SEO contest!

Damn, he is only 19, that cute kid on the left is not really his, is he?

If I was playing this game, I’d link it myself in the comments.

Hmm, maybe you should have gone with your first gut feelings Robert.

While you might be able to get away with linking to stuff like this, others might not be so lucky because some search engines seem to frown on contests like these. Take Google for example saying:

“Don’t participate in link schemes designed to increase your site’s ranking or PageRank. In particular, avoid links to web spammers or “bad neighborhoods” on the web, as your own ranking may be affected adversely by those links.”

Not saying this guy is a “spammer” or “bad neighborhood” or this contest is anything bad, but it does beg the more relevant question: does MSN Search care about contests like these? If they are cool, than that’s great to see you helping.

But there’s at least one other problem here …

This guy is running a copy of an unlicensed, unauthorized Pac-Man game which Namco already asked creator Paul Neave to take that down means you are linking to a guy with a DMCA violation on the homepage of his site.

First and foremost, TDavid - your comments are a bit one sided and unfair. However I do respect your opinion and would like to explain myself a bit:

You are correct about Google disliking link schemes and of the sort, however my web page does not violate google’s guidelines, therefore your claim is nothing more than malicious and I do not understand your general attitude towards me, however I do respect your opinion.

I have removed the pac man game wrong my web page, it was not a main attraction and I only put it there for temporary giggles. I apologize to Namco for it as well, I had/have no bad intentions with it at all.

Robert Scoble, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with me, and hear what I had to say. It was very humble of you.

Nothing “malicious” intended with the comment or any attitude toward you personally, Steven (I don’t know you except through this post).

Instead, was a warning and question about these types of SEO contests and whether they are cool with the search engines like MSN Search (which Scoble can get clarification from the horse’s mouth)? Wouldn’t you like to be sure about this? I sure would before linking out to something like this. I’ve seen other contests like these and have always wondered how the SE felt about them. The rules and guidelines setup are sometimes pretty vague about this stuff.

Your response suggests that you may actually have checked with Google — or somebody running this contest did? If so and it’s cool, great, best of luck with this contest to you and others reading my comments please disregard the warning in comment #3

I understand that your concerns are with reason, it makes more sense ot me now, thanks for explaining it a bit.

How Google “feels” about this contest? Your guess is as good as mine I am sure, however their opinion and what their guidelines announce are two different associations. I have never known Google to penalize a website website they look down upon the whole idea of it. However, in the scenario that my contest page were in violation of Google’s guidelines, I do not assume any delay in penalization. If Google penalized sites that they did not like, then there would be a lot of penalized sites!

By linking to my website, since I am not violating Google’s guidelines - not knowing Google’s algorith I can not say with certainty that it is 100% “safe”. However I can say that linking to my website or any other website that is abiding by Google’s guidelines the effect is identical if not similar.

By the way Zoli, yes that is my son - his name is “Jeven” and he is 2 1/2 years old, and indeed the apple of my eye!

Why do people support spammers?

How about supporting someone who could use the money, gheesh!

http://www.watching-paint-dry.com/v7ndotcom-elursrebmem/

You linked to a black sheep Robert - Steve changes his web site when someone like TDavid points out his latest screw-some-one-over. Ask anyone in the contest or the SEO world. You should have linked to Aaron’s web site or link to a web site doing it for Cancer such as the one in this signature.

I bet it was a single call that he sweet talked you. Is this what it takes for a link?

It seems to be easy to call somebody a “black sheep” now doesnt it? You have no grounds for that comment at all.

He is absolutely at no risk by linking to me and its silly to claim otherwise, because (once again i say) I am not violating Google’s guidelines.

It was completely Robert’s choice to link to me, I spoke with him for less then 2 minutes. How ridiculous it is for you to call it sweet-talking. Grow up both of you, will ya?

