To Be, Or Not To Be A “Popular” EntreCarder.
Written on March 12th, 2008 by Beth
We, as bloggers, are a selfish group. Admit it, because I will. I would love to have the most popular blog in the world, make thousands of dollars and retire to a log cabin in the woods where I could live out my days chopping wood and talking to animals-and not shaving my pits, or legs. But, let’s face the facts, it isn’t going to happen because my goal with blogging isn’t to be popular-I enjoy connecting with people from different backgrounds and reading their views on the world.
When I joined EntreCard, my goal wasn’t to be well-known, controversial, or as some may see me, a total witch,(which, for the record, couldn’t be further from the truth-I just happen to be a female who speaks my mind). I wanted to network with new bloggers, make blogging friends and learn. Yes, learn. If some would take the time to actually read a few posts on a blog, whether it’s in your niche, or general interest area, you just may learn something. This is how I view EntreCard. I get it-I understand the concept behind the idea. So do others. Unfortunately, some don’t and to them, being popular is more important. For what reasons? This is but one social network. If, as a blogger, you only allow yourself to associate with a certain niche, you’re cheating yourself.
I don’t mean go browsing and comment on every post you read-most bloggers, myself included, will delete such comments. EntreCard has thousands of blogs -find 5, outside of your normal niched reading, add them to your favorites, or feed reader and keep an eye on the topics. I can guarantee one post will get your attention and you will comment. You’ll then find yourself following up on other posts, commenting and before you know it, the readers of that particular blog can become readers of your blog. This is networking. Not dropping cards, not selling credits, not hoarding credits for contests, but interacting with others. I understood this from the beginning and was told so-I won’t say by whom, just a secret squirrel.
To respond to Fantasy Baseball’s post- being on the Popular page doesn’t make you an expert. No one can claim to be an expert in anything except maybe John Chow and Problogger. It only means you have more time to drop cards thus more credits to spend on advertising.
-Beth
March 12th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
So…if we don’t ascribe to your (and the squirrel’s) definition of the TRUE purpose of Entrecard, i.e. “networking”, should we all just pack it up and go home? Or perhaps is there room in the Entreworld for credit vendors, traffic generators, drop and run Entrepreneurs who see this community as part of their business and not their social network?
There is no “correct” way to Entrecard.
March 12th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
I felt the same when I read about the popular pages too. Seems like juniour high again with people wanting to be popular. I like finding new blogs, I’ve been to many of the EC blogs at least once. Too hard to get to them all as there are many new blogs which seem to be hit or miss and others which just don’t update often.
Glad to be writing with you here on the EC blog.
March 12th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Its all about networking, the harder you work at it and make friends with other members and visitors they will visit more often in return and subscribe to your RSS feed. As I see it always posting fresh new content and consistently updating your posts and responding will draw back readers and create content for search engines that is relevant to that page that will drive in more traffic in the long run. Being popular is all about the networking and what you have to offer to the community in your Niche.
March 12th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Run your business. I’m just tired of having endless ads and having everthing turned into an ad or an opportunity for your business. Even on TV, radio and magazines there is a break for art, socializing and such in between the ads. On the Internet the ads just keep coming. You can’t shut them off.
March 12th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
@Kent: Not once did I say you HAD to use EntreCard as I do. I explained my way of utilizing the service and the reasons why. If you’re using EntreCard as part of your “business,” this only proves my point that you’re in this for yourself and not to truly network. How do you think businesses in the real world function? Do you think they call a potential sponsor say hi my name is so and so from Acme Products and hang up? This is essentially what “power dropping” does. Sure, you expose your blog, business, whatever, but you expect people to only read what you have to say without taking the time to learn the other person’s views. Which is why you completely misunderstood my post. For the record, networking is a social aspect, whether it’s business or personal related.
Laura: Same here
Daily Tech: Here we go with the “niches” again. Staying within your niche limits the exposure you receive. Does anyone ever think of this aspect to networking? Ok, you may be in the “technology” niche. Although my blog is listed under “humor”-guess what? I write about technology as well because this is what my background is in. I’m sure there are many others as well.
March 12th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
I said I was an expert at being on the popular page, because I had been there for three months and I was relaying a technique that I know works to anyone who wanted to know. I don’t think I said I was an expert at whatever Chow or PB do. So not sure where that digg came from.
I’ve never had a Entrecard contest and I only posted on this blog because I’ve never spoken about Entrecard on my blog, so I thought this was a nice opportunity for me. So about the contest and Entrecard, again I’m not sure who you’re talking about.
Hoarding credits? I had 24 credits to my name at the start of today. In my post I said to buy credits. Aren’t you the one that sells credits? Isn’t that hoarding?
Start arguments in the forum? I said to say “If you’re wrong, concede to the other side.” Which I invariably do in the forums, cause, frankly, it’s not worth the stress. Again, I’m really not sure which post you were reading.
