I had some people ask me about running blog giveaways and it was something I planned to talk about some day in my sporadic blogging tips category, but then I started wondering instead less about running giveaways than about going on the other side of the fence – entering giveaways.
Many of us, bloggers and readers, read a lot of blogs and many blogs will at one time or another run a giveaway. I’m curious if you are wont to enter these giveaways and what prompts you to do so? The prizes? To support the blogger? The spirit of entering a contest and hopefully winning?
As for myself, back in the early days, I did participate in some blog giveaways but back in the day, a lot of the more popular blogs were based overseas and there was always a caveat that it was restricted only to their territory, whether it be the USA, UK or Ireland (most of the blogs I read were from there). I’d participated in some food related blog giveaways (since that’s my other main love nom nom nom!) but rarely because again, a lovely prize of a Kitchenaid mixer was only going to be despatched locally and I wasn’t living in the locale.
Over time, I stopped participating in giveaways hosted by blogs when it came to beauty products. A girl has to know when she has enough, or more than enough and this girl does 😀 I would logically be on the giving end as opposed to the receiving end, and I also felt that it wasn’t quite fair for me to enter a giveaway to get even more beauty stuff.
Other blog genres are fair game for me however. I’d love to win a trip or a hotel stay, or a spa session or a lovely dinner or yes, a kitchen gadget, so if a blog I’m reading or following does have a giveaway like that I might be tempted to join in. Yet, I’d be loathe to join a giveaway on a blog that I’d never read before, because I would then feel like a freeloader. I know, awkward 😛
But still, it does make me curious.
Do you enter or participate in blog giveaways and if you do, what prompts you to do so?
I would, in a blog of a different genre and if it didn’t require me to jump through hoops and sell my information for a chance to win something. That said, I haven’t entered one in a long while. Guess there aren’t many blogs giving away free dinners, trips, gadgets or hotel stays eh? Or am I not reading the right ones? 😛
Paris B
I no longer enter giveaways that win beauty products because, really, as if I don’t have enough? 😛 Having said that, I do enter the ones that has prizes like win a spot in a course (always good to further educate oneself), win a fancy gadget or toy, win a holiday or spa treatment, win a gift voucher, win a book (love these!) and so on. I have rotten luck when it comes to giveaways because I almost always never win. Oh well, doesn’t hurt to try. 😛
Sigh, I’ve the same rotten luck as you Tine. I rarely win any lucky draws and even when there’s a guarantee win situation, I’ll win some crappy RM1 item while everyone else wins an iphone. Yeah, that’s the luck I have 😛
I’ve entered some and I actually recently won one from Phyrra! I also do giveaways on my blog. I was super excited to win one.
Lucky you to win a good prize! 🙂 I’m sure it’s very exciting especially if it’s for items that you don’t already own or may not be inclined to purchase
I don’t enter blog giveaways coz mainly limited to the origin place of the blogs (usually oversea or the other side of Malaysia which still considered as oversea – over China South Sea LOL).
So, I rather purchase something online that entitled me to get freebies 😀
Haha but most of the local giveaways I see don’t restrict shipping to E. Malaysia do they? It doesn’t cost very much more, coz I’ve done it so I know! haha
Not particularly, mostly because I would have missed the boat and never in my favour 😛
I rather join contests on other platforms.
ACtually I’ve given up on entering a lot of giveaways or contests on any platform thanks to my lack of luck at winning anything. It’s so disappointing not to but a friend of mine is very lucky. Go figure eh?
I do enter blog giveaways only of the blogs I read because I want to support the blogger and also for the chance of winning something. I also participate in contests in magazines and from pharmacies because its always the thrill of winning something. LOL.
And you seem to have gotten quite lucky! 😉 I was never much of a comp-er. Just never had much luck winning anything 🙁 I don’t even remember the last time I won anything! Oh wait, I think it was a teddy bear LOL! 😛
If a blogger whose blog I am already following hosts a giveaway sometimes I enter it but only if I think that in case I win I will use the products she is giving away e.g I love skin care products,neutral eye shadows and light pink blushes so if I see that in the prize I will enter and try my luck although I have never won any yet 😀
That’s very considerate of you Sataa. I’ve actually come across people who enter, win and then sell off the items unused! It made me so mad 🙁
Another interesting topic of conversation, Ms. P!
Well, it’s really a case of ‘to each their own’ but I personally think giveaways are fun and a way for the blogger to reach out and give something tangible back to his/ her audience!
Of course, it makes sense to enter those contests where one is actually going to appreciate the prize/s. It would be silly to do so otherwise.
I don’t usually win and most of us don’t but when I do it’s a nice pick-me-up and I think people genuinely do enjoy running a giveaway on their blog and hope more people do enter.
