What is StumbleUpon and How Do I Use It?

Here is their own definition:

“StumbleUpon is a free service that helps you discover and share websites with others who have similar interest. The more you use our service, the more likely it is that you’ll “Stumble” across pages you like.

• To get started on Stumbling on our home page using the Web Toolbar to become familiar with our service.
• Create an account to save your favorites and to connect with other members.
• Download the Toolbar to access all the features available and to share sites you Discovered”

 It is an Internet Community that allows it’s users to discover and rate Web pages, photos and uses peer groups and social networking principles and methods.

The concept of social bookmarking with StumbleUpon is that you Stumble what you like or dislike whereas with DIGG (read the article after this one) you DIGG articles that appear randomly.

StumbleUpon is one of the best social bookmarking sites on the net for identifying quality sites of interest. It has now returned to its original owners, E.Bay and has over 4.5 million visitors.

Social bookmarking sites have had a significant growth over the last few years because it is obvious that people like to interact with like minded communities and with Web 2.0 this has become a reality.

SU is a unique way to allow it’s users to give a “thumbs up” – I like it or “thumbs down” – I don’t like it. Within this social network you can flag and recommend sites you have found – hence the name StumbleUpon and which consequently directs and increases traffic to that site. Members can stumble either positive or negative rating and this will have a huge impact on directing traffic to a blog – maybe even your blog!!! Members are looking for interesting and cool sites so if yours fits the bill StumbleUpon is for you.

 Read the Wikipedia Article which gives you the history and ownership since May 2007.

Quite simply SU chooses which pages to display based on members ratings of previous pages, ratings by friends and users with similar interests. SU allows users to choose from a list of nearly 500 topics to produce relevant content.

Several toolbar versions now exist for Firefox, and Internet Explorer. Third party tool bars are now available for Safari, Opera and Google Crome.

How to use the Stumble Upon toolbar and other internet marketing tools is carefully explained in a tutorial by Didi Alcheva at Marketing Merge.com

HOW DO YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF STUMBLEUPON?

• Create a great profile with an avatar (photo.) and add some relevant tags and categories that describe your interests.
• Get toto understand how the toolbar works:

1. Stumble button to move to other sites randomly, favorites and categories.
2. Give “thumbs up “ or “thumbs down”
3. Tag it. You can add up to 5 tags of your own unless it has not bee discovered by anyone yet. A pop up appears for you to add your tags.
4. Send to button. A pop up appears and you can send a message to your friends.
5. Talk Bubble. Click this to discover what other users have said.

HOW TO ACHIEVE THE SUCCESS YOU WANT WITH STUMBLEUPON.

PARTICIPATE AND COMMUNICATE on a regular basis to develop relationships and make friends. Become an active stumbler. However a word of caution. If you become over active and repeatedly stumble the same sites a pop up will appear advising you to slow down.

Quite simply:

1. Submit your own interesting content.
2. Be active and constructive. Give value comments. Not “I like it” or “Great” but something of interest.
3. Make friends, visit friends and find friends,
4. Use as many features as possible, tag, send it, talk bubble.
5. Visit friends sites and you will find various options on the right hand side.

If you are subscribed to her/his favorites you will receive the reviews which you can then stumble on to your friends.

Send a message or view the blog.

Handy way to stumble across another member’s site with similar interests.

New social bookmarking has paved the way to be Interactive, make friends and have fun whilst driving traffic to your website and blog.

Play around and have fun with StumbleUpon and you'll find this is a wonderful internet marketing tool. The basic key to success with any social bookmarking and networking site is to PARTICIPATE, COMMUNICATE AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.

Come by and visit me at SU – Judith Atkinson

Judith Atkinson is the writer for this post.

Judith Atkinson is a mentor, consultant and business executive whose passion is to empower women entrepreneurs develop their Work From Home Business using Attraction Marketing and Social Networking strategies, incorporating Renegade Professional University step by step training.

Whether you are looking to begin a new business venture or maybe expand your current business to the Internet Judith can offer the advice you need.

Contact Judith

Skype: Judith070942

Mobile: 00 34 626 051 693

Email: judith.attractionmarketing@gmail.com

Or visit my blog:

http://attractionmarketingandmindset.com

Social Bookmarking – What is it and is it Necessary?

What is it?

According to Wikipedia “Social Bookmarking is a method for Internet users to store, organise, search and manage bookmarks of web pages on the Internet.”

