StumbleUpon is a discovery engine that collates web addresses. Content needs to be manually submitted to the StumbleUpon directory or database for it to appear in their Stumbles (recommendations)
In the main, members use the StumbleUpon facilities to discover
new online content according to pre-set personal preferences.
For bloggers, using the StumbleUpon facilities to add your posts/articles to the StumbleUpon directory and drive traffic to your blog/website.
Sign up to StumbleUpon
The StumbleUpon
registration process is very simple. You
will need a valid email address, a unique username, a password and you will
also be asked for your gender and your date of birth. This is so that content can be
streamlined to your preferences. You can also opt to log in using your Facebook account.
After
you have entered this information you will be directed to a list of interests,
or categories. Pick as many or as few as
you like but the more you select, the more varied the content you will be
shown.
(check which toolbar/add-on/extension you need for your browser)
Select the toolbar for the browser that you use – there are toolbars available for all the main browsers; Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox, etc. They may differ slightly in appearance but their functionalities are the same.
Hitting
the red "Stumble" button will find you random new content.
Click the "thumbs up" if you like the content
displayed and want to publicly recommend it on your profile. Also hit this to recommend your own
content. This is counted as one Stumble. If it is the first time a web
page has been Stumbled then you will need to complete a short form detailing
whether the content is “safe for work”, the topics it should be filed under and
there is space for an optional review.
Click the "thumbs down" if you dislike
the content displayed so that your StumbleUpon preferences update to show less
of this type of content although it won’t completely remove the category from
your preferences.
Share the displayed content with your
social network and your online community.
Share on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, email and more.
The speech bubble shows reviews and recommendations of the displayed page, Stumblers who like it and more. This is a great way to “meet” other Stumblers.
“All Interests” will
provide you with web content from all of your category selections or you can
filter down to a single category to get more precise recommendations.
This section provides quick
navigation to the SU home page, your own StumbleUpon account
and any notification you may have within your SU account. The "X" removes the toolbar from your webpage.
HINTS AND TIPS
- Use the StumbleUpon toolbar to share your own content
REMEMBER: When sharing your own content on your social media platforms, use the StumbleUpon toolbar. Each time your StumbleUpon shortlink is clicked on, it is another "stumble" or recommendation. The more times a web page is Stumbled (recommended or give a “thumbs up”) the greater the chance that it will be recommended to other Stumblers, therefore widening your audience.
- Stumble other pages (give them the “thumbs up”), not just your own content
REMEMBER: You can “stumble” any webpage – not just one that has been thrown up from the StumbleUpon directory. This can be a link you have seen on Twitter, a picture you have seen on Facebook or your own content. Ensure that you don't just Stumble your own content as this is considered spamming and poor etiquette.
- Set the StumbleUpon toolbar to open each time you are browsing the internet OR have a shortcut in your browser toolbar OR use a browser extension.
REMEMBER: By nature, internet readers are followers rather than leaders. If they see content recommended by others, it is more likely that they will recommend it themselves to their own network or hit the “thumbs up” button so that it appears on their profile as an official Stumble.
- Have a StumbleUpon button or share option on your blog
REMEMBER: Now you've signed up, give it a try by Stumbling this post by using the button at the top or bottom of this post. And here is my StumbleUpon profile too. You can follow other Stumblers and see the content they are sharing on the SU website in a visual context similar to Pinterest.
[Updated 06.01.15]