I promised to give back to my readers and offer a contest when I first started this blog. Its time to get things rolling here at The Rookie Blogger with the first contest. I am not getting many comments and limited traffic and I hope this contest gets The Rookie Blogger name out there a little.
The blogs that disclose income to readers usually do monthly reports. I plan to do the same, but this blog was started in the middle of the month. I will not be having an income report until the end of November. If you read my “about me” page I plan to give a portion of my income back to bloggers with different contests. Well, I didn’t exactly make enough to give to a reader without them thinking I was joking. So, I am just going to offer up some cold hard cash of my own. I really see this contest as an investment more then anything. I really want to see more visitors and people commenting here at The Rookie Blogger.
What are the Details of the Contest?
I will offer $50 via Paypal to the winner of the contest (I know its not a huge amount, but for a new blog it is). I will run the contest from today through the end of November. In order to be entered into the contest you only need to do two things - comment and/or give me some link love.
With the commenting I am not looking for “I want to be entered into the contest” and nothing else. I would like “real” comments. I am doing this to get things rolling here. For the link love I will leave it up to you what you want to write, but you need to link back to this post. A trackback showing up in the comments section of this post will suffice. If you can’t use the trackback option please send an email to contest@therookieblogger.com with the link to your blog showing where you wrote about the contest.
How Will the Winner be Chosen?
I will choose the winner from two different pools. The first pools is the comments pool. I am going to randomly select a post from today through the end of November. All the comments from this post will make up the comments pool. The next pool will come from the link love. Each person who links back to my blog will consist of the link love pool. Now, I will combine these two pools and draw at randomly for the $50 prize.
What about Multiple Entries?
If you comment and offer a link back this will count as two entries. Your name will then be placed into both pools. But, only one comment per person will be considered an entry. So, if “John” comments on the post which is selected more then once he still only gets one entry.
So, get the word out to everyone you know and let’s get things rollin’ here at The Rookie Blogger!
Important Update!
As you read above, please do not just leave a comment on this post saying you would like to be entered into the contest. You need to comment on as many posts as possible since I will be choosing a random post and then choosing a random comment from that post. If you only comment on this post your chances of winning will be very slim. I am writing this because I am still getting people just writing “enter me”, or “count me in”. The idea is to get some discussion and comments on a lot of posts, not just this post. Thank you for your time.
Don't Forget to Get Your BloggerBands Today!
Great! Everyone loves contests, and giving away cold hard cash is usually the most well received prize!
$50 is a great prize, and I’m sure it will draw a lot of attention. I would like to recommend that you head over to my buddy Phil’s blog at http://ContestBlogger.com and submit your contest. You’ll always see good traffic from there, as it’s a hugely popular contest blog.
ThePrizeBlog is another to submit to, and there are a few others, but I can’t recall at the moment.
Anyhow, good luck dude!
Thanks for the tip Ryan. I entered a post on their forum.
[...] Entering the contest is very simple, you either comment on any of the posts for the month of November, or offer a link to the contest details. [...]
Good contest.
If comments is what you’re after, and this goes without saying, then install a top-comments plugin. Your comments will double. And if you omit “nofollow”, your comments will triple.
Good luck with the new blog.
Domtan,
Thank you for your advice on gaining more comments. I did install a “nofollow” plugin already.
[...] back to the contest page via your website and leave a [...]
What a cool giveaway! Count me in! I’ll post a link this evening.
Great Contest! This is my post:
http://aboutblogcontest.blogspot.com/2007/10/win-50-at-rookie-blogger.html
If you want to promote your next contests, write me!
All the best!
Gr8 contest. Will be posting about your contest in a day or two. Hope you will get good entries into the contest. You can count me in.
Good Wishes..
Adil
Great contest!
[...] little popularity and some good traffic. And, the best way to do this is to run a contest. They are giving away cold hard cash of $50 to on lucky reader. You can enter the contest in two ways [...]
