Feb 20 2008
Is EntreCard A Bust?
This is a serious question for other bloggers and web people. I want to know your real experiences with EntreCard. For those of you who don’t know, you can see the EntreCard widget off on the left-hand side of my page. It is the square box with a picture in it and a yellowish gold bar across the bottom and an “E” in the corner. Think of it as a business card fishbowl for bloggers, much like the business card fishbowl at your local restaurant. 
Now, my question for the EntreCard members out there is this - has it done you any good? Have you looked at your traffic or income since you started using it and done any analysis. For my part, I have made a couple of interesting acquaintances through it, seen far too many “Make Money Now” and “Help Me Make A Fortune” websites, seen a lot of widgets with half naked girls on them that have nothing to do with the content of the blog, and gotten a small but non-sustainable bump in traffic. That is about it unfortunately. I was really hoping it would turn into something more, and maybe it will over time, but right now it seems to be just so much spinning of the wheels.
When I go back and really analyze the traffic I am getting from EntreCard most of it is a quick hit for someone to drop their card and move on. They don’t go to multiple pages. They don’t comment. They don’t click on ads or subscribe to my RSS feed. The EntreCard traffic is empty calories. In other words, I get a nice rush that gets my traffic stats up a bit, but no lasting nutritional value.
So, when I compare both the value to my site and the value to myself of EntreCard versus searching out other people’s blogs and leaving serious comments, the result is obvious. Instead of clicking through EntreCard and going to hundreds of blogs per day that aren’t really of interest or in my subject area, I need to go through and only hit the ones in my group that I would have wanted to find without EntreCard. Steve Whitehead’s Inspiring Quotes is one of those. So are ProBlogger, Eavesdropping On Life, and a few others. But in general, the whole drop 300 cards per day just doesn’t seem to work for me.
As always, that is just my opinion and I could be wrong. And things may change over time too. So please, let me know what you think and what you advice is. Is EntreCard working for you?
I am afraid that EC is becoming another marketing gimmick. Everyone is writing a “how to” be a power dropper. In fact, one guy has blog load times and only blogs with the widget above the fold on his list. He can rack up 300 credits in 20 minutes.
No one seems to see the potential if you stop when you drop and read a post, leave a comment or interact with the blog.
What I love is that I am finding lots of blogs that are in my niches (travel and environment), so it is not a total loss.
Good luck!
CyberCelt’s last blog post..Olympic Kayaking Trials
Entrecard had increased my traffic and they are just dropping and leaving. But once in while I get a comment or someone says Hi on my chat box. I see it as traffic I wouldn’t have had. If I can grab a reader or two with only spending a half hour a day on each blog then it is worth it to me. Because really, it’s up to your content to interest a reader, but they need to see it first.
Sue
Sue’s last blog post..Really, What Was I Thinking?
I hear ya! I’m a newbie and made some early mistakes in my view. I let anyone who signed up in my advert cue in. Once the intial cue is emptied, I will be more selective and will allow only those in my interests on my site. That said, it is free advertising and you may pick a new reader or two. Since I’m guilty myself of only reading the ones that interest me, how can I blame the reader/clicker who does the same? BTW, you’re the advertizer on my site today
WillThink4Wine’s last blog post..Toxic-Human-Waste-ectomy
Entrecard has been pretty useful for me. I concentrate on advertising in Books and Writing and Literature. I also try and click on these two categories a lot. This has kept a lot of my traffic relevant. Having a focused set of categories really helps you do a much better job with Entrecard. I have gained some regular readers from this.
Book Calendar’s last blog post..Morning Thoughts
@CyberCelt - Exactly. Racking up points doesn’t real help anyone. Slowing down, reading posts, and leaving comments does. And then staying in touch with the ones you like.
@Sue - Good point. But since there are a limited number of half hours in the day, is dropping a ton of cards the best use of that time. It may be, but it might also be better spent in another way. Depends.
@WillThink4Wine - It is that exact hump that I think the entire system is getting over. Once things calm down, it may actually become very valuable.
@Book Calendar - Exactly. You basically use the system in the way you would use a search engine or another reference too. To help you find what your area is, not as a blanket. BTW, I like your site. And yes, I am a book person by nature.
