I know I hinted at this on the blog last week, but it is time to officially announce that with thanks to Blogger & Podcaster Magazine, we have the opportunity for everyone in the fuelmyblog community to showcase their blog (or/and podcast) on the USA Today Homepage Blogger/Podcaster Guide (scroll down their homepage and you’ll see the guide) FREE for one month. The traffic the USA Today homepage gets is enormous, over 10.4 million uniques per day!
To feature in this guide normally costs $49.95 per month, so, by my calculations, if everyone on fuel took them up on the offer, that would make this a nearly $50,000 give away! We have also negotiated a 20% discount should you wish your blog to stay on after the first free month.
UPDATE 18th March 2008 - THE FEE IS NOW JUST $5 PER MONTH, YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED THE $39.95. See here for more.
AND..If you want the chance of winning 6 months FREE, write a blog post about us/them, leave your link in the comments section, we’ll pull TEN names out of a hat and each will win 6 months FREE!!!
The instructions are quite simple:-
Go to bloggerandpodcaster.com/usatoday
Select “New User” and go through the 6 step registration process
IMPORTANT: In “Step 2″ be sure to enter ‘Fuelmyblog’ (exactly as typed here, case sensitive) in the Coupon Code box under Option #4. Without this code, you’ll be charged - You will also qualify for the 20% discount should you wish your blog to stay in there but only by entering ‘Fuelmyblog’.
Information you should have handy to register is:-
Blog/Podcast Name
The URL (web address) of your blog
Description - Detailed (400 characters max)
Your RSS Feed URL - see here for more help should you not be too sure.
Up to 10 Keywords related to your blog/podcast: This is used for search and placements as relevant material on USAToday.com
Logo or Avatar
It only takes 5 minutes if you have the above information prepared in advance.
Any questions, please ask in the comments below.
One final thing, only blogs on fuelmyblog qualify, we’ll be getting a daily report showing the URL’s!
UPDATE: There is a system problem on the blogger&podcaster sign-in. I will let you know once back up and ready. Sorry for the confusion, worked just fine one hour ago.
NEW UPDATE: All OK now, the problem is fixed, feel free to go back and get your Free submission. Phew!
Belinha: come back! still having fun here as you can...
51 Comments
step 2 is confusing and taking too much time. (I waited as they hinted.)
nabin
There is an error on their system, wasn’t there before.
Please try later, I will announce here once they have fixed it. Sorry.
Oh Kevin…this is very exciting. I simply am amazed at what you are getting accomplished!!
Bravo!!
WOW..This is really nice. Step 2 is still not responding…even after the hint. Will wait for the system to get sorted out. BIG THANKS!!
you’re a star!!! thats all i can say.
*BIG TWIRL for fuelmyblog*
Thanks for the cool offer. I’m stuck on step 2 right now. Can’t select option 4
Just checking back in Kevin. I will return later.
Once again WTG!!
I appreciate your patience, just spoken with Larry, he is talking to the tech guy in Ukraine who will fix it asap. Keep checking, should be back up real soon!
Alrighty, all ok now. Feel free to try again! Phew!
Sorry all about the glitch. It’s fixed and ready to go. Hope you like to publicity in the USA TODAY!
Larry Genkin
Publisher
Blogger & Podcaster Magazine
http://www.bloggerandpodcaster.com
Thanks for the offer! Submitted our blog, without glitch!
Cheers!
Jodster, aka
One Useless Man
I appreciated the offer, but what I didn’t like was that when you get to step 5, you learn that you will be billed for the next month if you don’t cancel before your month is up. I know that it tells you how to cancel, but I’ve never had a good track record with promotions like that. They somehow always find a way to make money on a “free” giveaway.
But please don’t take that the wrong way. I really do appreciate the fact that fuelmyblog has offered a way to advertise on such a grand stage.
Jason
Thanks for this cool offer. Just submitted my blog
Greetings
You are joking right? Fill in the form and it still asks you for credit card details. And then spend the next year fighting with them to refund the money?
No thanks! A great idea, but full of problems.
Consider me entered for the 6 month free slot chance:
http://www.rarevictorian.com/2008/02/fuelmyblog-and-usa-today-promotion.html
I just spoke with Larry, he assures me that the credit card will not be billed unless you agree to continue, this is after receiving a full traffic report from them. You receive an email before it is due for renewal explaining the next steps, and offering a cancellation.
