I feel like if the only reason you come to my blog is because you want to win a camera or a free month of service, then why would I want you to read my blog? Fame is not an avenue to financial reward - at least not the kind of financial reward that I would consider interesting. So why would I want to effectively pay you with giveaways, etc. to read my blog?
I ask the question in all sincerity as we do these things on our company blogs. "Read this, post this, etc., and you can win such and such." They definitely increase the list of blog watchers. But is that increased list worth anything?
I'm sort of tired of listening to experts on the matter. I'd rather hear from you. What say you?
10 comments:
Is it worth something? Possible. Social media has really affected everyone, just don't know when the next trend would be? A lot of marketers and bloggers are the best gateway to their products or other items that they stand behind. Worth it? Yes, otherwise you won't publish it.
We do these kind of publication or post because we want to be heard, known, popular or simply just have a lot of time on our hands and letting the world know that we do exist. Either way, it is worth something in the end.
I follow most of your post because I am interested in the products and advise that you give out. If there is a price behind it, well then that's a bonus. Other wise, as a wedding photographer you are one of many people that we look forward working with.
Jim...the way I see it...it's your content (organic/authentic, not sponsored) that brings me in. As for prizes and such, no harm, as those serve as a bonus -- not as the leading "incentive" to visit.
For some blogs/bloggers the commitment is heavy on monetization and weak on content (opposite of the above). I don't think that's interetsing or sustainable (but seems to work for some).
Lastly, when you have industry partners that have cool things to give away, it can be a win/win/win (for the reader, the blogger, and the company provider)...nothing wrong with that, as long as the content remaims compelling and valued.
My .02
I think it depends on how relevant the giveaway is to the brand we have created. A prize that is only attracting blog readers because of its monetary value is worth little, while the chance to win a prize that makes a reader feel delight, excitement, more stylish etc (insert your brand characteristics) is quite valuable.
This is certainly not aimed at you Jim but at the whole new advertising model via social media that will just not go away!
I consider those kinds of tricks to be the new billboard, the subscription cards that keep falling out of magazines, or the TV/radio car commercial that has some guy talking in the Sunday-Sunday-Sunday monster truck voice screaming about crazy deals. When social media was just getting spun up I used to visit, sign up, comment, link to, subscribe, RSS, etc all the time but then it just became annoying. Why? Because everyone and their step-sister started doing it and on Facebook, it's even worse. Like my page, get your friend to like my page, vote for this, vote for that, win a free session, win a free....whatever. At this point, I just block it all out. We though advertising was bad when it was just the big corporations, now everyone wants a piece of you.
If you really want my attention and you really want me to spread the word, bring it with the goods and by goods I mean knowledge. Tell me stuff that will blow my mind. Help me to drive my business to profitable places even I couldn't imagine...and that would be pretty hard to do. I would much rather take the knowledge and earn a "whatever" then to get it for free because I drove you readers. You know the whole teach a man to fish thing.
Just to let you know Jim, both of your blogs are on my list of blogs to stop-by-and-read once a week or so. And from time to time I've even linked to them on the SouthBendPUG Facebook page (you should Like it but no prizes, sorry ;) Because I believe in you and I certainly want to "hear" what you've got to say and I think others should hear it to.
Such great, thoughtful, comments from all of you. This has always been an issue for me because I don't like the idea of paying people to read my blogs. If you like the content, great. If you don't, don't read it. No harm no foul.
On the other hand I agree that it can be kind of fun to have a giveaway that someone can win... Perhaps it's an 'everything in moderation' thing?
Some blogs make advertising $ by touting how many subscribers/page views they have. In that model... I could see why prizes are used to get people to visit. In the world of good content, there is no need for the prizes... but it doesn't hurt! Prizes dont make most people come back regularly, content does.
Great topic. I think our friends Justin and Mary Marantz are masters of creating a balance of wonderful content along with fun giveaways that reflect back to and enhance their blog's content.
I recently tried my first hand at a giveaway with Social Media networking. I got some new readers to my facebook page, and enjoyed giving away some nice product. It was actually really fun. I'd like to hope that I can keep the readership with the quality of my work, and I think only time can tell.
I don't think it is much different than the bite size giveaways we are accustomed to at grocery stores or even Pictage. A free one month trial of Pictage or Golds Gym... hoping they'll give you a chance, and stick around once the bills come in.
Jim,
I track more than 200 blogs in my feed reader, and I'm picky about my selections so every one of those is a top quality source of information that is important to me. Obviously I can't read 200+ blogs a day, or even effectively scan all of the headlines, so I have a specially tagged top 20 that is the best of the best. That list is the only group that gets my full attention every day. The rest of them get panned for gold when I have the time. If a new blog goes on the top 20 list an existing contender gets bumped. Your blog has been on my top 20 list since I discovered you and it has NOTHING to do with anything you've given away except knowledge. I actually had to go back and see what I missed signing up to win, LOL. Hope that's useful info to you. Keep the knowledge coming!
I do have to admit that this headline grabbed my attention though. :-)
Kevin, Thanks for the great comments and the laugh. I've never given anything away on either of my blogs. I'm thinking I may give some stuff away from time to time on the cooking blog but that would just be for fun.
I've been very interested in the comments and emails I've received from this post. The synopsis of which appears to be, 'what the heck, if it's fun and relevant, do it." So we'll see where it goes...
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