Using social news sites is a great way to discover what’s hot on the Web, find stories and story ideas related to your beat, and share content with other audiences.

Social news sites are different from social networks because they are communities where users can submit links and share them with other users. On most sites, users have the power to vote on the submitted content, which can impact its visibility to the rest of the community. If enough users vote up a link (because they think that content is newsworthy or simply interesting), it could be shared for all to see on the front page of the site, where the link could experience a burst of traffic.

In addition, some of these sites are influenced by algorithms and monitored by editors. The algorithms determine which stories become popular based on a number of undisclosed factors. The editors watch over the submitted content and have the ability to impact the success of a link either by promoting it or removing it if it’s inappropriate or against the site’s Terms of Use.

Social news sites come in all shapes and sizes, just like social networks. Some are general and others have more niche-focused audiences. Some of these lists are a bit old, but they give you an idea of how many sites are out there:

- Dosh Dosh: 50 Social News Websites
- Squareoak: 83 Social News Sites – Categorized by Niche
- Social Media Trader: 115 Social News and Bookmark Sites Ranked and Rated

To get started on a social network:

- Determine which one is right for you. Before joining a community, do some research to find out if it has an active community, if it fits your interests, how much participation is required, etc.

- Observe how the community operates. Participation on most sites involves voting on others’ submissions, leaving comments and more. These actions usually increase your influence in the community and are often reciprocated. Other users will want to become your friend you if they see you’re active and good to your friends.

- Seek out influential users (those who have stories promoted to the front often, etc.) and find out what makes them influential. What you can do to achieve similar success?

- Be patient. Success won’t come overnight, so don’t join in hopes that your first link will become wildly popular. It can take weeks to create a profile that has the potential to make your link go viral.

Amanda Maurer is a digital news editor at the Chicago Tribune, who specializes in social media. She blogs at acmaurer.com; you can also follow her on Twitter at @acmaurer.

Are you a journalist looking to pick up some practical multimedia skills? Are you tired of reading about all the cool new stuff in this new-media world and thinking, “I wish I knew how to do that”?

Look no more. SPJ has just what you need.

The SPJ Digital Media Committee — the group of people who contribute to this blog — has published its Digital Media Handbook, Part I. And it’s available here, now, online — and at the low, low price of FREE. (Download it for free as a PDF directly from this site, or you can see it here on Scribd.com.)

Want to know how to Twitter? Start a Facebook page? Make an online slideshow? Use Google Wave? Screencast? You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers — on those subjects and more.

We hope to bring you more in a second part later in the year.

I was tempted to call this blog post “10 Ways To Pimp Yourself Online,” but I worried that such a vague label might attract an audience with entrepreneurial aspirations of a different sort, perhaps of the (gasp!) street corner variety.

Since this blog is geared toward the journalistically-inclined, I suppose “building your brand” is a more appropriate description. In any case, here are 10 tips on how to increase your visibility so you can sell your skills, talents, and services….

1. Defend your turf

Sign up for social networking sites and claim your name before anyone else does. Try to be consistent with your usernames. I try to use my real name whenever possible – I set my Twitter handle as @emilysweeney. On Facebook, however, I wasn’t so lucky….another Emily Sweeney beat me to the punch, so I couldn’t use that as my Facebook URL. Don’t let that happen to you!

2. Master your domain

Buy a domain name that you can use as a “home base” – a place where you can post clips and showcase your work. I registered my name –  www.emilysweeney.com -  and I use that URL for my online portfolio.

3. Join a gang

Follow the advice of media maven Dan Schawbel, (author of the Personal Branding Blog)  and form “a Twitter mastermind group.”

“As you may suspect, certain groups of people on Twitter constantly promote and retweet each other. Some of them are in what are called “mastermind groups” — groups of individuals who are committed to helping each other and sharing knowledge amongst themselves. They are communities of supportive colleagues who seek to mutually help each other become more successful.”

Read more about that, and Dan’s other helpful tips, in his excellent column:

How To Build Your Personal Brand on Twitter

4. Leave your mark

While it might be tempting to spray paint your Twitter handle on a subway train, please don’t. There’s no need to vandalize. There are plenty of other ways to promote yourself. For starters, you can add your website URL and Twitter handle to your email signature, your blog comments,  and the taglines of articles you write. You should also put this 411 on your business cards, and all of your social networking profiles. Make bumper stickers emblazoned with your URL.

5. Get LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great resource to find people, and for people to find you. To make the most of LinkedIn, be sure to include all of your recent jobs and relevant experience in your profile.  Use descriptive keywords and post your Twitter account and website up there, too.  Select a personalized URL (See tip #1).  Once your profile is complete, start connecting with people you know and join some groups. Write recommendations for your colleagues, and participate in discussions.

6. Facebook

Facebook can be a great reporting tool – you can use it to find story ideas, background information and sources. It’s also another platform for you to present yourself and get more people to see your work. If you already have a personal Facebook account and profile, you might also consider creating a Facebook Fan Page.

7. Write, write, write

Raise your profile by contributing to media blogs and trade publications like Quill.

8. Tweet, tweet, tweet

Set up a Twitter account and snag your username (see tip #1). Use it to connect with colleagues and tweet links to your work and theirs.

9. Volunteer

Contact your local SPJ chapter and offer to help out. You could serve on a committee, lead a workshop,  mentor a young journalist, organize a panel discussion…It’s a win-win: you’ll be doing a good thing, and it helps raise your profile in the journalism world.

10.  Network

Last but not least, make sure you get out there and mingle your peers. Attend conferences and training seminars. Need ideas? A good place to start is JournalismTraining.org and our very own Digital Media Events calendar.

Emily Sweeney is a staff reporter at The Boston Globe. You can follow her on Twitter (@emilysweeney) and find her on LinkedIn among other places.