EntreCard - Yes, No or Maybe?

“Question of the Week? Vote in our Poll!”

EntreCard - Yes, No or Maybe?

I am not sure yet.  I have been a member probably long enough that I should know but I just haven’t made up my mind yet.  There are so many different social networks that I haven’t really had enough time to give EntreCard a fair evaluation.

So what is EntreCard?  EntreCard is an advertising network.  The more popular your blog, the more it costs to advertise on your blog.  You earn EntreCard credits every time you go to a blog that participates in the EntreCard network and you “drop” your card.  Hopefully, you drop your card, then you click on the ad to go to the next blog that participates in EntreCard.

Some people say that EntreCard inflates your visitor numbers.  That most EntreCard members just run around “dropping” cards to increase their credits to advertise on other blogs.  These visitors just go to your blog to drop their card then they in turn, get advertising credits.  They aren’t interested in your blog and don’t have any intention on staying or looking around.

While others say that EntreCard gets the visitor to your blog and it is up to the blogger to keep them there or get them back.  I guess there is a point in this philosophy.

From what I have seen (again, without spending enough time to fairly evaluate) EntreCard does encourage mass visits.  If most bloggers are like me, and I believe they are, they do not have excess time to spare for browsing on blogs out of our niche.?  Some bloggers will click from one ad to another to get a few EC credits.  Some blogs just aren’t in your interest range so no matter how great they are, they are not going to stay very long on a blog that is out of their interest range.

Check out  EntreCard and visit BloggerNewbie and let me know what you think.

EntreCard- yes, no or maybe?

What do you think?  What has been your experience?

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious…”

~ George Bernard Shaw

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Do You Believe In Santa Claus?

“Question of the Week? Vote in our Poll!”

Do you believe in Santa Claus?  Well today is supposedly the day.  The day Santa Claus brings you all the joy of the season.

I believe in Santa Claus.

Not the Santa Claus most people believe in.   Not the Santa Claus that comes down your chimney with toys and presents on that one day.

The Santa Claus that is the whole spirit of the season.  That’s the Santa Claus I believe in.

The Santa Claus that makes you want to do something really wonderful and unique for that special someone.  Santa Claus is not a person.  Not an old man in a red suit.

I believe in Santa Claus.  I love Santa Claus.  I miss Santa Claus.  I try to bring him around as much as possible.  It gets harder and harder every year.

The stores pile all the junk up to the ceiling.  They add extra rows.  They start BEFORE Halloween.  What are they thinking?  Ugggh, the commercialism.  Ruins everything.

Santa Claus is not for one day.  Santa Claus is a feeling.  He is excitement and joy and blessings and giving.  Santa Claus is love and sharing with friends and family.  That is the joy of the season.

You have heard the saying ‘ “it is better to give than to receive?”  (Have you ever noticed that all these “sayings” have so much truth?)  Think about it.  How do you feel when you receive?  How do you feel when you give?  So much better.

I love Santa Claus.

Do you believe in Santa Claus?

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious…”

~ George Bernard Shaw

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Pop ups?

“Question of the Week? Vote in our Poll!”

Pop ups?  What do you think?  Obtrusive and annoying or helpful and interesting?

We all have our opinion.  Mine?  I totally find them annoying.

At the same time, some of the big boys use them?  What is that all about?  I admire the big boys.  I follow them.  I watch their every move.  At the risk of actually BEING them, I try to implement some of their techniques on my own blog.  But, pop ups? I just can’t.  They are soo irritating!

But.  If the big boys are doing it, then it must work?  I don’t know.  Even if it does work, do I want to use pop ups on my blog?  I just can’t.  Just because it works doesn’t make it right or good.  Nope, don’t like them.

I run and operate my blog like my brick and mortar business.  I run it as if I am a customer.  So if I don’t like it I don’t use it.  Might be right, might be wrong.  In any event, that is the way I work.

So what do you think?  Pop ups?  Sure, why not?  or Absolutely not!

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious…”

~ George Bernard Shaw

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I can’t get my poll plugin to work (upgrade? compatible? don’t know yet).
Make sure you leave your vote in the comment section!

UPDATE, I figured it out.  Actually I found a way around the insert feature, entered manually…

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Contests - Yes, No or Maybe?

“Question of the Week? Vote in our Poll!”

Blog contest! Wahoo - Yay!

There are almost as many blog contests in the blogosphere as there are blogs!  Sometimes I don’t know what to think about contests.  Are they worth the time and effort?  What am I going to get out of all this work.  Is it too much work?

Contests - Yes, No or Maybe.  What do you think?

Yes. I’ve entered plenty of contests.  Some are more effort than others.  Not necessarily a talent challenge, more like a chore.  My favorite contest by far was an actual writing contest.  Didn’t feel like a chore at all.  We had to put together a fable.  My entry was The Wise Sheep.  It was so interesting and enjoyable.

