Want Page Views but Make it Tougher?!

I have ranted in the past about fellow content producers writing Associated Content related articles; I mean, how many of the same ways to increase page views or how to write the 'perfect' article can we sit through? I have not been on Associated Content for almost a year, minus a free article or blog here and there, but nothing I really spent the time to write or promote. Now that I have come back to AC, I have noticed many changes have taken place, but that is to be expected. The one change that has always been happening just does not make any sense to me.

AC is always saying they want us content producers to increase our page views. They even try to give us helpful tips on how to attempt to increase our page views. They have told us that using the social bookmarking sites are a great way to help increase traffic to our articles and our main CP pages, but then they turn around and hide them. This may be just me and a handful of other content producers here on Associated Content, but it seems that every time they change something, the social bookmarking site buttons seem to get pushed further and further into the background.

I remember when I first became a content producer for Associated Content and the few social bookmarking site buttons AC had were right up by the article title and our name. They were bright orange and clearly visible. That, coincidentally, is when I had many hits and adds to the social bookmarking sites. Then, with each round of changes, these buttons became smaller and less noticeable. After I had my first article published that I really cared about promoting, I looked for the social bookmarking sites to let people know where to go if they liked my articles. To my surprise, they were gone! Nowhere to be found at al, or so I thought.. Thanks to a fellow Associated Content producer, I found out they are well hidden in the share button at the bottom of the page. If you click on share, you will see the 'Email to a friend' information, but if you look closely, you will see a tab that actually gives you the social bookmarking site buttons.

How are our readers supposed to be able to share their favorite articles on the social bookmarking sites if we, as content producers, cannot even find them? If Associated Content wants our page views to increase, which increases their ad revenue obviously, then I would ask them one huge favor. Can you please stop making it tougher for our readers to promote us? All hiding the bookmarking buttons do is give us less time to write quality articles since we have to spend even more leg time promoting ourselves. This may just be my two cents, but I really do not think I am alone on this.