This is part four in a series on Internet Savings. Previous articles included an overview, freebies and deal blogs.
A year ago I had no idea there were so many things being given away on the Internet. If you read this blog regularly you know I share personal finance blog giveaways with you frequently. But there are so many more!
Purpose of Giveaways
Why do blogs host giveaways? The primary reason is to drive traffic to their site. This is why many giveaways require that you subscribe to the feed (or give extra entries).
You’ll find that there are a whole host of common ways to earn entries (comment, subscribe, tweet, blog, etc.). Sometimes the requirements are so onerous it deters entries (at least I won’t enter).
Typically, the giveaway host is given the prize(s) by a sponsor. The reason for this is to get publicity and appeal to a different audience. It is much cheaper than buying TV, radio or newspaper advertising.
Blog Round-ups
To make it easier to find giveaways many blogs have round-ups listing that week’s giveaways. The entries are provided by the host blogs so it’s not all-inclusive. That’s why you might want to visit more than one. I visit the following blogs.
Thrifty Mamacould have been included in the freebies or coupon match-ups articles but she also hosts a giveaway round-up on Sundays. She’s also one of the founders of Savvy Bloggingwhich is a great resource for bloggers.
Faithful Provisions also hosts a giveaway round-up on Sundays. This site also lists other blogs that host giveaway lists. Talk about one stop shopping.
Sunday must be the day because that’s when Secret is in the Sauce hosts their round-up. If you’re a blogger this site has a blog tip every Saturday.
The Freebie Blogger is the first site I found with giveaway round-ups (again on Sunday). You might remember this blog from the Freebies article.
Other Sources
If you use twitter, search for #giveaway to find ones tweeted. Often the host will note if there are low entrants or if it is ending soon. Other hash tags to use include sweepstakes, contest and freebie.
Check your favorite magazine websites. All You is a magazine that is known for high value coupons. They also have a page dedicated to giveaways and even send out a daily email reminder if you want.
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I’ve won a t-shirt and many books with the limited number of giveaways I enter. Do you have a favorite giveaway site I haven’t listed? What’s the best thing you won?
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Thank you for all of these great sites and tips. I am so happy to find someone around SITS that is ummm – closer to my age!
A SITS friend
.-= Bookvisions´s last blog ..Hannah’s List by Debbie Macomber =-.
Bookvisions, thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you found the giveaways information useful. SITS is a great group, but it is nice to know there are some from our generation participating!
Hey BB, I was unaware of most of these types of giveaways until recently myself. I’m definitely going to bookmark a few of these weekly roundups.
Thanks for stopping by and checking out the video earlier!
.-= Car Negotiation Coach´s last blog ..Car Coach Interviewed Live =-.
I’m glad the information was useful to you. When I’m ready to negotiate for a car, you can bet your site will be used for research.
I just started my site a month ago, and decided to have a giveaway every Friday. This could get pricey, but I am trying to come up with frugal ways of getting the prizes.
Thus far I’ve given away the Coupon Mom’s new book (sent to me by the publisher because I provided a cover blurb), some Godiva chocolate that I “bought” with Staples Rewards (from turning in spent ink cartridges), some promotional items donated by FatWallet.com, and a piece of jewelry tied to “Sex and the City 2” that I got for agreeing to host its giveaway.
A cashback shopping site (Mr. Rebates) is sponsoring my June 4 giveaway (can’t say what it is, but think “major online retailer gift card”) and the woman for whom I am currently housesitting in Alaska has donated the cuuuuuuutest Webkinz husky pup you ever saw for a future prize.
It’s my hope that I can get more giveaways sponsored. If I can’t, I’ll keep hoarding the Staples Rewards bucks and finding other frugal hacks. I’d really like to keep this going, both to drive new traffic and also to reward readers who keep coming back week after week. Heck, I enter every contest I see — I know how much fun it is to win!
Donna, have you seen good results with the giveaways in terms of getting subscribers and traffic? I’ll be celebrating the one year anniversary of Bucksome Boomer in July and will have weekly giveaways that month. Stay tuned…
Bucksome (love the name, by the way): I get a fair number of comments on these things. However, I don’t yet know whether subscribers stick around or not — once I figure out how to work the subscriptions gizmo, maybe I’ll have a clearer idea. I *do* know that some folks who signed up for giveaways do leave comments elsewhere, so at least some of them are reading what I’ve written on non-giveaway days.
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