Create your first contest
A contest is a prize + a brief + a deadline. If you have all three in your head, you can publish in under ten minutes.
1. Open the creation page
Click Create Contest from your DareBay header. You'll land on a single form — everything fits on one screen; no five-step wizard.
2. Pick a title people will click
Short, concrete, specific. "Film yourself cooking breakfast in one take" beats "best morning content." Your title is the only thing most viewers read before deciding whether to open the full brief.
3. Write the brief
Treat the description like a contract. What exactly has to be in the submission? What's disqualifying? Is English required? Is original work required? Be explicit — ambiguity hurts you more than it hurts participants.
4. Choose the category and subcategory
This is how people find your contest. Pick the narrowest category that still fits. Narrower = more relevant eyeballs.
5. Pick the work format
One of three:
- Text — written submissions, up to the character limit you set.
- Image — single image or small gallery.
- Video — short video, uploaded to DareBay storage.
You can require only one format per contest.
6. Pick how winners are chosen
One of three selection types:
- RANDOM — among the top-liked works when the contest closes, the system picks at random. Good for low-friction giveaways.
- CREATOR_DECISION — you pick the winner yourself after the deadline. Good when quality is subjective and you trust your own taste.
- VIEWER_VOTING — the community votes; top vote-getters win. Good when you want the contest to feel communal.
You commit to one type at creation — it can't be changed after publish.
7. Set the prize(s)
Prizes can be MONEY (USD, EUR, PLN, UAH, or supported crypto) or an ITEM (described in text — "a signed vinyl", "a pair of concert tickets"). You can have multiple prize tiers (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and even multiple winners per tier.
Money prizes are locked in your wallet at publish time. You won't be able to un-lock them during the contest.
8. Set the schedule
- Start — when submissions open. "Right now" is fine.
- Submission deadline — when new works are no longer accepted.
- Selection deadline (CREATOR_DECISION only) — by when you commit to naming winners.
9. Review the commission
DareBay charges a small commission on prize funds — you see the exact amount (in your currency) before you confirm. See fees for the full table.
10. Publish
One click. Your contest moves from UPCOMING to ACTIVE; the prize locks; participants can start submitting.
→ Next: Submit a work (so you know what the other side looks like), or How winners are chosen for the fine print on selection types.