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Tuesday, April 7, 2009
What Do You Think About The Changes At Entrecard?
I joined Entrecard about six months ago and I've really enjoyed using this site. Mostly because I've met some really amazing bloggers that put their heart and souls into their blogs. Though I'm a little confused about all the changes and new rules with Entrecard. I can completely understand that the company is trying to generate some revenue to pay for the site maintenance and support. If Entrecard doesn't have some type of revenue then they can't run the site. If they can't run the site then there won't be anymore Entrecard, and I don't want that. It has to be quit expensive to maintain a site that gets as much traffic as Entrecard. They must have a huge server to handle the traffic load, and servers don't' come cheap. There is one new change that I do understand. That paid ads and ads purchased with EC credits will share the ads space for the day. That means the widget will show several different ads per day. That doesn't seem fair to me. I spend a lot of time and energy dropping and building up my EC credits, so I can advertise on my favorite sites. I want my ads to show for the entire time that I purchased, not half or quarter of the time. I've had three different ads on my site today. Two are paid ads and one was purchased with EC credits. The faithful EC droppers who pay with EC credits are getting half the exposure or less for full price. How is that fair? In my opinion the paid ads should wait in line just like everyone else does. Everyone needs to wait their turn. Right? I've been getting paid ads like crazy in my approval box. Seeing all these ads in my in box raises these questions. Are these people that are paying for ad space actually vising my site? If so, I haven't noticed a big boost in my blog traffic. Are they even reading to see what my blog is all about? I'm just not sure anymore if I want to keep approving these paid ads. I had a paid ad that came into my inbox the other day that had a bunch of half naked girls on the site. They weren't completely naked, but wearing skimpy lingerie. No it wasn't a Victoria Secret advertisement either. It basically looked like an advertisement for playboy. I do have a family friendly site. There was no way in hell I was going to approve an ad like that. Hello people, read the name of my blog. These new rules just don't seem fair to me or fair to other dedicated EC droppers. What do you think about the new EC site and their new rules and changes? I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions.
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Not sure how I like it! It is the topic of my blog tomorrow! Stop by and check out my solution!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. It's a bit crazy when you login, only to have umpteen ads to approve. It's really not fair to those who earn credits by dropping. I, for one, will not pay to advertise on anyone's site...just not my thing right now.
ReplyDeleteHope you're doing well!
I'm sitting here nodding at everything your wrote. I don't know if I'll stay with EC yet. I haven't been blogging long and this happened when I was just starting to get a following. I have found so many great blogs thru dropping that I'd like to keep doing it. I think it's supportive of other bloggers and some actually do stop and read my blog (which doesn't have sales, just writing). I reject about half of the paid ads. I have some ground rules: the ad can't link to a store directly; the button can't have a picture of a person (unless it's a really cute kid) or an ugly picture; and it has to be about something my readers would be interested in - otherwise it's like I'm sending them somewhere completely irrelevant to them.
ReplyDeleteI've really been thinking about this lately and have discussed it with a few people. I think that paid ads need to queue up just like everyone else. It's not fair that they cut into the front of the line (for free) when everyone else paid credits for the right to sit on my widget.
ReplyDeleteInitially I approved some of the paid ads but then I thought about it and canceled them and I haven't approved any more. I want the blogs that have been waiting to get their full visibility.
It's funny how each person has an individual way of approving or not approving these paid ads. I'm only approving those of the bloggers who already visit my blog and/or have put ads on my blog before. In other words, the people who have supported me before. I agree, the paid ads are slutty in many ways. I don't want that on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm very lost and confused. I don't even know when this change occurred, came back from vacation and discovered a trillion ads to be accepted or declined by me. As yet I'm still confused about it all but just the thought of paid ad's and the many amount trying to get approved sounds like a horrible change on entrecards behalf. Perhaps they will make some adjustments and if not .... Hey k.i.t lol!!
ReplyDeleteNaye
You are not alone Michelle,
ReplyDeletejoin the force :)
Please read my post few days ago about this EC
http://vanillaseven.com/2009/04/07/entrecard-hoolabaloo/
My widget will remain at this moment for advertiser who bought their ad using EC credits only. They deserve the 100% air time.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to stick with it and give things a chance to calm down before I make any move. I'm still debating as to if I want to do any paid ad for my one blog or not. If I can make a bit of money by selling credits back, why not?
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about everything you said and I agree that paid ads need to wait for their turn like others. I don't like having inappropriate pix in my card either and also expect my advertisers to, at least once, drop their card in my blog before I approve their request. I'm glad many bloggers share their thoughts about this.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather that EC make a widget that would cater to the paid ads. These ads and those bought with EC credits deserve their money's worth. Those bought with dollars deserve maximum exposure likewise those bought with hard-earned credits. It's downright criminal to shortchange both parties.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I'm inundated with paid ads too, but they all look really commercial and most of them have nothing to do with what I write about, motherhood and running. So I keep rejecting them like crazy.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to do Entrecard, but Wordpress's platform won't let me. Now I'm glad I didn't.
ReplyDeleteNo paid ads on my blog!
ReplyDeleteI posted my thoughts yesterday. The past couple of days I have had a ton of blogs that want to do a paid ad on my blog. I had never seen their widget before, so who are these people. Well they are not my people (like you are) so I said no. I went to a advert area of my entrecard page and turned them off and rejected all that were waiting. Maybe once everything is figured out I will be part but not right now.
Have a wonderful sunny day!
