Have you ever visited a page and wanted to read it later?
Well, that’s where social bookmarking comes in.
You save all your favorite content in one place, accessible from any device.
But, how does it work and where can you find these platforms?
Let’s take a closer look.
Social bookmarking is a way to save and organize links to web pages that you want to revisit or share.
These bookmarks are typically stored online, meaning they can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. They are usually categorized by tags or keywords, making it easier for users to find more relevant content.
Think of it as a virtual bookmark that you can access from anywhere instead of having to rely on physical bookmarks or browser history.
1. Easy organization: With social bookmarking, you can easily organize and access your favorite articles from any device. You don’t have to worry about losing your bookmarks or forgetting to save a link.
2. Sharing made simple: Most platforms have the option to share your bookmarks with others through public links or private messages. This makes it easier to share interesting content with friends, colleagues, or your online community.
3. Discover new content: There’s often a “popular” or “trending” section where you can see what others are bookmarking and discover new content that you may not have found otherwise.
4. SEO benefits: This practice can also benefit your website’s SEO. When you bookmark a URL, it creates a backlink to that page which can help with search engine ranking.
5. Collaboration: Some sites allow for collaboration where you can create groups and share bookmarks with others. This can be helpful for team projects or research.
The process is quite straightforward:
1. Choose a social bookmarking platform: There are many options available, so choose one that best fits your needs and preferences.
2. Create an account: Most platforms require you to sign up for an account before you can start bookmarking.
3. Start bookmarking: Once you have an account, simply click on the “bookmark” or “save” button on your browser’s toolbar to save the link. You can also manually add a URL and add tags for easier organization.
4. Categorize your bookmarks: Use relevant tags or categories to organize your bookmarks. This will make it easier for you to find specific content later on.
5. Share (optional): If you want to share your bookmarks, most platforms have options to share them publicly or with specific individuals.
Now that you know the basics, here are fifteen of the best social bookmarking sites to get you started.
According to Statista, Pinterest has over 500 million users worldwide.
It’s a visual discovery platform where users can bookmark and share images or videos in collections called “boards.”
You can save content (called “pins”) from any website or upload your own.
For example, if you’re planning a dinner party, you can create a “Food and Drink” board and save recipes and party ideas to it.
Best Feature: Pinterest Lens – a visual search tool that lets you use your camera to find similar items on the platform.
With over 600 million organic traffic, Reddit is currently the 10th most visited website globally!
It’s a social news and entertainment platform where users can share and discuss content through various communities (called subreddits).
You can bookmark interesting posts or discussions by “saving” them within your account.
On the other hand, you can share links to your website and engage with other users within relevant subreddits (remember that it should be based on an interesting discussion that brings value to the community).
Best Feature: Upvotes and Downvotes – Reddit’s voting system helps determine the popularity of a post or comment, making it easier for users to find high-quality content.
Pocket is a content aggregator that allows users to save articles, videos, and more in one place for later viewing.
It also has a built-in recommendation feature that suggests new content based on your interests.
You can access your saved content through the Pocket app or website.
Best Feature: Tags and Highlights – Pocket allows you to highlight specific text or phrases in articles and add tags for better organization.
Flipboard is a social magazine, where users can share stories, news articles, and other content in a visually appealing way.
You can create personalized “magazines” based on your interests and save articles to read later.
It also has a “For You” section that suggests content based on your activity and interests.
Best Feature: Customizable Magazine Cover – you can choose which stories appear on the cover of your magazines for aesthetic purposes
Digg is a news aggregator and bookmarking site that allows users to discover new content and save articles for later reading.
You can also share interesting articles with your followers or through social media.
It has a “Top Stories” section where you can see which articles are trending at the moment.
Best Feature: Reader Mode – Digg offers a reader mode option for a cleaner, distraction-free reading experience.
Pearltrees is a visual bookmarking and curation tool where users can organize content in a tree-like structure.
You can create “pearls” (bookmarks) and group them into collections or “trees.”
It also has a community aspect, where you can collaborate with others on specific collections.
Best Feature: Browser Extension – Pearltrees offers a browser extension that allows you to save content with one click.
Diigo is a social bookmarking site that allows users to save, organize, and annotate web pages.
You can also collaborate with others by sharing your bookmarks or joining groups.
It has a customizable tag system for easy organization and searching.
