8.09.2007

Wikipedia contest

Ottaway Online Directors and Editors,
 
I am happy to announce a new installment of our audience development contest, this time focused on a specific content distribution idea: How many pages can you wiki?
 
I've mentioned before that opportunity exists with every landing page created -- not to mention listing our sites as geographic resources for the towns and regions we cover -- to sprinkle our links across the wikisphere. So let's focus some effort on doing so, and gain some traffic and an education in the process.
 
Here's a couple of examples where I have added our newspaper.com sites or specific landing pages to the External Links or Resources sections of Wikipedia entries:
 
 
Now, I happen to have a login, and you can set yourself up with one too. It will make it much easier to track your progress, because there is a link once you log in that takes you to "My Contributions," listing everything you've added throughout Wikipedia. If you decide to remain anonymous, you will just have to keep track of your entries manually.
 
Note: In the case of the Nantucket entry, where I had also originally added links to a few other Nantucket products, Wikipedia editors saw that as link spam and removed all but one. So I would recommend only a single external link to your your products for each wiki page.
 
And the best part about this contest? Mere participation makes you a winner. Here's how you can earn the prizes:
 
Add resource links to 25 Wikipedia pages, and I'll furnish you a copy of The Wisdom of Crowds.
Add links to 50 Wikipedia pages, and I'll throw in a $25 gift card to the coffee shop of your choice.
Add links to 75 Wikipedia pages, and you'll receive an Ottaway-logoed shirt, commemorating the our 70th anniversary.
 
(75? Am I nuts? Well at 5 a day for the next 16 business days, that'd be 80. Seems pretty doable when I put it that way, doesn't it?)
 
Deadline is 8 p.m. ET, Aug. 31. Grand prize winner will be the online editor that added links to the most Wikipedia pages: A pair of Olympus ME-15 lavalier mics. I know Seacoast needs them for their resuscitated Webcast. I'm sure everyone else can find a use for them too.
 
Fire away with any questions! And good luck!
 
-Sean
 

No comments: