Friday, December 31, 2010

So Long Entrecard

Out with the old, in with the new, seems to always be the theme around New Year's Eve. Although I'm not too sure what "new" is being brought in here. But the "old" is Entrecard and it's out.

I've been weighing the pros and cons to Entrecard for a few months now. While there are positives to Entrecard, the negatives have finally won out. (And honestly one of the negatives is more of my doing than Entrecard's doing.)

I feel Entrecard can be a positive for a new blog and can help a person get some exposure and establish getting traffic to their blog. While some of the traffic is worthwhile, most isn't. Sadly, I myself, fall into this category for the most part. I've become what 95% of the traffic is from Entrecard. That is a person who drops and runs to earn a credit, mostly for advertising purposes. The vast majority of traffic isn't reading my blog, nor have I taken the time to read many blogs myself. I've simply become robotic to earn credits. That's not what blogging is all about to me. I can't expect to get "quality" traffic if I'm not "quality" traffic myself.

In stating the above I have found a few blogs I like through Entrecard that I do read and comment on. I've added a few blogs to my blog roll and have followed some others. But it's a small minority compared to the number I simply drop and run on.

Honestly it comes down to a quality versus a quantity scenario. The time invested in Entrecard has become a liability and not worth the time to me any more.

Entrecard itself has many problems it needs to address as follows:

1) Communication -- pretty much nonexistent.

2) TOS -- a total waste of time. A significant number of blogs are in violation of their terms of service for a multitude of reasons. Reporting them is a waste of time as no action is taken. No action and no communication. I used to faithfully report dead blogs and nada, zip, no soup for you when it came to getting them taken care of. Pop-ups, redirects, auto-play audio, spam sites are all listed as a violation of their TOS.

3) A lot of new blogs being approved are immediately in violation of the TOS in various ways as well. That's kind of a head scratcher to me. I'm guessing they feel the more blogs they add to their network the possibility of more revenue is enhanced should these new blogs elect to pay to advertise or become sponsors for a fee. I'm not faulting them for wanting to make money by any means and I'm just taking a shot in the dark on their reasoning for not enforcing their well-worded TOS. Without communication a person can only surmise what their reasoning is for not enforcing it.

I've spent more time simply dropping cards than actual blogging here myself. Being short-handed at work along with crazy holiday hours haven't helped either. But I always found time to drop cards rather than blogging or visiting the blogs in my blog roll or follower list. I've come to the realization that my blogging priorities are not what I want or desire by being a member of Entrecard.

So it's time for a change and this time of year seems to bring that feeling out in many people. So here's to more quality time for blogging and making meaningful visits to other blogs to start out the new year for me. I wish you all a very Happy New Year. May the new year bring you all the happiness you can handle.

38 comments:

Sara Strand said...

I hear you- I used to post faithfully on a blogging community board but yeah.. I don't have the time. And coincidentally, I get more followers by swearing. So go figure. :)

Gail said...

I do enjoy your blog and read it faithfully. I always leave with a smile...thank you and happy new year.

KC said...

WOW! This is true - for realllllzzzz... Made me want to close my entrecard account as well. Hmmm... Anyway, HAPPY NEW YEAR Mr. JPL!!! May the coming year be wonderful for you!!!

Just Plain Tired said...

Smart Ass Sara -- Time has been a huge factor in this.

Gail -- Thank YOU! Happy New Year as well.

Khaye -- Very true, but I'm not advocating anyone quit based on my experience though.

Lauren Loves To Scrap said...

That's how I found your blog (and became a follower)...glad I did...I enjoy reading it. I do understand what you mean about Entrecard...takes up time each day...but I try to find blogs that I enjoy visiting...makes up for the time I spend on it. Anyway, hope you have a great 2011 and I'll still be visiting even if I don't get "credit". :)

Just Plain Tired said...

Lauren -- Thanks for the kind words and I hope you have a happy New Year!

Dazee Dreamer said...

You are one of the blogs on my reader that I will always click on and actually come to your page. You always make me laugh, or write those posts, like the one about your daughter, that totally make my heart feel good.

Happy new year to you and looking forward to some great posts

Tommy Douglas said...

Sorry to see you go, but I understand your reasons. I will continue to read your blog because I enjoy it. Entrecard is how
I found you though. Tommy

Bryan White said...

