Blog Post Contest

CreditQ Social Blog Post Contest (updated August 14, 2012)

This contest allows you to submit your original content that’s insightful and can spark the interest of other members of this site.

No purchase or payment necessary to enter or win. CreditQ Social must receive 20 or more qualified entries during the contest period for the prize to be awarded. Thus, it's important to make sure to share this contest with anyone who’d want to add their perspective to the CreditQ Social blog.

Official CreditQ Social Blog Post Contest Rules

Contest Description

The Blog section of the CreditQ Social web site serves as an integral component for delivering interesting content on financially-related topics and ideas. The CreditQ Social Blog contest encourages anyone with pertinent, useful, and unique ideas regarding financial matters to start discussions by posting about things they’re passionate about, and that may be useful for other site members. If you have questions, or need further details, visit our Official CreditQ Social Blog Post Contest Discussion page. No purchase or payment necessary to enter or win.

Contest Eligibility

This contest is open to U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older, and have a current profile on the CreditQ Social web site. Previous CreditQ Social blog contest winners are ineligible. All applicable dates are for calendar year 2012.

Promotion Period

Contest begins at 12:00 noon (PDT) on September 1st and ends at 12:00 noon (PDT) on the last day of the month. A non-cash prize will be awarded to one eligible entrant, in accordance with these Official Rules.

Prize

One $50 electronic gift card (to be selected by the winner from a list of select retailers) will be awarded for the blog post judged to be the best-written, relevant, interesting, and engaging to reviewers. CreditQ Social must receive 20 or more qualified entries during the contest period for the prize to be awarded.

How to Enter

1. Join CreditQ Social as an "Enthusiast."
2. Create a profile.
3. Visit the Blog section of the site.
4. Create a blog.
5. Write an original blog post (of at least 300 words).
6. Select the blog post category “Contest” (Note: Failure to categorize your blog post as a contest entry may result in ineligibility.)
7. Make sure to add the tag "CreditQ Social Blog Contest" to your blog post.
8. Publish your blog post.
9. Multiple entries are allowed, however a maximum of one blog post per day will be eligible, through the length of this contest.

Qualified Entry Requirements

Entrants must participate by way of an Internet Service Provider or other method of Internet access and have a personal e-mail address.

• Blog post entries must be your own original content, and originally published to the CreditQ Social website (in other words, no re-writing or spinning a blog post previously published by you or anyone else).
• Blog post entries will be considered originally published on CreditQ Social on the date which they are added to the CreditQ Social web site.
• Blog post entries must be a minimum of 300 words.
• Blog post entries must address a financial topic.
• Qualified entries must meet all “How to Enter” requirements.
• Employees of Credit.com, CreditQ.com/Social, and its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotional partners, as well as immediate family members of these employees/partners are not eligible to enter or win. All national, federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.
• Previous CreditQ Social blog contest winners are ineligible.

Award Selection Criteria and Odds of Winning

Judging someone else’s writing is not an exact science, but here are the general criteria we’ll use to judge blog post entries:

• Uniqueness of topic or content: It helps to give your blog a unique perspective.
• Web search-friendly title: Utilize common internet search terms.
• Excellent writing: Proper use of grammar, syntax, few spelling errors, limited typos.
• Originality: Not copied or paraphrased from anywhere else online.
• Attractive formatting: Avoid excessive links, bolding, italics, etc.

One winner will be chosen from the pool of all eligible entries (minimum of 20 entries for prize to be awarded). Chances of winning depend on number of eligible entries. Only one winner will be chosen.

Winner Notification & Prize Acceptance

Award determination will occur between the 1st-5th, and the winner will be notified via email on or beforethe 10th  of the next month. (PDT).

The prize winner must acknowledge the award, via email, within 3 business days of award notification, after which time any claim to the award is forfeited.

In the event that a first prize winner cannot be contacted, CreditQ Social may contact an alternate prize winner, but is not obligated to do so.

Award Delivery

Once award notification is confirmed (via an acknowledgement email from the award winner), the winner will be announced within 2 business days, and the prize delivered within 3 business days.

Participation

By participating in this contest all entrants agree to these Official Rules as well as our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, and agree to accept and be bound by the decisions of CreditQ.com and CreditQ.com/Social, which shall be final and binding.

Contest Disqualification

CreditQ.com and CreditQ.com/Social, in its sole discretion, reserve the right to disqualify and void any/all entries from any person:

• Who violates the web site Terms of Use
• Who violates the Official Contest Rules
• Who tampers with the contest entry process

Any attempt to damage the website or undermine legitimate operation of the website (or contest) is in direct violation of criminal and civil laws. CreditQ.com and CreditQ.com/Social reserve the right to seek damages and/or other relief from anyone who attempts such conduct.

If, for any reason, the contest is not capable of running as planned, or the minimum number of qualified entries are not produced, CreditQ.com and CreditQ.com/Social reserve the right, at its sole discretion, to alter this contest, including:

• Cancelling the contest
• Early termination of the contest
• Modifying the contest
• Suspending the contest

In the event the contest is cancelled or terminated early, CreditQ.com and CreditQ.com/Social reserve the right to select the prize winner from among all eligible entries received prior to the cancellation or early termination date. CreditQ.com and CreditQ.com/Social shall in no way be responsible or liable for more than the number of prizes stated herein.

All federal, state and local taxes associated with the acceptance of the prize, are solely the responsibility of the winner.

No substitution or transfer of prizes permitted. This contest will be governed by the laws of the State of California. Any and all legal actions or claims arising in connection with this giveaway must be brought in the State or Federal Courts in San Francisco, California.

By participating in the giveaway, each participant agrees to release liability and hold CreditQ.com, CreditQ.com/Social, and its employees, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, representatives, parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion, fulfillment agencies, etc., harmless from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind in connection with the sweepstakes or resulting from acceptance, possession, or use of any prize.

The winner’s username will be posted on the CreditQ.com/Social website, as well as on this contest page.

(Image: Maria Reyes-McDavis, CC BY 2.0, flickr.com)

April 2012 Contest Winner: No prize awarded. Could not reach prize winner(s) by email.

May 2012 Contest Winner: No prize awarded, minimum number of entries not met. Please encourage others to enter this contest.

June 2012 Contest Winner: No prize awarded, minimum number of entries not met. Please encourage others to enter this contest.

July 2012 Contest Winner: No prize awarded, minimum number of entries not met. Please encourage others to enter this contest.

August 2012 Contest Winner: No prize awarded, minimum number of entries not met. Please encourage others to enter this contest.

September 2012 Contest Winner: No prize awarded, minimum number of entries not met. Please encourage others to enter this contest.