Entrecard has just joined forces with SezWho. “SezWhat?” you may be saying – I will explain what it is later in the post but firstly want to talk about Entrecard itself and why this partnership may be very useful to bloggers.
Entrecard has been a great way of bringing visitors to blogs and creating a means for members to get known but it has fallen short in producing significantly extra comments and expanding individual blog’s reader communities. Entrecard has always had higher aims, with goals of bringing not only traffic but also audiences, readership and community participation. I agree with Graeme, the mastermind behind Entrecard, when he says that “Commenting is the second most important thing for you to do after writing quality posts. It was due to his aim to use “The same credits that power our culture responsible for millions of blogger-to-blogger visits each week … to help power a culture that comments on posts as well” that has resulted in the partnership with SezWho.
Now on to SezWho itself:
SezWho is a commenting/comment rating tool, which calls itself a profiling service and engagement platform. It creates a ‘profile’ for your commenters; hovering over their profile image or “check me out” link brings up a box which shows you the latest comments they have made and their SezWho ratings. It allows you to rate posts and the the comments and follow comments via RSS. If you are not registered or logged in when rating then the rating will be processed as anonymous but this has much less impact on member reputation scores. You do not have to have your own site to register with SezWho.
The Profile that pops up for Colin Campbell’s comments.
Its use is aimed at giving highly rated members “web-wide recognition for their insights and expertise”, “thought leadership”, and an increase in traffic. The theory is that the number and quality of comments on your blog will grow.
The Entrecard connection is that credits are awarded to members who comment on SezWho enabled sites. The amount of credits given is based on how highly the comment is rated by those who vote on it – ranging from 1 to 10 Entrecard credits. The idea is that quality comments gain the most, quick meaningless comments left merely for backlinks and spam comments will luck out.
will give SezWho users who receive ratings of 4 stars or more with credits to advertise on its network of blogs. This is an interesting approach, as it connects reputation with a direct reward.
How to integrate SezWho with your site (currently supported platforms are WordPress versions up to 2.6 (2.6 is beta still), Movable Type, Blogger, Drupal and phpBB):
- Create an account with SezWho
- WordPress – download and intall the SezWho plugin by upload to your plugin folder, activate it. Then enter the blog id sent to you with your registration confirmation email in the SezWho plugin’s setup.
- Blogger – add the provided code to a HTML/Javascript page element.
You can view your own profile on your SezWho page:
Colin must lead thoughts to better places than I do 🙂
As I have only just installed the plugin I do not have any ratings, I do have ‘Star Power’ of 2.5 as this “community ranking” is not purely based on ratings?
Advantages
- If this new system takes off and more Entrecarders do comment, rather than merely dropping on you, your blogs bounce rate will improve.
- SezWho does not host any site content. All published and user-supplied content remains on – and is controlled by – the original site. It does not make off with your comments like some similar programs do.
- Backlinks are created for yourself and commenters.
- If you are an extraordinary commenter, a thought leader among bloggers, then your reputation will spread far and wide. If you are average then it may not make any difference to you, although I am sure the word will get round if particular blogs have generous comment ratings. I am open to that word :-). In my case I am sure I will not want to favor one regular commenter over another so will rate them all well, just because I am pleased to see them here. If you are new then I should imagine that I will vary my ratings although I love my comments so much that no doubt I will be generous – it will most likely depend on the mood I am in and if you are using a name that includes such words as casino. (my jury is still out with regards to the keyword luv plugin but I will save that for another post)
Disadvantages
- Receiving low ratings could lead you to have less confidence in your writing, even though it may be that your particular commenters do not want to use the system.
- It could be looked upon as bribing people to comment *
- If you write quality posts you are going to get plenty of comments anyway (I do not believe this always to be the case as it depends on your type of blog and readership)
- Adding to your workload by commenting on blogs just for your ratings is yet another way to divert you from writing and concentrating on your own readers.
Reading:
- On Entrecard’s blog Announcing the Partnership of Entrecard and SezWho
- Entrecard fan Joe Tech’s Top 10 reasons why the Entrecard – SezWho partnership is Important for Bloggers gives a positive review. The 70+ comments on the post show agreement with this view.
- * Entrecard + SezWho = Meh on Monkey Fables and Tales which talks less favorably about SezWho and not wanting to “bribe” people to comment. The 50+ comments on the post show agreement with this view.
- SezWho in operation on a phpBB forum on the SezWho Support Forum
To give you an opportunity to try out SezWho on this site I am will pose some questions.
- Based on this post or on your usage of SezWho are you in favor or against?
