I like the part about how the state "The winners are the 3 sites ....with the freshest content and most exciting design". So does that mean if they don't like your site design, you can't win? This is so tacky on so many levels I can't even begin. Of course, they'd love to have all their affiliates packing the listings (and pushing any competition out). I guess in that respect it's not a bad attempt at promoting their program. If I was a competitor I'd sign up in sec...then I could make money off their program, win their contest, AND still sell my own crap.
What a bunch of crap. For the amount of research and time you would put into this you could have found a niche affiliate area, built a quality content-based affiliate site and earned $15000 and lots more afterwards. Sheesh.
Yeah, my impression is also that this is a cunning plan to promote their backgammon gaming platform. For $15K they are getting a tonne of links from high PR sites. They also get some high powered affiliates to sell their backgammon service. Kudos to TC marketing or whoever it is.
Kudos? For what? Any respectable SEO would laugh at their contest... maybe they will get one or 2 clueless newbies to enter, and I don't think that will help them a lot...
All the best with it. Just keep in mind that their rules are ambiguous. You could rank no 1 for any of those keywords, demonstrate fresh content, but they might not like your design.. think about the wording - they don't have to pay you, and there would be nothing you could do. Basically, they are after a freebie.. it's a nice strategy, but operating at the expense of the participants. And DO remember to remove all links to their site once it's over. If you're simply in it for the grins (challenge), more power to ya Cheers JL
I'm with Brian and all those that followed that view that competition as BS. I'm going to turn up in their stats as one of the visitors viewing their front page for 0-5 seconds... I am not against the idea of competitions but the rules and the use of those keywords are complete nonsense. I don't even think it's a great idea as so many of us have decided against their contest straightaway. It's got to be so obvious... I wonder how many like the idea and joined in already or are going to?!?
I am getting such a bad vibe looking at that contest. I can only discourage anyone from even thinking about participating. I hope that there will be a real contest again someday. One thing I don't like is to waste my time. Am way too busy as it is hehe
It would be very easy to get those terms with this forum, but like I said: this is a scam (or borderlines a scam). If you want to piss off the search engines even more, go ahead and join in. I'll pass
We could get #1 for any term we wanted... I'm game if everyone else is It's a shame about this competition... I could have won it too.