Brent
January 11th, 2000, 5:08am
Hi LuckyGirl, thanks for the great feedback!
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I'm not finding much use for the ratings, or recent draws and expired lists. Maybe if I get a prize notification the old lists would be useful for reference.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I couldn't agree more, that's exactly what I think! :)
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Here's something I'd like to see. In forums you have an area for sharing entry-requirement answers to questions, but I'd love to have that answer info. attached to the actual sweep listing. Like the "Where's the Tracker" sweepstakes, for instance; if you know what we need to know to enter, tell us!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I've thought about this a lot. When I first started this site, I did put answers (if I knew them) in the listings. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought it may not be a good idea in the long run for me, myself, to provide answers to everyone.
It's kind of unfair for the sponsors. They have sweepstakes for a reason, and if I take some of that reason away, they might be less likely to have sweepstakes in the future- which is bad for sweepers, bad for me, and bad for the sponsors.
I'm kind of the middle-man in the whole process. I try to make it easy for visitors to enter sweepstakes and in return, I get site traffic. The sweepstakes sponsors provide me with a source of sweepstakes and most of my advertising revenue- which in turn makes this site possible. So I have to be fair to everyone.
The compromise I came to was the "Contest Answers" forum. It gives everyone a chance to share answers and it probably won't piss off too many sponsors. :)
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Also, to speed up entry: When possible, bypass any screens asking questions, and feed us directly onto the entry form page--Petopia is a good example! I don't want to waste time flitting about the sponsor's page(s), I want to enter and move on!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Each sweepstakes listing does include both a link to the main sweepstakes page and a direct link to the entry form, if at all possible. You can go straight to the entry form of the Petopia sweeps by clicking on the entry form link which is directly below the linked title.
I did this for a couple of reasons. One, it gives you the choice of going to the sweepstakes' main page or straight to the entry form. For example, you might want to go through main page of a daily sweeps the first time you enter in order to check out all the details. But the next day (and every day after that), you won't care to go through all that and would rather just go to the entry form to save time.
And if the link to the entry form ever turns up 404 "file not found", you will have the link to the main page as a backup.
If an entry form is supposed to be in a set of frames or in a pop up window (form filler-outers don't generally work inside frames or pop ups), I'll break it out and link directly to the URL so it opens up just like another page.
And again, I think providing both is fair to both you the sweepers, and the sweepstakes sponsors.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>How about a new category for "Brent's Picks?" YOUR favorites, sweepstakes, that for some reason, seem most winnable, lots of prizes, or very short duration, or whatever.
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I've thought about this quite a bit too. I think I'll have an "editor's pick" kind of thing after the move to the dedicated server. Possibly a set of sweeps that I think have the best odds of winning, and a set of my favorites (not necessarily based on just the prizes). I'll probably put them in the newsletter as well. It's a good idea!
Thanks LuckyGirl and BOZ64! I appreciate it! :)
Brent