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Permalink Reply by pamkellogg on February 21, 2011 at 6:41am

I generally give it a week or a week and 1/2.  I don't want my followers to have to wait for too long.  This is my current Drawing Prize:

Details on my blog!

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Workman on February 22, 2011 at 1:27pm

I usually do one week.  Just keeps it nice and simple.

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Permalink Reply by Darcy Zalewski on February 25, 2011 at 12:23pm

I like 2 weeks - gives more time for promotion and gives people a chance to catch up on their reader.  I hate seeing I missed great giveaways by a day or two when they are short!

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Permalink Reply by Karen on February 25, 2011 at 12:50pm

I do 2 weeks usually. That gives me a few days after I've posted the contest to do a little promoting and gives people time to catch it in the weekly newsletter.

 

It would be easier for me to do a shorter amount of time but I'm sure the prize sponsor wants to see more comments/entries and 2 weeks gives ample time for even smaller contests to gain entries.

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Permalink Reply by Kathleen on February 25, 2011 at 1:11pm

I do about 2 weeks unless I need to do shorter because of time limits (for example I had a last minute vday giveaway finalized a couple of days before vday so it was a 2 day giveaway.

I agree with Darcy who said it gives those time behind on their reader to catch up (I too hate missing out on giveaways by a day or two). Also some places you can promote your giveaways, don't list them as soon as you submit them, it takes 2-3 days. If the giveaway's a week, it's not up there for long.

I've done a few 3 or 4 weeks but I find I get most of my entries the first 2 weeks and then I only get one or two after that. Also if you wait too long, people often forget they even entered the giveaway.

Especially as a new blog, I would do 2-3 weeks as you don't have a lot of regular visitors who would enter probably so you rely on giveaway promotion.

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Permalink Reply by Janis Brett Elspas on February 25, 2011 at 4:35pm

I've held hundreds of giveaways on my blog during the past two years and I'd say it varies on how long the window for each giveaway is open.  In fact the giveaways I have going currently are running any where from a week ... -- these include a PAIR of Adult Ski Tickets worth $130, a Marie Ricci Home Dec Giveaway ($125), and some kid stuff like Barbie dolls & Yu Gi Oh goodies and related licensed merchandise. 

 

There really are so many variables that I've found at times that I've run contests for a week or less and others for as long as 8 weeks... with both high and low entries at each end of the spectrum resulting.

 

Sometimes the blogger has free choice for the time frame for a giveaway, where other times the brand providing the prizes may dictate how long the contest needs to run.  It also depends on the product/service you're giving away, if you are requiring the entrants to do something to enter (like submit a photo or write a mini essay), if it's seasonal such as Christmas or Valentine's Day, the dollar value of the prize, and other things.  The other thing to consider is that, especially if you are a newer blog, you really need to promote your giveaways frequently in places like mombloggersclub and similar networks to generate entries and momentum.  You may need to run a contest longer simply because you need more time to get the word out that you're giving something away, also as others have already said it helps to give extra days for entering giveaways because that gives more people the chance of knowing abt it. I personally don't know anyone who enters contests that isn't really also involved with their own busy life.

 

With that said, it depends on the length of the giveaway...depending on the circumstances around it.  Trial and error on your own blog's giveaways is probably the best way to learn what works for you and the audience you have.

 

Here's MommyBlogExpert's Barbie Giveaway, which ends really soon

http://www.mommyblogexpert.com/2011/02/barbie-fairy-secret-february...

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Permalink Reply by Sontia Lewis on February 25, 2011 at 5:03pm

Where can you submit giveaways beside here on mom bloggers club?

Kathleen said:

I do about 2 weeks unless I need to do shorter because of time limits (for example I had a last minute vday giveaway finalized a couple of days before vday so it was a 2 day giveaway.

I agree with Darcy who said it gives those time behind on their reader to catch up (I too hate missing out on giveaways by a day or two). Also some places you can promote your giveaways, don't list them as soon as you submit them, it takes 2-3 days. If the giveaway's a week, it's not up there for long.

I've done a few 3 or 4 weeks but I find I get most of my entries the first 2 weeks and then I only get one or two after that. Also if you wait too long, people often forget they even entered the giveaway.

Especially as a new blog, I would do 2-3 weeks as you don't have a lot of regular visitors who would enter probably so you rely on giveaway promotion.

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Permalink Reply by Darcy Zalewski on February 27, 2011 at 4:21pm

Here's a list of linkys I've been submitting to: http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/advertise-your-giveaway/

 

You also want to submit here: http://simplystacie.net/linky/ and check out her list of resources :)

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