Build traffic with Stumble Upon

Stumble Upon is a nifty website that I happened to stumble upon myself. I first saw it mentioned as an add-on to Firefox when I ventured to use that browser a while back. I never paid it much attention until I saw that it is recommended on several websites and blogs. DoshDosh had an excellent guide to increasing traffic using the site (click here for the DoshDosh post). I decided to give it a try. It has been great in the few days that I have been a member. Here's how it works.

First you need to create a free account at the website. Take some time to set up your profile as this will be the way that you are introducing yourself to a very large online community. Don't short cut this one! You will also get to decide what kind of web pages that you want to "stumble" (or discover). Next you will need to download the Stumble Upon toolbar. It is small and unobtrusive for me. If you do not like toolbars, there are alternatives for you on the site. Now you surf as usual. Different buttons allow you to mark a page as a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" and that influences what pages you will be shown as you press the "Stumble" button -- a feature that takes you to a random page within your specified topics. You can mark all of your pages, posts, or any page of interest as a "thumbs up" as well. One of the things I find especially awesome is when you are the first to mark a page as a "thumbs up". You are listed as the discoverer of the page! You can give any post on my blog the "thumbs up" (hopefully not down) and hopefully be the discoverer of the page! Just look for the button at the top of each post!

I could go on and on because I find new things that this toolbar does but the key thing we should all be interested in as it relates to building traffic are the "Network" button and the "Friends" button. They allow you to make those vital connections that your new blog or website so desperately need. The system will even suggest those you should add as friends or to your network. I was surprised at the immediate emails I got from a few people I added as friends.

This site is definately worth look. Check it out and let me know what you think. If you send me your review of the site, I will post them all under a new post title in my "Reader Reviews" section!