Do you submit your site/articles to StumbleUpon, etc.?

[deronsizemore]

Just curious if this is common practice with bloggers? I've only dugg one of my own articles as an experiment on my social networking sucks article, but I've never stumbled my own article or submitted to reddit or any other site like those.

I assumed that people might view it as spammy and that's something I don't really want associated with my site/name.

Thoughts?

[Jeremy]

I don't submit my own to anything like digg/reddit/etc. because they are quick to find out what you're doing and before long you will have people burying your submissions or you'll be banned altogether.

SU on the other hand, I do occasionally submit a post of my own. But, I keep active in SU so that again I'm not being too spammy. I try to submit 3-5 other sites for each one of my own, and I have voted on 1,500+ other sites as well. This does two things. First, it makes you a valuable member of the community with so much participation. And second, because of the participation your submissions/votes actually carry much more weight and can prove to be even more valuable.

Otherwise, I have actually prefer to have others submit a post of mine. So between some friends online if I have something I think is good, I'll shoot them an instant message or email and ask for a favor.

[deronsizemore]

I don't submit my own to anything like digg/reddit/etc. because they are quick to find out what you're doing and before long you will have people burying your submissions or you'll be banned altogether.

SU on the other hand, I do occasionally submit a post of my own. But, I keep active in SU so that again I'm not being too spammy. I try to submit 3-5 other sites for each one of my own, and I have voted on 1,500+ other sites as well. This does two things. First, it makes you a valuable member of the community with so much participation. And second, because of the participation your submissions/votes actually carry much more weight and can prove to be even more valuable.

Otherwise, I have actually prefer to have others submit a post of mine. So between some friends online if I have something I think is good, I'll shoot them an instant message or email and ask for a favor.

I see. Sounds like good advice to me. I'm not real familiar with StumbleUpon as I've not used it very long. When I come across an article I want to Stumble, what do I need to do? Just click the "thumbs up" icon on my toolbar? And by doing that I've "stumbled" the site/article?

[samwoodfin]

I see. Sounds like good advice to me. I'm not real familiar with StumbleUpon as I've not used it very long. When I come across an article I want to Stumble, what do I need to do? Just click the "thumbs up" icon on my toolbar? And by doing that I've "stumbled" the site/article?

Yup. But if you're the first person to stumble it, it'll ask for information, like whether it's an adult article or not.

[ses5909]

I'm the same as Jeremy. I am very active at SU and regularly rate or submit websites. It will only get popular if OTHER people like it too so there really isn't any chance of abusing the system.

[deronsizemore]

Yup. But if you're the first person to stumble it, it'll ask for information, like whether it's an adult article or not.


Thanks

I'm the same as Jeremy. I am very active at SU and regularly rate or submit websites. It will only get popular if OTHER people like it too so there really isn't any chance of abusing the system.

Yeah good point.

[Jewel]

I will submit my stuff to Stumbleupon, but only occasionally. I am also a very active member of the community, so I'm not spamming it. I really like Stumbleupon, and think that it's a great way to get recognized.

[pbradish]

Just curious if this is common practice with bloggers? I've only dugg one of my own articles as an experiment on my social networking sucks article, but I've never stumbled my own article or submitted to reddit or any other site like those.

I assumed that people might view it as spammy and that's something I don't really want associated with my site/name.

Thoughts?

I'm guilty social bookmarking my own stuff from time to time, but I'll generally do it from another IP address and a different username - and only if it's good. Normally, I only receive a few hundred visitors from a successful stumble but a visitor of mine (not me) stumbled my rant about Norton Internet Security and I've received nearly 10,000 visitors in 3 days.

...Social Bookmarking is very interesting to say the least.

[deronsizemore]

I'm guilty social bookmarking my own stuff from time to time, but I'll generally do it from another IP address and a different username - and only if it's good. Normally, I only receive a few hundred visitors from a successful stumble but a visitor of mine (not me) stumbled my rant about Norton Internet Security and I've received nearly 10,000 visitors in 3 days.

...Social Bookmarking is very interesting to say the least.

hmmm, I wonder how many others are doing the same? It's actually not a bad idea. I guess at least you won't look like a spammer since you'll have another username. Although, from previous posts, the general concensus is that StumbleUpon users don't generally mind if you submit your own stuff, just as long as your stumbling other sites and reviewing others too not just your own all the time.

[aquariancore]

It's not spamming if your content or site has a purpose other than to sell. Information sites are fine. I do it all the time with all my work. If your point is to just get traffic and sell that is spamming. If it is information it deserves exposure. What is the difference if you do it or a friend does it for you?

[Jewel]

If it is information it deserves exposure. What is the difference if you do it or a friend does it for you?

That's a good point.

I think it's alright if you're not continuously submitting it over and over again. I think that one time is sufficient. As long as it's not distracting or annoying to others, it's fine.