- Do you think this partnership is a positive or negative step for Entrecard.
- Are the multitude of peripheral blogging activities available to us now having a general effect of
- reducing blog posting frequency and quality or:
- taking us away from commenting on blogs? Is blog conversation moving to social media sites instead?
Jayne says
In theory it sounds great, I’ve signed up for it, too.
I suppose it depends on the outcome to see if it will work as well as it should, if people will skim past the ratings and/or comments, as behaviour might take a little while to change.
Jaynes last blog post..Trivial History July 19
ARABA OYUNLARI says
Thank you so much, that will be a great help and you have some wonderful photos
theotherlion says
Hi! Thanks for visiting my site! I’d love to share photos with you to help promote Fragile X awareness. =)
theotherlions last blog post..wanted: bouncer
Sueblimely says
Thank you so much, that will be a great help and you have some wonderful photos 🙂
I will let you know what I would like to use before publishing on the Fragile X Australia site to make sure you approve.
Andrew says
This is definitely an interesting development. I’ve seen other rumblings about SezWho, so maybe it’s time for me to claim my profile there.
Andrews last blog post..Fredericksburg General District Court Website Cannot Be Trusted
Sueblimely says
It is good to be able to create a profile on an external site that is so closely linked to your blog posts and comments for a change rather than taking conversation away from there.
katef says
I am just watching and reading about this at the moment… We only have dial-up access out here in the sticks at the moment so even dropping entrecards is hard for me, having to then click through and load yet another page would not be something I could manage at the moment. So while I think this is an interesting idea I don’t think it is something I can participate in right now… I’ve learn the hard way that to be really successful at entrecard you need nice fast access!
katefs last blog post..Flickr Friday – Winter.
Sueblimely says
Commenting on lots of blogs is the key to success with both Entrecard and SezWho anyway so keep on commenting and you are likely to do just as well 🙂
Simon says
I comment on different sites with different names and etc to promote different sites. So I guess that spreads my sezwho profile pretty fine.
Colin Campbell says
Great post Sue. I had no idea what this was and whether it was worthwhile. Happy to be featured again on your blog.
Hope you are well. I have been busy with work, kids holidays and other things.
Not sure whether I will install this.
BenSpark says
This was a very well done post. I like how detailed you were about both companies as well as the advantages and disadvantages. Very nice post. And thanks for visiting my blog.
RennyBA says
I do agree with the others: this is a very educative post with both pro et contra and I do agree with you: this kind of ratings can be miss interpreted.
I tried to access sezwho.com but got constantly time out? Maybe I try tomorrow.
RennyBAs last blog post..Torsö island at Mariestad, The Pearl of lake Vänern
Curtis says
I considered putting on the Sezwho plugin on my blog but don’t know about it yet. It looks like it would be a great commenter and blogger tool.
Curtiss last blog post..Vista Badmouthing doesn’t stop Vista Growth
DianeCA says
I haven’t heard about SezWho before. I will follow the program a bit and see how the response is. Everybody likes to get credit for their comments, so in that way it can boost activity. Interesting!
DianeCAs last blog post..Going green on two wheels, bike riding is fun!
Sueblimely says
I will do a follow up post soon and I am sure there will be lots of other reviews too.
laane says
Great and long post.
I would value rating the posts itself, not the comments.
As a blog owner I don’t know anything about the commenter. It might be someone sruggling to write something nice, because he or she can hardly write english.
I might not value the effort well enough.
Have a nice week.
laanes last blog post..unconscious mutterings 286
Sueblimely says
Entrecard is more about encouraging interaction between bloggers which is why it is trying to encourage comments with ratings.
You do have a point about language difficulties but I would not alter a rating because of incorrect English.
Patricia says
I agree with several other commenters that this is one of the most thorough posts I have seen on the Entrecard/SezWho partnership. I also like how you have broken down the advantages and disadvantages. I noticee that you have adopted the SezWho protocol. I assume this means you find the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Myself, I am still waiting to see how it works over time.
Patricias last blog post..Why I Don’t Have Neat Graphics on My Posts
Sueblimely says
Thanks Patricia
I am not endorsing SezWho as yet, I just prefer trying things out myself and then making a decision. I do tend to look on the positive side of life though 🙂
Larry says
well I think it’s time for me to finally create a profile.
Sueblimely says
Please come back and tell me what your opinion is Larry, after you have used it for a little while.
Pandu Cari Duit says
I,myself, find this joint cooperation between EC and SezWho encourage me to put more comments on other blogs, in return expecting other bloggers do the same on my blog. I signed up already and found it raised comments on mine.
