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StumbleUpon Sponsored Stumbles vs. Google AdWords
Written by Allen Stern - December 26, 2006
I have used Google AdWords off and on for years now. Mostly for consulting clients that I work with but also on my own web sites. About two weeks ago, I gave StumbleUpon "Sponsored Stumbles" a try. After reviewing the results with StumbleUpon, I thought I would provide an overview of my experience with some comparisons to Google AdWords. StumbleUpon claims that since they send visitors based on Stumbles, there is no click fraud.
Initial Account Setup
Google: Setting up a Google AdWords account is relatively easy. There are two options: Starter and Standard. Starter allows you to promote one product or service and has limited reporting which might be good for the non-marketing oriented person/company. The Standard option is the fully robust advertising tool that most of us already are familiar with.StumbleUpon: SU has one option setup option which is very easy. Instead of using targeting based on keywords/phrases and then bidding on those terms along with creating adverts that will be compelling enough to click on, StumbleUpon offers a very simple method. Enter your website URL, select a category, simple targeting (location/age/gender), and how many visitors you would like per day (up to 2000).
Pricing and Campaign Setup
Google: AdWords pricing can be all over the map. Some terms can cost mere pennies, some can cost a lot more (student loan consolidation at almost $70!). Campaign setup offers many options, targeting techniques, etc. You know the drill. Typically, payment to Google occurs at the end of each month.StumbleUpon: Nothing to report here as everything is setup in the Initial Account Setup above. Pricing is set at 5 cents per visitor. Yes, StumbleUpon charges per visitor to your web site instead of per click. So if you request 1,000 visitors per day, and they send you 1,000, you will pay $50/day. Payment uses PayPal and is prepaid. StumbleUpon emails you when you run out of funds in your account. And topping up is as easy as logging into your PayPal account. Minimum startup is $25.
Analytics and Statistics
Google: Fully robust advertiser and click tracking reporting and statistics. Can also work with Google Analytics for even more robust stats.StumbleUpon: StumbleUpon offers total visitors, and thumbs-up/thumbs-down tracking. Some users will actually comment on your site and you can view those comments as well.
Customer Service
Great customer service from both services.Final comments
About 9 months ago, I purchased a bulk traffic option for one of the sites I run. $25 got me 7,500 visitors but the traffic was completely worthless. With Sponsored Stumbles, that $25 got me 500 qualified users who care about my category. Traffic started within 10 minutes of campaign approval and the campaign worked as 89% rated CenterNetworks with a thumbs-up!I think StumbleUpon is a great alternative to click based traffic in the sense that you get a continuous stream of interested visitors. The traffic is qualified in the sense that the visitors said they were interested in your topic or category. I believe StumbleUpon ads are a better source of visitors than using interstitial ads since the users will be in your desired category. I have decided to add it to my chart of advertising options for my clients who need qualified traffic instantly.
Our Partners
We are using StumbleUpon as well to help spread the word about our free dating site. Since we are a legit free site, we get good reviews from stumblers.
I set up a StumbleUpon campaign yesterday. $25 for 500 visits. In that one day, I doubled the visits to my web site. Pretty cool initial results. Now, I can start thinking specific landing pages that can get me some cashola. =]
Right, the key is landing page! Has to be visually appealing and offer something what people like - thumbs up will send you repeat SU visitors for months.