I started off being ‘drop and run’ person at first but then when I found blogs in my niche (or ones with interesting posts) I always stop and leave a comment.
The places where I drop and run are the sites that have absolutely nothing to do with me and who I can see just did a drive by dropping on me.
lulugal11’s last blog post..I will be having Surgery on Tuesday
It has increased my traffic but most ppl don’t stick around to read my blog. I’ve had maybe 4-5 ppl from entrecard leave messages on my blog and I actually got a few opportunities to make money from one. So, I say it may work well for some and not for others. I am usually dropping on sites that are art, animals, or family related.. hence that I am a stay at home mom to be. My first child is due in May
Erin’s last blog post..God Provides
I got a huge boost in traffic, but like you said it’s just empty calories. I’m hoping to get my blog name out to a new/bigger circle as well as find other blogs to hang out at. Hopefully I’ll pick up a couple new readers along the way. Then I’ll drop the glitzy promo EntreCard and stick to MyBlogLog. It seems to be the best fit for me. Plus I’m goofy in that I like to see the little pictures of people that visited my blog.
Erica (Mom’s Journal)’s last blog post..Driving Kurt to work
You get back what you put into it, I think. If you go around chain dropping, that’s what you’ll get. If you take the time to build relationships with other relevant blogs then you’ll reap the benefits of that by having a couple more regular readers. If you only get a couple more people reading your posts then I personally think it is worth it.
It’s sort of touch and go with it at the moment though. In one way, a lot more blogs are “familiar” to me now. I’m more likely to read the latest post of a blog that I’ve seen before. Especially writing blogs - I’ve made an effort to visit all of the book and writing blogs but I haven’t gotten the same in return so I’ve recently stuck to the ones who are willing to reach out too. A lot of blogs advertised my writing contest purely from seeing it on Entrecard so in that instance it worked well for me. But then there are the constant chain droppers who do nothing but increase your bounce rate. Maybe my content isn’t good enough and that’s why they leave so quickly, I don’t know - but yes most of them are only visiting me to get a credit, even though they are probably not interested in my blog.
As with anything, some traffic is better than no traffic and even if it doesn’t translate well in feed counts or comments, a small percentage will have appreciated your blog. I try to be optimistic about it
clairec23’s last blog post..Do You Need An Agent?
I’m kinda new to it all and am amazed how much time i spend dropping cards and still it says I’m a ‘casual and relaxed’ (actually just check that and I’ve gone up to consistent and regular!). I think what would be good is if blog authors could give EC to people who participate thoughtfully in their blog without obligation. It would encourage ‘droppers’ to hand around, read, and be thoughtful and involved - instead of just dropping. That’s my 1credit worth.
I like to think I do stop, read and participate when dropping on blogs that capture my attention - like yours today
Treehousedweller’s last blog post..Waipu Cove
I’m relatively new to Entrecard but that’s how I found your blog. I am not much of a power dropper because I like to read the blogs that I drop on. I have found that I can only drop a max of about 20 in an hour so I guess I will stay Casual and Relaxed and that’s fine with me. I have found some blogs that I really like in and out of my niche and subscribed to a few.
As far as traffic, I have seen a substantial increase in traffic resulting from Entrecard and some stumbles from Entrecard visitors. Will it last? I guess time will tell but as others have said, I think it works if you work at it.
CindyS’s last blog post..Chocolate, Cherries and Emotional Spending
@lulugal11 - I like that “drop and run”. That is what it feels like often times and it makes me feel cheap….
@Erin - congratulations on the upcoming birth! That is great. As the father of a 12 year old and nearly 16 year old, I can tell you that you have some great times ahead.
@clairec23 - Thanks for the well thought out comments. Just like your site! Your upcoming short story contest looks interesting and will hopefully bring you some good solid traffic that isn’t just there for the short term.
@Treehousedweller - Good thought, and I appreciate your hanging around and commenting. It is interesting to me that this has been my most commented on post. That alone tells me somethings, not the least of which is that some EntreCarders do actually read before they click and run.
