StumbleUpon can be a great way to give a boost to your pageviews and help you to better understand how to get visitors to your blog. But it can also be a bit intimidating to get started if you’re not terribly familiar with how StumbleUpon works. Today, Annie from Mama Dweeb kicks off Part 1 of a 2-part series on StumbleUpon by answering your burning StumbleUpon questions!
How to Get Visitors Using StumbleUpon
Can I Stumble My Own Content?
Yes you can! But be careful that you are not discovering only your own content. Discovering describes when you are the first person to “thumbs up” a post. So go through the web, find wonderful posts on other sites and discover them too. Ask your friends to discover your posts. As long as your discoveries list shows your own posts in no more than 1/10 discoveries, you are good.
The danger in discovering only your own posts is that StumbleUpon does not like spammers. You will be in danger of losing your profile or will just suffer from low traffic numbers if you do this.
Why Does My Post have 4 Reviews and Only 1 View?
The view number next to your post title on StumbleUpon refers to the amount of times your post has shown up organically in someone’s Stumble-stream. For example, as you click the “Stumble” button and a new site pops up, that site’s Stumble number just increased by 1 view. You might have 4 reviews because you asked four of your friends to Stumble your posts and they did not get to your blog via the organic Stumble button.
Do I Need the Stumbleupon Toolbar?
Yes! In order to get the most out of StumbleUpon, you need to “go Stumbling” by clicking the Stumble button and browsing sites that it gives you. This is such a fun way to relax or waste a few minutes. They also have apps for smartphones and tables you can Stumble with too.
The toolbar has so many helpful shortcuts, so you really benefit from installing it. You can read more info about a post via the “info” button, share posts with other stumblers or via Facebook or Twitter, and you can go straight to your profile too.
How Do I Get People to Stumble My Posts?
The easiest way is to ask. Send out tweets, email your friends, ask in your Facebook groups. Also, make sure you have Stumble buttons on your posts. This helps friends that can’t access the StumbleUpon toolbar to still be able to Stumble your post.
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask me! I also wrote a StumbleUpon eBook that fully explains Stumbling with screenshots, tips, and easy to follow tutorials. I’m always available via Twitter and Facebook and love to chat about StumbleUpon. Have you started to use it? Don’t let it overwhelm you! It is just a fun way to give and take the best of the web.
More Posts About Social Sharing:
Check these additional posts out that talk about sharing your content on the social web.
- StumbleUpon Mistakes to Avoid
- Social Sharing: Are You Giving Readers What They Need?
- Give Readers Choices…But Not Too Many
- How To Blog By Giving Readers An Easy Button
About the Author:
Annie Shultz blogs in Kansas at MamaDweeb.com. She has 3 kids under the age of 4 and thrives on coffee and chocolate. An extrovert and a writer, she found pure bliss in the social media-infused world of blogging. She will be speaking at Bloggy Boot Camp St. Louis in April 2012 and can’t wait to chat about ways to improve blogging.
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Twitter: louiseducote
says:
So happy to see this article! I love love love stumbling; it’s a time-waster, but a more efficient and fun time-waster than just looking around on my own. I have not been able to figure out how to install the stumbleupon button I want on my blog; I did get one on, but it’s tiny, and it’s in the sidebar instead of at the end of each post, and it’s stuck in a bar with facebook and some other thing I don’t care as much about. So. . .I’ll check out your ebook. If I’m able to understand how to do it. . .then you’ll know that anyone can. Thanks!
Louise Ducote recently posted..Seeing Double
Thanks Louise
Yes, it really is a fun waste of time. I love to stumble through the posts tagged as “humor” with my husband. We have found some seriously funny stuff!
Here is a great tutorial for adding the StumbleUpon button to your posts http://www.simplebloggertutorials.com/2010/07/how-to-add-stumbleupon-button-to.html
Good luck!
Annie @ mama dweeb recently posted..WW ~ Pretty body, ugly face
Twitter: louiseducote
says:
Well, I was a total failure at the tutorial; it was very clearly-explained and I did everything it said but nothing happened (user error, no doubt!). However, your post inspired me to pay the darling young genius who recently re-designed my blog to add the stumbleupon button for me, and she charged me only five bucks! So. . .I now have a big beautiful button at the bottom of every post. Yay! Thanks again.
Louise Ducote recently posted..Deer on the Brain
Twitter: lisapatb
says:
Good to know about stumbling other stuff – didn’t realize that. I share a lot of other stumbles but not discoveries so I will work on that. Thanks for advice!
Lisa recently posted..Can You Really Just Say No?
