This month I am sponsoring a contest all by my lonesome. And it is a crazy one, only the innovative need apply.
By hosting this contest I am hoping to create greater exposure of all of my projects across the web and to build community among my readers. Isn’t that what we all are looking for with our blogs, exposure and community. The more exposure, the more readers, the more communication and interaction the better the community. I love interacting with everyone who visits and comments here on this blog and my other blogs.
So I am giving away three prizes. The prizes will be photography related. I have found that as my photography has improved so has my group of readers (I’m talking quantity here, I have always had quality readers) and photography related prizes are perfect for this blog.
I’m going to do something a little out of the ordinary here. The contest will run for the month of August and there will be no voting but there will be many ways to earn points instead.
Are you up for a little challenge?
| BenSpark’s August Add it Up Contest Final Standings Updated 8:00pm EST 08/29/07 |
|
| Player | Points |
| Mo | 2100 |
| Lisa | 1975 |
| Christine | 790 |
| MeeYauw | 500 |
| AVCr8teur | 410 |
| BIG Scott | 175 |
| Kukuh | 140 |
| Sue | 120 |
| Elizabeth | 80 |
| Spanish Joe | 60 |
| HomeMom3 | 55 |
| Laurie | 35 |
| Enrico | 30 |
| Marsha | 5 |
| Jennifer | 5 |
| NTE | 5 |
| Joana | 5 |
| xerendipity | 5 |
Edits to rules and further clarifications will be in red. – Updated 8/7/07
The Prizes
- 1st prize is a Flickr or Zooomr Pro account (your choice) & a $25.00 Kodak Gallery Gift Certificate.
- 2nd prize is a subscription for two years to PCPhoto Magazine.
- 3rd prize is a $10.00 Kodak Gallery Gift Certificate.
It will be very easy to gather points. There are so many ways.
Cubic Zirconium Level Points – 5 Points
- Earn 5 points for posting a comment on this post.
(This will also officially enter you in the contest. You can enter at any time in August, but enter early for the most possible points.) - Earn 5 points for posting a comment on each Photo-A-Day post on this blog for the month of August.
(limit one comment per PAD post.). - Earn 5 points for leaving a comment on any of my photos (posted in the month of August) on their respective host platforms.
(Comment on Flickr, Zooomr and Buzznet. 5 Points per comment – limit one comment per photo, per platform.) - Earn 5 points for posting a comment on my upcoming Tech Tuesdays with BenSpark posts at FuelMyBlog’s Blog.
Bronze Level Points – 10 Points
- Earn 10 Points for voting for me for Photography Blog of the Year on the Bloggers Choice Awards.
(If you already voted for me send me a note through the Bloggers Choice Awards so I can double check this and give you your 10 points) - Earn 10 points daily for voting and leaving a comment on my Blog Interviewer.com Interview.
(If you vote daily you should leave a comment each day on that post so I know you voted. And also you can win the Daily random comment prize giveaway. Look for the icon below on my sidebar to go right to the blog interview. You can also suggest a blog to me interviewed on BlogInterviewer.com. If you have been interviewed let me know and I will post a link to your interview.)
- Earn 10 points each for a review of all of my blogs on Blog Catalog.
(40 possible points total) - Earn 10 Points for leaving a comment on YouTube on my Wired Kayaker shows Episode #1, Episode #2, and Outtakes.
(Limit one comment per video – 30 possible points total) - Earn 10 Points for leaving a comment on Podshow for the Wired Kayaker Episode #3.
(Limit one comment for this video – 10 possible points total.)
Silver Level Points – 25 Points
- Earn 25 points for blogging about one of my photos (posted in the month of August) on your blog and encouraging your readers to vote for me as the Bloggers Choice Awards Photography Blog of the Year.
You will earn 5 points per each new person you get to vote for me as the Photography Blog of the year.
(That person must send me a note on the Bloggers Choice Awards messaging system to let me know that you were the reason that they voted for me.
You can earn a maximum of 25 points for the 1st blog post you make. This makes it fair to those who do not have multiple blogs. You can earn unlimited number from people who vote for me on the Photography Blog of the year.) - Bonus – Entrants who leave comments on the posts that other entrants make about the contest get 5 bonus points.
Gold Level Points – 50 points
- Earn 50 points for writing a blog post of at least 50 words about this contest with a link back to this post.
(Include 2 links. Use keyword Photo-A-Day and link to https://benspark.com/photo-a-day/ and use BenSpark’s August Add it Up Contest and link to https://benspark.com/additup.html. You will receive a link back to your post. You can earn a maximum of 50 points for the 1st blog post you make. This makes it fair to those who do not have multiple blogs.) - Bonus – Entrants who leave comments on the posts that other entrants make about the contest get 5 bonus points.