I found myself falling into the same routine with Entrecard when I first starting using it. It was almost like a game. Just drop, drop, drop, and watch the credits pile up. I didn't read a lot of the blogs either, and as you point out, I had to face the sad fact that many people were doing the same to me.

But the thing is, many of the blogs out there just aren't interesting. I could tell from a quick skim that there's was nothing for me there, so I'd just drop and go. If a blog was good, if it grabbed my attention, then I would stay and read and forget all about the dropping for a while. And I really am always looking for good blogs, which can be hard to find. So it wasn't all just a matter of me littering the landscape with my cards. Again, I had to figure that some of that same process was at work for the people that visited me. Sure they just came to drop, and some don't even bother with the quick skim. Yet, for those that did, wasn't it up to me to grab their attention and keep them reading, just like any other writer exposed to a public venue?

Of course, like everything on the internet these days, there are those out there that streamline the whole thing into a human spambot operation. I've sure you've seen these things where you click on the link and it opens like a hundred taps with different blogs and you just run down the line dropping cards. Not that I've used those myself. You can always trust the internet to simplify something like Entrecard to the point of utterly defeating the purpose. People think they're being clever designing these things, but really they're just helping to ruin something that would otherwise be a good idea.

I don't get caught up in long dropping campaigns anymore. I leave the widget up, and if people feel like advertising, fine. I go on there occasionally to actually look for new blogs to read, and I use the points I get from the ads to post a few of my own here and there. I'm definitely "casual & relaxed" these days.

Bryan White said...

Uggghh, I spent an hour writing a long reply to this, only to get the dreaded "request too large" message when I tried to publish. So now the whole thing is probably lost. That's too bad. I'm not sure how to sum up my take on Entrecard in a few simple words.

lina said...

Entrecard can be good to find new sites to read that one otherwise wouldn't; like I found yours but I hear you about splogs and visitors drop and run method.

Anyway, Happy new year!

Just Plain Tired said...

Dazee Dreamer -- Thank you very much. I hope 2011 is an awesome year for you.

Tommy and Gloria -- I found blogs I liked as well through EC, just the negatives and time constraints led me away from the network.

nuclearheadache -- I'd imagine there are many thoughts people have about EC ranging from being a fan to not so much.

lina -- Entrecard was good for finding a few new blogs worth reading, just not enough to keep me there. Happy New Year to you as well.

Corinne said...

I don't know what entrecard is but then again I'm a technomalogical retard so no surprises there!

Happy new year JPT!

Just Plain Tired said...

Corinne -- I don't think you're missing anything. Happy New Year!

Sir Jorge Orduna said...

that's rad, i gave up on entrecard a long time ago, then recently tried to get back on and they told me my personal blog was a "spam" blog, which doesn't make sense to me, but oh well. i wish there was another way to get eyeballs on my sites

Just Plain Tired said...

Sir Jorge -- Some of their decisions (when they actually make any) make very little sense. I'm just going to do my own thing here and accept whatever traffic I get without the use of EC. I value my time too much to invest it there any more.

Samantha Dugan said...

Have no idea what Entrecard is, reading this I have no interesting in investigating. Just wanted to say that I am happy to have found your blog, (the old fashioned way, another blogger's blogroll) as a fellow retail worker I find myself nodding and laughing often. Happy New Year to you!

Just Plain Tired said...

Samantha Dugan -- I think finding other blogs through other blog rolls is a great way to find blogs myself.

Happy New Year!

Monica said...

sorry to see you leave EC! anyway, here's wishing you a wonderful New Year full of prosperity, good health and many new reasons to smile :)

oh thank you very much for the EC credits too! *hugs*

JustRex said...

I went about growing my blog the old fashioned way. Being a pest on other bloggers sites and making people curious about this knucklehead who says such strange things. Growth has been slow, but it has worked for me. Have a good one, my friend.

Just Plain Tired said...

Monica -- You're one of the good blogs that is a part of EC. I'll still be coming around to see what you're up to naturally. (And you deserved the credits as you had sent me some in the past.) Happy New Year!

darev2005 -- I'll be using your approach myself. Have an awesome new year!

Jessica B said...

Never heard if Entrecard, but I guess that's a good thing -- doesn't sound like I am missing too much! I can't remember how I found your blog, but I am glad I did -- I read and enjoy every post. HNY to you JPT -- hope it's a great one for you and your family.
:)

Just Plain Tired said...

