Why Entrecard
Posted on 22. Sep, 2009 by Devo in Shameful
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I have tossed around writing this post since just before I went to France and now that I’m back, I’ve decided to write it. Entrecard has had a lot of bad publicity through blogs ever since changes were attempted a few months ago. Changes like paid ads appearing and the opportunity for users to purchase these ads. The forums in the Entrecard web site went berserk and after the inability to reign them in they were restructured all together in attempt to stop what was already out of control.
It appeared that Graham was overwhelmed, frustrated, and then he completely lost interest in the service he started and customer service became just about non existent as well as other things. The resulting backlash caused many angry users to leave the service altogether.
I have been an Entrecard user from the point it had only about 100 members and am on my third blog registered with them, have been an avid dropper, purchased hundreds of ads and have kept up with what’s going on through the forums. I was active in the forums up until the crisis I mentioned above when just about anything anyone posted was attacked mercilessly and since then have kept my distance.
So what is Entrecard? It’s a free blog promotion service where ads are purchased through credits earned by members visiting other member blogs and clicking on the Entrecard badge. That’s it, plain and simple. Earn credits, buy ads, and then blog readers see the ad and hopefully for us, they click on it and visit your blog. It’s a great idea and if you have a worthwhile blog and badge to attract readers, you will get visitors. When Entrecard was young and growing, this was sustainable for the founders, but as it became popular and thousands of bloggers joined, it began to cost quite a lot of money to maintain. That in itself was the cause of the crisis Entrecard still suffers from and unfortunately will continue to suffer from.
Like any free blog promotion service, users have free access to a means to promote their blog and do so under the rules set out by the service. As bloggers getting a free ride, what right do we have to dictate how the service is run or restructured? None, none at all. The only way we would have any decision making power is if we had some financial investment in the service. This is where I believe the problem with Entrecard began. First, as it grew, it needed money to survive, then when the idea of paid ads came up, it was put to the users to weigh in on the idea. Wrong! If Entrecard wants to do something, just like any other service, they research the idea thoroughly and carefully and if they find it has great potential, they implement it. When the idea was thrown to us users, chaos was a given.
From that point on Entrecard was in serious trouble. The forums became a war zone where many users who felt they owned the service or that their opinion was the only right one literally attacked those who didn’t agree with their opinion. It was out of control and even moderators got into the fight rather than remain objective. With the forums the only meeting point for member to collectively communicate and opinions so widely varied, the true personality of some bloggers boiled to the surface in a scary or childish way. Profanity was rampant and some posts I felt were fighting material and would have ended in a bar room brawl if people were physically together.
The step taken was to restructure the forums and allow only those who had purchased 400 ads to be in this ‘exclusive’ club where the debate could continue in a more mature and controlled manner. Of course this infuriated people even more.
In the end, paid ads were allowed because remember, Entrecard needs money to survive. From here the protest continued with many members displaying their displeasure by adding small badges to their site saying things like ‘no paid ads’. Funny thing was that some of these even had spelling errors. I don’t really understand resistance to paid ads if the structure allows fair exposure of non paid ads and it should have never been put to the masses for our opinion. Entrecard wants it, they implement it. If I don’t like it, I quietly leave. One misconception has been that many users felt that if they left they would hurt Entrecard by leaving. These angry users often put up ridiculous posts on their own blogs ‘trashing’ Entrecard as if they had some sort of blogging power.
It is these posts that aggravate me. They often include statements saying that Entrecard really didn’t bring solid traffic to their blog and that the main traffic was from those who drop and run. These statements I have seen and continue to see quite often, but isn’t it true that if you drop cards, earn credits, purchase ads with an attractive ad, have a blog with good and interesting content, readers outside of Entrecard will click on your ad giving you traffic with substance. I have never bought into Entrecard as a service that will create Entrecard member traffic. I want traffic from beyond Entrecard and that, after purchasing an ad is entirely up to me, not Entrecard. I have a drop list that I use each day. These are blogs I chose because they were likely to return my drop and visa versa. The main goal dropping is to earn credits to purchase ads. During my drops if I happen to find blogs I was interested in reading and posting comments, I would, but that is not the goal of dropping, dropping is for credits. The purchased ad along with great content, social networking, etc will get me readers, not dropping. Now that return credits are no longer earned, who is on my drop list is not so important anymore.
Just today Entrecard announced they would be providing 15% of ad network inventory to sponsor ads. This is clearly a good business model and one that they have adopted as other free services have. I think this is a very good step in the right direction and one that should have been adopted by the previous ownership.
This is a standard business model used by free advertising networks. The revenues generated by our sponsors will help cover overhead expenses and keep our service free to all our members for years to come. To keep things simple and fair, all ads will be distributed evenly in our network.
To wrap things up, I believe the idea of Entrecard is a very good one. Previously some poor business decisions were made, but with good intentions. The resulting backlash was extremely overblown by many members most whom have left Entrecard. Basically saying “You screw me and I’ll screw you”. Entrecard may be better without them and their vanishing act won’t hurt Entrecard at all.
If you disagree with how a FREE service you belong to is being run, quietly leave if you wish. Your outlandish way of voicing your opinions on the forum and on you blog accomplishes nothing and really make you look like fools.
Of course this long winded post isn’t directed at all who have left the service nor is it directed at anyone who have left constructive opinions either in the forums or on their blogs.
Entrecard is not ours and we should remember that.
10 Responses to “Why Entrecard”
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atenean101: points well stated and noted. was also plannin...
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Miss Zee: I totally agree with you! I went to Paris last yea...
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fedhz: yeah. I don't know why these people are getting ma...
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Mar Matthias Darin: Hi, Well said. Everyone has their own reason w...
