StumbleUpon for Computer-Dummies

If you still don’t understand how and why joining StumbleUpon is a critical social bookmarking network site after you’re done reading this post, please share your comments, questions and issues below! I’m learning along with you!

My quest to learn more about SU started last month, from the post introducing our $200 Free PRWeb.com Press Release. My stats showed a dramatic and immediate new #1 top referrer. Stumble Upon…and, I had no idea how and where that came from. So, I asked and found my answer (in the comments). My very first vote/positive website review and brand new spanking friend Mark who literally ‘Stumbled Upon’ EmpowerWomenNow.com. I actually never knew Mark before than, and now we’re good friends.

But, this whole social bookmarking stuff blows my computer-dummy brains out of wack!

So, I asked some dear colleagues and friends, and go figure Dan and Jennifer of AskDanandJennifer.com came to my rescue with the most simple, cut and dry instructions, and explanations that got me started.

[Side note: Yes, it's ironic that I ask my dear blogging friends/turned mentors about this internet marketing technique, since you can "Ask Dan and Jennifer" literally anything and they will answer! Check out their tagline: "Dating, relationships, love and great sex...get Your Questions Answered!" Oh, BTW, here's some shocking poll results you *have* to check out. And, look at how many people entered the poll!! They have a huge following and StumbleUpon is only one of their many internet marketing techniques they utilize on a daily basis. Thanks guys!!]

So how does StumbleUpon really work?

You basically join and download the StumbleUpon toolbar.
Then, you hit the stumble button, which will show you a random site that someone gave a “thumbs up” to.
If you like the site, you give it your own “thumbs up” with the ‘thumbs up button’
Or, you can thumbs down
The webpages will ultimately adjust to what you like, and don’t like according to your past stumbles. So, the more you stumble and rate different websites, the more relevant your options come up.
When you browse any website on the Internet, you can vote with a thumbs up or down. If nobody voted it yet (submitted it to the StumbleUpon database) then it’ll pop up and ask you about it. This is how you submit your own stuff or your friends’. [Just like Digg or Netscape...which I haven't really tried yet...one at a time].
Stumbling your own site is futile in the beginning, because you can potentially get a few hundred hits, and then a few over the coming months.
Just like my MyBlogLog and BlogCatalog, you browse each community, and “add friends” to start giving them a ‘thumbs up’ or “stumbling upon” them.
By creating a network, and actively stumbling others, they will begin to take notice and ’stumble upon’ your stuff too.
Your account gains “street cred” the more you stumble, vote, and have more friends in your network.
THEN, your votes count a lot more (Get a lot more traffic from StumbleUpon)

Critical StumbleUpon reading materials you must read for a complete understanding:

[Note: It's taking me almost a month to finally feel confident of posting about StumbleUpon now, that I "get" it, so, please be patient with yourself.]

Maki’s most recent must-do follow-up post on how-to build your StumbleUpon Network

Now, What Do I StumbleUpon?

Click on My StumbleUpon Profile, and add me as “Your Friend”. Yes, my network is small…but, I’m destined to become the next “Top Stumbler” so I empower you to have an equal goal so we can stumble upon one another and rank high as a SU Evangelist.
Then, give me a thumbs up for this easy-to-read, easy-to-follow, StumbleUpon post.
Have a great post related to Women’s Empowerment, Women Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurialism, Home Based Business, Networking, Search Engine Optimization, Internet Marketing, Online PR (Public Relations) [remember I must understand your post, so it has to be written in non-technical computer-dummy terms], send me a message in my inbox and bring your post to my “stumble upon” attention. [Please note: My hours online varies 24-hours each day/night].