Quality of BlogRush traffic is still pretty poor. The CTR is exceptionally low. According to them, they understand that a lot of the impressions are fake and there is quite a great deal of "impression frauds" ie either artificially beefing the impressions with bots, or signing up through bogus accounts for referral credits. But let us see how they make the modifications to make it better.
I don't believe it's anything to do with the cheaters. They may be getting more impressions via cheating... that doesn't make any difference... John Chow, Shoemoney - they don't cheat, they get huge impressions. They aren't damaging it, just getting more traffic from it. The reason it's so low is because 99% of bloggers have shoved it right down out of sight, way, way below the fold so it's pretty pointless. They just have it there to get the impressions, but if everyone is doing that I don't see how anyone expects to get the clicks. People need to start placing the widget high up and in sight.
Hi Jon, What you say do make sense as well. That is what everyone is thinking. Why put something up to distract visitors away from your blog? But at the same time, people want impressions. The problem exists when everyone starts thinking like this. But frankly, have you thought about it? Cheaters are using bots to create impressions and you and my blogs could be appearing as impressions but no one is clicking since no human is really looking at them, and we are wasting the impressions!
But how is nobody seeing them? an impression for an impression right. So we still earn credits and get the headlines seen :S Also, I know everyone is thinking like they don't want people to click away from their blogs. But it's really no big deal, you can block out anyone you dislike and the links open in a NEW window so it's not as if they leave your site.
I think the widget is ugly, that's why I shove it way below the fold. But I understand there are new colors coming soon, so that will no longer be an issue.
What's the incentive to put it where everyone can see it? If I'm not getting anything extra from a user who clicks on it, why should I care if they do? I think it's a very flawed system.
Well because if you don't, others wont. In the long-run if everyone starts putting it in view then we all get value from it. It can only work if bloggers are not selfish or manipulative with it.
What Jon said is right. Sometimes, if you lead by example, others will follow. I think with the new colors coming, it'll make it more appealing.
I think it is interesting that no big bloggers are really giving their numbers about the hits they are getting from it. Seems like they are helping a friend more then anything because I have not heard anyone say anything good about Blogrush other then a post or two or people talking about how to extort it usuing firefox refresher and using proxy and blogspot to get referrals.