How Not to Get Upvotes on Digital Journal

Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ Samantha A. Torrence in Internet 13 comments

Advertising

I have been on DJ for a little over a year now and I have noticed a trend about upvoting.

If you want to get upvotes on Digital Journal you just have to follow ceratin fads but there is are some sure fire ways to not get Upvotes.

1) Write something positive about America. For the most part positive stories about America get looked over. Write something negative though and you have got yourself a hit.

2) Write something negative about Religion. If you want to get some cultclassic type voters write something negative about religion. Of course writing positive stories is a 50-50 shot.

3) Write something positive about the United States Military or Iraq. Positive stories about the United States military, or even just newsworthy ones are almost always ignored, but write about a soldier terrorizing an animal and it is all the rage. Same goes with Iraq.

4) Write actual newsworthy stories, if it isn't hype you won't get a hit.

5) Write a story that pisses someone off so much they start an entire hit campaign against you. While you are the subject of controversy at first you are a novelty and will get some attention. Eventually though people will avoid you like a plague as hit piece after hit piece in story or commentary degrade you. Eventually people get sick of the drama.

6) Another way not to get upvotes is to not network. On the flip side you can get lotsof upvotes by commenting, getting to know people, and publishing your articles on a personal blog that gets exposure. There are ways to cheat on your upvotes, like using bots with programs to disguise IP's. Luckily the staff has got that under controll.

So there is my Amarant for the day. Hope you enjoyed. =)

blog:476:9::0

Comments (13)

Subscribe To This Thread

Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ KJ Mullins
#1

I do post my articles to my personal blog. I don't know if that has increased upvotes or not though. I do see that true news stories on my blog get more hits than they do here though.

It's sad to say but what sells is sex and bad tidings. The feel good stories have their niche but they aren't the hot news items of the day.

The small town stories also often get overlooked.

My biggest gripe on overlooked stories have to do with when journalists are killed. Maybe though those who write don't want to come face to face with the dangers of the craft.

Great rant Sam.

quote
Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ Samantha A. Torrence
#2

Thanks KJ. And thanks for adding!

I have been guilty of not giving attention to the journalists stories, and will try to do better. =)

quote
Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ Michelle Duffy
#3

So there is my Amarant for the day. Hope you enjoyed. =)

This is all quite true - I like to go for something where I can determine that everyone will have an opinion

I did an article recently where I pretty much felt sorry for a man who had shook his baby to death - I said that he was a young father who had been let down by a system in the UK which had failed to support him and his family during the most tiring and stressful times of being a parent - the first few years - if he had had the right support and advice to calm his temper and understand why the baby had been crying and how to deal with it, the child would probably still be alive to day and a young man would be making his mark in the world as being something very rare - a good father.

It is father's day in the UK today and I have reflected today on how many fathers I personally know who do not deserve to even get a card let alone special treats today.....

There are some good people out there who just need guidance. That's the sort of story that creates an effect - a stir of opinions if you will, and that's the sort of story I like to cover....

quote
Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ Michelle Duffy
#4

Besides, it not often I have so much to say on a subject!

quote
Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ Samantha A. Torrence
#5

@■ Michelle Duffy
Besides, it not often I have so much to say on a subject!

No but when you do make quipps they are always always wonderful. =)

quote
Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ Bob Ewing
#6

Interesting, there are other ways I find many of my environment and science articles receive little attention.

quote
Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ Samantha A. Torrence
#7

I have noticed that too Bob, sometimes I find myself upvoting on one later because I missed it when you put it out. =) My latest environment one about phytoplankton farming didn't even register as a blip, so I know your pain. lol
Infact I am going to go through your news profile and see if there is anything I missed that I like.

quote
Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ Bob Ewing
#8

II just read your phytoplankton story and am glad you mentioned it I had missed it before.

quote
Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ Samantha A. Torrence
#9

I am glad I went back and checked because the Zircon story is just cool. Blue Zircon is one of the many cast off birthstones assigned to us Capricorns.

quote
Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ Bob Ewing
#10

@■ Samantha A. Torrence
I am glad I went back and checked because the Zircon story is just cool. Blue Zircon is one of the many cast off birthstones assigned to us Capricorns.

Us Taureans are stuck with emeralds.

quote
Posted Jun 15, 2008 by ■ Samantha A. Torrence
#11

I would rather that... lol

quote
Posted Jun 16, 2008 by ■ Paul Wallis
#12

I haven't exactly had much to complain about regarding upvoting.

I upvote strictly on merit, and any networks, bots or otherwise, can ride out on the same chicken they rode in on.

The only reason I don't upvote more is because I'm usually writing, not reading.

quote
Posted Nov 4, 2008 by ■ James Raider
#13

Samantha,

Great post. You are holding a mirror up to the usual relationship the public has with media in general. "Shock," "sex," or the "negative" get much of the attention.

I've been writing a blog for the past year on politics, business and culture, and the article that daily gets an overwhelming number of reads, over all others on the site, is an article I wrote in May on the Hanna Montana/Leibovitz Vanity Fair photo spread. ... Not the plan, but there's the reality.

I've just signed on here, and look forward to testing the waters.

I really like the layout, structure and ease of use that DigitalJournal.com presents to readers, as well as writers. A very smart front end. Much better than such sites as Huff Post, for example.

http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/

quote