On Blog Networking: Do you lose authenticity when you try to gain a following?

an unrelated picture 

Lately, I've been participating in and hosting a lot more giveaways and link-ups. I do it because it's fun and I get to find new blogs, but I mainly do it because I want more followers. Is that greedy or narcissistic? I think that's why most people do it. We want to gain a following.

But when is it too much? When do you cross the line to that area where bloggers no longer write genuine posts, only posts on blog/twitter/facebook hops, giveaways, etc.? How many "authentic" posts should a person write per week in order to stay on "this side" of the line?

I had to set some rules for myself so I never forget why I started blogging, and what my blog is supposed to be about. I lost sight of that a while ago (as seen in this post), and I've tried really hard to keep my focus with these rules.

1 giveaway per week, and never have more than 1 giveaway open on my own blog at one time.
2 link-ups (absolute maximum, avoid if possible). If I do more than 1 link-up, only one should be for networking purposes.
A minimum of 3 personal posts. These can be week recaps, pictures, recipes, how to's, or general musings. Those posts are the reasons I continue reading blogs.

Do you have rules for yourself? How do you stay authentic? Or do you think that as soon as you start networking and trying to gain followers, you lose all authenticity?

Speaking of networking, enter the giveaway on Living In Yellow!
Also enter the JUNIEblake giveaway.
Two giveaways at once? you may be wondering. Yes. But only one of them is on my blog. Ha! Trick.