How StumbleUpon Will Improve Your Blog – Guest Post

GUEST POST – Gary R Hess of www.ImpNerd.com.

This is the first of a series of Guest Posts that I will be featuring in forthcoming weeks. I’m no expert in many many things, and I will be the first to say, “if someone else can say it better, let them”. So when making decisions to write about a subject but also realising that maybe I might not be able to offer anything of real substance, I will ask around to see if the ‘more informed’ bloggers would like to take up the writing spot. Thus, I am able to provide information via my Blog, from someone that knows. We all benefit from this.

I have been following Gary’s site for some time and he writes very informed posts on internet marketing, publishing and tips for web development. I approached Gary earlier this week to ask if he would have the time or indeed, motivation to write for someone else and fortunately for me, he was indeed ‘up for it’. So here we go, my first Guest Post courtesy of Gary R Hess of www.ImpNerd.com. If you would like to contribute to ImJustCreative, then I would love to hear from you. Just drop me a line and we can take it from there.

Don’t forget to add your own StumbleUpon ID to the One Uber StumbleUpon List to help others find you.

How StumbleUpon Will Improve Your Blog

I’m a StumbleUpon fanatic. I use the toolbar everyday to find interesting websites, read the latest news, and view the unlimited amount of awesome photographs. The amount of resources StumbleUpon holds is amazing and has great potential for every blogger.

What is StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon is a social media website which allows members to ’stumble’ through their system. Each stumble brings the user to a new page, whether it be a video, image, or webpage. Then, the member can thumb up or down the page, review it, or continue on to other pages across the web. To read a more lengthy explanation, check out StumbleUpon’s profile.

StumbleUpon’s value
StumbleUpon acts as a way to find and share great webpages. However, the service can be extended as a way to help drive ideas and share thoughts about specific subjects or images.

Like Digg or Reddit, StumbleUpon has a massive following with potential for webpages to go viral. Unlike other social media sites, receiving traffic and ideas from StumbleUpon users is easy since they are less selective.

How bloggers find StumbleUpon useful

1. Tons of sites with great information to find ideas for new articles.
2. A great place to find new blogs to read, comment, and connect with the community.
3. A great way to increase traffic to your blog through visitor stumbles.
4. A way to get feedback through StumbleUpon’s review system.

The structure of StumbleUpon is better suited for blogs of all sizes than other social media. It doesn’t matter how large or small, any page has a chance on StumbleUpon. More importantly, it can be used as a building block for ideas and feedback. Using SU to its fullest extent is only a matter of time and determination.

How to take advantage of StumbleUpon

1. Stumble every page you find interesting. The more stumbles you have, the more eyeballs see your image. Stumble pages first and the number only grows. Great places to find new information are updated blogs, newspaper websites, and Wikipedia.
2. Only on rare occasions stumble your own page first. StumbleUpon’s algorithm is smart, so don’t be stupid. Let your visitors Stumble your pages. Besides, if they don’t find your pages interesting, who will?
3. Interact. One of the most underutilized tools on StumbleUpon is the mail system. Don’t spam, but interact. Send them short messages like, “Thanks for stumbling the article on goats feet! I loved it!” Members are much more likely to add you as a friend (or subscriber) if they hear from the person behind the name.
4. Review, review, review. I know, it is a pain in the side to review every page, so don’t; however, if you find a page particularly interesting, spend an extra 10 seconds to write about it.

By using these techniques, your subscribers (the new name for fans) will grow through the roof, along with your brand. You will be well on your way to becoming a StumbleUpon power user.

Remember, StumbleUpon isn’t just about bringing direct traffic, it is about building a brand. Don’t worry so much about the amount of traffic you are receiving; instead what are people saying about it and how can it improve? Once this is taken care of, the traffic will come.

Article Posted On: September 27, 2008 at 6.00 pm
Written By Graham Smith - UK Freelance Logo Designer
In Categories: Blogging

A FEW OPTIONAL EXTRAS

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