I have been a member of EntreCard for quite a while now, but in their wisdom they have decided to introduce “sponsored” ads!
These will force EntreCard users to display ads on their blogs that they do not want to show and worse still they could be for anything and that is something that I just don’t want.
Recently I was reading the blog of Greg Matthews and he mentioned three choices that EntreCard users now have, these are:
1. Accept the fact that EC are going to advertise on your blog, even advertising sites that you disagree or compete with.
2. Pay $50/year to not be forced to display these ads
3. Leave Entrecard altogether.
I am personally thinking of leaving EntreCard as I’m not happy with the whole situation of these ads through EC, the point of EC was to drop on other sites to gain credits and get dropped on by other users to get credits.
So let’s see how this goes… But it doesn’t look promising!
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- The Last Day For EntreCard!
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EntreCard brings us Sponsored Ads! But we Don’t Want Them!…
EntreCard in it’s wisdom has decided to force upon it’s members “sponsored” ads, so what can we do about them, not much! Be we can have a bloody good rant about them!…
Twitter: Passion4ThePint
says:
Choice three sounds pretty good to me. I don’t mind sponsored ads, I understand they have to make money, but I have to be able to control everything that’s on my blog.
.-= Mike´s last blog ..Old Town Cafe Review =-.
Twitter: BlazingMinds
says:
I think option 3 will be the one that most EC users will be taking..
I’ve written a bit about the latest problems with EntreCard. For the time being, I’m staying, but that could change at any point. So far, I haven’t seen any of the new paid ads. It may well be that the uproar has caused EntreCard to hold off. In addition, it may discourage folks buying paid advertisements.
Buying advertising on EntreCard may actually hurt a site more than it helps it, especially if EntreCard members write negative reviews of sites that buy advertisements on EntreCard.
So, far the time being, I’m still waiting and seeing, but I am prepared to spring into action when and if necessary.
.-= aldon @ orient lodge´s last blog ..Post EntreCard Blog Promotion =-.
Twitter: BlazingMinds
says:
Thanks for stopping by to comment, I myself will be holding off for a little bit, but if everything goes belly up, then I’m outta there! Great article on your blog just been reading it
Twitter: cornyman
says:
Hi Karen,
i think it’s not that serious like everybody thinks. It was written from the new owner in the forum that they just want to promote their own service on EntreCard for the first few weeks (the Market, Forum and so on). Does this hurt anyone?
They said there are no paid ads in queue and they don’t know when there will be some, Andrew Te (Zip Runner) predicted even it could take months until the first paid ads will appear.
They just want to have the possibility to use up to 15% of the Air time.
After many members left already they have to calculate again and again the fee they want to charge their advertisers for being shown just on each 7th page view. (this is much worse than with CMF Ads).
How cheap must the advertising be, that you would pay EntreCard money, when your ad is shown so less?
Perhaps a good opportunity for us to buy paid advertisement in EntreCard? We will see as soon as they open their books with their rates!
.-= cornyman@Cornyman’s Money-Blog´s last blog ..EntreCard: Do you want FREE advertising for your blog? =-.
Twitter: extremejohn
says:
These are all very good points and well put together.
.-= Extreme John´s last blog ..Hit While Pumping Gas =-.
Twitter: ladybanana
says:
I’ve given up with it – unless they change yet again!
.-= LadyBanana´s last blog ..Addictive.. [Flickr] =-.
Twitter: BlazingMinds
says:
I did notice that the widget wasn’t on your blog any more, but, I am still an avid reader and have subscribed to your RSS feed
Twitter: john_metcalf
says:
I’ve already removed Entrecard from most of my blogs are replaced it with a widget I created myself. I’ve kept it on a couple, but if I see any paid ads I object to, I’ll be kicking it off.
I’m sure Entrecard would be better off letting us block any paid ads we object to. They’d lose a few ad impressions, but less bloggers would leave.
.-= John´s last blog ..Friends Widget =-.
Twitter: BlazingMinds
says:
Hi John, I’ve checked out your widget and it does work quite well, it’s certainly something I may be considering using
As soon as I heard about the opt out fee, I deleted EC off my blog and said good riddance. I will stick with paying my Adgetize because its actually worth it, but EC and its many changes and reversals is done.
Twitter: BlazingMinds
says:
Your blog is another one I’ve enjoyed reading through EC, that’s why I have been subscribed to your feed for quite a while now
Twitter: womenselfesteem
says:
I was under the impression that we were going to be able to choose which ads we would allow on our blogs…at least that was the last thing I read in their newsletter.
