Yahoo vs Digg - You Digg? Or we mean, You Buzz?

Will you Digg or will you Yahoo Buzz, or both? We visited Yahoo Buzz today after the announcement to see if there is really an alternative to Digg.

I don't want to tease you into reading this one, so let me be honest and say that it says something about a company with a brand like Yahoo when they announce a product or press release and a headline like Fish and Animals Can Count! is more popular on social ranking sites.

By the way, click here to see how fish can count to 4, but no higher.

Yahoo said in their statement:

"Yahoo Buzz is a good example of how we are continuing to innovate..."

Unfortunately there is not much innovation or novelty to brag about, so far, they probably meant "evolve" not "innovate". Ironically, there are no real hooks to differentiate or create "Buzz" about Yahoo Buzz.

I do agree with one part of the press release:

"... open up our key starting points to third party publishers"

They got something right. Competition is good. Digg.com was by far one of the best ways to drive traffic to a website, if the Digg peanut gallery and Digg algorithm felt you were worthy to be on the Popular page. There is now another channel for distribution for the little guy or gal blogger or writer to be heard.

Yahoo vs Digg - Yawn, not yet, Buzz is still just a little beta waiting to grow.

For you news and blog authors out there, Yahoo will be opening accepting new publishers soon, so visit the About Yahoo Buzz page and click on Publish Your Content and sign up to be notified when the doors open, as well as when the upcoming syndication tools, APIs and custom modules will be out.