Truly Twisted Marketing

Ok, as promised, it's time to get stumbling in the right direction. But before we do, I just want you to know (because several people have asked why the next post didn't come quicker) that I was out of town and alas…no internet connection! I know, I know…gasp!  

Grab your pen and take some notes. Here we go. 

In part 1 we talked about how StumbleUpon can be one of the best traffic sources to your blog or web site and how you want to provide excellent resource information that Stumblers will want to read and pass along. Today, we are talking about how to craft your information so it gets stumbled. Here's a short list of what Stumbers tend to like:

Compelling Headlines - This is a no brainer for any copy writer worth their salt. Headlines are what is seen first and they should always be written to capture the attention of whomever your audience is. Put time and attention and love into those headlines.

First Paragraph - That first paragraph is almost as important as that headline you are working up. It's what pulls people into your article and makes them want to continue.

Images - Stumblers love funny, titillating or unusual images that go along with the article or site content. Istockphoto is my favorite at this moment in time, but there are tons of free resources for images. Just do a Google search and see what comes up.

Design - A clean, fun design that flows with the content contained within a site is important.

Here's what doesn't work for stumblers…

Any Commercialized Content -  Don't (I mean, don't) try to sell to stumblers. Your reputation will be on the downswing right out of the gate. 

Regular Site Pages - Don't submit your home page or product pages to StumbleUpon. It HAS to be something really useful and exceptional for regular site pages to get stumbled.

News - What is news today isn't really a hot topic for Stumblers because of the way the algorithm works. Content in StumbleUpon is shown to new Stumblers based on popularity and can be shown loooooooong after that breaking news story is ancient history.

Short Articles - Stumblers like in-depth, funny, resourceful, informative, cutting edge, researched articles. They don't usually go for short posts or articles.

You should join StumbleUpon BUT don't submit only your own content. It's best to allow your information to be found rather than tooting your own horn. However, if you feel you HAVE to get your information in there, here's what I'd recommend.

Set up your own profile and really get in and start stumbling content you find useful and engaging that you'd pass on to family and friends. Only after you've gotten a feel for how it works and what type of content is out there would I recommend stumbling your own info. When you get to that point, you'll have a good grasp of how it works and hopefully have a group you share information with on StumbleUpon. Still you should intermix and mingle your own information with that of other sites.

Also, just so you know, there is a limit to the number of pages you can submit from one domain. Here's a good rule to follow: for every page you submit from your own site, submit 10-20 from other sites.

Now, here's a smokin' hot tip to remember. When another blog or site talks about you/your site with a link, submit that content to StumbleUpon. Yes, you heard right stumble it! It not only will bring traffic in to your site, you are giving someone a helping hand with their traffic and thus begins a circle of link love that will continue to build.

So, get in there and get stumbling. It's free and can potentially bring you tons of traffic! As always, feel free to share your experiences and if you get stuck, don't hesitate to drop a line or leave a comment. Happy Stumbling!