Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Comment Incentive!


As mentioned previously, I will now offer a comment incentive program!

Today will be the first day of this monthly comment reward system.


Step 1-

 Be part of my book community.

In other words be a follower.



Step 2- 

Don't be afraid to take part.     

Share, like, Google +, Tweet


Step 3-

This is the most important part!

This is how you earn the most entries
Comment, comment, comment!!!





Step 4- 

I appreciate that you all have lives and may not have time to comment on every post. Especially if you follow a bunch of blogs like I do. :D For this reason, I want to reward those of you who put forth extra effort. Your time is valuable and I am very grateful that you spend some of it with me!


Step 5-

If you follow all of the other steps or one or two of them, then you are doing the participation dance! That means you get to move on to the next step!




Step 6-  

The more steps you complete, the more involved you are, the more chances you'll have to enter! :D If you don't have time to comment every day that's fine. Those of you who do will have more chances to win!!!!


Step 7-

At the end of the month, someone will out shine the rest and be named MVC ~ Most Valuable Commenter! This person will not only be a frequent commenter, but will also leave meaningful comments at least most of the time! This person will get a special prize!



Step 8-   

You can enter the Rafflecopter once for each post that you comment on, each day. If I have more than one post in a day than you will have extra opportunities to enter that day! Commenting isn't meant to be a chore! I'm not trying to punish anyone. I want to reward those who go above and beyond. :D



And now the Rafflecopter! I will leave the link at the top of the page with the giveaways all month long. Each time you comment, Click the link and enter the blogpost comment for that day in the Rafflecopter. If you share, tweet, Google +, or like the post, you can enter a second time for that day. Doing these things earn more points! The Rafflecopter still won't let me enter my own options so you'll just have to let me know in the comments and click the second Blogpost comment option in the Rafflecopter for that day. The prize will be a $15 Amazon giftcard or a book from The Book Depository ($15 or less)


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Please let me know what you think of this system. Your thoughts are important to me!


36 comments:

  1. +JMJ+

    I think it's an interesting system. =) I have something like it every June, which is the month of my big giveaway extravaganza, when I reward extra entries at the end of the month to those who made the Top 10 Commenters widget on my sidebar.

    Now I hope you don't mind this extra long comment, but you've hit on something that has been bothering me about the book blogosphere for some time . . .

    Comments have been the bane and the boon of my book blogging existence. I've experienced blogging in other online communities, and the book blogosphere is one of the worst for comments and discussion. =( Only the Horror movie blogosphere is less friendly! LOL! A few years ago, when I first started, I joined a book blogger message board to wonder why hardly anybody returned comments. Unfortunately, my words came of as a rant, and someone told me, "If you only comment on other blogs to get comments on yours, then you're not really sincere. You should comment because you think something is worth a comment." (!)

    Actually, what I was hoping for was that people I found interesting would find me interesting, too, and that we could be friends, commenting back and forth on each other's blogs. That's what happened on a religious blogosphere and a dating blogosphere I used to be part of; but apparently, the rules of engagement are different over here.

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    1. I don't want anyone to feel forced to make a comment. Some people are just more chatty and always have an opinion about everything. If they are the only ones who take the time to comment, I felt they should be rewarded for their efforts.

      I don't want people to to feel obligated in any way shape or form. I just really enjoy talking books with others and in most cases, that's not happening. Oh I'm talking plenty, but many days, I don't have any comments back so it somewhat defeats the purpose. I was hoping this might change that.

      I don't want people to feel the need to leave insincere comments. I just wanted to make it worth their while to give up some of their time and talk with me.

      By all means, if a post doesn't interest you, feel free not to leave a comment that day.

      We'll see how this works out. If at the end of the month, I have nothing but insincere comments, I may ditch the program. I hoping for it to work out though. :D

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    2. +JMJ+

      Hi, Brenda! I want to make it clear that I don't feel pressured or obligated to comment. I see this incentive system not as a way to get comments for their own sake, but as a way to encourage people to join what could be a great discussion. An ice-breaker, you could say. =) So I hope it works out not just for you but also for everyone taking part because they would like more meaningful interaction in the book blogosphere!

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    3. Awesome! That was my intent. Here's hoping that it happens!

