Entrecard reciprocal dropping speed tips

Blogroll, networking, random September 9th, 2008

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I lot of dedicated Entrecard users find a driving obligation to return the favor when someone drops a card on them. For the last few days, I have been dropping like a madman, and found quite a few ways to speed up the process without “cheating” or missing out on a chance to find a new interesting article to read. Here are my steps.

1) Use the Firefox browser. This is crucial, as the next two tips require the Firefox browser. Also, it loads tabs much quicker than its major competitor.

2) Find another browser that you are comfortable with. Right now, I’m typing this post in the new Google Chrome browser, but use Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari… whatever you feel comfortable with. You’ll be loading several pages at a time in Firefox, and this tends to slow it down a LOT if you are trying to use other tabs for your day to day browsing.

3) Install the Entrecard toolbar. This gives you quick and easy access to your favorites, and your inbox for dropping.

4) Install the imgLikeOpera plugin for Firefox. This is a key speed boost. A good 90% of the time spent loading a webpage are on images, and this plugin allows you to set images to not load by default, and change the settings back and forth very easily with just a few clicks. Once this is installed, you’ll want to configure it to allow images from Entrecard to show up, or else you won’t be able to drop.

Click Tools->Add-ons. Click the “options” button for imgLikeOpera, and then go to the “filters” tab. Type “entrecard.com” in the filter box, change the drop down to “[1] load all images”, and click add. This ensures that no matter what settings you choose, the Entrecard widget will still load. Going back to the main tab, “Cache, misc”, you’ll see the drop down for “default policy for new window/tab”. This is where you’ll switch back and forth from speed browsing, and normal browsing. “Don’t load images” for fast browsing, “Load all images” for normal day to day browsing.

5) Know your keyboard shortcuts. In Firefox, hitting CTRL-Tab will switch you to the next open tab, and CTRL-W will close the current page. ALT-Tab will switch you back and forth between Windows programs, and the space bar is just like hitting page down in most web browsers. CTRL-D will add a bookmark of the current page you are on for later reading. Holding CTRL while clicking a link will open that link in a new window in most tab-enabled browsers.

6) Drop away! Using the Entrecard toolbar, you can open 10 windows at a time in the category of your choosing. I usually load up 10 pages, then click the button again once it lets me, and let 20 pages load up in the background. I switch over to my Google browser and check my ad stats, or write a new blog entry, and check back about 60 seconds later. (Slow internet connections or older computers may have to wait a bit longer). I have one hand on the left side of the keyboard for CTRL-TAB and the space bar, and one hand on the mouse, I can usually drop all 20 in about 20 seconds or so. After I drop them all, I then tab through all the windows one more time, making sure the drops did in fact go through, and checking for new articles I haven’t read. I quickly CTRL-D those that I have an interest in reading, Hit CTRL-W a handful of times, and do it all again. Overall, it takes about 5 minutes of my time to drop 20 cards or so, and I’m productive in between as well.

If you think I don’t read posts because of this speedy process… think again. It was an article that fellow Entrecarder Laura over at Confessions of a Diet Coke Addict wrote that inspired me to share this post while doing my dropping routine. I hope this helps save her some time, as well as the rest of you fellow Carders. Happy Dropping!

(I dropped 117 cards while writing this article)

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Reader's Comments

  1. Laura | September 9th, 2008 at 7:00 am

    Thanks for the tips!!!

    Lauras last blog post..Winner of my first giveaway!!!

  2. Merapu | September 10th, 2008 at 7:54 pm

    I am still new with entrecard, even the widget is not up yet. Thanks for this tips :)

  3. Nihar | September 11th, 2008 at 2:31 am

    Very good post. I do similarly. but the difference between you and me is… You have made a post to help others…

    Gr8…

    Nihars last blog post..Import Bookmarks / Favorites, Passwords, Search Engines and History from Firefox and IE into Google Chrome

  4. lilyarbee | September 11th, 2008 at 4:22 am

    Hi Just dropping by for the usual dropping. Please if you don’t mind, how can I get this “Leave a Reply” gadget? I need it for my blogger for viewers to comment while do their usual dropping. Thanking you in advance,

    I am still learning a lot of stuffs, hope you assist me on this.

    From Malaysia with Love,
    Lily Arbee

  5. Daniel Costalis | September 11th, 2008 at 10:42 pm

    @ Nihar: Thank you very much!

    @ Lilyarbee: The Wordpress software that I use has this built in to its comment system. I see you are using Blogger, and as far as i know, visitors must use the same regular comment system that comes with it, I’m sorry!

