My Entrecard friends, I’m saying goodbye to Entrecard, but not to (all of) you.
After a little more than a year of being part of Entrecard, I’ve made the decision to leave Entrecard behind me. I have a few reasons for doing this that I’ll share with you.
- Performing drops on all the blogs in my list, as well as any others takes way too much time out of my day. I’m going to save myself at least an hour each night by not dropping anymore. I’ll use that hour to build other sites, and write posts for my blog here.
- Entrecard users that visit my site, drop, and then split are cranking up my bounce rate. Bounce rate is a calculation that indicates how ‘sticky’ your site or page is. In other words, how long people stay on your site. A high bounce rate indicates to Google that your site isn’t keeping people very long, and Google will adjust your placement in their search rankings. A low bounce rate means better rankings.
- The contest I just held was only garnering more and more entries when Entrecard had a link on everyone’s profile indicating I had a contest underway. As soon as that link disappeared, the contest gained one or two over the next week and a half. Only one of my top droppers entered, and the rest were no where to be heard. This indicates to me that Entrecard power users are gaming their system, and really not giving anything back into the system.
- Quality of blogs is also a factor. After a few months of using Entrecard, I began to see more and more blogs that are of terrible quality. Mind you, I have found some incredible blogs using Entrecard, but since Entrecard allows anyone to join, the quality of many blogs in their system begs to be desired.
- The traffic you gain from Entrecard is crap. If Entrecard users actually followed the guidelines and the ‘drop and run’ issue wasn’t so widespread, perhaps the traffic gained would be worthwhile. As it stands for me today, it isn’t worth it anymore.
I started Entrecard because a while ago, a long while ago, I noticed that Darren at ProBlogger had it on his blog. If he uses it, why not me? Funny thing is, after I signed back up and had everything situated, I noticed that Darren no longer has anything to do with Entrecard. Great.
After a year of giving it that old college try, I’m ready to move on to bigger and better things.
I spent three months, dropping each and every day, trying my best to land myself on other Entrecard users top dropper lists. You know what, that isn’t worth it either. Many of the top dropper lists (not mine however) are done by widgets that Google will never be able to index. Because Google never indexes your link in the top droppers list, you won’t get any link juice from it. This reduces the value to maybe getting a click from another user, and that’s it.
Frankly, why even bother? The thing is, many Entrecard users never realize this little tidbit. They spend who knows how many hours trying to get on the top droppers list, for what? Hoping someone will click their link? Google isn’t going to index many of them. To be fair, there are some that are able to be indexed, they’re just few and far between. I know, I’ve looked for them.
The whole point of a top droppers widget is to give back some link juice that Google will be able to index.
I’ve ignored this tidbit in the hopes of creating a little buzz with many of the things that I’ve tried around Entrecard. Each attempt has been nothing but disappointing.
What’s Next?
I’m going to allow the existing users that have purchased ‘air time’ on my site to have their day. In about 7 days, you’ll no longer see the widget on my blog.
I’m also going to handpick a few sites from the top droppers that I display and add them to my links page, because again, there are some good blogs in the system that I’d like to keep in contact with.
I’ve quit dropping on other sites long ago. The time savings I’ve experienced is worth it for me, and I just can’t see myself clicking, dropping, commenting and moving to the next site each and every night anymore.
My time is valuable, more valuable than Entrecard, and I plan on using it for myself.
I want to apologize to anyone who has signed up because they saw the widget on my site. It might be good for those just getting started, but after a while, I think you’ll agree that there are better ways to gain traffic and friends than through Entrecard.
I’ve been holding this post back for too many months now. For the longest time now, all I wanted to do was offload all my credits to others and just be done with it. That’s finally taken care of, it’s time to move on. But I would be damned if I left without getting something from Entrecard. And that was around 100 new entries into my new LinkListings site.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this if you want to share them.
Goodbye Entrecard!
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Some do pretty well for themselves, it just isn’t my thing to spend that time dropping for the results I was getting.
Thanks for taking time to leave your thoughts Sherry!
good point Wayne, I am still using entrecard but I am not active in dropping. I know I will need to spend at least an hour like you to drop EC. I can see some blogs with entrecard widget are doing well even having many comments in blog post.
Diesel, I’d be interested in knowing what you find out. Ping me back when you do.
SaintSeanzy, great name btw. Yeah, there is some good in there, but unfortunately you really have to hunt for it.
You’re right about Twitter.
Cheers guys!
Yeah I gave it up myself.. I had the pleasure of joining when there was only 30 blogs registered. I’d say about 7 months or so into it experience the user base turned to crap.
The original plan was amazing.. The concept is still cool.. But the content sucks.. Everyone is pretty much cookie cutter of the other guy. This non individual way of handling business has turned it into nothing more then another traffic zombie exchange.
You do have some groups of “You drop I follow” types that actually do read your content.. But like i tell people if you want that use Twitter
I have to agree, 10k likely does not translate to much in the way of $$$.
