On sponsored giveaways
I wouldn’t call myself a savvy blogger. I don’t pay attention to blogging trends. I’m not on Bloglovin’. Or Twitter. I don’t know what my page views are. I don’t have any ads on here. I rate my blog’s success on how it makes me feel – if I enjoy writing it – it’s successful. If I am enjoying it and getting comments about it? Well, that’s über successful! When I am stressed about it, something’s wrong.
Anyway. Despite not being so savvy, I still receive emails with offers to review or give away things* (or the “please share this link!” email from random companies). I feel very uncomfortable promoting someone else’s product for them, unless it’s 100% something I believe in. I’m a very “live and let live” type of person – I don’t try to push other people to do things they don’t want to do. Especially if it’s not something I particularly like, myself.
So I turn down a lot of (but not all) requests to write about these products. Which is what made me think to write this, today. I received a nice request to give away a gift card to an online clothing store, but it just wasn’t something I could see myself using, or, wanting to write about. Because despite how mediocre my writing is, writing does take time. So when someone sends me an offer to review something, but then sends me a page of details for how** I have to do it, well… that turns me off.
Anyway. This is just on my mind today. I guess I just don’t like being told what to write about or promoting other people’s stuff unless, like I said, I am 100% behind it. Which is why I sponsor most of my own giveaways!
What are your self-imposed “rules” for doing sponsored giveaways?
How do you perceive bloggers who do sponsored giveaways?
I think if I were to get in to this more, I would talk about how uncomfortable I am with accepting things just because they are “free,” and how much the accumulation of junk sets me off… but let’s leave that topic for another day!
*Maybe not so much after writing this post.
**The clothing store did not do that, I am referring to a different product.
Themocracy
I feel the same way. If it’s not a product I use myself (or would use if I had more $$) then I’m not going to tell anyone else to use it. I also don’t want to come across as fake, and a lot of these sponsored posts strike me that way, because, like you said, they are being told what to write, and sometimes the products seems really random or out of place with the rest of their content.
Also, I’ve been thinking A LOT about my blog lately and what the purpose is. While it would be awesome to make money and be a minor local web celebrity, I’d much rather have a blog that is 100 percent me, and that I can 100 percent stand behind. I also don’t want to ever feel obligated to post. If I go a week without posting, or stop posting altogether, whatever, it’s my blog and that’s my decision. I’m under no obligation to do or not do anything with it.
FAKE. That is exactly it. You wrote about this once, right? I was trying to find your post to link up, but failed. If you have it handy, I’d like to add it in.
YES. Feeling obligated to post is awful. Do you feel like your views on your blog’s purpose have changed lately?
I like how you handle your blog. It feels genuine.
Let’s see… I have never been asked to review/giveaway a product so clearly I don’t have set rules but I feel the same way you do.
Thanks. Genuine is what I am going for 🙂
I’ve never been asked to review or give anything away, which is probably a perk of having a very small blog that no one reads 🙂 I feel the same way about review posts, though every now and then I read a few that point out some negatives of a product, and I find that refreshing.
I feel the same way. I think it’s a great avenue for some products and if it’s something I believe in and truly purchase, I have no problem with it. But, just to promote something for the sake of promoting, can’t handle that! Blogs that are not real people blogs turn me off. If it’s just products and telling me how to avoid injury or how to get motivated for a half marathon, not going to read. I read blogs to relate to other people. Some of that stuff thrown in is fine but it still has to be a blog, not an advertisement.
That’s another good point – I like supporting smaller companies that make a great product that no one knows about.
YES! I want to read about people. Not how-tos and product placements. Although, there are probably people who want to read the how-tos 🙂
It makes me cringe how many bloggers are so eager to jump over questionable products and give “OMg this is totes amazing” reviews… For everything. No, everything is never ever amazing and the best ever all the time. Do these reviews make me want to buy the product? Absolutely not. (If I see stupid commercials on TV I won’t buy the product either even if its something I would like).
By saying shoe X is OMG the best ever, and 2 weeks later saying shoe Z is OMG the best ever, it’s confusing. By saying you’re healthy living and do reviews of products that are not healthy- pre packaged meals which contain chemicals and loads of sodium cheapens your brand. Unfortunately most people just want free Sh*t and fail to think about how they are perceived by others, (and unfortunately many people are of the “sheep” nature anyways) Needless to say I don’t read the blogs that are constantly schilling stuff, especially questionable stuff (and especially when like 10 blogs are all reviewing the same thing at the same time!)