@CindyS - I think you will be much happier if you decide to stay Casual and Relaxed. Don’t stess over it! Also, you and the blogs you visit will get much more value in the end out of those type of visits. Glad you are getting some good traffic from EnteCard. And no fair posting stuff about chocolate cupcakes!! Man those look good.
I really like entrecard…albeit I am pretty new to it. I have fun dropping cards and finding blogs I would have otherwise never found. I have also met some bloggy friend through it and it has certainly increased my traffic. I am not out to make money blogging however, so that makes me very casual about the whole process.
EntreCard is the first marketing tool I’ve tried with my blog, and I’m only a week into it. That first rush of people wanting to display their cards on my site kind of turned me off at first, but only because so many of them were “make money on the internet” cards.
As things have normalized, I’ve enjoyed exploring other people’s blogs and leaving an occasional comment. My hits have gone up and people have left a few comments for me. A few people have been coming back every day.
I’ve been shy about placing my own card on people’s sites - my first goes up tomorrow. I’ll be curious to see what sort of bump that gives me.
Is EntreCard a bust? Not for me. It’s better so far than any marketing I was doing on my own, which was none.
Haley’s last blog post..Something fun
I have been doing the Entrecard thing for about a month now and I am in your camp. The traffic my site has received have been those “empty calories” of which you speak. I call them “drive by droppers” in that they only breeze in long enough to find your widget, hit the drop button and then move on to whomever happens to be advertising on your blog that day. My bounce rates have gone WAY up since using Entrecard. I haven’t really seen a bump in RSS nor have my page views gone up since using it. I think I will continue to give it another month or two and see what happens. Otherwise, I haven’t been too impressed.
Dave’s last blog post..Orange Wedge Jell-O Shots
Thanks Michael - if it doesn’t, at least I had a little bit of a buzz for a while
clairec23’s last blog post..Do You Need An Agent?
@Paula - Glad to find someone not out to make their fortune! The casual way will make you happier in the long run.
@Haley - I do agree that for a brand new blot it is a great way to get some traffic and views fast.
@Dave - I try to ignore my bounce rates. Just makes my stomach hurt.
@Clairec23 - When you are done, you should post an entry analyzing the longer term effect of your contest. That would be very interesting to see. Or you may want to keep it secret if it is that good.
I started a brand new blog on December 31st. Most of my traffic thus far has come from Entrecard, in fact the first month, all but three visitors were from Entrecard. Since then I’ve had a few articles stumbled and got bursts of traffic from it. My page views have dropped so far for the month of February, and the time on the website dropped, but thus far in February I’ve had 1,764 unique visitors. Overall it’s 90% Entrecard.
I have been very pleased with the results. I ended up with 1,178 unique visitors the first 30 days. Many of them viewed more than one page. Some of them read each and every post. My stats show that the majority of them were on nearly 2 minutes. Not a lot I know but it was more than just a drop and get out of there.
Thirty-six people have taken the time to comment on my blog,and most of them are Entrecard readers. I’ve got 12 subscribers (not a bad start for a blog less than two months old I think).
This was all done with an average of less than 100 card drops by me and just average random advertising. The last week I have gotten more serious about dropping cards and have seen a rise in traffic, but again, they tend comment,the stay a while, etc.
So for me I am happy with Entrecard.
LeisaWatkins’s last blog post..Regret or Reflection? How to turn regret into a positive.
Well, my feed reader has gone from about 17 to 35 since I signed up with Entrecard. I do have a high bounce rate from the Entrecard visitors, but some of them have become regular visitors and subscribers so I guess I can’t complain too much. I, too, have noticed the girly photo widgets and thought those wouldn’t be allowed. I’m not happy about those at all. I’ve had to reject a lot of ads because they’re so not relevant to my site and it looks like they would have noticed that. I’m not sure how things will turn out, if I’ll keep using Entrecard, or how much benefit it can provide over time.
Off topic:
I do know that Project Wonderful is an entire new post topic! I’m less thrilled with them. It seems I’m bombarded with bids that do not come close to fitting within my blog’s themes or standards and those bids fill my inbox with a gazillion e-mails. I’m thinking of cutting ties with them….
