Watch out for popularity contests
This is not going to be a popular (heh) opinion, but when all those “vote for me”s for the Run to Napa ZOOMA women’s race trip starting showing up in my Facebook feed this week, I got a sick feeling to my stomach. Not that people were entering. It sounds like a super fun trip if you like wine and running, and heck, I wish all of my friends who wanted to go, could, and for free.
It was the fact that the page asks you to vote for your favorite blogger, and shows your vote number right by your photo, allowing you to compare yourself to everyone else in the contest. It’s a simple popularity contest. And that is what gave me that icky feeling – the contest reminded me of a part of blogging I try to avoid – the quest for popularity.
And I by NO MEANS have anything against ZOOMA doing this or anyone who has entered – just seeing it made me think about it.
There are lots of these contests online, and they have never bugged me like this. I have voted for people before (I don’t think I have ever entered) and sincerely hoped my vote would help! Maybe it’s just that I know so many people who have entered in this one – and really, that they know each other. These bloggers are friendly, and will congratulate and feel happy for whoever wins. But I bet there will be some disappointment, and comparison.
And that is probably it. Bloggers quite often talk about avoiding comparison. And that number count sure does encourage it, even if it’s friendly, and all in good fun.
It’s made me think – what can we do to make sure blogging doesn’t turn in to a popularity contest? Or does that even matter?
Most of us say we don’t feel upset if a post doesn’t get many comments, a Facebook entry doesn’t get many likes, or a tweet doesn’t get many responses (just guessing on that one since I’m not on Twitter). We say we do it for ourselves. And mostly, we do! Truly.
But come on.
We notice when a fellow blogger, especially one we are close with, seems to have oodles and oodles of followers/commenters/whatever-ers. Guys, I’ll be real! I see myself doing it from time to time! I read other blog comments thinking “Wow, they have a lot of commenters!” and “Whoa, who are all these people?” and feel bad for a few seconds (then remember to feel grateful people read this, and even comment, at all! ha!). I think it’s in human nature. And… all those followers/commenters help in a contest like this. And might make some people feel really bad if they don’t get many votes.
But there are so many blogs out there, and the cool thing is, each one is of different value to a different person. Sometimes you find a person you totally connect with and wonder why many others don’t read them. Sometimes you question why big bloggers get the amount of comments they do, with the crap they write. Sometimes, you will meet cool people and get to know them in real life, then love reading their blog even more!
So, my hope, when seeing this contest, is that people don’t let those votes influence the value of their blog or content, to them. That they don’t get caught up in a popularity contest, and feel bad. That they be themselves. BE GENUINE. That they enjoy the writing. The readers who are meant to find them, will.
Themocracy
OH I really HATE these things too…. and I never enter them. However this quest to #RaceAll50 is getting expensive and I could really really really use a free trip to CA! LOL So I’m that annoying one this month. Sorry, please don’t defriend me!! Besides, we all know it’s not about who is best or more popular – it’s a simple get-out-the-vote. With that being said, I’d be totally remise not to mention … Vote today: http://woobox.com/h3xho2/vote/for/1848794 hahaha
No, it’s not that you guys are annoying me. It’s just the comparison thing – I think this is really triggering for some people. And I think it IS about who is the most popular. Or who has the most connections! You seem to be doing really well! 😀
I agree too. It is about who is the most popular.
I hate popularity contests more than anything in life. (Other than a few select celebrities.) It reminds me of terrible high school bullshit. I see it all the time in Middle School and it is in incredibly difficult to teach them NOT to act that way, when shit like this is what they are faced with in real life. LIFE IS NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST!!!! So while you don’t have anything against them, I think it is a shitty way to run a contest.
Also, as you and I have talked about many times, popularity issues is the main reason I stopped blogging. It started making me feel like crap. Blogging should be fun! 🙂
Sorry to go all apeshit but this really rubbed me the wrong way. Voting is one thing…but the fact you can see the botes and the comparing thing, put me over the edge.
Oh gawd, yes. This is such a reminder of the insecurity of MS and then yeah, HS, too. Do you think the kids get away from it? What do you tell them?
I was thinking you would comment on this, based on our convos 🙂 And I like that you went “apeshit.” I miss your apeshit. 🙂
Ok, first the ENTIRE thing is about who is most popular. You know who thinks it’s not? The popular ones. Again…right back to what I see daily in the school. If you are the popular one, you see nothing wrong with contests exposing that popularity.
