Contests as Backlink Source

[eeyipes]

If I were to have a contest and offer small prizes, not cash, for a shout out from bloggers, or for user to submit a review for an item on my site ... will this be perceived as black hat and get me penalized? I would make no requirements of keywords or language used in the backlink.

[SEO_AM]

... will this be perceived as black hat and get me penalized?

Not unless you get caught. It is called link bait. Almost all link bait for backlinks involves some kind of incentive. Out and out cash purchase of links are much easier to catch. Your method, if done right, is just good marketing.

[eeyipes]

Not unless you get caught. It is called link bait. Almost all link bait for backlinks involves some kind of incentive. Out and out cash purchase of links are much easier to catch. Your method, if done right, is just good marketing.

Got it. Really, what I'm offering is small handmade trinkets, nothing of real monetary value, just tokens of appreciation. It'd be a short run offer, here and there, when I have time for it. I'm not looking for mass quanities of backlinks from it, just hopefully a few a week. I think I will give a whirl, and leave all "contest" and "winning" type language out of it.

[DarrenHaye]

I tired to do a competition for bloggers.. it didn't go so well.

Fashion bloggers are getting pretty savvy when it comes to giving out links, they ask for mucho $.

If I were you id just give out as many pieces as you can afford to the popular bloggers and hopefully they will include it in an outfit with a link. Also of course the value will be getting known and out there as much as the link itself.

ps. I gave a $150 dress to a blogger, she wore it in a post.. didn't mention us or say where the dress was from, let alone give us a link.

We had agreed before giving her the dress that she must mention it's from us and give a link to the product.. I emailed her asking her to add it, nothing back.

Fashion bloggers cry foul so loudly if any company dare not treat them professionally.. whilst they themselves run their blogs like a business and act however bratty they want. </rant>

[Test-ok]

Like Tickle says...it's not illegal unless ya get caught.
(source moonshiners)