I have been blogging a little over three years now {yikes! time flies!} and my views, attitudes, and opinions on all things blogging has evolved as I have learned and experienced more. Something on my mind lately has been giveaways thanks to a recent #crafterminds twitter chat.
A newer to me blog that I really like has some great giveaways and she always makes following her blog a requirement to enter. Followed by liking her and the sponsor on Facebook, following on Twitter, tweeting about it, Facebook statusing the update...you get the picture. I am not one to ask for what I want {people pleaser, passive aggressive} but when I see other people asking for things I think to myself, "hey, I can do that too!" Plus in the internet world I can be as pushy as I want because I do not have to live up to it in real life {ok, not really}.
So the next giveaway I hosted, I required the same thing...and suddenly I heard the crickets. It made me realize that when you ask for too much in a giveaway, it turns people off from entering. Then a few days later, I stumbled upon a blogger who has AMAZING giveaways {we are talking big $$$ items} and she asks you to tweet every day, like her status updates, and comment on her posts at another blog she writes for to get additional entries. Now this thing she was giving away, I really wanted...so I followed for a couple days. And then this happened...
I had heard a few weeks back that according to Facebook's terms of service, you are not allowed to include "liking" a Facebook page as a required entry to your giveaway {which also includes additional entries to the giveaway}. Hearing this for the first time, I thought I would slide on this gray area. And then I heard it again. And again. And suddenly this was not a gray area any more but a well known fact amongst many bloggers...and I needed to be doing the right thing.
So between feeling convicted about blogging ethics and being irritated that these "huge" bloggers are not following some well known Facebook TOS...I decided things would change. I stopped entering that big giveaway that I really, really, really want to win. I figure if I really want it I should just buy it! And that giveaways need to be less about self promotion. I understand that in order for online businesses to get their name out there, they pay to sponsor themselves on blogs. But I kind of feel like, at least for me, that I am going to "like" and follow their shop but have no intentions on ever buying. If I see something I really like and haven't won the giveaway, I will eventually buy it. But I will probably also "unlike" and stop following a whole lot of other people after the giveaway is over.
All this to say, it got me thinking about how I promote here at Domestic Fashionista. I love to be able to promote businesses I like. But I am picky and hope you know that I don't say yes to everyone. I only share with you things I personally love and think you might love as well. And while we are at it, I am going to promote my sponsor and not myself. If you like me and my blog you will follow on your own. Asking this of people didn't get me anywhere...except maybe make me feel a little foolish about asking in the first place.
So this is where you all get to chime in...as readers, what do you like to see in a giveaway? How do you feel about the overwhelming amounts of giveaways you see on blogs these days? What turns you off from a blog as it pertains to giveaways? What are your own personal ethics for your blog?
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For others blogs- I will enter a giveaway if it's something I want, from a blog I follow if the requirements aren't too crazy. If I have to blog about it on my own blog, facebook it or tweet it, I'm not usually interested.
ReplyDeleteAs for giveaways on my blog, I have only ever had 2 giveaways and I asked that those entering be a follower of my blog. I don't want people to come to my blog just for the giveaway. I want them to come, look around and stay for a while. Not just come to my blog for the giveaway.
I love this because I totally agree with YOU.
ReplyDeleteWell you asked what I would like to see in a giveaway and honestly I get kind of annoyed with all the "big" bloggers doing a giveaway like every other day.
I'm like I started reading your blog b/c I like your content not the stuff you "giveaway". I would continue to read your blog and love it if you NEVER had another giveaway :) But on the other hand I love the opportunities that come with advertising on blogs and giveaways.
I'm confusing huh?? LOL!
-If I love whoever's blog I will follow, and not because of a giveaway-
-I think it's super annoying to have a giveaway all the time-
-but on the other hand LOVE that all these wives and mommies are making a living blogging and able to stay home--torn maybe??
I hope you get the idea.
Needless to say, I love Domestic Fashionista, giveaway or no giveaway ;)
xo
Ashley, thanks for sharing that you aren't supposed to require "liking" your blog on Facebook as a giveaway requirement. I've been thinking about doing a giveaway on my blog and was going to ask people to "like" it on Facebook! Guess I won't be doing that now! I see giveaways as an added bonus to readers, but only when they are done sparingly.
ReplyDeleteGirl you hit the nail on the head... When I ever I have had a give away, all you have to do is comment... It's that easy, you DON'T have to follow me, you DON'T have to go to my shop and tell me what your favorite thing is, you DON'T have to "like" my facebook (heck I don't even have my blogs page fully set up)... Keeping things simple leave a comment, I do like to ask that they leave me an email, because so many people are STILL set up as No Reply Comment... This way if they win I can contact them.... It's just THAT easy as it should be...
ReplyDeleteI had no idea about the whole Facebooking liking thing. Great information and good to know. I am right there with you when it comes to giveaways and I have to do a million things to enter..it totally turns me off, so when I do a giveaway I try to do do that too. But some giveaways are totally worth it if its some super expensive and nice.
ReplyDeleteI like hearing your thoughts about this. I'm considering starting a blog when I purchase my first house next spring and often wonder about giveaways. I tend to shy away from entering blogs taht have SOOO many stipulations to them and I don't want to have to like them on FB or follow on twitter (I don't even have an account.) I prefer the giveaways that just say to comment or become a follower of their blog through RSS feed.
