Improve your EC dropping experience.
Dropping on EC’s has become a nightmare experience lately!
I don’t know how many of you are getting a bit peeved, when dropping EC’s, by the automatic multimedia and gazillions of ads flashing and popping up everywhere, slowing down the loading of pages. It has been getting worse of late, as more and more people decide they want to earn money from their blog.
How many of you have gone to click the ‘Drop’ bar on an EC and at that exact moment the page jogs and you find you’ve clicked a ‘pay per click’ ad? I’m sure this is set up deliberately by some, Searching for the EC when it’s crammed in the centre of a bunch of ads. Multimedia that opens up on a layer above the blog. My dropping has slowed down considerably, and often my browser freezes up and I have to restart. When using the EntreCard toolbar and opening ten tabs at a time, it’s difficult to know which blog is the offending one, making it impossible to avoid those blogs most of the time.
I found a very interesting post by Laura at junkfoodaholic called 6 Helpful Entrecard Dropping Tips. Not all of it applied to me, but I took on board some of it. This is what I have now done and it has made my dropping much, much faster!
I downloaded the Firefox add-on: Noscript
I also took some tips from ‘Junkie Yard Dot Com’ How fast can you drop? EntreCard dropping tips and tricks
Most of you have more than one browser installed. I think it’s the best way, but it’s not the only way. I do my blog reading and browsing in Flock, so I set Firefox up for dropping. If you use Firefox, why not download Flock as the drop browser? It’s built on Firefox 3, as I’ve said before. Anyway, I installed the ‘noscript’ add-on and followed the instructions here for setting it up. I turned off images in the browser. I have set up ‘bookmark’ folders marked top right, top left etc. This way I can drop any blog I want in the folders as I go, making it obvious where their EC is on their page, and group them together by folders.
With Noscript installed, using the Enrecard toolbar I can load twenty tabs at a time with ease. You hover over the EC area with your mouse, using the keyboard shortcut for ‘close tab’ (command w for Mac) and just keep clicking away . The blogs load immediately so you can fly through 300 with no stress at all.
I will just add that it is not ideal if you want to drop and read as you go. It has to be done as a separate thing. With the ‘no images’ and ‘noscript’ installed it’s often hard to know who’s blog you are on. I read and comment during the day and I drop at night.
You can set this up in one browser but I definitely prefer to use a second one that is already set up for dropping, it’s much more convenient.
It was taking me anything up to an hour and a half to do my drops lately. Last night I did 300 in under twenty minutes and I don’t have my folders set up yet. AND the cat was laying all over my keyboard!
Just imagine dropping with no automatic music or movies, no ads, no pop-ups, just a bunch of text and standing out prominently on the page, the Entrecard! It’s a droppers dream.
Thank you Laura for pointing me to your post.
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Denise
| 28 December 2008 at 2:26
But I love to read the blogs that I drop on, will this method affect that at all?
Denise´s last blog post..Why Are You Still Looking For Medical And Dental Insurance?
beetle
| 28 December 2008 at 2:36
Denise: You can still read all the blogs. You just have no ads or images. If you like, you can leave the images to view and just turn the scripts off. This does mean that Flash content won’t be seen though.
BeadedTail
| 28 December 2008 at 2:44
Great tips! I’m going to try it!
Mamaflo
| 28 December 2008 at 2:50
I know what you mean about some of the sites out there – do you report the sites you have difficulty with?
beetle
| 28 December 2008 at 3:03
Beaded Tail: Nothing lost in trying it. If you don’t like it you can revert back.
Mamaflo: I haven’t so far but recently I came across a blog with some really undesirable photos. I clicked out quickly and then thought I should report it. I couldn’t find it again. Not in my history or in my daily drops page. As I was returning drops at the time I thought it was really weird that I couldn’t find it on my EntreCard page.
Maureen
| 28 December 2008 at 4:07
Interesting… I shall have to look into it. I do enjoy trying to find new good blogs to read; but you are correct, there is a lot of crap out there.