Jessic B -- Thank you very much... and HNY to you and your family as well.

Mr. New Dilemma said...

I found you through EC, and have enjoyed your blog as well. It's one of the few I actually don't drop and run on. Good luck in 2011, and since we are both on Blogger I can still find you.

Lilysgramma said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lilysgramma said...

I too am sorry to see you go. I enjoy your blog and look forward to each new post. I, admittedly, use E-card for traffic, and most of it is a waste of time, but there are those few jewels out there that I would not have discovered had it not been for E-card. Good luck my friend, and Happy New Year!!!

Pearl said...

I discovered your blog through EC. I followed you BECAUSE I like reading your entries. I usually read the "worthwhile" blogs in EC. That's why I'm sooo slow in dropping... mainly because I READ.
Happy NEw Year!

PS. I like the christmas photos you posted:-)

Just Plain Tired said...

Mr. New Dilemma -- Thank you, and I'm not going anywhere so I'll be easy to find. ;)

Lilysgramma -- Thank you for the nice words. Have a Happy New Year!

Pearl -- I found myself not reading blogs, then coupled with the lack of communication it seemed best to just leave. Thank you for dropping in and commenting.

The Blogger Formerly Known As said...

I had never heard of Entrecard until I read this either. And, you haven’t sold it to me.

Happy New Year

KLZ said...

I feel he same way about SITS

It's about relationships not payback.

London Is Cool said...

I have to agree 100% about entrecard. It is a good idea in theory, but it just doesn't work. Its broken! Way to many crap blogs that should be banned, it is as simple as that!

I have however came across quite a few blogs that I would have probably never discovered which can't be a bad thing. It does take up too much time and I often wonder if that time would be better spent commenting and reading quality blogs.

Unless entrecard makes some positive changes I doubt if I will stick with for much longer. I will still continue to pop in for a read...Happy New Year...

Mrs Midnite said...

No idea what you are talking about but thought I'd say Happy New Year JPT.

Mike Golch said...

you are in my reader,I will continue to visit with you.even if you don't belong to entrecard.

gaijinwife said...

Have never heard of Entrecard but am pleased for you you've decided to scrap it. I think. Not sure as still clueless.
Happy New Year JPT. Looking forward to more stories and entertaining posts in 2011.

Anonymous said...

Ive always enjoyed stopping by and yes reading! I hate to see you go! Please stop by and see me again anyway!

Anita said...

First, I gotta say that I LOVE the profile pic! lol

Not familiar with Entrecard either. And from what you've said, it doesn't sound like I'd get the type of blogging satisfaction out of it that I've now gotten used to...which is reading blogs with depth (doesn't have to be PhD material), and hearing from people that care about what I have to say.
When I started blogging, I went to blogsearch.google.com and put in key words relating to my life, like "woman over 40," or "tennis." A few good hits began my list of blogs that I like. I read other people's comments, too, and clicked on them if they sounded interesting.
I guess we all have to figure out what we want out of it.
By the way, I notice that you answer on the post. Do you ever click on the return email address and answer personally? I notice that you don't have an email address attached to your profile, so when you comment on my blog, "no-reply blogger" shows in my email inbox.
I used to answer in my post, but now send a quick note to the blogger's email address by hitting reply when they have the option set up.
I was convinced to add an email address to my profile awhile back because others wanted to personally reply to comments that I'd written on their posts.
I'm tired, so I hope I haven't totally confused you.
I'll end by wishing you and your family a very good 2011, too!

Just Plain Tired said...

TBFNA -- You weren't sold? Damn.. and stuff. ;)

KLZ -- I think we're on the same page, and stuff. ;)

London Is Cool -- It sounds like you're having many of the same thoughts I have.

Mrs Midnite -- Hey there! Happy New Year to you as well!

Mike Golch -- Thank you.

gaijinwife -- Happy New Year. I'll leave the blog on for ya. ;)

Marilyn's Money -- Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I'll still be blogging and visiting. Hope you have a great New Year too!

Anita -- That profile picture seemed to fit the theme of this blog well. I've never thought about email responses before actually. Happy New Year to you and your family!

The Diary said...

i'm sorry cause i kind off late to hear that. i always enjoy stopping and reading your blog :)

anyway... Merry Christmas Happy New Year for you and family..

greeting from the diary