I don’t think kids ever get away from it, even if they try. Let’s face it, people love attention and are hurt when they get less. That is human nature that we feel at every age. But to exacerbate that with contests like this, does nothing good for the soul.
We try to steer them in the right direction, and we do everything we can not to present anything in a way that pits the “popular” against the “unpopular” although it is so hard. For example, our Student Government is always comprised of the most popular kids, and we just haven’t found a way to get them to understand that just because they are popular doesn’t mean they are deserving.
Overall, we are lucky here, and most of the kids do get along. They are generally welcoming to everyone but it happens everywhere. I just hate seeing it fed.
Glad you miss my apeshit bc you are getting a lot of it today!!!!
Yeah, the popular ones DON’T see it. I bet there are a lot of “unseen” issues like that. beyond this!
And you are totally right that attention and positive affirmation feels good. Always 🙂
I am happy kids get along so well at the school and that you are all working on steering them away from popularity contests, even if you don’t have all the answers! 🙂
I love this post:) As someone who entered the contest, I have to say that I knew from the start that I wouldn’t win – and I am ok with that. It sounded fun, and honestly, I signed up without thinking too much about it. I’ve always tried to blog for me, and me only – and if that brings readers, great. And if not, that’s ok too:) Sure, I’ll always wonder what attracts people to certain blogs, but at the end of the day, I can only focus on myself and what I can control.
Thank you 🙂
The trip does sound really fun! I wish there was some other way to win, than votes. I can see you out there in Napa, loving it!
And it sounds like you are in a good place! It’s totally naturally to be curious about what it bringing people to other blogs… but it’s way more fun to focus on what would make us like ours, more! 🙂
That contest bums me out for the same reasons. They’re asking for inspirational bloggers, but for starters, you nominate yourself? And then fish for votes. Obviously I know the same bloggers that you do who are in this, and it really sucks that they won’t win just because they are lesser-known and have a smaller following. Even if they’re even more awesome than some bigger bloggers. Isn’t that who contests like this should be highlighting?
In general, I just don’t care about comments, hits, metrics, etc. Typically I blog because I have to get something out or want to document something that’s happened in my life, and like you, I think it’s awesome that ANYONE reads my blog.
I wish the contests did highlight the smaller bloggers, but those smaller audiences just wouldn’t have the advertising pay off! And is the whole thing that they are supposed to be inspirational? LOL, I haven’t even looked at it. I was just so taken aback by the vote count!
Good for you! I feel sad when people obsess over those metrics. Someone was asking me for that info (for NFEC race entry, maybe) and I had no idea what it was, and had to look it all up. And I have forgotten it by now (I gave it to them Wednesday), lol. Page views? Unique clicks? Meh. One or more meaningful comments from a real person? Way cooler (to me).
Yep, it was looking for inspirational running bloggers. At least I thought that’s what I read…
Reading some of the comments below from Bobbi and Kelsey, I’m really glad that I’m not even big enough to do giveaways and sponsored posts and the like – I can see how it would be really easy to get sucked in to those, especially if you’re a newer blogger. But I think I’d feel crappy about it.
I think that’s one of the reasons I liked what Swirlgear did. Nominate someone (hell, nominate yourself) and say WHY they are deserving! And then they pick instead of it being a popularity contest.
Agreed, I loved the way they did it! There’s no way someone like me could win the Zooma contest, but it’s so cool that Swirlgear didn’t treat their giveaway like a popularity contest. There’s probably a ton of lesser-known bloggers out there doing great things, even if they aren’t able to solicit a ton of votes.
aaaaannnnnddddd you’ve pretty much hit on one of the biggest reasons I stopped blogging last year. besides that it all became such a chore to me, I hate the blog whoring. SO MUCH. I don’t read product reviews. I rarely enter contests. I want to hear people’s stories.
The way this contest is organized too bums me out. Let’s put the girl with the most votes first, and then you have to scroll down to see the people with less votes. I think it’s crappy. Then again, I also think it’s crappy that Jess would post her link here on a post written AGAINST this sort of contest. So I clicked it, and voted for Kimberly (love you girl – Napa with you would be amazing).
The entire thing rubs me the absolute wrong way. Sorry to be so crabby about it, but I think it sucks.
Oh gosh. I was thinking last night about how I never do product reviews or offer sponsored giveaways anymore because they are such a chore and just have no meaning. For giveaways I get some random people who never leave comments on my blog, then I turn off my real readers if I do a lame review. (Note: not all are lame). But you know I totally hear you on that one.
