StumbleUpon and Digg, two popular social media websites, both serve many valuable purposes.They provide insights into trending topics, stories, and news; they provide users an opportunity to discover what others are talking about; and they create an aggregation of new and popular websites.They are also fantastic for business owners, as they can drive insane amounts of traffic to your website.
StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon is an online community that allows its members to discover, rate, and review web pages, videos, and photos.Users select categories of interest and download a toolbar, which allows them to easily give websites a thumbs up or a thumbs down, write a personalized review, or send them to friends in one easy click.
The more thumbs up a website receives, the higher it appears in the different categories on StumbleUpon.Users can browse through the nearly 500 categories and “stumble upon” pages highly rated by their friends and other community members.Members can also use the “Stumble!” button, which immediately directs them to a random website based on their interests, number of thumbs up, and reviews.
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Digg
Digg is a social news website that allows users to discover and share content from anywhere on the web.Users can submit links and stories they find interesting, and vote and comment on links and stories submitted by others.The popularity of a link is determined by users who have voted it up (called digging) or voted it down (called burying) using the toolbar that appears at the top of every user-submitted page.
The most “Dugg” stories, appearing on the homepage of Digg.com, can be filtered by those trending within the last 24 hours, week, month, or year.Users can also browse through the top stories in each of the individual categories offered, or view the top stories in all of the topics.
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Eyeballs = Traffic
Driving insane amounts of traffic to your website can be done, and it’s not as hard you might think (but it’s not easy either). Ultimately, the goal is to get as many people as possible to “like” and “digg” your links and pages, improving your rankings and upping the chances for your links to get seen. The more people see your links, the more they will view and rate your content. And the more your content is viewed and rated, the more people will see it. And there you have insane amounts of traffic.
The first step of this process really starts with your content. Great content is essential. If you want people to like and rate your links, the content first has to grab their attention, and then has to resonate with them enough for them to share it with others. Once you have the content figured out, it’s really just a matter of following some simple best practices.
5 Best Practices You Can Put into Play Today
1. “Like” & “Digg” other links and websites, write reviews, and leave comments. The more involved you are in a community, the better your reputation and visibility will be – meaning higher rankings for your submissions. DON’T submit only your links. This is spamming, and I guarantee you will not get far.
2. Personalize your profile. Add a picture and details about yourself – people like to know that there’s a person behind the username.The more people feel they know you, the more likely they are to trust you and what you are sharing.
3. Use tags and keywords. This will increase your chances of getting found by the people who are interested in your subject matter. Keywords and tags are also great food for search engines.
4. Make friends with people who have similar interests. People who share your interests are more likely to be interested in the content you are submitting, which will result in them liking/digging and sharing your content on a regular basis.
5.Spread the word, far and wide…and often. Share your links on other social sites like Facebook and Twitter, and ask your friends to “like” and “digg” your content.Encourage them to share your content with their networks, but don’t forget to reciprocate when they ask the same of you.
It’s Just a Matter of Time
As with all things, achieving the desired results will take time, so don’t give up if you don’t see immediate spikes in your traffic. You’ll have to build relationships and gain trust before things start to really happen for you. Be consistent in your efforts, and your hard work will pay off in the end.
Do you use Digg or StumbleUpon? How about another social news or bookmarking site? We’d love to hear about what’s working for you. Leave us your comments below…