If you’ve been a member of Entrecard for very long, you’ve probably heard of the advertising system called CMF Ads (aka Changing Marketing Forever). CMF Ads is an advertising system made specifically for Entrecard publishers.
The advertising network is made up of 20 of the “top” Entrecarders with their widgets above the fold. Each member has roughly around 20,000-30,000 page views per month.
Advertising costs $2.50/1000 page views. The owners say it is a prime condition and highly sought after since it is located directly beside the Entrecard widget. This means it should, at least in theory, contain a higher CTR than other ad placements.
Whats the problem with CMF Ads?
If you have marketed your website for any amount of time, you would know that $2.50/1000 page views is rather high, especially for run of network ads. In some areas, this may be seen as OK. However, not all page views are created equal.
- Medicine, technology, and automotive industries generally have high CPM rates, but when you include personal, romance, and other areas the value is diluted.
- Most traffic comes from Entrecard, a very low conversion type traffic. The traffic isn’t inherently bad, but it contains a large amount of unrelated visitors which may or may not come to the blog due to its content. This will inflate the page-views dramatically without any real benefit to your advertising efforts.
- The huge array of differing categories makes advertising to a specific group impossible.
- The ad space is unconventional (123×125). You have to create an ad specifically for them.
- Advertising on blogs notoriously has a low CTR rate, which results in advertising costs being lower than traditional websites. Even in niches where $2.50/1000 page views is common, the price is cut dramatically.
Although the value of advertising changes depending on a sites category, a general run of network ad traditionally sells for $0.20-$0.50/1000 page views, which is usually for a 300×250 or 160×600 ad. Entertainment, political, and personal blogs are lucky to receive $1/1000 visitors for advertising directed specifically towards their visitors.
Honestly, you will receive a much better value for your money from other networks and through direct advertising. Even blogs like JohnChow.com sell advertising for $0.25/1000 page views ($500 for a 30 day 125×125 ad block at 2,000,000 page views). So why spend 10 times more to advertise on a blogging network which offers untargeted traffic? And to be perfectly frank, most websites within the CMF Ads network offer direct advertising at a more reasonable price.
Advertising through them just doesn’t make sense. Save your money and send it elsewhere. Don’t buy into the Entrecard hype.
Written: Nov 5, 2008
Lyndi
November 5, 2008 @ 11:32 am
Now you have got me totally confused. According to the CMF site this blog is listed as a member of the CMF ads network.
Gary R. Hess
November 5, 2008 @ 3:49 pm
@Lyndi, of course, how can I judge a product without experience with it?
Hilary
November 6, 2008 @ 7:51 am
I haven’t clicked on a single CMF ad … they are all Entrecard ads that I’ve already seen over and over and over again. If I see a new card, I may click to check it out, but I haven’t noticed anything new on the CMF widget. But then, very few of the blogs I frequent have been deemed “top 20.” *lol* I guess I have no class.
StanHayes
November 6, 2008 @ 11:58 am
Personally, this hurts me on many levels. I stuck my neck out for you. I’m surprised you wouldn’t come to me and state your unhappiness. If I had a problem with a friend’s company, I’d tell that friend to their face.
As you know, we’re a new ad network, growing pains should be expected, but your list of 5 gripes could not have been learned over the month’s time you were with us. Those gripes are things you knew when you were first approached by me. So I’m thinking you joined just to bash us. That makes things even harder to swallow.
Gary R. Hess
November 6, 2008 @ 3:09 pm
@Stan I joined to test out the ad server. It is nothing personal against you, and I’m surprised you feel that way. I don’t know how you ’stuck your neck out’ for me or anyone else. I didn’t approach you to join, you approached me. I didn’t have to join your ad server just like you or anyone else doesn’t have to join AdSense.
Business is business and CMF Ads is technically a business. If you feel personally hurt, maybe you should change your line of business.
tata
November 6, 2008 @ 11:11 pm
I imagine this post of yours is going to ruffle a few feathers. I appreciate an honest opinion, though. Thanks for posting it.
Gary R. Hess
November 7, 2008 @ 2:24 pm
What’s funny is that they are attacking this without even mentioning the glaring overpricing the system has. 0.17% is extremely low CTR. That equals 1.7 clicks per 1000 page views. So you are paying $1.47 per click.
That is extremely high. And like I said before, if you are going for branding, $2.50/1000 is crazy.
They can say they are independent from Entrecard all they want, but that is who they have been targeting and where the majority of their traffic is from.
I also think it is funny that the majority of it is defending the publisher side and the comments are from the publishers. This article is attacking the advertising…
Texas Wanderer
November 10, 2008 @ 10:57 am
You are correct that most blog ads have low CTRs. I believe its because the majority of people that read blogs also write blogs, and they are more interested in hitting a site with the hopes of getting a return visit, than they are searching out new material.