Ahh, I didn’t even think to mention that most votes is on the top! It made me sad to see some with 1 or 2 votes. Not that I felt sorry for them, just sad that that might make THEM feel sad. And I was very surprised to see that link posted here from the top runner, too.
You never have to apologize for honesty.
I agree Bobbi- I went through a bunch of my old posts when I first started and was surprised at the amount of giveaways and contests I participated it- solely for the exposure. it’s interesting to see where you started as a blogger vs. where you end. after figuring out that was dumb and not the kind of blogger i wanted to be I stopped, and then just stopped completely bc I got bored 🙂
EXACTLY! Mine is the same way 🙂 Lots of contests and giveaways and I’d get so excited about FREE!! Now? Meh. I’ll blog if I want to say something.
I miss your blog though – I could always count on you for a good story or a great laugh or a creepy gif, haha!
I think we need to add Bobbi in to our silly gif email exchanges 🙂
Blog whoring. I love that term! Also, same reason I stopped blogging. I watched people i started blogging with go from down to earth and real to blog whorebags. I was so resentful that I started hating it. And it’s sad, because overall, I do miss the writing. I wonder how many others have stopped because of this.
I bet TONS have stopped for that reason. I’ve thought about it. Blogging sure has changed. Once it became a marketplace, especially.
I have fallen down that hole myself…watching how many “likes” “comments” and even birthday wishes I have gotten. Facebook etc. are nice tools but when what I see there (or what I don’t) starts to upset me I try to take a little break. BTW I have 2 followers on Twitter lol 🙂
Yes – don’t compare! Especially on Facebook, with it’s strange algorithms that choose what others see and don’t! I miss so much on there! And… yeah. Real life is much better! 🙂
I hate things that make someone beg for votes. Won’t enter them, won’t vote.
Yeah, I haven’t voted for anyone… oops. I just don’t feel my vote would help. Of course, if we all have that mentality, where does that get us? LOL. At least it doesn’t make you register to vote! I hate it when sites make you do that, and you actually DO want to vote for something (like my mom asked me to vote for a school in my hometown for a chance for them to win new computers).
That site makes you “like” their page before you can see anything…another thing that irks me. LOL, I am a cranky old lady today! 😉
Here! Go here and not be cranky 🙂 http://www.dailypuppy.com/
Blah! Total turn off! This contest reminds me of those stupid Cutest Baby photo contests where you post a photo of your little one and beg (annoy?) everyone in your network to vote EVERY day. Sigh it’s gross. I find ALL popularity contests annoying and invaluable. Pretty sad if you need a bunch of votes or cheers or praise to get you anywhere or make you feel “popular” is sad. Also sad, allowing contests to make you feel sad if it’s not going your way, you know? Let’s go back to the contest where you enter your name and keep your fingers crossed!
Oh man! I haven’t seen one of those in awhile! But yeah! Then you would feel even worse if no one voted for your kid, right? 😉
But I bet the people getting the most votes are feeling pretty darn good about themselves 🙁 Ugh. It’s so icky!
Yeah, let’s share names or even pics or our blogs, but not show votes or have it be random. Of course, if you don’t show votes… how do you know you need to keep pushing people (aka doing free advertising for whatever promotion, lol).
Begging for votes is so unattractive. Begging for anything is unattractive – don’t we teach kids that at a young age? I even feel bad when I ask for people to donate to our Alz fundraiser, and that’s for charity, not for my own personal gain!
I give zero shits about popularity at this point in my life. Maybe I cared when I was younger (I probably didn’t even care as much as I should have then), but I just don’t anymore. My life is good, and getting likes on FB isn’t going to make a difference in it. I think if someone is dependent on stuff like that, then they may need to reevaluate their life and their priorities.
I guess I’m crabby today too! haha!
Aww man! I am feeling bad my post made you guys so sorry! I will email you a Data pic to cheer you up!
Begging really puts me off, too. But people asking for donations, does not at all. Especially when the cause is dear to their heart.
It’s interesting you and another commenter brought up caring about this stuff in school… it’s just making me think about how I never cared, then. (And maybe that is why I didn’t have friends? lol). And it’s really scary if you care SO MUCH about online stuff now. Like, have fun with it. Then go hang out with real peeps. <--- Of course, I write that, but have a total blast emailing, Facebooking and blogging too.
hah I never said I was sorry for being crabby! 🙂
Ha ha ha!
