Thats the actual idea behind one true fan. The site, which opened to the public late Wednesday and launched at a conference hosted by the blog TechCrunch earlier this week, intends to apply the idea of "check-ins" to online media consumption.
After users install a Firefox plug-in for OneTrueFan, the site automatically checks you in each time you visit a new website.If it's your first time on the site, you get 10 points; if you've been there before, you get 1 point for each new page you visit within a certain domain. Those who share a link -- on Twitter, Facebook or Delicious, the bookmarking site -- are awarded with five points. People whose links actually drive traffic back to that website get one point for each click. The scores reset every two weeks.
What do these points actually mean?
Those who visit a certain site most often are given "One True Fan" status, similar to the "mayor" status people achieve on Foursquare if they frequent a certain venue more often than anyone.
People who have installed the OneTrueFan plug-in automatically see who is winning the race to be the biggest fan of that page. The also see the faces of other internet heads who happen to be look at the page at that time.
OneTrueFan only had 700 "alpha" users as of Wednesday, before it launched to the public, he said. Those users had to request invitations to get an "alpha preview" of the new website.
Badgeville, which was a finalist in a contest for innovative startup companies at the TechCrunch Disrupt event this week, aims to work with media companies to develop loyal website users using similar techniques.
"The Badgeville Platform offers turnkey widgets & an API that allow media sites, publishers, brands, marketers, and community managers to leverage game-based techniques to create highly engaging web experiences," the site says in an introductory blog post. "Users are rewarded with real-time achievements and reputation that help publishers achieve specific pre-defined and measurable business goals."
Philly.com and TechCrunch are among Badgeville's current customers, according to a press release about the company.
BigDoor Media is another company trying to sell game-like features to websites.
After users install a Firefox plug-in for OneTrueFan, the site automatically checks you in each time you visit a new website.If it's your first time on the site, you get 10 points; if you've been there before, you get 1 point for each new page you visit within a certain domain. Those who share a link -- on Twitter, Facebook or Delicious, the bookmarking site -- are awarded with five points. People whose links actually drive traffic back to that website get one point for each click. The scores reset every two weeks.
What do these points actually mean?
Those who visit a certain site most often are given "One True Fan" status, similar to the "mayor" status people achieve on Foursquare if they frequent a certain venue more often than anyone.
People who have installed the OneTrueFan plug-in automatically see who is winning the race to be the biggest fan of that page. The also see the faces of other internet heads who happen to be look at the page at that time.
OneTrueFan only had 700 "alpha" users as of Wednesday, before it launched to the public, he said. Those users had to request invitations to get an "alpha preview" of the new website.
Badgeville, which was a finalist in a contest for innovative startup companies at the TechCrunch Disrupt event this week, aims to work with media companies to develop loyal website users using similar techniques.
"The Badgeville Platform offers turnkey widgets & an API that allow media sites, publishers, brands, marketers, and community managers to leverage game-based techniques to create highly engaging web experiences," the site says in an introductory blog post. "Users are rewarded with real-time achievements and reputation that help publishers achieve specific pre-defined and measurable business goals."
Philly.com and TechCrunch are among Badgeville's current customers, according to a press release about the company.
BigDoor Media is another company trying to sell game-like features to websites.
