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There are many that think you need to break the bank in order to create an effective Website that will win awards. Well, this is just not true.
Using data from the participants of the 2007 WebAward competition, the Web Marketing Association has determined that more than half (51%) of websites which won a WebAward were reportedly created on a budget of less than $50,000. Only 5% of the sites which won a WebAward last year had a budget of more than $1 million.
The Web Marketing Association is accepting entries into the 2008 WebAward competition until May 31st, so both small sites and big budget sites will be well represented. While you need to be a huge brand to win some Website award programs, that is not true for the WebAwards.
Using data from the participants of the 2007 WebAward competition, the Web Marketing Association has determined that 51% of websites which won a WebAward were designed by an in-house team while the other half were developed with the input of an agency or agencies. In fact, 23% of the winning entries reported that they were developed solely by an agency, 4% were a team effort of multiple agencies and 22% a combination of an in-house team with the expertise of an agency.
The Web Marketing Association is accepting entries into the 2008 WebAward competition until May 31st, so both in-house development departments and agencies have an opportunity to get their best work entered.
Using data from the participants of the 2007 WebAward competition, the Web Marketing Association has determined that 58% of websites which won a WebAward were designed on a Windows-based PC compared to 42% of award-winning sites which used a Macintosh-based computer.
When you look at which computer was used in the programming of the award-winning Websites, PC were used in 81% of the winning entries verses only 19% that used Macs.
The Web Marketing Association is accepting entries into the 2008 WebAward competition until May 31st, so we will soon see if this trend of Microsoft supremacy in Web design will hold true for another year.
With less than one month to go until the deadline for entering the 12th annual international WebAward competition, we hope to provide a series of hints on how to increase your changes of winning this prestigious Website award. Be sure to check our WMA blog regularly or subscribe to its RSS feed for greater insight into putting your best foot forward and winning a WebAward.
5 Tips to Impress the WebAward Judges
1) Provide a Direct URL to the entry – One mistake agencies that submit multiple entries make is to create a page that shows all of the entries and uses the same URL for all of the entries. It is much better to provide a direct URL for each entry, the judges do not need a landing page to be impressed with your entry, they just want to review the site and multiple sites on the same page increases the chances that they might review the wrong site.
2) Make sure the URL works – The last thing you want is to find out that your entry was not judged because the URL was invalid or the changed before the site was reviewed. If the judges can’t see the site, they can’t score it and it will be disqualified. One thing that causes a URL to fail is nominators that include instructions in the URL like “www.webaward.org - click on the big button”. Instructions belong in the instructions field, not the URL.
3) Be brief and to the point - The Audience and mission statement helps the judges understand the goals of the site before the review. Their advice is to keep the narrative short and sweet. Who is the site’s audience? What are you trying to accomplish with the site – direct sales, branding, information, etc? What are some of the features that might not be apparent? These are what the judges are looking for.
4) List the requirements necessary to view the site – Some sites using the latest technologies require specific versions of products (Shockwave 11.0 or Adobe Flash version 9.0 for example) or the download of plug ins or executable programs to review an entry. They will be more willing to comply if they know what is expected when they review the entry form. Also, let the judges know if your site only works on Internet Explorer because they may be using other browsers.
5) Make sure the password works - If the site is password protected, please make sure the user name and password are active until August 15th. This point mirrors Tip #2 - . If the judges can’t see the site, they can’t score it and it will be disqualified. Passwords that change during the competition can be updated by email
The Web Marketing Association's 2008 WebAward competition Call for Entries deadline is less than one month away. Now is the time to enter! All entries received after the deadline of May 31, 2008 are subject to a late fee.
The WebAwards are the premier internet award competition that judges website development against an ever increasing Internet standard of excellence and against peer sites within an industry.
A Best of Industry WebAward, a handsome plaque with the image of the winning site embossed, will be given in each of the 96 industry categories, including financial services, blog, medical, small business, travel, advertising, transportation, and government.
It's easy to enter and you can't win if your not entered, so go to the WebAward Website and create a nominator account and submit your entry today.
With only one month to go until the entrty deadline, we though we would give you our 10 reasons you should enter the Web Marketing Association's 12th annual WebAward Competition for Website development.
10) If you wait until after the May 31st deadline, you'll have to pay a late fee.
9) Your mom would be proud of you.
8) You will receive important benchmark data for your entire industry and where your site ranks in each of the seven judging criteria.
7) Think of the PR opportunities - industry publications, blogs, websites, by-lined articles, podcasts, press releases, interviews - the sky is the limit.
