Do you giveaway?

[TheBookPosh]

I was looking at my blog timeline which shows me post updates for blogs that I follow, and noticed that many of the book blogs that I follow have giveaways. Is this essentially a way to lure people into following a blog? Please do not get me wrong. I believe that giveaways are great, but I noticed that many of these blogs have daily giveaways, and many followers. Are you more apt to follow a blog if you know you might win something or do you look for quality and/or similarities in your particular reading taste?

[Grace]

I've only hosted two giveaways since I began blogging a little over a year ago.  They're completely optional and should be used sparingly; ie., if you've reviewed a book recently and the publisher wants to give away a copy or if there's a book you really enjoy that you'd like to share with one of your followers.

I'm more likely to follow a blog if the blogger has similar taste in books as myself.  I mostly read SF/F, so I wouldn't follow a romance or YA blog just because it had a lot of giveaways.

______________________________

Books Without Any Pictures

[TheBookPosh]

I never looked at it that way. I have some books that I have received from publishers that I could probably giveaway. It is nice to reward your followers, but I become frustrated when I see blogs that look like Publisher's Clearing House and there is no real book content. Thanks for your reply.

[Victoria Heckstall]

If I like a blog I will follow them regardless as to if they do giveaways or not. Many of the blogs I follow do giveaways yet I rarely enter. I am more of a Twitter Party gal.

[Ethan Schneider]

I look at giveaways as an extra way to promote your blog. Personally, I don't ask for people to become a follower of my blog in order to enter a giveaway. This helps to ensure that anyone who is interested in the book I'm offering can be eligible to enter the giveaway. I would much rather gain a follower who has a genuine interest in my reviews that one who is simply looking to win a free book. That being said, I do appreciate the variety of readers who have become a follower because of my giveaways. I guess it can work both ways, but quality content always helps. 

-Ethan

http://e135-abookaweek.blogspot.com/

[TheBookPosh]

Thanks for your input. I think that your way is noble. I just realized that one of the sites that I follow requires you to be a member in order to enter their giveaways. I am so used to signing up for things it never occured to me that I was being lured into following. I guess it is a clever way to do it. I'm not against it. 

[ManOfLaBook.com]

I do giveaways. You don't have to follow to enter, but following does give you extra entries/chances to win.

I promote my giveaways in several places and noticed that posts with giveaways do have more traffic.

http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

[Sher A Hart]

Yes to both questions. 1st, I follow other writers' blogs out of courtesy if they follow and comment on my blog. But the ones I go back to have similar tastes and/or do giveaways. It's not an either/or situation. In fact, many blogs have high quality content mixed with giveaways, and on some even the giveaways have high quality content.

[Patricia Gligor]

It's interesting that I saw your post today because I'm doing a giveaway on my blog this week - first time ever. My mystery novel, Mixed Messages, was published last month and I'm offering a free copy to one of the people who leaves a comment on my post, "What kind of reader are you?" I hope you'll stop by.

http://pat-writersforum.blogspot.com/

[Jennifer Kitchens]

I host several giveaways.  It used to be once a month and now is at least a new one a week (if not two).

And while yes, it is nice to get more followers that way, that is not why I do it.  

I am a strong believer in supporting authors, so when they want me to host a giveaway, I am more than happy to do it.  It helps spread the word about the book more and give advertising.

Also, I personally have a long history of a limited or non-existent book budget, so I am happy to help out my readers by giving them chances to win books they might not otherwise buy.  

As for following, I don't do a lot of following other blogs - via GFC, facebook, twitter, etc.  I manually check out any blogs I like.  I don't know why, I'm weird like that.  But I am willing to do it for an extra entry (I just rarely check updates that way).  

Hope this helps!

Clean Romance Reviews

[Melissa E]

I think a lot of people follow the blogs when it is required for a giveaway, but then never really come back.  So even if it says they have 1,000 followers they might only really have 50 that come back frequently.  I personally have only done two and both were conducted by authors that I met through bookblogs.ning and blog tours.  Right now I don't have money to spend on shipping/book costs.  I don't think it's necessary to have them, but it is fun.