Hi Crazy Readers! 
I am hoping to get some feedback from my readers regarding my book giveaways. In the past, in order to enter a giveaway, you just had to comment on the post with your e-mail address. If you wanted additional entries, you would perform one of the actions (Tweeting, adding to blog roll, etc.) and make a separate comment about it.
I have been reading through the book blogging world that commenters were starting to get spammed since their e-mail was publicly out in cyberspace. To be certain that my readers did not get spammed and to help protect their privacy, in my current giveaway, COPPOLA: A PEDIATRIC SURGEON IN IRAQ, I decided to devise a Google form. I think the form works very well and only I can see the e-mail addresses of the entrants.
Perfect solution, right?
Well, not so much.
Responses to this giveaway have been almost half of what I was getting for previous giveaways where you only had to comment on the post. I’m not sure if it’s just the subject matter of the book or if it has to do with the form. Is the form too much work? Too confusing? The book is wonderful and I thought there would be a huge response, so I’m wondering if it is the method of entering that is daunting to potential entrants.
I would love your feedback on this issue. Go back to comments or continue using the form? Feel free to comment or e-mail me at js1997 (AT) gmail (DOT) com.
Thank you so much for reading this and I appreciate your thoughts!
Happy Reading,
Jennifer
I just checked out your form, and it does seem a little much. I do like sites that use forms to hide your email address, but do there need to be so many questions on the form? I've done some where you just fill out your name and email address, and you name ends up automatically showing in the comment section (no need to do the "come back and post a comment that you entered"), and your email is hidden. What I really dislike are giveaways that ask you to answer questions about yourself or your thoughts(tell your favorite this or that, etc) and then want your email too. Too much personal info being shared with the whole world!
Hmm.. that's interesting about the form automatically inserting a comment. I'll have to look into that.The thing with so many questions is more to do with exposure. Getting the book "out there", so to speak. I like to reward those who go the extra mile to get some publicity for the author/book. I'm not sure how to simplify that.Thank you for your comments!!
I like the forms – they're a quick, easy way to enter that protects the privacy of the entrant. The thing I don't like is that with the form there is no way to know how many entries there are & what your entry number might be. That may not be important to some people, but I like to have an idea if I've got a good chance to win & I'm a tad superstitious about my entry numbers! That's just me…..
Cheryl
I like the forms. I find them quick and easy. My only concern with them is that you can't go back to check whether yoy did enter a contest or not if you can't remember…
I like the idea of a form. It looks long when you pull it up but it's just because it has all the possible options for add'l entries included. I'd try it another time.
I like the form. I don't have to keep typing my email addy on every single entry. No having to to do multiple separate comments if there are multiple ways to enter.It's simpler.One of the reasons you might have less entrants is because it's U.S. only? I'm Canadian, therefore I can't enter.