[Glen Allsopp]

I would only submit something to Digg if i thought it could really make it and then place a digg button on the post

Generally people will stumble articles for you and you can do it after. I dont like doing it first

[4clubbs]

Some kind soul Stumbled my brand new site and I got over 200 hits from it today. That was refreshing.

So I'd say... STUMBLE AWAY!

[mccormicky]

I have really got to get a stumbleupon account-do you need one to get stumbled?

[Hazel]

No, your site can still get stumbled even if you aren't a member - your stumble upon account isn't tied to a particular site or anything like that.

However, if you have one you can "thumbs up" content on your site that other people have already submitted to SU, and keep track of how popular particular your articles were (though this is still a little awkward...). Plus a lot of my sites traffic comes from a link on my SU profile, and through my SU friends recommending the site, so I think it's worth it.

[SageMother]

You can buy "stumbles" for very little money. When I have a spare $5.00 I set up a small ad campaign to generate a little more traffic. This way you don't run into the problems of submitting your own stuff!

[chrispian]

You can buy "stumbles" for very little money. When I have a spare $5.00 I set up a small ad campaign to generate a little more traffic. This way you don't run into the problems of submitting your own stuff!

I've been wanting to try this myself. Seems like a good way to spend some money to get things rolling.

[Liza]

I have been reading about social bookmarking for a while now. I haven't tried it yet, but I will. I want to make sure I understand most of the concepts before I jump in.

[SageMother]

I think it is a mistake to be intimidated by those who disapprove of self promotion. Community involvement is fine if you have a lot of time on your hands, but most people who are actually working on sales or are freelancing online, cannot spend time building a community presence.

Their time online is spent on other things, like fulfilling contracts and the like!

[Hazel]

The money isn't much, but I still think it's a waste. Most bloggers I've spoken to are happy to stumble something if you ask, and have even offered when introducing themselves, with the assumption that you'll do the same back for them.

I suppose the main problem with this is that if you're friends on SU it counts for less if you both rate something up than if you are just non related stumblers.

[FerrariDave]

I tend to submit my articles to StumbleUpon, purely because I use SU a lot and have discovered a lot of blogs I like through the toolbar. Hasn't hurt my blog and has brought in some people who comment etc.

David

[ammulu]

Just curious if this is common practice with bloggers? I've only dugg one of my own articles as an experiment on my social networking sucks article, but I've never stumbled my own article or submitted to reddit or any other site like those.

I assumed that people might view it as spammy and that's something I don't really want associated with my site/name.

Thoughts?

I used Digg for some time but later stopped using it on my own, I wasn't banned any time. It really makes me scared to have banned from such sites like Digg or Readit etc.. Now I don't prefer to use these for my articles at all.

[SageMother]

The money isn't much, but I still think it's a waste. Most bloggers I've spoken to are happy to stumble something if you ask, and have even offered when introducing themselves, with the assumption that you'll do the same back for them.

I suppose the main problem with this is that if you're friends on SU it counts for less if you both rate something up than if you are just non related stumblers.

The money might be a waste if there are no goals associated with paying for stumbles. Those using the option as a tool might find the relatively small amount needed for exposure, well spent.

[chrispian]

The money might be a waste if there are no goals associated with paying for stumbles. Those using the option as a tool might find the relatively small amount needed for exposure, well spent.

I just did a very basic 3 day test and the traffic from stumble was well spent. It was just 250 views and quite a few of them gave the site the thumbs up, raising the site up to get even more random stumbles.

My next test will be to focus on one page optimized to capture those people as recurring visitors!

[mollyL]

Once again, I have heard of something I never knew existed. Thanks TBE and all you guys! I can see I have some studying to do!\:D/

[Evan]

Someone stumbled an articles of mine.

I got a huge traffic spike for a day. Then it made no difference to my subscriber or reader numbers.

Do people find it beneficial for getting readers and subscribers. (One time isn't enough to know).

[ses5909]

I've had a few stumbling campaigns, some are good and some were just awful. Stumblers (myself included) have quite a trigger finger and you need something to grab their attention fast and keep them there. I've had more luck with advertising on facebook.

[ses5909]

Someone stumbled an articles of mine.

I got a huge traffic spike for a day. Then it made no difference to my subscriber or reader numbers.

Do people find it beneficial for getting readers and subscribers. (One time isn't enough to know).

The main benefit with getting people from sites like SU is the added exposure to your site. these people are visitors who most likely wouldn't have found your site otherwise. While people may not subscribe or comment right away, it at least put your blog into the mind of others and they may come back again.

[erikko]

i prefer submitting my content to now public and newsvine rather than Stumble because that only works if you have a lot of contacts or friends in the network you know to stumble your article

[Jewel]

I've had a few stumbling campaigns, some are good and some were just awful. Stumblers (myself included) have quite a trigger finger and you need something to grab their attention fast and keep them there. I've had more luck with advertising on facebook.

