Million More in May Madness 2014
Happy May 1st, BillionGravers!
We’ve made it to our most exciting month of the year. It’s warm outside, the trees are green, the flowers have bloomed, and it’s time for our favorite event of the year – The 3rd Annual Million More in May Competition! We have an AMAZING prize this year! Keep reading to find out what we are giving away to all BG users who participate!
What is it?
The Million More in May Competition is a friendly event geared towards adding 1 Million (yes, that’s a 1 with six zeros behind it!) unique images to the BillionGraves database. In April alone, BillionGravers added over 414,000 unique images — without even trying! Just think if everyone doubled their efforts in the month of May. We could easily reach our 1 million record goal, and make a lot of people looking for those records eternally grateful for the hard work.
If you have one, pull out your calculator watches and lets look at how EASY reaching 1 million records really is!
- We have 88,768 BillionGraves Users
- Our goal is to reach 1,000,000 records
If only 1% of our users (887 users) go out and take only 1120 photos, we will easily hit the 1 million photos mark!
If every one of our 88,768 users go out and take only 11 images, we will hit the 1 million photos mark!
It is VERY easy to hit our 1 million record goal, but we NEED YOUR HELP TO DO IT!!
May Win the Pin Contest
Every user that makes it onto the leaderboard this month will get the BillionGraves May Pin! Watch theleaderboard throughout the month to make sure you are a part of the lucky 50 photographers and transcribers who get this collectors pin!
Now, for those of you that really want to help and earn something while you are at it, we are stepping it up this month on an additional prize!
(Let’s face it, everyone likes more FREE stuff!)
As always, the greatest reward for your efforts comes from knowing that you are preserving invaluable genealogical records as well as making them readily available for family members to locate. It’s not worth getting 1 million records if they aren’t done correctly!! PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE follow all the guidelines for taking the “PERFECT” picture! Need a refresher? Read this great article about the 7 ways to become the photographer that every genealogists loves!
However, we’ve got a little something that might help get you outside and into the cemeteries with your smartphones (Download the iOS App HERE, Download the Android App HERE) –
If you upload 50,000 unique images, or transcribe 75,000 records, we will give you a brand new, 16GB (4G-LTE capable) Apple iPad Mini! How’s that for an incentive?
That’s right, this isn’t a drawing for one iPad mini! EVERY user that uploads over 50,000 unique photos or transcribes 75,000 records will get their very own iPad mini, straight from Apple and unlocked to be compatible with any cell carrier.
A SPECIAL NOTE FROM BILLIONGRAVES:
Taking 50,000 photos and transcribing 75,000 records is no small feat! Only a small handful of people have ever achieved it, and they did it for free! This time, we want to show our users, who really go the extra mile, our gratitude! We know not everyone will be able to reach 50,000. It wouldn’t such an accomplishment if it were easy!
We want to give an iPad away to everyone!! Unfortunately, BillionGraves is a FREEsite and we want to keep it that way! Remember, our goal is to document the world’s cemeteries and make it available to anyone and everyone for FREE!
We like to spice things up and give back as we can and will continue to do prizes and giveaways as we can! So for anyone who wants to step up and be apart of a very small elite group of volunteers, this month’s prize is just for you!
[info_box]Editorial Note: The average number of photos/hour is based on stats generated from the entire BillionGraves user-base and does not reflect the minimum or maximum number of photos that can be taken in one hour.
Several variables that will impact the number of records that can be collected in any given amount of time:
- Physical ability
- Battery life
- Type of headstones
- Type of cemetery
For instance, photographing flat headstones is much easier and quicker than upright or other monuments. Military cemeteries are ideal as they are usually quite large, similar shaped headstones, and perfectly aligned. So make the most out of May and find cemeteries that will help you reach your goals! [/info_box]
Other Helpful Tips
• Register! It’s 100% free and 100% necessary if you’re going to participate in this competition.
• Like us on Facebook! It’s simple to do and keeps you constantly up to date will all the new amazing things we are doing at BG!
• Make sure that you have the latest BillionGraves app. Check the iTunes App Store or Google Play for any updates for your device.
• Make it a habit. Go to the cemetery regularly—incorporate a local cemetery into your daily walk or bike ride, and snap some pictures along the way.
• A word of advice: don’t wait for Memorial Day. The decorations at the cemetery for that holiday actually make it MORE difficult to collect images—people have to transcribe the content, and flower arrangements and other decorations can easily obscure that important content.
• Contest begins May 1, 2014 and ends May 31, 2014 @ 12:00 am GMT (That’s 6 pm MST)
[info_box] A great way to reach your goal is to grab your friends and head out to the cemetery as a group!
If everyone in the group logs their different devices into one account, your efforts will be combined, making it easier to hit your goal! Once you hit the 50,000 photo goal or 75,000 transcription goal, switch it up and combine efforts under another person in the group and earn multiple devices!
Note: Only one prize will be given per username, and will be shipped to the username the efforts are performed under. [/info_box]
The Fine Print. (Cause we have to have fine print, right?)
- All photos and transcriptions must be submitted before the closing date of May 31, 2014 @ 12:00 am GMT (That’s 6 pm MST). Any submissions after that point will be excluded from the final results.
- This promotion is intended for photographers and transcribers. Let’s go outside!
- Supporting records will NOT be counted towards the monthly totals. Only images that originate from the genuine BillionGraves apps will be accepted.
- If you or another user marks a headstone picture as “bad” we deduct it from the uploader’s total images.
- For transcribers, we will be looking extra hard at the quality of transcriptions as well. We will erase the record and have it re-transcribed if it’s not done correctly. Any record not transcribed correctly will be deducted from your total.
- In the off chance that we don’t have enough images to transcribe, GO TAKE PICTURES! We will allow both photos taken and transcriptions completed to count ONLY if there are not enough pictures to transcribe.
- Make sure you have permission and are welcome to take pictures in your local cemetery before doing so. Remember, private cemeteries require permission of the owner before taking any pictures. No one likes a trespasser! Not cool!
- This promotion is open to all to participate for free. Registration is required. (Register HERE. Come on.You know you want to. It’s free!)
- More than one individual may contribute to a single account, however, the limit is one prize redemption per BillionGraves account. The prize will be claimed by only the username the combined work was completed under. BillionGraves will not arbitrate any disputes. ALL RECORDS MUST BE UNDER ONE ACCOUNT. BILLIONGRAVES WILL NOT COMBINE ACCOUNTS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.
- Items will ship in 6-8 weeks after contest closes for winners in the U.S. Please allow 8-12 for winners outside the U.S. However, our shipment robots are getting faster!
- Due to current world-unrest, some areas may increase the amount of time it takes for prizes to be delivered. If for some reason your country isn’t compatible with iPad Mini, we will work with you to provide you with a prize that is equal in value.
- Recipients will be required to provide a mailing address for physical items.
- Winner will be required to provide completed tax forms for redemption of the prize
- REQUIRED: ALL PRIZES MUST BE CLAIMED WITH PROPER MAILING/DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS BY THE 15TH OF JUNE OR YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE THE PRIZE! WE WILL SEND OUT CONFIRMATION EMAILS BY THE 3RD OF JUNE. IF YOU DON’T RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION EMAIL ASKING FOR YOUR ADDRESS, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SENDING IT TO US BY THE 15TH AT SUPPORT@BILLIONGRAVES.COM.
We’re super excited for this amazing competition! Now, get outside and earn yourself a free iPad Mini! Good luck!
-The BillionGraves Team
