I've already had to pare back my time dropping and visiting with the people I met through Entrecard. It's on the top of my to-do list for the weekends! I'm subscribed to the Entrecard blog, but rarely read the emails. But yesterday and today, I ran into so many blogs that are choosing to leave Entrecard because of some half-baked attempt to monetize the whole system. I felt like all of my friends are moving away and I'll never see them again!
So, upset that everyone is upset, I decided to put together my thoughts and respond on the Entrecard blog. (Better late than never, since I ended up leaving the 201st comment.) What I posted is below, and I do not claim these ideas as my own. This conversation has happened so many different times in the Entrecard forums that what I now think is a conglomeration of all the good ideas from members that I read saying the same things time and time again. I just have half a hope that maybe, just maybe, Graham won't ignore me too.
With this the 201st comment, I hope you didn’t run out of gas to read even more.
I understand your need to make money, don’t we all need that?, but I think that this scheme is more for making you money than us, despite your delivery message. YOU are the one getting the bucks for the sold ad spaces and leaving publishers with relatively meaningless credits to sell. Not only that, you are taking away 50 percent of the ability to earn those credits by sharing ad space!
Sure, outside advertisers is what is needed to monetize the system, but what about right here on the Entrecard site? Isn’t how many thousands of eyes enough to sell space for?
If by chance that this system works, it will go nowhere unless there is a sizeable advertising budget behind advertising ad space! Worst case scenario, you could end up in the shitter big time should you fail to grow the ad base while buying back all these credits you say you will buy back from us.
Another wrinkle in the process is just how interested in one 24 hour ad will advertisers be interested in?
Instead of sharing the same ad space and diluting the community that is Entrecard, why not code a double widget? Why not code many different widgets for all layouts and all options? This could include extra spaces for Entrecard members’ ads as well. This has been suggested before, and it’s something worth considering.
I ruffled quite a bit about this change. It feels like my choices are fixing to be taken away, and that pisses me off. Sure, I like Entrecard and its community. I’ve met quite a few people that I never would have. And that is the sole reason I remain a member.
But, you are risking something even greater here, and that is the whole she-bang. High rates of traffic that does not translate into eyes staying long enough to see, let alone be interested in, the content or the ads already defeats the purpose of monetization. By instituting this half-baked money-making scheme on top of that fact can only fail. Your safest bet is to sell advertising throughout the Entrecard sites and leave the bloggers alone.
Graham, Entrecard is what it is. You have brought countless people together and that is no small feat. Work with what you have instead of fighting it. It’s a good thing that could last - if you let it.
Theresa I am tempted to say "I told you so," but I consider you a blogging friend who I actually met through Entrecard so I will reserve that comment for those more deserving.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I left the scheme some two months ago I still visit your blogs and will continue to do so because you write some good stuff.
Unfortunately this is not the case in a lot of EC blogs were absolute drivel is a better description of the content, but because of the system they get their blog promoted, just take a serious look at some of the top blogs by category!
My own traffic figures on leaving the scheme dropped, however they are now back to about 70% of what they were with Entrecard.
There is however one big difference and that is the quality of traffic. No more drop and run merchants who lets face it are not interested in your content anyway. Instead I have a growing community of serious bloggers who add a lot to the content with well thought out comments.
Maybe you should do the same (leave EC)?
I hear you, Mike, and understand your viewpoint. I find that I am edging closer and closer to that "point" as time goes on. A lot of great bloggers have left Entrecard already!
ReplyDeleteI'm already a member at CMF Ads, and it looks to be a good system. I just haven't learned about it yet!
My time is at a premium now, and I'm far less active in Entrecard than I used to be. Yes, there's a drop in traffic, but the friends I've made, like you, continue to stop and read and comment. It's a slow weaning process, now nudged even closer to closure. Not yet though; I'm not entirely ready!
I joined Entrecard because it was supposed to be a network of bloggers and it encouraged interaction between them.
ReplyDeleteWhat it's becoming is something different. In particular, what I find objectionable are the suggestions that ads you don't like are accepted (or you have to pay credits NOT to have them) and that you must change the layout of your blog to suit Entrecard.
It's not the Entrecard I joined any more.
I like your question about advertisers buying a 24 hour block. That sounds ludicrous on the surface but I'd not even thought about it before.
ReplyDeleteYou and a few others have moved from a 'drop' to my blogroll and I also follow you in my reader. But I truly understand the feeling of a community lost.
The widget is coming off my main site but I might leave it on the 2nd one a bit longer to see what happens. ;)
Jim I agree with you - it's not the Entrecard we joined. I forgot that point about paying to not allow an ad; I think because I wanted to put in alternatives more than pick apart the proposed plan. Right now, I don't turn down any blogger ads, and probably wouldn't paid ads. Either way, with none of the ad money coming back to me, I don't think I'll allow any paid ad on my blogs.
ReplyDeletePam, that struck me right away. It won't work. No one would bother with a nickel and dime operation. The whole thing just isn't done in a way that can succeed.
Check out CMF. It's my top ad. Not only is the system built the way it should be, there's a lot of community developing within it as well.
Theresa, I'm lucky I found you and your blog through Entrecard. There are several that I found. I struggled with what the changes actually meant to me, since I don't actively drop regularly. (Actually, I'm not even logged in to drop on you now) Now I just learned that my 2nd blog won't be able to be on EC any more. Not sure what to make of that. Maybe it's just not worth the effort.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts, lovely lady!!
That's why you have a link in my sidebar as well, Mary! I don't want to lose track of you and all the others I've found too. That's the part that keeps me hanging on, just to see what really happens in the end.
ReplyDelete:)
ReplyDeleteRefuse the Paid Ads at Entrecard. Thats what I'm doing. Come and take a look at my Old Skool Drops List. Thanks...
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