No. I’ve seen some contests that were totally self serving for the host.  All work and no play for the entrant.  No thank you.  I would think most people enter a contest for their own benefit.  Often one of the requirements of a contest is to sign up for the blog’s RSS subscription.  Does the blogger really want that kind of subscriber?  I wonder what kind of retention rate they have.

Maybe. Some contests are put together so that Everyone’s a winner! There are plenty of contests that are worth your effort.  You get to strut your stuff, win a little something and help out a fellow blogger a little bit.

Do you like contests?  Yes, No or Maybe.  Vote in the poll then voice your opinion in the comment section.

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious…”

~ George Bernard Shaw

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Do You Think Blogging Is Becoming Over Saturated?

“Question of the Week? Vote in our Poll!”

Do You Think Blogging Is Becoming Over Saturated?

I asked my readers to contribute some questions they would like to see discussed and debated. What topics or questions would they like others opinions on?

Ross from Will it change you? asks; “Do you think blogging is becoming over saturated, particularly if you’re interested in making at least some income online?”

I have given the question some thought as to what my answer would be. I had a few thoughts for and against the discussion.

I wonder, what difference does it make?

First, Statistics state that the majority of people who start blogs lose interest within the first six months.  So those people wouldn’t be your competition right?

Second, people visit different blogs for different reasons.  We all want something.  What are visitors looking for?  That’s a million dollar question!

Third, a blog is as individual as the blogger.  There can be a million blogs about blogging but no two are alike.  The blog is a reflection of the author’s personality.

So, I’m thinking, “what difference does it make?”

Then, during the everyday challenges of blogging, I realized that maybe blogging is over saturated!

First, it is more difficult to be found amongst the countless blogs online.  The task of marketing and promoting yourself can be overwhelming.  Just when you think your hard work is paying off, your numbers trail off.

Second, even though some blogs are dead or have not been updated in months, some in over a year, they show up in the search engine before you do.  They are taking up space!

Third, the money making part?  Hmm, very often I do see the very same ads on a number of blogs.

So, what’s my answer?

I am not sure if it is a simple yes or no answer but those are the two choices for the poll purposes. If I have to choose, I think I will go with no, blogging is not over saturated.  The individual aspect of a blog means there is only ONE me.

What are your opinions?

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious…”

~ George Bernard Shaw

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Twitter - Amazing Tool or Total Waste of Time?

“Question of the Week? Vote in our Poll!”

Twitter - Amazing Tool or Total Waste of Time?

We may as well start this series with everyone’s favorite discussion.  You either love it or you hate it.   What is the purpose of twitter?  That might be a debate all on it’s own.

I am not claiming to be an expert on twitter.  Far from it.  There are so many applications to use and/or enhance twitter that I couldn’t begin to explain twitter to it’s fullest.  Personally, I use twitter for a few reasons:

To meet and connect with people.

What possible connection can you make with 140 characters or less -  not words, characters.  Well that’s hard to explain.  I am certainly not “a woman of a few words”.  So in that respect, Twitter can be a challenge for me.  It’s hard to explain, it just works.  I have met a significant number of people on twitter and have come to really enjoy their tweets.  You can see their personality come through in different ways.  Sometimes through their comments, sometimes through their gravatars.

To Market my blog.

Yes, twitter has an element of business to it.  I usually tweet my posts every day.  There are different people on at different times of day so I usually tweet at breakfast, lunch  and dinner and of course throughout the night when I am supposed to be working on my blog.

To rant and rave when I feel like it!

I don’t know what part of twitter is most fun.  I love to see other people’s rants too.  I have actually started following some tweeple because of their funny tweets.  They are so amusing sometimes.  I usually get my chuckle for the day -  more than one actually.

My opinion:

I think you can gather from above what I think of Twitter.  I’ll be the first to vote.  I think Twitter is an amazing tool.  Please cast your vote and leave your opinion for or against in the comment section.

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious…”

~ George Bernard Shaw

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Introducing - Question of the Week? Vote in our Poll!

“Question of the Week? Vote in our Poll!”

I am proud and excited to announce a new weekly series on BloggerNewbie.com!

Introducing ~ “Question of the Week? Vote in our Poll!”

Starting  Thursday, November 27, 2008, and running each and every Thursday, we will introduce a question, discuss the pros and cons, voice our opinions and vote in the poll.  I will run the post in the feature section for the entire week and the results will be shown in the poll at the end of the post as they occur.

Please contribute with your opinions and discussion.  Also, it would be great to get questions from you.  I am excited with the anticipation of lively discussion and your participation in this new series!

What questions would like to see debated?  Leave your questions in the comments section or send me a message on my Contact Page. Let’s get the party started!

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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“No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious…”

~ George Bernard Shaw

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