Generally speaking, the whole principle of dealing with online communities and Web 2.0 sites consists simply of 3 steps:

1) Create your account and login.
2) Write something as long as you leave your URL at the end.
3) Get out!

That’s it. The main motive is to leave a trail or footprints so interested visitors can follow all the way to your site and respond accordingly to your site’s message. I am especially excited that since joining StumbleUpon, I have been getting good traffic from the network and I have to credit Ian Fernando for coming up with the idea for a “StumbleUpon Exchange Project”.

The whole idea of this project is based on reciprocal review and ‘favoriting’, resulting in more traffic and more traffic = more prospects and sales. On a good day, I can have 50 readers based on the MyBlogLog stats. I only started out with Ian’s idea today by reviewing my own blog posts (a bit narcisstic and black-hat). Guess what? Within the last 5 minutes I have a stupendous increase by more than 200 readers. I don’t know where they all come from, but I think it works tremendously well. Just don’t overdo it on your own content but endorse others so you can get streams of visitors from other sources.

First of all, what are the benefits of being a favorite?

In general it provides social proof of your blog’s popularity. If it’s popular don’t you think others will want to read about it? When other members of the same social network endorse you, they are giving YOU unique targeted readers who will view and read your blog specifically for the information you provide. The results are multiplied.

Since now you know a little bit of what I have in mind, let’s start exchanging shall we?

Part 1: How To Exchange

1. The easiest way to exchange favs is to simply leave a comment about this post with your website’s URL in your name.

2. Fav my blog, this post and my main page. Once you favorite my blog through StumbleUpon I will do the same, or show me which pages you want me to review. Please give me some time if I do not fav your blog right away.

3. Add me as a friend, my SU nickname is webmastery within your network so you can easily check my favorites to see if I have fav your blog or site. If I have not done so please contact me, but please allow me some time as again I do not know what the reaction of this project may cause.

Part 2 Of StumbleUpon Traffic

1. Create a post on your blog announcing that you are participating in a StumbleUpon Exchange Project. Prominently include a link to this post to indicate that there is a similar exchange going on at Internet Mastery Center Blog. You can use any link text you want. I do however prefer that you make a new post on this topic instead of putting the link in a old post that is already deep in your archives.

2. You can copy the direction or modify it as you wish to fit your blog if necessary.

What Is The Main Goal?

Again the goal of this exchange project is to simply see if StumbleUpon is really a great traffic generator than the other social bookmarking sites. Is it that easy to get traffic like this for long?

Now other social bookmarking websites, you will need to be in the top X amount to get great traffic. With SU (that I have noticed), there is no such rating. There is a “Recently Popular Pages” page on the main interface, but it changes depending on the favorites that moment. Again, this is what I have experienced so far. If you have great ideas on how to tap on social networking as a group of people, please feel free to comment. As a Chinese saying goes, “Things are better done with more people.” Cheers.

Every online business provides great service to generate satisfaction among their customers. As each and every customer receives satisfaction over their products or the services they get, there is a great chance that they will become a return customer and buy again. Better yet, they will recommend you to other people that could generate more business for you and your site.

As more traffic is driven to your site, you can entice many of them to subscribe to your mailing list or opt-in list. This is a list where in website visitors agree to be sent promotional materials such as newsletters, catalogs and such that could keep them updated about your site or the niche of your site. These promotional materials are sent via e-mail to the members of the list in different time intervals.

When using e-mail as the media of your marketing and advertisements, you eliminate the need for high costs. E-mail is free and if you can manage to make your own promotional advertisements you can also save a bundle there. With an opt-in subscribers list, you are pretty sure that what you are sending out is received, viewed and read by the subscribers and not simply being deleted. They have signed up for service and have consented in receiving it.

This means that there are constant reminders to your subscribers about all your products, new products and services as well as any promotions and special deals you are having. There is also the chance that they can be forwarded to other potential customers as they tell their friends and families about you and your site.

Of course you should be also aware that a subscriber may unsubscribe when they feel that they are not getting what they want or expected. Make sure that they are satisfied with your opt-in marketing strategies and keep them excited in receiving your newsletters and catalogs. Here are some tips that can help you build a list of eager subscribers.

Make your promotional materials interesting and fun. Try to use a little creativity but not too over artsy. Build around what your product or service is about. For example, if you are selling car parts, put some pictures of what is new in the auto parts world, a new wing door possibly that can fit any car and make it look like a Lamborghini.

Try to research what people are looking for. This way, you stay one step ahead of them all the time and you will be their bearer of new tidings. They will be eager to receive what you are sending them because they new you always have fresh and new things to share with them.

Write good articles that can be very informational but light at the same time. If your subscribers enjoy your articles, they will go to your site by clicking the links that you will be putting on your newsletter to read some more. You can provide articles that can connect to many people. Be diverse in your articles. Put something humorous, then put something informational, then put something that has both.

Are you wary about this because you don’t like writing? No problem, there are many professional and experienced article writers that can do the job for you for minimal fees. They know what they are doing and can provide the need that you have for your newsletters, the money that you pay for your articles are going to be met by the many sign-ups and the potential profit from the sales that you will get.

Create and send an e-book to your customers about anything that is related to your business or site. Use your knowledge and expertise in the field you have chosen to help other people who are similarly interested. Offer this e-book for free. You can write about anything informational and helpful to your subscribers. For example; you can do manuals and guides in so many things. This e-book could be used as a reference for many people.

Share this e-book with everyone, even other sites; just make sure that they donít change the links in the e-book that will lead people to your site. If you want, you can always get some people to write it for you just like your articles. Your investment once again will be covered by the great marketing this will generate.

Add e-coupons in your newsletters that will help them avail to special discounts. Put a control number in your e-coupon so that they can only be used once. When people get discounts that can be found in your newsletters, they will be eager to receive your newsletter in anticipation of what you are promoting next.

If your subscribers can get benefits from your newsletters, they will be very eager to receive them. Just don’t flood your mailing list with mails so that you don’t annoy your subscribers.