I totally agree with this. Less on blogs and more on FB–when people post “Vote for my (insert child, non profit*, photo, whatever here)!” Really, if I don’t take the time to look at every other entry, can I really say yours is the best?** It’s patently unfair and I don’t feel good about it.
*Except for my friend Elizabeth’s cat shelter because she pretty much started from scratch and has a lot of catching up to do to some of the bigger non profits in her area!
**I would also ALWAYS vote for Kaylee in a cutest baby contest because I pretty much think she is the cutest baby of all.
Ha ha ha! I love all your asterisk exceptions 😀 😀 😀
Good point. How do we know our friends is the best? Because if we don’t vote for the best, it really is a popularity contest. Hmm.
I didn’t realize I followed so many blogs until so many “Vote for me!” things popped up. I hate popularity contests and honestly? I feel bad but I am not voting for anyone. It is a nice trip, but I really feel like what the contest is doing is just making life awkward and I am not going to participate =/
I was so super excited about the ZOOMA contest … until I saw a bunch of more “popular” people join and then I said eff it. I know I can’t compete. I’ll have to find my own way to Napa someday.
One of my Hood to Coast teammates posted about the contest yesterday, and I really liked what she said. I think the problem with the contest is that it forces us to compete against each other rather than coming together as a community.
http://www.runwiki.org/2014/01/23/why-companies-should-eliminate-the-popularity-contest/#.UuFwQfso5kg
I hope you do find your way there! I’ve never been, but everyone I know who has, has LOVED it!
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing that! Hers is much more eloquently written. And it’s always nice to see similar thoughts out there!
I saw the title of this post and immediately thought “NO WAY.. She didn’t go there… Did she?” And I’m pleasantly surprised you did. 🙂
I hate popularity contests. I can’t stand people who thrive on that sort of thing because I am the furthest from that. I could care less about being “popular” to an arbitrary audience and winning something.
Because at the end of the day, I am PRing at life. Every day. And give 2 shits about what anyone thinks of me. (Save for like 3 of my closest family-BFFs) 🙂
Probably for the same reason I didn’t announce my engagement on Facebook at all, or on the blog until 6 months after the fact- I don’t need reassurance from others I’m doing something good or the right thing or praise or “likes.” It’s so ugly that people need reassurance in the form of “likes” an blog comments to make them happy. If you truly want to be happy, it comes from within, yo!
LOL! I know! It’s not really like me. But it just all came out last night, then I had to post it (after having it proof read, to make sure it wasn’t b*tchy – because I am not upset with ZOOMA or people entering (well most), it just made me think). Anyway 😉
You are bringing up the MUCH bigger issue. Which I appreciate. But, I am not sure if people see it. I think online approval is addictive. And people don’t realize how sucked in they get, and that they rely on it, sometimes, for self worth. Or maybe not that, but happiness.
I tend to be in the not give a rat’s ass category too. Which is actually bad sometimes, but let’s me be happy, most days! 🙂
As a guy I constantly get left out of Zooma’s marketing train. Well, on second thought maybe that’s a good thing. What the heck is a Zooma anyway? 🙂
It’s part of the female anatomy.
Ha ha. Like.
Vote for me if you like my Zooma! haha. Ok, I’ll stop.
All I wanna do is a zoom zoom zoom on your boom boom!!!
LOL! It’s a women’s race series. 😉
You are not the first person to post about this with this same position. Personally I loathe the pandering for votes. Remember when Nuun had that HTC relay thing and the second year they repicked all who were on it the previous year? Blech. I think one of life’s biggest challenges is not letting others control how you feel. Very, very hard not to feel bad on this one. There are so many different ways to define popular.
I am happy others are thinking about it too! I do remember hearing about that! People were so pissed!
I would rather define likable and genuine than popular. Or rather, that is what draws me to people 🙂
This. All of it. Love.
We are past high school. Let’s get past the popularity contests too.
Very, very interesting post! I admit that I have entered these contests in the past but I always feel dirty begging for people to vote for me. I’d rather write a great post or a great entry and have a panel of judges pick me for my work instead of just asking my friends and family to vote for me. Maybe I’m not the best person out there when compared to the other entries. I’m okay with that! I still know I’m awesome.
Also, there’s been some talk in the style blogger world lately about being approached by companies about blogging for exposure-only compensation versus blogging for in-kind or monetary compensation. Basically the gist is that our blogs are an extension of us and we work hard on them and for a company to expect us to promote them with nothing in return except the promise that it will help our blog find more readers (that we may or may not get anyway)? Yeah, that’s not cool.