6) A best of industry plaque containing your award winning site will look great in your office.
5) The WebAward logo on your site is like receiving the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval" for Web development.
4) Your clients and customers will be impressed at your industry recognition and so will your potential clients.
3) A link to webaward.org will help your site's search engine rankings because you will be linked to an 12-year old .org authoritative site with a high Google PageRank.
2) A Best of Industry award means you're the best and you can prove it!
1) If you don't win, we won't tell anyone - and you still get the feedback.
Recognition and feedback, that is what you will receive when you enter the 2008 WebAward Competition for Website development. Winning accolades in the 2008 WebAwards - the Internet's premier award recognition program, is a great way to stand out from others in your industry. You will also receive valuable feedback from our judges and benchmarks for your industry. But you won't get anything if you don't enter!
The 12th Annual WebAward competition deadline for entry is May 31st, only a month away, and you can submit your site for review at www.webaward.org. Avoid a late fee by completing your Web site entries before the deadline.
Enter the 2008 WebAwards today and receive the recognition you deserve!
When the Web Marketing Association begin the WebAwards back in 1997, there were plenty of advertising award programs, and some even included a category for online media, but none were devoted to recognizing and improving overall Web development. We changed that!
We think we the WebAwards is the Best Website award competition for many reasons:
We have a transparent process. We tell you what the seven criteria for a successful Website are and let the judges determine how to apply them each year.
Our judges are Internet Experts from around the world that volunteer their time because they are leaders in their industry and understand the value of the WebAwards to Internet community.
All of our sites get sent to the judges – not just a handful of “finalists”. In fact, each site is reviewed by 3-6 judges and the final score is an average of the top two scores.
The awards are industry specific with 96 categories that you can enter. You are judged against your peers, not each industry has a different standard of excellence – just like in real life.
The year we are introducing a new award image plaque with a modern look that will look great on your office wall or in your company’s trophy case.
Winning a WebAward is also a great marketing opportunity. Winners can use press releases to drive traffic to your site and will receive links from our site to help with SEO efforts.
Everyone who participates gets feedback. Some will get specific comments from the judges reviewing your site, but everyone will receive their scores on each of the seven criteria and benchmark those scores against your industry averages.
Everyone who participates will also receive a copy of the 2009 Internet Standards Assessment Report which provides more than a decade of benchmarking data for your industry.
It is simple to enter and last years sites can be reentered with a single click from your nominator account.
If you have not entered theWebAwards yet, now is the time to give it a try. It’s effortless to enter. Simply go to the WebAward Website, create a nominator account and enter information about your site. The Web Marketing Association will send their independent expert judges to visit the site using seven criteria for an effective Website. If your Website has the highest score in your industry, you will receive a Best of Industry WebAward and a beautiful plaque for your trophy case. Other sites will be recognized with an Outstanding WebAward or a Standard of Excellence WebAward. All entries will receive their scores in each of the criteria benchmarked against their industry and overall Web development.
But you can't win if you don't enter, so don't delay, enter the 2008 WebAwards today.
The deadline for entry is May 31, 2008. A complete list of past winners and this year’s entry form can be found at www.WebAward.org.
I have ambition. I have drive. My entire life – from when I was a wee pop-up trying to gain everyone’s attention to the grown-up full-fledged, content rich homepage that I am – I have always wanted to be the best. Get the best visitors. Shout out the best content. Have the newest, most innovative design around. My goal has always been to be the best.
So I wake up extra early in the morning – earlier than some of those other sites, whom we wont mention – spiff myself up quite a bit, and head into work. I put on my best content, shine up my title tag and even do a little dance for Google every once in a while to let her know I’m still around.
But maybe Google is upset with me lately. I mean, I did sort of break her heart a couple months ago, but that is a really long story and I’d rather not get into it at the moment. Or maybe somehow my site isn’t being promoted enough. Because lately there haven’t been any good visitors!
And that really aggravates me to my metadata. Come on you guys! I am a great site! And you don’t even seem to care. Well, if I can’t get your attention in a good way, here is a warning on how I am going to get your attention MY way!
1. You know that horrible feeling when your alarm goes off in the morning, and you just want to go back to bed, and you will do anything to make sure that happens? You hit the snooze button for five more minutes of bliss? Yeah, that is how I have felt every day lately. Not wanting to do any work, not caring if I get up out of my server in the morning. You know what I’m going to do to get some attention? CRASH! Haha, that’s what you get for ignoring me.
