About a week ago, I joined Entrecard and almost immediately my blog traffic more than doubled. I use StatCounter to track my traffic and I was totally amazed at the immediate increase. With all the time and effort I was spending at BlogCatalog, I wasn't getting these kind of results. (BlogCatalog is still awesome) Then along came Entrecard and wham, bam, thank you Ma'm, my blog took off like lightning. Or did it?I've been reading various posts and articles about Entrecard and it seems that some people are simply dropping their cards and then leaving the blog without really checking it out. In fact, it seems a lot of Entrecard users are doing this. I don't want people who just come to my blog to improve their Entrecard worth, I want them to read my blog. (and improve their Entrecard worth while they're at it)
I don't even want to get into the problems the Entrecard was having recently. Barring that, the first blogs I visit are ones in my drops in box, when I can access it. But I just don't drop my card and leave. I look at the blog first. If it seems like the type of blog I'm interested in, I'll check out the most recent post. If I like the post, I may make a comment or even read later posts. I then drop my card. If it's not a blog I'm interested in, I simply give a courtesy drop and move on.
This process has lead me to some great blogs and some not-so-great blogs, too. It is also time cosuming. While I like building up my Entrecard account, I also need time to post to my blog. So here's the BIG concern of mine: Are Entrecard members actually reading my blog or just dropping their cards and moving on? And here's the BIG request: Whether you've reached my blog through Entrecard or some other means, please leave a comment on this post indicating how you found my blog.
To sweeten the deal, if I get 25 or more comments on this post by Saturday October 18, I will randomly send a 1 lb. box of gourment chocolates to one of the comment posters. It'll be from this great candy store near my work. I picked Heather up a box recently (as a pick me up treat) and she said that they were so good that she wasn't sure if she should eat them or rub them all over her. Now that's some mighty fine chocolates. I'll even write a post about the winner and the winner's blog as well as provide links to the candy store near my work.
So get to it guys. Prove me wrong. Show me that Entrecard is not just sending me deadbeat hits that don't read my blog. Show me you love me--or at least sorta like me--or at least sorta like my blog. I'll even settle for just wanting the damn chocolates. (I'm not proud. I stoop to bribes) Whatever the reason, leave me a comment. Don't leave me hanging here with a box of chocolates and no one to send them to... it won't be pretty.
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28 comments:
Hi Mr. Blueskies, just checking in to say HI and see how things are going :)
there are droppers and there are droppers/readers. i'm the latter. i do read or at least scan the blogs i drop to. let's see if 25 droppers will comment.
welcome to entrecard. =)
i go about it pretty much like you. i will scan the blog and if it is something that i am interested in i will read it and maybe comment. the ones i'm not really interested in i just drop the card.
Welcome to Entrecard. I've been on here for about a month myself and have found that while traffic to my blog has inreased 100fold, most of that are just those that drop and run. I've been guilty of doing the same thing, but I do come back to them.
It's a shame there aren't more users who care enoguh to actually read the blogs they're dropping, though. Isn't the whole point of thise site to develop the blogging community, not just provide a stopping off point?
mmmm....chocoalte...--drools--
Hahaha. I recently joined Entrecard too, and my blog traffic doubled as well. However, I noticed that many of these users simply drop their card and move on. Sometimes they don't even spend 60 seconds on my blog. Some of them do, though ... like you. You were one of the few who even bothered to comment on my blog :D I must admit that I like your blog, and I check every day to see if you have a new post.
yay chocolate! That is the bestest thing in the whole wide world!
I wondered the same thing. I can't imagine dropping 300 cards in a day. It would actually take me all day. I like to read the blogs and see what people are thinking. I don't always comment unless something peaks my interest, or say they offered chocolates. =-) My traffic increased as well, and like you I hope people actually take the time to read a little before moving on.
Honestly, I tried doing 300 a day, with several of my blogs, but the fact is that it takes too much time. Now, I just do a hundred a day, and focus on commenting. I'm trying not to be like those that drop and run. I am thinking of having a list of 100 blogs that I will drop on every month. The list may/may or may not change every month, it just depends on who joins the link list for that month. Lets see how that works.
I have other ideas as well, lets see how that goes.
did someone say CHOCOLATE ???
anyways, just dropping by to let you know that someone out there reads your blog!
Hello~I found you through a lady that is on SITS, you had left her a comment.
Great blog, good luck! By the way loving me some chocolates! LOL
Just saying hi!
I think most people who use Entrecard just drop and go. That's what I have found. On some of my good days when I have 200 drops I might only get a few comments.
If I see something I'm interested in, after doing a quick scan of the blog, I'll leave a comment, but I rarely get one in return.
I understand your frustration! I LOVE getting comments, but its easy to forget to comment on others!!
Thanks for the congratulations :)
I'll have the photos up for my Photo Story Friday :D-- just a few!
Can I be in your contest?
Hannah
Well, I discovered your blog from the comment you left on my blog!
