Can Digg Keep Up With Facebook?
Looking at a regular graph of traffic data from Digg and Facebook, it would be easy to assume that Digg is lagging far behind Facebook's staggering growth. However, Compete just produced a very different graph that compares traffic at Digg and Facebook since their respective launches, and according to this data, Digg is actually doing better than Facebook. Facebook is obviously older than Digg, so while it has more traffic now, Digg's growth since its inception has actually been faster than Facebook's.
As you can see from the graphs, Digg and Facebook had very similar growth curves for the first four years of their existence, and according to Compete's historical data, Digg's traffic was actually greater than Facebook's for 33 out of 51 months.
It needs to be said, though, that Facebook's user base has exploded over the last year, while Digg's traffic 'only' grew by about 50% according to Compete. During its fifth year, Facebook's traffic more than doubled from about 28 million visitors to over 73 million.
As Jay Meattle points out in his guest post for Compete, Digg will have to come up with something very special if it wants to continue to match Facebook's growth.
Can Digg Become Mainstream?
In a way, though, comparing Digg to Facebook isn't even necessarily fair, as they provide two completely different services, but in terms of the users they want to reach, both have very similar aspirations. For now, Digg, however, hasn't been able to break into the mainstream (even though Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht made an appearance on Jimmy Fallon last week), while there is a good chance that even your mother is now joining Facebook. If Digg wants to continue its growth, it will have to find a way to attract more mainstream users without alienating its base.
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Digg won't reach Facebook status because it's full of nerd shit. Most of the user-submitted content is not "mainstream" enough to appeal to a wider audience.
DIGG is yesterday's news now. Facebook is still happening. I agree that DIGG needs to do something drastic to stay in the game. I very rarely sign on there but go to Facebook pretty regularly, not daily. Facebook does have a shot at a long-term place in social networking. DIGG would have to solve the problem of the results being gamed to have any interest for me.
Facebook is more attractive.
Apples and Oranges, Frederic. Plus, there are too many Digg-like services for it to become mainstream, and the Digg community doesn't want it that way, anyway. It'll remain popular, but it's still not as effective at aggregating niche content across lots of verticals as it needs to be to be useful for the masses.
If Digg wants to continue its growth, it will have to find a way to attract more mainstream users without alienating its base.
The sexism and techie-elitism of Digg's founders and the environment is going to make that very challenging.
People still use digg?
Posted by: Richard Azia
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March 21, 2009 3:29 AM
people still use facebook, last thing digg needs are more stupid people that do nothing but spend all day on myspace/facebook you can keep your little i have this many friends that i never see any day.
Facebook addresses the need for people to feel loved.
Digg addresses the need for people to learn and see new things.
Unfortunately, one of those needs is universal and the other isn't. If Digg continued it's steady success without outdoing all the sites out there that lust after new users, would that be such a bad thing?
Wow, I dunno dude, Facebook is a hard act to follow!
RT
www.online-privacy.pro.tc
Facebook = social networking site
Digg = social news networking site.
Is there really a surprise that Facebook gets more users?
I thought Kevin wanted something new when he started digg, I don't see why they would try and compare themselves to Facebook. The majority of people on facebook probably get their news from some major news network.
Facebook = social networking site
Digg = social news networking site.
Is there really a surprise that Facebook gets more users?
I thought Kevin wanted something new when he started digg, I don't see why they would try and compare themselves to Facebook. The majority of people on facebook probably get their news from some major news network.
I don't remember last time I would actually been using Digg for more than few seconds (to get to actual location of link someone had posted to other place).
Posted by: Daniel Schildt
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March 21, 2009 9:44 AM
What's up with everything having to be 'mainstream'?
Everything is so mainstream now, that our movies, music, news become devoid any real meaning and, eventually, disposable to every member of the audience.
Certain people need things to go mainstream because they're incapable of making anything for themselves. They're in such a weak position in the field of life, that they need to capitalize upon the industry of others to survive.
Kinda messed up isn't it? Parasites are a sign of a healthy eco-system, but since when do parasites get to run the show?
Both face book and digg are tools used for people to get better, cheaper and faster services, including divorces. Visit our website, if you are not willing to pay for high legal fees for your divorce http://www.cheaptxdivorce.com
facebook is popular .... Am a member of Digg too ..
BOTH have pros & CONS
Digg sucks. The management lack the vision to put it over the top and draw people from all walks of life. Due to the lack of skill with which Digg is managed, Digg attracts and caters to socialists, Marxists, anarchists, druggies, and the low IQ. Rose got lucky, but is completely immature...Digg will not grow.
Rose and Addelson(sp) suck.
Digg can never become like Facebook, because the model is so different.
Facebook is for everyone, while Digg still remains centered around those who are into reading online and blogging.
Also, as long as a limited number of sites "control" Digg, there isn't much it can do.
I will let my webmaster know about the difference as you have indicated. Thanks for the post.
Digg wont reach facebook. Most of the people using digg for social bookmarking. but facebook used for social networking.
For TI why would digg want to draw people like to the site? All face book really is, is another myspace for 40 year old's to get in contact with kids.
I don't care what the chart says, IMHO Digg is toast. Stick a fork in it. What was to be a democratic process of users electing which stories gain prominence on the site is dead at digg. The whole system there is gamed in my view. The waters are full of competitors for the space digg operates in, thus, I conclude the site's traffic will flatten rather abruptly. Facebook, OTOH, has emerged from the crowded social networking space as the market leader. They are crushing myspace, their nearest competitor. Further, the model for digg is really limited as to what you can do there. Not so for facebook. There are really an endless amount of features that can be grafted onto the facebook system.
nice artilce
i really doubt it..... facebook is just awesome
Facebook is completely different to Digg. More people use Facebook because of the social connection they have. Keeping up with friends and family that live away from you is one advantage, but many use it to interact with people they see everyday as well.
I think Facebook really can have that advantage of the fan clubs, although yes it primarily used between friends http://www.targetwebdesign.com.au/
Facebook clearly meets and targets teens in a way that just isnt done elsewhere