Boost Your Contest With Contest Blogger
14 Comments August 16, 2007 / Posted in Reviews
With as popular as blog contests have become in the past few months, it became inevitable that a blog be created exclusively to showcase other contests. Well, Contest Blogger is the blog to do that. That being said, before you assume Contest Blogger is just a gimmick that is trying to act as centralized blog contests, listen to their premise:
In addition to providing you with the best source for contests in the blogosphere, Contest Blogger is also entering itself in dozens and dozens of contests. And eventually, unless we end up on the business end of a voodoo curse or something, we’re bound to win one of them.
Before you start getting jealous and huffy, though, check this out: we’ve taken an oath to give any prizes we win right back to our readers. No, seriously. A blood oath. Don’t ask us to go into the details.
Reading that gave me instant respect for Contest Blogger. They are practicing what many new bloggers fail to realize - the importance of giving back and providing value to the readers.
How does Contest Blogger work?
Well, apart from acting a free and centralized location for all blog contests, they also offer Featured Listings. For $15, Contest Blogger will feature your contest in the sidebar for 30 days and also include a “longer than normal review.” How much longer remains unknown. That might be something worth clarifying. Other than that, they will also post a screenshot of your contest and feature your contest at the top of their page for an entire day. Sounds like a great way to inexpensively promote a new contest.
One aspect I especially like about Contest Blogger is their way of categorizing contests. For instance, Contest Blogger organizes all of its contests into the following categories:
- Blog Backlinks
- Blog Contests
- Blog Writing Projects
- Blogging Communities
- Cash Above $50
- Cash Below $50
- Comment Contests
- Featured Contests
- Review Contests
Should you run a contest?
Contests are no doubt a great way to boost traffic and gain new readers. However, some argue that contests do not bring targeted visitors and that most of the visitors are not long-term. Of course, the same is true for any influx of traffic - some readers will stick and some will not.
I ran a contest last May to celebrate my 1000th comment. I got a nice boost in traffic, but not as many entries as I would have hoped. I am sure that if Contest Blogger had been around at the time, I would have received quite a bit more interest in the contest.
Contest Blogger has only been online since June, but it already has 217 RSS subscribers. Clearly, Contest Blogger is doing something right if they have established that significant of a readership after only a few short months.
Given that kind of growth, it is a sure thing that Contest Blogger will continue to act as a great resource for bloggers looking to promote and enter other contests.
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Matt Blancarte
COO of UBD
Josh Mullineaux
CMO of UBD
Thanks for the shout-out, Nate. Keep up the great work.
Great writeup Nate - and I discovered the power of ContestBlogger when he published up my contest! Thanks ContestBlogger for that, and I good luck with your service.
Thanks for the info Nate, I’m definitely going to use them as soon as I can sort out my damn paypal and get a contest going.
Simon
It is an awesome service, and an excellent blog. I haven’t entered many of the contests on there, but I do read it every day.
A timely post, Nate. I’ll head over now.
Great idea. I signed up my website whassupjack already.
A contest does sounds like a great idea im definately going to do this.
Good post, I’ve been meaning to have a contest myself this month but I’ve been slacking on trying to get sponsors for it. Anyway, thanks for the reminder!
Nice! I’ve been pondering the thought of running some sort of contest to boost readership, but not exactly sure if I want to or not for the reasons your stated in your post. I read a lot blog that basically says the traffic you get from contests are not long term, but as you’ve pointed out, some will stay, some will not. That’s just how it is.
I am currently running a contest that was talked about in a posting on contest blogger. I noticed a large increase in entries from this post and it really helped make the contest more successful. All of you are more than welcome to stop by check it out and enter.
What the F does the C stand 4
later all and have a profitable productive blogging day
It’s definately a great site. Just need to dream up my contest now. Want to think of something a little different…
Looks useful, next contest I run Ill see about getting it featured there.
Hey Nate,
I thnk we’ve met before on staska.net and nwth d com, and after seeing what you did with JC blog, I’d like to order the redesign of one of my commercial blogs. But I do not like the packages that you offer at UBD.
My budget is bigger then your max package (with hosting) but I do not need hosting and need closer involvement in the overall design process.
Write me if you are interested
[...] Whitehill gives a great overview of Contest Blogger and how you can use it to promote your contest. According to Nate, “for $15, Contest Blogger will [...]