2. When I’m feeling particularly vengeful and angry that no one is recognizing me, I like to play a little game like not giving visitors the content they need to help them find the product/service that is right for them. This game is called “move around content so no one knows where to find anything!” It’s so fun! Take the company mission statement and move it onto the “Contact Us” page. Take the contact information and hide it under the “Locations” page. And maybe just get rid of the “Customer Testimonials” altogether. I mean, why show that people have said positive things about you in the past when now, in the present I’m being completely ignored?
3. I also like to incorporate some poor grammar into my content. So I’ll go through the work a diligent copywriter spent hours optimizing and I get rid of the keywords altogether and just insert the word “stuff” or “things”. That is always a good time. Then no one knows what you are offering, and my ex-friend Google won’t be poking around my site so much, trying to see what I’m offering.
4. These days, I don’t like having to run too many applications. And I definitely don’t like having visitors stay around and bother me all afternoon. You know those fun interactive bits that are on some websites? Yeah, not on mine anymore! No more visitor polls, no more exciting flash videos, no more “leave your comment here” forms. And while I’m at it, why not get rid of the color and formatting as well? This way, I use less of my very valuable energy to be “flashy” and “exciting” for visitors, and they take one look at my site, see its boring black-and-white format, and leave. I love it!
5. And remember when I said I haven’t been getting any “good” visitors? Well, that is correct. I mean, I have had some visitors, but they are of the rival gang. The kids-from-the-other-side-of-the-tracks. The Spammers! So what’s a guy to do? He’s starved of attention and boom, here comes someone so fantastic, so tempting, so nice-looking. And I just let him right in. But hey, negative attention is still attention right? And I might be a little insecure at times, so I just let Mr. Spam hang around. At least it’s company.
This is the life for me these days. My ambition and drive have gone out the window. Do you really want your site to get as annoyed as me? I don’t think so. That would be bad for your business and your reputation as a website developer.
If you want to boost your site’s recognition and keep it happy, enter it in the WebAward competition by May 31st, 2008. Being judged by internet gods is just the thing that will perk up your site and make sure he knows he is appreciated. And trust me, attention from a WebAwards judge is the greatest honor for a website. Your site might just be working up to his full potential soon to make sure he wins!
Our WebAward judges have a lot of experience reviewing Websites. Not only are they all experienced Internet professionals that create and maintain Websites themselves, but as a group they have submitted more than 18,000 site evaluations over the past decade as part of the annual WebAward Competition.
With this in mind, the Web Marketing Association asked past WebAward judges to review both www.hillaryclinton.com and www.barackobama.com using the same criteria used in the annual WebAwards program. The sites were judged side by side on seven criteria of a successful Website. More than 100 Judges responded on short notice (111 to be exact) with additional judges just missing the deadline.
The 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination process is being fiercely contested by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Both candidates are using the Internet to help their campaigns woo volunteers and campaign contributions. But who has the better Website?
Here are the results:
Design - Asked “which Website has the most pleasing design?” WebAward judges selected the Obama site 3 to 1 over the Clinton Website.74.8% of them voted for Senator Obama’s Website and 25.2% selected Senator Clinton’s Website as better looking.
Innovation - Website innovation also went in favor of Barack Obama. By the same margin as design, the vast majority of WebAward judges (74.8%) thought the Obama Website seems more innovative, while only 25.2% favored Clinton’s.
Content - In terms of having the most appealing content, judges again selected the Obama Website over Hillary Clinton’s Website, although by a narrower margin than the first two criteria. 65.7% of the WebAward judges felt barackobama.com has more appealing content for visitors compared to 34.3% for hillaryclinton.com. WebAward judges also found that the Obama Website is more effective for telling the candidate's story and attracting contributions and voters to its cause (68.5% Obama vs 31.5% Clinton).
Ease of use – Senator Obama’s Website was seen as easier to use by the WebAward judges than Senator Clinton’s. 57.5% selected barackobama.com as easier to use compared to 42.5% of WebAward judges who felt hillaryclinton.com was easier.
Copywriting– It is obvious that both campaigns have excellent writers on staff. Neither Websites have any of the editing issues some large organizations can experience. However, the WebAward judges gave a slight advantage to the Obama site (60.8% over the Clinton site 39.2%).
Interactivity – Interactivity makes a Website more than just an online billboard and both candidates were effective in giving visitors to their Websites plenty to see and do. Nevertheless, once again the WebAward judges gave the edge regarding interactivity to the Obama Website (64.8%) over the Clinton Website (35.2%).
