Why People Enter or Don't Enter Promotional Giveaways On Blogs

I hold giveaways on my blog. Some receive a lot of entries, while others don't. I've noticed a pattern with which ones receive high entries vs. those that don't. But there are still some that surprise me.

On my blog, I've noticed that my entries are higher if the main entry is simply to comment as to why they want to win. The ones that make you go to another site and come back tend to have less entries. If the main entry requires multiple things to be done, then the entries are really low.

There are exceptions to these observations. High dollar giveaway items seem to motivate people to work a little harder to enter. A $75 or higher value item seems to attract more people and they are more willing to go to another site and then come back and enter.

Sponsors want to draw attention to their brand and their website. The giveaway draws attention to the brand. The more giveaways the sponsor holds on blogs, the more attention the brand receives. This creates a buzz among consumers. If a sponsor is serious about wanting to generate traffic to their site, immediately, than a higher priced item should be offered as a giveaway prize.

It is my personal opinion that doing one giveaway, on one blog, is not enough to generate interest or website traffic. The average person may see something and think "interesting." Then next time that person sees the item or hears about a brand, "I remember." The third time, "I need to check that out."

Of course, that is just an opinion. I would like to know what you think. How many times do you need to see something, before you want to investigate more? Why do you enter giveaways, and what determines which ones you do or don't enter?

The Tyra Show Needs Better Researchers

I watched The Tyra Show today, and it was centered on “cyber haters.” Let me start off by saying that I like Tyra and I watch her show occasionally. That being said, I feel that the show needs better researchers. This particular episode started off with 4 guests. Tyra referred to them as bloggers, yet it was never mentioned what their blogs were.

During the time that these guests were on, it was said that they were anonymous commenters and that they would leave hateful comments of celebrity gossip sites. There is a big difference between a commenter and a blogger. I am a blogger. My website is a blog. I write articles/posts and people (commenters) leave comments on different posts that I write.

After watching Tyra, and listening to her refer to her guests as bloggers, I became frustrated and annoyed. The discussions were centered around comments that they make online. Leaving comments on a post does not make that person a blogger. Yes, you can be both a commenter and a blogger. My point is, nothing that was said on The Tyra Show indicated that these people were bloggers, except the fact that Tyra referred to them as such.

It frustrates and annoys me that Tyra’s staff did not prepare her well enough for this episode. The show ended up showing bloggers in a bad light. There are bloggers out there that are haters. It’s pathetic and sad. I try to use my blog to help people, and it is disgusting that there are people that will use their blog to hurt people. My point is that, in this case, I think bloggers are being insulted. The show makes us look bad, and it appeared that this people were not even bloggers.

Supporting Mothers Everywhere

Today, I joined Bloggers Against Hunger. This program was set up by the World Food Programme organization. They are asking bloggers to use their words to help raise awareness and funds “for the one billion people worldwide that go to bed hungry.” This is a cause that I feel strongly about. This weekend, Mother’s Day will be celebrated. Mom’s will be honored and pampered by their families.

Yesterday, my husband told me we couldn’t go camping at the beach, because we couldn’t afford it. I understood, but was sulking over it. Then I saw an email from World Food Programme, and I realized how petty and selfish I was being. I should be thankful for what I have and remember that there are those that have far less.

There have been times that I have had to go to bed hungry, in order to assure that my kids did not. It’s a horrible position to be in. It’s also one of the easiest actions a mother can make. Putting our child ahead of us is natural. There are mother’s that have to make that decision every night. That is a horrible thing to realize.

For this Mother’s Day, you can donate to the World Food Programme, help another mother, and share a personal message of encouragement and strength. It’s easy to get caught up in our own lives and think that we should only be supporting those in our own country. In most cases, I believe this. When it comes to helping other mothers, we should not be limited by boundaries. In the end, we are all mothers and we should support each other.

For more information about this program, or to make a donation, you can visit the World Food Programme website.