Awesome Lisa! Yes, discovering new stuff will really help you out
Annie @ mama dweeb recently posted..WW ~ Pretty body, ugly face
Thanks for the education on this. I needed it. I need to get better at stumbling. I don’t do it regularly.
Leigh Powell Hines (@Hinessightblog) recently posted..Wednesday’s Wish We Were Here: Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, NC
Honestly, I don’t stumble regularly either. It is tough to find the time! But when I do go stumbling I notice an increase in my traffic, so it is worth it.
Annie @ mama dweeb recently posted..WW ~ Pretty body, ugly face
Twitter: Hugskissessnot
says:
I’m still a little unsure of how it works. Do I have to sign up to get my blog listed? Is it free? Every now and then I get a referrer through StumbleUpon but I don’t have an account w/ them. When I first started seeing these referrers I tried Stumbling around but wasn’t really into it. Maybe I should give it another try.
Stephanie @ Hugs, Kisses and Snot recently posted..An IVF Story – Creating Harry – Part 1
Stephanie – StumbleUpon is a way for people to find really great content on the web. When a user clicks the “stumble” button, the program will bring up pages the user might like based on the interests they selected when they signed up. Then, when you use the toolbar and hit thumbs up or thumbs down, you are telling the program even more what you like/dislike so it gets better at giving you exactly what you like.
I have a really great intro post here that takes you through the beginning steps of how to set up an account, get the toolbar and how to stumble and get the most out of it: http://mamadweeb.com/2011/04/stumbleupon-for-beginners-how-to-start-using-it-and-reap-benefits/
I have lots more info in my eBook too. When you see the referrers, that is because someone read a post of yours, thought it was awesome and clicked the thumbs up on their toolbar to “discover” it.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Annie @ mama dweeb recently posted..WW ~ Pretty body, ugly face
Twitter: luvspugs07
says:
Stumble upon you say???? hmmm..Another thing to do late at night. ha ha
I’ll have to check this out.
Thanks
I’m sure my hubby will thank you too
Patty recently posted..Cleaning Out My Closet
Yes, it is a really fun thing to do as you are winding down from a day. I like to take my laptop and stumble a bit before going to sleep
Annie @ mama dweeb recently posted..WW ~ Pretty body, ugly face
Oh man stumble upon is such a mystery! I just take it as it comes and try not to obsess over any of it!
Katrina {In Katrina’s Kitchen} recently posted..{Diet} Coke Cake Bites
You said it perfectly Katrina! As much as I and other people try to “figure out” stumbleupon, there is really no way to crack the code. I’ve had posts that were totally awesome not do very well and then others I thought were not to great really go viral. So yes…..take it as it comes and don’t obsess
Annie @ mama dweeb recently posted..WW ~ Pretty body, ugly face
You know, I have never stumbled. I should try it at least once, I think. I am a little afraid this is going to get me hooked. I already spend way too much time pinning.
Hanneke Nelson recently posted..Progress Report
LOL Hanneke! I don’t pin, I spend too much time stumbling!
It really is just another way to waste time online, but with stumbleupon you can get a lot more traffic to your blog than pinterest gives you. But I admit, pinterest is way prettier 
Annie @ mama dweeb recently posted..WW ~ Pretty body, ugly face
Great advice! I also recently got Annie’s Stumble Upon eBook and highly recommend it – have learned so much about the stumbling word.
anna ~ random handprints recently posted..Wordless Wednesday ~ Ziggy in the Pumpkin Patch
Awww!! Anna you rock! Thank you! I am so glad you enjoyed my book
Annie @ mama dweeb recently posted..WW ~ Pretty body, ugly face
OK.
I still don’t get it.
I’m all set up but can’t figure it out.
I see other sites that have like 5 comments in a row saying ‘came through stumble upon” but I have no visitors via stumble.
Wish you were here, or I was at BBC/ST Lou.
Good luck there!
Alexandra recently posted..Why People Pray
I’d love to help you
Please email me annie.shultz (at) gmail.com 
Ask me all your questions and I will help you out!
Annie @ mama dweeb recently posted..WW ~ Pretty body, ugly face
I should get that eBook
jennyonthespot recently posted..It’s safe to come to my house for coffee again.
what are you waiting on? LOL
I submit my own content to StumbleUpon’s other site, su.pr, it even promotes itself as “get more traffic” so I guess it’s all good. It works but what I don’t like is that the people that view your content don’t stay on your page long, like 30 seconds & they may not come back. I stumble other people’s posts too.
