Giveaways with a Catch
One extra entry for subscribing,
One extra entry for twittering,
One extra entry for sharing it on your blog,
One extra entry for becoming a Facebook fan,
One extra entry for blah, blah, blah.
Is it just me or does there seem to be quite a few catches to blog giveaways these days? I feel somewhat hypocritical for pointing it out though because I've been known to try to get some extra readers myself as I promised extra entries if they subscribed. Lately though it just seems like giveaways are being used to bribe readers rather than getting them to read purely because they enjoy the content on the blog. Are bloggers becoming so focused on their stats that they are resorting to coercion to get readers?
I want my posts to be able to connect to people whether it makes them smile or laugh, stop and think about something, encourage them, provide them with information, or just entertain them for a few moments of their day. I don't want my readers to feel that I must bribe them into a relationship by telling them they can get an extra chance at winning something if they subscribe to my blog or follow me on twitter.
Just my two cents.
With all that being said I welcome any new readers with wide, open arms. My motto is always, "The more, the merrier". Of course I relish in new subscribers, followers on twitter, and being able to talk through emails, but I'm not going to twist your arm to be my bloggy friend.
I'd love to hear what you think.
Do you get frustrated by blogs who offer "extra entries" if you jump through hoops?
Do you really not care either way?
I'm even more interested in knowing if you jump through the hoops or do you just enter a comment and move on?
One extra entry for twittering,
One extra entry for sharing it on your blog,
One extra entry for becoming a Facebook fan,
One extra entry for blah, blah, blah.
Is it just me or does there seem to be quite a few catches to blog giveaways these days? I feel somewhat hypocritical for pointing it out though because I've been known to try to get some extra readers myself as I promised extra entries if they subscribed. Lately though it just seems like giveaways are being used to bribe readers rather than getting them to read purely because they enjoy the content on the blog. Are bloggers becoming so focused on their stats that they are resorting to coercion to get readers?
I want my posts to be able to connect to people whether it makes them smile or laugh, stop and think about something, encourage them, provide them with information, or just entertain them for a few moments of their day. I don't want my readers to feel that I must bribe them into a relationship by telling them they can get an extra chance at winning something if they subscribe to my blog or follow me on twitter.
Just my two cents.
With all that being said I welcome any new readers with wide, open arms. My motto is always, "The more, the merrier". Of course I relish in new subscribers, followers on twitter, and being able to talk through emails, but I'm not going to twist your arm to be my bloggy friend.
I'd love to hear what you think.
Do you get frustrated by blogs who offer "extra entries" if you jump through hoops?
Do you really not care either way?
I'm even more interested in knowing if you jump through the hoops or do you just enter a comment and move on?
What say you?
29 Thoughts from you all...:
I get PR. I get marketing. I get blogger outreach.
I work in PR, marketing, etc.
That being said, I have never pimped my blog and never will.
Just sayin. :)
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING!
I leave a comment and that's it.
I found it very interesting on Nielsen's Top 50 Blogger's List they had a column that listed the number of twitter followers of these top bloggers. I am still trying to figure out why the number of twitter followers would matter.
I don't use twitter or facebook at all. I don't subscribe to a blog just to get an extra entry, but I will add it if I already subscribe.
However, especially with my recent contest, even though I don't usually ask people to do anything but comment, it would have been completely pointless if I didn't ask people to advertise it on their blogs.
It seems to me that people used to be much more willing to advertise contests on their blogs for their blogging friends, but something about blogging has changed in the last year. I haven't figured out if it is good or bad.
I agree with you. I usually don't bother with most giveaways cuz there are too many hoops to jump through. Besides I have to wonder how the blogess keeps track of how many folks get the extra entries. seems like a lot of work to get readers.
I just started reading your blog, and one of the first things that struck me about it was your genuine story-telling tone about things that happen in your life. That's why I like reading blogs -- getting a glimpse of other people's lives and seeing how they match up with my own. I always dislike it when blogs get distracted by give-aways, since that's not why I'm there at all, and I'd much rather hear about the little things in life that make it so interesting. Thanks for writing!
I don't jump through the hoops, I just don't enter the contest. I barely have time to read blogs or scan TweetDeck, so doing more just ain't gonna happen. ;)
At the risk of getting boo'ed off stage, I'll just say why I have extra {note optional} entries on my blog's giveaways. Basically, to give people better odds to win IF they really want to work for it. Only the initial entry is required for my giveaways. Usually going to the company's site and commenting with something you learned or another product you think is neat.
Yes, companies may request my stats before considering sponsoring a giveaway. Sadly, not each company looks at the same stat site. Those "hoops" are optional.
When I am entering giveaways I will do the extra entries if the item is worth it. I also tweet friends' giveaways in an effort to help them out with advertising their giveaways. Not because I have to, but because I want to.
