It’s an ancient tactic and one which works online as much as anywhere else, even more so.
When someone links to this blog with content above a certain quality threshold I will Stumble, Sphinn, Delicious that content. I may even Twitter if the content is appropriate.
The reason being is to boost the power and authority of that page and the link. Also, some traffic will travel down that link to its destination.
This technique is why a lot of generous and naturally nice people succeed in blogging, they constantly feed their friends and starve their enemies.
You can apply the same principle to Twitter. You recommend people to follow the friends who recommend to their friends to follow you. You help build their account, because if they are saying nice things about you, you want they to have a bigger audience.
Can this be used for evil? Possibly, but the people I see working this technique seem to genuinely enjoy sharing it around. I know I do, it simply is a natural thing to build up your friends whilst ignoring your enemies.
When I say enemies I am really saying people who would never do anything for you, whilst you do everything for them. In the strict definition of the word they are not your enemies as in they may not even know you exist. They are an enemy to your progress online if you spend resources on them.
Spend your resources on your friends, not the big cheese, online super hero blogger. Too many people clamoring for attention. They simply don’t have the time to help you.
But if you’re friends with the “up and comers”, these are the people who can give you the leg up, these people have time for you. Hunt them down and do nice things for them often. They will notice you and do nice things back.
It’s all very karmic in the end. If you want to get ahead in music, don’t try to get advice on Bono, go find the best Pub band in your area and buy them a Kitkat. Or a pint. These are the guys who have the potential to help you.
Now go out and do some good.
Sournce:
Vikings, The History Channel