@LeisaWatkins - You have had some good results, I am very impressed. But too your credit, you also have a very nice site. Great content and very soothing. But, as you say, unless that traffic gets to you somehow, they will never see what is available.
@Michele - Hate to admit it, but I am not even familiar with Project Wonderful. Guess I ought to go look so I at least know. As for the photo widgets, I don’t mind the female form at all ;), I just find it insulting and frustrating when used on something that it has absolutely nothing to do with. Again though, it sounds like you have had some good results. That in itself may tell me something, because you have an excellent site design. Probably time for me to reexamine my theme.
Well that is indeed one of the ways to view it but perhaps if we can interact more on entrecard then it can change the picture. For me I use entrecard to look at blogs and if a blog do interest me I write a review about it in the blog which I used for such thing. BROOD is more than a blog for it is encouraging people to make a difference so having your blog advertised on other sites is a great opportunity… that’s where the real traffic will come in when people visiting their sites notice your ad.
Shen’s last blog post..Welcome jess to BROOD Online!
When I first joined I received some nice traffic and a few commenters. When the first whisper of 300 drop limit came out and spread, I still received some nice comments. Now, I am receiving less good-comments, but the traffic is still there. Eh, I figure it is still better than not having it at all.
Gary R. Hess’s last blog post..Free vs Premium vs Unique Themes
@Michael:
EntreCard is not a bust.
So please, let me know what you think and what you advice is.
I think EntreCard is the best thing that has happened to the Cyberspace since Google.
What kind of advice are you looking for?
Is EntreCard working for you?
It is working for me.
Deimos Tel`Arin’s last blog post..EntreCard vs Spottt - Find out why Spottt Lost
@Shen - Good points. I have been trying to interact more, leave more comments, and really look at the site. This means that I am skipping the Get Rich Quick ones and only hitting about 20 to 30 a day, but it is quality time.
@Gary R. Hess - Neutral traffic is better than no traffic at all! Kind of like billboards on the freeway. Lots and lots of traffic, and the occasional hit.
Deimos Tel Arin - Best thing since Google? Seriously? I can see how it would work for some people, but best thing since Google? I can’t see that one.
I only joined Entrecard less than 2 weeks ago, but so far, it’s working for me. My traffic has soared - much of that is just people stopping by to drop their cards, as far as I can tell from my Sitemeter, but a few people have stopped and left meaningful comments. And really, that’s all I’m after with Entrecard; I’m not trying to make money, I’m just trying to get more readers who are interested in my blog’s content.
It’s also working for me because I’ve found a lot of interesting blogs I wouldn’t have otherwise read, and have subscribed to quite a few.
Sharp Words’s last blog post..Writing identities
@Sharp Words - Glad it is working for you. I’ll tell you the coolest thing - visiting all the blogs of the people who have commented to this thread. By the sheer fact that a person commented, it meant that they were thinking and had something to say. That means that when I visit those blogs there is something interesting there to read. And yes, EntreCard is responsible for me finding you people and your blogs.
I actually like to drop and read most of the time. However, I don’t have the patience for sites that have so many widgets and/or other scripts running to slow or completely stall my browser, if I can just find the widget I’ll hit it and go. I honestly have not looked at the traffic portion as I just wanted to get my site out to be more viewable and to pick up some readers along the way is a bonus.
I haven’t even been part of EntreCard for a week and have seen a big difference. Prior to joining, I was averaging 3-4 hits a day. Yeah, pathetic. I topped my entire January hits in my first 24 hours. That made me happy. People are actually leaving comments, too, so I know they are reading my posts. But best of all, I’ve made TWO sales!
I stick mostly to the Arts category or the Writing and Literature category for the majority of my drops. I’ve added at least a dozen sites to my RSS feed, so I’m reading most of those sites (at least once), too (even if I don’t always comment). I wander into other categories when I have time on my hands… mostly Humor, because who can’t use a good laugh?
That’s my experience so far. I’ll have to see how things play out over time.
Kelly’s last blog post..It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!
I am a little mixed on Entrecard. I have found many blogs that I enjoy stopping to read on a regular basis while I’m dropping.