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    4. My problem with commenting is that I read like 4 different things at the same time and I'm easily distracted, so lots of times I'll read something and forget to comment. I also usually don't comment unless I have to (ie. a giveaway) or if I have something substantial to say. But being a blogger myself now, I've gotten better at remembering to comment on others blogs, cause it's what I'd want someone who visited my blog to do as well.

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  2. I will try to comment more, it's just that sometimes shyness won me over and i don't think that what i could say is important or needed and i prefer not to comment.

    Rewarding commenters can be a good idea however i also think we should comment when there is nothing to win at the end ( perhaps i'm not clear^^;; hum i love winning things^^ it's one of my only way to get books so of course i'm happy BUT i don't comment just for that, i try to comment at least once a month to each blog i follow ( a lot^^;;) )
    for me commenting is a way to show the respect i have for the blogger and the works she/he has done.
    I comment more on some yes perhaps because i'm feeling less judged on those blog, because i've more contact with the blogger etc

    I understand why enbrethiliel above hoped to see some return for commenting. it can be a way to show thatyou respect the other etc but it's also true that you must not comment in hope for something in return because if you do you will be disappointed. Better have few comment but true and meaningful ones, soetimes real friendship can come from a comment and those are precious because unexpected

    You are doing great brenda!

    i've +1 on google + and shared on g+

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    1. +JMJ+

      Hi, Miki! I know what you mean: although I love getting comments from new people, I often feel too shy to comment when I've just started reading a blog.

      Case in point: I visited your blog a few minutes ago, saw the 2013 Romance Reading Challenge post, found it really interesting, and almost didn't comment! Why not? Well, I really can't do the challenge with you this year, and I thought that if I left an encouraging comment but didn't back it up with participation, then that would be worse than not saying anything at all! =P

      Then I decided to take a risk, to leave the comment anyway, and to hope that you appreciated it. =) Here's to more interaction in 2013!

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    2. I feel the same way.

      Many times it seems like certain blogs have a big following and I wonder if my little comment is even worth leaving. Most times I do but sometimes I feel like my thoughts are insignificant and I skip commenting.

      I read each and ever comment that is left on this Blog, on each and every post. If the comment is left for the author specifically, then I don't respond back. But usually I try to say something in reply. The exception is on the giveaways. When you have over a hundred people it becomes tedious telling each one good luck. I usually respond to those who actually make a comment and not just I want this or Thank you for the giveaway. I appreciate those comments to, I do, but there are too many to respond to!

      I enjoy getting comments. Every comment is important.

      Miki, please don't ever feel shy here. :D

      Remember we are all only human. We all have opinions and sometimes we won't agree but that is okay. Sometimes the best conversations are started by two people with different opinions.

      No matter what you have to say, I'll listen. You can say anything here! :D

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  3. I'm new to your blog but this system sounds like a winner ;) It does take time to comment but I usually try to do it because the blogs are helpful. I have discovered a lot of new authors through blogging.
    Thanks and Happy New Year!
    Lori

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    1. That is one of my favorite things about blogging and the main reason why I follow so many other blogs! I read some of everything and many blogs cover a specific genre. By following those blogs I constantly find new authors. Like I need more books for my TBR list. lol!

      I think I have a sickness. Reading is definitely my addiction! I never have enough and I am always looking for more.

      Thank you for taking the time to comment Lori!

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  4. A possibility for a free book? Who doesn't love that?
    My suggestion would be to always try to include a question at the end of your posts or reviews. I've participated in something similar on other blogs and sometimes the only comment I can think of is 'this book sounds like the exact opposite of anything I would ever want to read. I'm not sure if you could even pay me to read it.' Of course, I don't type that ;)

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    1. lol! Thank you for not typing that. :D

      I will try to add a question to the posts. Thank you for the suggestion. :D

      I know what you mean though. If I can't think of any thing nice to say about the book itself, I usually comment on the cover.

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    2. Thanks! I have them occasionally. :D

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  5. sounds like a good plan. Other blogs give love to the people who comment. I agree with Krista, ask a question at the end. That way no one had to deal with comment block also you might think about getting rid of the spam blocker. I've heard lots of bloggers comment that if they have to type in those hard to read spam filter things they will just pass.

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    1. Thanks Sharon. I honestly didn't realize that the spam blocker was on. I look into turning it off!

