Please bear in mind these are from a blogger's point of view only, not a reader or an author, and refers to blog tours or hops, not occasional guest posts.
1. It fills in the gaps
Having someone come and do a post at my blog means that I have an extra blog post that week. If it's true that the more you blog, the more popular your blog becomes, then that extra post helps to keep my followers and readers happy. Once you're on the list as someone who is happy to host a blog tour post then it it can be a regular way of filling in a day's posting and takes some of the pressure off me as a blogger. It also means that I don't have to answer comments on that day as in theory the author should pick up the slack there (more on that later).
2. It allows me to develop relationships with authors
I like making new friends, especially in our small genre. Allowing someone to post at my blog often means that I exchange a few friendly emails with them and maybe paves the way to get to know them a bit better. This makes me happy.
3. It brings new people to my blog
If the author who is posting is a popular one - and IF they mention that they are at my blog on their own social network or blog - then I'll have new visitors to the blog that day. That can only be a good thing. More on this point later too.
1. It still means work for me
Once the author sends me the post I still have to format it, paste it into the blog and arrange the pictures. Blogger hates having stuff pasted into the compose editor and it can be a real faff to do it. Most authors want working links to their books and social networking sites and this isn't done easily through Blogger either. Even if the author sends me the most pristine and blogger friendly word document, it takes a while for me to get right for my blog. Perhaps I should switch to Word Press which is much more MS Word friendly, but for now I have to accept that setting up a guest post still takes time. Some authors ask for interview questions which takes even more time to prepare. If I'm using a guest post on a day that I normally wouldn't blog - which is what I tend to do - then I have to find time to get organised so that everything is ready in time to post on the right day.
2. Boring/generic posts
Some authors have so many posts to set up and arrange for a tour that they rely on pretty dull generic interview questions, often given to them by their publisher, or they write a short paragraph of something which says a little about the book they are promoting, followed by the blurb and a massive extract from their book - with the blurb/extract often much longer than the original material. I know this isn't the fault of the author, after all they have sometimes 2 weeks worth of posts to prepare, but it still leaves me with a dull post and doesn't reflect well on me and my blog.
3. The new people don't stay
Going back to my point on how guest posts bring more people - which is the carrot often used by publishers to convince bloggers to be a host for the tour. However, in my experience, whilst I get more visitors on the day of the posting, most of them never follow me or even visit my site again. I've offered prizes which have been won by a first time visitor which have never been collected because they didn't even come back to check and see if they'd won the prize.
1. Having to chase up authors/publishers for posts
I get really annoyed when I have to chase up posts for a blog tour. I have to say that this doesn't happen when authors approach me directly to do a post, because they tend to be in charge of their own tours and are more invested in being organised, but rather when the post is arranged through a publisher or publicity company who are maybe co-ordinating several tours with different authors. If I've arranged a date for a guest post then I expect that post to be to me with a couple of days to spare so I can have time to set it up on my blog. I shouldn't have to email people and ask where the post is. After the last time this happened I decided I wouldn't do this again and that if the blog post didn't arrive then that was the problem of the author not me. This month I should have had a guest post but nothing arrived and I didn't chase it up, so the posting never went ahead. Even though when I set up the date, the person in question told me that they were desperate for places to host this particular author. Their loss.
2. Authors who fail to turn up for their own blog tour/promote the tour
This annoys me too. I've had to chase up authors whose tour post I was hosting and ask them to visit the blog and answer comments left by their fans. I shouldn't have to do this and it shows a lack of respect for me and my blog that they haven't been bothered to keep up with their own tour. I especially get cross when the author fails to advertise that they are visiting my blog that day because it means that I won't get any visitors who are fans of the author stopping by - the carrot thing doesn't work then. Finally, I also get annoyed if, once the author bothers to show up, they leave one comment saying "thanks for your comments" before buggering off never to be heard from again, without addressing the visitor's comments individually, even if some of the comments have been questions or personal comments to the author. It shows disdain for the commenters and surely doesn't endear the author to the fans who have bothered to come by and leave a comment.
So there you have it. Is it worth being a host for a blog tour? Well I have to admit sometimes not. By far the best guest posts have been from authors I know, who approach me personally and who have a vested and personal interest in their own blog tours. In future, I think I shall try as much as possible to stick to those types of guests posts rather than being a small cog in a publisher's publicity machine - although, having said that, I have just agreed to host one of those types of posts. Oops!
