Author Topic: StumbleUpon: Real or Fake? (Read 11,261 times)

app103 · « **on:** October 26, 2006, 09:14 AM »

Is it possible that that we are stumbling upon paid placements?

http://chris.pirillo.com/2006/10/17/stumbleupon-real-or-fake/

brotherS · « **Reply #1 on:** October 26, 2006, 09:27 AM »

Most sites I stumbled upon didn't even offer something to sell. If they should add 'paid for' sites and mark them as such, I'd have no problem with that.

mouser · « **Reply #2 on:** October 26, 2006, 09:51 AM »

as one reply to tht pointed out, this is actually official policty of stumbleupon:

Quote

Stumbleupon’s advertising practices are spelled out very clearly in every page of their introductory and help pages.

All members are told about the ads, and are given the ability (unlike many websites) to turn them off! It is guaranteed that no more than one stumble in 10 will be paid stumbles.

Anyone who chooses to become a ’sponsor’ can avoid them all together for $20 a year.

i’ve been stumbling for a little over a year, and while i HATE being marketed to in normal life, in stumbling it is well worth it for the sheer number of fascinating websites i’ve stumbled on randomly- ones i’d never thought to look for otherwise.
i became a sponsor a year ago, and turned off all of the advertising at that point. in fact, it’s almost time for me to pay another $20 for another year of carefree exploration and discovery!

...

i just wanted to put it out there that yes, stumbleupon members know they are being marketed to- and it’s a very passive, mild and avoidable inconvenience. there’s nothing shady or underhanded about the stumble format.

~Zaxy

I would disagree that it's very clearly spelled out - most people don't realize that some of the pages they are sent are adverts - and it's not that clear when you are viewing an advert, so thumbs down for that.

On the other hand I do agree that i find the paid sites served fairly innocuous and i mind it much less than seeing ad popups or banners, so i don't really mind it.

mouser · « **Reply #3 on:** October 26, 2006, 10:04 AM »

see:
http://www.stumbleupon.com/promote_faq.html

logic7 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 27, 2006, 09:10 AM »

From my experience, the site offers a combination of both genuinly found and shared sites, and paid to be promoted.

And if I get any more of that "flight fare watch" crap, I'll scream.

But overall, it is great thing to have, provided that you have some time to spend.

thunder7 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 28, 2006, 07:12 AM »

I Like Stumbleupon.com I use it when I am bored. (I have ADHD so I get bored quick lol) It takes me to a lot of sites I have not seen before, I do a lot of searchs but stumbleupon I think finds me exactly what I am looking for.

And when I am just searching with google, I add my "likes" to stumbleupon.
I find a lot of stuff along the way (go looking for 1 thing, find 20 other things I am not looking for, but there 99.99% intresting)