Sponsoring/hosting a contest is really yet another good way of link building. I used to sponsor contest like giving free sidebar ads etc etc.
Husseins last blog post..How To Get Old Commentators Back To Your Blog
Contest Arbitrage – Link Building Through Contest Sponsorship
While planning a Christmas contest for you, it’s come to my attention that many bloggers don’t know how to use contest sponsorship to their advantage. They simply feel as if it won’t work to their advantage, but in fact contest sponsorship can actually be one of the easiest forms of link building possible.
It’s nothing complicated, just simple thinking. I like to call it… Contest Arbitrage!!!
The way contests work most on the time on the majority of webmaster/MMO blogs is that participants will have an option to blog about the contest, including links to the sponsors’ websites, and to place a link to a sponsors’ website. In contests where the prize is big enough (which is usually in contests with over $50 in prizes), there are usually 10-15 bloggers at bare minimum who will post about the contest in order to gain as many entries as they can. These blogs are all registered in Technorati and crawled frequently by Google.
Something as simple as a 30 text link on your blogroll will be accepted as a sponsored prize, and therefore basically you are trading in one 30-day outbound link for 15 permanent inbound links. If you can allow for 8 links in your blogroll, that’s an extra 120 permanent links to your blog per month. Not long ago I was talking about how easily Technorati Authority can be manipulated, and this is yet another way in which this occurs, gaining you hundreds of blog reactions and authority points each and every month.
Through this method you can also have some control over your anchor text (although don’t use just one keyword the whole time, Google will penalize you – John Chow experienced this first hand).
Stick around for the contest, I will be launching it on Saturday, and Santa’s going to be giving away a lot of goodies.
Tags: arbitrage, contest sponsorship, inbound links, Link Building, technorati authority
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19 comments - add yours
Hussein
December 9, 2008
How to Blog
December 9, 2008
Sponsoring contests, are the easiest way to get links in my opinion. There’s no effort required on the sponsor’s part, all they have to do is give a prize. It’s even better if you have an e-book for sale, because you can offer that to advertise that as well. Contest Sponsoring, is essentially, getting paid to advertise your site, it doesn’t get much better then that.
How to Blogs last blog post..My Commenting Schedule
how to
December 10, 2008
Using contest as a platform to gain links is always a good idea. Waiting for this Saturday!
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Ben Pei
December 10, 2008
Besides building link, it is also a good way to let the community know what your blog and you can offer.
Ben Peis last blog post..Announcing New Additions And Upcoming Events
Wei Liang | ABloggerBlog
December 10, 2008
Not only does contest gives you inbound links, it gives you lesser administrative work to handle but still giving you the same amount of exposure as well as backlinks. It is definitely recommended to sponsor for a contest if it is within your means.
Wei Liang
Wei Liang | ABloggerBlogs last blog post..Lesson 20: Blog Contest
Web Design Beach
December 10, 2008
Contests are great way to make blog promotion, but as you have said they have to be should be made cleverly, so that everyone be happy and take some stake from it.
TheMoneyac
December 11, 2008
Must agree that sponsoring a contest, is like a cheap advertising method. Sometimes not so cheap, yet it’s still a great way how to make massive backlinks and some brand awarness in the public.
Cheers,
The Moneyac
Mike Collins
December 11, 2008
I’ve seen a lot of blogging contests going on lately so you must be on to something.
Mike Collinss last blog post..50 Ways To Get Links To Your Site
Mike Collins
December 11, 2008
ps – Looking forward to seeing what kind of contest you come up with.
Mike Collinss last blog post..50 Ways To Get Links To Your Site
Power
December 12, 2008
Love the new term! ‘contest arbitrage’
Blog for Bloggers
December 12, 2008
I like sponsoring contests just for this. Contest sponsorship gets you links and an identity.
Superman Joe (PostBlogger.com)
December 12, 2008
Hmmm…What you said are definitely true. Seems like I should start sponsoring around.
Want me to sponsor anything for your christmas contest? 
Superman Joe (PostBlogger.com)s last blog post..Santa Claus Gifts-Giving Contest – Are You In?
Simon
December 12, 2008
Sure you can – you have already sponsored from DesmondBlog.com but you can sponsor from PostBlogger.com if you wish
What would you like to sponsor?
Me Debt Free
December 12, 2008
Will be watch this with interest. Sounds like a great idea.
David Cheong
December 16, 2008
Very nice contest, and with great prize too. Good luck to all and all the best to all 
David Cheongs last blog post..Twitter with Google Friend Connect now
Harris Miller
December 16, 2008
i think the idea you have come up with is good and can be used as of the ways of link building.
Harris Miller
Harris Millers last blog post..Nokia N97
Cash Gifting Exposed
December 17, 2008
Yeah, its really an great post, Arbitrage is a good way to make money online, I will be soon making another similar blog.
Cash Gifting Exposeds last blog post..ALS Cash Gifting
Seo Cart
December 23, 2008
You’ll have to have big traffic to host contests. With the highest traffic of only about 500 uniques daily it’s not so easy to link bait this way.
Ben Pei
December 28, 2008
Contest is a good way and well known way to build massive backlinks with a good reason to choose your own anchor text.
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