herd effect, but the exposure effect
March 16th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Voting sites are just like high school. You can use the same tactics.
When you’re new it takes some time to break in. The best way to do that is to submit good content and build up your friends list. Hang out with the “right” people. Submit your content and message them to take a look at it. Tell the “cool” people how cool they are.
I think the reason Digg is so popular is that it’s a chance for the geeks to get a re-do on high school. Marketers should already have a good handle on what works.
March 16th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Ive noticed this, but thats with anything on social media. More popular=more votes. Its not fair but it makes us have to work even harder.
Im always ready to “help the underdog” but no one takes me up on it. I have decent profiles and a powerful stumble, yet no one *besides contacts* really goes out to ask me for votes.
Help the underdog and vote for me! lol
March 16th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
And, just as a departure from normal discussion…
I thought I should point out that, despite the avatar, Rishil is actually a dude. He, not she
March 17th, 2008 at 12:42 am
I had posted an article on one of my blogs, a low profile blog, and it got stumbled but nothing happened. I posted the same article a couple months later on a higher profile blog I had purchased and it got around 30,000 views. It went to the front page of Delicious as well.
Same article, different setting. Which made the difference, the article or where it lived? Easy answer, I think.
March 17th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Burgo: Wow, couldn’t tell from the pic! Ok..now changed that as well. Thanks.
Terry: Yea, definitely an easy answer for sure. There’s got to be a way for us to build each others space and alliances? If not, I am concerned that we will always have a tendency to do the social media work for others who aren’t as appreciative of what we offer. Am I over dramatizing?
March 18th, 2008 at 12:47 am
“Am I over dramatizing?” - Much Ado About Nothing
March 18th, 2008 at 5:19 am
Much ado? It’s not much ado for ME to Sphinn a newcomers post. It seems to be much ado for others though for sure.
March 18th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I agree completely, Kimberly:
Sphinn is better for everyone involved if they take the time to read something new from someone they haven’t seen before, and sphinn it if they get value from it.
We all benefit from hearing new voices, and new perspectives,
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