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Bemused26: Hi, I really liked your post on this subject. I ha...
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WillOaks Studio: Well reasoned and well stated, thank you for this ...
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Chinaren: I joined EC to bring traffic to my blog and to fin...
Caledonian Comment
22. Sep, 2009
You said : “Entrecard is not ours and we should remember that” . Fair enough. But by the same token, our blogs are ours and not Entrecard’s – they should remember THAT.
It’s nonsensical to expect blog owners to run paid ads without prior approval, which is what the new proposals mean, at least initially. Let’s hope we don’t have another major dispute but I fear the worst.
Devo
22. Sep, 2009
I agree with you that the blogs are ours, but that gives us 2 options if we do like the changes, 1 give a constructive criticism and leave, 2 leave quietly, or 3 just stay and see where it leads.
The 15% Entrecard is claiming is ok with me and is probably the best way for them to cover costs without being too invasive and by just announcing this rather than put it up for debate, they have done it the right way. I can’t see that I will see much of a difference to me as 15% translates to very little damage. I could be wrong, but i prefer to wait and see before jumping to conclusions.
Please not another war.
Grace
23. Sep, 2009
I am actually quite picky about what ads I accept and even what blogs I will click on. I’m not trying to achieve anything with my blog; it was originally just a place to put my “stuff” – whatever was on my mind at any given moment. Definitely a diary that was stored on the interwebzs instead of a paper notebook. Therefore, I don’t like the idea of paid ads appearing on my blog without my approval. Suppose it is for a product or service I don’t like or don’t support? Leave entrecard – of course. No problem. I would actually pay an annual fee to be a member rather than have stuff on my blog that I don’t want there. So once again I will be bookmarking my favorite blogs against the day when I will drop Entrecard. I don’t really care. And you are right, it’s their company, their rules. Don’t like it, don’t use it.
plin
23. Sep, 2009
First of all, thank you for a very informative post regarding Entrecard. Interestingly my thought process is different. I didn’t gain much traffic when I advertised on other blogger’s sites with my Entrecard credit. Instead, I gain from the small percentage of people who are returning my drops without drop and run. In reality I could care less regarding the number of credits I have.
As regarding to paid ads, I definitely don’t appose them. Everyone has to find a way to make a living and that includes folks at Entrecards.
Chinaren
23. Sep, 2009
I joined EC to bring traffic to my blog and to find other blogs. In this EC has, and continues to work, so I’m keeping it.
I don’t really mind what ads are on my blog, so the 15% thing doesn’t bother me.
The problem EC has had is that, as far as I know, it’s never had a valid business model to bring in enough revenue, and they seem to have waited too long to try.
Even when they have tried they’ve implemented things in a stupid, and/or half assed way.
If they actually put a bit of work in and did something properly, then things would go a lot smoother.
They are their own worst enemy.
That said, I agree with what you said. If you don’t like it, leave, or give civilized constructive feedback. Being an ass doesn’t make things better.
WillOaks Studio
26. Sep, 2009
Well reasoned and well stated, thank you for this point of view. I’ve used EC to connect with other blogs that I like and for others to find mine. I’m not opposed to paying for such a service (after all, I also use Project Wonderful and Adgitize) BUT it seems rapidly changing rules in mid stream and the other chaos has begun to damage this EC brand. On the forums, there have been some very creative alternatives suggested for the business model…but so far, it doesn’t seem they are being considered. I’ve gone ahead and reevaluated my use of and relationship to EC, clearly stated it with the weekend posts, and then will adjust things come Sunday night. Then, will just carry on with…blogging (imagine that!)
Bemused26
28. Sep, 2009
Hi, I really liked your post on this subject. I have noticed a lot of people getting very narky about Entrecard lately. I understand a lot of people are getting those that just drop and go, but I also believe if you persevere with this service you will obtain serious and loyal readers. I have got many followers/ readers through Entrecard and I found most of my favourite blogs through them too. Considering it is a free service, I think it is well worth staying and any extra traffic gained is good in my book.
Mar Matthias Darin
30. Sep, 2009
Hi,
Well said. Everyone has their own reason what what they choose. For me personally, its time to leave EC. I use advertising and would and business like EC to do the same. I have a problem with the approach in that I can’t screen the ads for my site. I’ve been bitten severely by an advertiser that was supposed to make sure the ads were clean…. come to find out that the advertiser slipped porn in the ad rotation. I found out from one of my dedicated readers hours later. Needless to say, the advertiser and I had more than a few words. I was not happy at all…
fedhz
03. Oct, 2009
yeah. I don’t know why these people are getting mad. I mean, you can’t argue with free. as if they didn’t get any from the system. If not, then like what you said, “quietly leave”.
Or maybe these people don’t know how to make use of their credits and are only after what’s free and what’s good only for them and not considering the system as a whole. i think that’s being selfish.
And you’re right, I guess if you have a good content then people will not just drop and run. If you don’t want visitors to drop and run, why not sign up for easyhits4u. they have a requirement there that you need to stay 20 seconds on the blog before your visit gets credited. ^^
atenean101
22. Oct, 2009
points well stated and noted.
was also planning of posting an article about this with the same points you’ve just stated above. unfortunately, been busy with my life right now especially when it comes to work as i am currently under training or under internship as a team leader. so i am happy to have read this post. just hoping that bloggers who turned their back on entrecard would be able to realize the above facts.
been with entrecard for more than a year now. and i could say that for that span of time it has helped me a lot which I would surely be always grateful of… especially that it’s a fact that i am enjoying a free service and i am not really paying anything at all, not even a single cent.
thank you so much for this post. and again, hope more entrecarders would be able to read this.