I’ve heard this time and time again – EntreCard dropping is time consuming, a waste of time, increases bounce rate and what-have-yous.
At some point, I also felt that EC burnout. It’s quite easy for EC dropping to become an obsession especially if you’re the competitive type. I somehow developed a compelling compulsion to drop back on my droppers and felt guilty whenever I can’t.
Have you ever felt the same way?
It’s Not Entrecard’s Fault
Unlike some bloggers who find fault in the Entrecard system, I don’t blame Entrecard at all for this tiny predicament. First, Entrecard only claims itself as “a free blogging network that helps you build traffic, get more readers, and network with other bloggers.” It doesn’t guarantee a page rank increase nor other members’ loyalty to your site. Just like any advertising medium, an advertisement on other bloggers’ EC widget doesn’t mean someone’s gonna click on it as well.
If only this obsession with dropping back will not cause me a lot of stress!!!
But a paradigm shift in my blogging happened a few weeks ago (please check out my 12 mid-year blogging resolutions so you know where I stand). Now, I don’t find EC dropping as a chore but rather a door – an opportunity to meet other bloggers in a blogosphere teeming with interesting blogs.
Make Entrecard Dropping Work To Your Advantage
Let me share with you some tips on how to make Entrecard dropping work to your advantage:
- Don’t drop and run. You’ll just be wasting your time if you do this because those bloggers you dropped and ran with are probably doing the same to you.
- Don’t make EC dropping your first priority upon reaching a blog. If you’ve been EC dropping for sometime now, this might be automatic to you already. Refrain from doing so. Check out the posts first and leave a comment or two on something that interests you. Then hit the Drop button before you leave.
- Don’t always drop your card. Your EC card is your blogosphere business card. If you don’t find anything interesting in someone else’s blog, you’ll just waste your time and energy visiting it again in the future. So why leave your card there?
- Don’t use EC Drop tools. Unless you’re the one who created the list which includes all of your blogging friends (see item # 6), using EC Drop tools do not maximize your chance to meet other bloggers and network with them.
- Avoid “selfish” blogs. You’ve been EC dropping since time immemorial on this blog and posting comments on every post like a starstruck fan would and yet, the only thing you receive, at most, is an EC drop. There was never a comment on your site, never a reply on your comments at his blog, not even a “hi” on your chatbox. Do you really want to connect with this kind of bloggers? Unless you really are interested in the articles written in that blog, save your energy and time – move on to the next blog.
- Create your own EC drop list. Include all of the friendly sites in your list, the ones who are worthy of your time – then make them your EC dropping priority.
- Don’t blame Entrecard for your high bounce rate. Entrecard, like any other advertisement, only brings visitors to your blog. Look at your blog from a stranger’s point of view. Does your blog look interesting? Do you welcome and entertain visitors to make them want to come back again? Are your articles worth reading? If you’re not the owner of this blog, would you even stay as long as you had wanted other EC droppers to stay?
- Continuously strive to meet new bloggers. Entrecard says it has over 40,000 blogs in it’s network. If you check out 10 new blogs a day, it will take you ten years to visit all the blogs in the EC network. For sure, you’ll meet a fellow blogger and find something worthwhile that will make your blogging adventure more memorable and exciting.
Good luck and happy blogging!
First Commenter:
~ Dave Lucas~
Gee! I intend to continue networking via Entrecard, which makes it difficult to keep my bounce rate low, just because of the nature of the “Entrecard beast.” I am WONDERING… if I cut down on my dropping ECs and only interact with other bloggers who show an interest in my blog, would that eliminate the bounce problem? (I know the numbers of credits others would need to advertise on my blog would drop dramatically! [LOL])
PS – Sometimes when I stop by a good blog (like this one) I forget to drop my EC!
I’m not sure Dave. It depends on what’s important to you. Do you prefer relationships/networking over popularity/page rank? For me, bounce rate is not an issue a blogger should lose sleep with. Present your blog and write articles as best as you can and you’ll attract the RIGHT readers.
Bdw, thanks for the constant drops. Unlike The Twitterer though, I don’t give recognition to my top droppers, just my top commentators. But I am aware that you always pass by my blog. Thanks a lot!
That’s some good advice! Entrecard will work for you if you work with it.
Thanks Leigh!
i agree with you on all points.. thanks by the way for your comments to my recent posts.. 🙂
you’re welcome sis. 🙂
Wow..these are awesome points to consider sis! I like the point where you stressed out “create your own EC list” this for sure would create a good bond between bloggers who are really passionate about dropping and commenting.
thanks!
Excellent advice. Many people forget right away that Entrecard is just a place where you can find new blogs and get yours noticed. That’s all. The dropping is just a tool to help you do that. If we lower our expectations of services like Entrecard then we will all be happier, and find other blogs. And comments are an even better way than things like Entrecard. 🙂
You’re right Ratty. Some people just expect too much from it.