  6. Friday Night Links Party - 12 September 2008 | Nihar's World | September 12th, 2008 at 9:55 am

    [...] Daniel Costalis from whathuh studios rant has written a very useful post – Entrecard reciprocal dropping speed tips. [...]

  7. Karen | September 12th, 2008 at 10:36 am

    Great advice, I’m using the NoScript plugin to speed up loading times of pages, but the EntreCard toolbar is great for dropping.

    Karens last blog post..coComment now at Blazing Minds!

  8. Penny | September 16th, 2008 at 8:34 pm

    Thanks for the tips! I’m new to Entrecard and was wondering how to work it effectively.

    Pennys last blog post..If you are born on a Friday, you stand a chance to buy Geox shoes at RM3

  9. Carl | September 16th, 2008 at 10:38 pm

    Thanks for the firefox plug plugin suggestion. I hate the fact firefox doesn’t let us disable images by default ;)

    Carls last blog post..International Peace Day, 21st September

  10. Web-Betty | September 17th, 2008 at 7:21 am

    Great tips–I’m a newbie to Entrecard and will be employing these shortly. Thanks!

    Web-Bettys last blog post..The thing of the week: “Make cake, not war”

  11. marilyn | September 17th, 2008 at 1:09 pm

    Oh my gosh. I have a really slow dial-up and a really busy schedule so I’m always missing out on reciprocal drops. I feel bad but I just didn’t think there was anything I could do. I am so going to bookmark this and try it.

    If I find it as helpful as I think, I’ll do a post about it and link back here.

    Thanks.

    marilyns last blog post..Economics?

  12. therunk | September 17th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

    thanks for your tips

    therunks last blog post..Bisnis internet itu apa aja sih

  13. Bas - Istanbul Expat | September 20th, 2008 at 8:37 am

    Ahhhhhhh nice tips!

    Especially the img blocking plugin for Firefox combined with a different browser for other stuff.

    I just moved abroad and still have no internet at my place, so I have to rely on (often slow) internet connections at coffee bars in the area. Thanks for your tips :-)

  14. Veronica Escudero | September 22nd, 2008 at 11:49 am

    Thank you for this article. I’m going to get a new pc tomorrow, and I’ll have one mean machine to drop. Great article

    Veronica Escuderos last blog post..I’M SORRY!

  15. chyd | September 23rd, 2008 at 4:27 am

    I try to install both plugin in firefox 3 beta 5. but firefox won’t install it. I think i must upgrade firefox first.
    Anyway, thanks for great advice.

    chyds last blog post..Friendster blog now powered by Wordpress

  16. rize | September 24th, 2008 at 8:49 pm

    The right address of the Addon..
    https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1672

  17. Daniel Costalis | September 24th, 2008 at 9:40 pm

    Thanks, rize. I’m surprised after 750 views that someone didn’t catch this sooner heh. Link updated.

  18. Top Entrecard Droppers | September 28th, 2008 at 12:33 pm

    [...] Developer Tips [...]

  19. Profit blogging tools | September 29th, 2008 at 6:29 am

    Great tips! I’ve been looking for this kind of tip for such a long time. I find it here at last. Thanks, buddy..

    Profit blogging toolss last blog post..Keywords Tool Does Matter In Blogging

  20. Justin | September 29th, 2008 at 2:29 pm

    Great post! I’m really liking the imglikeopera tool.

    Justins last blog post..Top Entrecard Droppers

  21. And Break! » Tips For Entrecarders | October 2nd, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    [...] the unethical ones under us there is also a good post on speed dropping at What huh studios. I don’t suggest using the techniques taught because Entrecard is a more social network, thus [...]

  22. Julius Kuhn-Regnier | October 4th, 2008 at 2:28 am

    cool article Daniel :-P

    Julius Kuhn-Regniers last blog post..Tips For Entrecarders

  23. Shireishou | October 8th, 2008 at 9:11 am

    Ur 4th tips is new for me. Thx for sharing . I will install the add on ^^

    Shireishous last blog post..How to Check Your Post Indexed by Google

  24. John Sullivan | October 10th, 2008 at 3:01 am

    Cool tips thanks
    just stopping and dropping myself :)
    I’m going to try that
    My blog is dofollow and comment luv is cool
    Thanks

    John Sullivans last blog post..Harnessing the Power of Social Networking

  25. Jack Clarke | April 27th, 2009 at 5:36 pm

    I have installed DoFollow on all my blogs hopefully this will attract more visitors and more links for everyone.

    - Jack

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