My drop numbers vary from day to day.Some days 50 but I try to aim for more than 100 but it is truly too time-consuming to do 300. I have done it on a few occasions and now won't bother as I think a life spent just dropping cards all day is too sad to even think about!
I do like Entrecard and I think Graham is doing a great job considering EC is a free service and we get to market our blogs at the same time.
I want the chocolate because I know good chocolate, have an incredibly discerning palate and I'm probably the only person who is leaving a comment here who could be called a real chocolate connoisseur! Plus I will write about each and every morsel, in detail on my blog!! (crawl, crawl - she of little shame!)
Zee
PS: For those outside the US is the competition open to them?
hi.. i ran into ur blog because http://blogconteststation.com/ hopped into my blog then i went out to check his blog out.. then i found about your site in one of his post :-)
im an entrecard user..and usually before I approve those who wants to advertise on my blog, I visit their site 1st.
When someone visits my site too.. I visit them back. I check out their posts, if i find it interesting, i leave a comment or i just say hi through their tagboard :-)
im not sure if entrecard increases my traffic.. but i found lots of interesting blogs through EC and lots of other bloggers found my site through EC. A lot have been advertising on my blog :-)
and I'm happy about it! :-)
Well, hi there. I am not with one of the Powers That Be with SITS but you have my vote. Now,one thing is, I was trying to leave a comment and for one of your posts and found it difficult to find where to click to leave one. I finally figured it out but that might be one of the problems. Blessings...
Okay, I don't even know what entrecard is... BUT, I love chocolate!
Came on over from SITS!
Hey I'm reading your blog, subscribed by RSS. I will admit I'm not much of a commenter.
I'd love the chocolate though! ;-)
I found you through Entrecard. I usually read at least the titles when I drop a card. I don't always comment when I read unless I can think of something I feel is worthwhile to say.
Hello Blue Skies,
I found you through EC, from a comment you made on Freaky Frugalite's blog. I was intrigued and figured I'd better check you out. Below is just to reiterate my comments on FF's blog regarding TOP's EC comments. (Enough acronyms!)
Since joining EC I have found some wonderful blogs, which I have added to my Delicious bookmarks so I don’t have to rely on EC to find them. Good thing, too, because one of my faves just left!
I drop as much as I can for the credits so I can advertise, but I don’t stress over it. I definitely drop-and-run on the blogs that are only money-making schemes, blogs that are 50+ percent advertising, or blogs that just don’t offer what I’m interested in. On the blogs I enjoy, not only do I drop, I comment (if I have something relevant to say) so the blogger knows they are being read.
All in all, I’ve been pretty happy with my EC experience–growing pains and all.
I found you through SITS.
I tried EC for a while and found that whilst I did get an increase in traffic, I didn't get an increase in readers. All anyone cared about was dropping their card to earn credits.
I gave up on it after about 3 months. I would rather people came to my blog because of something I have written rather than because it will earn them EC credits.
Welcome to Entrecard. I found you through Entrecard because you dropped on me.
You've stumbled into the Entrecard conundrum. You will get some good traffic, and meet some nice folks who will be loyal blog readers. However, it helps to take an interest in their blogs as well.
Also, a lot of people drop and read, but may not always comment.
And as everyone likes to point out, participating in the forum will help a little also.
Oooooo, how can anyone say no to chocolate!
Came from SITS. I'm all about the chocolate, and have no idea what entrecard is. Good luck!
Chocolate is a good incentive for ladies who blog- LOL!
Vicki
www.differentworld.us
www.ifeellikeawoman.us
www.freebieflow.com
www.sweetspiritband.com
What up Blue Sky dude! I found you on SITS. Saw "giving away chocolates" and ran right over. What the heck is entrecard??You sure do have a lot crap, I mean stuff on your side bar...mine's starting to fill up too. Need to finger out how to put stuff on the left. Nice ta meetcha!!
Hi there! I have no idea what entrecard is, but I also found you from your post on SITSta. Chocolate and women, you should have beyond scored the 25 comments. It appears as though I am #25...at least when I began typing I was. I have read a bit and am going back to read more. not like me to just want the chocolate, I want to know all your details too!
Welcome to Entrecard. I've been using EC for several months now and I'd have to say that most people do tend to drop and run, but over time you'll find that you have new regular readers and commenters, more so if you also stop to comment on the blogs you visit as well.
I don't have a lot of spare time, but I try to use EC to visit blogs a couple of times a week. I generally scan or read the first post on most of the blogs I visit unless they haven't been updated in a while (and I've read the post on a previous visit). I don't always take the time to comment. That's something that I need to work on, but I do read!
Thanks for your thought and your contest. I adore chocolate!
Hello. I found you thru my sister's blog, The Junk Drawer. I don't blog myself, but will comment for chocolate, altho I see I'm too late. You have a good day, now. You seem like a nice kid.
Marlene: Did you say kid? I have a daughter who is 28. LOL
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