Fantastic photo contest ideas for the whole year

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Photo contests are incredible for engagement. Not only do they drive pageviews and ad impressions for your site, but they can also increase your email database with opt-ins and get shared like wildfire across social media. Plus, with the right sponsors, these can be big revenue drivers for you and provide opportunities for extended brand awareness for an advertiser over the life of the contest.

The average mobile phone user takes over 150 photos a month. Whether it's pictures of their kids and their pets to a great snapshot of a thunderstorm or favorite team, people love to share their photos. And, when you tack on an amazing prize, people will campaign to make sure they win.

Take a look at these great ideas for every month of the year:

January

  • New Year, New You
  • New Year's Baby
  • Winter Weather

 February

  • Cutest Couple
  • Biggest Auto Racing Fan
  • Football Big Game Fan Spirit

March

  • Basketball Fan Spirit Contest
  • Show Your Irish Green
  • Save My Yard Makeover Photo Contest

April

  • Biggest Baseball Fan
  • April Showers Storm Photos
  • Show Your Hockey Playoff Spirit

May

  • Best Mother's Day Photos
  • Congrats, Grads
  • Cutest Kids

June

  • Favorite Father's Day Photos
  • Man Cave Makeover
  • Celebrate the Great Outdoors

July

  • Show Your American Pride
  • Summertime Fun
  • Calendar Contest

August

  • Back to School Photos
  • Friday Night Lights

September

  • Ultimate Tailgate Team
  • Athlete of the Week
  • Cutest Little Football Fan

October

  • Cutest Trick or Treater
  • Pet Costume Contest
  • Fall Colors Photo Contest

To draw in even more entries to their Fall in the Heartland photo contest, KFVS-TV created an on-air spot highlighting the contest and prominently displaying how people could enter. Watch their :15 second on-air promo here.

November

  • Salute to Veterans
  • No Shave November: Best Beard
  • Family Holiday Photos

December

  • Scared of Santa Photos
  • Santa Baby
  • Ugly Christmas Sweater

No matter what month it is, there's a photo contest that's perfect for your audience. Make sure you're making the most of this big opportunity for driving engagement (and increasing revenue!) all year long.

Matt Coen is the president and co-founder of Second Street, a leading provider of private-label online promotions platforms and partner success services for media companies based in St. Louis, Mo. He can be reached at (314) 880-4902 or matt@secondstreet.com.

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