The fact is you are a greedy spammer Steven, how many splogs do you own eh? It is easy to pull the wool over the eyes of those who do not understand the depths of this madness but you can not fool a person like MG, he markets real stuff that people actually read and Mr. Paint is a real guy who has some sick kids and knows nothing of “SEO” really. I hope if you win you give the money to cancer or celiac research, if not you make yourself known for who you really are.

What’s the point of you trying to place a guilt trip? It makes no sense.

I entered this ocntest to try to win, and I owe no sympathy to you or Alek.

Please, inform me on how I am greedy? Last time I checked the prize for the contest is $4000, over the course of 4 months considering how much time it takes to be in this contest there really is no profit. And what the winner would do with the money does not matter until this contest is over anyways. In 4 months time there is plenty of other ways to make money, so by playing this contest in hopes of winning is like playing the lottery - its only a chance, so dont get your panties all in a bundle.

You have yet to explain how I am a spammer or a splogger, please - enlighten me.

— It´s a shame —

It´s a shame to see a nice little blog post turn into something as ugly as this.
Really what is your problem guys? Steven is in this contest to win and is trying to promote his site in any way he can think of. That is not called spam, it´s called creativity.

Creativity is the opposite to writing comments about trademark issues for old pacman games that´s no one intrested in hearing. Lol

Keep up the good work Steven! I wish you the best of luck in this contest.

Hey Robert -

With 10k on the line you might want to consider asking people to link to a page HERE at your site. Anil Dash did that in the last SEO contest and … he won.

Take wife to dinner and donate the proceeds to one of those excellent Gates Foundation projects.

Actual first prize is $7,000 (see breakout in my signature) … PLUS an Apple iPod … but you have commented before Robert that these are faily popular on the Microsoft campus.

Joe Hunkins is exactly right that Anil Dash won the N-U SEO contest - here’s the page which still ranks #1 - http://www.dashes.com/anil/2004/06/04/nigritude_ultra/

Speaking strictly for myself (not the other contestents!), I’d gladly trade that $7,000 (and iPod) to you Robert for a chance to pitch Gates on funding more research into Celiac Disease. His foundation ROCKS and with billions of dollars, can (and has) really made a difference.

P.S. Thanx for the followup post.

well based upon this page: http://www.v7n.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23744 where the contest keywords were announced, it looks like only $4000 is guaranteed.

Even so, there are plenty of other ways to make that kind of money in 4 months that are a lot more promising.

I havent thought of what I would do with the money if I won because I don’t care to think about it until after the contest is over and if I have won - then thats when I will decide.

I don’t assume that I will lose or win. The only guarantee I have in this contest, is that I will give it my all and try my best.

This is a good time to be an seo shill … no harm done with a made-up term. I’m linking to Steven, so you’re in good company

Mike Dammann

And one more thing: I have seen a lot of people come down on Steven, but the thing is that almost all of the most outspoken ones had quite a bit to hide. Some of their tactics were less than straight forward. And what pisses me off that once again the “takes one to know one” line applies all too well.

I realy appreciate your efforts for v7ndotcom elursrebmem contest.
I am also particpating in the contest with http://www.howseoworks.com/v7ndotcom-elursrebmem.
it would be a great fun.!”So Let The Race Begin”

there is an seo contest too in the Philippines, but for Filipinos only. This is just to prove that the Philippines can have its place in the SEO industry

SEO Philippines continues its mission to spread the search engine optimization (SEO) gospel in the Philippines via the Isulong SEOPH keyword ranking contest.

Over PHP130,000 in prizes will be given to the top ten finalists. To win the top prize, one must be #1 for the keyword phrase isulong seoph in Google.com.ph on September 29, 2006 at 8:00 PM. During the awarding ceremonies, there’ll be a public viewing of the Google.com.ph SERPs to determine the official winners.

Visit http://isulongseoph.offshoreoutsourcingphilippines.com/ and http://isulongseoph.offshoreoutsourcingphilippines.com/isulong-seoph-rules/ for contest rules

Well goodluck to everyone then.