Is it Necessary?

Michael A. Stelzner, writing in his White Papers 2009 states:

“We asked marketers which social media tools they most want to learn more about. Social bookmarking sites slightly edged out Twitter for the number- one slot. A four-way tie for third place occurred between Linkedin, StumbleUpon and Digg/Reddit/Mixx.

Small business owners were much more interested in understanding social bookmarking sites than other groups.”

Many people are also resistant to the idea of social book marking. They think “Oh Dear, just another thing to register for and then have to learn how to use it.” However, I hope by reading this article you will begin to understand the relevance and importance of bookmarking and it's associated internet marketing tools to the success of your online business.

There are two basic types of bookmarking sites. One type is a social bookmarking site where the ‘news’ is shared and members socialise along side the shared content, like DIGG or STUMBLEUPON.

The other type is simply a public list that you which to share with your friends and Google, for example Delicious.

Today I am going to introduce you to DIGG.

Digg is a social media website that allows readers to submit stories that they find interesting and for others to ‘digg’ their story if they like it. The more ‘diggs’ your content gets the higher it climbs in the rankings until it reaches the first page. It is an exciting place and there are new articles submitted every few seconds.

First why not take their tour. http://Digg.com/Tour/1

If you are an online business person and are not currently using the power the DIGG communities has to create traffic for your site you are missing a golden opportunity.

What DIGG can do for you?

DIGG is a Social Community Site.

It is not a marketing site. It is community driven. However, if your content becomes popular there are marketing opportunities and a huge benefit from the abundance of people who use the community.

Here’s a list of some of the things it can do for you.

• Stay informed with current events. Some current events come up first on DIGG before other media like TV.

• Drive traffic to your website. This is a huge reason why people join DIGG. It brings a large amount of traffic to almost every web site submitted.

• Adding content to your web pages. It has a lot of unique articles on a wide variety of topics that may be relevant to your niche markets. You can incorporate some of this information into your web pages thereby keeping your website fresh with new content.

To ensure your content becomes popular in the community you must become an active member and become involved.

OK. How?

1. Read other stories of interest in your particular niche market.
2. Vote –‘digg’ them.
3. Make relevant and appropriate comments.
4. Make certain you become noticed as an active member of the community.
5. Write interesting and helpful articles and comments.

This will ensure that your stories and items you post are more easily found by your community of friends. Your friends will start growing as they look forward to reading your content which will be relevant to them and not purely self serving. This will get you noticed and raise your profile.

• • Do not submit content to DIGG for the sake of promoting your company or product. It is a very powerful site and you can get a big thumbs down and get
  • ‘buried’ by the community.

So how do I start DIGGING?

• For a step by step video enroll in Renegade Professional  There are 5 videos in total and they will take you through the complete setting up of your account, profile and into finding friends and ‘shouting.”

The Way to start:

• Like other social media you give away FREE ‘diggs.’
• Sign up and invite your friends.
• Make as many quality friends as possible i.e. people who are interested in your niche and topics.
• Set up your profile and BIO page.
• Make sure you have an AVATAR- basically a photo of yourself. It gives a far more professional image than a silly graphic and you are far more likely to be noticed.
• Post your content on the upcoming section try and get noticed.

When you a submit a story, picture, video- it would be smart to add the people that DUGG your story to your friends list. The reason for this is that if they DUGG the content you have just submitted they may DIGG other items that you submit. Equally you can look for their content and DIGG it for them.

          And finally:

Check out this pie chart which gives you an indication of the best

Times of day to DIGG and which countries DIGG the most.

Make a habit of DIGGING daily; make interesting comments;

favourite some items and post new stuff. Become a natural and

social member of the community and you will eventually be

rewarded.

Happy DIGGING!

Why not DIGG me?

Judith Atkinson is the writer for this post.

Judith Atkinson is a mentor, consultant and business executive whose passion is to empower women entrepreneurs develop their Work From Home Business using Attraction Marketing and Social Networking strategies, incorporating
Renegade Professional University step by step training.

Whether you are looking to begin a new business venture or maybe expand your current business to the Internet Judith can offer the advice you need.

Contact Judith

Skype: Judith070942

Mobile: 00 34 626 051 693

Email: judith.attractionmarketing@gmail.com

Or visit my blog:

http://attractionmarketingandmindset.com