In this final chapter of the Case Study: Increase your blog statistics through blog contest, I will share to you scenarios wherein you could organize blog contests. When is the best time to create a contest, how to set a contest and what you will benefit from it
Scenario no. 1: You want to promote your affiliate link through blog contests
A good example of this is the Market Leverage contests. Blog prizes are huge such as gadgets, gift cards and more. Winners are determined randomly or the person who earned the highest. I opt for the second one because this way, your referrals would strive to work to earn. And you get a percentage of earnings from your referrals.
The second one, there are web companies who offer incentives each time you sign up people in your affiliate link. Imagine if you have signed up more than 20 people through your contest and each pays $20. Fabulous! I haven’t tried this yet, because I have no huge prizes to offer, unless someone would gladly sponsor.
- Goal: To earn more money from referral links
- Contest mechanics: People need to sign up in your referral link
Scenario no. 2: You want to win huge prizes from another contest
This works just like in organizing contest to promote your affiliate links. There is a huge contest that you are taking part and in order to win, you need to have the highest number of referrals.
Be sure to have amazing prizes to urge people to join and make signing up through your referral link a requirement. Also, if you are giving a huge prize, why not maximize it by adding additional mechanics. Broaden your goals into increasing number of RSS subscribers and commenting.
- Goal: Win another contest
- Contest mechanics: Sign up through your referral link (but you can add more if you’re giving huge prizes)
Scenario no. 3: Launching or promoting your blog
I already did a contest to launch or promote my blog. Judging from my experience, I advise for you to do the same. If your blog is already running for a long time and statistics are not good, why not relaunch it. But to make your contest successful, you need to have written quality posts which your target audience may find interesting. Also, while the contest is on going, make sure you write amazing posts.
Require the participants to subscribe in your RSS by email. This way, your amazing posts would reach them and they will stick into your blog in the long run.
It would also be nice if you would include reviewing your site, commenting and submitting your post in any social networking site. This way, your participants are helping you promote your site.
- Goal: Launch, relaunch, and promote your blog
- Contest mechanics: Subscribe to your RSS feed by email, Comments, Reviews, Write about the contest.
Scenario no. 4: Spice up your forum
Do you have a new forum and you need new members to sign up? Or old members are loosing interest in your forums? Why not create a contest to spice up your forum. If you have larger prizes, you’ll be surprise on how much change it would do on your forum. People would start posting and referring other people to join. Make this on a monthly basis, I know it’s expensive but just be creative on the prizes to give. Like for example, the person’s has immunity all over the forum.
- Goal: To spice up your forum
- Contest mechanics: Create thread, posts or refer other people to join
Conclusion
Do not underestimate the power of blog contests, not only your blog will improve but as well as you as a blogger. You have endless short-term and long term opportunities if you organize a blog contest. Give contest a try as a way of promoting your blog instead of buying advertisements and reviews. You’ll be surprised how much wonders it could do. If you want to learn more, subscribe to my RSS feed to get the full e-book.
- Case Study: Increase your blog statistics through blog contest
- Case Study: Increase your blog statistics through blog contest 2
- Case Study: Increase your blog statistics through blog contest 3
This entry was posted on Friday, November 21st, 2008 at 7:36 pm and is filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Good idea about the affiliate links. I’ve been with a few affiliate programs for months now, but haven’t made a single sale except through Amazon Associates. But then, my blog is about frugal living and I’m encouraging people to save money and not spend, so I’d have to do this with affiliate links that don’t require spending.
Penelope Pinces last blog post..Save on Vehicle Registration, Driver License Renewal and (for California Residents) Smog Testing & Repair with DMV Online
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Riyanne Reply:
November 22nd, 2008 at 9:09 am
I haven’t applied to Amazon yet but I am extremely interested!
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Contest 101, Loads of great info or just a load, just kidding enjoyed.
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I’ve never heard holding a contest to promote a forum. But eh, nice idea.
blackzero85s last blog post..Three Things You Need To Do On Winamp.
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Nice post i just launched a contest on my blog to gain some momentum on it.
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Ya buddy you rock with your posts. Launching a big contest is really a asset for the new blog . In begining he needs backlin from bgs to build up a rank in google. The contests help in geting these links too and give loads of traffic. And the thing kep the content very intersting to like the visitors it will increase your readers too .
funnys last blog post..Girls With Nice and Big Breast
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allmost people contest to build backlinks and feed reader. I never hear it to spice up forum before. i think its a good idea.
chodirins last blog post..New Car Prices of Volvo
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Riyanne Reply:
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:55 am
Yup, try it!
