How to Run a Giveaway on Your Blog

Everybody likes gifts, that's why giveaways and sweepstakes can be a great way to boost traffic to your blog

A strategy is the most important part, and there is no universal strategy, of course. You must think about your readers and the goals on what you want to achieve. For example, if you also have a YouTube channel or Instagram account, it is good to consider a cross-promotion on these social media channels. Choosing some entry options like following a YouTube channel or watching some content on Instagram will be a good idea. Also, last but not least, make sure that there are no legal obstacles in running a giveaway on your country or state.

The prize is the key issue. The more attractive, the more participants and traffic it brings. If the prize is not interesting for your readers, too specific, they will be not interested in participating in the giveaway. Here are some simple and useful prize ideas that will drive interest without emptying your wallet:

1. Gift cards an coupons.

Gift cards and coupons are among the best prize ideas. If your blog is tied to any specific niche, try to find the gift cards or coupons relevant to it. Otherwise, the Amazon Gift Card is probably the best option. Amazon is so huge that the winners of your giveaway be will always be able to find anything cool for themselves. Cards are offered at various prices so you don't have to spend a bucket of bucks on them. The lowest starts at $25, however, note that the bigger prize is much more attractive and can bring more traffic. Another graet advantage is that you don't have to deliver it. You just send it via email and that's it. Purchase and delivery of the card are super easy and the prize is valid worldwide.

2. Products related to your blog.

Not so flexible like the gift card, but still very cool. Your readers and fans are interested in the products you describe on your blog, don't they. Why not give away some of these products? This is also a great way to build buzz around a new product

3. Products or samples from other brands.

Sometimes companies contact bloggers and request product reviews. This is a great opportunity for the authors to request some samples to offer as a blog giveaway prize. The main advantage is that it's free for the blogger.

First, you need the right tool. It is totally DIY but, oh no, you certainly don't have to be a programmer and make this tool by yourself! There are plenty of web apps that will do all the stuff for you. Personally, I tried Gleam.io, Socialman, and Rafflecopter. Most are free, sometimes with limited functionality and you can always upgrade to a paid plan for more options.

You can create and customize the giveaway using them, and just put the link on your blog or social media channel. The apps will do the rest, including the winner selection and notifications. Some of them include analytics so if you are more tech savvy you can control your traffic in a more professional way.

Most of them let you upload the prize photo and define entry options for your giveaway. You can usually choose from the plenty of entry modes they offer. It can be either sending a tweet or following you on Instagram, Twitter or Youtube or watching your latest video. Choose the right options depending on your goal.

Keep your giveaway simple. Too many entry options can be complicated for users. Also, make it obvious and clear how people can enter. Write your terms and conditions and publish them

Even if the prize worth millions you still have to promote your giveaway. First you have to promote it among your readers and their social media followers. That's how the social media giveaways work. If you set up sending a tweet as an entry option there is a chance that your readers' Twitter followers will see it. And so on...

There are some websites visited by giveway fans. Reddit is perhaps the best choice with /r/giveaways subreddit which is visited by thousands of people every day. Post your giveaway here, but always follow subreddit rules. Good news is unlike other subreddits you can repost after 48 hours. Don't miss it! After reposting your giveaway appears again on the top of the list. The other giveaway listing sites are: online-sweepstakes.com, contestgirl.com, sweetiessweeps.com, winasweepstakes.com.

Hope this information will let you run an outstanding giveaway and boost traffic to your blog.

Good luck :)