Next week, I'd like to turn the tables and look at this issue from an author's perspective. I've already had one author who's been willing to send me her thoughts and I'd love it if more authors could contact me on the good, bad and ugly parts of being involved in a blog tour to publicise your book. Or maybe you don't take part in promotional blog tours and want to share your reasons why you don't. Please email me at jenre30ATgmailDOTcom and let me have your thoughts. I'll collect them and put them in a post this time next week and I'll only mention you by name if you are happy with that.
As for this post, I know that there are many bloggers who stop by here. Do you allow your blog to be used for promotional blog tours? Have you experienced the same pluses and minuses that I have mentioned above? Overall, would you say that that the experience is a positive or a negative one? Have you tried hosting blog tours and have now given up, and why? Please do leave a comment and let me know because I'm interested in your experiences.
I tend to stay away from a lot of blog tours. For one, it feels like a very impersonal post. Like you said, it often times isn't the most exciting thing for our readers to read. Many of the posts seem similar and it is work to get everything set up or even track down the post if late.
ReplyDeleteWhat I try to do is only agree to host authors whose books I have enjoyed. I like to promote the authors who have books I would recommend to people. If it is an author I never heard of, or I don't enjoy their work, I very rarely accept. So now if I am asked to participate, I read their book first, and then make the decision.
Nice topic!
Thanks, Mandi :).
DeleteI see that we share some of the same pitfalls in the lack of interesting posts. I wonder whether this will be a common problem.
What I try to do is only agree to host authors whose books I have enjoyed.
That can be very embarrassing when you host a blog tour and subsequently have to post a not so positive review of the book. I have to hope that my readers will understand that just because I've invited an author as a guest, that doesn't mean I'll always wholeheartedly endorse their books. Perhaps your way is best, although I'd have to get organised and read the book first before I agree to a post and some authors arrange these things months before the original book is released.
I've decided to avoid hosting blog tours, unless the author doing the tour is a good friend and begs shamelessly (or maybe that would be shamefully).
ReplyDeleteYou might've noticed that my contests are all about simplicity. I find blog tours unnecessarily complicated - some of them give away something at each blog stop, some only give away a single prize for the whole tour, some promote books that aren't given away on the tour (backlist books are given away instead)... Ack.
Also, when I mention contests in my Friday Linkity posts, I only mention a blog tour stop if the book being promoted on the tour is given away at the stop. And if the tour is too complicated for me to grasp on first readthrough, I'm not going to mention it.
Wow, this is almost as long as a Tam comment! ;)
I'm glad to have provoked a long response from you, Chris :).
DeleteYou are right in saying that some blog tours can be complicated, especially with the prizes. Some publishers also expect a lot from bloggers in terms of tracking comments and emails for prize giving. I've had a least one occasion where I couldn't understand or keep track of all the rules for the prizes.
In the past I was open to a lot of blog tours but have downsized vastly over the last two years. Mainly because I've decided to only host authors whose books I love, or look forward to reading myself as well. I often discuss topics with the author for the guestpost so that there's a topic I like to read as well and hope my readers will enjoy too :)
ReplyDeleteI also find blogger and its compose feature soemtimes a frustration to work with, plus all the linking. Various authors provide it all but when you need to go find it all yourself *sigh*
I often discuss topics with the author for the guestpost so that there's a topic I like to read as well and hope my readers will enjoy too.
DeleteThat's a very good idea, Leontine. Sometimes authors will tell me what they are going to write about, or offer me a choice of posts which is nice because it makes you feel more involved in the post, rather than just a host. The way you do it must take more time than just being sent a random post, but be ultimately more rewarding for your readers.
I’ve never had a negative experience when hosting an author’s blog tour. I don’t do it as often because setting up the post takes almost as much time as writing one, and twice as much if I also have to do an interview and come up with the questions (I don’t know about you but asking original, interesting questions is tough). I also prefer hosting authors whose work I enjoy because you’re helping promote their work and I must think of my readers -- am I willing to promote an unknown-to-me author just to get more exposure? The answer is no. There’s no guarantee that I will like the particular book they’re promoting, but at least I know that it’s an author I usually enjoy.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who reads a lot of book blogs, I’m not interested in blogs that do promo all the time. So I’m trying to limit the amount of tours I do (not that I get that many requests).
