First time @ SmakNews? Here's how to get started...

SmakNews is a community-driven site that collects all the fabulous news out there to be shared, written, and talked about with your friends online. With that said, let's answer some frequently asked questions.

Q: What's the point of all this?

SmakNews just wants everyone to start talking Smak about something! Popular content online is begging for conversation and you're begging for something to talk about. SmakNews brings it all together to create a place where you can share & create exciting content and dish it with your friends.

Q: Where are the stories from?

All the stories seen on SmakNews are submitted by other users like yourself. Anyone can share their own interesting story by

a) submitting a link to a story you read on another site or

b) creating a unique story by using our editor tools

Q: How do I find more things to read?

At the top next to the Smak News logo, you'll see two buttons, For Her and Celebrity Smak. Just hover your mouse pointer above either one and a drop-down will appear with categories to explore. If you don't see this list, click the button

Q: If I like a story, what should I do?

Show you like a story by "talking smak" about the story.

Q: What's a Smak?

A Smak shows the world how you really feel about a story. On the drop-down menu option of emotions, choose a reaction, write what you think about it, and click "Talk Smak." You just made a Smak! Smaks are short comments about a story tied to an emotion.

Q: What does talking Smak do?

Every time you talk Smak about a story, your Smak will show on the story feed page, a collection of all the Smaks about a particular submission. If it was your first smak on that story, the "Smak'd" count increases as well as the total number of Smaks. If you're adding another comment, only the Smaks count increases. The conversation about this story (in the form of Smaks by other users) will start to appear in your home feed.

Q: What's a Feed page? What kinds of Feeds are there on SmakNews?

A feed is a list of all Smaks about a particular topic. The newest ones show up at the beginning (the top of the feed) and the oldest at the end (the bottom). The Smak feed shows when a Smak was left, who left it, what, if anything, it was a reply to, and the emotion that was chosen. There are three types of Smak Feeds on SmakNews.com:

a) The story feed which is a Feed of all Smaks about a particular submission

b) The Home Feed which displays all Smaks about all stories you are following

c) The User Feed which shows all Smaks by a particular user

Q: How can I tell a friend about a story?

If they're already on SmakNews, you can add your Smak to a user's Home Feed by typing an "@" followed by their username when you Smak a story. Your Smak with a link to the story will appear on their feed. If they aren't on SmakNews, use the "Share/Save" button on each story's feed page to email it or share it on another site.

Q: What if I don't want to say anything but I want to know what others are saying?

The SmakNews "follow" feature makes it easy for you to keep tabs of stories you find interesting without leaving a Smak of your own. Each story has a "Follow" link that, when clicked, sends all Smaks about this story to your Home Feed.

Q: Can I stop receiving updates from a particular story?

Absolutely. Simply click "Unfollow" on the Story Feed page. You can get to this page by clicking on the headline in your own Smak Feed.

Q: What if I don't like a story, what should I do?

You know how the saying goes: keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer. Even if you don't like the story (and we won't blame you), you can still Talk Smak about it to show your dislike. Since the Smak'd count is just a rating of how many people are talking about a story, leaving a Smak doesn't mean you like it.

Q: What if I just want to join SmakNews for my friends?

SmakNews allows you to "follow" any user you want and keep tabs on what they're submitting and talking about. Just click on the user's name (almost) anywhere in the site and you'll come to their user profile. Click the "Follow" button near their name at the top and you'll begin seeing all their Smaks in your home feed.

Q: How can my story become popular?

All stories considered "HOT" are generated through the total number of people who have Smak'd (and are, thus, following) that story. Having a high number of followers AND smaks on a story shifts it from the "Just In" page to the "Hot" page, the most prominent page on the site. If a story you submitted moves to the "Hot" page then Bravo!, you've got great taste! How does it feel to be such a trend-setter?

Q: Is there any way to tag stories on SmakNews?

Glad you asked? Just type a "#" followed by a descriptive word and that tag will be added to the story. In the very near future, these tags will be visible and help to categorize and specify the story they are attached to.