- Earn 50 points for subscribing to the BenSpark.
(To get the points you must provide visual proof, a Screen Shot. Press Print Screen on keyboard and then open graphics program and paste the screenshot)
- Earn 50 points for adding your blog to FuelMyBlog
(If you are already on FMB leave me a comment and let me know where I can find the FMB widget on your blog. I’ll fuel you too and post a link to your blog. You can have multiple blogs on FuelMyBlog, however to be fair the maximum number of points you can get for this is 50.)
Platinum Level Points – 100 points
- Earn 100 Points for hosting my Photo-A-Day widget on your blog. Please leave a comment with a link to the blog that has the widget.
(You can put it on multiple blogs, however to be fair the maximum number of points you can get for this is 100 points. However you do get the added bonus of a permanent link on my sidebar for each blog that hosts PAD. If you already host my PAD then I will make sure I give you your 100 points for being a PAD host.)
Bonus Points
You can earn additional bonus points by suggesting other ways for contest players to earn points. The main thing to remember is that I need to be able to know who it is who is earning the points. For example, I know who you are when you leave comments. So leave me suggestions in any of my post’s comments section about other ways that participants can earn points, you get a 10 point bonus for your suggestion if I use it and you get a link back to your blog.
Super Bonus Points
Also: Halfway through the month of August there will be a time when you can vote for me in the Super Bowl Ad contest. If I win I will get to go to LA to film a Super Bowl Ad with other Web personalities. I will be putting up a special post about that when the time comes. When it does you can earn 100 points for writing a post encouraging your readers to vote for me. And the person who drives the most votes my way will get a 50 point bonus. (This had read 250 but it was a typo.)
Some Rules and Housekeeping
- I will be keeping a running total of the number of points that each participant has earned. I will contact each participant to confirm their involvement in the contest via e-mail.
- Updates to the standings will take
place once a weekDaily. They will be displayed here and on the sidebar.. - When leaving comments on this blog, any of my other blogs or to other entrant’s blogs please make them relevant to the post. Be constructive and be nice, this is the build community part of the contest. One word/sentence comments do not count, give your comment some thought and some substance. In other words, do not spam.
- Comments must appear within 24 hours of the posting of the post (either on this blog or another) or
photo(I upload a heck of a lot of photos I am now giving you a week to comment on them.)
This makes it fair so that someone can’t come in at the end and make a whirlwind dash to rack up points. I’ll be monitoring all posts, and photos and many other areas. - New ways to earn points will be posted on Photo-A-Day posts as well as on this post, check back often new point scoring will appear that the top of the page.
- Points are accumulated from August 1, 10:00pm to August 29th at 12:00 noon.
- The winners will be announced on August 29th at 8:00pm.
- I reserve the right to make the final decisions on any discrepancy.
I’ll try it because I’d really like a ProFlickr acct…hope I can remember when todo all this stuff. Grandmas like me have adifficult time recalling where they put their glasses last so this may be my BIG opportunity to learn how toprogram and use the alarm system on my PPC iPaq2215 – keep this post up until I get these entry rules and pt-system logged in, Drew! THANX and count me in!
grins,
Marsha
WAIT! I just e arnned five points!!;-)
p.s. do you take away pts for misspellings? LOL
Excellent Marsha, You did earn 5 points and no I don;t take points off for misspellings. I’d have to dock myself all the time.
As much as I want to join but don’t have my own digi cam as well. Love photos but I guess my captures are not that great to win a prize. But I’ll do try.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I’m totally in it to win it!! In FACT my “anti-spam word” to leave this heyah (I’ve been back in Maine fah too long as apparently the accent is now infecting my typing!!) comment is in fact the word “win!!”
Dude, I have more commenting skills than Nap D has cagefighter skills!!
It’s ON!!!!
🙂
Okay, I’ll try it!
Let’s see…I host PAD, I’m on Fuel, I voted for you in the Blogger’s Choice Awards (and sent a message to that effect), I’m leaving a comment here…that’s 165 points for me right off the bat! I’ll get to doing all of that other stuff.
Great idea for a contest!
Hi Xerendipity, I think you need to read over the ways to get points, you don’t need to take any photos to participate. There are som many things you can do to get points. Just for this post you have earned 5 Points for BenSpark’s August Add It Up Contest
Hey there Mo, I think you will do very well with your Nap D. Skills. You already have 165 points off the bat like Christine does. The rest is up to you.
Hey Christine, you are right on the money there. I now have to make an excel spreadsheet to keep track of all the points, I think I made this a super complicated and involved contest. Wish I could give bigger prizes. I’m glad you are excited about playing.