You comment on five blogs, that’s good. I said to comment on fifteen a day. I said don’t make spam comments.
I’m just going to assume you didn’t read my post, but decided the title was a good jumping off point for your post. Was just trying to give back what little info I had to offer, but I’m done with the Entrecard blog, ain’t worth my trouble. Cheers.
Graham, you can cancel my blog account.
March 12th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
I could live out my days chopping wood and talking to animals-and not shaving my pits, or legs.
Gee thanks for the visual. :-X
March 13th, 2008 at 12:13 am
Beth,
I only caught part of the “controversy” that you got caught up in recently and wouldn’t have put a second thought to it except I couldn’t find the entrecard widget on your site for a while. Kudos to you for being someone who speaks their mind, but I didn’t expect your kind of assertive ignorance here on the official Entrecard blog. You have a blog to air your opinions about what you perceive networking to be or how to do business and normally I wouldn’t care because I don’t read your blog or care to follow what you have to say. However, I guess I have an expectation that the contributors to the official Entrecard blog will have the presence of mind to avoid controversy, intentional or not. I didn’t agree with everything that Stan suggested in his post, but his tone was such that I didn’t feel that he was attacking anyone or demeaning others who choose to implement a different strategy, at least in the capacity of a contributor to this official blog. In my mind you crossed the line and so I commented, only to have you respond that I must have misunderstood your meaning, which I clearly did not. You proceed to lecture me about how business is done, forget the fact that I’ve been in the business world in sales and marketing, executive positions, and as a business consultant, for 25 years.
I believe the appropriate term is “loose cannon.”
March 13th, 2008 at 12:20 am
@Stan:
I was simply responding to what you wrote. Not once did I mention you did any of those things. And me selling credits? I sold 2000 to one person, I hardly call that hoarding and considering I didn’t use EntreCard for a week because of people not actually reading, personal attacks and assuming someone is stating something they’re not, I came back to 26 credits to my name, now 711, none of which I can use to advertise because I am paying people back for reviews they purchased from me with EC credits. I was giving information I had to offer, just as you. We all have different ways of using EntreCard, I stated mine, as you stated yours. Never have I said anyone had to utilize EC in the same manner- I merely offered another point of view, just as you did. But to stomp off and say “cancel my account,” because someone uses the service in a different way and says so, is a bit childish. I for one will stand my ground. I use EC in a different manner. You use EC in a different manner. In no way was I attempting to force anyone, yourself included, to pick a side. I gave another option. Simple as that.
March 13th, 2008 at 12:50 am
Why is it considered “lecturing” when I state an opinion, but when someone else offers their opinion on how they do things, it’s giving advice. You said, “You have a blog to air your opinions about what you perceive networking to be or how to do business and normally I wouldn’t care because I don’t read your blog or care to follow what you have to say.” But isn’t this what everyone contributing to this blog is doing? So it’s ok for Stan to give his opinions on this blog, but not ok if I do? I’m confused as to why, to be honest. Again, this is another situation where someone reads into something that isn’t there. You cannot read emotions from words alone. And yes you assume I am saying something I’m not. I’m also not telling anyone what to do. I gave an opinion. AN OPINION just as others have done on this blog. I wrote a post on how I viewed EC and networking. You have your thoughts, I have mine. I never personally attacked you-but yet again, I’m personally attacked. You don’t even know me yet you call me a loose cannon- a loose cannon for stating my thoughts on a service?
March 13th, 2008 at 4:37 am
So according to your definition, networking is all about creating friendships between blogs. I agree up to the point where you said “not dropping cards, not selling credits, not hoarding credits for contests”. People drop cards to be seen and to let people know that they visited, that somehow, that blogger is a part of a daily to-do list, which is flattering.
Networking is also finding ways to increase exposure. Being friends with others is fine, but being in entrecard means you are at least minimally interested in marketing and promoting your blog even to people who won’t be your close friends, for one reason or another.
Being on the popular page doesn’t make you an expert, yes, BUT being there tells the community that you are among the more active people here. You visit blogs more often and you get visited more often.
You’re one tough lady, and I think you know the expression “if you can dish it, you can eat it too”. I think the “attacking” thing depends on the recipient. If they ‘felt attacked’, then who are you to say that you didn’t attack them? The same as when you say you are being attacked… it’s your own judgment. it’s a very subjective thing.
There are people who cheapen the card dropping system of Entrecard. We aren’t widgets, we are blogs. When people drop their cards, they visit.And we are thankful.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:25 am
I was going to suggest we write a point/counterpoint on a topic, but then I was blindsided by your post. You had my personal email. You could have very easily gave me a heads up.
Someone who read the post after you submitted it for review could have said something. Lord knows we receive enough “Reply to all” emails. I would’ve expected Graham or Phirate to say, “Hey, you know while we like this other POV, could we avoid bashing other Entrecard blog contributors.”
