Getting QUALITY traffic with Entrecard

I thought long and hard before I made my decision to start using Entrecard. For one thing, their front page just looks like a spam site. Doesn't it?
"Your bounce rate will skyrocket!" People said. "People won't read your blog, they'll just drop!" "It's a giant blogger circlejerk!" (Okay, no one actually said that last one, but that's the impression I'm getting from some other people.)

But actually, the traffic I'm getting from Entrecard is of a high quality compared to my other visitors. Here's some stats for you, courtesy of Google Analytics:
Average time spent on site
Entrecard: 1:48 All: 1:02
Pages per visit
Entrecard: 1.16 All: 1.16
Bounce rate*
Entrecard: 84% All: 86%

*(this being a blog, I don't take my bounce rate too seriously, since most people will only be reading the posts on the first page anyway.)

So how do I prevent my Entrecard experience from becoming a huge blogger circlejerk? It's simple. I use the site the way it was intended. It's less about dropping cards and getting credits, and more about visiting new blogs. Details below the cut.


I spend most of my time on Entrecard browsing the 'Hobbies' category, looking for fiber- or craft-related blogs to check out. When I find one, I drop my card and start browsing their site. If I find something interesting, I'll comment. Basically I'm coming into their blog, saying 'hello' via a drop, and reading their stuff. And when they see my drop and/or comment, they are more likely to do the same (by the way: Hello, Entrecarders! ;).

I look at other blogs that share my interests, but I figure the only people who will check me out in return are ones who actually care about my knitting, spinning, and/or rambling. And since knitters like to see each other's work (cf Yarn Harlot, Ravelry, Stitch n' Bitch), a knitter I drop a card on is more likely to give my blog a look than, say, a historian or an economist.

So here's what I'm trying to say: Entrecard doesn't HAVE to be all about spam, shortcuts, and obnoxious ads. I don't approve Entrecard ads for my blog that I don't like, either. Anything that seems to be a spam or a scam is right out, and things that have no relevance to my blog won't likely be accepted either. So I'm working to make Entrecard work for me, in a way that doesn't compromise my values (a lot of advertising stuff just makes me feel slimy. I won't let any of that kind of thing in to my blog or my shop, that I can promise).


I hope other people can adopt this strategy for Entrecard as well, because the way I see it, it's the best way for Entrecard users to get actual traffic. To summarize:
-Drop on blogs that interest you, that you think will be interested in you.
-Actually READ the blogs you drop on, and possibly comment (but don't spam comment).
-Don't just speed drop on every blog you see.
-Drop back on blogs that drop on you, and take time to look at their blog.
-Be picky about who advertises on your blog.

I hope this helps you if you're using Entrecard, or are deciding whether or not to use it on your blog.

~Joy