What are Blog Competitions – And Who Really Wins?

In order to answer the question – Who really wins?  – we need to recognise that blogging falls under The Arts. Just like authors, painters, sculptors, photographers, film-makers and musicians, bloggers do not compete directly with each other. So are Blog Competitions a good thing?

In fact, it can be argued that competition stifles creativity, which is the very essence of art.

Are blog competitions any different? I have mixed feelings.

Blogging is Not a Sport

Bloggers, like other artists, don’t have or need opponents. The beauty of artistic pursuits, as opposed to sporting ones, is freedom of expression without competition. Of course artists, like anyone else, are open to criticism.

On the other hand, the athlete’s freedom of expression is constrained by his adversary’s efforts to defeat him. An athlete, cannot attain any kind of success or status without an opponent to conquer (try playing tennis alone) but an artist can.

Of course we all know about the Oscars, the Grammy’s and the Booker prize. But that is different, because film-makers, musicians and authors are all driven to create great art and not by a desire to defeat another. That they may be acclaimed by their peers is a by-product of their talent and dedication.

Unlike athletes they can be winners without entering competitions.

Why do Bloggers Create Blog Competitions?

Why, then, would genuine ‘bloggers’ want to compromise their freedom as artists by creating competitions in a community where competition is unnatural. Yet there are blog competitions. So, logic would suggest there must be a  desire among bloggers to joust with each other.

Competitions are a way to drive traffic to your blog. And contest organisers have the opportunity to take advantage, by using the contestants to fuel their blogs, giving little or nothing back to the entrants, only the winners. Some bloggers make money by giving advice on how to run a competition successfully.

It may be cynical, but if the priority for Bloggers who run giveaways, or blog contests, is to promote their blogs and bring in more traffic for their benefit, they invite criticism.

Consider this Blog Writing Contest and Giveaway Example

Blog contests  and giveaways are organised for contestants to write articles, on a specified topic, of between 1000 and 2000 words.

In this example, there are 350 entries averaging 1500 words each. 525,000 words in all. Twenty judges would have a busy time picking a winner.

So what can the organiser without 20 judges do? He could post a list of entrants and a link to all their entries. Then tell the contestants to drive traffic to his site to comment on their amazing entries. The contestants send out a bulk email saying,

I’ve entered a blog competition. Go to this link and write a short comment saying how good my entry is. If you don’t I won’t buy you an Easter egg this year

Then What Happens?

Mary, the blogger with the biggest email list is the only one likely to win. Why? Because she solicits 500 comments from people who never read the article, either because they are related, it isn’t very good or they don’t want to miss out on their Easter egg.

Annie, the blogger who has written a brilliant article only has 3 friends and 5 other email addresses. Poor girl. She has no chance.

The contest organiser’s amazing piece of software finds the post with the most (500) comments, and they announce Mary as the winner. The organiser has added a few thousand emails to his database and has given Mary a decent prize to get them plus more exposure. Mary has a lot of Easter eggs to buy.

Here’s the Point

It was a competition.  For every 1000 entrants, there were 998 losers and 2 winners. The Blogger who organised the contest and Mary the loaded entrant.

The 998 losers have no idea how good or bad their entry was or even if it was read. They didn’t know it, but they never had anything to gain from the competition in the first place, except for some writing practice.

What About the Losers?

What about the 998 losers and their self-esteem? How many will feel that their entries weren’t good enough and were consigned to the trash bin? Will they follow the lead of the many losers of all the beauty pageants around the world who fill the coffers of plastic surgeons because they think they aren’t beautiful enough?

And how about the experts that tell you ‘how to win a blog competition’, NOT how to write a great article.  Doesn’t that feel like ‘how to pass school exams by looking over your classmate’s shoulder’?

Take the Blinkers Off – Keep an Open Mind

Competition is fun but keep your eyes open. I applaud genuine charitable competitions which raise awareness about social or humanitarian issues. But how do we determine when competitions are healthy, and when they are not important or even dangerous, as some doctors claim? That’s each individual’s call.

I spent my youth in fierce competition as a sportsman, and thoroughly enjoyed it, so personally, they don’t attract me. If you are committed to your chosen art with a natural desire to excel and be the best you can at what you do, by contributing value to others, you will be a winner in the end. You will have no need to seek out competitions to try and raise your profile.

What are the Benefits of Entering Writing Contests

The key benefits of entering a writing competition are:

Unpublished Writers:

• Increased exposure to industry professionals and potential publishers
• Valuable feedback from judges to help refine writing skills
• Confidence boost from being recognised or winning
• Networking opportunities with other writers, agents, and publishers

Published Authors:

• Reinforcement of literary credibility and attracting more readers
• Generating new publishing opportunities like book deals or speaking engagements
• Expanding professional network and collaboration opportunities
• Boosting sales of existing works

Screenwriters:

• Gaining recognition and credibility with potential producers
• Building connections and networking with industry professionals
• Accessing funding opportunities to develop screenplays

In general, a competition can:

• Provide cash prizes to support a writing career
• Inspire writers to write and meet deadlines
• Provide a platform to showcase talent

Competition offers significant benefits for writers at all stages of their careers. The key is to carefully select contests that align with a writers’s goals and writing style.

What is the Downside of Bloggers Entering a Writing Competition

The key downsides of bloggers entering are:

• Entry fees: Many contests require a small fee to enter, usually between $5 and $50. While this may not be a significant amount, it can add up if a blogger enters multiple contests.
• Exclusive submissions: Some contests require exclusive submissions, meaning the blogger cannot submit the same piece anywhere else during the contest period. This can limit the blogger’s ability to publish the work elsewhere in a timely manner.
• Lack of prestige: Contests that are not well-known or prestigious may offer small cash prizes, but may not significantly further the blogger’s career or reputation. Winning a less prestigious contest may not carry much weight.
• False sense of rejection: Not winning a contest does not necessarily mean there is something wrong with the blogger’s work. Contests often do not provide feedback, so the blogger may incorrectly assume their piece was not good enough, when in reality they may have been close to winning or being shortlisted.
• Time and effort: Preparing and submitting an entry for a writing contest can be time-consuming, especially if the blogger has a busy schedule managing their blog. This time and effort may not always pay off if the blogger does not win or place.

Final Thoughts

The main downsides for bloggers entering are:

• the potential financial costs,
• restrictions on publishing,
• lack of prestige, and
• the risk of a false sense of rejection,

All need to be carefully weighed against the potential benefits.

Given the choice of running a Blog writing competition to get more traffic or writing a new post with great content that could bring in traffic for years, which would you choose?

If your blog is in need of freshening up, write more content and read my post – ‘How to take control of your blog and make it fun again’

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Updated May 2024