Technology – Use of technology is evident in both candidates’ Websites, however, the clear favorite for the WebAward judges was barackobama.com winning 73.8% of the votes compared to hillaryclinton.com with only 26.2% of the votes.
Regardless of who you will be voting for in the next presidential election, Websites are going to play an ever increasingly important role in how candidates get their messages across to the American voters. Based on the findings of this survey by some of the top Internet professionals available today, the Web Marketing Association names barackobama.com the winner of the Clinton vs Obama Website Challenge. We wish both candidates the best of luck in their efforts to become the Democratic Presidential candidate in the November election.
To see the actual results of the survey please go to the Clinton Obama Survey Results page on our website or view a short video of the results. We also have posted survey comments from some of our judges in another posting on this blog.
The 12th annual international WebAwards competition sets the standard of excellence in 96 industry categories by evaluating Web sites and defining benchmarks based on the seven essential criteria of successful Web site development. The goal of the Web Marketing Association, sponsor of the WebAwards, is to provide a forum to recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective Web sites on the Internet today. Entrants benefit from a Web site assessment by a professional judging panel and the marketing opportunities presented to an award-winning Web site.
Websites in 96 industries can now be entered in the 2008 WebAwards at the award program Website. The 2008 Call for Entry deadline is May 31, 2008. For more information, visit www.webaward.org.
The Web Marketing Association asked past WebAward judges to review both www.hillaryclinton.com and www.barackobama.com using the same criteria used in the annual WebAwards program. The sites were judged side by side on seven criteria of a successful Website. More than 100 Judges responded on short notice and named Senator Obama's Website as the Best Websites in head to head competition against Senator Clinton's Website.
One of the main benefits of participating in the annual WebAward competition is the feedback participants receive regarding their Websites. Below are some of the comments from the WebAward judges regarding the two sites being evaluated. They are the personal opinions of the specific judge who made them and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Web Marketing Association. Attribution is given where available.
For compete information on the Clinton Obama Website Challange, please visit our Website at www.TheWebAwards.org.
I think both designs and architectures were well planned. But on the user experience side, both the Clinton and Obama sites initially forced a sign up page, requesting my email and contact info on my first visit. When I landed on Hilary’s site, I thought I had received a link in error to some landing page see http://hillaryclinton.com/splash/. Both sites request this ahead being allowed in the main area but it went away on a browser refresh, so while I did not study the code, I assumed it was a basic use of a cookie. Overall, I thought this was a poor treatment of the first time visitor by forcing the desire of the campaign to gather information without having served the user. Both sites did offer a “skip this” choice to proceed to the main site but it took some review time to even find that. I tested this with others on my staff and got the same reaction about the treatment of the 1st time visitor. For the record I also checked and McCain’s site did not currently use the same information gathering tactic which may only relate to where he is in the primary cycle. With so many undecided voters, I thought this was a clear cut example of not putting the user first and designing the experience for them rather than forcing them into a model that worked for the campaigns.
Bo Simmons, President, Cool Blue Interactive
Barack's website has a more calming effect and eases you into the different topics on the site. Hillary's feels more clutters and pushy. As far as web design goes Barack's website has a more current web 2.0 look and feel. Both websites are very impressive and the technology used is equally so.
Jon Harrison, Webavt.com
The navigation of the site appear the same -- even the DONATE NOW/CONTRIBUTE button is the same color and placement. Even the language of video (candidateTV) is the same! In the end, Barack seems to be doing a better job visually. There is much more use of white space, which results in homepage scrolling, but this works better than cramming all the content into the homepage like the Hillary site. Content-wise the websites appear similiar just with a different candidate. Obama does seem to make more use of social media, but one has to wonder if it a case of name-dropping ("hey, I represent on MyBatanga!"). Interestingly, Hillary's "bilingual" page keeps navigation and a lot of the call to actions in English. No bueno.
David Felfoldi, Sherpa! Web Studios
I found the design of Barack Obama's site to be lively, consistent and professional and the messaging to be positive and engaging. Every element was handled with finesse and the flow of information invited exploration. The site definitely conveyed "possibilities." If I lived in bubble and this was the only exposure I had to the candidate and his campaign, I would be very impressed. On the other hand, I found Hillary Clinton's site to be uninspiring in both its design and its tone. The site appeared overly conventional and cluttered, the messaging came across as harsh and needy, and the overall experience felt stale. I think the site might actually do the candidate some disservice because it lacked warmth, vision and personality. If I were to vote for a candidate based solely on the merits of his or her Website, Barack Obama would win by a landslide.