Regarding followers: I prefer having a just a few followers that truly enjoy my content, than a lot of followers that are more interested in the giveaways. It’s the reason I never ask people to follow the blog as a requisite to enter the giveaway, or even as an extra entry.
Hi Brie
DeleteI agree, thinking up interview questions is really tough, which is why I prefer to host an interview as a separate guest post rather than part of a publicity tour.
am I willing to promote an unknown-to-me author just to get more exposure?
I have been asked to promote unknown-to-me authors - in fact the no show this month was one such author - and I've agreed reluctantly. Not because I get more exposure for it because sometimes these authors are so new they don't even have much of a fan base, but because I think that new authors need a help on the ladder sometimes and I also have trouble saying no to people! I then have to hope I'll like their book. Mind you, it's increasingly the case that a guest post isn't linked with a review, so my readers may never know what I think of the book personally and I have to hope that it doesn't then reflect too badly on me if the book isn't great just because I hosted a tour date.
I too prefer blogs which have a mixed content rather than all promo, which is why I don't read a lot of author blogs as many of them are all about buying their book rather than providing entertaining content.
I have the same policy as you for followers. I love to get new followers but I don't make it necessary to follow me just to be in line for a prize. I guess this shows since I don't have 100s of followers :).
Funny enough, this week I have two authors visiting the blog. But I'm a fan and I invited one of them, so it's a bit different ;-)
ReplyDeleteLOL! That happened to me a few weeks ago. Both authors were favourites of mine so I couldn't resist :).
DeleteWhen SMP sets up blog tours (though I hate that term!), we try to keep it to 3-5 blogs only, and limit the number of posts the author(s) do that are interviews. I like reading blog posts *about* something, not just 500 words of 'BUY MY BOOK!'. I like learning something about the author, the writing process, the book itself, SOMETHING.
ReplyDeleteAlso, we tend to do one giveaway per event. Giving something away at every stop just brings around the prize-grabbing folks who wouldn't buy the book. I want to use the events to engage readers and bloggers and authors, not just promote the latest release.
14 or even 30 day blog tours just annoy the piss out of me, and I quickly ignore those. (Though I will admit, SMP does one once a year to celebrate our anniversary.) Short and sweet tours with provocative posts are what I want as a reader, and so I try to demand it of my authors. :D
This post--and its comments--just reinforce my decision to always keep the posts informative and entertaining, limiting the 'promo' aspect of them.
3-5 blog posts sounds like a very sensible amount. long enough to make waves but not so long that people are getting bored or the author runs dry in terms of ideas for posts.
DeleteInformative and entertaining is definitely the key to a great tour post. The ones where I learn something about the book, or the creative process or even some background to the setting, characters and story always work best for me as a reader.
I'm an author about to begin my blog tour, so it's useful to see it from the other side. It's rough coming up with so many posts and still keeping it fresh and interesting. Really tough, although I think it's so important because readers will easily get fatigued with posts that are mostly a blurb/excerpt.
ReplyDeleteHi Amber
DeleteI'm glad to have given you some things to think about. I don't think you're the only author who finds it tough to produce a number original and interesting blog posts for a tour and I'll be interested to see what comments I get by email for next week's post. I think it's a difficult balance between getting your book out there and noticed, and yet also providing an entertaining post for the readers of the blogs.
How interesting that as I clicked this post I clicked this one at GR which was questioning whether spending hours writing blog posts might not be better spent writing a novel. :-)
ReplyDeleteI host very few, I rarely do the promo ones (have, but am pretty much off them now) and only do those for friends who ask directly. I don't mind the formatting thing, but I'm in WP now which is slightly easier than blogger. There does seem to be a real growth in the "industry" these days, but I've not ever chased someone down to comment or give me a post. Either you do or you don't I guess, if your post doesn't arrive when you said ... *shrug* But I'm pretty go with the flow at my blog. I know some people have very strict schedules and you can only have a specific slot, but for me I don't really care, whatever day you want is fine. Makes it a bit easier, but I try to limit it. I don't go out seeking posts.