I didn’t realize by contributing to the blog I was opening myself up to attack from my fellow Entrecard contributors. I can take heated exchange in a comment section, but to post about someone seems to me unfair. So that’s why I said I won’t be contributing anymore. I’ll still have an Entrecard widget on my site, still will be active in the forums, and still will be on the Most Popular page. Natch.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Ok, to everyone here respectfully, we’re going to move on from this.
There is no one correct way to use Entrecard. It works differently for different people with different goals.
If anything, I feel this illustrates just how passionately people feel about their particular way of using Entrecard.
March 13th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
You must’ve seen this coming when you approved this post. *smile*
March 13th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
LOL..God I love blogging…too funny, it is fun to read everyones opinion on things… lets you know the real side of a person when you can read their thoughts instead of being in front of them.
March 13th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
I think a lot of Fantasy Baseball’s writing has his tongue firmly placed in his cheek.
When he said he was an exert, it was in the following context….
“Does this make me an expert? Yup.”
Elsewhere in the article he says.
“I’m almost to the Popular Page and for the first time in my life I feel alive!”
From the latter comment, are we to infer that making the popular page on Entrecard was the be all and end all of his existence? Does he genuinely think that such a feat will be the crowning achievement of everyone who goes after him?
I don’t think this very likely, just as I don’t think the first claim (of him being an expert in getting onto the popular page at Entrecard) is him claiming a chair in Chow lounge.
I read it as him taking the mickey out of himself. He understands that making the page is not a big real world deal.
Giving tips on how to achieve things like this, you always run the risk of being accused that you are taking yourself too seriously and perhaps your priorities skewed.
It’s ok though, to want to win at silly board games, its ok to want to have all your cups facing the same direction in the cupboard, and its ok to want to throw playing cards into a top hat without missing.
Do you know what? If Fantasy Baseball can manage to get an entire deck of 52 to land in the hat (from a reasonable distance obviously), then yes, he is an expert.
If he throws a few decks for a few hours a day to keep in shape, then when it comes time for the World Series of Playing Card Tossing, my money will be on him and not John Chow, Problogger or Archbishop Demond Tutu.
March 13th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
I take it all back!
Fantasy Baseball advised me to start a post in the Promotions forum begging for drops when you got close to your target, promising the droppers 10 credits each.
I just did it, but ran into a wall wherby you are only allowed to send credits to 10 sites in a 24 hour period.
The man clearly doesn’t know what he’s talking about, I’m going back to John Chow.
Disclaimer – Please scan above post for sarcasm
March 13th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
I still find it amazing how people can read into things so easily by analyzing a post. I did exactly as everyone else, I stated an opinion. One opinion that is mine. Never did I say anyone had to agree. Never did I say I was an expert-tongue and cheek or not. This is not about being popular, this is about reaching out and finding other blogs/bloggers.With that said, the subject is now moot. Graham said move forward, so let’s move forward. I hope my next post about the number of cows on the internet doesn’t cause such a stir, because yes, that post will be tongue and cheek.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Your number of cows best be the same as my number of cows +/- 10% or you and me is going to tangle.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
@Tam: I’m in the process of my calculations as I type. Maybe if it does come down to us “tangling” we can call the Jerry Springer show-I think they pay about $500 a piece for a good down and dirty fight. And what better to fight over than-cows.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I thought it was interesting that you offered to post to this blog, but was more than a little taken aback by the tone. I notice this “tone” because it seems to be a theme. And while I like EC purely for it’s networking points, there are many others that don’t feel that way and have made it very obvious that they are only here for exposure. That’s fine, as long as they don’t spam my blog while exposing themselves. I prefer to find new blogs to read and new bloggers to get to know. That’s my ultimate goal here.
However, I do believe you took some unnecessary pot shots at Stan (who has mentioned in the forums that if anyone makes an off-topic comment on his blog it will be deleted). And the above quote, taken from your comment but also a repeat of a phrase in your initial post, illustrates that. It’s one thing to have an opinion, but when it’s stated in such a way as you’ve done then you should be prepared to handle the fallout.
You stated your opinion and I respect that. Respect that this is my opinion.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
[...] about whether Entrecard is a place to gain visibility in the blogosphere or make new blogging friends . There is no right or wrong way; this is a community with a little something for [...]
March 15th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
[...] differing perspectives about whether Entrecard is a place to gain visibility in the blogosphere or make new blogging friends . There is no right or wrong way to benefit from Entrecard. Here is the list of 37 participants in [...]
March 16th, 2008 at 10:50 am
[...] differing perspectives about whether Entrecard is a place to gain visibility in the blogosphere or make new blogging friends . There is no right or wrong way to benefit from Entrecard. Here is the list of 37 participants in [...]