How To: Enter a Rafflecopter Giveaway

As I always do, I asked my mom to check my latest giveaway for errors, clarity, etc.  This is my first giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget.  My mom is not someone who enters many giveaways, and she was completely lost.  For her and anyone like her, here are some tips on how to enter giveaways via Rafflecopter.

Many blogs have 1 or 2 mandatory entries you must complete on Rafflecopter before you can do the optional extra entries.  At first, only the mandatory entry/ies will let you click the green "I did this" button.  Once you complete any/all mandatory entries, the optional entries will know let you click the green "I did this" button.

Make sure to "click for instructions" for each entry.  Different blogs do things slightly differently, so it's worth the few extra seconds to make sure you don't invalidate your entry.

Here is a numbered break down of my entries, but remember that all blogs are different:

1) Mandatory entry - Leave a Blog Post Comment - The instructions direct you to a website to find a book.  You then have to leave a blog comment with the book you select.

2) Optional entry - Follow via GFC - GFC stands for google friend connect.  This is a little widget on my right sidebar.  On all blogs, you must follow publicly for this to count.

3) Optional entry - Subscribe via eMail - Again, this is a little widget on my right sidebar.  On all blogs, you must verify your subscription via an eMail you get (mine is from Feedburner).

4) Optional entry - Blog about the giveaway - This is pretty self-explanatory.  Write a blog post about my giveaway and leave the URL in the 3rd box.

5) Optional entry - Post the Giveaway on Facebook - This is also fairly self-explanatory.  Write a line or two about my giveaway on your facebook status and leave the URL in the 3rd box.

6) Optional entry - Add my Button to Your Sidebar - On my right sidebar is a little box with some code in it.  Add this code to your blog sidebar and in the 3rd box, leave your blog URL.

7) Optional entry - Follow my Other Blog on GFC - The instructions contain a link to my other blog, where on the right sidebar you can follow via gfc (google friend connect).

8) Optional entry - Follow @sbshortie on Twitter - Follow me on twitter and leave your twitter username in the 3rd box.

9) Optional entry - Become my Facebook Friend - The instructions contain a link to my facebook page.  Leave your facebook name in the 3rd box.

10) Optional DAILY entry - Tweet About the Giveaway - Instead of instructions, the box says "Click Here". When you click, a tweet button will come up, click it to tweet, then leave the URL of your tweet in the 3rd box.

I hope these instructions helped you to better understand how to enter Rafflecopter giveaways.