Have you linked your contest to the Fall Y’all Bloggy Giveaway? That will definitely jump your traffic!
I don’t currently have a blog but I’m considering it - I just don’t know if it will be too much work with a 2 y/o. This is a great contest - I’d love to win!!
Hi,
I’ve posted about your contest at http://myblogcontests.com/2007/10/30/50-cash-from-the-rookie-blogger/
If you have any future contests, just shoot me an email…
Shrihari.S
Hi there,
One way to increase the traffic at your blog is to post your own comments to other blogs as well. It works in a kinda reciprocal sort of manner. So the more comments you give to others, you’re likely to get more visits as well.
ARRGGGHHH!
I so need to figure out more about blogging!
I have a blog.
I just have a hard time linking. I’ve posted buttons people have given me to link back but I’m clueless about html.
I hope as I browse your site I just find something to comment about. That or I might add it to my stumbles!
good luck me.
Actually, I’m hoping to find some contests for helping educate my kids. I’m sure if I win the 50 I could use it to buy some educational materials.
thanks for the contest.
Fawn,
All the information you need can be found on the web. I don’t have any training in web development. With a little trial and error and research you can make a pretty impressive site. Good luck!
Don’t forget to post your blog contest information at MyBlogContest.com let more people know it.
I blogged about your contest today 10/31 http://www.bebemiqui.blogspot.com
[...] The Rookie Blogger has a $50.00 giveaway, but you will need to give him a special message. See his site here. [...]
$50 is a great prize. I have met so many people just by being introduced to them through their blog.
I sent you link love from queenoftheclick.com
Marlene - NY
I found your contest link over at Queen of the Click! What a great contest! $50 is a lot when you don’t have to do anything, but comment! Don’t sell yourself short!
God bless!
Sarah T
Well, first of all, welcome to the blogosphere. I think you’ve got a great 1st contest going here, and I think I’ll just have to let a few of my readers know about it.
Heck, I may even sign up for your feed. LOL
I’ll be back to check on you. LOL Keep up the good work.
I blogged ya:
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/10/tuesday-edition-of-contests-galore_30.html
I too found this blog from Queen of the Click. If the timing of this contest were different, you could advertise it on the Fall Ya’ll Bloggy Giveaway carnival. As it is, you might still be able to advertise it on the main site of Bloggy Giveaway. Had you looked into it?
http://www.bloggygiveaways.com
I’ll be back to read more of your blogs, I promise.
The $50 paypal is one of the best prizes on the Fall y’all Bloggy giveaway. I think it’s great that you are sharing the wealth of your fortunes. I wish you luck and “love” with your blog and hope that you have plenty of hits. classybutearthy@yahoo.com
Great contest and great site - I’ll be checking back! I let my readers know about your contests at http://thoughts-from-dawn.blogspot.com/2007/10/more-contests.html
[...] leave a comment here, you have a chance to win [...]
[...] Rookie Blogger is holding the first of many contests to help build up a name and traffic to his new [...]
Hang in there! It takes a long time to make a “successful” blog, but hang in there! I promise it will eventually pay off somehow
$50 is a great way to get your site out there.. imagine how many people will see it from all the contest blogs out there? 50/500 people lets say.. thats $.10/person, maybe less depending on the number of people. See? Cheap advertising! Good luck!
Hi,
Great contest to earn some comments. I was and still a rookie in blogging. So I know how difficult it is to get comments for your posts. Work hard and good luck.
I really wonder what you domain name will be after you graduated from rookie blogger. Senior Blogger????
This is a great give-away! Mighty generous of you. Thanks for entering me. I recently came across http://www.problogger.net in my half-hearted search tfor ways to make money the “easy” way. It’s a helpful site, though sadly, it looks like making money this way is going to take some persistence, lol. And some smarts. I might just go back to being happy with my low-traffic blog! I posted about this contest for a second entry here: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/diamondsintherough/418822
Please pick me! Me, me, me!
