As part of our ongoing blog-brand campaign research, The Motherhood recently conducted a survey of bloggers in our network to gather their insights on what works and what doesn’t when it comes to blog giveaways.
Over the years, we’ve worked with dozens of companies to bring giveaways to bloggers’ communities of friends, family members and fans. Prize items have ranged from full-value product coupons and gift cards to gift baskets, service memberships, autographed items and hotel stays.
Using survey feedback from nearly 400 bloggers in April 2013, we’ve compiled a brief list of blog giveaway best practices.
1) Go the personal route.
The general consensus among survey respondents was that using personal anecdotes and original photos (as opposed to canned messaging and stock photos) makes their blog posts and giveaways appear “more genuine and less sponsored” – qualities blog readers appreciate.
Eighty-five percent of survey respondents said their giveaways get a better response when they use personal photos, and a whopping 94.5 percent said they get a better response when they include a personal anecdote.
Using anecdotes “makes the story seem real for my readers and reminds them that I’m actually the one who wrote it, instead of just a press release,” one person pointed out.
Another noted that “personal photos are much more likely to get pinned and otherwise shared” – thereby spreading the word of the giveaway. Even if the photos aren’t beautiful, “my readers want to know it something I really use, so they respond better to a mediocre photo in my home than a professional one from a brand.”
Bottom line: “Posts always get a better response when I’m personal. The views, shares, and comments are always higher when I’m personal with my readers.”
2) Don’t offer a giveaway just to offer a giveaway.
That is, make sure it’s a relevant part of a campaign, not a random afterthought.
While 92.9 percent of survey respondents told us they like hosting giveaways, many of them included a caveat similar to this one: “If it’s a good giveaway and I feel my readers would like it, then I’ll do it. But I don’t like to do it, JUST to do a giveaway.”
Another blogger noted, “I only like giveaways on a select basis and very, very seldom. I do not like to have people following my site just for free stuff.”
With that in mind, make sure your giveaway serves a purpose, has meaning, and is beneficial for both the blog and its readers. In other words, follow our next bit of advice…
3) Make the prize worth their while.
That doesn’t just mean a high-value prize, although more than one-third of survey respondents (34.6%) said they require a prize value of at least $50 – and ten percent require a value of at least $100.
It also means the requirements for entry should correspond with the prize value.
“The more hoops you make people jump through, the less they want to enter,” pointed out one respondent.
And don’t forget to follow the rules. “Legally the only requirement is to leave a blog comment,” said one person – but you can use a service like Rafflecopter for extra entries such as tweeting about the giveaway or following the brand sponsor on their Pinterest page.
Of course, discussing entries begs the question – which prizes are most likely to engage readers and encourage them to enter a giveaway?
4) When in doubt, go with gift cards. (Or gift baskets).
Overwhelmingly, bloggers tell us that readers respond well to gift card giveaways.
When asked which prizes make the best giveaways (allowing more than one choice), 75.5 percent said gift cards, 43.5 percent said product gift baskets, and coupons – the third most popular response – got only 3.9 percent of the vote.
“I think gift cards are really popular. People like being able to make choices that accommodate their personal family. I also find expensive family wants/needs are popular as well,” one person replied.
Getting into specifics, “VISA, Amazon, Target and Walmart” gift cards are particularly desirable “since almost everyone can use them. People like gift baskets too.”
5) Be cautious with coupon giveaways.
The low survey approval rating for coupon giveaways (3.9%) is reflective of the group’s additional feedback on the topic.
One blogger is okay with giving away coupons only “if you can give a big bundle of them away to one winner” to increase the overall value of the prize, while another doesn’t “see much response anywhere for coupons.”
On top of the value considerations, others pointed out that “coupons are tough because the winner has to be in an area where they can redeem them.”
Overall?
Thoughtful giveaways can increase traffic to a particular post and drive blog loyalty and brand engagement among readers. You can increase eyeballs and interest by offering a campaign-relevant prize of high value and encouraging blog posts that are “more than a product pitch or press release.”
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