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Entrecard not as good as it seems?

Posted by whojaybe • 3/14/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: bloggers, entrecard, traffic, visitors

Hey, so I don't know how many of you guys are a member of Entrecard.com but I'm starting to not like it as much as I once did. It was a great way of meeting new bloggers, new sites, etc but people aren't using it for that anymore. They generating high bounce rates and becoming "fake visitors."

Don't get me wrong, I still "occasionally" use it but it's definitely not the same. I had a discussion somewhere else where a blogger's advertiser decided NOT to buy ad space because of the "fake traffic" and high bounce rate from Entrecard droppers...

Also, there are a lot of people using it to manipulate Alexa ratings...

Anyone else have an opinion on this?

www.datmoney.com/2008/03/if-you-didnt-have-entrecard-your-blog.html

User Comments

3/14/08

offendedblogger

I grew bored with it on the 3rd day.

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3/14/08

Kiwipulse

Start selling your EC credits for $7.50/1000 EC

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1. 3/14/08
  
  whojaybe
  
  LOL! It's not worth that much anymore... last time I checked, people were buying them for like $4-$5 at max!
2. 3/14/08
  
  Kiwipulse
  
  $4 - 5 its still free money?
3/14/08

thorie

I just started using them and I don't really get it. Other than giving your site a traffic spike, most of the visitors come just to drop their cards and I don't think they are really interested in my blog! But, almost any exposure is good especially if you are just trying to get the word out and you have no traffic.

I think it's still OK, because people might come to your blog with the purpose of dropping a card, and realize, "hey this site is kinda cool" and become a genuine regular reader.

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1. 3/14/08
  
  whojaybe
  
  Yeah, it's pretty good for beginning bloggers but I think people shouldn't rely on Entrecard for traffic. Have you checked your stats from Entrecard referrals? But I guess if you want to manipulate Alexa ratings, Entrecard will definitely help you.
  
  In the long run though, I'm not sure how much money you'll be able to make from the fake visitors...
3/14/08

Manictastic

I've dumped it overboard. Sure it doubled my traffic (I've got a teeny website) but the new visitors just didn't read any of my posts, I think. I did meet some great new blogs which I will keep frequenting once a month or so.

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1. 3/14/08
  
  whojaybe
  
  Agreed. In the long run, the "Fake traffic" isn't going to help the blogger. Matter of fact, I remember a while back that Johncow had some beef with the whole system. I agree with him. MAtter of fact, he has some controversy going on between him and the owner of Entrecard... it's pretty funny.
2. 10/09/08
  
  blurem23
  
  entrecard only good in exchaning links and finding bloggers with one another..
3/14/08

Carleenp

I use it on my newer blog to give it a bit of a traffic kick. I'm pretty particular about where I place ads and who I allow to advertise, which I think has helped a bit of the traffic to stick. Still, I know many just blow through clicking to get the credit, especially since I have the card above the fold.

I'm keeping it for a bit longer mainly because I have found some new blogs that I like through entrecard, so I like the extra social networking benefit. I have no intention of placing it on my high traffic blog though. I have enough junk on there already and I would not give up monetized ad space for it.

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3/14/08

Pentad

Jay. What's the effect on Alexa? How does that work?

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1. 3/14/08
  
  Pentad
  
  Never mind, I'm reading your post.
2. 3/14/08
  
  whojaybe
  
  Well, I'll mention it here too. I checked out some blogs and they have some pretty good Alexa ratings but then I check their stats even further and a LARGE chunk of it comes from Entrecard. And most Entrecarders have the Alexa toolbar... so that means they are counted EACH time they drop.
  
  Personally, I don't rely on Entrecard.
3. 3/14/08
  
  Pentad
  
  I have been so wondering about that Jay. You have no idea. Discussed it with hubby last night. I left a comment on your post. I have also added a couple of really good blogs to my feed thru entrecard, but I READ blogs if I log on, and use entrecard (which I often tend to forget). It can be good surfing and reading entertainment if I get bored in the evenings. I know some people don't care, but I do care about the quality of traffic. Anok also mentioned once long ago about the importance of return traffic...real readers.
4. 3/14/08
  
  BlogEntrepreneur
  
  I have to ask....first how did you check their stats to find out that a "large part of it comes from Entrecard?"
  
  Second where and how did you determine that "most" Entrecarders have the Alexa toolbar installed?
3/14/08

Anok

I like it, but only use it occasionally. I'm guilty of dropping my card, but not leaving a comment on the blog

Sometimes I just don't have anything to say, but I wanted them to know I visited anyway.

I have come across some awesome blogs though, so for me, it's worth keeping it around and using it casually.