Thanks for all the link love and entries so far. Please keep them coming.
Hello Rookie Blogger! Good luck with your blog
We’re also rookie bloggers (well not really, but this project is rookie so). Wanted to stop by and give this contest a shot and wish you a prosperous future 
I wish your new endeavor well…especially if it means $50 in PayPal for me!
I may check back in on your blog from time to time. I’ve been blogging for several years now, but have a VERY small audience most days. I’d love to see what you do to increase yours!
Just dropping you a line to let you know that I have added your contest to several related categories in our directory.
http://www.mrprizes.com/individual/listingID_0624.htm
Please feel free to keep me up to date on future listings. Have a great day!
I just followed a link to your contest- count me in! ~Amber
I’m glad to have found your blog through this contest and am delighted to get a chance to win $50. PayPal> I sure can use this. I hope you will get lots more visitors by doing this.
This is a great contest, and it seems like a good way to bring visitors to your site. As for feedback, looking at your site, I’m wondering if you’ve ever considered blogging about anything but blogging. I don’t know if I’m saying it clearly enough, but you might have more success if you found a niche topic to blog about that isn’t quite as saturated as the “blogging about blogging” market.
I believe that with this comment campaign, you’ll be on your way to changing your site title from TheRookieBlogger to TheExpertBlogger. How about that for a goal?
Please count me in!
Great idea.
Now I’m keeping my fingers crossed as I could do with a bit extra this month.
have a great weekend!
I hope this helps you get your name out. At any rate, I’m always up for a contest. By the way, I got here from Queen of the Click.
Please enter me!
[...] All you have to do is to either comment on any post of RookieBlogger or give him a backlink to the contest post. It can’t get better and simpler than this to win 50$ this [...]
Here is my entry to the contest: http://www.thelinkbait.com/a-very-simple-50-contest-from-rookieblogger/
Also count this comment as my second entry.
This is a unique way to get people to comment on your posts.
heres my lil entry
http://www.bloggingaddiction.com/2007/11/contest-round-up-116.html
[...] TheRookieBlogger is giving away $50 via PayPal. To enter this blog contest, you can comment and/or bog about TheRookieBlogger and link back to the contest page. [...]
http://myblogcontest.com/win-50-via-paypal-from-therookieblogger/
Hi, I had linked you in my bog already
http://www.chewjekhui.chewontech.com
Remember to update me of future contest in my website so that I can bring more traffic to your website.
Hi, here is my link for the review
http://www.chewjekhui.chewontech.com/2007/11/my-life_06.html
[...] Rookie Blogger is holding a contest to get things rollin’ and to enter all you need to do is either leave a comment on his blog or write about his contest. [...]
Hi there
I blogged about your contest here - http://www.contestbeat.com/get-things-rollin-with-50/
All we do is write about contests in the blogosphere so hopefully we can send you a few more entries too!
Regards, Matt.
Well i was searching for something that pays you for blogging and certainly found your site from contestblogger.com.Yesterday alone moneyblogger.org gave me 10$ for including his site and rollback link to my post and i was excited for more opportunities like that.To show my writing capabilities.
Pleasure to know that their are really high number of people participated in your contest in both the forms of your contest blogging + comment.
So nice effort pal! your site is really rocking and getting back traffic to for the contests.I just want to enter my share of comment in your comment contest part!
Hope to hear from you soon!
Aweseome of you to give such a wonderful gift especially this time of year when the holidays are near. I just learned about your site through An Island Review and I’d be happy to put a link on my sidebar to your site and add you to my blogroll. Good luck, and God bless.
Briggie
I like the pics of your readers on your sidebar. I think this leads to blogger reader LOYALTY…
I wish every blog had a contest. I love the incentive to participate in the conversation. When I started my blog years ago, it took a while to get any comments…now I know, it just took $50 bucks!
BTW - I like the comment balloons, very cool.
