What are Social Bookmarks?

A social bookmark is a link created by a web user that is categorized and viewed by the public. If you have ever had bookmarks at work and moved to a new job and wanted access to your old links then you will immediately understand the signifigance of the social bookmarks. They offer a way in which users can access their bookmarks from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection and a way for users to have control over the classification of those bookmarks.

Social bookmark buttons on a blog are especially powerful. These are buttons on a blog and/or website that allow readers to submit articles they like to Digg, Del.icio.us, Reddit and other socially moderated bookmarking/news/feed sites at the click of a button. Readers will also be able to add articles to feed readers such as Google Reader, My Yahoo! and Bloglines. This is a great way to advertise as each link from another site (known as a back link) will give more ranking on search engines. It also allows for something known as social marketing optization.

3spots at Blogspot has one of the most comprehensive posts on social bookmarking and code for blogger, wordpress and Typepad/MoveableType!

Reference:

http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7001.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_bookmarking

Nature Publishing Groups. Social Bookmarking Tools (I).

Why Service  Links?
Service links are the little buttons you see on blogs that allow the user to submit your article to your online bookmarking account.
      Consider  Social Marketing Optimization (SMO)The best  thing about these service links is social marketing optimization. Social        marketing  optimization is where you allow your readers some control of the ranking,  content or look of your site.  Service Links allows your readers to show their  approval of your content by bookmarking it or saving it in their own accounts  across the web.  These accounts, such as Del.icio.us, actually publish all        user content to the web for all to see. The reader also chooses the labels  associated with your content and exposes that same content to like minded  readers who may have been previously unaware of your presence.  SMO is allowing  your readers to syndicate your content, that is what service link do.  This is the current direction of the World Wide Web (Pakii/SMO).