You don’t have to “admit” you entered them! I don’t think there is anything wrong with people entering them, if they want to. I just think they set up for stupid comparison and could make some people feel bad. 😉 But yeah. Asking people to vote is annoying and being judged on something other than popularity would be nice. I loved how the Siwrlgear thing worked that Anne won.
I saw that post you commented on my FB page with, about “exposure.” Bah! Ha ha! I think all bloggers should think about that, not just fashion ones 🙂 The more we promote other people’s products, for nothing in return, the more they will expect us to do it. AND LOTS OF PEOPLE DO IT. OOOO, FREE!!!! Of course, when you write about something you actually care about, or as a favor for a friend, that is different 🙂
I really enjoyed this post! I was excited at first, until I opened up the page to vote and saw how all the women were numerically placed in order. Ack! So not cool. Although my dream is to go to Napa one day, I hope I can go the old fashioned way!
Ah, yes. I say cope by avoidence. Not a sure-fire system but sure helps avoid ever having those feelings. I guess you have to figure when people enter these contests that they have an idea where it’s headed, but maybe they don’t. I don’t really know.
I hate the popularity crap. I have unfollowed so many blogs that used to really be good and then they got in the popularity rat race and their blog quality and content went to shit.
Me too. It’s interesting to see, but sad at the same time!
I follow each blogger that I do for a different reason (i.e. I want to be more like them, they inspire me, they are like me, they have been fighting with things that are hard, they are amazing, they are fighters
I do read a few big name bloggers..and one is so super nice at least via blog and I have to admit, I think she would be just as nice if I met her in person.
Thinking about what Xaar said about not needing validation … Britt posted an interesting link recently about what to ask before you post to social media: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/tech/5-questions-ask-posting-social-media. I thought it was pretty great. It’s good to take a step back and think about WHY we are posting some of the things we are posting. Are we boasting? Seeking approval? If so, WHY? Or are we just that bored? That intorverted? That lazy with our relationships? I need to check myself too sometimes.
And as for popularity contests not being “the real world” … Arnold Schwarzenegger was voted Governor. Of California. Arnold. The Terminator. Was a governor. Voted by the people. Popularity contests SO exist in the real world, sadly. Not that that makes it justified.
As for blogging, I’m with you, I would rather have a few interesting, engaged comments than a ton of readers and no engagement. I don’t blog for “exposure” or to feel validated, I just want to share my stories and my thoughts and connect with other cool people.
Aww man, I LOVED that link Britt shared and actually copied and so I could write about it later if I wanted to (and credit her for finding it). I could think of an example for every situation listed. Surprisingly, A LOT for #4, is this a moment to project. I am often surprised how many times people LIVE post things, when I feel if I did that, it would take away from the moment, for me. Anyway. I am sure I do some of these, from time to time (but I consciously try NOT to, because it makes me nuts). Anyway… this is not about me.
Did I imply that popularity contests are not real world? Because yeah, they are. But what I am saying is that I hope people who enter them don’t feel awful when they lose, or that it means they are less of a person/blogger/whatever. I just interpret lots of fragile people online, I guess. There, honesty. Ha ha.
YES! Those are the exact reasons I blog too. And what is interesting is that our stories may be cool to some, and boring to others! There are so many blogs out there, because there are, derp, so many people, and we aren’t going to be drawn to them all, but it’s so cool when you find one you love 🙂
“Is this a moment to protect?” — I think that’s a good one. I try not to whip out my phone when I need to be in the moment. Funnily enough, “be in the moment” is a mantra at my office, but I think they mean “do your work” haha.
You didn’t imply that popularity contests were not the real word, but I thought there were some comments from parents trying to protect their kids from it. I get that – wanting to protect your kids – but I think we need to protect adults from falling prey to it too!
Ha ha ha! I could use that reminder in A LOT of instances, not just social media 🙂
Ahh, yes! I think everyone needs a reminder to be aware of it, and not to get sucked in to it. Unless… ugh. You have to. I sometimes think I may never get very far at my office because I don’t want to play the politics/popularity games!
This is definitely the most annoying part of blogging to me- the competition!!! I just try to be me but sometimes looking at those numbers sucks me in! Since I work with marketing statistics for work I find it super interesting… but there’s SUCH a fine line.