Incidentally, I’m running a giveaway as we speak. My first blog giveaway ever, actually! Some may scoff at the prizes and it is a matter of taste, I’m sure, but it took me a long time to come up with a prize pack I would want myself. I would personally not want to give away a whole bunch of stuff I don’t want or never thought to use.
I only picked prizes that I have purchased for myself before. I also made sure to mark it ‘International’ and this will cost me more if there is an overseas winner but that’s okay, I wanted to alleviate the frustration of not being able to enter due to geographical contraints – I know how it feels after spotting all those non-Malaysian giveaways and not being able to participate 🙁
I deliberately did not want to run a sponsored giveaway because I wanted the personalised and curious mix that uniquely represents me and that I would enjoy recommending to the winner.
In a way, I hope that my winner enjoys a little jaunt into my eclectic little world of the things I like and recommend.
Personally, I think the odds of winning are generally higher from a blog giveaway. It ain’t the lottery, right?!
P.S. I’m going to take the opportunity to plug my humble little giveaway on your lovely blog with a link to my said giveaway…because I’m sneaky like that and what the heck, it’s fitting. You may all ‘analyse’ my efforts.
I welcome brickbats or bouquets…or entries lol
Oh from a blogger’s POV, I think giveaways are great stuff! It’s basically the only way we can ever give back to the lovely readers and I think your giveaway is very well curated and well thought out and I liked how it wasn’t just beauty-centric 🙂 Good luck running your giveaway and I hope the plug boosted entries!
As for myself, I don’t join contest anymore blog giveaway unless it’s something that I really want badly and feeling too stingy to buy it 😛 the main reason is, luck is (almost) never on my side so why bother 🙁 it breaks my heart when i don’t win something that i really want.
Hahaha well said! That’s how I feel a lot of the time too. No luck, so don’t even bother trying so I’m not disappointed 😛
It really depends on how much I want to win and how many things I have to do before I qualify lol. If I have to leave a comment on the blog post then sure, I’ll enter. Once rafflecopter makes an appearance I’m out of there!
The irony Sam Bear is that Rafflecopter was supposed to make the process easier! LOL But you know what? The minute I see Rafflecopter, I don’t bother either. It tells me that I’ll need to do too many things and the entries are always so inflated, it’s scary!
Interesting topic. I loved reading the comments. I personally love having giveaways for my readers from time to time. And sometimes I love entering contests from the brands or Make-Up Artists. Like last week I’ve decided to take part in Chalotte Tilbury’s contest (not a random giveaway), so fingers crossed 🙂
Ooh I hope you win something from Charlotte Tilbury, Marina 🙂
I don\’t think I\’ve entered a giveaway before as I have more than enough stuff. I\’ve organised a few in the past and will likely organise one next year. I\’ll probably stick to local though because postage is so expensive.
Yes! When I started out swapping and doing international giveaways, it was actually quite ok sending stuff overseas. But last year when I sent a small box overseas, I paid close to RM100 and that was when I realised it wasn’t feasible to send overseas anymore 🙁
yes i enter giveaways on my favourite blogs. i think they are fun.And the most exciting part is you get the chance to try products that are not available in your country.
That’s a good point Anusha 🙂 Especially more so if the items are a little more exotic!
I enter giveaways every once in a while. I don’t follow too many bloggers to be honest, so I’m not always in the know of certain giveaways.
It also depends on what the giveaway is. If they’re giving out blushes, eyeshadows, etc, I usually don’t enter them. I don’t wear a lot of makeup, so if I did end up winning it, it would be a waste.
You and I both Joann! I don’t seem to be seeing any good giveaways which tell me I’m not following the right people LOL! It’s nice that you don’t enter for the sake of entering. I know of people who are such serial participants they don’t care if they wear the items or not, they just want to win and then they sell the items they don’t use. I was so pissed off when I found out!
I do sometimes and I’m a proud winner from MWS! Though I must be getting older and/or lazier because I only enter to win what I really would like to read/use. Plus I know many bloggers fund their own giveaways (including postage, which can be huge) so sometimes I won’t enter if I’m already a devoted fan of theirs – let someone new enjoy the prize!
Yay for being an MWS winner – you’re one of the terribly lucky ones cos I’m not running any (or many) more 😀 But I think it only makes sense to enter for items that we really want. The serial compers out there really spoil the game for everyone and it irritates me that items won in a giveaway are then sold for profit. If they weren’t interested, someone else was!
Well, like they say: You’ve got to be in it to win it. So yeah, as long as there’s no slogan writing, or spam your Facebook feed too much, and I actually want to try/watch/etc something, I’ll throw my hat in the ring. Sadly, have never won anything major like car or house 🙁
Sigh, I’ve never won anything big in any contest either. Not even in a lucky draw, which is why I have a very realistic view on my “luck” i.e. I have none!