Wow… kudos to you for taking this on… This is a great idea, but waaay complicated. I’d end up the day before the contest was over frantically trying to tabulate scores LOL
Jennifer,
So are you entering the contest. I am making an excel spreadsheet to keep track of all the entries. I may have taken on too much work but at the same time I am excited for the challenge of the contest.
If you are participating you have earned your first 5 points. Send me an e-mail and let me know what other points I should award you for things you have already completed.
WOW… there are a lot of ways to get points. 🙂 I will try this one since there is no voting. Good Luck!
Awesome Laurie, I wanted to get away from voting for a while. I figured something that was more merit based and innovative would be more fun. Well, you have 5 points already for entering. Let me know about additional points I should be awarding you. Thanks for playing.
Wow this just sounds way to hard. While I typically enter your contests to support you I don’t think I can enter this one. I am far too busy. I need to follow the breaking Michael Vick story and I have an ipod coming so that will take up some of my time.
I am also starting a grass roots campaign to run for senate. I want to be the 1st dog in the senate.
I can’t be commenting everyday on you site and all your pictures. I want to comment when I want to comment. I don’t do it for points.
If I wanted to I could win this contest but it is really not worth my time. Well I am off to take a nap later
Stephen,
As always I am bolstered by your support. I to have an iPod coming to me as well. We will have to take a photo together with our iPods. Two moguls of the blogging community.
And while your run for senate sounds interesting I will have to see your platform before I throw any support your way.
No time for comments, Stephen, you easily have something to say about everything. I am surprised, comments is your thing.
By the Way you already have 165 points in the competition.
….Ben Spark is hosting his own giveaway with many ways to earn tickets to the pot. There will be three prizes:
1st prize is a Flickr or Zooomr Pro account (your choice) & a $25.00 Kodak Gallery Gift Certificate.
2nd prize is a subscription for two years to PCPhoto Magazine.
3rd prize is a $10.00 Kodak Gallery Gift Certificate….
Thanks for covering the contest on your blog. Right now you have 5 points for this comment and could have 50 points for your post if you use my keywords and links. Let me know if you want to play.
Well, that’s a lot of ways to earn points. So I’ll start with the easiest and say “Howdy” right here. Off to check out your photo of the days…
Consider yourself officially part of the contest. You have earned 5 points so far. Glad to have you aboard.
Your contest is definately set up in a unique but cool manner. 🙂 I hope you get a lot of participation! I would join in again, but to be honest the only prize I could put to use would be the pro flickr account, and I’m kind of debating over whether or not it’s worth upping my account to pro since I have a ton of unused space on my host right now.
Hi Joana,
How about I keep track of your points anyway. You’ve got 5 now already for this comment. You’ve got nothing to lose and you visit here often enough anyway that your points will probably accumulate quickly.
As far as photo hosting, I have both Flickr and Zooomr Pro accounts and some of the things that you can do on those type of accounts are really worth it. I can easily upload photo to my web account too but as far as interaction and discussion on photos nothing beats a photo hosting site like a Flickr or a Zooomr.
Yes great idea,
how can i join?
Enrico
You are entered in the contest and have earned 5 points. Take a look at the ways to earn points and let me know when you have done things to earn additional points. I’m keeping track of everyone’s points.
I’m not really a big blogger, but I love reading them (and viewing the photo-a-day). Count me in.
Ive joined your contest…Tell me how can I know that I earn points already 😉
Thanksss
Great Spanish Joe,
There are many ways to earn points. You can probably catch up quickly.
Kukuh,
I just sent you a message with all of your points so far. Thanks for joining the contest.
Count me in! (no pun intended 😀 ). Best of luck to all applicants.
Scott you are in the running. Good deal.
Ben, That’s generous of you to start your own contest. Thanks for the BC Broadcast; otherwise, I would’ve missed it.
OK, I’m in!
Thanks AVCr8teur, glad to see you joined in with the contest.
Wooo Hooo, Glad to see you are now in the running Meeyauw. Happy to have you in the game.
If I already have your photo-a-day on my sidebar, do I get the points?
I’m already on Fuel my blog too 🙂
Yes and Yes. And anything else that you have already done like vote on the BCA’s and whatnot also counts. So I take it you are in for playing the game? I hope so. I’m starting to track your points.
Sounds like a fun contest. I already have PRO accounts for Flickr and Zooomer, but I have family that don’t.
Hi Sue,
So I take it that you are entering the game and playing to win for a family member? That is awesome. Welcome to the game. Good luck.
Here’s a suggestion for a way to get more points. We turn in our best photograph to use as Photo of the Day. We are only allowed to turn on 1 picture and you could put them up for a vote for which is best. Get points for turning pic in and get points if we win.
Oh, I really like that suggestion. I will have to plan it for a specific day and give people enough time to submit a photo. Then figure out the best way to capture which one was the best. Yes, I like it, gonna run with it thanks for the suggestion.