Are Blog Contests Worth It?

[rhyswynne]

Originally Posted by _xhan

haha thats genius! I don't think I'd want to offer myself up as a prize! Especially knowing the weirdos who read my site *cough*rhyswynne*cough*

(I can say that cos he's out partying!)

I can still read this post though, you ninny!

I ran a competition once, and gave away a unique item (it was the programme for the football match I played in, signed by me ). There wasn't that much interest, and the reason I put it down to was that the prize was a solid, so it'd have to be posted to you.

Unless you've got a huge readership, not may people would've been that interested to be honest.

_xhan won. Typically. People thought it was a fix!

[Bloggeries]

I think the duration of the contest and the prize play a large role. A short contest with a smaller prize wont get that much attention. If you are giving away like $500 and let it run a month it has more appeal and time to get saturated into the blogosphere. Just my opinion of course. It also obviously helps if you have a large reader base!

[Kuanyin]

Excellent points, and I can tell my blog contest is going to be an fun experience! I've already been so touched by the fascinating comments people have written as their entry! So the pay-off is good for me!!

Once my Blog Contest finishes on October 10th, I'll give ya'll some feedback on what I learned, where I promoted the contest, how many people entered, etc.

I started with what I think is something simple: asking people to make a comment about an Elvis song and video and subscribing. The prize is only a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate, but hey.... if I feel contests are working for me, maybe next time I'll offer more!

[jshaffstall]

Originally Posted by Kuanyin

The prize is only a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate, but hey.... if I feel contests are working for me, maybe next time I'll offer more!

It's tempting to offer better prizes with subsequent contests, but I think just varying the prize a bit is fine. They don't all have to be better than the last, just different.

I fell into this trap with my contests, and was having trouble figuring out where to go after giving myself out as a slave this month.

I was debating about giving away web hosting when I finally decided that a more modest prize would work just as well, and be more sustainable in the long run.

Jay

[Kuanyin]

Well, I'll certainly take into account your wisdom gleaned from doing contests. Since this is my first, I'm such a virgin.

Hey, why don't you enter my contest????

[jshaffstall]

Originally Posted by Kuanyin

Hey, why don't you enter my contest????

I actually watched the video clip, and was having trouble figuring out what it brought up for me in order to leave a comment. Strange, I know!

Jay

[Kuanyin]

Some people may find it funny, sad, moving, depressing, or whatever. I'm looking to get new subscribers....which is FREE!

[scottfow]

Contests is a brilliant idea but that's if you already have an 'established' traffic in your blog.

[pelf81]

Aww.. I've never seriously participated in a contest because of a few reasons:
(1) I stay in Malaysia, and I'm usually not interested in winning a USD 20 book voucher from Amazon because Amazon doesn't ship to Malaysia (don't ask me why).
(2) Like somebody mentioned, I'd love some cash, but what am I going to do with lots of US Dollars? I'm not exactly a shopaholic!
(3) Sometimes I think bloggers who run contests are selfish (no, don't boo me yet!). They require participants to blog about the contest, to drop a comment, to send an email, to dig the contest post, to stumble it, and all for a USD 100 prize. OK, a USD 100 prize is a lot I know, but imagine what all those Diggs and Stumbles can do to his blog! And all he's doing is giving away a USD 100 prize to ONE winner, and all other participants would have helped the blogger raise his Alexa ranking, Technorati ranking and all, for nothing *sigh*

OK, I didn't talk too much, did I?

[Bloggeries]

I know what you're saying about asking alot for the prize.

I was thinking of having a contest where you have to write a post about bloggeries forum and explain what bloggeries are. Of those participants I'm going to pick 4 winners and each one gets a banner ad for their blog on the top righ of the blog forum for a week each.

How does that sound as a preliminary idea?

Rob

Originally Posted by pelf81

Aww.. I've never seriously participated in a contest because of a few reasons:
(1) I stay in Malaysia, and I'm usually not interested in winning a USD 20 book voucher from Amazon because Amazon doesn't ship to Malaysia (don't ask me why).
(2) Like somebody mentioned, I'd love some cash, but what am I going to do with lots of US Dollars? I'm not exactly a shopaholic!
(3) Sometimes I think bloggers who run contests are selfish (no, don't boo me yet!). They require participants to blog about the contest, to drop a comment, to send an email, to dig the contest post, to stumble it, and all for a USD 100 prize. OK, a USD 100 prize is a lot I know, but imagine what all those Diggs and Stumbles can do to his blog! And all he's doing is giving away a USD 100 prize to ONE winner, and all other participants would have helped the blogger raise his Alexa ranking, Technorati ranking and all, for nothing *sigh*

OK, I didn't talk too much, did I?