Websites using Digg

Okay, let s break down Digg, covering its overview, revenue (or lack thereof), alternatives, pricing, and customer care details.

Digg Overview

• What it is: Digg was one of the original social news aggregation websites. It allowed users to submit links to online content (articles, blog posts, videos, etc.), and other users could digg (vote up) or bury (vote down) these submissions. The most popular content rose to the front page, creating a user-driven editorial system.
• Original Success: Digg was a pioneer in the early days of social media and was incredibly popular in the mid-to-late 2000s. It was a major force in driving traffic to websites.
• Transformation: The original Digg (Digg v1, v2, v3) eventually faced challenges, including issues with manipulating votes and a controversial redesign (Digg v4). This led to a significant decline in user base.
• Current Digg: The website was acquired by Betaworks in 2012 and re-launched with a different approach. The modern Digg is more akin to a content aggregator and curated news service, pulling in stories from various reputable sources rather than relying solely on user submissions. It offers a cleaner, more mainstream approach to news.
• Focus: It now focuses on presenting a curated selection of interesting, trending, and often high-quality content from various sources. It doesn t heavily emphasize the user submission/voting system.
• Use Cases:
  • Discovering interesting and trending news articles and stories.
  • A place to browse content curated by the Digg editorial team.
  • A quick way to stay up-to-date with important news topics.

Revenue

• Original Digg (Pre-2012):
  • Generated revenue through display advertising (banner ads, etc.) and promoted content.
• Current Digg (Post-2012):
  • Revenue primarily comes from display advertising. It relies on impressions and clicks on the ads shown on the website.
  • Digg does not typically operate a subscription model.
  • It s not a highly profitable venture in its current form, particularly compared to larger social media platforms. Digg s primary focus now appears to be on curating high-quality content and driving traffic to the web, rather than maximizing profits.

Alternatives

Here are some alternatives, both for the original Digg model and for the current content curation approach:

For the User-Driven Social News/Voting Model (Original Digg):

• Reddit: Perhaps the closest direct equivalent. It has subreddits for nearly every topic imaginable, with a strong community voting and commenting system.
• Hacker News: A popular site for news related to technology, startups, and programming. Known for its thoughtful discussions.
• Slashdot: A news website geared towards technology, science, and Linux. It focuses on in-depth technical articles.
• Lobste.rs: Another tech-focused site with a user voting system and strong discussion.

For Curated News Aggregation (Current Digg):

• Google News: A personalized news aggregator that pulls content from many sources.
• Apple News: A curated news app with a focus on major publishers.
• Flipboard: A visually-oriented news aggregator that allows you to create your own magazines.
• Feedly: An RSS reader that lets you follow your favorite news sources.
• Pocket: Allows users to save and organize articles from the web to read later

Pricing

• Digg is Free for Users: There are no subscription fees or costs to browse the site and access its content.
• For Advertisers: Digg, as mentioned earlier, relies on advertising revenue. Prices for advertising vary depending on the visibility and type of ads. However, Digg doesn t have a large or targeted advertising program compared to major tech companies like Google and Facebook. Therefore, ad costs would be comparatively lower.

Customer Care Details

• Limited Direct Support: Digg does not typically provide extensive individual customer support like dedicated phone lines or live chat.
• Help Center/FAQ: Digg has a basic help center or FAQ section that may answer basic questions about using the site.
• Contact Form: Users can typically contact Digg through a generic contact form or email address if they have issues.
• Social Media: Digg maintains some presence on social media platforms (like Twitter) where users may be able to ask general questions or report issues.
• Focus on Simplicity: The website is designed for easy use, and therefore, complex customer care options are not needed. The most common way users report problems is by contacting Digg on social media.

Key Takeaways:

• Digg has Evolved: It s no longer the user-driven social news powerhouse of its early days. It is now more focused on curation.
• Revenue is Limited: Its primary income is through display ads.
• Alternatives Abound: Many other platforms offer a similar or better experience, depending on what you re looking for (social news or curated content).
• Customer Support is Basic: Expect a limited self-service approach to support.

Let me know if you have any other questions or would like more details on a specific aspect!