Blogger And PR Product Pitch Website Groups

There are more and more groups and websites popping up around the internet for bloggers and PR representatives to join. These groups are to allow bloggers to share product pitches for reviews and giveaways with other bloggers and for PR representatives to find bloggers to review their clients’ products. Some of these groups to not cost any money to join, and some do.


The Product Review Place - A ning group, free to join and get access to PR pitches. If you want access to the really good pitches, you have to join their elite list of bloggers at a cost of $5 a month.


MomDot VIP Forum - $6 a month, and you have access to pitches that are placed on the forum by a few PR representatives, but mostly other bloggers. I have been a member for a year and have benefited from it. However, I am taking a break from it because of money issues. I have found this to be one of the better sites that are on the internet.

Business2Blogger - Is a new site. I have been a member for a short period of time. It is free to join, but it is hard to get an opportunity from them.

TeamMom - I had to wait a long time to become a member of this group. It is free to join, but there is a waiting list. At least, there was a long waiting list when I applied. I’ve enjoyed being a member and have enjoyed the opportunities that they have given me.

MomSelect - This group was free to join. I have been on their list for about a year. I have received some good opportunities in the past, but lately they have not been so good. Mostly, they are asking you to attend Twitter parties or write a post about something in exchange for being entered into a contest.

The Cleverist - This is a new group. I just joined it and have no feedback to give you at this time. It was free to join.

AutismLearningFelt Forum - Yes, this is on my little forum. It’s a special VIP Blogger group. Very small. It’s free to join and specializes in product reviews and giveaways for those that have a special needs blog.


I’m sure there are more out there. These are the ones that I am familiar with. I strongly urge all bloggers to be careful which groups you join. Some are worth spending the $5 or $6 on. Others, are not. Free groups can be great, but may also be difficult to get opportunities from. Free groups tend to draw a lot of bloggers, thus more competition for opportunities that are listed in that group.

Also, be careful about groups that promise you something great if you join. There are new groups that are promising bloggers that join, and are accepted, free vacations. You sign up, fill out what type of products you would like to review, along with where you would like them mailed. They send out products to you, (some not even what you checked as interested in reviewing) and a note saying that they are sorry, but the company they bought the vouchers for went bankrupt.

Be smart, be careful, and be quick. When you see an opportunity that you like, don’t wait, respond. If you find a group that sounds too good to be true, it just may be. If you are just starting out in the product review and giveaway area, try working with groups that have been around for a while. MomDot and TeamMom are great. If you blog about special needs, join my small group. I don’t post a lot of opportunities in it, but the ones that I do are nice.

BloGHer 2010 Preliminary Schedule to Include Autism

If you think the BlogHer 2010 will be all fun and games, think again. The conference organizers have put up the preliminary schedule for the conference and it is full of great sessions designed to help bloggers improve their blog. Here are some of the classes scheduled for the 2010 conference:

“Change Agents: Feeding the Conversation: How to Build A Community Around Your Cause
Passions: Reserved for Room of Your Own
Personal: Blogging Autism: Shattering Myths, Opening Eyes and Finding Your Tribe
Professional: The FTC Guidelines: After A Year, Has Anything Changed?
Geek Lab: Usability for Beginning Bloggers (Beginning Level)
Writing Lab: Writing Inspiration: Stoke Your Creativity
Job Lab: Self-Marketing: Resume and Social Network Profile Writing Clinic”

Did you notice the one on Autism? Here is the description for the Autism session:

“Personal: Blogging Autism: Shattering Myths, Opening Eyes and Finding Your Tribe
Autism is both more out in the open than it has ever been before and more shrouded in myths and mystery. Come learn and share your stories about how blogging contributes to the autism community as a source of support and outlet for parents, as a way for those not dealing directly with autism to gain more insight and sensitivity and as a tool for advocacy and activism.”

The description of this session describes what I aim to do with my blog. I am looking forward to sitting in on this session, learning how I can approve my particular blog niche, and interact with others that blog about autism. I am excited that BlogHer has scheduled an Autism blogger session and I applaud them for doing so.