TBH I have been wondering how worthwhile EC is to me, and have been considering dumping it too.
I will have to wait and see how this new revenue model effects EC as a whole, and my blog in specific before I make any changes though.
I saw that email and read through it. I didn’t work out exactly how much 10k might mean, so I don’t understand the exact economics of the whole deal.
Would it have impacted my decision. Sure, how could it not have. 10k may mean a whole lot more for a winner then. Maybe 10x1k prizes would be equally attractive. It probably would have been more attractive anyway. The one thing I learned is that people need to think they have a chance. 10 prizes are better than 1 big one in this case.
I’m not kicking myself over it. I kept Entrecard along for the ride and a solid “college try”. The need for efficiency has beat out Entrecard, even with $$$ incentive in place.
I’d be interested in knowing what 10k would translate to in $$$. I’m not going to worry about it though since I suspect that it really isn’t that much.
Hi Wayne,
I’d be interested to read your thoughts now that EC have announced their intentions to monitise their service. Would you have stood to cash in a great deal of cash for your credits? Are you kicking yourself about it?
I’ve tried Beavers and Boobies, and yes, those. lol I sometimes wonder if I should have gone with something other than my actual name. Then I think, well, what would that be? And come up blank.
I think I have things figured out to some extent, and this year will prove or disprove what I think I know. Should be interesting.
The real trick to generate traffic is to change your blog name to something catchy or unusual. Then post photos of beavers or boobies. No not those! The animal variety that build dams and fly.
Kristi, you’re welcome.
Kathi, it’s hard to beat good content isn’t it. Good is completely relative though, depending upon how you apply it.
I haven’t participated in any of the “schemes” that are supposed to generate traffic. This reinforces my belief that the only thing that brings good traffic to a blog is good content.
Thanks for this post. I have been thinking about Entrecard on and off for awhile, but now I’ll just save some time and skip this one, and focus my energy on the places I know are working for me.
~ Kristi
Rahul, any reasons you have that are different than mine?
Karen!!!! Hey you, missed you! Glad to see you kicking around again. Now I need to check out your site to see what you’ve been up to.
I’m glad to see that you thought it thorugh before you broke off the relationship! Once again you are far to smart for me, but Imissed you so I had to venture back now that I’m among the blogging again.
Vanea, it does get a little mechanical after a while, especially after dropping day after day after day…
Yeah, it’s not my style and I need to be done with it. Cheers!
Yeah, I’ve seen and read too many and decided to give it a go anyway. In spite of what I should have done long ago, I chose to stick it out. It could have worked for me, but it didn’t, so I’m choosing to do something different with my time.
It could do very well for your blog and shop, who knows. But you never will unless you give it a go. So yeah, work it girl!
I’ve seen the posts come from Entrecard and know they’re trying to create a better experience there, but at the core I think they may have a problem with quality still.
And the link is a great link, nothing to worry about with the link widget you’re using. The google gadgets aren’t indexed though, the content is provided by way of javascript, so the search engines will never see the html that makes up the link.
Check this out. Here’s a blog that has a top droppers Google gadget. The links are never included in a Google indexing. The proof is in the fact that by viewing the source, you will never be able to find the keywords ‘Entrecard SEO’, even though it’s in the list of top droppers.
The site is http://michiganrafter.blogspot.com/ – To the owner, I don’t mean to be mean, but I needed an example and your site fit my needs. This implies nothing about the content, in fact I rather like it and I also found you through Entrecard. There is good in it.
All content that is gained via javascript and that doesn’t leave a footprint in the html, does not get indexed.
So… no ec credit.. then see ya later
NOT!!!
You are not the first blogger that has posted this kind of thing. Albeit, you’re the first to go into technical reasons for the departure. Most of the post I’ve read, the author is just “feed-up” with the whole process.
Did you know ec recently changed so they don’t allow just anyone to join anymore. They check your blog to see if it meets the standards. Not sure how low the bar is though!!
I’ve decided to stay on board for a little longer – see what else I can find that’s interesting.
I’m not visiting any sites that don’t interest me, and I’m not returning drops on users that are just credit hunting – I think I can pick them now… they are there in your drop box everyday… they never comment… and they’re not part of your blog community.
The “Top Droppers List” I set up is done manually – as a link list – could you do me a favour? Take a look and let me know if it gets indexed? No pressure/obligation… just if you’re in the neighbourhood and notice anything. I’m also thinking of removing that – I think it may contribute to the bounce rate….???
