Warning! This Information Could Destroy EntreCard!

by Jeff 2/28/2008 7:40:00 PM

I can drop hundreds of cards in only a few minutes. I can drop my card on all blogs that dropped on me before Lost returns from a commercial break. I don't use a special program or customized browser - just my normal Firefox. How do I do it? Well, I could tell you but I am afraid it will destroy EntreCard completely. I can only tell you if you promise to use this information for good instead of evil.

By the way...if you have no idea what I'm talking about, then sign up for EntreCard because your missing out on a very valuable source of traffic. Sign up before its too late, that is.

Are you sure you really want to know? Ok, you asked for it. Just don't blame me when EntreCard credits are completely worthless. Here is how I return my card on all blogs that have dropped on me. This process works with the latest versions of both Firefox and Internet Explorer.

I go to my EntreCard dashboard and type "inbox" at the end of the URL in my browser. Note - this screen can now be accessed by clicking on "Drop Inbox" from your dashboard. There I see ads from all people who have dropped their card on my blog.
I hold down the Ctrl key and click on each card. This opens their blog in a new tab in my browser. In order to keep too many tabs from opening, I usually Ctrl-click two rows of ads at a time.
I switch to the tab of the first blog I clicked on.
With my right hand on my mouse (or touch pad) and my left hand on my keyboard, I click to drop my card then hit Ctrl-W to close the tab window. The next blog then appears as the current tab.
I "click Ctrl-W" until all tabs are closed and only my Inbox remains.
I repeat until I drop my card on all ads in my Inbox - usually less than 5 minutes later.

Big Deal, This Is Nothing New

Ok, I don't know if I am the first person to discover this. Hopefully a few newbies will still find it useful. However, let me now tell you why it will destroy EntreCard. You see, EntreCard is not a Zero Sum game. Contrary to the laws of matter, EntreCard credits don't get rearranged - they are constantly being created all the time. How does this make them of any value? Since I have been using the process described above, the cost to advertise on my blog has constantly risen. The more I click on other's ads, the more they click on mine. The more people that join EntreCard, the more ads there are to click on. Pretty soon everyone will have thousands and thousand of EntreCard credits and won't have anything to do with them. I am sure many of you are starting to see this happen already.

So What Are We To Do?

Well unfortunately there is little we can do. I think a major change is necessary in EntreCard's "accounting system". I am sure Graham Langdon, EntreCard's founder, is well aware of this. However, there is still some time to take advantage of this wonderful service. The only thing that I would suggest is that we all make an effort to use the service as it was originally envisioned. Yes, you can use the process described above to make navigation easier. But don't just drop and leave. Take a second and check out the blog you are actually visiting! If you like it, leave a comment or Stumble something! This is what the service was designed for. Discover some new blogs, make some new friends. You will find these much more valuable than EntreCard credits in the long run.

Jeff

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Comments

3/1/2008 12:07:15 AM

I think I'm using the service for good, and not evil, as you described. Although I speed drop, I also browse a lot of entrecard blogs (like this one right now) read and sometimes comment.

I did exactly the same as you, but didn't know of Ctrl+W to close a tab. You have speeded things up for me so thankyou.

p.s. Do you use the linky add-on for firefox to speed up your other drops? Most useful to open up tabs from a list of sites you want to drop on.

Tam

3/1/2008 12:10:52 AM

Oh, and I just wanted to add..

Although entrecard credits are created all the time, they are also being destroyed. Whenever an ad runs on your site, you only get a % of the credits, the rest of them dissapear.

Currently, I think it's just 25% you get from an ad fee. (could well be wrong, don't quote me on that)

To keep the economy in check, they can always lower or raise this % if needs be.

Tam

3/1/2008 12:21:41 AM

Hi Tam. Thanks for your comments.

I had forgotten about the discount in the credits you get for displaying an ad. Actually I think its as high as 50%. The theory is that since two credits get created for one drop (one for the dropper and one for the droppee), you pay twice as much to advertise - half of which disappear. In theory that would work. But as many other blogs have pointed out, people just are not spending their credits. Also, people (like us) are finding new ways to drop more frequently. This drives up the ad prices and creates more credits while making them more difficult to spend.

I haven't checked out the Linky add-on. I usually prefer to just drop on the people who dropped on me. I like to return the favor!

Cheers,
Jeff

Jeff

3/1/2008 3:03:42 AM

Interesting idea.

I get a little bored just dropping. I am happy with getting credits for reading new blogs.

I am still yet to really use any of my aquired credits yet though.

Maybe I shgould start soon!

Forest Parks

3/1/2008 5:40:17 AM

This is what everyone is doing and I don't think it will destroy EntreCard.

What will destroy EntreCard is that when no one clicks anymore.

Deimos Tel`Arin

3/1/2008 4:00:42 PM

this is a good system of getting a lot of entrecredits. I used to just drop cards at every site just to earn those credits. but lately, I decided to read the articles in the sites I visit. after all, that's the real goal of the entrecard system, isn't it?

monaco

3/1/2008 4:09:57 PM

Yes...it definitely is Monaco!

The thing that just really concerns me is it seems the number of EC credits people collect and use for advertising is constantly rising. This suggests the value of the credit is decreasing - which is what you would expect when more credits are being created than destroyed. Its the basic law of economics.

I wonder if we can get Graham Langdon to chime in?

Jeff

3/1/2008 4:55:47 PM

That is a good point Deimos. But it seems to me that most people use EntreCard just to drop their card. I don't think as many people are paying for advertising, and I don't think people often click on the ads running on a particular blog. I know that I personally just click on the "Drop Yours" link and not on the actual ad image. If this is what most people do, why even bother with credits?

I think maybe one solution is to keep credits for advertising only. Pay someone to advertise on their blog and someone pays you to advertise on yours. You don't need to get credits for dropping your card. Just a thought.

Jeff

3/1/2008 8:18:45 PM

Everyone! Please check out may latest post for an AMAZING response from Graham Langdon, EntreCard's founder, regarding this discussion.

www.buzzmyblog.com/.../...Future-of-EntreCard.aspx

Jeff

Jeff