Best Feature: Highlight and Note – Diigo allows you to highlight text within saved web pages and add notes for future reference.
Formerly known as StumbleUpon, Mix is a discovery platform where users can find and save interesting articles, videos, and more.
You can also follow other users with similar interests and see what they’re bookmarking.
Mix’s algorithm suggests content based on your activity and preferences.
Best Feature: Shuffle – Mix has a “shuffle” feature that randomly shows you content based on your interests, making it easy to find new and exciting bookmarks.
Slashdot is a technology-focused social news website where users can submit and discuss articles related to science, technology, and more.
It has a “bookmarks” feature where you can save articles for later reading or share them with others.
You can also customize your homepage by subscribing to specific topics.
Best Feature: Moderation System – Slashdot has a moderation system where users can rate the quality of comments and hide those with low ratings, making it easier to find valuable discussions.
With tens of millions of pieces of content shared, Scoop.it is a curation and publishing platform where users can discover, save, and share articles, videos, and more.
It also has a feature called “suggest” where you can suggest interesting content to others in your network.
Best Feature: Content Suggestions – Scoop.it offers personalized content suggestions based on your interests and activity.
With over 8 million users, Folkd is a social bookmarking and search engine where you can save, share, and discover interesting web content.
It has a “groups” feature where you can join or create communities based on your interests for more targeted bookmarking.
Best Feature: Tag Cloud – Folkd shows popular tags in the form of a cloud, making it easier to find relevant content.
Plurk is a microblogging and social networking platform where users can share short updates, links, and media with their followers.
Similar to other social bookmarking sites, you can save interesting posts for later viewing.
It also has a “Karma” system that rewards active users.
Best Feature: Timeline Layout – Plurk’s timeline layout allows for more visually appealing and organized posts.
Instapaper is a bookmarking tool that allows users to save articles, videos, and other content for offline reading.
It also has a “Browse” feature where you can discover new content based on your interests.
Best Feature: Text-to-Speech – Instapaper offers a text-to-speech feature, allowing you to listen to articles hands-free.
Fark is a news aggregator and social networking platform where users can share and discuss interesting articles.
It has a “Hot” section that features the most popular stories at the moment.
You can also filter content by category or keyword.
Best Feature: Photoshop Contests – Fark regularly hosts Photoshop contests where users can submit and vote for their favorite images.
DZone is a community-driven platform where users can discover, save, and share articles and other resources related to software development.
With over two million users, it has a “Zone” feature where you can create or join communities based on specific topics.
Best Feature: Research Guides – DZone offers curated collections of articles and resources called “research guides” for more in-depth learning.
Keyhole offers features specifically for content planning and publishing.
You can schedule posts across multiple social media platforms, collaborate with team members, and analyze your content’s performance.
Best Feature: Keyhole lets you track hashtags and trends so you know what’s relevant to your target audience and work on your content accordingly.
Social bookmarking sites offer more than just a place to save your favorite articles and websites.
They have various features that make them valuable tools for content discovery, organization, and even collaboration.
Whether you’re a social media marketer looking to plan and publish content or an individual in need of better bookmarking options, these sites are worth exploring.
Author bio
Erik Emanuelli has been in the online marketing game since 2010. He contributed to many important online publications and he has been featured on sites like Entrepreneur and GoDaddy. He’s now helping people increase their online visibility by sharing what he has learned during these years.
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Social bookmarking sites can benefit your website's SEO and traffic by providing valuable backlinks and increasing your online visibility. When users bookmark your content, it signals to search engines that your website is trustworthy and relevant, improving your search engine rankings. Additionally, when your content is shared and bookmarked by others, it can drive organic traffic to your site.
To effectively use social bookmarking sites, it's important to consistently share high-quality and engaging content. Take the time to optimize your bookmarks with relevant keywords, tags, and descriptions. Engage with other users by commenting, liking, and sharing their content to build relationships and expand your network. Lastly, monitor your analytics to identify which social bookmarking platforms are driving the most traffic and adjust your strategy accordingly.
There are several popular social bookmarking sites to consider, including Pinterest, Reddit, StumbleUpon (now Mix), Digg, and Pocket. However, the effectiveness of each platform may vary depending on your target audience and niche. It's important to research and experiment with different platforms to find the ones that align with your goals and resonate with your audience.
