Entrecard… what’s it all about?

‘Entrecard is a free blogging network that truly brings visitors to your blog.’  This is directly quoted from entrecard.com

Entrecard is a FREE advertising exchange network.  Ads are paid for through Entrecard Credits that users earn by visiting other blogs in the network and dropping off their "cards" at those blogs through a special Entrecard widget, which appears on every participating blog in the network.  Entrecard provides a unique way for you to market your blog. Its purpose is to bring bloggers together through advertising widgets.

To get started with Entrecard, simply sign up on the Entrecard website. Once your account is activated, click on the "Get Code" tab to copy the code for the specific widget you want to use on your blog. Simply paste that code into a widget on your blog and you're ready to go.

When you join Entrecard, you'll have the opportunity to create your own 125x125 business card. This card will also serve as your ad when you advertise on another site in the network. You can change your card's appearance at any time. Remember, this card is your ad, so try to create something that users will click when they see it.  Make it snazzy and eye catching – you want to be noticed!

Every participating Entrecard member will display a special Entrecard widget on their blogs. That widget includes an icon for Entrecard members to click on to drop off their virtual card. You earn one Entrecard credit (EC) for every virtual card you drop at other sites in the network. You also earn one credit for every card another user drops off at your site.

When someone drops a card off at your site, their card will appear in your Entrecard in-box. You can simply click on that Entrecard in your inbox to visit that user's site and reciprocate by dropping your card off, thereby earning another EC credit for you and the other person.

You can also earn EC credits when another person advertises on your blog and pays you with the credits they've earned.

You can soon see how loads of traffic is diverted to your blog.  The more you ‘drop’ the more exposure you get and, obviously, the more adverts you buy with your credits the more exposure – and, it’s all for FREE!!!!  It allows you complete control over who advertises on your widget, and where your logo is seen. Although there is no monetary gain from using EntreCard, the benefits are worth it.

You can be rewarded if you are a loyal ‘dropper’ or you can reward your top 10 ‘droppers’.  Each month I write a post to thank my 10 most loyal readers by naming them with links to their blogs.  Check out http://artinthewax.blogspot.com to see what I mean as I wrote a post today to this effect.

If you get traffic, it means people are coming in. If people are coming in, you start asking yourself if they like what they see. Is your header presentable, is your theme loading easily, are your ads a turn-off? etc?  If you have hoards of visitors at home, won’t you at least clean your house to make it presentable?   So make sure your blog is worthy of all your visitors!  Check it regularly, update and just refresh it on a regular basis.

Since spending some time on Entrecard I have come across some wonderful blogs.  Entrecard will allow you to download a toolbar.  This is so useful as it allows you to see how many credits you have, how many you have dropped, what category you are interested in etc. 

So why not give it a go?  I love it since it doesn’t cost me a penny and I can get exposure in places I had not every heard about!!