I appreciate any fears, we have all been stung at some point in the past.
Do not forget though, you may win six months!
Some people have asked why they have to register with a credit card in order to take advantage of the free one month listing. The reason we chose to do this is twofold: 1) Without it we’d get lots of spam, porn and stuff that would be bad for the guide; 2) We’re making this free offer with the hope that many of you who are serious about building an audience for your blog will find value and become a paying customer of ours(albeit at the special Fuelmyblog rate).
The way it works is that a few days before your free trial comes to a close you’ll receive an email with the stats over the past month and the ability to opt out and not be charged. I’m hopeful that you’ll like the program and agree that this is about as cost effecting marketing as there is out there today. Lastly, as you can see from the registration process, everything related to canceling is very transparent, above board and easy. It’s very clear how to opt out and even gives you the phone number of a live person who you can call if you have any problems.
Best,
Larry
Larry Genkin
Publisher
Blogger & Podcaster Magazine
http://www.bloggerandpodcaster.com
6 months free here I come!
http://www.bethumbed.com/free-1-month-blog-exposure-on-usa-today-homepage-directory/
I did everything as you stated, but the system STILL asked for my credit card info in step 5. Is the system still having glitches? Let me know, and I’ll try again.
Here’s mine!!
http://shinade.blogspot.com/2008/02/fuel-my-blog-bloggers-best-friend.html
You know what…it was smooth sailing until they asked for my crdit card number…major turn-off! Great Idea though…
thank you. I just submitted scoreboardgourmet.com
guess we’ll see what happens
Ok, I understand everyone’s fears with leaving credit card details. I too had the same questions and thoughts. I called Larry and he wrote his response earlier. USA Today require zero spam, zero porn and complete control from Blogger and Podcaster hence they are unable to allow anyone to sign up without the credit card guarantee, they also have to review each entry.
I really think that USA Today are far too big and respected to allow any “Tom, Dick or Harry” to be affiliated on their front page, Larry and his team have a lot to lose if they are not 100% secure and safe, as do USA Today.
We are bloggers, if anything happened that didn’t seem right after one month, we would simply all write posts, Techcrunch, RWW and all the other people I talk to would get involved and I can assure you the USA Today would not stand back and watch.
I do, however, totally and utterly trust Larry and Bloggers & Podcasters and would not have spoken to him on the phone for over 5 hours securing this and other deals for us bloggers if not.
Many thanks!
For the efforts of those at FuelMyBlog, I am grateful!
Aloha,
NEENZ
http://www.faleafine.com
THE EFFORT YOU PUT IN IS GREAT! I haven’t finished the process due to the CC info in step 5; unfort I opted out. I agree that you get a reminder etc, but sitting in far off India, it’s tough to fight billing etc. I had a tough time getting a wrong charge reverted by Fry’s last year while in the US. sadly I have to let this go, BUT GREAT IDEA KEVIN! Take care, Deeba.
http://passionateaboutbaking.blogspot.com/
This is the best email I recieved all day!! Though I was not too thrilled with putting in my cc information, I undertstand it validates me as a real person. Anyway here is the link for the contest
http://beforeiamfamous.com/2008/02/06/a-great-thing-for-fuel-my-blog-members/
Thanks this great!!
I would love to have signed up–but I don’t have a credit card
That leaves some of us totally out of the running 
I’d like to enter for the six months, however:
http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog
Thanks for making the effort — maybe they will eventually use something like Paypal or authomatic withdrawal from a bank account–those I could have done!!!
Joyce
Kevin - How long is this offer good for? Can I sign up in a couple of weeks from now?
Hi Olga, It is open pretty much forever! Whenever one signs up, they get a month free. The credit card has been putting off people but in reality, I doubt USA Today would allow a potential scandal!
- People without credit cards, I will speak to Larry and see what we can do, there should be a chance of still winning six months free.
… I don’t have any credit cards, so I was mightily annoyed when I was required to put in credit card details in order to finish my registration. GRRRR…
Just signed up - I was a little put off about the credit card screen popping up, but after reading the info posted here and also during the sign up process I really don’t think there will be any issues.
