Asking others to contribute content to your website

Any experience with the "promote yourself by contributing content" approach

[Webwork]

I'm late in the design phase of websites that will reside at a number of world class dot org TLDs. The sites will cover landscaping, remodeling, weddings, investing, tourism, trade, relationship and other broad categories, as well as a number of smaller niche interest categories.

The start-up sites will include a links directory and a limited amount of original material relevant to each site created by myself and a close circle of friends with experience in the particular area. One of the benefits of getting older is that your friends often have a wealth of experience they are willing to share.

I'd like to expand the content rapidly. I'm not in the market to buy content at this point since my resources are stretched.

I'd like to solicit content on the basis of "submit it to Widgets.org and benefits will flow back to you" since our address is the industry's name. Self-promotion would arise from the fact that each article submitted would have a brief author bio and a link back to their website.

As further inducement I might offer a limited time prime directory listing.

Anyone have any experience or insight relative to this approach to building content?

[Webwork]

Okay, well...I guess I'll just blaze a trail and see what's out there.

Hey, I'm a guy. I don't need directions. Guys are adventurers by nature. We don't get lost. We explore.

Dum-de-dum......walking towards cliff......uh-oh......ooops........ahhhhhhhhhhh.......splassshhh.....

Hey, I discovered the fountain of youth!

[Harry]

I find the best way to ask others to contribute contents is by being a role model. If you create a lot of new contents and update all the time, it's far more easier to attract others.

Also, if I were you I would limit the set of site i was developing at once. Start with a few and built them up real well. When they are autonomous, start with new sites.