Pin It

Guest Blogging
Qualifying Article for Year End $1000 USD Contest

Did you congratulate me? For what? I won Blog Engage Guest Blogging Contest, again. I won my first 3 contests in last 4-5 months. Many of my friends and my competitors were asking me to give some tips on how I make it? So, I thought it would be a better idea if I share those tips in my another contest entry. The main reason of my WINNINGS was:

I Had A Strategy!

I know, this information is not enough to know about how was I able to win those contest. So, I am going to share all my strategy, my tips in the article.

OddBloggers Winning Strategy Revealed!

Tip #1: Understand your contest

This is the first step when someone is joining a contest to WIN (I can say that, most of the contestants just join a contest to PARTICIPATE). We should know about our contest, its rules, its scoring system, what to do, what we are not allowed to do (so that one doesn’t get disqualified before the contest ends). What we to need to do to win? What is the criteria for choosing a winner? If there is a scoring system then, which task has the maximum points? Start date, end date and all other information related to the contest. When we know everything related to our contest then we are ready to join.

Tip #2: Join as early as possible

If you want to join online contest then you can join specific groups or communities where you can get to know about all the latest contests. Once you understand everything in the contest and plan to join a contest, then start working on your entry and try to submit it as soon as possible. If one submits earlier he or she gets more time to promote his or her entry in front of others on various social networks.

Well, it doesn’t mean you can’t win if you joined a bit late like I am a bit late this time. LOL!

Tip #3: Choose an interesting and controversial topic

I can say, this is one of the most important thing we need to take care when we participate in a CONTEST. The topic we choose, may surely affect the number of shares we are going to get, or the number of comments. The more controversy you will create, the more shares and comments you are going to get. People love to share their thoughts on a topic which is less discussed and on the thoughts which DO NOT match their thoughts.

Tip #4: Mysterious and interesting title

This is where maximum of our audience is attracted when they see our links on other websites and social networking sites. The heading should be catchy. My post in Blog Engage contest #2 had this title: How did I get 380+ comments on my first guest post? (I got 430 comments on this one) Readers should be curious to know what have you written, just by reading the title of your article. Here are the example of my other article titles I used in Blog Engage contest:

Tip #5: Constant promotion

As I mentioned earlier, most of the contests are based on social scores and comments. Yes, I know everyone does his or her entry’s promotion, but for how long? Once, twice or thrice? Most of the competitors never do it more that 2-3 times. They just submit their entry and forget about it. But we need keep working for our contest until it ends. I promote my entry till the last-minute before the results.

Be careful of the SHAMELESS PROMOTION like “hey can you like my article or something” or just bombarding your article link in all other social networking sites out there. Better provide a little, precise description of the article when you share a link.

Tip #6: Know your competitors

This is important to know with whom you are competing. That gives you an idea how much work you have to do to get your entry at the top. One should also know how actively their competitors are participating to get their entry at the top. Of course, we need to work harder if we have very active and strong competitors, like I get strong competitors every time I participate. But it’s REAL fun when the contest is hard. But keep an eye on every of your competitors strategy, scores and activity.

Tip #7: Make a big network of friends and followers

Everyone knows, it’s REALLY difficult to win a contest or promote an article without any friend or follower. Those are our friends and followers who help us to spread our articles and blog. This one is a long time activity. One cannot make a thousand people network in few days. But I have seen this, those who have a big network, gets a lot of benefit from them in case of contests.

We can stay active in communities like Blog Engage, or forums or other groups to stay connected and meet new people.

Tip #8: Blog commenting

One of the most effective way to get readers to your post is to comment on other articles. Yes, try to talk with other people out there and don’t miss the chance, if you get, to share your contest entry.
Try to start a conversation on other blogs, in comments, and try somehow  to relate or connect your contest article with the article you are commenting on. If you can be successful in this, then not only the author of that article but his or her commenters also may come to your post.

Better than pasting your contest article link, use your author feed to show the URL in CommentLuv.

Tip #9: No illegal activities – No cheating

If you don’t want to get out of the contest before it ends then do not use any unethical method to increase your scores. Some of the most common methods to do this:

  • Purchasing likes, tweets etc;
  • Purchasing traffic to your article;
These are not allowed is most of the contest and this is not fair even. 

Tip #10: Don’t lose your hope, ever

Don’t loose your hope if you see someone else is a way ahead than you in a contest or in scores, you can keep your hope until the results are announced because most of the contest also give points to the quality of the article.

Never loose your hope, if you LOOSE a contest. No matter if you don’t win, you will surely get a very good experience and will get so many things to learn. When you learn some more strategies, participate in another one and get the crown.

 What do you think?

Well, now I have revealed my winning strategy, now all of my competitors know what I did to WIN. Now I have some questions to ask you: Do you think, I still can win this or any other contest?; Do you think, this was my right decision to reveal my strategy in front of my competitors?

I would like to hear from you.

Let me know, if you know few more tips which can help to win a contest, which I may have left in this article. Make the conversation worthy enough. :D

About Abhi Balani

Hi there, I am +Abhi balani , I am a future Computer Engineer and a part time blogger as well. I am the founder and editor of OddBlogger.com. Make me your friend on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, add on Blog Engage.

Tags: