ReadWriteWeb’s new AddThis options
A recent change at ReadWriteWeb provides an interesting look at the social networks its tech-savvy readers are most likely to use.
The popular technology blog last week changed the social sharing options it offers on each article page, and a quick before/after comparison adds weight to a number of ongoing social media stories.
Namely, the re-launched Digg is on the way out, Delicious hasn’t got long to go and Google Buzz hasn’t managed to become the next Twitter.
ReadWriteWeb’s old AddThis options
All three are no longer even offered as sharing options on ReadWriteWeb articles posted from 5 January. Digg’s the biggest loser, giving up not just its stand alone button but also now not even featured in the roll-over AddThis button.
Its place as a featured sharing service is taken by StumbleUpon and Hacker News gets the vacant slot.
Meanwhile, promoted to the AddThis button are ‘light blogging’ platform Tumblr (but not, notably, its rival Posterous) and the trio of app-friendly ‘content saving’ services Evernote, Instapaper and Read It Later.
As snapshots go it’s a limited one, and certainly won’t persuade me to give up my Posterous blog. But it does show once again that formerly heavy hitters in social media like Digg and Delicious can be humbled while slicker competition rises to prominence.
Dominic Tyer 