Pandu Cari Duits last blog post..SEO Software : WebCEO
Sueblimely says
That is good to hear Pandu. I hope the increase in comments keeps up for you.
Nihar says
I found very good with EC and SezWho Combination. Both are switched on my blog. Let see how it goes
Note: Just now noticed a problem… As soon as i typed my name in name field and pressed tab key. I go to top search button. same is the case with email and uri field. Figure out the problem and sowlve it.
Sueblimely says
I had not noticed this before you pointed it out Nihar. I will see what I can do to solve the problem.
Hye Munar says
I think the partnership is a good news, however, I am not yet decided if I want to use Sezwho in my blog.
Hye Munars last blog post..Nokia N85 NAM Specifications and Availability
Jim says
From http://www.thinkofgreen.com
There are several easy things that you can do to “greenify” your office. It’s always a good bet to follow the mantra of “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.” Remember that going green in not only saving the environment but green offices are more efficient, shaving the bottom line and saving you money. Here are the top 6 tips for going green in your office:
1. Print Double-Sided
Make full use of your paper by printing on both sides. Also, use paper that has been printed on one side for taking notes. Do your proofreading and edits on your computer before printing to reduce the number of prints you make. Try to choose printers and photocopiers that do double-sided printing.
2. Recycle the Paper You Use and Use Recycled Paper
The average American office worker throws out over 150 pounds of paper each year. Paper manufacturing contributes to the deforestation of the planet and in America is responsible for 35 million tons of CO2 a year. When buying printer paper, look for recycled paper with a high percentage of post-consumer content and the minimum of chlorine bleaching.
3. Use Less Energy
Use Energy Star certified office machines to reduce energy use and make sure the Energy Star function is always enabled. Set computers to energy-saving settings and make sure to shut them down when you leave for the day (“standby” settings will continue to draw power even when not in use). Of course, always shut off lights when they are not in use or when you leave for the day. A great way to ensure that this happens is with motion sensors that will turn the lights off when everyone has left the room. Also, look to use Energy Star certified compact fluorescent lights (CFL’s) that use 75% less energy to produce the same amount of light, last 10 times longer and produce less heat.
4. Recycle Old Office Equipment
To lesson your office’s affect on the number of new pieces of equipment that are manufactured each year, as well that end up in landfills, buy all-in-one multifunction machines. Whenever possible get rid of machines completely by using services such as Internet fax. With an Internet fax service, you can get rid of a fax machine completely as well as reduce the amount of paper and ink that is consumed by the machine. Another way to decrease waste in the office is to recycle old machines or ones no longer in use or donate them to charities where they will continue to be used.
5. Recycle Toner and Inkjet Cartridges
Over 400 million cartridges are dumped into our nations landfills each year and make up more than 1.9 billion pounds of waste. Help reduce this waste by recycling your used toner and inkjet cartridges with your local recycling company or view information on how Green Image Solutions can help you recycle your cartridges for free. Also, using remanufactured cartridges that have been recycling helps reduce waste and save your company money.
6. Go Digital
Implement electronic content management and manage your paper based processes electronically. Paper is inherently slower than electronic and electronic documents can be searched much faster than paper documents. Many common business processes can be handled electronically like claims management, loan originations, contracts, employee correspondence, etc. Effective content management in the office reduces paper, ink and mailing costs and reduce paper transport costs that use energy and create CO2 emissions. Also, avoid or reduce paper storage and archiving by storing documents electronically. Less than 1% of archived papers are ever accessed again and close to 50% of archived documents are duplicates.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle:
Make it easy. Place bins or containers in locations near trash cans where employees normally would throw away recyclables. Be sure to label the bins so that the materials are put in separate receptacles.
Remind Employees. Place signs around your office (not just near the receptacles) reminding employees to recycle. Use e-mails or newsletters to remind everyone what your office is recycling, where the bins are located, and how much they are helping the environment.
Track your progress. If possible, calculate how much you are recycling every so often. Keep a progress chart in a common area that shows employees how many pounds of aluminum, glass or paper they’ve collected. You might also want to set goals and reward employees when they’re reached.
Used Tires says
Jim, I think you posted this on the wrong website, lol.
cephepsi says
thanks..
cephepsis last blog post..Nokia 6710 Navigator Özellikleri
Parker says
This is right here, in the present, not the future.
used tires says
It’s been a long time since I’ve used entrecard, I use to use them when they first came out… but so much has changed since then.
Till then,
Jean
shoppingtiffany says
very nice shoppingtiffany