I have been contemplating having a giveaway, but when I have had them in the past I have not had much success getting new followers or blog traffic.
I know there are several blogs that have had a lot of success hosting giveaways, and hosting them often. These blogs have lots of followers, but if all you do is host giveaways isn't that all people visit for?
What are your thoughts about giveaways?
When you participate in a giveaway do you become a regular reader of the blog?
What types of prizes make you want to participate in a giveaway?
Have you had success hosting giveaways on your blog?
Thanks or sharing your thoughts.
Posts
i have done give-aways, in fact i am currently running one now...but they are fundraising for orphans so require donations for a cause...i have never just run a straight giveaway! i don't like the idea of pimping out the blog for 'traffic' and 'new members' it's so tempting thoughh to get sucked into the blogging numbers game..i know i ahve recently been there! i was very recently wondering how i can get more visitors, more hits, more comments, figures were stagnant, comments and hits dropping off, i was getting stressed...and do you know what...after stressing for weeks i am going to stop it! i love my blog, i write memories for my kids to have later, i write to relax and i want to continue to build some great relationships with other writers and mums, especially in the special needs world like me! i lost what i originally began this blog for by the seduction of bigger and more! so my perspective on the giveaway...i think they may bring in a few readers who stay, mostly not though! it all depends on why you started blogging...go back to that and look at hosting a giveaway again...does it fit in with your initial goals. enjoy your blog, nice to say hi, which at the end of the day is what its all about, a genuine hi and some genuine interest xxxxxx
ReplyDeleteI enjoy a good giveaway and have won 3 that I can recall over the years. One was a handmade bear by a crafter and blogger in the UK, about 3 years ago. Then I won 2 this summer. But I was already a regular reader of their blogs beforehand. And if they host another giveaway I don't enter because I've already won one. I haven't done a giveaway on my blog b/c I didn't know what to use as the prize. But I do love to enter them!!
ReplyDeleteIf advertised well, giveaways can bring lots of traffic to your site. But unfortunately that doesn't mean it will bring continued readership.
ReplyDeleteI always require that to enter they choose an item from my shop and leave it in the comments. That way they see what I have to offer. And if even 2 or 3 people come back to buy something...I consider the giveaway a success.
I just did a big one! And I've done a few here and there over the last couple of years with good success.
ReplyDeleteI find them helpful in bringing in new readers, boosting page views and helping out with facebook numbers. You can't expect that all of them will stick around, but some do! Some of my most loyal readers found me that way.
As for me entering giveaways. I will if it's something I really would like a chance to win, but otherwise no. Some blogs I'll continue to follow if it interests me, but sometimes you come across a giveaway through another blog and you just pop over to look and maybe only enter the giveaway.
If you want to host one and really want to you can specify that someone entering needs to be a blog follower - but I find this will lessen your entry numbers.
Sorry, kind of long but hopefully helpful!
Giveaways are a two-headed coin. I have had a couple in years gone by and found they didn't bring in new readers, at least not for me.
ReplyDeleteMost new bloggers do wish to build up their readership, though there are those who have blogs just for family and friends and the number of their following doesn't matter to them.
There are a myriad of ways to rack up followers, from joining link-ups and "follow me - I'll follow you" to blog hops and challenges (such as bead soups).
But I've found that numbers are just that and what is important are the real followers, the ones that swing by and really read your post and leave a comment. These followers are the ones that are worth their weight in gold. :)
It's been a while since I've done a give-away, mostly because I feel like the boost in traffic is only temporary... but I que that as fault of my own because I'm not good about keeping up my blog to make people keep coming back. :)
ReplyDeleteYou never know who will find you from a give-away though... I suppose if you do a give away without expecting anything in return (isn't that how they should be anyways?) you have the potential to get new followers and lots of new eyes on your products... but that doesn't always translate into sales. Mostly, I think people visit give-aways for the free item. It's a tough one, give-aways are fun, but I think that's how you have to go into it, as something fun to do, you won't necessarily get a bunch of sales in your shop from it. Hopefully though, you'll gain a few new followers in the process.
I did a giveaway a long time ago when I first started my blog and other etsy shop. It definitely brought in followers but I don't think any of them still pay attention my blog. Perhaps it's changed too much over the years for them to care. I have been thinking about doing another giveaway perhaps before the holiday but I just want to because like my followers so much. I haven't really thought of it as a way to bring in traffic. I've been doing that so well lately anyway.
ReplyDeleteI've had 2 giveaways. The first one was during a growth spurt and it was a big success with many new followers. The second one was an attempt to draw new readers because I was in a slump. I had only 5 entries and no new readers!
ReplyDeleteI will enter a giveaway if I truly want the item. I'm drawn to ones that give away something handmade by the blogger or sewing related items because that's what I do. But I have entered a few that the blogger was hosting with items from another artist.
I can think of only 2 blogs I'm still reading that started from a giveaway.
I have done some giveaways on my blog and while my regular readers enter it certainly does also bring more traffic and new followers. However I do find that those new followers typically do not come back in the future.
ReplyDeleteWhen I participate in a giveaway it is for something I love that is a craft which is foreign to me. I will continue to visit that blog if they are visiting me since I enjoy the interaction back and forth and getting to know someone that way.
Best of luck! Hosting a giveway is a lot of fun especially when you have a winner who really loves what you created!
The key is advertising them well as Edi says. There are many sites where you can list your giveaways beyond just putting it on fb, etc. I've found that when I do this I always get a bunch of new readers, but rarely are any of them actually interested in my blog. I'd say it shouldn't be done with any expectations. The ones I enjoy the most are for those who already follow my blog- I know that way that the person who wins actually likes what I make;)
ReplyDeleteI like giveaways, but they're not necessary. I've had giveaways on my blog before (very rarely) and I JUST started hosting for others, so we'll see how it goes, and I'll let you know. =)
ReplyDeleteI decided to host giveaways because I was already featuring shops every now and then. I thought maybe offering a giveaway along with the features might give those featured shops a little bit more exposure.
When I participate, it's usually because I'm already a follower and regular reader.
I like handmade prizes, although I'd enter if it's something else that interests me.
So far, we're currently holding our first HOSTED giveaway (and it ends tomorrow night). I feel like it's been a success. But as you mentioned in your post, if all I do is start hosting giveaways, isn't that all people will visit for?
I want you to know that your blog offers inspiration, motivation and has great content. I'm a follower of yours whether you have giveaways or not! =0)
~Kim
2justByou.blogspot.com