Forgot to mention your graphics are supah!
DeleteThanks for the link, Tam. I'll link back to that next week too.
DeleteI've not ever chased someone down to comment or give me a post. Either you do or you don't I guess, if your post doesn't arrive when you said ... *shrug*
I've had to take that attitude too because I'm barely keeping up with my own stuff at the moment and no longer have time to chase other people up. I also think it shows that actually the author doesn't really care about the post otherwise they would get it to you promptly or at least give you notice/apologise if things don't go to plan.
LOL, thanks for the nice words about the graphics. It's amazing what you can find on Google images :).
DeleteGoodness, I wanted to write a coherent comment on how I liked your post but it seems my brain is all over the place. So: great post, thank you for the insights! :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, LillI. Sorry that your brain isn't working :).
DeleteGreat post Jenre! I agree with everything you said. I would say my two biggest negatives are time spent formatting and contest rules. I agree that it is a HUGE pain to convert word documents into Blogger. Especially b/c you either get tons of crap code or you lose all your links and formatting. I am finding WP MUCH easier in that regard and a big time saver (I just switched last week). But I really appreciate when I get posts that are pre-HTML formatted (SMP does this which I love) so that I can just pop them into my post.
ReplyDeleteI also get frustrated with the complicated contests. I am pretty flexible with format, but I need to know exactly what is supposed to happen - am I picking the winner or are you? If it is a blog wide tour, when does it end? Is the prize for just my blog or across the tour? I find it difficult when I have to track down the loose ends and really appreciate it when I get a clear post that explains all the nitty gritty.
I host blog tours and guest posts fairly frequently, mostly b/c I like getting the content. But I tend to prefer tours organized by the authors or one or two publishers I work with regularly. I don't do interviews of books I haven't read. Generic questions don't seem worth my time or the reader's. I actually like excerpts though. As I reader I enjoy getting that snippet of the book, especially if it is one that is not released everywhere else.
Thanks, Jay :)
DeleteI completely agree about the frustrations of contest entries. I get a bit annoyed when I have to contact the publisher for clarification about the contest rules and even then I sometimes still feel that I haven't quite grasped it :).
I'm definitely considering switching to WP. A lot of the old blogger crowd has already moved over and I'm used to the set up since that's what Tam and I use for BER. Their little button that allows you to paste from Word is a marvellous thing which I wish Blogger would have one too, although given that Google and Microsoft aren't exactly friendly, I can't see that happening soon *sigh*.
LOL, I didn't even realize there was a paste from word button! But when you put it in the regular non-HTML editor, it doesn't give you junk code which is so nice. But I'll try the other one now.
DeleteI am finding WP much nicer. So many things can be automated that before I was doing manually. Like I made template for common posts and I can just pop them in and add the content. Saves a lot of formatting time. Going through the switch was a bit daunting but definitely worth it.
LOL! Well that's my good deed for the day :).
DeleteI'm honestly really tempted to switch over so thanks for the advice.
Well if you decide to do it, drop me a line. I have a LOT of lessons learned, lol. I am happy to pass along my experiences
DeleteThanks, Jay. I I'll do that when I decide to take the plunge :).
DeleteEr... I guess I'm the one Tam was referring to with 'this one' in the above comment. It's really kinda quirky having these topics come up on the same day, lol. Anyway, I'm a new author and whilst I'm aware that book publishing requires some promo, I'm overwhelmed by everything that's being thrown at me. In authorworld, it looks like you can't survive without doing at least a blog tour a month and three contests while getting everyone to 'like' you and tweeting your latest news.
ReplyDeleteOkay, that was me ranting. But seriously now: from what I've been gathering so far, the people we authors make all the effort for, namely out readers, aren't all that interested. Or maybe, like me, they simply can't keep up with the flood of information. Maybe that's where part of the problem lies - authors are led to believe they have to do so much that they just can't keep up, so instead of writin a few, interesting bits here and there, they restore to mediocrity and repetition because it's easier to copy and paste the same thing over and over again.
Hi Sage
DeleteThanks for stopping by and giving your views as a new author. I think most authors try to do what they can. Some have more time than others and so do more. You just have to decide what works for you but I know lots of authors who do a tour of maybe three to five dates around their release date and leave it at that.
