What is Social Bookmarking?

According to Wikipedia, Social Bookmarking is a way for Internet users to store, organize, share, and search bookmarks for web pages. In a Social Bookmarking system, users save links to web pages that they want to remember and/or share. These bookmarks are usually public, but depending on the service's features, may be saved privately, shared only with specific people or groups, shared only inside certain networks, or another combination of public and private.

So what is the difference between Social Bookmarking and saving your favorites?

When you save your favorite web sites on your browser, these favorites are only stored on that one computer. If you use a Social Bookmarking site, the bookmarks will be available to you where ever you are. Some services allow you to import your favorites from your browser to their site.

This is a great way to recommend web sites and for you to see what bookmarks others in your field of interest are bookmarking. From your bookmarks, you can see how many people have also bookmarked the same Web sites.
Social Bookmarking can be used to:

• Network with other trainers around the world who share your interests.
• Create social bookmark account for your company and allow participants to contribute to your web resources.
• Contact other people for professional networking, based on their social bookmarks.
• Allow yourself and your participants to share bookmarks on research topics.
• Subscribe to someone's bookmarks via RSS and receive updates when ever they add new websites.
• Share bookmarks between other communities.
• Search web sites that have been recommended by others.

Benefits:

• You can import your favorites to your browser and access them anywhere you are
• View how many people have bookmarked the same sites you have
• Share your bookmarks with others
• Tag your bookmarks

Watch this video for an explanation of Social Bookmarking in plain English.




Another great feature of Social Bookmarking is the search feature. When you add a bookmark you have the option to add tags to describe the Web site which is recommended. These tags are displayed on the right side of your bookmarks. Click a specific tag to narrow your bookmarks to only the ones related to that tag. Otherwise you have to scroll through your pages to find certain bookmarks.

Previously used tags also appear as recommended tags for new web sites you are bookmarking if they are related to this web site.

Resources:

What are tags, and how do I use them?

Furl Guide Social bookmarking

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