Sherry Bastion, ARCHESITE.
Both sites are almost complete copies of the other. The differences are so minor that I believe they are very evenly matched with Hillary's site being more compact and Obama's site is more iconic. The Hillary site is more pure CSS than Obama's but both function nicely. One cool thing that the Obama site has is ring-tones and more focus on the mobile user. Also his layout of the video channel is nicer although her's loads much faster.
Bruce Baughman, President, Design Monkey Artists Domain Inc.
Overall, it was tough to determine a clear winner because both sites were very similar. What made BarackObama.com stand out for me was that through the use of color and his photography, it made the experience more inviting and personable. HillaryClinton.com felt a bit stale and cold, not engaging enough. I did prefer Hillary's story though with the timeline and photography. Another great element was 'The Hillary I Know' microsite that featured video of those closest to her - nice touch.
Jeannie Metz-Fratoni, Creative Director, Red Door Interactive
While both candidate web sites are superb on their own, when judging them side by side, Barack Obama's web site has the edge on every available metric -- from the initial look and feel of the splash page to the way the interior of the site is structured and dressed to communicate effectively. As one example, the Barack Obama web site is much more effective in its use of white space to make each area of the page stand out whereas the Hillary Clinton web site feels more crammed -- with lots of bold colors competing for attention.
Raymond Pirouz raymondpirouz.com/
It is very hard for me to distinguish between the 2 of these sites. if you took the name and photos off, they would look almost exactly the same- color palette, font, layout, menu headings, they have nearly the same content in the same order.
In this campaign Hillary Clinton appears to be trailing in every aspect, including online campaigning. While her campaign has made an effort to include references and connections to most social networking tools, they clearly lack the commitment and resources to make the most of their online opportunities. As a result her Website presents Hillary Clinton as a fairly scattershot candidate. Barack Obama's campaign, on the other hand, clearly started with a strong commitment to using design and online campaigning to engage the public in their campaign story. As with his speeches and other communications, every element of Obama's Website is meticulously crafted. Typography is impeccable, graphics are gorgeous, and his message of hope, community, and vision for a positive future are unmissable.
As an objective judge for the WebAwards for the last 4 years, as well as dealing with web design and communication issues daily in my business, the Clinton site was by far more professional and intuitive than the Obama site. As an Obama supporter I felt quite disappointed in the disparity. Perhaps the answer lies in the financial resource that Clinton has over Obama in hiring the right web and communication managers.
Brian Bickford, President, Strategic Productions
I think Obama's site is much more contemporary, and will appeal to more technically savvy viewers, while Clinton's is not as innovative in structure, technology, etc. As a designer I'd rather be taking credit for Obama's site, although I'm a Clinton supporter.
Both candidates have loaded their sites with the latest media tools and are nearly identical in form and function. They have nailed the technology, but they are missing the human element. Neither Clinton nor Obama have a personal blog where they could connect with voters in their own words and share their daily experiences. Everyone from Moms to CEOs are blogging today, why not the candidates? It's a real chance to make a competitive difference on the web and build a personal connection with voters.
Bob Gilbreath, Chief Marketing Strategist, Bridge Worldwide
Most annoying on both sites was seeing a sign up form very prominent on the page. I almost thought that's all there was until I saw the "Enter site" button. This would turn off a lot of people I think and is almost the same as the annoying "Skip Intro" Flash sites. Clinton's site was more straightforward HTML so it was a little easier to use and the contribution form looked and worked cleaner. However overall Obama's site was better especially in the copywriting it was clearer where he stood on positions or at least was able to find his positions better. Probably the biggest piece of cheese on his site was the "Powered by Hope" emblem on the bottom. It almost felt jokey and if it wasn't, it's taking the "hope" theme too far and making it meaningless. (I hope his t-shirts aren't "built by hope") Overall there's not much differentiation between the sites, it's almost like they bought the same template and went from there. Especially when they aren't going for politics as usual, their sites certainly are.
"The websites of the 3 leading U.S. Presidential contenders reflect, not surprisingly, their various personalities and agendas. The design, contents and use of technologies vary from conservative to very progressive. A look at all three websites gives insight into how modern media planners can integrate technology tools to promote their message and their brand strategy.