I agree that there's a sort of panic around publicity, that it almost can take over an author's life, but many authors who don't post blog posts all the time still manage to sell books so it's a case of finding a balance which makes you happy. Good luck with that :).
Great Post Jenre.
ReplyDeleteI really agree with all of your post, and the bad for you is also the bad for me. I really don't enjoy setting up the post, but I do put a lot of effort into it to make it pretty. The new people who have visited my blog tend to stick around and now and again I will get a comment here and there so I have had positive follows.
I like the simple giveaways where I get to pick the winner and it's over easy peasy. I believe I don't know who have won some contest of mine, and I think the authors/publisher should send a mass email saying who the winner is to the blogs they visited so we can get the word out.
I never do interviews for authors whose book I haven't read. I wanna talk about their book/books during the interview so if I haven't read any what's the point? So they are welcome to do promo and drop an excerpt etc. Yes, blog posts can be boring when you have a lot to dish out but my experiences have been good with some awesome posts. Giveaways are optional, because readers still tend to drop by regardless of if there is a prize or not.
I hope I never have to chase authors/publishers because that would irk the shit out of me! I have a few tours coming up but it's from authors/publishers that I trust and love my experience have been very positive. I won't take on much because I am extremely lazy and don't like to do much formatting >.<
Yes, totally agree about the mass email. If it is a blog wide contest I'd love to know who actually won, even if it if wasn't from my blog
DeleteOh yes the mass email thing would be a good idea as I've had to email authors directly to ask who had won the giveaways. Admittedly that's because I was panicking that I should have done the draw and hadn't!
DeleteI think the general consensus is that if you stick with people you know and trust then things should go smoothly :).
Ooops - guilty of not sending those mass emails! This is a really good reminder to do so next time :)
DeleteAs a reader I can't be bothered by blog tours. Even the words makes my skin crawl. So I count myself lucky I only follow a few blogs.
ReplyDeleteI actually feel sorry for you Jen if I read the amount of work you have to put into it. And guilty because when I see one I just skip it.
LOL, Ingrid. I forgive you :).
DeleteI don't read many blog tour posts either, unless it's from an author I absolutely love.
If *you* feel like an old fart, how do you think *I* feel with my first release in four years coming up? There was none of this blog tour stuff when *I* was last published, harrumph! [waves cane in air]
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I look at all this stuff and think, "I'd really rather be writing the next book." I've done guest posts in the past, but only one at a time, almost always with bloggers I already know. Not this organised multi-stop tour thing. And it's not as in I'm shy about interacting with folk online, as some people may remember from various email loops a few years ago. (More like needing a virtual gag, some days...)
And for me, it really does cut into writing time, because of the RSI. So from my side of the bargain, I want it to be worthwhile for all concerned, and I'm not convinced that it is. That's as both an author, and as a blogger.
Wow, has it really been that long, Jules? It doesn't seem like it.
DeleteMaybe sticking with the occasional post is what is going to work for you in the long term. Unfortunately, some authors don't always get that luxury because publishers impose blog tours as part of the contract.
Interesting to read through everyone's comments and thoughts here. I'm thinking I'll stay with my format. :) It seems like a good balance between alerting readers to upcoming books, yet not taking over my life and not taking a ton of the author's time. I only need a bio and social media links if the book and cover are available on the publisher's "Coming Soon" page or on Goodreads; if not, I need the book info from the author, too. And, unless something's changed, I only need the bio and social media links the first time I work with an author.
ReplyDeleteYou have to stick with what works for you, Chris. Your way of doing things seems much more simple than mine!
DeleteGreat thoughts Jenre! I must admit I don't blog hop with authors - I have enough trouble keeping up with the blogs I want to follow :) If I do see a blog hop post on a blog I follow then I have a gander at it...but generic posts don't interest me. I love the unusual and interesting ones :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I just realized I hadn't 'followed' you, so I've rectified that :)
I do sometimes wonder how many readers follow the blog tour with the author, or just happen to click on the post for that day. From my own experience, I think it's mainly my followers/readers who comment on a guest post, unless there's a prize to be won.
DeleteI thought you were already following me :). Thanks for adding me though.