In no way are my extra entries a ploy to try to get readers. I figure I blog about what I want to blog about as it is - if people enjoy it great. If they don't they can stop following me. My feelings won't be hurt.
I take a lot of pride in what I do on my blog, it's all my personality and opinions shining through. Be it a post about my daughter's chubby cheeks, my husband, or a review. It's still my wit, my opinions. I try to make giveaway and review posts just as interesting as my normal posts. And hopefully my readers see that :)
Okay, now I'll brace for the tomatoes and stones ;)
I agree with Erin. I hold giveaways on my blog, and the extra entry options are just that. I am hoping that people want to subscribe, not only for the extra entry, but to get my feed, and learn about my other posts as well. The extra entry options will increase your odds, and they are there for those who would like them.
When I first got into blogging, last year, it was during the big "bloggy carvnival" (how sad that it's not being done anymore?) Anyway, I would get annoyed at those that said, in order for me to earn an extra entry, I needed to do this, this & this. When I participated in the next round of carnivals, I made it easy, I just asked that entries include an answer to a question I asked.
I can understand, if you've approached a company and they are offering a product, to ask your visitors to go to their site. That makes sense & I don't mind those. But having to tweet, blog or subscribe in order to gain an entry, they can be annoying.
That being said, I HAVE done it before, if it's something I would really like to win. ;o)
yes. i would prefer to just comment and that is it. i won't do more, i will (and respect) going the website and looking at the product and giving feed back but that is about it.
Great topic for a post! I agree wholeheartedly with Erin so I won't regurgitate it. :-)
That said, I struggle with this and sometimes wonder if I should go back to just requiring a comment. I only want subscribers who are really interested in my content. I like to reward them by giving them an extra entry, but I hate it to sound like I'm trying to bribe people to subscribe. This is why I keep most of my giveaways on my review blog. I figure that's more product oriented anyway, and it's not such a stretch.
Blogging is definitely a marketer's dream come true. It's hard not to sell out, so to speak, but I also respect my readers and realize that they will see through any ploys to gain readers cheaply so I try very hard to maintain the integrity of my writing even when I'm running contests and the like. And I also turn down things that I can't wholeheartedly promote.
(For Renee, you keep track by each comment. You plug the total number of comments into a random number generator and the number it selects is the number of the commenter who wins.)
Great topic, Mel, and interesting comments!
I usually just leave one comment. I might tweet, but that's usually it.
I understand why, and it doesn't bug me, but I usually only leave one comment. I do NOT like it when those requirements are in place to enter at all (a comment alone won't get you an entry).
That said -- we just did a huge Mother's Day giveaway at 5minutesforbooks.com. To enter each giveaway, one only had to leave a comment, but in order to be eligible for the grand prize (one of each of the books), they had to spread the word, and leave a separate comment on that separate post. I thought that was completely fair -- everyone got the same shot at the one opportunity to win an individual book -- but those who wanted to help spread the word had an extra opportunity to win a really great prize.
I've had some good experience from those catches. I have seen how more people get drawn into the post/giveaway from tweets, blog buttons or blog posts advertising the giveaway. And I've found out about some great giveaways from those sources because I don't have time to read 5000 blogs.
As long as I can enter by leaving a simple comment I don't mind if the giveaway host wants to offer extra ways to enter. It's when I have to put a button on my blog, tweet, subscribe to enter in the first place. Too many hoops and I'm not going to jump!
Totally agree! I don't want my reader or e-mail clogged up with subscriptions to blogs I don't really want. And I'd never expect that of my readers. I always did just one comment entries. I recently started adding an extra entry for tweeting, because I noticed that REALLY helped bring in more people who were interested in the giveaway. But like you said, I want subscribers who REALLY want to subscribe. Even if it keeps my numbers low, I'm okay with that.
if i ever have to do more than enter a comment, i won't enter. too much work!! (not like i ever win anything anyways!)
I am one who will comment but not do the others. It feels like a chain reaction of pimping blogs. I may post about something on my blog if I think the few regulars that I do have would be interested. Otherwise, I just leave it at the comment.
I also agree with Erin. Extra entries are optional, and I don't think there's anything wrong with offering it. I don't really see it as blog pimping, though, I see it more as pimping the product, and I think that's great--especially when the giveaway is from a smaller company or individual person. Those people need all the attention they can get!
That said, if you have to jump through all those hoops for just one entry, then yeah, that's ridiculous!
Can't get everything for nothing... I don't mind. Really, I don't. I rarely ever blog a give away, but I'm happy to tweet it. And most of them seem to be options for extra entries... so you don't have to if you don't want. I remember when I first came on the Mom blogging scene almost ALL giveaways you HAD to blog about...glad that isn't the case anymore.