I knew all that… Wayne, my mentor i agree with you in all those 5 points! Dropping on so many blogs every day, you’re starting to feel some kind of “whore practice routine” like “I’ll give you some – You’ll give me some” and all becomes automatic, robotic somehow like “tac-pac-pac-tac”… Pleasure of reading blogs disappear that way! Wayne, brother, everything you do proof’s that you’re an very mature and smart person! By the way, i saw that many EntreCard users are doing the same thing… That may be one good signal for Google to keep Blogger free only for those bloggers who have something to say and not for all those who’re making an blog just to see it there and then God with mercy…! Too many empty blogs… To many spam blogs… To brake our nervs! Not even my blogs are not so great, but at list i try to make them better… And with your help, maybe i will. Bell
I think you’re absolutely right Jan. I guess I glossed over the fact that it is a great way to get exposure to other bloggers and web sites. I might be inclined to think that each blog is going to have things that work, and things that don’t. It’s up to each blogger to make that determination too.
It seems to eat at me that I haven’t been dropping, so to some extent it’s a little psychological on my part too.
I found I use Stumble to discover new things these days. There isn’t the pressure of ‘dropping’ that I put on myself. Again, that’s just me an each person is going to have things that work for them and not others.
Thank you much for pointing that out, I love it when I can see another side of something. I need that a lot I find.
Hi Wayne, I only discovered your site because of Entrecard, as with many other terrific sites. Dropping is not a chore, nor is it just an exercise in numbers – for me it is a way to discover new things. Things which it would never occur to me to actually look for. But one does what one does. Good luck.
I agree with you 100% I never really used EC for advertising, but I DO use their forum to a great extent because its a good way to meet other bloggers and get your blog out there. I dont run around dropping as much as i possibly can, because i dont use the credits at all.. I never purchased on it, i have used the credits SOMEWHAT to try and get people to my contests, and even then people will not join. None of it makes any sense, and the value of an EC credit is GREATLY dimishing as people mess with the system, so it is FORICING people to drop and run to try and keep it.
I dont know. I have found this blog through there, but i am one of the people who actually READS blogs, and only visits the ones that interest me.
I have a question though.. what makes one top dropper link get indexed and another one not get indexed??
Ankit, I believe the same too, if you have an MMO site then yeah, you want all you can get. And I would think that many within the Entrecard system are into MMO, and may be more likely to make that click and sale. Glad you feel there’s worth here!
Holte, I only started blogging last year, so there’s plenty for me to learn as well. We all have different strengths, mine happens to be web development in general, not necessarily the details involved in operating a blog, marketing, making money, etc… I’m learning quite a bit, but I think because I have an extensive web development background, I’m able to consume related information rather quickly. Somethings, like Entrecard, are “see what happens”. I’ll be explaining many of the things I spoke about in this post throughout the year. Thanks for the confidence Holte!
Carolyn, it really was. I felt some obligation to give it my best shot so I could definitively say that it isn’t for me. Perhaps a year was a long time to make that call. It feels good to know you feel that way, just be sure that I too will make mistakes, but I’m sure someone out there will call it out and set things straight.
Gary, nothing ventured, nothing gained applies too well to many things on the Internet. And wow, nice Charlie Brown reference…I want to know how you pulled that one out! lol So true…and I’m more than willing to try if it passes a smell test.
I want to say that no one should take my experience with Entrecard as what they will receive from it. I know many bloggers that focus their blogs around Entrecard and do pretty well. It’s just not for me and what I want to do with my blog.
What I’d love to see is a Pro-Entrecard comment, maybe a little debate about the bounce-rate or Entrecard’s overall worth to a blogger.
I think it’s awesome that I have something that I can share and help others grow their own knowledge with.
some monthes back when you were in the early stages with Entrecard, I kinda of reviewed it, and got the idea that it was one of those sites that was prone to people trying to get big numbers, just so they could brag about having big numbers, and not a site that would lead to meeting good new sites—albeit we all have our own definitions of what a good site might be. In anycase I didn’t sign up, and now it seems you are coming to the same conclusions—hey nothing ventured nothing gained, like Linus tells charlie brown–”sometimes you win and sometimes ya lose”, to which charlie brown replies—-”Gosh, that would be great!” (lol)
It’s kind of like a bad relationship and finding a way to break it off. But then again, you never know until you test the waters.
I am with Holte Ender. You obviously have “been there, done that” so I view you as a mentor. I read what you have to say, and even though I don’t completely comprehend (usually because I am not “there” yet), I soak it in. Later down the road, something is bound to click and I will know exactly where to go to dig deeper.
I don’t completely understand everything you said, not because its confusing, its because I don’t completely understand everything you said. You seem to be a guy who is willing to share what you know, there are not many strangers who are willing to do that, so I will keep hanging on your every word and perhaps I will understand down the road.
Whoa!!!Thats a tough one Wayne.But then,it is infact true.The effectivity of finding good blogs/people thrgh entrecard is too time consuming and far streched.
The only niche i see entrecard working if for the MMO blogs where some other catchy article,affiliate program might make the dropper interested.
Otherwise,the droppers r too busy to drop n run.
I am lucky tht i found yours thrgh entrecard though.Some gain to take away from here