So I’ll promote events or products on my blog because I really enjoy them, (or I will say if I hate them) but these are 100% mine. No one asked me to do it. I just like spreading the good or bad word on things… When I feel like writing.
Tee hee…the shoes, oh em gee! I’m just going to flat out say it, those reebok shoes are crap and it makes me sick how people fawn over them. Crap crap crap. Free shoes don’t equal awesome and quality made shoes.
Yeah – the reebok people – riiiiiggghhht. However, I am just a wee bit curious about Meb’s Skechers. I heart Meb!
Love your comment! 🙂
I have definitely seen things reviewed on blogs and thought, “Wait! That doesn’t really go with your lifestyle! Did you just want free xyz?” It quite honestly turns me off.
I’m with you here. It’s difficult for me to lie, so I have a hard time supporting products I don’t believe in so I just choose not to. It’s kind of ridiculous how many emails I get about sharing links and such, and honestly these days I don’t have a lot of time to even politely decline so I just delete them. The worst is when it’s a product that you’ve never heard of that may be neat but they don’t want to even let you try it, they jut want free advertising. Just think that’s odd, and lacks professional integrity.
The emails I HATE are the ones about traffic and “organic searches” that are in blue lettering and slathered with typos. Get at least 2 of those per week and sometimes email back with an attitude. But like you I could care less about traffic and who reads my blog. It’s just a blog, nothing so serious that any of that stuff matters.
This is why I like you so much 😉
Sometimes I don’t have time to politely decline either! I was telling Steven last year that I needed to make a template decline response. And still haven’t.
Oh gosh! “Want to increase your website traffic?!” NOOOO
Aww, thanks <3
I like to review things or host give aways for things that I think are cool, new or innovative. I funded a few Indiegogo campaigns and gave away the perks. I have self funded like you (Ts for Change – which are awesome!) and other things that I have received or won. I seek out things I want to try to review and have some coming up: Perfect Fuel chocolate, Cocogo coconut sports drink, Mizuno Wave Riders (huge score), Handana and a new Lulu-like brand that my Pilates studio offered. I will be 100% honest and so far all of these things have been pretty great!
I recently was solicited to put a UK bingo website link on my blog for $175 (on a post) and declined. That fits no where in my blog or my life!
That is great that you are actively reaching out on your own to ask for things to review and talk about that you are actually interested in!
I do a lot of giveaways but almost never give away things that people email me about. I go after the things I like, send a proposal to the company, usually for products that I already own and have already tried out. Short of the UA Divide Hoody that I reviewed, I don’t even usually respond to the offers. I’m very picky and don’t want to be stuck reviewing something I don’t like because I won’t lie and I don’t want a lot of negative content floating around on my blog. Therefore, I stick with what I know, what I like and go after the freebies for the readers. I’m a gear junkie & love cool new things so would be trying new things regardless if I’m writing the TTF blog or not. I’ve been doing this for a long time and I just love how the technology has improved, even over the last 5 years. Things like compression have changed the game, made it easier for the normal person to participate in endurance events and do things they never thought possible. All this is soooooo exciting to me. I’m totally in love with all the new runners and all the new stuff that makes it easier for us to endure and recover!
Good point! In the past I have requested to review things that I am actively interested in. Okay, sigh, most of the time it was vegan sweets. You can usually tell when someone is doing that, as you can on your blog! 🙂
My excitement for product reviews/giveaways waxes and wanes, and it is currently on the waning side of things. They are a lot of work, often for little reward when you think of the value and do too many, you risk turning off readers. I try hard to accept things that I think are worthwhile, that I’d probably get anyway (or had been considering) and fit the scope of what I write. I also try to pick things that I think would get people excited, sort of like a reward for reading. I’ve veered off a couple times, even recently, and regret it because it’s such a pain. In the past few weeks, I’ve been more scrupulous with the offers. Do I really need to sell myself out for a free bag of pistachios? Or can I buy them on my own? I think I’d like to do more me-sponsored stuff because it’s more sincere.
Thanks for such a thought-provoking post.
And thank you for your honest feedback! 🙂 I have so much fun with self-hosted giveaways because I get to make the rules and pick out things I think people will like 🙂 And I agree that sponsored giveaways are a good reward for reading! I actually felt bad I did not accept that clothing gift card (because a blog reader could use it), but it’s just not ME.