Nell
i don't blog or tweet about a contest. i will say i subscribe for the extra entry if i do but i generally don't add a new blog because i have so many already.
mostly i just want to spend the little bit of time i have reading really good writing.
I could not agree with you more. The giveaways are fun, but I hate to think it is just a way to get more readers. I guess I just don't want to see blogging in that light. I just do it for fun.
Excellent topic my friend (and check out all the comments - woo hoo!)!
Now I do have to say that I agree with Erin and she really said what I feel.
When I have giveaways on my blog, it's mainly because I love giving presents to my readers and/or to make my theme weeks/events more exciting - like a party! I want to reward my regulars with those extra entries because they spread the word, subscribe etc. already. But if someone is willing to go the extra mile, they deserve those extra entries too. I always make it so that you can enter with simply a comment though. I have a lot of friends that don't have blogs, twitter, or anything and I want them to be able to enter. Several one-comment people have won my giveaways anyway! I figure if you're not interested in the extra entries, you don't have to bother - you might win anyway.
From my perspective as a reader, I do jump through the hoops for extra entries whenever I like the blog or the giveaway is really good! If I don't like a blog well enough to subscribe, I won't do it even for an extra entry. Often though I like the blogs and am happy to spread the word and have run across new blogs that I love through others spreading the word. And, to be honest, offering the extra entries sometimes gives me the little push and/or reminder to subscribe when I've been forgetting.
Uh, I didn't mean to write a book or ramble on this long Mel! Have fun reading all the comments and hope your week is going well! :)
I do a little of both. If it is a really good prize and i want more chances to win i might go the extra mile but for the most part i just leave a comment and go about my day.
As far as doing it myself i have never given anything away but hopefully have my first coming up soon. I don't know yet if i will do all the extra entries but hey i could use a few more readers lol.
ERRR. I have mixed opinions about giveaways. I don't enter them at all anymore, unless it is a close blogger friend.
Although I can understand wanting to promote your work, unless your work is good, people aren't going to come back.
I would love PR companies to focus on the time that people spend on an individual blog rather then the # of people a blog attracts.
I don't do anything I wouldn't do anyway. If I'm interested in a blog I read, I subscribe and read the 10 or so entries on the front page. If I find later I'm less interested, I'll unsubscribe. Only a dozen or so have gotten the axe so far, but I'm VERY far behind in my reading right now, so who knows?
Great post. I think it's a balancing act. As a blogger you want to strike a balance - what benefits your readers and what benefits the marketers who are providing the giveaway goodies for your readers.
Initially, I just had an one entry option. Now, I have 3 additional entry options. For me, that's as high as I'll go. (I get turned away when I see giveaways with up to 10+ extra entry options!)
At the end of the day though, I kind of think that if you're meant to win, you will (even if you only enter once - which I mainly do!).
I don't mind the extra stuff. Though a huge list of 8 things extra seems a bit much. I have had a few giveaways and given extra entry for following or blogging about the giveaway. What I don't like are contests that require you to follow or subscribe to enter. That seems like bribery. I just skip those. If it is an extra entry no big deal. I follow who I like but not for extra entries. On occassion I do the extra entries if I really want the prize.
Yes, give something away or don't bother. I really don't have time to link and whatnot.
I agree. I did it a few times and I will probably still offer one or two ways to get extra entries, but it just isn't really worth it to essentially get your blog spammed.
Great topic, Mel! I'm glad you brought this up.
I host one "multiple entry" giveaway on my blog about every 6 months to help draw in new readers and "meet" new friends.
Other than that, however, I just host "single entry" giveaways because:
1. I find "multiple entry" contests on other sites tedious and time-consuming. Since I, as a reader, don't like entering those kind of contests, I choose not to host them like that on my blog (though it can be tempting).
2. I don't want people to subscribe to my feed or to follow me on Twitter unless they are genuinely interested in my content.
3. Multiple entry giveaways give a somewhat unfair advantage to bloggers...and to tech-savvy people (who facebook and twitter and kirtsy, etc.)...and to people who fill up their blogs with giveaways and not content. I have so many wonderful readers that don't have blogs, don't know what twitter is, etc. I also have wonderful readers that have blogs with excellent content (not just giveaway listings) and I wouldn't want to get in the way of their writing.
Finally (now that I've written a book on this topic...sorry), I think it is important for marketers and PR companies to consider the "influence" of a blogger not based on RSS subscribers, Twitter followers, or blog comments...but upon the quality of the posts and the comments. Do the readers seem truly engaged? Are there genuine relationships between the blogger and her readers? Etc. These kind of bloggers are actually the most influential. I am much more likely to buy a product as a result of a review by a trusted "friend" than I am because I stumbled upon it from a giveaway site.
Thanks again for jumpstarting this discussion!
Post a Comment