With that said, I am the happiest when my friends comment, like, etc. it makes me so much happier than some random people. THAT’S why I blog when it comes down to it. 🙂
AVOID THOSE #s! Seriously! Don’t even look at them 🙂
It’s so cool when your friends (or even family!) take the time to respond to something. Ha ha. Mine don’t that often, so I forget they are reading. Gotta be careful! JK… 😉
Ah! I missed this but I am SO GLAD you posted it. I have seen one too many posts about this going around and it drives me crazy. I avoid every and all contests out there. It just has too many elements of high school out there that avoid. I tend not to follow bloggers who I think get too caught up in themselves and their blog and gravitate towards the ones that I can connect with. I don’t know how it is I define those that are ‘too caught up’ but I would rather unfollow than start to read and get angry about what I read.
Oh and I entered this contest for a ZOOMA race in Napa? I really like your blog-WIll you vote for me? KIDDING!
Buah ha ha. The end of your comment cracked me up so hard.
I tend to ditch those blogs too. And feel really sad when people I consider friends go that route!
I saw the ZOOMA contest and thought about entering, but I know I don’t have a big enough following to win. Nor do I have the time to spend my days begging people to vote for me. (These people remind people daily to vote for them. I have a full time job and grad school!)
It really is a popularity contest, and clearly bloggers with bigger followings and those with the time on their hands (full time bloggers and/or those without jobs) are more able to spend time getting people to vote for them. Sometimes I wonder why my blog isn’t bigger, but I don’t really do giveaways or anything that tends to make a blog bigger. I have my readers and I enjoy the following that I have…it seems more like a community, if that’s not too cheesy.
I did run with Hood to Coast with Nuun twice, which I do realize that some people think it was a popularity contest. (To some extent it probably was…it’s not hard to see that it’s a marketing plan.) However, to their credit, they did pick many people with smaller blogs. Maybe I’m blinded as one of the people they picked, but they didn’t focus on big bloggers.
It mainly upsets me that contests and things like these are based just on numbers instead of an application or giving a reason why you should be picked. Moving on…
I should also mention that I have my opinions about all women’s races that might not be so popular…perhaps I should write a blog post about that.
I do NOT think the community thing is cheesy, at all! In fact, a few other commenters mentioned they love getting comments from people they know, they those fake-y fishing for comments you sometimes get (you probably know what I am talking about). I love my little blog community.
But yeah. It would be neat if it was an application like HTC. Maybe ZOOMA will do that next time? Or maybe not. It does help to have those bloggers do free marketing for them (even though it may turn a small proportion off0>
And you should write your women’s race opinion piece! Have you done some? I actually did ZOOMA and enjoyed a lot of the race, but I don’t think having men there would have taken away from that (but it did get us to make it in to a women’s getaway weekend, which was fun!). And I liked that it encouraged women to start running (even though they made the 5K course WAY too challenging).
Well done. Everything you wrote is true. I actually thought about entering the contest but then when I saw the other contestants I told myself “Are you kidding? Look at the other popular contestants/bloggers you’ll be competing against. You won’t win.” And just like that I decided not to enter. Sad, but true. Moving on. I’ve got other things to worry about like training for the 50K in April. 🙂
I have been slacking with reading my fellow friends’ blogs these days, but I feel like you hit the nail on the head with this one. There are so many contests and what-not on the internet that very much feel like a popularity contest. I recently wanted to sign up for an ambassador program for a product that I liked, but when they asked for my blog stats, I wanted nothing to do with the ambassadorship. I felt defeated before I even started.
I guess with votes, it is a tangible, easy way to get press about the race/contest with the people entering doing all of the work. But, in the end, I think it ends up alienating more people than it helps. And don’t even get me started on Nuun HTC… Lol, Maggie and I have talked extensively about it! (In short, I think they learned from their mistake after year 2 of picking the exact same cliquey folks as the previous year…)
I think there are lots of ways companies can go about their marketing, and simply having people ask for votes is the much less creative way to get the word out. And now, consumers are realizing this.
I got a free entry for a race last year and they contacted me to let me know they are thinking about giving it to me again, but want all these crazy stats that I don’t have, or even care about. And they asked about Twitter, too. I understand they want to use me for advertising in exchange for the entry, but I am not going to start caring about that stuff soon or tying to sell my blog.
LOL! So this last year was the third and they finally picked new people? I have not followed that, but I know a smaller blog I read got to go 🙂
But are enough consumer realizing it? That ZOOMA vote thing seems to be getting people to the site. And some people are asking for votes. every. single. day.