This is Part Six in our blog series on How to Use StumbleUpon to Grow Your Business. If you missed the last post, you can read it here.
As with anything, if you want to see success you need to do some work. StumbleUpon is no different. You can’t expect to have your site Stumbled and suddenly be overwhelmed with site traffic. There are things you can do to help get that traffic you’re looking for:
Offer a Newsletter, Guide, etc.
People who come across your site may or may not want to stay and browse it thoroughly. We all know people are in a hurry, so you might only get a visitor for a few seconds, which certainly isn’t enough time for them to review and rate your site. Offering a free guide, report, newsletter or something that they can download will keep you front and center in their minds. Every time they read that report, they’ll remember where they found it, and they’ll most likely make a return visit.
Pay for StumbleUpon Ad Space
StumbleUpon offers advertising. This would cost you a few cents per person that is referred to your site by their advertising campaign. While you may not be interested in paying for traffic; you might want to consider this option.
You would essentially be paying for the first handful of visitors that find your site through this paid advertising campaign. Don’t make the mistake of paying for it on a long term basis, however. The point is to get some people there first who will give it a good rating and then your site will naturally be exposed to other users.
Be Aware of the Ads You Have on Your Stumbled Pages
Yes, you want to drive loads more traffic to your site and of course, you want to increase more cash for your pocket. The point in stumbling your site is to get people to visit and rate it with a positive rating.
If you lure them to a web page that has annoying banner ads, too many ads, or competitor’s ads, they are more likely to be turned off. This would then mean that they could give you a bad rating, which doesn’t help you much, especially if you choose to pay for advertising space. Too many ads can make it look like you’re a spammer to your visitors.
Sell Your Site – Not Your Product
This is important, and it’s a common mistake that site owners make. StumbleUpon is a means of generating traffic. Sure, it’s a sales tool, but it’s an indirect sales tool. The people that would rate your web pages with good results are ones that are looking for informative articles and other content. They are less likely to stumble a sales pitch. Get them to your site first, then sell to them.
Remember that when marketing your business, you’re going to try lots of different things. You’re sure to find some success, but there’s always room for growth. That’s exactly why business owners turn to social marketing and sites like StumbleUpon. StumbleUpon helps you extend your reach to your target audience, which then drives more traffic to your site.
It’s a proven strategy for millions of online marketers. Put it to work for you too!
Thanks for reading, and if you liked this article, please Stumble it! 