My traffic has increased, but so has my bounce rate. I believe that many of the comments and RSS subscribers I received in the past 2 weeks are a result of Entrecard droppers.
I’m not giving up on it yet and my wheels have been turning with ideas to capture the drive by audience.
Brenda
B Carter’s last blog post..Win 10,000 Entrecard Credits at Vikingblogger.com
Well I found your site through Entrecard - and I would have never have been here if I hadn’t clicked in from someone else’s Entrecard. So there you go - I clicked on some of your INTERESTING Ads too. Entrecard has doubled my traffic and given a nice bump to income as well. So I think it is worth it. If it can increase my Google PR from 3 to 5 due to traffic it means I will be eligible to write some $100 Pay per Posts as well. Let me know what you think of my Environment blog … http://www.Offgrid-Living.com
I find it is mainly a way to get a rise for your web counter. But, I have found several blogs which I like and have bookmarked to read.
It is funny that a lot of blogs seem to be writing about EC and their traffic. That is the most recent post to many I have been to this past week. To me they seem overly focused on site traffic and not enough on making something for people to read once they get to their site. Likely that is why most people are just clicking through, there isn’t anything new to read.
Laura’s last blog post..Unconscious Mutterings
I must say, I am really surprised by all the responses this is getting. Writing a post about any of the mechanics of blogging, and I include Entrecard in that, is something I really don’t do on this site. I considered my post just kind of a musing to myself and really didn’t expect the flood of comments and emails I have gotten! Seems this is an issue people really feel strongly about.
I do want to encourage more comments. More than anything else I have fond some really interesting blogs and people through the comments. I have found some interesting sites that I never found by just the clicking I was doing in Entrecard. So, for whatever the reason, I can now see a good amount of benefit that I have gained.
@Offgrid-Living - Thanks for clicking. I wonder what the “Interesting” ads were? It will also be interesting for me to double check if those clicks show up. And good luck on your PR.
@Laura - There do seems to be some other of this same type of post out there now. I think a bunch of us who got on fairly early were in the same spot of wondering if it was worth it.
@B Carter - Don’t give up! As this post and the comments go to show, good things do happen.
@Kelly - Keep going. And do check back and let us know how it goes over time.
@blueeyes - Not look a traffic? How do you do that? I am one of those traffic addicts who looks at stats all the time. Doesn’t mean I can do anything about them, but I have to look.
I might look every now and then but I’m not obsessed over it like some folks are.
Yes, I am obsessed. Sad, but obsessive.
I am getting traffic. But same as everyone else, it’s a quick drop and everywhere I go is nothing but sites telling me how to make big money big money big money. I’m really tired of those sites. I just want to stumble across good quality sites. I hope my site is considered good quality.
SoupNumber5’s last blog post..Welcome to the Clermont Lounge. The Cheapest Grossest Fun.
I think Entrecard is working. There are a handful of regular readers I’ve gained, and while I do drop and run frequently, and you’re right, there are a lot of those mo money mo money sites highlighted, traffic has increased steadily and I’ve sound some blogs I’ve enjoyed,
Elle’s last blog post..Shape of My Heart
SoupNumber5 - I am really, really tired of Get Rich Quick sites. They are mostly just spam with no long standing worth. By the way, stay away from the Clermont. Not good at all…
Elle - Glad you are getting some regular readers. You have an interesting site and deserver your readers. Keep it up!
I’ve found some interesting blogs/sites through entrecard that I go back to over and over again because of their content, but there are sites I just drop my card and leave - like make-money-sites - some people just take blogging too seriously that when you read their site, you’ll get a nosebleed after…sheeesh…
the thing is, people who drop in and just can’t help but comment or who stays for a while to read says something about your blog too…if its interesting enough or something they can relate to…or for whatever reasons.
if people just drop and leave too often…then maybe the blog is missing something?
13thWITCH’s last blog post..name that animal ^.^
@13thWitch - Very good point. I was thinking about this the other day when someone was talking about web traffic. In this case it wasn’t about EntreCard, but the thought was the same. Maybe if what they surfed by grabbed them more, they might have stayed.