ReplyDeleteAnd also on that matter, I get tired of going to a blog everyday to read about decorating or whatever and they constinaly have a giveway going on and it happens every week! (there's one in particular I'm talking about.) I feel like they are over promoting and it turns me off.
Hope my rambling helped. and in a nutshell, I completely agree with you.
~Erin
creativityuncorked{at}gmail{dot}com
Can I hug you?
ReplyDeleteI thought it was just me getting annoyed with having to hop on one foot while chanting their blogs name to win...ok, maybe not but you get the idea. No matter how good or big the prize if it asks for me to do more than one thing I won't enter ( I like one option to win and additional optional entries) don't mind following if like their blog.
I hate having to do 25 things to get one entry. I don't mind if there is an option for extra entries (because I don't HAVE to do those), but I've seen some that really require you to do 4-5 things to get one entry.
ReplyDeleteThis being said, I'm doing a big giveaway week on my blog next week. ;) I will not require anyone to follow me (if you do though, you're in for a treat-I'm hilarious) and I will not have anyone liking any FB page (I found out recently that this was a no-no). I will offer 3 options for getting an entry (one entry per), but if they just want to leave a comment for one entry, that's cool with me.
So stop by next week!
Glad you shared your thoughts! I, eventually, would like to do some giveaways but haven't done any yet (I'm still a smaller blog). I've thought a lot about them and how I would set them up and part of the reason I haven't done one yet is b/c I want to figure out the best way to do it and I want to have the purpose of my blog grounded. The giveaways will be an added bonus, something fun to do. I'm glad to know that the followers I do have have followed me on there own b/c they liked my content.
ReplyDeleteThere are some big bloggers that do too many giveaways and it is a little frustrating when it happens so much, but I know a lot of the ones I follow are starting to pare them down, so they're getting it now.
It's all about balance. I love the idea of sponsors and giveaways connected to them b/c it's a way for us moms to do what we love while bringing in income. But, it all has to be balanced out. :o)
Good for you for addressing this. Rules are rules, and if people don't want to follow them they shouldn't use the service, end of story. It drives me crazy when I see people who you KNOW have to know this and they just ignore it.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary, Ashley-on the blog and most importantly, your marriage!
ReplyDeleteI started a blog and started a fb page at the same time. Kind of got in a bit deep and don't have a lot of time... it would be fun for it to become something one day, but for now i'm doing it for myself. I did read the terms and conditions of fb's setting up a fan page area and it is true. you can't like a page to win a contest. which is surprising since EVERY blog does it these days.
I think once a month give a way or giving something away you were blogging about, not bloging about something to give it away is the ticket.
I personally get annoyed when there are giveaways over and over. Yes I want to enter them but it takes space of the blog and it gets in the way of the blog content...which is why i was reading in the first place.
I really like your blog and your down to earth craftyness. I have taken you advice on taking good photos and to not let your blog run your life. Hope my 2 cents was okay!
I am the editor on Craft Gossip Felting and do giveaways. I get the books from publishers or some Etsy shop will offer a product and the people that enter go to the shop and pick something they like and then leave a comment. On book giveaways I just ask to type “Enter Me and if they live in the USA” because shipping out of the country is pricey and extra forms are needed, so I ship only in the USA! I usually get a good turnout, but I am not asking for much. I also have fallen for giveaways that want too much from and too time consuming, so like you I gave it up
ReplyDeleteGreat post and insight. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI have not hosted a giveaway on my blog but if I did, the most I would "require" would be a comment. I might encourage/hope people would also choose to follow my blog and me on other social networks (e.g., Pinterest and Twitter) but I certainly wouldn't make it a requirement because I hate having to do that and too many steps 100% turns me off from giveaways.
Ugh I also am turned off in entering giveaways when they require a millions things to do! Unless I'm IN LOVE with whatever they're giving away! But I hate liking things on facebook THE MOST. My facebook is for keeping in contact with my family and friends, but after awhile of liking things on facebook for giveaways it gets a little crowded and annoying.. I eventually unlike most of them! About you doing giveaways or not doing them, I started following your blog because of your fun outfit posts, and then noticed your crafts and decorating, which I enjoy so much more than giveaways! :)
ReplyDeleteThank You THANK YOU Thank You!
ReplyDeleteI read this a couple days ago, but just had the chance to comment.
I've been frustrated by what I feel like is the commercialization of blogging. The real fun of blogging is sharing, not creating hassle or requirements.
I never enter give-away's that require anything more than maybe a comment or a FB like.
Another thing that really bothers me is the whole sponsor thing. I think it's gotten way out of hand. It's fine if you want to advertise your blog on another blog with more hits, but I'm beginning to see more and more bloggers who think that they need to be paid for sharing great blogs. Lots of bloggers have taken down their "favorite links" lists in favor of a list of blogs that pay them.
I just feel like all of this (the give-aways/sponsoring) is creating a feeling of competition.
Off my soapbox now. :)
As I've told you before, I love your blog. You have such a sweet attitude, it's a place where you can come and be yourself!
THANK YOU!!! I love this post!
ReplyDeleteGiveaways are absolutely a promotion, but it's the giveaway that's attracting people to your blog. Once they're there, they will either stay or they won't. It's your game to lose at that point, you know?
I don't require anyone to do anything to enter a giveaway of mine (which I only do rarely), and I generally don't prefer to enter giveaways that require a lot of hoops. Like you said, if I want something, I'll buy it. And if I like that log, I'll read it whether they do giveaways or not.
~Angela~
Interesting. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on giveaways.
ReplyDelete