Sponsored Submissions?

1. Sponsored Submissions?

   #1

   Crap. Had this thing about done and deleted it.
   
   An idea for "sponsored" like submission from by delusional and drugged out state. (prescription drugs that are working VERY nicely)
   
   
   It came to me with all this plagiarism going on and I was trying to think of a way for somebody to post stuff from their site and share it while getting something that would benefit them. Sponsorship may not be the right word but it is what I will use. In the following context the Sponsored submissions will simply mean that the actual content of the sub was reposted on the site with permission or more specifically, by the creator of the content.
   
   
   Worldbuilders are still all over the place and there are link farms all over the place with links and short descriptions to them. How about we take this a next step the Citadel way. We invite worldbuilders to post content on the main site, whatever they wish, and those subs can be called "sponsored" submissions. Those submission will get some kind of icon like 3.0 is using when they are listed so you know going in that the content isn't a Citadel original, it is from another site. Inside that actualy sub we can either allow the worldbuilder that is sharing his/her stuff a normal banner advertisement for their specific site and/or a boxed or blockquoted text link and description to their webpage.
   
   In this way we can encourage webmasters that run their own worlds to share some of their stuff when they get this nice link back to their webpage. We get the benefit of fresh content and they get the benefit of some pretty good links back to their own page. Sort of like a link page on steroids for mutual benefit.
   
   ??

2. Re: Sponsored Submissions?

   #2

   As long as we have a link back to the original source, and a way of verifying permission, I think it would be a neat idea.  I just don't want someone to say they've got permission, when they really don't, and then have it come back on us.

3. Re: Sponsored Submissions?

   #3

   Me too - I don't really see the down side unless the linked site is really terrible.
   
   

4. Re: Sponsored Submissions?

   #4

   Might have to be a small validation process to confirm site owners. I don't want random people posting from favorite sites and getting all the credit. Would be in the user profile they will check that they are a sponsor, give their site, add their banner, and then on each submission they will have a couple extra input areas to put a check if it is part of their own site and a link place to put a direct link to the piece. Then whenever people view that and the checkbox is set then it becomes sponsored, else it is just a normal post by the person.
   
   Something like that. But they have to opt-in and an admin will have to verify the account by either writing them or double checking that the email address and site match or something similiar. As Val mentioned too, perhaps we can put in a quality check too, but as long as it is roleplaying and they stay within our requirements for submissions, I don't think there will be much issue with it.

5. Re: Sponsored Submissions?

   #5

   So I responded to some PMs in my box... had a great idea... sent it to Strolen... then saw this thread. So I will repost.
   
   Greetings
   
   I am on the road from what is currently a vacation that is more stressful than work. We had internet tonight and managed to finish using it to plan routes and book hotels and such early.
   
   There were some personal comments and some Gol comments... all deleted for brevity
   
   I do sense an opportunity.
   
   It is a win win.
   
   By doing what I propose, we can appear to be "making up for" something that was wrong. Even though it was not our fault and we did nothing. It makes us look like "really good guys".
   
   The other admin was complaining that his own site was languishing in obscurity and all this beautiful material is not being viewed.  Why can't he joint post them here?  He could easily do what Gol did, shift the pieces into our format (and edit it to lose the obvious "written for D&D 2nd ed format") AND include a link back to the original world site.
   
   (And since some of it is community work, he could make a lot of multiple author links)
   Thus we would get more quality content from a legit source. The stuff was pretty good.
   
   He would get more people viewing it.
   
   He would get flow from our site to his site following the "Originally Posted on www.whateverthesitewas.com/ url" 
   
   I like these kinds of links. I use them all the time when I post stuff up on other sites and the submission/ article that is linked usually gets a few hundred hits more over a month or three. (I know, I check it. When I post on www.rpg.net I usually get 85 hits on a sub I linked to it in the first day or three, about 150 over a months.. which is better than the normal +25 in the same time.  Of course our numbers will be less but if he is used to a handful, we can multiply that by a bunch.
   
   We could get some recipical flow back here, though he does get the better end of the deal in terms of volume.
   
   And something to think about but not to mention to him, some of this is written by the group. Thus "team players" and good writers can be "adopted" from his site. As they could put their non world items here.
   
   If this works.... and I think it will...  we could offer similar deals with other similar sites. This allows material to be shared between the sites. Each post being linked back to the original site. And we get a banner there/ or a link back to our site where it is co-posted.
   
   We can simply post up some rules for how to set up a recipical relationship... And if someone here happens to know a suitable site... maybe send the url as an email or post on the other site?
   
   
   Moon on the road 
   
   It seems to be a no brainer. Can we do it?

6. Re: Sponsored Submissions?

   #6

   Bob the Builder always says, "Yes we can!"

7. Re: Sponsored Submissions?

   #7

   Rereading this real quick.  Did you mean to put banners in the sub itself, or have a link to a... a sort of ad-profile page?  Cause I don't think we should have banners in the subs, tho a text link is fine.  I also don't mind a separate page, but I don't think we should spoil the flow of subs.

8. Re: Sponsored Submissions?

   #8

   Just thinking out loud. Last night I think I changed to show the banner in the header like the Thieves one is now, so it wouldn't disrupt the flow of the page and the banner would be specific to that post.
   
   Just trying to come up with enough to make it actually worth the effort of the author to start sharing his stuff. Once they do, I think they will enjoy the community and the refreshing looks and thoughts on their stuff. To make them jump...
   
   Is a single line text link back to their site enough?
   A small summary/link box where they can have a link and describe their site?
   Their nice graphic link banner on top of the page and some linkage with text and summary?
   
   Seeing your world and your banner on the page would be a mighty hefty temptation vs. just a smaller link and it wouldn't disrupt the citadel that much, I don't think.
   
   I agree with you though Ria, the flow of the site shouldn't be disrupted, but if there is an accepted place for it, it might work out. I was sort of planning to retain the quest banner tradition after this theives quest and use that spot to highlight stuff.

9. Re: Sponsored Submissions?

   #9

   More and better stuff is more and better. :)
   
   So yes, we should take over content from other sites. Erm, let it become taken over, I mean.

10. Re: Sponsored Submissions?

    #10

    Bump this too while thinking of the format for roleplayingtips.com and how to do that.  Thinking of setting up a profile type page as well that can suck all the subs in from certain "sites."

11. Re: Sponsored Submissions?

    #11

    First try and doing this. Need to get with Kin later and let him know he is an experiment. Got caught up in working it and now have to go to dinner but wanted to throw this up there.
    
    http://strolen.com/viewing/Midian_Books
    
    Still willing to put something under the author's name on the main post saying something like "See submission in its original state here: http://xxxxxxx.com" or something. That would be a direct link to the sub...but I can't find any direct links to Midian stuff. Which is good as it forces a direct link as well as an "inspired by" type thing!

12. Re: Sponsored Submissions?

    #12

    Going to finish this up as well.

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