StumbleUpon: The Alexa That Could Have Been

Someone left a link to StumbleUpon in my comments the other day and I registered. I didn't spend the time to figure out how it works, though. I spent a bit of time to understand the minimum today. I now know how to submit a site and review one. And have a general idea how the site works. It is a new concept with new lingo, so figuring out the toolbar takes a bit of experimentation. I haven't invited anyone because my friends are tired of me inviting them to every new networking site that exists. If you want to link up, let me know.

Why I'm Investigating StumbleUpon?
The reason I spent some time investigating it this morning is because of a flurry of activity that we received from an unknown referer on a site we launched, whobangedwho.com, yesterday as a spoof social networking site. We received over 1000 unique hits on the site yesterday. The majority were from an odd referer.

The referer didn't have a site that corresponded to anything that made sense to us nor did it correspond to a website. And when doing a search on google for whobangedwho, a handful of profiles with reviews of whobangedwho showed up on stumbleupon. So, we haven't solved where the mystery mega-traffic has come from. But our hunch is that it is StumbleUpon. Can anyone tell me what the referer from stumbleupon's random review toolbar is?

Back to StumbleUpon
So, is StumbleUpon the alexa that could have been or never was? The idea is the same. Have people review websites and post them publicly. Why has stumbleupon worked and alexa didn't?

I am sure there are a lot of reasons. One that sticks out to me is that site reviewing is social with stumbleupon: You can browse the sites your friends and other like minded groups have found interesting.

The toolbar and site are overall pretty awesome. It is a full fledged social network with profiles, connections to friends and groups. Although it appears to be flying under the radar of the social software illuminati, it is a popular social networking application with over 64k members, that also has revenue model(s).

Their revenue model is advertising as well as premium services. They sell advertising by allowing advertisers to buy a certain amount of site impressions (really like involuntary clicks). How does this work? I presume since users subject themselves to being redirected to random sites that they may like, this is an impression. Since, this process of delivering random pages to users appears random, I am sure users don't mind or know that stumbleupon is selling their eyeballs. For advertisers, it is perfect since it can be targeted to one of 400 categories. Plus, the users are social people that want to tell their friends about the site, if it is cool. Further, the advertiser gets feedback on how their site appeals to different demographics. A site developer could test new concepts/layouts/designs and get feedback rather quickly.

StumbleUpon is also the perfect place to seed a meme. As you know (if you are a regular reader), I spend a lot of time trying to figure out the formula behind a meme. (It is E^2*f/6.27 = ROI. J/K.) There are a lot of sites that are good meme spreaders, depending on the target audience. Fark, Slashdot and MetaFilter as well as some of the better known bloggers (boingboing, gawker, joi ito, etc) are good for seeding a meme, or atleast shooting it to the next level. They are also, known as site-killers, because they send a lot of traffic to unsuspecting web servers.

Anyways, access to these community and blogging sites can't be purchased. Exposure is generally granted when the blogger(s) deem a site worthy in their editorial opinion(s). So, traffic cannot be bought or paid for, unless you want to buy boring old sponsorship ads situated around the blog content.. StumbleUpon can be bought. And the site users don't mind.

StumbleUpon also sells premium membership which includes:

Ability to turn off sponsored stumbles Messaging email integration (for both sent & received messages) Ability to create new groups (see the directory) Larger pictures in your profiles (up to 50KB rather than 20KB) 14 additional profile colors: Stumble "Buzz!" and "Comment Follow-up" features Configurable number of sites/comments on your profile. An increase to top 20 informants on your 'My Stumblers' page. Red audience meter ( ) indicating you support StumbleUpon. Access to Private Sponsors Forum

- A lot of cool features!

In my conclusion, StumbleUpon has a killer site and a killer business. StumbleUpon proves that any idea is better with a social networking component.

I give StumbleUpon A Big "I LIKE IT!". (Download the toolbar and you'll understand.)

I have actually added StumbleUpon to my Toolbar collection.

Will StumbleUpon Be Copied? (I couldn't do a post without prognosticating a bit.)

You bet ya! If stumbleupon has found a way to make cash and it is as simple as letting friends tell friends about other websites, they will surely be copied. And as the worlds of search, ppc ads and social networking merge and then emerge as the core money makers behind the net, StumbleUpon will certainly be copied.

And I definitely see StumbleUpon proving that social networking complements search from a user's and a business's perspective. Maybe they'll do what eurekster is trying to do: Prove that the killer app for generating ppc revenue is social networking combined with search. In that case, yahoo should be knocking on stumbleupon's door any second now: "Can I buy you? Can I buy you?"

There is a quote on StumbleUpon's Home Page that says, "I'm hooked on the thing, and rate it as the second most useful web browsing tool after Google itself" - PcPro"

If that is the case, Here is a Message to StumbleUpon: Integrate Search and You'll be the destination to go to. Yahoo or Google will surely provide it to you.

Comments

[GyroPiltot]

Reading your excellent reviews I must say you have a good talent there. A site I recently came across is http://www.spinningtornado.com

I would love to read one of your reviews on this new concept called a customer acquisition exchange.

Looking forward to reading more.

Thanx

GyroPilot

[Guarro]

Dear PC4media
Stumble brought me to your page, and I thought I would tell you about a band called Guarro seeing as you are an avid SU user now, and understand the meme, thought you may like to help us, and or give us some advice.
Below is some Blurb from our site. Check it out, if you don't like it tell your enemies if you do, then please tell your friends. Thanks for your time www.guarro.net

Blurb :: :: :: ::

See the new animated Video for Temporary Song by Rock Band Guarro. www.temporarysong.com
Upcoming rockers dish 'Floyd-isms, in a light side of the moon style.
Check out www.guarro.net for more music, free downloads, videos, and info. Tell your friends! See them LIVE...

Thank you for your help and support, sign up to the new and improved Guarro website, we hope to see you at a gig someday!
The Band
www.guarro.net :: :: :: ::
www.temporarysong.com
Thanks for reading this Regards guarro.net

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