The Entrecard $50 fee implementation



While dropping EC's, though for the life of me I don't know why, I checked out EC's latest blog post and here is what I found posted below. A $50 fee for not accepting paid ads? Are you kidding me? As a result, I will not be accepting any more ads beginning today. Those of you who have already bought ads on my blog, your ads will be honored. I am going to take a wait and see on this and figure out what is best for Poetic Shutterbug. In the meantime, I will be going through as many blogs as I can on EC to follow the ones in which I am interested. Below is the latest on the EC blog.


Implementation of sponsor ads program postponed until Oct. 5

Written on September 27th, 2009 by Cindy

Hello Entrecarders,

We just wanted to update everyone that the sponsor ads will be postponed for another week, until Oct. 5, 2009. When it is implemented, users will have the option to opt out of the sponsor ads program completely for a small fee. For just $50 a year, you can have your widget free of sponsor ads. We have provided this option for those of you who are concerned about the sponsor ads. Thank you for your support.

Cindy

Comments

This is ridiculous. There's no way I'm going to spend $50 to use Entrecard without paid ads. I'm going to wait to see what happens on 05 October. If I'm not happy, I'll just remove Entrecard.

I don't object to losing 15% of the ad time. I object to having no control over what ads show. There's no way I'm going to allow any unsavory topics to be advertised on my blog.

If you decide to leave, will you replace the Entrecard with something else?
Unknown said…
Yeah, I'm not too crazy about this either. I can't disallow certain paid ads and they may not be something I'm happy with being on my blog.
I'm also taking a wait and see attitude. However, I'm also trying to gather more data as I decide what to do. Because of that, I'm encouraging people to fill out my survey about advertising networks.

It is quick and it would be great if you and your readers could fill out the survey.
Joanne Olivieri said…
John, it really is ridiculous. They're going to take 15% of our ad time away then charge us for not accepting paid ads. It's unbelievable. I know what you mean about not having control on the ads that are shown. I have adgitize and have made money with them as a publisher only but it's the same thing that you do not have control on the ads. The problem with adgitize ads sometimes are that they will bring virus warnings, popups, downloads etc... so I don't like that on my blog either. I do have Project wonderful which is great because you approve the ads on your blog and don't have to do anything but stick the widget on your page. I'm like you, taking a wait and see on EC. I may have to take it down after the 5th.

AMH615, exactly, I am picky about the ads so we'll see what happens.
Rick (Ratty) said…
Entrecard is pushing harder and harder. It takes a lot to get me upset. I've been taking a wait and see attitude with them through a lot of things. They are moving ever closer to my breaking point though. As a lot of people know by now, I do a lot of advertising on Entrecard. I see my ad on your sidebar as I write this. I really only mostly do it to pass along the credits to blogs I like. I will still wait this latest slap in the face from Entrecard out, but as of right now I'll stop advertising until I'm satisfied that things are settled down with them. If even one of their paid ads that come across my sidebar is something I object to, I will drop them completely and forever. I have already joined CMF Ads and Adgitize. I've talked to the person who runs Adgitize and I'm especially very happy with them right now.
betchai said…
Oh, sorry about this Jo, hope this can be resolved. I am no longer with Entrecard, since I do not think it is fair to advertisers if I can not be there for my blog often dropping.
WillOaks Studio said…
Hi Joanne--I took "radical" action at the beginning of the proposed 15% and was not mollified when they, first, postponed this until 10-5, and then suggested that for $50 per year, you could opt out of paid ads...I haven't accepted new ads because I shall relocate my EC widget tonight, begin to accept ads again, and THEN see about what happens..lost my EC popularity standing and all, BUT have just become completely relaxed about EC and took all kinds of new actions to replace it, sort of...spelled most of this out on my blog on Saturday...and we'll see what happens next!
katherine said…
WHATTTT????? are they crazy??? well, i will just wait until next week but absolutely i will not spend my $50 for them without paid ads. No way!
Hi,

When EntreCard started with the PaidAds routine, I refused them... With EC now running a referral program as well, its just become another junk exchange.

I held off leaving in hopes that the new owners would bring life back into EC. I should have stuck to my instincts.

My traffic sharing program, "Along for the Ride!" has done remarkably better then EC for quality traffic in its short life thanks to its many good members. I'll just have more time to work on it soon.
J. M. P. said…
Thanks for sharing, Joanne, I wasn't aware of the $50 thing... It makes no sense. My blog traffic relies on Entrecard but the only thing I've ever taken from EC are the bloggers I've met there. This is what is all about.
I'm not going to pay $50 a year to them either! I'll have to disable my widgets until after Oct. 5th..
Dragonblogger said…
Entrecard is good for initial traffic until blogs get most traffic from search engines. I have watched my blogs go from 50% EC traffic to less than 2% of EC traffic to my dragonblogger.com I could remove it tomorrow and wouldn't even notice traffic loss as a result of the badge being taken away. I could make more money offering that prime ad slot for $10 per month. I only keep it up because it encourages me to drop and reminds me to check out other peoples blogs. I often visit my advertisers when I see them on my site.
Tes said…
Hi Jo, this is atrocious! Sadly, entrecard is becoming greedy -I can almost predict a downfall -yikes! They might not reach 2010 if they keep doing these things.

Thank you for sharing this, Jo! :)
Lidian said…
I've had enough of EC too, and will be removing my widgets as soon as the ads run out at the end of this week. I had 3 blogs on there and dropped - well, never mind how many cards. A LOT of them. Bought loads of ads. I really liked EC. But - I am so tired of this sort of thing.

I really like CMF and have joined some other things too. I have bookmarked Poetic Shutterbug and will keep visiting.
Hi,

I just finished cleaning EntreCard off of my blog. Its a shame they decided to go this way. I have to agree that they won't be around very long with this attitude.
Joanne Olivieri said…
Ratty, I am just honoring the ads I've already accepted and then it's down to the footer of the blog. Like you, if there are unacceptable ads showing up, it's cancellation time.
Joanne Olivieri said…
betchia, at this point I just see them going down hill but I'll wait a while to see.

Willoaks, thanks for your thoughts on this. I'm waiting to relocate my widget until after the ads that are already on there have run. It's a wait and see for me as well.

Katherine, I agree. There is no way I'm paying them $50.

Mar Matthias, I have seen that Along For the Ride but have never checked it out. I will now however, thank you.

fullet, I agree in that I have met so many wonderful bloggers thru EC.

Icy, Same here.

Justin, That's a very good point, thanks for the idea.

Tes, they may not. I see them going downhill daily.

Lidian, thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts. I liked them too but they are becoming too greedy. Thank you for bookmarking Poetic Shutterbug, I am also following you :)

Mar Matthias, I haven't yet taken them down due to advertisers that I already approved but I will do something by Oct. 7th.
Cruiselife & Co said…
I'm glad you told about this because I was already considering canceling my blogs on entrecard. I have no time to drop and most of the people that do drop just run and never read a thing I write. Also, I have already learned how to market my blog for traffic without entrecard. I actually get double the amount of traffic when I don't drop. Go figure.

Popular posts from this blog

Hollywood and Highland Center

Thursday Two Questions Meme