Contest Help
- How do I know my entry was successfully submitted in a contest?
Go to the contest's landing page. This section will list all submitted contestants and their statuses. If your entry isn't listed here, then it wasn't submitted to the contest. If it is listed here, then it was submitted. Be sure to check the status itself, as your entry may not have been approved (in which case, you may need to take additional steps).
- How do contests work?
Each contest consists of one or more submission and voting periods. During the submission period, users may submit entries. During the voting period, the entries are voted on. Shortly after the conclusion of the voting periods, the finalists or winners will be announced.
- How do you determine the winners?
After the conclusion of the voting period, we examine the voting record for any votes that appear fraudulent. If we find any, all votes by that particular user are discarded. This tends to cause the rankings of entries to shift a little bit (some may go up and some may go down). The new rankings are then used to determine the winners.
- I want to vote for a particular user. How do I do this?
During the voting period, go to the contestant’s main page follow the voting instructions on that page and vote. You need to be a registered user for you to be able to vote. If you are already registered just log in using your username and password.
- I don't like the prize. Can I choose something else?
No. All prizes are decided on by either Face of Zimbabwe Trust or the sponsors.
- What is a prize pool?
All the prizes for the competition are announced by the Face of Zimbabwe Trust before the competition and published on the website. These prizes are however subject to change without notice to the contestants.
- I noticed that some contests have experts listed. Who are they?
Occasionally, we may involve experts in contests. These individuals may choose to provide valuable feedback on entries. Also, depending on the contest, they may or may not have a special role in determining the winner.
- I'd like to sponsor a contest. Who do I contact?
Just send us a message and we'll gladly assist you.
- How do I enter a contest?
First, you must have an account on Face of Zimbabwe. If you don’t, you’ll need to sign-up for one. Second, you need to complete the registration form on the website.
After all of these requirements have been met, click the "Submit Entry" button.
Your submission will then be reviewed by our staff. This process typically takes between 24 and 48 hours. If your entry was disqualified, or if additional steps need to be taken to finalize your entry, this information will appear on the contest page under the "Entry Status" heading. Once your entry has a status of "Approved”, this means you have been successfully entered into the contest.
After all of these requirements have been met, click the "Submit Entry" button.
Your submission will then be reviewed by our staff. This process typically takes between 24 and 48 hours. If your entry was disqualified, or if additional steps need to be taken to finalize your entry, this information will appear on the contest page under the "Entry Status" heading. Once your entry has a status of "Approved”, this means you have been successfully entered into the contest.
- How much does it cost to enter a contest? Is there an entry fee?
The competition if free to enter. There is no entry fee.
- How big does my image need to be? How long does my audio/video need to be?
Different contests have different file type restrictions. Sometimes an image might need to have certain dimensions, or a text file might need to have a certain word count, or an audio/video file might need a certain duration. Please check the rules specific to the contest you're looking to enter. If the contest makes no mention of file type restrictions, there probably are none.
- The system isn't letting me enter!
First, make sure you are logged-in. Second, check the submission guidelines, as some rounds are only open to certain users (such as finalists of previous rounds). If you're still having trouble, contact us.
- I'm going to be without Internet access during the submission period. Is there any way for me to enter the contest early?
Although we don't allow early submissions, we might be willing to make special arrangements for you if you contact us ahead of time.
- I missed the submission period. Can I still enter the contest?
If the voting period is almost over, then no. But if the submission period only recently ended, maybe. It depends on your unique circumstances. Contact us and we’ll let you know.
- Help! I'm having trouble voting.
First, make sure that voting is open for the contest you're looking to vote in. You will only be able to vote during the designated voting periods. Second, make sure that you're logged-in. Although it's not a requirement for all contests, sometimes you may be required to sign-in first. Third, if you're looking to vote for a particular user, make sure that he or she has an entry for which you can vote. If you're still having trouble, contact us and we'll help you out.
- Where can I find the submission and voting period dates for a contest?
Go to the Calendar page listed on the homepage. Important dates should be listed in the calendar and can be viewed by clicking on the highlighted dates.
- How can I get my friends to vote for me?
Every user has an individual contest page that can be shared for this very purpose. This page contains all your personal information and how your friends can vote for you.
- What's the Elo rating system?
When voting between two entries, points are often calculated using the Elo rating system. This system adds or subtracts points based on both overall performance and the performance of the competing entry. Using this method not only makes it more difficult for cheaters to win, but it also gives those who are losing a chance to catch up. For more information, please see the Wikipedia entry.
- How can I find out how an entry is performing?
On the contest page, you should be able to view a list of entries. Sometimes, this list will show ranking information. This information should give you a pretty good idea of how the entry is performing. In some cases however, this information is not disclosed, and you'll have to wait until the contest is over to find out.
- How are the rankings determined?
Rankings are determined using a points system. When a person votes for an entry, a formula is used to determine how many points to allocate. The entry with the most points has the best rank.
- How do I view the points for an entry?
Most of the time, you won't be able to. By keeping the points hidden, we're able to retain a more positive atmosphere for a contest. If we were to show the points, poorly performing contestants would give up, allegations of cheating would be more prominent, and the feedback for other users would be much less friendly. In those rare instances where we make the points public, you'll be able to view them alongside each entry.
- Can I vote for the same entry more than once?
You can, but doing so will erase your previous vote. We have this restriction so that users can't vote an unlimited number of times for the same entry. If we allowed that, the users who have the most time on their hands would always win. And that wouldn't be fair to everyone else.
- I don't have as many friends to vote for me as other users do. How is this fair?
Although some users might get a few extra votes from friends, these types of votes only slightly affect an entry's standing. This is because we have a very sophisticated algorithm we use in allocating points for each vote cast. Also, most votes come from users who are voting anonymously. So even if you don't have a lot of friends, your entry could still win.
- How do I know people are voting for me?
If the entries are ranked, and if your entry's rank is changing, then people are voting for you. However, there is no way to tell who is voting for you because we keep the individual votes private.