Good luck with the making money with your blog, always a great feeling when the money starts to slowly roll in.
Contests are always a great way to get the blog known and get people talking about you.
Christopher - I can’t take credit for the balloons - they are part of the Copy Blogger theme. Thank you for the kind words.
Michael - Thanks for the good luck wishes. So far blogging has been a blast and I am not too worried about the money making part just yet.
[...] is interested in building backlinks and increasing comments on his site and is putting up the first contest on the site. The prize is $50 cash and the contest ends at the end of November. To enter what you [...]
The above is my trackback for blogging about the contest! $50 is actually a pretty good prize for a new contest on a blog.. And the response looks amazing as well!
Please confirm my entry!
http://contester.wordpress.com/2007/11/09/win-50-with-the-rookie-blogger/
[...] The Rookie Blogger is giving away $50 from PayPal. The deadline is Nov. 30th [...]
It is always nice to see another blogger coming up with a contest to draw the crowds attention, hope to see you posting more interesting articles.
It’s a good way to keep the readers here watching you on.
Contests are a great addition… any site with contests almost certainly gets added to my daily read feed….
[...] URL: The Rookie Blogger’s First Contest Grand Prize: The Rookie Blogger is giving away $50. Ends On: November 30, 2007 blogger, rookie [...]
This looks like really fun and nice contest and… wow - soooo many entrants already! Great job and - good luck to all!
I’m sure you will have many more visitors with this contest! Thanks for having it.
[...] post is my entry to Rookie Blogger’s contest. You can enter this contest too and get your chance to win some [...]
Wow this contest is a great way to drive visitors, but wouldnt it make more sense to put the $50 towards an ad campaign?
warallthetm - it may make sense for most people, but part of my blogs mission is giving back to readers. Thanks for the advice though.
[...] Here is some link love for The Rookie Blogger. [...]
Rookie,
You have well wordpress design that optimized with Google. White background without border, that’s what most of successful bloggers’ used technique.
Pls count me in the game.
Thanks
–blog for dream–
[...] traffic and by having a contest they hope to increase both. Heres the low down on the contest. the rookieblogger will offer $50 via Paypal to the winner of the contest (I know its not a huge amount, but for a new [...]
great contest. i love running contests and entering them aswell. sign me up rook
[...] Well, he may be a rookie but he doesn’t act like it. He’s starting off with a $50 cash prize contest. Now, you know how I love a good contest so I’m definitely in on this one. It’s one of [...]
[...] The Rookie Blogger is holding a contest. Comments or Link? [...]
[...] TheRookieBlogger’s giving away US$50 to a random person who links to or leaves a comment on any of their November articles. Ends 30/11/07 [...]
Hey Rook,
You really should link permalinks to your post titles. It took me a minute to find the link I needed to use to link back here.
Thanks for the tip Jacob.
[...] already have about 25 or so posts going and one which has about 80 links to it (the $50 giveaway post). So, how do I change the structure while making sure I keep my link integrity in tact? Well, [...]
How about this post:
http://www.serialblogr.com/2007/11/24/beating-ones-best-record/
[...] to know how you can stand your chance for the contest. In his pursuit to becoming a Pro-blogger, The Rookie Blogger is holding his contest and reserves his $50 paypal money for the lucky winner. Comment on his [...]
[...] the contest post and you’re NSpeaks is a blog written by Navjot Singh (and thus N-Speak). On the blog itself, [...]
good n cool contest if it realyy works…n good site too
[...] so far have been from tracebacks about the contest. Remember, you can comment on any post since the contest post for an entry as well. You have a really good shot at winning since there hasn’t been a [...]
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
@Idetrorce - I am sorry, you don’t agree with having a contest? I am confused at what you don’t agree with and why. It is a good idea to explain yourself when you are disagreeing with someone.
[...] a chance to win 50$ from The Rookie Blogger. They are giving away 50$ in cash for commenting on their blog and/or linking to [...]