Learning to Stumble

So, a few months ago. I joined the social networking site Stumble Upon. The site exists so that you can locate hard to find Web sites in every category, for example, humor, politics, music, and books then share them with others. The stumble upon tool bar works like a remote control for the Internet, you simply click the bar and start flipping through channels. There are a few preselected channels like Funny or Die, the Onion, the Huffington Post, and PBS, or you can search by your preferred interests (chosen when you complete a profile). You can make friends, join groups, and send the best links to people you know will like them. If you get addicted to stumbling, you may even become a top stumbler.

To get started visit the sign in page and register. You will be asked to download the stumble buttons. Make sure you have the tag and review buttons as well as the thumbs up, thumbs down, and of course the stumble bar.

• Build out your profile, choose your preferences, post an image and a short bio

• Invite your friends to join by uploading them from your email address books

• Make friends with top stumblers and people who are new to stumble

• Review other peoples' profile pages and stumble them. Tag them as "stumblers"
• If you find a page you really like, see who else likes it and friend them

• Look at the What's New page from time to time and make friends with anyone who has viewed your site (you can see this on the what's new page)
  

• Add all your suggested friends (these are chosen based on your preferences)
  

• Before you add a friend stumble a few of his/her sites
  

• Join suggested groups and add other members as your friends

• You get the poin. MAKE FRIENDS. There is a special button where people can stumble only friends' stuff instead of the general stumble population that means your sites will come up randomly as others stumble through pages. It also means you get to limit your view to only the sites that people you think are cool like.
  

• Categorize your links with broad tags (and 1 or 2 specific ones-just my preference, so you can find them later)

• Try messaging people. If someone gives your page a positive review thank them.
  

• Make sure your page has interesting, bizarre or beautiful photos

• If you're trying to promote your own Web site or blog, just be practical about it. If you stumble and review only your own work, your your page will be looked at as spam. If you're going to thumb up one of your pages do so only every 25 or 30 stumbles and make sure it's stumbe-worthy.
  

• Mix it up. Use videos, images, and articles.

• Thumb something down occasionally. I'm not certain of this, but i hear it improves your algorithm.
  
• Learn a new trick/tip. Find a good guide to stumbling. TELL ME ABOUT IT.

For more advice about stumble upon check out Xineann's guide to stumbling.
This answers nearly every question you can think of about stumbling.

For advice specifically on how to promote your site, how to make it "sticky," read David Risley's blog.

Besides finding great sites about your hobbies and interests Stumble upon is a great way to break up your day with a laugh.

And when you join stumble, make me your friend.