If you plan on attending this year’s conference, I suggest that you go read the new conference guidelines. Last year, there were a lot of bloggers attending the conference and having sponsors pick up the cost. This is something that I am doing this year. Jones Dairy Farm is one of my partial sponsors, and I am looking for more to cover the rest of my conference expenses.

BlogHer has made changes to their conference guidelines as they pertain to bloggers handing out their sponsor’s promotional materials. You can read the exact details on their website. Basically, it means that you can not hand out a sponsor’s promotional materials within the conference space. You can still wear clothing with your sponsor’s information on it and you can have your sponsors listed on your blog’s promotional materials, i.e. business cards.

Businesses that want to have their promotional materials distributed at the conference can contact the organizers and arrange to become a BlogHer Conference sponsor. Businesses that sponsor bloggers to attend can still benefit with advertising space on your bloggers site, posts written that include a mention of your business (like I did in this one with Jones Dairy Farm), and having the blogger wear a shirt with your companies information on it. Bloggers with sponsorship can devote their time to attending the sessions offered at the conference, instead of trying to hand out boxes of swag. I consider this a win/win situation for everyone involved. I look forward to attending this year’s conference, and if you are a company looking to sponsor a blogger, please consider me.

UPrinting and BlogHer 2010 Sponsorship Opportunity

Are you a blogger? Are you a member of the UPrinting Network Ning Group? If you are not, that’s alright. You can put in an application to join. This is a private Ning group for bloggers that wish to work with UPrinting. They offer review and giveaway opportunities for bloggers. There are groups to join in the UPrinting Network Ning Group for interacting with other bloggers that share your interests.


I have worked with UPrinting in the past. I found them to be extremely accommodating and caring about our interactions. I’ve done a couple of giveaways for their printing services. In return, I was given the exact service for free as a thank you. I sold them advertisement space on my blog and am working on re-newing that. I enjoyed my business relations with them because it was a no hassle arrangement. I am looking forward to renewing a relationship with them.

If you are already a member of their group, where have you been? Have you checked in on what great things are going on in the Ning Group? I would like to share the latest activity in the Forums. UPrinting is trying to gauge interest from it’s members in regard to a BlogHer Sponsorship program.

“The BlogHer sponsorship package contest is being reconsidered. If you are interested in blogging for a chance to go to BlogHer (Flight, Hotel and Conference Pass Included), then please start a petition so I can try to get a budget for that contest.”

They are looking for a couple of hundred bloggers to participate in a blogging contest for a chance to win a sponsorship package. Right now, it is a no go. If enough of us reply on the petition in the forum, they will reconsider this. As you know, I am trying to raise enough money from sponsors to go to BlogHer 2010. I would love the opportunity to participate in this contest. If you are a member, and you would be interested in participating in a UPrinting BlogHer Contest, please head over to the forum and let them know. You can click on this forum link to take you right to the petition discussion. (This link will take you to the Sign-In page and then to the discussion.)

If you are not a member, you can apply to join. I encourage you to do so. I hope to see you over there.

PR Pitches and VIP Forum

I have been getting a lot of pitches from companies that are looking for autism and special needs bloggers to review their products. I thought that it would be a good idea to set up a special VIP section in our AutismLearningFelt forum.

Before I do this, I would like to know who would be interested in joining. The VIP membership fee would be $5 a month in order to get bloggers that are serious and dedicated bloggers. I would list my pitches and I encourage other members to list theirs. I would appreciate it if you would leave a comment if you are interested. If I see that there is enough interest in this, I will set it up.

As the membership rises, I will invite PR companies to join us and pitch directly to you and you can pitch directly to them. If you are a PR rep., and would be interested in participating, please leave a comment letting me know.


Update: I am getting a little interest in this, so I am setting it up. If you wish to join, go ahead and register for the AutismLearningFelt Forum. I am not going to charge for this at this time. I was reminded how difficult things are for us all, and wish my forum to be about helping others. If you have already paid, you should be seeing a refund show up any day now. I've refunded it on my end. I have started entering pitches and will continue to do so over the next couple of days. I have been getting slammed in the last couple of days with review requests for Christmas.