Great post. Although I’ve never been contacted about doing a giveaway or review, I do agree you have to believe in the product!
BTW – are you training for a spring marathon? (Wisconsin?) Lots of miles in Feb and Mar so far!
Just half marathons (5) so far, on the schedule! I really stink at running marathons. LOL. How was NYC?!
Ha – I hear you! It’s all about pace. NYC was totally awesome! I love the course – this was 5th time I have run it. I felt great and ran an even and smart race. I kept a positive attitude the whole time (this is how I measure success!) Also, beat Austin by 2 seconds for a best time since 2007. Thanks for asking!
Yay! Congrats!!!
It sounds like a fun course! I would like to enter the lottery for that one some day.
I hear ya on this topic and I know where you’re coming from. There are some super random giveaways out there like mushroom powder or something similar for muscle recovery. Ummm what? No thank you. I try not to review anything too ridiculous or out there but if it’s something that I think people might want and there’s a giveaway attached sometimes I’ll do it for other people. If it’s a small local company that I 100% support that’s great but if it’s a larger company that I know a lot of people like and I could be helping someone out, I like to do that too. I’m actually uncomfortable getting a lot of free stuff though.. it stresses me out!
Still sad I did not win YOUR giveaway! LOL! JK! I would have done that one too, because I like both those things 🙂
Why do you think getting free stuff makes you uncomfortable too?
I don’t get many offers for giveaways or sponsored posts or the like from companies, but of the very few I have gotten, I’ve passed on the opportunity. They aren’t products I use or would use so I don’t want to write about them.
As a reader it always fun to win a giveaway, but when a blogger posts review after review with very little other content, I stop reading. If you really like a product, I think it comes through in the writing and you can actually add more things besides “This is the most awesome _____ ever!” I’ve noticed some bloggers are much better than others at writing sponsored or giveaway posts. A review itself isn’t much of a blog post, but if more content is added it is more entertaining to read.
Yeah, some bloggers are really good at writing about products! I definitely don’t feel like I am!
I’ve not been asked to formally review anything. I actually really can’t stand blogs that just seem to be a wh*re to products/companies where there is nothing but happiness and rainbows for every product every time. It’s actually kind of gross. I prefer to give and receive honest feedback and appreciate the sincerity of your blog!
Thank you! Those types of blogs make me bonkers too!
This is so timely — it seems like we’re in the season now where everyone in the world is shilling for nuun and oiselle, plus another dozen random products at a time.
The only giveaways I’m interested in right now are race entry giveaways — but I’ve always preferred experiences over products, anyway.
It’s funny you mention that! I have a Chicago half entry to give away, but it feels so phony, since I am not running it, wasn’t in love with the race last year, and every other blogger has given away an entry.
The 13.1 giveaway everyone did? For some reason, that seems totally harmless to me. Races sell out and sometimes injuries and travel plans happen, meaning that people can’t do races they wanted to do and have to find alternatives. It’s just an “anyone looking for a half marathon entry?” type thing, rather than “OMG this shampoo is so great you guys have to try it here enter my giveaway!”
What a timely post! I was just frustrated yesterday because I was asked for about the 8th time to review some scrapbooking software. I HATE scrapbooking! No thanks.
I have passed up some reviews because it’s just not something I’m interested in – like a drink mix when I know all I want to drink is Gatorade. I have jumped on a few because the product is something I actually wanted to try, but wouldn’t spend the money on it myself. If I can hook up a reader with a giveaway, that’s cool too!
Ha ha ha. So we will not spend our HM talking about our love for scrapbooking?!
If I didn’t already love you and your blog, I do times three million now!!!!
So many bloggers have sold out. Many of them started blogging when I did. Sheesh, I stopped blogging at one point because I couldn’t take it. They got all “blog popular” as I like to call it and it was a whole different level than I was on or wanted to be on.
There was a time when I was receiving quite a few emails about sponsoring items I didn’t like or want to try. It was hard to say no, but I believe in sticking with my convictions.
Two of the worst cases:
One blogger openly uses a Diva Cup but has been schilling for Kotex lately.
One blogger champions for Chobani even after talking before about not preferring it.
Anyway, I hope you blog forever and ever and ever 🙂
Aww, thank you! You are so sweet to me 🙂 Your encouragement helps – I was not sure if this post would be ill received.
I have seen those complete 180 flips with products too! It would be like if I started promoting real meat! Ha ha ha.
