Random Question for You Guys!

*UPDATE: Thank you for all of your feedback, I really appreciate it :) I know it's my blog and ultimately my decision, but y'all would be the benefactors of the giveaway, so I was just curious as to whether or not it as something you gave a hoot about :) I think I am going to *try* a giveaway and go from there. If I think it's fun, maybe I'll do one a few (as in, no more than 3)times a year; if I hate it and feel like it totally takes away from the point of my blog (which is really just to chornicle my life, I'd do it with or without even a single follower), I won't do it again. Whether or not the giveaway is from a company or a reader's etsy shop (my preference-- I like to support fellow bloggers!), I don't know yet, but there will be some sort of giveaway in the near future!

A normal post will be up later tonight, including an embarrassing story from Anatomy class that happened a few minutes ago. Oy. Me and my big mouth!***




I received an email from a company asking if I would be interested in teaming up with them to do a giveaway and review on my blog of their products and/or company.


My question for you is this: How do YOU feel about giveaways and product reviews on blogs?


Do you think I'd be a total sell-out if I went along with it? Or do you think giveaway's are a good way to add a little spice to a blog every now and again?


I have conflicting opinions on the matter, so basically whatever the majority of you say is what I will do.


If it makes any bit of difference, the company is an interior design/home decor & accessories company and many of the products are BEAUTIFUL.

So, what do you do say? Yay or Nay?




Peace. Love. Happiness.

Comments

Denise said…
I think if it is a one time or infrequent review - why not go for it? But if you are going to have to do something on a regular basis - maybe you'd want to dedicate another blog just for reviews. As a reader of your blog - I wouldn't mind seeing an advertisement or giveaway on occasion.
April 22, 2010 at 12:53 PM
Candace Rae's Life said…
I do not really have any interest in reviews or giveaways. I L-O-V-E reading about people on a personal level. Advertisements make blogs a little unattractive to me. But that's just me. Do what you feel is best for YOU, and it'll be the right decision, no matter what the rest of us (or me) think. :)
April 22, 2010 at 1:25 PM
Candace Rae's Life said…
Oh...and I agree with Denise...maybe having another blog for that purpose is the way to go if they're going to be frequent.
April 22, 2010 at 1:26 PM
Ian said…
My question for you is this: How do YOU feel about giveaways and product reviews on blogs?

It's fine. I like to fuck around in em. Case in point, read the comments on this one - http://menonewmom.blogspot.com/2010/04/celebrate-earth-day-everyday-with-our.html


Do you think I'd be a total sell-out if I went along with it? Or do you think giveaway's are a good way to add a little spice to a blog every now and again?

Depends, if that's all you do then I won't stop by as often and I know damn well your mom will not approve of that lol


If it makes any bit of difference, the company is an interior design/home decor & accessories company and many of the products are BEAUTIFUL.

Yes - its CSN stores. They dared to contact me yesterday as well. This ought to get interesting


So, what do you do say? Yay or Nay?

Sure

Throw the contest so I win
April 22, 2010 at 1:27 PM
Marianne said…
Thanks for the feedback, ladies!!!

A few things:

I don't like ads on blogs either. If they request I do that in order to do the giveaway, it'll be a deal breaker. This is MY blog, not theirs, so while I'll "advertise" other peoples blogs that I love, I won't advertise for companies. I blog for fun and not for any other purpose. So ads will NEVER be a on here.

This giveaway would not be a regular thing. By any means. In fact, this very well could be the only time I ever do one. Because A. it's not the reason why I blog B. I don't want posts to be giveaways and reviews and nothing else and C. I barely can keep up with this blog, starting a review blog is not realistic haha.

And I'm with you, I read a blog to hear about other people's lives, not because I want to win shit. And I blog because I like to chronicle the random crap that goes on in my life. Not because I want 3258 readers and to be popular.

HA- I told y'all I was conflicted. Hmmm,
April 22, 2010 at 1:34 PM
Pennie said…
One once in a while is fine. I'm a writer, and I reviewed a book once, as a giveaway. One time. That was it. I gave the author a condition - he had to give me 2 autographed copies - one for my blog and one for an event I was speaking at. They were having a raffle and I wanted to donate the book to that, also. I never heard from the author again, except for a thank you. I don't know if companies work this way.
April 22, 2010 at 1:46 PM
Helene said…
Hmmmm, well, if you like their products and you think your readers would like the products too, then what's the harm?

I do reviews/giveaways from time to time but only if it's a product I truly believe in and enjoy...also it has to be something that I think my readers would like as well. Most often I end up continuing to buy the product myself after I've done the review because I've liked it so much. If it's not a good fit for me, I suggest another blogger or two to the company and move on. I turn down more offers than I accept just because I don't want my blog to become less personal.

If you do it every once in awhile and you can score some free stuff that you'll enjoy as well as your readers would enjoy, why not??
April 22, 2010 at 2:10 PM
It's just me :) said…
I'm actually with Candace on this one. I read blogs to get to know people. I tend to search out the ones that people write openly and honestly, and skip through the ones that have all kinds of givaways and such. (one or two every now and then are fine, but ALL the time gets annoying to me)

Having said that, I really do think it is up to you. It's your blog right?!? As long as you keep writing about all the crazy men that hit on you at stop lights, I will keep on reading. :p
April 22, 2010 at 2:13 PM
Momma Fargo said…
Giveways are OK. If that is all a blog is...I might skip it. I like content, too. And I like to win...so I better win...because I'm gonna tase you if I don't. Not really, but it sounded scary didn't it? LOL.

It's your blog. Do what you want!
April 22, 2010 at 2:18 PM
Merri Ann said…
I tend to not care about giveaways ... I don't enter them and I don't usually read them. If I see them on my reader, I delete them without reading. If I see a blog that is filled with tons of buttons and ads I tend to delete them from my reader ... they are not people that I'm interested in. I tend to be drawn to people telling about their everyday life.

But having said that ... I feel strongly that your blog is just that YOURS ... do what you like and don't let others have an influence over what you do. Commit to it and stand by it.
April 22, 2010 at 3:40 PM
Anne said…
I have been approached to giveaway stuff on my blog, too, but that's not what my blog is about. You just have to identify what your particular blog is going to be focused on and stick with that, IMHO. I don't follow the giveaway blogs. I want conversations not coupons ;) Having said all that...I am an Amazon Associate... so I guess I sold out in a small way then, didn't I? But I don't do all the ads because that distracts. Tough decisions. You will figure out your balance!
April 22, 2010 at 3:55 PM
Liz Mays said…
I do giveaways and personal posts and I enjoy the mix. It sounds like it's a nice company so go for it!
April 22, 2010 at 7:41 PM
Anonymous said…
I too have been approached and once i think something would be a good fit, I might do one in coorelation with something else.

I hear it is a lot of work, but totally do it and try it, you might just love it, plus you get a free product!!!!!
April 24, 2010 at 1:29 PM
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