entrecard drop card bloggingI know how you all hate Entrecard related posts, so I won’t chime in with yet another useless one to tell you how cool it is and how much traffic I am getting from it. I will though talk about HOW to make sure that traffic is less crappy as it should be in such a program.

If you want repeated QUALITY visitors and many comments, then just don’t go to Entrecard. Just like StumbleUpon, Digg and other schemes like these, Entrecard is a good way to get visitors, but the bounce rate is HORRIBLY HIGH. Yes, Entrecard traffic is crappy traffic, but it’s traffic in the end. It’s still good because you do get some visits (quite many if you are active there) and you might also discover some nice blogs to befriend with. Some of the biggest blogs are also present in the program, so maybe it’s not that bad anyway.

Let’s see now HOW to make sure some of this non-quality traffic turns into repeated visitors who are actually interested in what you write there, not just to drop that stupid card and be out of the blog before you can say “spam”.

1. You do get what you give.

So, you know about some scripts that can help you drop 300 cards in 3 minutes. Or less, or automate this process and earn as many credits as possible while not giving a damn about the blogs you visit? I think you have the big chance of getting the same result as the poeple you try to “fool” in this game.

Before you download that script think about this: “Would I like my visitors to use such scripts so that they don’t have to spend less than 1 second on my blog?”. Are you happy thinking you spent yet another hour writing that meaningful post 99% of your visitors won’t even bother reading, because they are interested in just dropping a card and be on their way?

In the end how DO YOU FEEL about this?

I can tell you with all sincerity that it saddens me, especially since I know how much I work for my articles and how useful some of these are. In the end I didn’t open my blog just to be ignored, I love it when people come and read and why not, even comment.

This is why I DO NOT use ANY automation script. I do visit each blog, even if it does take a while. And from hundreds of crappy blogs (yes, so many are just junk) I have found some excellent ones I also commented. And I am thrilled to be able to visit them daily and read some more of their great articles.

2. Search for relevant blogs.

I am a web developer mainly. This means I have few categories I visit and drop my cards on: web development, blogging, design, online marketing, make money online. Even if I would love reading some nice personal blogs or I love pets (I have 2 dogs too), since my time is LIMITED, I just visit the blogs that are in my area of expertise. By dropping my card on SIMILAR blogs I have the chance of getting visitors from the same topic.

3. Don’t just drop the card. READ!

I do consider that a lot of the blogs I see daily are useless junk. Yeah, I can tell this because I READ THEM. I cannot brag with reading tens or articles, but I do scan carefully the page I find the card widget on (the index usually). It is a slower motion in my case, less drops than in the automated process, but I do get more from this. I am able to track good content and the blogs that, even if are small, promise a lot from the start. Before I drop my card, I scan the content fast and if I feel like I have something to say, then I do say it.

4. So you found something interesting? COMMENT!

I think this is one of the best things. I use Entrecard to find SIMILAR blogs that are of quality. I know the big ones and read them daily, even if some have lost all that freshness. You cannot blog for 4 years and still be as fresh as a new blogger, it’s a fact. The same goes with the quality of the content that doesn’t exist ONLY on the big blogs. I know some small blogs (maybe with less articles than I have here) that always offer a great read. Size does matter in some cases, in blogging, content can be good in a 2 week old blog as it is in a 4 year one.

And yes, as soon as I do find an interesting article, I drop by (more than my card) and post a comment. I use my name and the blog link and try to reply to the article that sparked my attention.

This usually makes the blogger come visit my blog too and comment on an article ofr mine. Or even more, if he/she finds more interesting. I visit my commenters daily to see what’s new there and everytime someone drops a comment, I visit the site in the search of something nice and interesting to read. And sometimes I do find an excellent blog I never knew existed.

In this way I was able to get some visitors who now like my blog and come as soon as I posted something on the blog. They comment, we already have a nice realtionship started on Entrecard.

You can get use Entrecard just to get that increased traffic and drop 300 cards a day while not caring about ANYTHING but those points, or you can do the right thing: use this as a means to visit some interesting blogs, comment on them, get your name out there and gain some quality traffic too plus some RSS subscribers.

No, I won’t bore you with stats and other things, there are already tens of blogs praising the system and trying to convince you how cool it is. It’s not the best way to get the best traffic, but if you play your “card” right, you might find some excellent blogs and some people you’ll just love reading from now on.