Techmeme founder Gabe Rivera earlier recommended that the best way to get Techmeme love your blog is through original content, descriptive titles and link love – i.e., you should send some traffic to Techmeme and they he may consider including your site among other Techmeme elites.
That was 2006 and obviously lot of things have changed since then.
Gabe diversified from the "computers decide everything" model and appointed a couple of human editors (Megan McCarthy and Omer Horvitz) who ensure that important news gets featured faster on Techmeme and they may push down obsolete stories out of the main page.
So what does it now take to get your blog on Techmeme?
1. For bloggers who aren’t on Techmeme yet
a. If you are have written an exclusive piece on your blog (like Steve Jobs spotted at a local candy shop), submit that link to Techmeme via Twitter (see examples) or send an email directly to the Techmeme editors at editorial@techmeme.com.
b. If you are re-blogging (like linking to a news story that says Apple releases iPhone), chances are pretty low that Gabe or his editorial team will include you in Techmeme. However, as Gabe said in his tweet, if you can provide some unique context that is missing from the current Techmeme conversation around that news, you can get included. Just follow the steps listed in 1a.
2. For bloggers who are on Techmeme but need more exposure
If your blog / website is indexed by Techmeme already, you don’t have to work very hard to get onto Techmeme. Just blog about current news (like Gmail Goggles) and chances are pretty high that your article will automatically become part of the relevant conversation happening at Techmeme.
However, getting onto Techmeme is just half the battle won. You’ll get minimal or no traffic if readers have to expand that + symbol in order to see your blog post on Techmeme.
To make sure that your story doesn’t get grouped with the main headline and that it gets syndicated in the Techmeme news feed, you have to really make sure that your blog article is adding something unique to the current conversation.
You can also escape the Techmeme grouping if one or more blogs link to your story and that will only happen if you have something unique to share.
You may also consider adding the Techmeme button in your blog that will make it easy for readers to recommend your blog posts to Techmeme editors via Twitter. Try this live here.
Important point: While you are allowed to tip your own stories for Techmeme via Twitter, it would be great if let your readers do that job for obvious reasons.
*If you are new here, check this Techmeme Time Lapse Video to see how stories move up or down with time.
Find this article at: http://www.labnol.org/internet/getting-techmeme-links/7011/
Tags: feature, link building, techmeme, Internet
Reader Comments
Was wondering how to get on TechMEME……as there is no option for submitting blog on there homepage
Written by TechPaparazzi on 02.03.09
You’re confusing “have something unique to share” with “attract ATTENTION, preferably from A-listers”. Those are very different. You can be very, very, unique, but that in itself can mean you’ll languish in obscurity. Saying something that attracts the link of a top blog – like, for example, joining a mob lead by a BigHead – is another matter.
Written by Seth Finkelstein on 02.03.09
I had submitted a post of mine to Techmeme yesterday thru Twitter, but could not hit the site. Well, it might not be original anyway and there was not any queer angle there.
Thanks for posting this Amit.
Written by Suneel on 02.03.09
“You can be very, very, unique, but that in itself can mean you’ll languish in obscurity.”
That’s exactly where these Twitter based tips will enable Techmeme discover your unique content.
Written by Amit on 02.03.09
“I had submitted a post of mine to Techmeme yesterday through Twitter” – sending a tip via Techmeme doesn’t guarantee inclusion but at same time, avoid sending tips for your own blog because these tips to Techmeme are read by human editors.
Written by Amit on 02.03.09
Ohh!!
Yes, I have read about this, to avoid self submissions. I will have to follow the rule.
Thanks for pointing it out Amit.
Written by Suneel on 02.03.09
what if you are someone like jan chipchase (@janchip) link who doesn’t care about techmeme – but techmeme should care about..? is there a reverse feedback loop?
Written by andrew korf on 02.03.09
Thanks for posting the ‘Suggest to Techmeme’ button I wrote. FYI, I’ve just posted another version that works for self-hosted WordPress here – link
Written by jonathan on 02.04.09