I was actually reading the comments on ecard where they were explaining the new system and found a few interesting thoughts. Like where are they going to come up with the money to pay us in this fairyland of ecards. I haven't approved any paid ads and this morning I had a paid advertiser on my site that I didn't approve. A commenter on my site told me how to stop this from happening by using the advert setup area at ecard. This sure is getting a lot of verbage.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completly. Maybe I should start rejecting those paid ads. I didn't realize that the ad was changing throughout the day. I don't like that either. What is the point in dropping cards if you have to share the ad space in the end?
ReplyDeleteI have a handful of paid advertising requests that I recognize, that have a blog or something..and now there paid ad will point to their store..Well, I decided that I will approve those ads.. and reject all else.. Like those half naked women holding money in front of them? Blah! I don't want that on my blog!
ReplyDeleteAnd I was reading and it said if you reject paid ads, then entrecard will put you at the end of the list on the campaigning page. Nice. Real Nice. I am thinking about leaving. They say that it is up to us what to approve and reject, then we get penalized for rejecting. So, thank you entrecard.. hmmph!
I just took mine off. I had some other trouble with it too and could never really get it to work correctly.
ReplyDeleteI think Entrecard has a valid point. I don't think the founder created it out of the goodness of his heart. He was looking to make money. He needs to do it some way. I am not paying anything to Entrecard and it has increased my traffic and introduced me to other blogs. While I am not crazy about someone else selling ad space on my blog, I understand he has no other way to make money except charge a membership fee that I would prefer not to pay. I don't approve all paid ads and it honestly depends on my mood at the time. I never approve anything with sexy women, get rich quick scams or something I don't feel is a fit.
ReplyDeleteI dont think paid advertisers choose which blogs they want. I think they purchase a certain number of views across the network (I don't even know if they can be purchased by category). The only real problem I have found that it takes a long time to approve a long list of ads. I have on occasion rejected ads because I didn't like th graphic and didn't feel like checking out the site.
My jury is still out...
ReplyDeleteEntrecard has brought me a large volume of readers and increased my traffic and visibility tremendously. I'm not sure I want to give up on them, yet.
But I'm not real sure what I think about the paid ads, either.
I have rejected all of my paid ads so far. . .I don't even think they'll notice because it does not appear they've ever been to my site. I had never rejected an Entrecard before because I had loved my experience since joining the end of October '08, but lately I've started debating whether to stay or go. . .on the one hand I've met great bloggers like yourself because of it! Thank you for the comment on my blog about my recommendations!
ReplyDeleteI have been accepting them but now I am thinking maybe I shouldn't have however I could really do with some money right now but I also wonder where this magical money will appear from it better happen quickly after me approving all these ads another thing is I never realised that they change throughout the day, that doesn't seem fair. Also the amount of credits we use to put our cards on a blog maybe we are paying tons of money compared to the paid ads! some questions really need to be answered.
ReplyDeleteI'm really getting tired of it all. It's just too much and it's messy. Not to mention a majority of the ads haven't been to my site, which is just kinda annoying.
ReplyDeleteIn a nutshell I hate the new system!
ReplyDeleteI agree. I think there is a valid reason for EC to accept paid ads, however, I don't think it's fair to those who use EC credits to pay for ads. The paid ads that I did actually approve, no longer appear on my dashboard and yet they are still running in my widget. It's frustrating feeling that I have no control.
ReplyDeleteI do think that the only time EC will move you to the end of your category is if you check the box that says you won't accept any paid ads. No matter, EC needs to clean it up and have this working in a fairer manner for everyone.
hey love what you have done to your page!! i couldn't find anywhere else to put this oh... love you... check out my page please!
ReplyDeleteNatassja
i like the old Entrecard system.... but I understand why Entrecard of course wants to have paid ads.. but they must think of a better way to do it.... I still drop my ECs because I still think its a great way to find great blog sites and increase traffic too... but I havent been buying EC space recently because of the paid ads...
ReplyDeleteAgree with you completely. I'm not accepting the paid ads. I'm not getting any compensation for them, so why would I allow them to be shown on my blog?
ReplyDeleteI have an award for you!
ReplyDeletehttp://mamabelly.blogspot.com/2009/04/queen-of-blogs-award-sa-weet.html
Hi. Thanks for your visits and comments.
ReplyDeleteI haven´t read all the info about the paid system but I think two widgets could be a solution for the current problem. I´m not in EC for money, in fact I don´t need them to make some bucks... I just enjoy the blogs I found there.
Hope this changes won´t make the system poor :)
Good Easter Holidays xx
I couldn't agree more. I'm on the fence about staying with EC. I've met so many great blogs thru the site, I'd hate to lose that but I feel like the quality of what EC offers has gone down the tubes.
ReplyDeleteI've never joined. Maybe I should be glad?
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle! I sure could go on about this topic for hours. All I can say is that I don't regret my decision to leave AT ALL. I may not be getting as many page hits every day, but who cares. My real audience that cares still stops by every day and leaves comments. Entrecard helped me find other great blogs and I thank them for that. But, I sure don't need them to keep an audience. What would stop anyone from going to the website and reading the blogs anyway?
ReplyDeleteHope you have a wonderful and blessed Easter.
Big Hugs!
Lydia
I had that same lingerie clad ad on Internet Toddler despite not approving it. Some of the ads many would find offensive and I certainly don't want to lose any readers because of it. The way Entrecard keeps flip flopping on their answers it seems they only half a** thought this out. I'm not taking paid adverts and never will since I will never cash out credits. Right now I'm trying to get credits back from an ad I placed that the site removed their widget. Not a fan of the new Entrecard.
ReplyDeleteAfter the dramatic changes they made, I was traumatized. So I joined a support group here locally. I am now learning how to pick up the pieces and move on with my life... "Hi, My name is Carl, and I am an EntreColic."
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure yet what I think. I haven't been using it much lately anyways so I haven't tried it out yet.
ReplyDelete