I am a regular stumbler, have been for a while now, and I agree about the "trigger finger". Something really has to draw me in to get me to read.

[SpawnOfJon]

I will Stumble my own articles sometimes. The great thing about SU is that all you need to do is click the 'I like it!' button on the toolbar and you are done.

Sometimes I won't stumble something if it isn't already submitted because I dislike entering in the information that it asks. I figure I'm doing people a favor by saving them from the hassle of doing themselves.

[Jewel]

When I stumble something, I don't usually fill out the information, except for whether or not it is adult of course. I love Stumble Upon. :)

[Hazel]

I always try to fill out the information when I submit something - I figure if it deserves a thumbs up then it deserves a review as well, even if it's only a line long. It does seem to make a fair bit of difference.

As for actual SU traffic, it seems to convert to subscribers well on my Linux gaming blog, but on my programming blog I get a lot more thumbs up but few new subscribers.

[Jeremy]

Here is a trick for those who maybe don't like to bother writing a review on a new SU submission:

Before you click the "I like it" button, highlight some text from the page. Then when you click the button, it automatically imports that text from the page into the review and adds a "From the page" or something before your quoted text.

This is what I usually do, and I just find a good few sentences that summarize what the post is about and use that for the review. Unoriginal? Maybe. But it at least provides something and doesn't require any extra work.

[ernan]

i think there's nothing wrong in stumbling your own post as long as you keep it in moderation.. one stumble in few days is good in getting backlinks..

[Jewel]

I find it so annoying though, when people just quote the page. I think it just gets repetitive, and if I want to know what's on the page, I'll just look there. I'd rather hear your opinions on the site in a review, because that's what a review is.

[Jeremy]

I find it so annoying though, when people just quote the page. I think it just gets repetitive, and if I want to know what's on the page, I'll just look there. I'd rather hear your opinions on the site in a review, because that's what a review is.

That is interesting, because I've stumbled thousands of pages, and never ever read a review that someone has left. I guess it depends on how you use SU. I simply click on the stumble button when I'm bored as the equivalent of channel surfing. I never stumble upon a page, read someone's review, and then decide whether or not to read it.

But I see your point. If you do make a habit of reading the reviews, that gets pretty old fast just seeing a quote from the page. I just have never saw the value of reading the reviews for the type of stumbling I do.

[Outsmarts]

I submitted my site to Stumble but haven't seen any traffic as a result. Perhaps it was spammy!\:D/

[Hazel]

That is interesting, because I've stumbled thousands of pages, and never ever read a review that someone has left. I guess it depends on how you use SU. I simply click on the stumble button when I'm bored as the equivalent of channel surfing. I never stumble upon a page, read someone's review, and then decide whether or not to read it.

But I see your point. If you do make a habit of reading the reviews, that gets pretty old fast just seeing a quote from the page. I just have never saw the value of reading the reviews for the type of stumbling I do.

I don't read reviews of most sites I visit, but I do read the reviews my friends wrote and check out the sites they recommend. I don't have a problem with people using "From the page:" to review a site, but I normally only add people if they write reviews I'll enjoy reading.

[SageMother]

I find it so annoying though, when people just quote the page. I think it just gets repetitive, and if I want to know what's on the page, I'll just look there. I'd rather hear your opinions on the site in a review, because that's what a review is.

I agree. I try to write a comment that will encourage others to take a look at the site or page stumbled. I figure that I might as well be helpful if I am going to stumble at all.

[Jewel]

It's not that I read a review to see if I will look at something or not, or that it influences my own opinion, but I just like to see what others thought of the site. If only one person quotes the page or something, or quotes something interesting that I didn't quite catch, that's fine, but when it's over and over again it can get quite annoying.

[guitarjockey]

I only Digg or Stumble my own posts if I know people will want to read it. I'm still working on getting more readers so I useally have to submit it myself if I want people to like it to.

[Lamer980]

I don't use software. I haven't submitted to many directories either. I've submitted to Blogflux, LSBlogs, All Blogs, Bloggopedia.

[flashgordon]

I Digg. I don't Stumble.

[discrat]

I need to start to get into Digging and Stumbling. Sounds fun and beneficial !!

[indietravel]

I have been stumbling my own posts -- about one out of five -- until recently. Now I have a couple of dozen friends, so I normally send a message to a couple of people who would like it the most and request they submit it.

If anyone want to be my SU friend, I'm down as "indietravel".

SU is my best social bookmarking traffic-sender. That sentence barely makes sense, but I'm tired and on the way to bed.

[goku]

I used to post my own articles to stumble, digg etc... but now I don't do that anymore...beside they are more short term. i will concentrate on seo because it brings longer stable free traffic ..