Bianca @ South Bay Rants n Raves recently posted..Recipe: Nutella Hot Chocolate
Bianca – you bring up an excellent point. I list the high bounce rate as one of the “dangers of stumbleupon traffic” in my eBook. I know that when I go stumbling through the web I hardly ever stay longer than one post. So if you start relying on StumbleUpon for the bulk of your traffic, your bounce rate could go as high as 80-90%.
Annie @ mama dweeb recently posted..WW ~ Pretty body, ugly face
Oh absolutely! That’s why when I stumble, I just stumble a post that I like, so I’m on that page for a long time, reading the post & then hitting that stumble link they have at the end of the post & then moving on. If I just randomly stumble, I’ll be on there all day!
Bianca @ South Bay Rants n Raves recently posted..Recipe: Nutella Hot Chocolate
Thank you! I really like getting educated and staying updated on my trade. This seems like a great way to get the most recent articles, no? I haven’t taken the time to figure this out, so thank you for explaining.
Luci recently posted..My Favorite Leg Exercise and Four Things to Remember About It
Stumbleupon keeps sites in their database indefinitely – so once a post of yours is submitted, it could pop up for users years from now. The other day I was stumbling and a post from 2009 popped up. I didn’t mind though, it was a recipe
Annie @ mama dweeb recently posted..WW ~ Pretty body, ugly face
Twitter: jenhavice
says:
Thanks for writing this. I’ve been blogging for quite some time and I still don’t quite get the whole Stumbleupon thing. I haven’t had much success with it but I’ve also not explored it that much.
Hi great article Oh, that StumbleUpon a really funny soul…I found your blog via a tweet by @CathyWebSavvyPr I have you bookmarked now! <|;-)
Annie Haven | Authentic Haven Brand recently posted..Haven Brand Manure Tea Saves Dying Rose Bush
Great Stumble tips! You definitely answered some of my lingering questions about StumbleUpon. My remaining beef with them is that their program does not allow you to select a photo to go with the stumbled post. So, quite often the photo that shows up with the post title will be a blog banner or other unrelated shot. I hope that the folks at StumbleUpon will consider changing this when next they upgrade. I think it would add tremendous value to the service.
Jenn Erickson/Rook No. 17 recently posted..Halloween Open House ~ Tour, Tricks & Treats
Annie,
Reading your explanations helps clear the fog even more. Every time I read something about Stumbleupon, I learn some else. I think I am finally getting the hang of it!
Bernice
Living the Balanced Life recently posted..I’m not depressed, it’s just stress
Twitter: SaidKristin
says:
Finally! An easy-to-understand tutorial about the decidedly NOT easy-to-understand StumbleUpon. Thanks you!
P.S. I stumbled this.
Twitter: http://pediatricsafety.net
says:
Thank you! I had no idea how StumbleUpon worked. I’m embarrassed to admit I’m still figuring out Facebook. At least now I have a StumbleUpon head start
Thanks
Stefanie recently posted..Halloween Pumpkin Carving Safety Tips
*Sigh* I really need to get going on that Stumble thing…
Floors Of Gold recently posted..The Celebration Nation!
Twitter: cheekypinktulip
says:
What with all the blogs I read I certainly don’t have any time to Stumble – but thanks for sharing! Haha, has anyone else noticed that post title in the pic, “How to Make Tampon Ghosts…”
Maria xx
http://www.cheekypinktulip.blogspot.com
Maria @ Cheeky Pink Tulip recently posted..Love & Marriage & Babies
Twitter: bettymanousos7
says:
sounds very helpful indeed. great advice!
i’ll have to check this out.
thank you.
have a lovely day!
xoxo
Betty Manousos@Cut and Dry recently posted..Gee, It’s kind of Spooky!
Thanks for the tips!
Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Susan Freeman recently posted..Soup’s On ~ Hearty Beef Barley
I get loads of visits from Stumbleupon, but I don’t remember ever signing up.
Mom in High Heels recently posted..Giveaway Day 4: Fashion Forward Fascinators
I just stumbled this post. I have been using stumble upon for a while. It does bring traffic, but for blogs that are monetized with pay per click ads, it is practically useless. People who land on your blog via stumble upon don’t bother to click on your ads. Of course, you can get around this problem by having pay per impression ads on your blog, but I don’t have any at the moment.
Manjusha recently posted..IELTS Grammar Mistakes (Adjectives)
Oh! The reviews vs views thing explains a lot. Thanks, Annie!
Robin @ Farewell, Stranger recently posted..For Charity
Thank you very much for this ,very helpful info.Now i know how to bring visitors to my posts on Stumbleupon/.
Twitter: webdesigneria
says:
Thank very interesting and useful post,just great
Webdesigneria recently posted..How to make your website fast?
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