Maureen´s last blog post..Boxing Day
DrowseyMonkey
| 28 December 2008 at 7:03
I gave up on entrecard – I really don’t see the point and was spending too much time trying to drop, etc. I have it on my cat blog and only use it to visit other cat blogs. Same with the photo blog. But took it off my main blog. I just found with the photo and cat blogs it’s easier because those categories are so specific. With my other blog it’s really hit & miss … mostly miss! lol But I only drop like 3 or 4 times a week … I never have a lot of points.
DrowseyMonkey´s last blog post..Roast Pans for Everyone
Angela
| 28 December 2008 at 7:07
This kind of stuff always freaks me out! I read about your updating to 2.7 and that just sent me into a spiral, LOL. I am clueless when it comes to this, but I’m learning.
In January someone is going to help me update to 2.7 and I’m afraid of it will go “POOF!”
Angela´s last blog post..Happy Birthday Mr. Savo!
lvs
| 28 December 2008 at 10:42
wow now ec dropping looks like a science!
Liudmila
| 28 December 2008 at 13:19
I tryed to understand this program and foun it so complicated that I don’t use it at all except the “allow advertising” that is possible to do from the mail. Maybe I’m not right, but it’s too hard to unerstand.
Liudmila´s last blog post..Cats And Dog In A Rainy Day
Babs - beetle
| 28 December 2008 at 13:57
Maureen: I agree that it’s nice finding new blogs but I’ll do that during the day, dropping as I go.
Drowsey Monkey: I see what you’re saying, but if you run a BlogHer ad it does become important, and it has brought me readers.
Angela: I was given some great help with that. If you install the WordPress ‘Automatic Update’ plug-in, it is so easy to follow the prompts. It sorts everything out for you :O)
Babs – beetle´s last blog post..Improve your EC dropping experience.
Babs - beetle
| 28 December 2008 at 14:05
Liudmila: I noticed you had a widget recently. It does bring readers to your blog, so it’s worth having
Babs – beetle´s last blog post..Improve your EC dropping experience.
Stacy
| 28 December 2008 at 15:37
I like the idea of having a separate browser set up to do my drops…though I really enjoy dropping and reading all at the same time, rather than just rushing through. That being said, however, I never even get close to 300 drops a day, because it takes so much time to stop and read – I like your way of doing that as a separate thing – more casual, and I’d be able to build up points to advertise more regularly…I’ll have to try that method instead!
Thanks for the insight!
Stacy´s last blog post..Quotable Sunday
beetle
| 28 December 2008 at 15:42
Stacy: Yes, I enjoy reading blogs then – no pressure to rush! Then just make it up to the maximum the fast way
Lauren
| 28 December 2008 at 16:57
I’m exausted just reading your suggestions.
You’re too web savvy for me 
(
Lauren´s last blog post..Adopt Me?
Comedy Plus
| 28 December 2008 at 16:58
I tried this this morning and have already dumped noscript. My computer froze up twice and I followed the instructions to the letter. I don’t know why either. It was awful to say the least. I must admit that my computer is the worst computer I’ve ever owned. There are times I’d like to chuck it out a window. It’s only a year old too. That’s probably why I had so much trouble with this.
Have a terrific day. Big hug.
Jay
| 28 December 2008 at 17:03
This is why I don’t do Entrecard – it’s something else which adds time on to blogging which isn’t reading or writing. And when things go wrong, or are just running slow, I imagine it could be quite a lot of time.
So, on balance, is it worth it? Do you have more readers? Have you discovered new blogs as a direct result of Entrecard? And perhaps the most important question – if you stopped using it tomorrow, would the benefit stay with you, or immediately drop off, as it does with Stumble?
Lady Banana
| 28 December 2008 at 17:22
That seems a lot of work to me… I’m lucky if I drop 20 cards a day, I don’t really bother with it that much anymore..
