Entrecard Acquired by Ziprunner

Entrecard is now Exitcard

One of my earliest posts on the Ultimate Blogging Toolkit was my new found networking system of learning about new blogs, called Entrecard.  By now, most of you have discovered Entrecard has been acquired by Ziprunner.  At the bottom of this post, I have displayed the email notice that came from Graham Langdon, Entrecard’s previous CEO.

Entrecard has seen its challenges recently as it has tried to evolve, grow, mature and still please all its members.  I don’t intend to expound on the merits of individual strategies or whether Ziprunner will be better or worse. Instead, it is a great opportunity to discuss change and the need for bloggers to adjust to change – or sometimes make it happen.

As I’ve explored other networking and advertising options to further monetize the Ultimate Blogging Toolkit, the New Blogged Word, and my newest project, Energication, I’ve come to realize there is no one best solution.  I’ve since added Adgitize as a new advertising system, CMF Ads and Project Wonderful on various blogs.  (More posts coming on my experiences with them soon.)  It’s still too early to declare a hands down winner, but it has been an interesting start.  Each one has its merits, and its drawbacks.

The important message: try new things.  The old adage of “if it aint broke, don’t fix it” doesn’t hold true today.  Today, constant iteration of new advertising strategies, monetization models, A/B testing, and so forth are the name of the game.  Keep pushing the limits.  Other bloggers (aka your competition for eyeballs) are.  Constant change is simply the ante to play.

Time will tell if this Entrecard change is positive or negative.  For now, Entrecard continues to be a very good tool and I intend to keep experimenting, learning and adjusting with it and other environments.  It is the ability to change that is what bloggers need to master, and I intend to continue that effort.

The Entrecard announcement email appears below.

Dave

7.16.09

Dear Entrecarders,

It is with great excitement that I announce Entrecard.com, Inc. has been acquired by Los Angeles based ZipRunner Inc.

ZipRunner has the resources, vision, and dedication to Entrecard that will allow it to grow in pursuit of the vision I laid out nearly two years ago.

Moving forward, my relationship to Entrecard will be that of an adviser, and I will help the good folks at ZipRunner take the whole project to the next level. Expect a follow up communication from them very soon.

ZipRunner Inc. was chosen out of a number of potential suitors because of the resources they can dedicate to the project, their exciting vision for the company’s future, and their understanding of social media and the blogosphere.

I urge you all to look forward to a bigger, better Entrecard, and I couldn’t be more proud to bring it to this point before passing the torch. I’ve heard first hand all the great things that are in store for the company and it’s members, and needless to say it has me quite excited.

If you would like to keep in touch with me in the future, you can find me at my new blog Ontrapranore.com where I look forward to sharing my stories of entrepreneurship and starting/running internet companies.

Whether you love or hate the decisions I’ve made for Entrecard in the past, I always did the best I could to move the company forward given the resources I had, and I always had the best interest of the members in mind. Now, with new management and ownership stepping in, I urge anyone who has left the service to give it another chance, and I urge those who have been loyal members for days, weeks, months, or years to look forward to a brighter future, a reliable and stable service, and great new features and strategic direction.

Signing Off,

Graham Langdon

Founder of Entrecard

Ontrapranore