I rarely, rarely receive offers to give anything away, but on the occasions that I have I’ve usually just ignored the opportunity. I like giveaways, but I don’t at all like blogs that turn into infomercials, and that’s the last direction I want to take my blog. This doesn’t really apply to my blog personally since I’m not associated with any group (BlogHer, FitFluential, etc.), but as someone who reads a lot of blogs that are associated with those groups, it gets a little tiresome to have every.single.blog. post about the exact same product with the exact same review, you know? Although I will say that I prefer posts about products that include giveaways to posts about products that are just like, “Company ABC is the best ever. Their product, DEF, is out of this world. You should buy it!” with no giveaway attached. Come on, man! If I’m going to read your ad, at least make it worth my time 😛
I will also shamelessly admit that despite my frustration with every single blogger getting the exact same products at the same time, I would kill to be one of those bloggers Chobani sends their products to, mostly because I do legitimately love their yogurt and eat it all the dang time, so it’d be nice to get it fo’ free :P. I just don’t like soliciting companies for their products–I think there’s a difference between e-mailing a company and being like, “Hey. Give me your stuff for free and I’ll blog about it,” and having that company e-mail YOU and be like, “Hey. We want to give you our stuff for free if you’ll blog about it.”–so alas, no free Chobani for me. I actually dreamt that I got a shipment of all their new yogurt products last night, though. I think I might be losing it hahaha.
YES. When everyone is reviewing the same thing (and sometimes it’s just a review and not a giveaway) it’s SO. ANNOYING. It seems so insincere, because you know they were all contacted at the same time… and it’s… NOT sincere. LOL.
Maybe Chobani will see this somehow. LOL. If they ever contact me, I’ll tell them to contact you!
I wouldn’t personally do a giveaway if I wasn’t behind it 100% either. Seems like false advertising to me!
I think very few blogs I read do it for the free stuff, but most of them do it because it’s something they believe in or just like. (At least they make me think they like it…)
I need to know which blogs you are reading 😉
I respect that!
But you would be okay with promoting orange running shoes, Oreos, or cat toys, right? 😉
Yes. Yes. And yes. 🙂
I like giveaways on other people sites. I try to enter only the ones I would want to win. I don’t do many giveaways on my site because I don’t get too many offers to do reviews/giveaways. Most of the stuff I get is weird stuff about people asking me to post their stuff on my site. I like to review the products I use and enjoy.
Yeah I personally would do a giveaway if a company reached out to me, but it would HAVE to be something that I believe in or feel that it fits my style. And the terms would have to be reasonable too. Having a marketing background, I was always interested in metrics and making a blog into a revenue source and being noticed by brands because it’s all so flattering when these things happen, but I still have to be picky. I just had a clothing company approach me to be an “ambassador” but their stuff is way too expensive! Do I want to earn some money from this? Sure, but it doesn’t fit my style so I said no. If I said yes to everything, I feel like I’d be a walking billboard or virtual saleswoman! I feel weird “selling” or pushing something to friends or readers of my blog so it’s definitely a delicate balance!
PS- on a similar note, I reached out to Allied Medal Displays after seeing your amazing medal holder and they agreed to do a giveaway with me- woo hoo! So thanks for the inspiration 🙂
That is awesome that Allied is going to sponsor a giveaway for you! Their medal displays rock. And I told that clothing lady to contact you or Erin.
I have never been approached about plugging anything. I wonder how some bloggers get all of the goody offers? Maybe if I blogged more often, or had a real URL? I have seen people with less followers have some pretty cool giveaways and I am left following them on Twitter, tweeting about the giveaway and leaving a comment (aka begging) to get a lottery chance!
Sometimes I do not understand the rhyme or reason why some bloggers get contacted and others don’t. I’m guessing it boils down to how easy your blog is “found” via search or social media. Sometimes I don’t think it matters what your blog looks like or how many posts you do or how many readers you have. I think some of these brands don’t do a lot of research first.
I’m probably going to start doing blogger outreach for my job, and I’d start with search via Google, Facebook and Twitter and niche online directories.
if you could see me I’m applauding 🙂 I think it’s all about doing what you love because this is YOUR space. Now I love to write and I am working on turning what I have in to a career, but I say no far more than yes as I grow because I only want to authentically put out what I love. YEAHHH love that you shared this!
