I'm always looking for ways to increase my pageviews. For me, that's the single best way I can tell if my blog is successful. I can tell when a post does well based on the number of views it has and shares it's recieved.
One social media platform that bloggers often forget to utilize is Stumbleupon. There is so much to keep up with, it's hard to remember which ones will actually help your blog. But this one, definitely does. I've been using Stumbleupon for a few months, and will get a few hits here and there. That is, until I did my research are realized it's potential, and that I was pretty much doing it all wrong. I would just submit my post to it, then go on my merry way.
Like with any other platform, in order to get the most out of it, you have to use it.
– Like posts (by clicking the thumbs up) within Stumbleupon. When you don't like a post they show you, click thumbs down. This helps Stumbleupon gauge your preferences.
– You can't just share your stuff. Stumbleupon will penalize you for just sharing your content alone (it's smart like that), so share other people's blog post, articles, and interesting pieces as well. I try and share at least 5-10 more blog posts for every 1 I share of my own.
– Categorize your piece. When you submit an article you'll enter the URL, click that it's safe for work, and select an interest. It's important to select a category that makes sense in order for your post to get “stumbled” and receive more pageviews.
You can also choose tags (I always do) that relate to the post. These can be anything. For example, if I shared this post, I would probably tag: blogging, Stumbleupon, how to, etc.
-Follow more people. Just like with other platforms, you have to follow others to get some followers.
This is a social media tool I still have a lot to learn about. But with just a few of these changes above, one post already received thousands of views! For tips on getting started with Stumbleupon, check out this post.
Have you used Stumbleupon before – what are your tips for success? Check out Life +1's great post on how she used StumbleUpon to garner 17,000 pageviews in 72 hours!
Leave your Stumbleupon link in the comments below so we can all follow along! You can find me here: http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/helenesula/likes