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I found you through the Blogging Idol competition. I’ve been thinking about doing a contest for a while, so I’m glad I came to your site. Thanks for the great info. I just posted your URL to a women’s networking site and suggested that the bloggers might want to come over and check you out.
Alisa Bowmans last blog post..How to turn disgust into hope
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Riyanne Reply:
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:56 am
Thanks Alisa
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There is one big contest going on my site - Hope i could achieve my promotional goal through it.
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Riyanne Reply:
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:55 am
Good luck!
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Great article. I tried using contests to boost my RSS subscribers on my previous blogs and I could easily attain 100 new subscribers.
But one thing I don’t like about contest is that 25% of the subscribers will leave after the contest ended because they just want the prizes.
Wei Liang
Wei Liang | ABloggerBlogs last blog post..Project4Hire - A Freelance Marketplace
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Riyanne Reply:
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:58 am
Hi Wei, after I launched my first contest, only 3-4 unsubcribed out of 45 who joined. Choose the option in your feedburner to email you who among the subscribers unsubscribed after the competition
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Dennis Edell Reply:
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Yikes Wei, I’d definitely say 25% is waaaaaaay high. If you have good content that folks are looking for, it is no where near there.
Dennis Edells last blog post..2 NEW BLOGS Unveiled! FINALLY!!
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I forget now which forum, but the owner used to hold $5 contests for everyone that posted 3 or more constructive posts anywhere in the forum.
Penelope - You may want to look into CPA (cost per action) affiliates, where you get paid per LEAD not per SALE.
It’s things like surveys, sweepstakes, contests, and so forth…on most, all the person needs to do is hand over their email address and confirm and you get paid.
Dennis Edells last blog post..2 NEW BLOGS Unveiled! FINALLY!!
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Riyanne Reply:
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:00 am
That’s an interesting contests for a forum Dennis
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Dennis Edell Reply:
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:17 pm
It is yes, and I don’t think it takes as much cash as one might think. A lot of folks won’t bother for “only $5″…yadda yadda.
Dennis Edells last blog post..2 NEW BLOGS Unveiled! FINALLY!!
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Hey bud,
Nice post but just one thing…
Forum contests are a pretty bad idea unless you do them the right way.
You can’t have posts count as points in the contest cause then you’ll get a ton of crappy, spammy threads and posts that really just make your forums look bad.
TheArdits last blog post..7 Of The Best Design Sites
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Riyanne Reply:
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:01 am
You have a point TheArdit, forum contests requires careful planning in order to execute well.
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At some point I expect I’ll do something like this, but it’s going to be awhile coming because I’d want to make it something special.
Mitchs last blog post..Chitika
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Riyanne Reply:
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:03 am
Ok Mitch, good luck! You’ll be amazed of the positive things contests can do to your blog.
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wow! thanks for this information! it really helps
Crispy Papayas last blog post..The Major White Lie Result of The Night
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Riyanne Reply:
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:04 am
No problem Crispy!
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Good ideas, but the real trick is having prizes to offer in the first place.
~Man In The Moon
http://maninthemoon.today.com/
maninthemoons last blog post..TEETH: Once Bitten, Twice Shy
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I’ve run a few contests to get more membership for my games site but didn’t really have too many takers. I admit the prize was only $20 but I figured it was OK for a small operator like me
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Riyanne Reply:
November 24th, 2008 at 1:45 am
Maybe you should promote your contest as well. Btw, I’ve seen gaming sites giving away Wii, PS3 and more @_@
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I did promote it on all my seven blogs as well as other sites that I visited. I also had it as my signature for when I posted on forums and other blogs etc. There just wasn’t all that much interest.
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This is a great series of posts, keep it up! I’m hoping to hold a contest soon on my blog to bring in some more readers…only reason I don’t do it now is I want it to be a bit ‘unique’, so am coming up with a few ideas, lol!
Dans last blog post..Saturday News Update
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Riyanne Reply:
November 24th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Thanks Dan! I’m thinking comments as my next case study topic. Honestly, there are a lot of great ideas that I want to write.
Hey, good luck with your contest
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Thanks for mentioning the MarketLeverage contests as part of your posts. Contests are a great way to get some new followers and encourage interaction on your blog.
MLDinas last blog post..MarketLeverage TV 11/24/08 Your Source For Affiliate News
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Riyanne Reply:
November 27th, 2008 at 4:29 am
My pleasure Dina
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Contests are a great online marketing tool for driving traffic - Great post Riyanne
Kasumis last blog post..Kasumi says… Target new clients
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