StumbleUpon is a social bookmarking site that can deliver a lot of traffic. Where StumbleUpon differs to a site like Digg is that the traffic generated can last two or three days, not a short 12-36 hours. However, like Digg, traffic from StumbleUpon tends to have a very high bounce rate and an extremely low conversion or purchase rate. You can however improve your conversion rate if you follow a few points.
StumbleUpon is meant to be ‘fun’ and ‘friendly’. It’s casual surfing when you have nothing better to do and by using the SU tool bar in your browser, the sites you visit are fairly random. Likewise, the visitors to your page have landed there randomly. They don’t know what they are going to see until your page loads – and there in lies the first clue – your page needs to grab their attention. Bright colorful, friendly, easy going – little in the way of ads – a first impression that sells I want to stay and see what this site has to offer.
Distinctive branding is going to be a big asset. If your branding stands out and is memorable, they will remember it. Part of your branding is going to flow from the content they read. Your visitor is going to be wowed by they page, hit by the brand and engaged by the content. When they leave you want them to remember you by your brand and content.
If you want your StumbleUpon visitors to return, then get their name and email address and the easiest way to do that is through a free giveaway like an ebook. Offer them something in return.
StumbleUpon visitors can be hard to please. They are after a good time so give it to them.
