StumbleUpon Introduces New Look For Site


There are times when any business must change its approach, and for an online business like StumbleUpon, a plunge in traffic, the departure of a CEO, and the introduction of a new mobile app for iPhones might certainly indicate that the moment is right. This big name in social bookmarking recently announced a redesign, too. Now may be a good opportunity for all online entrepreneurs to reflect on the need to move forward, innovate, and keep up with the times.

Stumbling Around

Quick change artists. StumbleUpon was once the marvel of the social bookmarking world, known as a huge traffic driver for Websites and touted by many an online marketer for its ability to help connect with niche audiences. But a traffic decrease since December proves the site is far from infallible. Perhaps wisely, the people behind this social media powerhouse have decided it’s time to rebuild from the ground up. There are times when you need to do the same. The Next Web

I’m in a Pinterest state of mind. Many observers have noted the similarities between StumbleUpon and another bright, new star in the social media firmament: Pinterest. But rest assured, writes Greg Finn, a social media and search marketing expert, StumbleUpon’s DNA is still at the heart of the site’s reinvention. Don’t be afraid to borrow a good idea with a redesign, but stay true to your roots and users. Marketing Land

Site Specific

The ugliest site in the world. Is your business Website still plagued by bad color schemes, poor grammar, even worse navigation, obtrusive ads, and (yikes!) even that old-school approach of playing music to harsh your visitors’ mellows while they’re trying to surf on through (probably listening to their own music at the time?) If any of these descriptions  sound familiar, it’s time to make changes immediately. Small Biz Diamonds

Framing your fears about online video. Marketing coach Stephanie Ward gets that many small business owners may be apprehensive about creating online video. Maybe you’re not comfortable with the idea of creating video or being on camera, or perhaps you fear the technical challenges video presents. But the fact is, video can be an important addition to your business Website and a great way to grow your business. If you haven’t added video to your Website yet, check out Stephanie’s challenge. Firefly Coaching

Caught in the Web

What your Website says about you. Famous Canadian entrepreneur Arlene Dickinson may be the star of Dragon’s Den, a Canadian version of Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to big time investors, but that doesn’t mean her company’s Web presence is keeping up with the latest trends. One blogger complains the company still doesn’t have a mobile-friendly Website and that Dickinson’s blog hasn’t been updated in months. The Your Web Department Blog

Beating a path to your door. You may believe that just having a super cool Website will attract all the visitors and customers your business could ever need. Not so, says blogger Joel Mayer. You’ll have to do some of the work yourself in the form of keywords, page titles, link building, and Meta tags, if you want visitors to even find you online. It’s called Search Engine Optimization and must be an important part of all your online marketing plans. The Savvy Copywriter

Share and share alike. To attract traffic to your Website, you will also need to convince others to share your content via social media. If this isn’t happening, the problem may stem from the material your Website offers. If you’d like to make your content more appealing to social media users, check out marketer Brad Smith’s post about how to make others want to share your stuff and promote you to the world. Social Media Today

3 Comments ▼
3 Reactions
  1. Martin Lindeskog

    It is funny you mentioned. I stumbled upon StumbleUpon again and downloaded the app. It got curios about the StumbleUponDNA! 😉

    Is Reddit the leading bookmarking site at the moment?

  2. As usual great round up! I’m gonna have to find the time to StumbleUpon the new site and possibly add it to my content marketing outreach. Thanks!

  3. StumbleUpon is okay if you want to promote your blog or maybe an online article but it’s crazy to pay for traffic from people who are nothing more than tire-kickers which is what the vast majority of StumbleUpon readers are. Unfortunately changing the appearance of its website isn’t going to change this fact for StumbleUpon.