informednetworker.com & internet & social networks dmackey on 25 Sep 2007 05:13 am
Frustrated by StumbleUpon’s StumbleAds.
Update: I received my first reply from StumbleUpon via email at 12:41 p.m., around 10 hours after I had made the initial post. The issue was resolved by 5:40 p.m. on the same day. Apparently it was an issue on StumbleUpon’s part though I don’t quite understand what. The fact that there was an issue isn’t what concerned me, it was the lack of communication. Aaron, the guy who contacted me in regard to my issues was very kind and polite and moved quickly to resolve it. He didn’t know exactly where the disconnect was in the whole communication area, but has moved quickly to resolve it now - so I’m happy.
I love StumbleUpon. For those who don’t know what StumbleUpon is, its a social network of types - and an extraordinary time consumer. Essentially it allows you to define a number of topics that interest you and then stumble through websites that people have tagged with those terms. You vote a thumbs up or thumbs down on each site and can tag the sites with your own keywords. Over time StumbleUpon refines what sites it shows you based on how you vote.
I’ve been using StumbleUpon for quite some time now - long enough that I’ve stumbled across 8,000+ pages and 100+ videos. I tell everybody about StumbleUpon - because its a great service.
Recently I launched a new website, in fact its this one. InformedNetworker is a social news media site for Information Technology Professionals. Similar to Digg(tm) but focused on professional computing interests rather than the (seemingly) ever more consumer oriented Digg(tm).
I decided as part of the marketing campaign for this new site to promote my site on StumbleUpon using their StumbleAds program. Essentially, this program allows you to pay for each visitor - at the cost of $0.05 per visitor. Not a bad price, especially since these visitors are hitting you based upon tags you define. I plopped down $25.00 and opened an account on 8/30/07. I created my first campaign - targeted for the tag it and pointing towards my informednetworker site. Over the next several days nothing happened. I guess I was in a manual approval stage. Once the approval stage had passed the money began disappearing from my account till I reach $0.00. What was strange was that I wasn’t receiving any hits as my money disappeared - or at least the control panel didn’t (and still doesn’t) reflect any. So what happened? My money is gone and I didn’t receive any hits.
Okay, I’m a reasonable guy. So I sent an email to StumbleUpon on 9/4/07, 9/12/07, and 9/22/07 - none of which have received anything more than the form response informing me that the response had been received. Furthermore, I posted in both the StumbleUpon general help forum and in the ads forum - no replies from any officials there either.
So, here I am - nearly a month later and I haven’t received any clicks for the $25.00 that magically vanished. I’m frustrated. If I received even a one line email saying, “Sorry we are busy. But don’t worry we are working on it.” I would wait and wait…But right now I am a voice crying out in distress and they aren’t even acknowledging my existence.
Final step? Write a blog post about it and submit it to several social networks, including StumbleUpon in hopes that someone at StumbleUpon will find that CSR with an ignored email in their inbox and give me a response - any response that can resolve this issue and let me continue my intoxication with StumbleUpon.
on 25 Sep 2007 at 5:59 am 1.Scott said …
I just stumbled on. Guess it worked?
on 25 Sep 2007 at 7:03 am 2.Ryan said …
I came here via stumble upon there maybe hope for you yet
on 25 Sep 2007 at 10:21 pm 3.dmackey said …
Thanks for the comments. Actually, this blog post was submitted through the normal StumbleUpon process rather than the paid advertising method. But in any case, StumbleUpon has resolved the paid issue now as well. Thanks for taking the time to read this post.
on 26 Sep 2007 at 7:01 pm 4.Steve said …
I have used Stumble in my advertising often and get results. Somethings not right with what you described but I agree you should have received a reply from them.
Keep in mind that results from Stumble is swift. On my site I have it so you can see who is online and you can tell when either something has been Stumbled or I have advertised with them. It usually lasts no more than 4 hours, but you are getting exposure you couldn’t elsewhere.
I attribute the growth in audience and memberships to my site to StumbleUpon.
on 26 Sep 2007 at 10:21 pm 5.Steve Parker said …
I stumbled here; what was the resolution of this issue?
PS. $25 for 500 visitors sounds rather pricy to me, even if they are targeted…
on 26 Sep 2007 at 11:21 pm 6.David said …
I stumbled across the page also
on 26 Sep 2007 at 11:23 pm 7.jkillah1 said …
Nice blog. Good to see people posting something interesting like this. Do not mess with us, we’re from the INTERNET!
on 26 Sep 2007 at 11:54 pm 8.MrsI said …
I got here via Stumbleupon so, good luck! It’s working!
on 27 Sep 2007 at 12:12 am 9.brian said …
I just gave you a thumbs up.Dont be dissin on the stumble.
on 27 Sep 2007 at 12:50 am 10.Oky said …
Ironically, stumbled.. and thumbs up naturally
on 27 Sep 2007 at 1:25 am 11.noncivilised-eye said …
i stumbled here. hope you resolve it.
on 27 Sep 2007 at 1:54 am 12.JetsetMilkman said …
I also just stumbled upon your web page. I guess it’s working for you. I love Stumble!
on 27 Sep 2007 at 2:00 am 13.Steve said …
I’m going to have to give you a thumbs down. You said the issue was resolved but not how and I’m left curious and unfilled.
on 27 Sep 2007 at 2:16 am 14.Carson said …
I stumbled too. Maybe they take the money, and THEN you get hits?
on 27 Sep 2007 at 2:38 am 15.Neal said …
I’m here, so it the stumble gods have decided to smile on you.
on 27 Sep 2007 at 2:39 am 16.rocky rose said …
I got here with Stumble so I guess it’s working. thumbs up!
on 27 Sep 2007 at 3:31 am 17.Patrick Blanchard said …
I stumbled here too.
Probably would have been better off just submitting it to SU for free and getting the odd visitor in than forking out 25$ (40 if you add the taxes taken off your paycheck).
on 27 Sep 2007 at 5:23 am 18.Josh said …
Ack, got caught here too by Stumble!
on 27 Sep 2007 at 6:19 am 19.cynthia sheridan said …
Well great idea i stumble upon you lol