{"id":17035,"date":"2011-01-12T13:17:17","date_gmt":"2011-01-12T07:47:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=17035"},"modified":"2026-10-28T13:35:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T08:05:42","slug":"running-successful-blog-contest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Run a Successful Blog Contest or Giveaway: 8 Tips (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A <strong>blog contest<\/strong> or giveaway is one of the quickest ways to get attention for a new blog, grow your email list and get readers talking. Guest author Brent McCoy shared six tips in 2011 from running contests on his online business blog. They still work, but in 2026 you also need clear rules, privacy-friendly entry methods and to follow platform and legal requirements. Here is the updated guide.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-64278\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/blog-contest-tips-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"How to run a successful blog contest\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/blog-contest-tips-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/blog-contest-tips-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/blog-contest-tips-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/blog-contest-tips-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/blog-contest-tips.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> Pick a theme that fits your niche, offer a prize your readers really want, make entry simple (a comment, email signup or short form), publish clear official rules with dates and eligibility, promote it by email and social media, keep entrants updated, then pick the winner fairly, deliver the prize quickly and write a wrap-up post.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ae1e90c4ade6\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ae1e90c4ade6\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#8_tips_to_run_a_successful_blog_contest\" >8 tips to run a successful blog contest<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#1_Set_a_clear_goal\" >1. Set a clear goal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#2_Choose_a_theme_that_fits_your_niche\" >2. Choose a theme that fits your niche<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#3_Offer_a_prize_your_readers_want\" >3. Offer a prize your readers want<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#4_Keep_entry_simple\" >4. Keep entry simple<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#5_Publish_official_rules\" >5. Publish official rules<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#6_Promote_your_contest\" >6. Promote your contest<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#7_Keep_people_updated\" >7. Keep people updated<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#8_Wrap_up_well\" >8. Wrap up well<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#Common_blog_contest_mistakes\" >Common blog contest mistakes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#Are_blog_giveaways_legal\" >Are blog giveaways legal?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#How_long_should_a_blog_contest_run\" >How long should a blog contest run?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/#How_do_I_pick_a_random_winner\" >How do I pick a random winner?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_tips_to_run_a_successful_blog_contest\"><\/span>8 tips to run a successful blog contest<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Set_a_clear_goal\"><\/span>1. Set a clear goal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Decide what you want: more email subscribers, comments, social followers or user-generated content. Your goal shapes the entry method and the prize.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Choose_a_theme_that_fits_your_niche\"><\/span>2. Choose a theme that fits your niche<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Brent&#8217;s first contest asked readers how Twitter should make money. It was on-topic but open enough for everyone to have a go. Good themes invite opinions, tips, photos or stories from your audience.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Offer_a_prize_your_readers_want\"><\/span>3. Offer a prize your readers want<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A relevant prize attracts real readers, not prize hunters. Your own e-book, course or service costs little and promotes your work. Brands in your niche may sponsor a prize too. Avoid generic prizes like gift cards if you want targeted entrants. You don&#8217;t need an expensive prize either: guest author Phil Van Treuren, who ran the contest site Contest Blogger, found that even modest prizes bring plenty of entries if you promote them well. Just match the effort you ask for to the prize value; people will only complete many steps for a valuable prize.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Keep_entry_simple\"><\/span>4. Keep entry simple<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A blog comment or a short form gets the most entries. Contest tools such as <a href=\"https:\/\/gleam.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gleam<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">RafflePress<\/a> (WordPress) or <a href=\"https:\/\/kingsumo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KingSumo<\/a> handle entries, bonus actions and random winner selection. Bonus entries work well: for example, one entry for joining your newsletter, one for following you on Instagram and one for following on X or YouTube. You end up with an audience you can keep reaching after the contest ends. If you have several prizes, you can also run a series of smaller contests, each focused on one action.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Never require links to enter.<\/strong> Asking people to link to your site for an entry is effectively paying for links, which breaks Google&#8217;s spam policies and can hurt your rankings. Let a good contest earn natural links and mentions instead.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Publish_official_rules\"><\/span>5. Publish official rules<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Start and end dates, time zone and who can enter (age, countries).<\/li>\n<li>How the winner is chosen and notified, and the prize value.<\/li>\n<li>Many countries ban contests that require a purchase or payment; &#8220;no purchase necessary&#8221; is standard for giveaways. Check local laws.<\/li>\n<li>Follow platform rules. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/policies_center\/pages_groups_events\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Meta&#8217;s Pages, Groups and Events policies<\/a> include rules for promotions, and tagging friends to enter isn&#8217;t allowed on Facebook.<\/li>\n<li>Explain how you will use entrants&#8217; email addresses and get consent for your newsletter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Promote_your_contest\"><\/span>6. Promote your contest<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Tell your email subscribers and social followers, and remind them before it closes. Partner bloggers or sponsors can share it too. List it on giveaway and sweepstakes directories and in relevant communities that allow contest posts; few contests succeed by just waiting for entries. Make sure your post has a good share image; see how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/12\/connect-site-to-social-media\/\">connect your website to social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Keep_people_updated\"><\/span>7. Keep people updated<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Share interesting entries during the contest and reply to entrants. It shows the contest is active and encourages last-minute entries.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Wrap_up_well\"><\/span>8. Wrap up well<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Pick the winner fairly, announce them publicly (with permission) and deliver the prize promptly. A wrap-up post featuring the winner and the best entries gives you great content with little extra writing.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_blog_contest_mistakes\"><\/span>Common blog contest mistakes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Requiring too many steps to enter, or making backlinks an entry requirement.<\/li>\n<li>Running contests so often that readers only visit for prizes.<\/li>\n<li>Forgetting to deliver the prize or announce the winner.<\/li>\n<li>Collecting emails without clear consent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For more ideas, see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/02\/easy-ways-to-promote-your-blog\/\">easy ways to promote your blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_blog_giveaways_legal\"><\/span>Are blog giveaways legal?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Generally yes, if entry is free and the rules are clear. Laws vary by country and state, so check local rules for prize draws and contests.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_should_a_blog_contest_run\"><\/span>How long should a blog contest run?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>One to four weeks is common. Long enough to spread, short enough to keep urgency.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_pick_a_random_winner\"><\/span>How do I pick a random winner?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Use a contest tool&#8217;s built-in random picker or a random number generator, and keep a record of how you chose.<\/p>\n<p><em>Originally written by guest author Brent McCoy, known as &#8220;the ideas man&#8221;, who wrote about life and online business. Includes material originally written by guest author Phil Van Treuren of Contest Blogger. Updated for 2026 by QuickOnlineTips.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A blog contest or giveaway is one of the quickest ways to get attention for a new blog, grow your&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":64278,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[44,49],"class_list":["post-17035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogging","tag-guest-posts","tag-tutorials"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17035"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68488,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17035\/revisions\/68488"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}