Tuesday, April 7, 2009

My two cents on paid ads

It seems like everyone has complaints about this new paid ad system that Entrecard is forcing down our throats. Well, I'm no different. I realize that it is a necessary evil and all, but to me, it just seems as if it takes out the human aspect of advertising.

Didn't we all join to gain readers? Do you really want to pay someone to read your blog? I know I don't. No offense to those that have paid for ads, but in my book, priority should go to those that use their hard earned credits to advertise on my site.

I forgot whose blog it was that I was reading last night, but someone suggested they just make a whole different widget for the paid ads. That makes sense to me. Unfortunately, Entrecard won't even delete cards that have accounts deleted from their site, so how can we even think they'll do something that would actually make sense like this?

On top of all this, my dashboard is cluttered with paid ads, yet I haven't received any normal ads lately. Not to mention the ads that I have bought aren't getting seen because of these paid ads.

They say the ratio is 50/50, but think about it...if you go to a site that has at least 5 paid ads running and then the 1 normal ad, chances are you'll see the paid ad, and on top of that, unless you're willing to sit there and keep refreshing through the ads on a given blog, you probably won't get to the normal ad. To make thins worse, you can't even tell which ones are paid and which ones aren't.

I really wish the powers that be at entrecard would come up with something better than this. As I said before, I understand they need to make money, but some of us joined with the intent of everything being free, and don't want to be subject to this Nazi-esque regime of paid ads. Perhaps they should do the most logical thing, have those that pay for ads be the ones that show paid ads and leave the rest of us be.

So, here's my decision about ads and entrecard in general...those that have paid ads running I will let you run your course, if you have been a faithful dropper in the past...other than that paid ads will NOT be run on my blog. So, for everyone else, don't be afraid to buy up some ad space. As far as I'm concerned, the blogger to blogger contact with no monetary involvement is better. This system doesn't sit well with me. As I've mentioned in an earlier post, I have been growing ever more frustrated with entrecard and have thought of leaving more than once, this is seriously about to push me over the edge, but I want to see if they can right the ship.

While I'm thinking about it, has anyone else noticed that since they've started with the paid ad system, the site has been down almost daily? Isn't the whole purpose of this thing to make money for upgrades and such? Apparently it's not working!

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother!

18 comments:

Unknown said...

Amen, amen, amen!!!!

The Hawg! said...

Pretty well sums up my thoughts on the whole mess. Now, I did allow paid ads on one blog (the famed All Arkie Army), but have elected to decline them on two.

Why? I want to be a good sport, but the ads on my main blog are expensive. If someone pays, say, 1,024 credits to advertise, shouldn't that person have the right to have their card shown all the time?

The Fitness Diva said...

I also have noticed a drop in the number of EC advertisers in the past few days. My queue usually stays busy, but today, my advertising rate actually fell to the lowest it's been since I started on Entrecard (before I knew how the system worked)
I was like, "wow...is this a preview of things to come?"
I also suggested in the forum that they change the widget so that it shows BOTH ads, one on top, one on the bottom. Who knows if that suggestion will even be considered. I think it's a good idea, because then everyone gets all the exposure for their ad time.
Anyway, I guess we'll all have to wait and see how this goes, eh?

pussreboots said...

I let three paid ads run their course on my widget. Now I am not accepting any new ones -- just the old fashioned EC credit based ads. I have no intention of buying ads for money. I am still spending credits to buy ads on my favorite blogs.

Lola said...

Entrecard needs to go to the double widget. Run an EC ad on the left and a paid ad on the right. If they are that greedy they can run 2 ads per day on the paid ad right side.

Val said...

I'm thinking the double ad system would work nicely, but I expect the advertisers wouldn't want competition in the space for viewing their ad.

I'm not sure Entrecard thought the whole thing through before they launched this. I can't believe they didn't solicit more fb before implementing such a drastic change for the system.

I still have to delete my widgets and all but I wanted to go in and bookmark my fave blogs and the people that visited mine pretty faithfully. Just haven't gotten there yet. But in the meantime, rejecting all the stupid paid ads is annoyingly time consuming. As if all the incessant dropping weren't enough, now people will have to click through all the ads every day to allow/disallow.

I guess the system couldn't run for free forever...they had to make cash somehow. It just seems like there could have been a better system set up. I'm thinking now that maybe set days would have been better--MWF for paid ads, the rest for free blog ads.

foongpc said...

I agree to the idea of two different widgets for paid ads and non paid ads. It's only fair for EC members who worked hard to earn their credits.

Mr. New Dilemma said...

I too am declining paid ads on my blog, and your always more them welcome to advertise there. I would submit an ad for your site, but I'm too EC poor to afford you,lol. (besides, my site crashed and now must be rebuit, boo-hoo)

Tina said...

I agree with you!

Ruz said...

I totally agree with you! I just approve the blogs that are originally set up for ads but totally ignored the paid ads.

Shawn said...

It would have been nice if they'd offered an incentive of some sort for approving the ads. Some credits or something. And then have the advertisers choose which blogs to buy ads on, instead of the site-wide type of system they seem to have going now. And yeah, the two-pronged widget would have probably been better than the time-split deal.

Nick Phillips (15/03/1967 - 04/11/2022) said...

I have to agree. I'm rejecting all my paid ads and approving only those who have advertised with me before ...

Unknown said...

I gave up on Entrecard a few eeks ago. It only really worked if you spent hours dropping cars and I really didn't have the time to do that. Anyhoo, I find Twitter and Facebook bring more readers.

john said...

I wanted to be a team player and give my support, but these payed ads have ruled my blog. I have many waiting in line to run. I hate rejected ads because i feel bad, but Im afraid I might have to start with these paid ads.

Sandi said...

I've given you an award :)

http://nothingofflimitshere.blogspot.com/2009/04/coolest-award-ever.html

LODS said...

paid ads are every where. they to have taken over my dashboard and flooded me with paid ads. They dont stop they keep coming and coming. the suggestion of one blogger to make another widget solely for paid ads is a good idea. this way it wont take away from the non paid adverts purchased by ec.

Mystery Man said...

Sherry- filled with the Mystery Man spirit, eh? lol

Hawg- great minds think alike, eh?

Fitness Diva- in an odd turn of events, since I posted this, my ad price has been the highest ever, but my daily clicks and such are sill down

pussreboots- sometimeso ld fashioned is the best way to go, especially in a situation like this

Lola- a double widget seems to be the best option, but it makes too much sense for it to actually happen

Val- the advertisers aren't important. it's those of us that work hard for our credits that matter. i'm with you on EC not thinking this whole thing through. not to mention somethine smells fishy about how quickly the forcd this on everyone

foongpc- voting for the double widget, toom huh?

New Dilemma- will do, ASAP

Tina- thanks

Ruz- that's they way things should be done

Shawn- that makes too much sense. It would never work.EC would have to show they care about its members.Heaven forbid!!!! lol

Kate- I was wondering what happened to you. I'm on facebook, too, but I don't blog there.

John- don't you just love how they've taken over everything...just like a virus...if not worse!!!

Sandi- thanks!

Life, Marriage, and Kids- they're just like ants that have had their mound distrubed. once you stir them up, they keep coming and won't stop

Paul Baines said...

I've just heard that Gregory Mathews is building an alternative system that will essentially "clone" the old Entrecard system, it won't involve paid ads and hopefully we can all shuffle over there and leave Graham to twiddle his thumbs and gaze into his navel as he wonders why his world came crashing down around him lol.