Twitter: BlazingMinds
says:
Sometime back EntreCard did allow us to choose what ads were placed on our widgets, but since the takeover they seem have been going backwards and when the ads do come rolling through we will have no choice on what is shown!
I’m doing like you and holding off for a bit to see what actually does happen, but i’m not optimistic. Too many issues with EC have happened in the past, y’know? Hopefully, they’ll find a way to work this all out. I lknow that a ton of users have already gone and won’t be back, and I’m sure there are more than a few of us that are on the fence.
.-= Mystery Man´s last blog ..Rumors about my demise have been greatly exaggerated =-.
Twitter: BlazingMinds
says:
It’s a very rickety fence to be sitting on at the moment, so many people are so strong about the ads they have up and left, I think I will give it a month and see how it all goes.
Twitter: lionslinger
says:
I’ve given up on Entrecard a few months ago. I can’t seem to understand it’s operation. And I also don’t like the idea of having them advertise on my blog.
Twitter: BlazingMinds
says:
Hopefully with the amount of people complaining they may decide to do something about the ads, at least give us the choice to so them or not, without paying the $50!
Twitter: computelive
says:
I think the last option is the best… I remember when entrecard had just started everyone loved it..Even I was very much excited…But from last few months its loosing its charm…
.-= Compute Live´s last blog ..Petabyte – What is a Petabyte? – How much data makes a Petabyte? =-.
Twitter: celebfickle
says:
Option three is the best. But I think I’ll wait and see. There are lot of problems with entrecard.. It’s becoming more complicated. I don’t depend on Entrecard much but people who do will have a hard time to make a decision.
.-= Nehh´s last blog ..Kristen Bell: Gorgeous beauty at “Couple’s Retreat” Premiere =-.
entrecard drives pretty much traffic to my blog,
i just don’t know about this sponsored ads problems before i read your post,
but what’s wrong with displaying sponsored ads on our blog? will we lose any penny? will we lose any visitors? i dont think so,,
but i will research more about this news, is it gonna harm my traffic or not..
.-= mytheory´s last blog ..URL shortener-shorten your links now! =-.
Hi,
I chose to leave EntreCard altogether. With EntreCard also having a referral program, its just become another manual click exchange just waiting to be slapped down by Google.
.-= Mar Matthias Darin´s last blog ..Should dog fighting videos protected by the First Amendment? =-.
Twitter: SoftwareCritics
says:
I was about to re-post the Entrecard badge on my blog (after several days since I transferred hosting) but I came across this post and the email they sent me just today but now I’m having second thoughts. I’ve never been so confused after being with them for so long and it seems a little pushy.
.-= Mathdelane @Software Critics´s last blog ..Can Google Translate Replace WordPress Translation Plugins? =-.
Twitter: symphonyoflove
says:
I have finally decided to call it quit as of today.
.-= BK´s last blog ..Reach by Gloria Estefan =-.
For EC to remain a free service to us, they need to make revenue somehow. I don’t think it’s a ig issue with paid sponsered ads appearing on widgets. If it brings me traffic, helps me to find good readable blogs and at the same time remains free for us to use, I say let them.
People are making too much of a ig deal about it and what I find funny is the ones complaining are the individuals who have heaps of advertising on their blog already.
I have no problem with the need to advertise. I use advertising to offset the costs of my own traffic system at:
http://matthiaschronicles.tanaya.net//AFTR/
The issue is the COST of ME advertising with the EC. 4,096 EC is a bit pricey not to get full exposure. The second issue is I can’t screen the ads for MY blog. Both are solvable with a little work, but the new management seems more interested in a hit-n-run profit approach…
.-= Mar Matthias Darin´s last blog ..Should dog fighting videos protected by the First Amendment? =-.
Twitter: FamousBloggers
says:
I have stopped using EntreCard when they told me that I have to pud the widget in a clear place at the top, I don’t know! but I am not sure if I am going to use it again on my blogs!
.-= Hesham´s last blog ..Back into Blogging Biz from my small Hotel Room! =-.
Twitter: BlazingMinds
says:
Wow, it looks like this could be a big debate, I didn’t think everyone would be bothered about it, many thanks to everyone who has given their time to posting, it looks like this post could go on forever
Uh, put me down for number 3. Bye Bye, EC.
.-= Sharon´s last blog ..Eyewitness to the Great Fire: A Pack on my Back =-.
Twitter: RetroCollage
says:
I get so much traffic from EntreCard I wouldn’t consider dropping it at this point. Hopefully I could reject certain ads like you can on Adgitize and CMFads.
Art of RetroCollage recently posted..John Heartfield- Profile in Collage