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1. 3/14/08
  
  whojaybe
  
  Anok, no worries man. I'm assuming you actually take the time to actually read a post, right? If you have nothing to say, BUT you take the time to read a post, then you're fine.
  
  I'm just talking about those chain dropping maniacs who has my bounce rate over 90%!
2. 3/14/08
  
  Anok
  
  Yeah, I read 'em. I hate it when you get that stupidly high number of hits under 5 seconds...
  
  I'm all WTF? Take your coat off, stay a while!
3/14/08

gosmelltheflowers

We've not bothered either - still prefer stumble!

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3/14/08

bbrian017

I say use Entrecard for what I is and don’t expect anything more! You will be fine with this attitude!

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3/14/08

anneberly

It doesn't matter to me. Traffic is trafic...I dont really care if it is fake or not. You will know anyways if the traffic you are getting is fake or not. As long as it is not giving me any virus or something...lols

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3/14/08

Carleenp

Here is a reason to be concerned about too much "fake" traffic: If you use items such as google ads, it will decrease your click through rate because fake traffic doesn't tend to click ads. This can lead to lower payment per click over time. Top ad networks might also use your google analytic stats, or another stat program to toss out numbers from certain referrers such as entrecard and stumbleupon, so the increased views won't necessarily help when working with them. It also just generally makes it more difficult to tell how well the blog is truly growing.

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1. 3/14/08
  
  BlogEntrepreneur
  
  Here's a much bigger concern....Adsense is probably the absolute worst monetization method you could use on a blog.
2. 10/09/08
  
  blurem23
  
  thats a very good point there! nice..
3/14/08

BlogBadly

Took too long to get credits, wasted precious sidebar space, overall blegh.

I took it off after a few days.

[reply]
1. 3/14/08
  
  JillSaxon
3/14/08

JillSaxon

Ooops. Don't know what happened above me :-/

But I like Entrecard. Obviously everyone that drops on your site isn't going to read what you wrote. I tend to scan the first paragraph of the latest post and if it doesn't "get me" I drop and move on.

With that said...

I have added about 10 more blogs to my reader. And I've picked up a few more readers and subscribers. So the system isn't perfect, but I consider gaining more readers even if it's one or two as a success. It's two or more readers I wouldn't have had otherwise.

However, it's hard dropping 300 cards a day, I did for three days straight. I don't know how other people do it, but I can't keep up.

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3/14/08

monkeytale

I must be the exception to the rule.... I'm getting (along with a large share of chain droppers) a large share of readers and commenters as well. In my case it has been beneficial.

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3/14/08

DrowseyMonkey

I've found a lot of great bloggers thru it. At first I got a lot of traffic just popping in for a few seconds to 'drop their card' but it's died down and now I think the traffic stops for a few minutes to read a post or 2 ... plus they leave comments and then I go back & read their blogs...so that's a bonus.

They must have changed things because I don't have to 'drop' as many cards to get points anymore, I just drop on friends blogs who have them and that seems to be enough to keep me going.

I don't know anything about Alexa ratings or any of those rating sites...I never visit them.

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10/09/08

blurem23

no good thing about entrecard at all.. Its like cheating on yourself, making traffic out of nothing. I just quit my entrecard coz they deleted one of my blog without justification. pooff... I took all entrecard widgets from all my blogs now..

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10/09/08

drjay1966

I didn't think it seemed so good in the first place....

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10/09/08

blackzero85

*sighs*

People is complaining something free? Ah well...

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10/09/08

ThriftShopRomantic

I think it has to do a lot with where you place your ads, how big the audience of those venues are, and how much overlap of content there is.

I've found my ads do quite well where bloggers have a sense of humor similar to mine. So if it's a blog where readers expect to read a bit, and not, say, get a joke-a-day or a video, it's more inclined to do well.

I've gotten some credible comments from Entrecard folks. I also met a few bloggers with Entrecard who I now interact with regularly.

I don't drop a ton of cards a day, just on sites I few as relevant so we help each other.

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10/28/08

DocNicole

Entrecard sucks. Don't use it. Find something better to do with your time. It is ok for establishing initial traffic to a blog to get a search engine to pick up...but I wouldn't use it for anything else.

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10/28/08

jjmezzio

Its widget does not blend well with my blog design and layout. I removed it on the same day I registered to it. I'm fussy.

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10/29/08

septagonstudios

Been using it for 5 months and have found it to be very beneficial to my blog. You have to use the service to its maximum potential to really see results.

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10/29/08

Crazysah

I totally agree with you septagonstudios. I have also been using it for quite some time and it has benefited me nicely!

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10/29/08

flamingpoodle

Entrecard's new TOS sucks. I didn't sign up for this fake currency.

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10/29/08

flamingpoodle

Entrecard's new TOS sucks. I didn't sign up for this fake currency.

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