I think I’ve gotten less than 10 giveaway or review offers in the many years I’ve been blogging so I haven’t had to say no or yes very often. In fact, I think I’ve only said yes to two of them and I admit one of them was because I wanted the item they were offering me. Sell out, I know! But, the other I genuinely thought was something people might be interested in and it something I would consider using. But I’ve also gotten emails that say “Hey, give your readers a discount code!” but don’t offer to let me review or try their product. Uh, I don’t know anything about you, so no.
I have done some self-sponsored giveaways, though! Although, to be honest, for me a giveaway is a lot of work for not much payoff. Plus, I feel like it doesn’t necessarily net me the results I’m looking for.
I think if you want the item, you aren’t really selling out. I think it’s when you take it because it’s free… you know?!
But, YES. SO MUCH WORK. No PAYOFF. Random people appear to comment to win and never come back!
I try and only write reviews for products I like or actually use. Most of the time, I pass on offers because it just doesn’t go with my blog. And I am sick and tired of bloggers talking about how great one brand of shoes are one day and weeks later talking about how much they love another brand of shoes. Don’t get me wrong, it’s possible to like two brands of shoes but man, it’s a little over kill sometimes. It has really turned me away from following a lot of “bigger name” blogs out there. I’m tired of being sold on everything.
Very interesting topic! I’ve been approached a few times for giveaways and sometimes, I’ve accepted because the product seems cool and something my readers would like. But then there are some products I’m just like… WHAT?! Like scrapbooking software. Yeah, no…
I love the way you blog and I must say, your giveaways are some of my favorites! I love that you find something you love and are just like, heck, I’ll buy another one to give away to my readers! 🙂 It’s awesome.
I always want blogging to be a pleasurable hobby. Something I enjoy and do because I love it… not something I look at as a job or something I *have* to do. So far, so good!
Hee hee hee. A lot of people are talking about this scrapbooking software! Now, I am curious as to who actually IS reviewing it!
Aww, thanks 🙂
YES! I am happy you are succeeding at having it be pleasurable!
I’m SO, SO, SO glad you aren’t on that bandwagon. I love that your blog page isn’t cluttered with ads.
I’ve done a couple of giveaways. One was for a vegan protein bar and one for a friend’s jewelry that she makes. (I think you won that one, didn’t you???) I just turned one down a few days ago. I forget what the name of the company was, but it had to do with scrapbooking. ME. SCRAPBOOKING. Ummmm…. no way in hell. LOL
Thanks 🙂
I did win that necklace! Thank you! And let’s admit it – giving away jewelry is always ok 🙂
I feel exactly the same way, I write from the heart and the writing is for me (or The Cyclist!) and I’m certainly not going to be told what to write. That said, I would do a sponsored giveaway if it were for i product I really believed in:)
I initially attempted to get sponsors, but then found that only brought trolls looking for free stuff, not real people wanting to win something cool. Well..maybe that too.
Anyway..you left me a comment earlier, I responded on my blog. Sorry for being on my pitty pot…I am having horrible winter blues and other things aren’t helping my mood. Please know it was nothing about any one person..it was me being a brat. I was trying to get that point across in my post, but I may have failed.
Yeah, it usually doesn’t seem to bring permanent readers. 😉
I’m sorry you are feeling that way this winter! What do you think would help your mood?
Great post. I don’t have that many followers, so I rarely get asked to sponsor a giveaway. I have been sent a few e-mails and turned most of them down unless I have had a real interesst – I think I did one. I have however, went out to a few companies where I had a genuine interest in trying their product and asked to review it. I figure if I have a interest others might too. It’s nice to be able to try it risk free and give an honest review. I will only provide an honest review though. If I didn’t like it, I would let my readers know.
I think that it’s super awesome that you sponsor your own – very cool and it shows how much you believe in what you are giving away. I’ve had people (organizations?) randomly email me about participating in some blogger “thing”, and I never do it because I don’t really consider myself a “blogger”.
There are certain companies that I’d love to ‘work with’ (like Patagonia – HA!), but I also wouldn’t want the pressure of having to meet there deadlines. Like you said, if you are going to do a review, it takes time to write.
One other thing – especially in terms of shoes or products like that – I’m so not an expert in any field except for Spanish (and that’s questionable on a good day). I would feel like a total fraud talking about a product. I know that most reviews are just opinions, but I would want to give more than a “oh, this feels nice” review.
Sponsored giveaways are good. I don’t mind them as it helps a blogger maintain and gain followers and readers.
Some blogs I read have so many of them that it has had the opposite effect on me!