Hi Michael,
When I joined Entrecard, there was only one book blog in my category - mine. After about a month, I had the same reservations as you and it was worse then, with content scrappers, soft porn and the lot inside the network , and I decided to opt out. But a well-intentioned e-mail from Graham got me to to give it another go.
I am not going to talk abt bounce rates or whether Entrecard provides quality traffic as it has been done to death. But my 2nd try turned out to be surprisingly successful. Not in the huge increases in traffic but an actual increment in readers who became regular commentators at my blog. The fact that you had 39 (not including me) readers commenting on this post does say something about the quality of Entrecard’ s traffic. And it points to the often-used adages of “having good content” and “what are you going to do, now that you have an enormous source of potential traffic?” of blogging.
I know chain-droppers are a source of “amusement” but that is inevitable, given the nature of Entrecard’s system but I also realized that Entrecard can be an asset in getting readers outside the network and I have met 6 wonderful people who reached my blog through these 125X125 ads but who were not part of Entrecard.
As to whether Entrecard will sink or become wildly successful, I think it is highly dependent on the quality of blogs in the network and whether Entrecard has the desire to put in the necessary controls to attain this quality.
Sorry for the long reply and thank you very much for dropping by My Den.
Regards.
Dan’s last blog post..Another Blast From The Past - Vampiric Thrills With Anne Rice.
Mine is a fairly new blog, so I’m glad of any visitors and, yes, Entrecard has helped. Granted, most are just drop and go, but some do have a browse around. I have discovered quite a few blogs that I actually spend time reading. I think that it doesn’t always show up as a lengthy stay, as I usually read the latest post whilst waiting for the thank you; I’ve read the other posts on another visit. Though, because I do read and my connection is not too great, there is no way I can drop anywhere near 300 cards a day. Don’t think I’d want to either. Another thing I do is stumble interesting posts whilst I’m on the page. Good Karma, methinks.
Louise Pool’s last blog post..Free Online Card Readings
hi michael. if there’s one thing good about Entrecard, it allowed me to find blogs out of my Filipino blogosphere, such as yours! *woot woot* hehe
seriously though, i got frustrated with Entrecard for a while because i found myself dropping like CRAZY for a time, to the point that it distracted me from writing good content- talk about irony of ironies with regard to blogging!
then again, it helped me cast my net to the bigger blogosphere out there. in the same way i got hold of great blogs like yours, i exposed my small, personal blog to a wider audience. i’d get a few comments here and there, some would stay for more than 2 seconds and view more than 1 page. i’m ok with it now.
thank God i have a day job, else, i’d just be online bloghopping, card-dropping =] meaning, it’s not my bread and butter so i just return cards dropped on me by sites i feel like visiting and are not really against principles i feel strongly for.
like an advise i received when i vented out my own Entrecard frustration, i just let my widget be. i thank those who visit, those who just flyby, those who stay, and those who comeback.
PS, off-topic: our girl Hillary just got zapped back to life! interesting times ahead =0
ian’s last blog post..Never lost, always found (12): In God’s hands, as always
hi michael, yeah unfortunately, people have the tendency to just drop and leave without reading the post you try so hard to write. entrecard is great if you want to boost your traffic. and it also introduced me to sites that will helped me get more readers. It is where I found out about the “U comment I follow badge” it encourages visitors to leave a comment on my post. I am currently using Link referral and its working for me so far. I get unique and return visitors because all members are required to write a review of 5 sites on each surfing session. u might wanna check it out. i have its link on my site.
wendy’s last blog post..For love? Yes, it’s worth it!
Do you think the placement of the card makes a difference in readers? I placed mine lower on the page and I often wonder if people quickly scroll down or if they read anything along the way. I personally think it is empty calories too.
@Ian - what can I say but thanks? And as for the campaign? Too long….
@Wendy - I try to comment when I find interesting sites, and I hope those people come and reciprocate. And that being said, thanks for the comment, and yes I will check out the info on your site.
@Chic Girl - I have wondered the same thing. Some say to put it at the top of the site so that it is easy to find. I would think that would just make the hit and run even easier and more inviting. A little lower on the site, though maybe not all the way at the bottom, would seem to promote at least a browse of the page.