You read my mind with this blog post. I was actually just discussing yesterday whether or not I should make a very similar post. Yours came out much better than mine would have. I was in a rant mood.
ReplyDeleteThe chasing down the posts drives me batty. But I think what gets me most... when the authors don't show up for their own spot. These posts are work, like you say. It'd be nice if they'd participate in their own promo. lol it's not like we get paid for this.
Hi Amara
DeleteObviously great blogger minds think alike :).
Yes, it's the no show authors who get to me too. It's obvious that some of them either don't care about the posts, or are so busy juggling several promo balls that they can't keep up with their commitments.
Good point about the complexity of some of the contest, Chris. I just find many of the tours exhausting and (often) overkill. I'm afraid it can make me ignore a post if I've seen the author appearing in many places in a short time, rather than draw me in further. And I have HUGE admiration for the authors doing it - they're writing books and living real life, and then they also creating - and managing liaison for - a whole portfolio of promo posts. (interesting alliteration, clare...)
ReplyDeleteDoes this just mean I'm lazy, or jealous...? I wonder how much a blog tour helps sales, or whether it has any longer-term benefit in building brand? These things intrigue me. I'd hate to think it exhausts the author and the readers at a very early stage.
As a blog host, I like to host people whom I talk to on email, or who have something intriguing to talk about, rather than just about their book. I hope that means readers will enjoy their posts too. But then I'm not a "blogger" so there's no expectation that I have to have any guests at all. I just like variety! :)
Great post Jen, I really like your summary of the good, the bad and the ugly!
Hi Clare
ReplyDeleteI also wonder about the overall effectiveness of blog tours and I'm hoping that the responses I get from authors may shed some light onto that.
I know what you mean about switching off to an author who seems to be everywhere within a short time frame. I also have the 'not them again' approach and switch off rather than engage with what the author is saying. This asks the question how much is useful for promo without turning people off the author or their book?
Interesting!
This has been really interesting to read through the comments - I've been hosting a few guest blogs recently, and it annoys the hell out of me too when the authors don't respond to the comments. I ALWAYS respond to all the commenters when I guest blog somewhere. If I've missed any in the past, it would have been down to the software not letting me know about comments.
ReplyDeleteTo me, that's the whole point of a blog tour - the chance to make meaningful contact with readers.
I am wondering, after reading all of this, if I might cut my tours down from 10 to 5 days in future. And I'll certainly do better at letting the tour hosts know that I don't expect them to count comments for the prizes (that's my job, as far as I'm concerned). I'll also make sure I offer the posts in html for those using Blogger.
Goodness, so much to think about...
I am wondering, after reading all of this, if I might cut my tours down from 10 to 5 days in future.
DeleteTwo weeks does seem like a long time for a blog tour, but I can understand why you might want to break into the second week and keep readers thinking about you and your book for a little bit longer.
I'm glad that the post and comments have been helpful :).
Hi Jenre,
ReplyDeleteI'm writing from the perspective of a reader. I followed several blog tours and participated in a couple of blog hops when they were novelty. I'm one of the people who found your blog this way (so it happens :).
My past experience with blog tours is rather positive, but now nearly every book gets a tour and the tours become loner and longer (2 weeks? really?!), so I don't bother.
The blog hops however are total waste of my and the bloggers time. The hops I participated in... I admit I was there for the big prizes and after visiting 50 blogs in one day I didn't even bother to read the post, just was leaving a short generic comment. Now I think I could spent the hours better reading some nice book.
Than there is the prize announcement. I'm checking the blogs I left a comment on and nothing. Weeks are passing and nothing. I'm asking "So who is the lucky winner?" and finally after few days comes an apology and announcement.
Hi Joanna
DeleteThank you for finding and staying with me :). I do appreciate all my followers who keep coming back even when my posting may get erratic.
I often can't keep up with blog tours either and only visit the blogs I have on my reader anyway. I suppose this defeats the purpose for a blogger if no-one new actually comes to the blog.
As a blogger I find it confusing whether I'm supposed to announce winners at my blog if the winner was picked from another stop on the tour, or whether I should have directed my readers to the author blog and told them that the winner will be announced there on a certain date. I suppose I ought to pick a way of doing it and stick with that. If the winner is picked by me, I always do a post to announce the winner.