I submitted a blog, then I edited my text content and then red letters mentioned, my blog name was “too long”. I entered this blog: http://lifevoices.blogspot.com. Then I wanted to cancel and they warned not cancel the account because it could not be restored. What shall I do?
Cool… here is my post :>)
http://gottabkd.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/contest-for-bloggers-and-podcasters/
Thanks
thanx a lot man for offering this great offer! i will start to the step 2
http://learntohost.blogspot.com
Thanks for this opportunity. I have signed up for the free listing and also posted on my blog. Please enter me in the draw!
http://secretoflife.typepad.com/the_secret_of_life/2008/02/free-blog-listi.html
All the Best - Simon
Thanks for the great offer!
I have signed up and posted about you &
USA Today on my blog.
Please enter me in the drawing.
Thanks a million!!
http://freeadblogger.blogspot.com
I had to clean up my blog before I could do this. Two almost sleepless nights and $160 in hosting fees and I’m ready!
Oh, and here is a little post. I had to make things more difficult by posting about the offer on a different blog than the one I signed up. I am trying to post only music video posts on clarkspicks.com I’ll leave it to you whether I qualify for the drawing.
http://rotus.wordpress.com/2008/02/10/blogswarmed/
Awesome giveaway and promotion. I have my blog ad running (woohoo!) and I posted about it for the 6 month contest here:
http://contestbytes.blogspot.com/2008/02/free-ad-in-usa-todays-blogger-and.html
BTW, I noticed that there is a different set of listings from the USAToday B&P guide and the listing that you get directly from the B&P magazine (only shows in the USAToday one). Not that I’m complaining about something that is free, just an observation.
I signed up yesterday, completed the process, and set my ad to start running today. As of now it isn’t running, and the register/login link on the ad page isn’t working. What’s up?
Never mind, I got to it throgh bloggers & podcasters. The link to sign in on the USAToday page is broke though.
Fantastic!
I blogged about it! 6 months would be great!
http://tizzlovescrafts.blogspot.com/2008/02/treasuries-1000-visitors.html
I am grateful for the opportunity to FuelMyBlog via Blogger & Podcaster Guide
Okay, I’m stuck on page 4 where apparently my 17 character URL is too long for the 75 character limit…?? Also the Print description which says it has a 75 character limit is telling me my 58 character description is too long.
This is not boding well
VG
I had the same problem…
Thank you so much for putting all this effort into this deal for us. I kept getting (timed out?) as I was trying to fill out the forms, and had a hard time getting back on. Finally got almost everything on the forms they needed, but never got the final Review and Submit page to finish the process. When I logged back in to finish various items, there were not enough choices as far as account management.
If this works out, it will be wonderful, that’s why I’m keeping at it. Again, thank you for making this opportunity possible.
I agree with Suzann - tried to submit my blog (Russian Partkom) and kept getting “timed out” pages, and it freezes then at credit card page.
Finally I figured a way round - once you enter your email and password and proceed to 2nd page, the system already remembers you, so you can just close the window and try to log in again - I succecceded, and went directly to “Edit Billing Info” and entered my CC details, and then went to “Add a New Listing” again - this time it went (more-less) smoothly.
Sorry about all the problems, I will speak again with Larry over at Blogger&Podcaster today and see exactly what is going on with the process!
Hi There,
I signed up on Feb 15th and still have not received my free report nor a confirmation email that my blog was added.
The comments say I should receive an email containing the report and the option to continue “a couple of days BEFORE they charge the card”, but I have yet to receive it.
I am not even sure how to contact them.
Can you help with that or let me know who to contact?
Would love to see the report.
Thanks
Hi guys, quick update from Larry:-
“Everyone will receive an email before their card is charged. The email will contain statistics as to traffic to the guide. If anyone ever has any questions or issues they can contact Valeriy Treshchov at vtreshchov@larstan.net.
Thanks people
I don’t think I ever got added. HOWEVER, I am trying to cancel now, because my free month ran out, but I don’t see a cancel button or link anywhere!
Can someone help me? I don’t want to risk having to pay $38 suddenly!
There is no such thing as free. I never saw a step 2 for coupon insertion. I only got a credit card window asking for my financial information. Doesn’t look too free to me.
Bill