Monthly Archives: November 2014

Ask this question before it’s too late!

Leave a comment

One of the broadcaster associations which moved from another platform to BetterBNC two years ago told me that one of the biggest issues with the other platform was one that they hadn’t thought to ask about from the beginning.

The platform required that audio and video file entries be uploaded and this was done using a single server with limited capacity.  The result was that it often took stations hours to upload files and when multiple contests were running, things were much worse.  Sometimes contests simply couldn’t get on the server to upload their entries.

rackspaceServers and processors are of critical importance to your online contest.  BetterBNC recently completed an extensive hardware update which included an upgrade to state of the art NextGen servers, processors and storage with industry-leading cloud computing provider RackSpace. The high performance servers and processor capabilities are scalable to meet demand and ensure reliable performance for contestants, judges and contest administrators.

Additionally, we’re repeatedly told by contest administrators and judges that BetterBNC’s use of links for contest entries,  rather than file uploads required by other platforms, is saving significant time and effort.

Like tech and customer support, server capacity may not be something you see up front, but it makes all the difference in the world when it comes to your contest experience.

Exclusive New BetterBNC Feature

Leave a comment

It’s Now EASY to Customize Your Own Contest Homepage

Media and PR contests using BetterBNC can now easily customize their contest landing page to reflect the organization’s branding — including logos, photos, text and graphics. Customizing your contest homepage is quick and easy. Simply click a box on your Admin dashboard then begin designing your own contest homepage.

Several of our contests are already using the new feature including the North Dakota Newspaper Association – click here to see their customized landing page.

CBAwebpage400One of the first organizations to create a branded homepage was the Colorado Broadcasters Association. Its president and CEO Justin Sasso said the new page gave their contest a unique feel and simplified the entry process.

“The customizable homepage allowed us to match our association’s color scheme and edit content so contestants could easily find answers to some of their most common questions,” Sasso told us. “I like that the BetterBNC no longer feels like a third party platform. The ability to link from our website directly to a landing page that can be customized to look and feel like an extension of the Colorado Broadcasters Association’s website, synchronizes the entire process and provides an end-user experience that all contestants should find easier to navigate.”

With pre-made templates, you can select the color scheme, fonts, sizes, logos and photos — even select your own URL address within the system. With the blank template, you can put your design and HTML experience to work using the built-in webpage creator software. There is no additional cost to use this optional feature. You can enable the feature at any time and your contest participants can always access your contest through www.betterbnc.com.

Opening Your Awards Program to Non-Members

Leave a comment

As media businesses struggle to address shrinking budgets, many are increasingly turning to freelance talent.  They produce great material but often are restricted from participating in local and regional awards programs because they’re not full time employees of a media organization or members of the organization sanctioning the contest.

BetterBNC allows contest administrators to open their contests to non-members and freelancers by using the platform’s Open Call™ feature.  Open Call is being used by dozens of contests today to welcome entries from anyone meeting their contest criteria.

It’s great for writers and other creatives who aren’t affiliated with a particular organization and, for many contests, it’s simply an easier way to operate.

SanDiegoPressClubTerry Williams from the San Diego Press Club and the San Diego SPJ Chapter says Open Call gives her much needed flexibility.  “I use open call because I have only a few administrators who enter for their writers,”  she explains.  “To keep it simple, I have everyone use the open call option and those few admins use it too, changing the entrant as appropriate.   Also, I don’t have to set up the publications – it gets done automatically as people enter.”

To participate, the entrant simply creates an Open Call account through www.betterbnc.com and then they’re able to see all Open Call contests which are available and determine which they’re qualified to enter.  The individual can also use the platform’s Scrapbook feature to save material they may want to use as an entry in the future.   Click here for the details on the easy four step process:

  1. Create our Open Call Contestant Account
  2. Select Contests to Enter
  3. Make Your Entry
  4. Manage Your Entry

Open Call contestants then have the option of saving material in a BetterBNC-housed Scrapbook for future contests and also managing your own contest profile page.

If you are a contest administrator interested in using Open Call for your awards program, contact Paul Jeffko in our BetterBNC office today at 360.427.6300 or email paulj@smalltownpapers.com.