Blogs and other online giveaways

[annettemarie]

Anyone else do this? Someone in my DDC suggested it as something to do when sick and in bed. I've been sick and in bed almost this whole pregnancy so I've had lots of time to enter various and sundry giveaways. It actually only occurred to me to start a few weeks ago, and so far I've won a huge one at Making the World Cuter (5 different prizes), a snack/activity tray for the car, some coupons, a pair of aroma slippers and I think one more thing that I can't remember. A lot of this stuff will be Christmas gifts, and the Making the World Cuter giveaway actually includes baby announcements, which we've never done before but will be fun to do with the twins.

For someone who does do this, I am wondering, how to you keep track of it all? I'd like to keep track of what I enter and what I win so I don't accidentally enter twice.

Also, do you jump through all the hoops? Right now, I generally don't tweet things or grab blog buttons. But I'm actually thinking of adding a page for buttons to my blog and creating a new twitter account just for tweeting giveaways. The one I have right now is for my business and I don't feel right cluttering it with giveaway info.

Anyway, I'd love to hear your own experiences!

[UberMama]

Yep. I've entered sweeps for years. Blog sweeps are relatively new, just coming around within the past 1-1.5 years or so. They are easier to win, being the number of entries are MUCH smaller vs. bigger and more well known sweeps.

I generally just do the main entry, SOMETIMES subscribe to their blog updates, but rarely Tweet and never post their buttons on my blog (that I no longer have anyway).

I keep track in a Word doc, though Excel would be good too. I put down the date I was notified, who it was from, what it is and the ARV. It's fun to look at, but helpful when I can look and know I haven't rec'd something, so I can go back and email the person to ask about it. I also keep all winning emails in a folder.

I of course use one email addy (a Gmail one) for my sweeps only. Very helpful, so as my personal acct isn't inundated with newsletters and such.

[SleeplessMommy]

Have you tried swagbucks and mechanical turk?

[Denvergirlie]

off and on I've entered sweepstakes, but use the http://www.sweepsadvantage.com website.

Create a free profile, and then you can track what you've entered, but I've never done any additional tracking above that. I assume blog contests you should track a different way as I assume you must contact the writer to claim your prize.

I'v enever entered a blog contest, but have entered numerous sweeps thru above website.
I go in fits and starts, but my longest I sweepstaked was for about 2 months almost everyday, and I did win a bunch of stuff. including a trip to NYC from People Magazine and Max factor cosmetics. Funny Katy Perry was headliner at that private event, before she went mainstream popular about 2 years ago.

Not certain how you should track best, perhaps in excel? And can set up reminders in a calendar to do automatic reminders of when you should check back to see if you are a winner?

best of luck

[phathui5]

I like www.online-sweepstakes.com for online sweeps.

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by SleeplessMommy

Have you tried swagbucks and mechanical turk?

Yes, but I'm not sure what they have to do with this thread. I think we have a Swagbucks thread here somewhere.

Originally Posted by Denvergirlie

off and on I've entered sweepstakes, but use the http://www.sweepsadvantage.com website.

Create a free profile, and then you can track what you've entered, but I've never done any additional tracking above that. I assume blog contests you should track a different way as I assume you must contact the writer to claim your prize.

I'v enever entered a blog contest, but have entered numerous sweeps thru above website.
I go in fits and starts, but my longest I sweepstaked was for about 2 months almost everyday, and I did win a bunch of stuff. including a trip to NYC from People Magazine and Max factor cosmetics. Funny Katy Perry was headliner at that private event, before she went mainstream popular about 2 years ago.

Not certain how you should track best, perhaps in excel? And can set up reminders in a calendar to do automatic reminders of when you should check back to see if you are a winner?

best of luck

Originally Posted by phathui5

I like www.online-sweepstakes.com for online sweeps.

Thanks for the links! I started a spreadsheet to keep track. My big fear is I'll enter one where you have to check back and forget. I mostly enter small things, but I'm pretty easily made happy. I just won this yesterday.

I tend not to enter big ones because I figure I won't win, but maybe that's silly.

Oh, and so far I've only looked at http://www.prizey.net/ for sweeps to enter.