Why I bug the crap out of my readers for votes

A couple of days ago my blogger friend, neighbor (and the person who got me hooked into these contests) Anne White forwarded another blogger’s angry rant about bloggers who enter contests and then bug the crap out of their readers and facebook friends to vote for them.

Ummm guilty.

And yes if I’m being perfectly honest the article made some fair points.

Yes the contests are more about popularity and whose legion of readers are more click happy than who the best writer is.

I don't claim to be a writer. Blogging is a “social media”.  It requires connection, interaction and a sense of friendship with people not “just” great prose. It's facebook without Mark Zuckerberg changing the layout every two minutes! 

Heck if you’ve been here before you know I hardly even have to write two cogent sentences to get votes.

My readers forgive that sort of stuff and you know what?

...I like them, I care about them, I know a lot of them and many, MANY of them ARE good friends...

with crazy, mad, clicky, voting skills.

(Get over it---jealousy is unbecoming.)


And yes it's true that the contests are set up to draw blog traffic to the host site.  (I’m guessing a bunch of you would never have visited Top Mommy Blogs or Circle of Moms if not for your (much appreciated) voting efforts on my behalf.)

But here is the thing, I’m not some mindless dolt who doesn't know she is being used. I know the hosts glom onto my site traffic but it is reciprocal; these contests have helped introduce my blog to many new readers. 

My blog traffic has increased by almost 40% since I joined TMB and Circle of Moms.


And yes it's true, I did in fact bug the freaking crap out of every person I thought could possibly toss a vote in my direction.

Undoubtedly there were some who unfriended me or at least chose to “hide” my posts.

(Some of you just left to “hide” me right now!)

This point I really can't argue.  I've been a total pain in the ass vote whore.


So why do it?

Why do I care, beyond my own ego, about reaching the top of the mom blog lists or getting a pink badge that proclaims my family to be "inspiring"?

Well have you noticed the word MOMMY in the one contest and FAMILIES in the other?
 
That's not random.

It is what I call a target rich audience.

And make no mistake the target is families for the kids I’m advocating for.


Want proof that this works?

As of last night Molly’s post was viewed 2,642 times.

My last update on her written just 2 days ago has already been viewed 814 times.

And that doesn't count how many times she was viewed on facebook.


Oh and there is this...

After a waiting for more than a year on the shared list


Molly has a family!


And Kaleb has a family too!

(Praise God!!!)


So with respect to the person who wrote about how bothersome and shameless and  annoying we contest vote beggars are...

and with apologies to those friends and readers that I actually did annoy the crap out of...

and to those of you who unfriended and hid me (not that you will ever see this)


I say to you all


It was worth it.

NOW CLICK THIS BUTTON....WE HAVE MORE KIDS TO BRING HOME!