Natural
| 28 December 2008 at 18:47
i know exactly what you’re talking about. you go to click drop and bam! you’re transported somewhere else. i’m having a hard time right now with all the widgets and other things that have to load. i guess on its own, the blog would load okay, but when you have to wait for 10 to open and all their baggage, sometimes you wanna cry or curse.
i read laura’s post but i’m more inclined to try now. i assume there are no short cuts, but maybe i’m wrong most of the time.
Natural´s last blog post..Should You Care What Other People Think?
Natural
| 28 December 2008 at 18:49
of course, it does matter which blogs you drop on, so that’s something to consider if you want a drop back.
Natural´s last blog post..Should You Care What Other People Think?
Bingolady
| 28 December 2008 at 19:10
Wow Babs, you are a life saver, I was just about to give up on Entrecard, because there are a lot of crap mass-ads sites nowadays, and I felt I spend too much time dropping cards for 1-2 hours per day.
A big hug for these awesome tips!!
JD at I Do Things
| 28 December 2008 at 19:24
Wow, this is awesome! Tho I do often like to “drop and read,” I also have days when I just want to drop, lightning-fast. Thanks for taking the time to put together this tutorial!
JD at I Do Things´s last blog post..I Thought I Had a Holiday Bladder Infection (but I don’t) so you don’t have to
beetle
| 28 December 2008 at 22:24
Sandee: Oh I’m sorry for your problems. Those are the sort of problems I was getting from some of the blogs, which is why I now use Noscript.
Jay: Yes I do get readers through Entrecard, and yes I have discovered blogs too, but I can’t say, with certainty, that I wouldn’t have as many readers if I hadn’t used Entrecard. I need the volume of page hits that Entrecard gives me to make it worth my while running BlogHer advertising.
Lady Banana: I don’t really blame you. It can be a pain. At least this way it can be done quickly and at the end of a days blogging.
Natural: Oh yes, I now recognize most of my droppers. been dropping back and forth for a very long time :O) I always drop to specific blogs, then do return drops from my ‘inbox’.
Bingolady: I’m glad to be of help
It will speed things up a lot!
JD: Yes, You don’t have to do it every day, just when you are pushed for time. If a second browser is set up ready, it’s so simple.
A.
| 28 December 2008 at 22:30
Jay asks if Entrecard is worth it. I would say it is. I have come across so many blogs I wouldn’t otherwise have seen, and made some excellent friends too. I’ve largely given up on dropping 300 a day, not that I often got anywhere close. But I have reduced my dropping and now I drop on my favourites only, and visit other people’s blogrolls to find new blogs. My attempt to get the best of both worlds.
A.´s last blog post..PhotoHunt: squeaky
beetle
| 28 December 2008 at 23:48
A: Yes, Entrecard is a good tool for finding blogs that you may not otherwise find. I sometimes find blogs through the comment on other blogs too!
Raquel
| 29 December 2008 at 9:01
Traffic is very important especially for online business. Well, entrecard is the answer to boost your website.
Have fun in your dropping. It’s amazing we can drop 300 entrecarders in less than 30 minutes.
Broadway Matron
| 29 December 2008 at 16:15
I really don’t get this 300 drops thing at all. What is the point. I have a bookmarked list of blogs I read every day – I READ them, I enjoy them. I drop on the entrecard if the site has one, several do not. Sometimes I click through to the blog and have found some interesting places. But mostly I read blogs for my own pleasure, entrecard or no entrecard.
beetle
| 29 December 2008 at 16:38
Raquel: Yes, it’s also important if you run a BlogHer ad. Page hits count!
Broadway Matron: Dropping 300 is not important for everybody, but people who have blogs that are shops, or who run certain ads, the page hits are very important. I also have my list of feeds that I read every day. Once I have finished for the day, I make my drops up to the 300.
flit
| 29 December 2008 at 17:11
sounds like something that would be worth a try … doing drops isn’t too bad right now, but once school starts up again, a faster way would definitely be a good thing.
flit´s last blog post..Hominids & Humans
beetle
| 29 December 2008 at 19:47
Flit: It’s handy to have the choice I think – leisurely when you have the time, and speed drop when in a hurry
Jeff
| 29 December 2008 at 22:58
No way for me. I barely have time to do the minimal blogging I do already. The last thing I need is another task added to the experience. But it must be good for some people. I know a lot of people use it!
