Promoting a competition..

I'm in the process of planning the launch of my new blog (in the signature) and I want to start off with a really good competition, to 1) get peoples attention in the blog and 2) to increase the number of RSS readers.

Other than money, what are good competition prizes nowadays that would get people interested?

 

Hello DarrenC, i am newb here so i don't know which blog is your new one, anyway it would be best if your prize would be related to the topic of your blog.

If you are going to promote your travels blog then i advice you to do a search on "travel certificates" with google, they are few dollars each so you can fund someone visit as a prize.

If you want to promote marketing blog it gets tough, but still you can offer this travel certificates as almost everyone likes to travel, another great prize would be to get great ebook with resell rigts and give it away to competition winners.

Hope it helps

 

Thanks Greg - good ideas

It's for the Marketing blog - the travel blog launched last April.

What about a Wordpress theme design? A unique design done by a professional theme designer - certainly not me! Would this be a good prize or am I then only limiting it to Wordpress blog users.

 

Well i guess, you are right giving wordpress theme could be limiting, maybe whole wordpress script with installed plugins (LandingSites, AdsenseDeluxe, RelatedPosts etc) and professional theme would be a better bet?

Everyone even if he is not blogging right now could make a use of it somewhere in the future.

 

How about giving a voucher from travelocity or Expedia for example that can be exchanged for a ticket?

 

This competition is not for the travel blog - it is for the blog promotion link in my signature.

 

I think as a reader's point of view,my aim is to know more about how to promoting my blog so whether it has a prize or not it doesnt really matter.
I have read about your blog and I have an idea for a prize.You said that getting a blog noticed on national papers was great.So how about the prize to be helping the blogger to promote his blog to be on national papers.

Sorry if im trashing your thread.Hope that helps

 

Good idea sbongo! Never thought of that, but then I would have to wait until I had a competition winner before revealing all of my hidden marketing secrets lol

 

I think what is lacking in travel sites are good business practice. Online travel agencies have a lot of complaints (poor customer service, even fraud). Do a simple search in Google or Yahoo: for example "EXPEDIA complaints" (or any other popular travel site). Or combinations using the word "scam" or "victims" . You will read thousands of horrible stories.
My point is that travel sites are having really bad reputation and if you plan to promote one you have to deal with that. If those big guys are having bad reputation then people will not trust other smaller travel agencies. Unless, you earn first a good reputation.

 

I definately agree with Greg that it needs to be related to the topic, an idea though. give google adword voucher if for marketing blog so they can promote there site. Maybe even an old domain name you no longer want if it is webmaster related area of marketing.