Announcing a new contractors blogging contest! It’s free to enter and easy to win. Contest starts Wednesday September 16^th, 2009 at 6am PST and ends on October 14^th, 2009 at 2pm PST.

Contest Prizes:

1 x Grand Prize - $250.00 HOME DEPOT GIFT CARD

1 x Second Place Prize - $100.00 DICKS SPORTING GOODS GIFT CARD

1 x Third Place Prize - $50.00 CONSTRUCTIONDEAL.COM CREDIT

20 x Runner Up Prizes - 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO BUILDERnews MAGAZINE

---TO CHECK OUT OUR WINNERS CLICK HERE!---

What is blogging? Blogs (short for weblogs) are online entries on a website by an individual with regular updates. Basically, it’s a diary where you can easily talk about your expertise. You can share projects you’re working on, tips and techniques, ideas for renovation projects, and even before-and-after photos of things you’re working on.  People can leave comments to ask questions or provide more information.

Why is it important? The folks at ConstructionDeal.com thought it was important to give contractors and service pros an outlet online. A way for them to communicate and interact with their potential clients. It’s a great way to increase your exposure online. And it’s free!

Contest Details:

We’re giving away prizes to contractors who participate in our Contractors Blog Contest. It’s free and easy to win some of the great prizes. You can create your own blog, write posts, answer questions that come up, and you don’t have to be very technical to do it. If you already have an account with ConstructionDeal.com, login and click on the My Blogs link on the left menu.

If you don’t have an account and want to participate in the contest, you can register now it’s free. Click here to register.

How to Enter Contest:

We are looking for the best blog post on ConstructionDeal.com contractor’s blog. We want the best, original, creative, quality post that offers insight into the world of home improvement, home repair, or anything construction related. Give quality advice to readers and shows you’re an expert in your field. You can create as many blog posts as you want and each one will be judged in the contest.

We will be judging blog posts based on the following criteria:

1. Originality – Is your post original? Well thought out?
2. Creativity – Is your post creative? Are you thinking outside the box?
3. Use of Images & Video – Did you use images or video in your post?
4. Quality of Information – Is the information shared helpful, credible and is something interesting for the readers?
5. Expertise & Knowledge – Do you prove your knowledge with supporting facts and portray your expertise?

Contest Prizes:

1 x Grand Prize - $250.00 HOME DEPOT GIFT CARD
1 x Second Place Prize - $100.00 DICKS SPORTING GOODS GIFT CARD
1 x Third Place Prize - $50.00 CONSTRUCTIONDEAL.COM CREDIT
20 x Runner Up Prizes - 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO BUILDERnews MAGAZINE

What are Blogs?

Blogging or weblogging are regular updates to an essential online. It’s a place to tell your story, establish yourself and increase your online exposure – for free!

How Popular are Blogs?

Blogging grew 68% in 2008 with 54% of the bloggers posting new content – daily. (Clickz Stats SES Magazine June 8 pg 24-25). Micro-blogging is also huge, best expressed through the social phenomenon of Twitter, which serves 4.1 million US people monthly.  There are about 200 million blogs indexed by Technorati, a search engine for user generated content. 12% of homeowners consider themselves active readers of blogs even if they don’t blog themselves.

Why Blog?

The benefits to blogging are huge. It’s a great way to establish yourself and your business as the industry expert, to maintain and develop one on one customer relationships, and even recruit employees. It’s a great place to provide solutions to project owners and other contractors – not just talk about your product.

Blogging on ConstructionDeal.com will put your blog in front of project owners already actively seeking contractors as well as those doing research – giving you a chance to impress and connect. You can create as many blog posts as you want and each one will be judged in the contest.

Official Contest Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. To enter the contest, you must be a registered (Free, Basic Membership) or a subscribed (Paid, Premium Membership) service professional/contractor with the ConstructionDeal.com website. To be eligible, blog posts must be completed and approved on or by the closing date of the contest October 14^th, 2009 at 2pm PST. Only entries with a completed blog post and a minimum of 250 words (no filler words – complete and thought-out sentences) will be eligible. Photos within the blog post are optional but recommended. All entries and photos shall become the property of Construction Deal, Inc. Construction Deal, Inc. is not responsible for lost, misdirected or delayed blog post entries.

All blogs and blog posts will be original. Content will be examined with software that will scan for duplicate content on the web. Blogs and blog posts will be reviewed for quality writing and educational and/or entertainment value. Posts about a particular business or the services offered are not considered quality material and will be deleted or ignored.

One blog should be created per person/business and all posts should be contained within that blog. Duplicate blogs will be discarded (which may include originals.)

The contest is open to all U.S. citizens. No prize will be mailed to an address outside of the United States. Decisions of the ConstructionDeal.com judges are final. No cash prize will be awarded in lieu of the Gift Card, provided by a sponsor or Construction Deal, Inc.

In accepting the prize, the winner acknowledges that Construction Deal, Inc. may not be held liable for any loss, damages or injury associated with accepting or using this prize. This contest is subject to all federal, state or municipal laws, if applicable.

And Let the "Blog Off" Begin!