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  6. I want to apply a system like this to my own site as well! Really, really loved it so much!!!! <333

    I liked Krista's idea of you adding a question to the end of the posts xD

    And I also agree with Sharon about the hard-to-read spam filters... I myself do no comment more because of that...

    Thanks for the initiative xD

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    1. I'm glad you approve! :D I agree with their comments as well.

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  7. I think this is a really cool idea. I have never seen or heard of anything like it.
    I'm not really one to speak up and comment much but ever since I started discovering book blogs that has changed and I think this is a clever idea to help people break out of their shell and talk about books!!

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    1. I would love to have everyone feel comfortable enough with me and the other followers to speak their mind.

      It can only improve the blog, the posts, and the discussion if you all share your thoughts and it is not a one sided conversation!

      I'm looking forward to it! :D

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  8. Hi! I thought it was a great idea and as a blog owner I thought to do that to, but I also have difficulties to reply to people who leave me comments. I know it's hard but it was my personal resolution in the blogging domain this year! Anyway, thanks for this opportunity and I will check for your reviews, tours, post more carefully! Oh BTW thanks for this huge bunch of giveaway you had on your blog lately, I loved your books choice and I hope I will get one of them!

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    1. Hey Proserpine,

      I don't always respond back. I try but if it it is a giveaway and I have a huge number of responses, I answer the ones that leave more than a general Thank you or a book selection.

      I don't have as big of a following as you do and I am a stay at home mom so I probably have more time to invest in answering comments. Add to that the fact that hardly no one comments and it's easy peasy!

      I just thought that it would be a good chance to spark more conversations and why shouldn't the people who comment get rewarded for their efforts.

      I'm so glad you liked the books I chose! I hope you win. I'm rooting for you! :D

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  9. I'm not much of a chatter, but I do comment on some of the blogs that I regularly follow.

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    1. That's all we can ask of you. Even if you only leave a comment once in awhile, that's great!

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  10. I'm curious. If I comment on January 8th posts today can i still enter in the rafflecopter? Also, what do you want us to tweet? About the comment incentive or about that day's post?

    Sorry for the confusion. Neat idea.

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    1. lol! No worries! I'm sorry that I confused you.

      Yes, you get credit for every true comment that you make. (in other words just saying Hi doesn't count!)

      It goes by the date of the post not the date. In other words, this comment will get you credit for January 2nd's post.

      You can enter the Rafflecopter for any comments left on any day, under the date of the post that you are commenting on.

      Days that have multiple posts will have multiple entries on the Rafflecopter with the same date.

      Whatever post you are commenting on is what I'd like you to tweet about or share. You can just use the buttons at the bottom of the post if you don't want to come up with something more clever. :D

      I hope this explains everything!

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  11. I have to say I am really bad about leaving comments when I should after reading reviews or upcoming book releases but hopefully I will get better. Now that you pointed it out, I guess it would be the nice thing to do since you and other amazing bloggers take the time to keep me updated (which I appreciate by the way). So as part of my new goal, I guess I will start with your new comment incentive plan! It's a great plan.
    Best wishes in 2013

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    1. Thanks! Start small maybe try to leave one comment a week and work your way up!

      Any comment is appreciated. It can be disheartening when no one comments on a post.

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    2. Happy Little update... I have made it a conscious habit to leave more comments on every blog I follow. And even to tweet my praise to authors and bloggers.
      Thank you again... I needed this reminder. And I can see how it could be disheartening so I am will continue visiting each of the blogs I follow and making sure I leave some comment luv :)

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    3. Oh but I needed to also say that those little captcha things on the comments on some blogs can be quite annoying, lol

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    4. You've been doing great Dione!

      i know what you mean captchas are very annoying when you try to leave comments on multiple blogs.

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  12. I have a question. If I enter the giveaways on a day after the day it's posted (but it's till during the giveaway days), do I still fill out the spot for it on the Rafflecopter? Does it still count?

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    1. Yes! Every comment counts! The only reason I mention the date of the post is to make it easier for me to keep track of who actually left comments.

      As long as you comment before the last day of the month, and you click the right date on the rafflecopter, you get credit!

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    2. Alrighty, thanks! And I think this is a great idea, I might do something similar on my blog.

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  13. Dang, I forgot to come and click on the final days...oh well.

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