Jeff´s last blog post..Yes, I CAN quit whining about it now
beetle
| 30 December 2008 at 0:11
Jeff: I sometimes wish I didn’t need to but it makes a whole difference to BlogHer, which in turn helps pay for my blogging
dawn
| 30 December 2008 at 1:59
Thanks for the tips ~
I’m still learning SO MUCH about Entrecard and blogging in general!
I’m definitely not a daily 300 dropper … but when I can, I go nuts with it!
dawn´s last blog post..What Sort of ‘Gift Giver’ Are You?
Polly
| 30 December 2008 at 3:12
I think the most irritating currently are blogs that black out whilst an advert takes prime position over the EC widget and you have to x out the ad to get to the widget. There are also quite a few blogs where the widget doesn’t load until you have refreshed the page. Then as you say there are many with more flashing ads than blog material … frustrating!!!!!!
Some blogs I haven’t been able to return the drop as I’ve not been able to find a widget even after I have refreshed the page.
Polly´s last blog post..Noblesse oblige award
beetle
| 30 December 2008 at 3:57
Polly: Yes, it really has been getting very bad. There are even blogs that have a hidden link to another page right over the ‘drop’ bar on the EC. Noscript picked one up for me with a warning so I could close the blog! They are getting very sneaky and spoiling what used to be quite a pleasurable time.
I no longer waste time refreshing pages, unless I know the blogger. I don’t know how, or why they drop on me if they don’t have a widget!
Vivienne
| 30 December 2008 at 8:06
I have a love/hate with EC. My biggest prob is the pop ups and redirects, like you mention. The 2 trojans that downloaded right past Norton Symantic last month while clicking on EC blogs left a foul odor with my already cumbersome experience.
Now I only drop selectively on blogs I know aren’t going to hijack me. At least I found the free malwarebytes software from the frustrating experience. It’s the best anti-spy/virus program I’ve found.
Vivienne´s last blog post..Subway Sandwich Artists: Stop Smashing my Sandwiches
liza
| 30 December 2008 at 12:02
hi babs! i hope you had a wonderful christmas celebration. i’d like to share with you a very special award. please grab it here..
http://liz.mommyslittlecorner.com/2008/12/noblesse-oblige-award.html
see yah
liza´s last blog post..Curly Orange Peel
beetle
| 30 December 2008 at 13:35
Dawn: Hi Dawn. I only dropped about 50-100 for ages, but as soon as I started to drop 300, visitors to my blog multiplied.
Vivienne: I’m very thankful that I use a Mac, and don’t have such a worry about trojans and the like. It must be a nightmare for Windows users.
Liza: Thank you, I’ll pop over right now
Mel
| 31 December 2008 at 6:44
It’s a game that only Entrecard can win. We might as well use Blog Catalog, Technorati, and hopefully SlogBite to find new blogs to read. I won’t follow the rest of the sheep…. any ways, EC deleted my site as it apparently “is not a blog.” Those money making sites better watch out. EC will come in a “delete” you………..
Mel´s last blog post..Poker
beetle
| 2 January 2009 at 2:33
Mel: I hear there is some muddy waters around Entrecard lately. Healthy competition can only be a good thing. It keeps you on your toes.
Laura-Junkfoodaholic
| 4 January 2009 at 7:26
Thanks for the link-love, Babs! Great post.
Isn’t NoScript great?
Laura-Junkfoodaholic´s last blog post..Happy New Year Everybody!
beetle
| 4 January 2009 at 13:03
Laura: I love it! When I get bogged down and haven’t dropped by bedtime, it takes no time at all to do my drops last thing ;O)