Entering blog contests and giveaways can range from very easy to do (post a comment at the end of an article) to quite involved.  These giveaways serve many purposes.  If you have a blog, consider the following reasons to run a contest.

It can drive new traffic to your blog.  This can be a big thing.  Traffic raises your rankings with many search engines.  It helps you get more subscribers;  those who read your blog once may subscribe, based on what else they see.  Traffic also increases the chance that they will look at other pages or at your sponsors’ items.  If you are in any affiliate programs, this can mean income for you, based on click-throughs and purchases.

It sparks readers’ interests, particularly if you tie it to a launch or announcement of a new item you are getting ready to debut.  If you have a new promotion, a new line in your consumer goods, a new design or medium you are now working on, a new service to offer your customers, or similar announcement, tying that to a contest can be very rewarding, for you AND contest applicants. This is no different from “teaser ads” about a new model of car, or new technology device, latest video game, etc that you might see on a commercial.  But, since your business is on-line, you promote that through your website.  Now, just to be fore-warned, this benefits from some shameless self-promotion, if you want it to be successful.  You want the reader, particularly since this may be the very first time a reader has been to your site.  Be sure you include a brief, 1 to 2 sentence statement of your experience and then tell them why or how you came about your new item. Let them know if there is any particular reason of how or why you are promoting this with a giveaway.  Is it a thank you to those who have been customers/readers? Is it a launch that coincides with another event, such as your first wholesale contract or distributorship, or a holiday, your nth business anniversary, whatever might apply.

It can create a viral campaign.  This means that, as your readers, in turn, mention the contest, those readers check it out, they post about it, and more readers come.  When something becomes viral on the internet, it means it begins to spread in an exponential manner.  One becomes 2, that becomes 4, that becomes 8, then 16, then 32, 64, 128, 256 and so on.  Since it happens without any real “work” on your part, except for the initial notices of the contest, you really have no influence or control on the who will find out or the why they will receive it, read it, etc.  As we all know, things can move around the internet at all times of the day and night, reach overseas and back in minutes.  So, don’t forget, this can be a great virus to get and to send.

FINALLY  A blog or website giveaway can have much longer effects than one ran on the back of a soda pop can.  Never underestimate the fact that information on websites can hang around a long time.  Three of four months later, even longer, someone can find that contest or information about your item or service, with a simple web search.  All those will still drive a reader to your site.

Just a few things you might want to remember.  Use your social media sites and connections to promote your giveaway.  The best way to get people to know about you, your site, and your contest is to announce it everywhere.  Try any and all of the following:

Twitter, email, Facebook, MySpace, write a hubpage about the product with notice of the contest, create a squidoo lens about your business and announce the giveaway, and contact other websites/bloggers.

Other websites/bloggers are often very open to writing about your contest or business…many will do it simply by request, while others might want a reciprocal post.  Now you are able to begin to cross pollinate your individual followers.