UPDATE:Just a few minutes ago the EntreCard blog announce that they will POSTPONE the sponsored ads to 5th October + the SMALL FEE program, for 50$/year (4,17$/month) you can opt out completely from the sponsored ad program.
Today i write again about EntreCard as i'm also a little bit concerned about their new developments.
In case you didn't visit some of the other blogs who have already written about the current changes or have not read in the EntreCard forum/blog about the on-going changes and developments, you will have a chance to have a look into these posts from my article.
It's all about the old invention in a new package: paid ads turned into "forced sponsored ads". This was announced on 22nd September in the EntreCard blog.
Difference between the old paid ads and the new "forced sponsored ads":
- No more CashOut program
- In the first few weeks no possibility to reject the ads
- not able to reject all ads when this reject ads-option will be available
The main purpose of these ads is to fund the EntreCard system with the help of the page views of their members.
15% of the Network's INVENTORY (what a nice word they used for the member's resources!) will be filled with sponsored ads per day.
They want to present ads which are Family-oriented and they shall be for everyone acceptable.
When we read now one response in the EntreCard forum from the new owner Andrew Te it sounds for me completely different and much more acceptable.
So, what's going to happen when Sept. 28th comes around?This means we might see on Monday the usual logo from EntreCard like we see it on blogs with no current ad running, perhaps with a slightly different message as they promote only the EntreCard Market and the Forum!
This is just an "official" starting date we're giving users. We don't have a list of sponsors waiting to take up any of the ad space. If any ads were to run at all, it'll be to promote Entrecard Market (http://entrecard.com/market/) and possibly this forum. It could also mean that we might not run any ads for the next few months. But it's important for us as a company to reserve a percentage of our inventory to sponsors because we do see it as huge revenue model based on other free advertising networks.
With this said, i believe the members can influence this decision!
It's very simple, just follow the way like Shaunalynn and Caledonian Comment already had done it.
"Push EntreCard down" it or "EntreCard is at the end" (bottom of the page) like i want to call.
What will happen when more and more members join in this "Push EntreCard down"-campaign?
This might bring less advertisers into the system and EntreCard has to look for new ways to earn money or just listen more closely to the suggestions of their members.
There are a lot of suggestion given by the members in the forums or in blog posts and comments.
- One of the most read suggestions is a double-ad widget which would display one EC-based ad and one sponsored ad (which should be rejectable).
- Another suggestion is to monetize the Front page and the User pages inside of Entrecard with Google Adsense advertisement (like it can be seen in Blogcatalog).
- Or they could make a paid premium membership for a small fee which prevents that sponsored ads will be shown on their widget.
UPDATE:
Just a few minutes ago the EntreCard blog announced that they will POSTPONE the sponsored ads to 5th October + the SMALL FEE program, for 50$/year (4,17$/month) you can opt out completely from the sponsored ad program
Oh dear, I have yet to see this latest development Martin, am not liking the fee idea much though. It's funny how we have to pay in order to avoid having paid ads on our blogs, me no likey! :(
ReplyDeleteThere have been so many changes to Entrecard lately that it is hard to keep up.
ReplyDeleteI have not been following them as closely as you have, but I keep hoping it will stabilize at a good place.
@Mariuca:
ReplyDeleteMe either, i know i won't pay money for blocking their ads. Even when this would hurt my ad price in EC.
As i displayed last time the paid ads, the visitors still came to my blog. I think it's the same in your case.
Perhaps i will move my widget at the bottom of the page if the ads are too offensive, but for now wait until 5th October...
Thanks for your comment!
I wrote a little bit about this in my EntreCard Update a couple of days ago, and compared EntreCard to networks like Adgitze, CMF Ads and Project Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThen, I set up a survey to get a sense of what networks people are using as well as which networks they've abandoned.
Personally, I'm likeing Adgitize more and more, but I'm finding with my initial survey results that CMF Ads really seems to be the network where people seem to be the happiest.
I want to thank you for filling out the survey, and I hope that many of your readers will stop by and fill out the survey as well.
I will be writing more about the survey in the future as I get more responses.
Thanks for the update--I'm not good at reading the forums.
ReplyDeleteI always like to wait these announcements out as there is usually some adjustment.
I think this whole thing sucks. It's no longer a free service is we are required to pay to keep ads off our blogs. I've purchase EC for a very long time. Doesn't that pay into the system? I would think so. Tomorrow I'm putting my EC advert at the bottom of my blog (after my last ads run) and just see what happens. I'm thinking I'm not going to be around too long though. The new owners are not very impressive in my view.
ReplyDeleteHave a terrific day. :)
@aldon:
ReplyDeleteThanks for mentioning your survey here. It's really a fast and easy survey.
You just have to click if you're part in one, all or some of the given Ad networks/traffic exchanges/blog directories and submit it to him.
It would be also of interest why they are part of CMF Ads:
1. Is it because they can earn money and cash it out (50% of it)?
2. Is it because they get good traffic for their invested money?
My Opinion as far as i could see is that the received clicks are quite low (less than 1% of the ad views). It's more for branding your logo.
Adgitize is the best as they force the member to click and visit the advertiser's or preferred publisher's blogs.
The Preferred Publisher Program was a good invention as it provides light traffic for free if you are an active clicker and it will force more members to click regularly the 50 or 100 blogs daily to stay on the PP-List!
Thanks again for your comment and your article!
@ Sandee:
ReplyDeleteYup, i have already a topic for my next post for tomorrow :) Why i don't pay the 50$ to EntreCard!
Let's wait and see what it is all about in a few hours!
Don't pay it!! Everyone will get very upset with you!!
ReplyDeleteI have no choice as I can't risk sponsored ads. I actually am sitting here thinking of just closing my blog down because of all of this stress.
I have already moved my widget down below Adgetize and CMF. that's a long way down on my blog, as you know.
To be honest with you I thoght this was what everyone was sking for. that's why I wrote my post. Now I find I totally misunderstood everything.
I am so confused it's not even funny!!Truly it's not!!:-(
In the light of the Entrecard announcement delaying the introduction of their Paid Ads until 5th October, I've placed the widget back to its old position.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm still not happy about the concept of handing them $50. Effectively that's paying them not to post on our blogs without our permission.
Entrecard have a lot of apologising and bridge-building to do over the next few weeks to restore confidence. It's still very possible I'll move the widget back down or even remove it all together.
hmm it sound not good. i want havnt see yet the last development. argghh
ReplyDeleteLatev,
structure-settlement.com
I've decided to wait and see how this plays out, but have moved the widget down further on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI don't call US$50 a small fee! That's a great way for them to get the money they want without having "sponsor ads". I don't know what the solution is, but I'm getting annoyed that people are taking off their widgets without telling anybody. Those sites that are still linked in my toolbar still come up, but Oh Look! No widget! Waste of my time.
ReplyDeleteEntrecard has gotten so complicated, I think they've forgotten their main mission. There are so many changes, I can't keep up. If things get more hectic, I may just focus on blog catalog.
ReplyDelete