Well, you caught my attention with the Entrecard! Yes, it can be a beast. An addiction at that. But usually I’ll stop and read and as you can see it takes me forever. I have to say I do love the dropping and have found many interesting blogs out there that I wouldn’t have found. I’ll take the good with the bad with Entrecard. Thanks for you great post, it drew my attention.
Blog hopping can really be time consuming Marilyn. Anyway, thanks for the comment. 🙂
Very well said Sheryl… for me I don’t care about the bounce rate or whatever, what I’m after is the feeling I got visiting one’s blog.
Really, comments whether pros and cons will pump your desire to come up with good post/s.
See you then and more power!:=)
You’re right sir feron, the comments encourage authors to come up with interesting posts so that their readers will have something worthy to read.
Very good post… I am with ya 100%
thanks lisa 🙂
Very well said Gee. If I’m sleepy I just “hit and run’ lol, but I’m trying to read interesting post and comment..I encounter some great blog and people, upon dropping EC.
Seee yah again
thanks 🙂
iche-check ko yan, as much as possible when ec dropping, i tried to read their post, but when im out of time, i just drop and drop without reading….
I used to drop on blogs too without reading. i got tired of the “drop and run” thing. Wink!
Great advice… Too many bloggers expect Entrecard to work some kind of magic.
right john.
This is awesome Gee! Sometimes err.. most of the time I really feel stressed out dropping hehehe. I just dropped ECs on my droppers and then out. Its like a “hit and run” thing lol! Hit the drop button then run! Its only recently that I learned to make comments and drop a message and read some articles (sorry). Well for a new blogger, everything is new and theres still so much to learn. Thanks for sharing! I would prefer to build relationship with other bloggers this time.
Sometimes hit and run can be tiring lhen. Wink!
when i have a lot of time on my hands, i sure do read posts. but if i have less of it, drop na lng. saka lng ako babawi if may time na ulit. just like in the past days, sobrang busy kaya drop na lng ako. ngayon reading and commenting. hehehe
hmm… that’s a good alternative elai. Sometimes, when I don’t have the time to read, i don’t blog hop anymore. Kaya minsan may mga namimiss akong blogs.
I’ve come and gone with my attitude about EC. Had just one blog then added two and ultimately deleted the 2nd 2 I added. It does take time, I do feel compelled to reciprocate drops. Perhaps a little less so now that you don’t credit when someone drops on you.
If I’ve taken the time to get to their page, it seems silly not to drop, so I do. I do leave lots of comments (even before this first ever meme of Aug Chall). I get frustrated that I leave far more comments than I ever get back; but sometimes can’t remember where all I’ve been to know who hasn’t recriprocated. And, if you’re using the EC toolbar and click on their advert which often looks totally different than their blog, you often don’t realize who’s page you’re going to.
I don’t tend to use the lists from others as much as I used to; as I had troubles with EC because of it. Blogs that weren’t really EC anymore appear that they are you drop, and I got penalized for it. So, per their suggestion use the toolbar most of the time.
I have met some new folks using it, and don’t always drop only on the most popular blogs.
I’ve not been concerned with the bounce rate though.
I do try to hit my 300, but I don’t everyday.
I’ve hit quite a few of dead blogs though when I stray too far from the popular ones. Blogs 7 months old, some I know I’ve reported before; but it seems to take EC a long time to clean house.
Sandy
thanks for the comment you had left in this post sandy. as with the other comments you’d left, i know it’s been well thought of and not just written just to have something to post. i try my best to reciprocate on my droppers too but when i’m really busy, i just select the few I know.
You’re right, EC takes a LLLOOOOONNNNGGGG time to clean the house. I once reported a few site violating TOS. They’re still there. Definitely spam blogs but they did nothing to take them out of the system. I just avoid them like plague.
Good post Gee
I see EC similar to you meeting new bloggers etc
I do find the drops time consuming at times although now all my favourites bookmarked it is much easier, but when i have time and can read and do some commenting on my rounds i really enjoy it.
I am with Dave Lucas in forgetting to drop after reading a blog lol.
Thanks for sharing i enjoyed reading it. 🙂
whew. nice post about EC dropping. alam mo ba na i always forgot to drop ECs ahahah
Thanks for sharing your wonderful tips. I enjoyed reading it; very helpful and informative.
Thanks Ms. Gee for this interesting tips.
I agree with you, Entrecard is only an advertising medium and in order to attract attention of readers and keep them coming back is to work on writing posts which are worth reading.
Sometimes because of lack of time, I just drop and go but when I have some time to spare, usually weekends, I try to read and comment on posts I found interesting.
I guess it’s just a matter of time before I take out that widget out of my blog… the community is just…dying..
yes, a lot of users just drop and run. that’s why i seldom visit sites from my Entrecard dashboard anymore. I usually visit my commenters first then blog hop with adgitize. After that, if time still permits, I would visit some entrecarders. 🙂