Ric Shreves, http://RicShreves.net
While many of the details of their platforms are informed by similar values and proposals, the vitality of Obama's site is inspiring and engaging (even the backgrounds of the Obama site have a vitality lacking in the Hillary site's drab gradients). Will a site change the minds of visitors? I found that it effectively drew me closer to the candidate; in fact I might just go back and volunteer.
Jamie Leo, Creative Director, The Monday Campaigns
In the battle for popularity, the ability to use the Web and Social Media effectively can be a critical determinant of success. The Hillary Clinton campaign has put together a cogent, persuasive website with sophisticated use of technology, including social media. The Barack Obama website however has an earthy appeal to it, and perfectly reinforces the message that the Obama campaign has consistently sought to convey. The Obama site thus strongly resonates with it's target audience.
Dr. V P Kochikar, Assc Vice President and Principal Consultant, Infosys Technologies
It's clear that the Obama website has embraced all that is new about the web. An indication of what he stands for and what he's aiming to achieve. It is clear, concise and beautifully designed. Although not a poor site in many ways, the first impression of Clinton's is of desperation. It is loaded with colours and content that can confuse the user. Being from the UK, I can judge these sites with little affiliation to a candidate, and I would say Obama's site is by far the most appealing.
Nic Sheppard, eBusiness Manager, iShares Europe
Barack Obama needs to make it clear to the user that visitors do not have to provide their name and email information in order to view the site. Currently, you can only use the logo to access the site. Hillary Clinton clearly states it on the home page.
Linda Girard, Pure Visibility
Both sites were slick, but I would have to give a narrow edge to Sen. Clinton. The design was denser, the content seemed richer and the video streaming was clearer on the Clinton page. Both sites reflected the personalities of the candidates -- Clinton's site had more detail (and threw more punches); Obama's site was more inspiring. Both candidates emphasized money raising, no surprise there.
Rob Wray, Rob Wray Marketing
The Clinton site whilst looking very basic on entering it is really full of technology but not in an "in your face" kind of way. Subtle, good copy, nice graphics.
Nic Carter-Jones, New Millennium Internet UK
Bill Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association was recently interviewed on PodcasterNews about the state of excellence in manufacturing Websites. The interview also discussed the seven criteria for a successful Website and what a Website needs to be successful in today's online environment.
Based in Colorado and across the US via Skype, the Better Process Podcast interviews small and mid-sized manufacturing companies, and the companies that service these companies. Shows are free to download from iTunes (search for Better Process Podcast in iTunes music store) and are available most business days. More information on the show can be found at http://www.BetterProcess.com. The Better Process Podcast is the voice of the small and mid-sized manufacturing firm.
The interview can be listened to online at PodCasterNews, or you can download the mp3 file here.
The Web Marketing Association is a volunteer organization that each year produces the WebAward program. We need your help in spreading the news about our call for entry to other Internet Professionals. Our greatest marketing asset is you our newsletter readers.
You can help by:
Emailing other professionals or site owners and ask them to participate in the WebAwards.
Blog about the WebAwards. Either on your blog or industry blogs, write about our call for entry or your experiences with the WebAwards. You can point them to our blog posting for the Call for Entry.
Tell others within your organization. It is difficult to maintain contact with past participants via email. People change responsibilities, email addresses change and companies get merged. Make sure the correct people within your organization, including offices in other cities know about the WebAwards. The more awards your organization wins, the more recognition you will receive.
With your help we can have the most successful WebAward competition ever!
Each year, we look to add experienced Internet professionals to the ranks of our WebAward Judging Panel. We select new judges based on the number of returning judges, the number of entries and the number of qualified applicants. Being a WebAward judge is a valuable experience that helps the individual better understand overall Web development and of course looks impressive on a resume or corporate bio.
"The WebAwards is different from other Web site award programs because we're not just a beauty pageant focused on name recognition and design," said William Rice, president of the Web Marketing Association. "Our judges are handed picked experts who have hands on experience either leading or developing some of today's top Websites. These individuals understand that participating as a judge in the WebAwards is one excellent way to give back to the online marketing community and help it to grow and evolve."
Judges will consist of a select group of Internet professionals who have direct experience designing and managing Web sites,–including members of the media, interactive creative directors, site designers, content providers and webmasters – with an in-depth understanding of the current state-of-the-art in Web site development and technology. Past judges have included top executives from leading organizations such as A&E Television Networks, Agency.com, Blattner Brunner, Bridge Worldwide, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Comedy Central, Disney, Euro RSCG, Ion Global, J. Walter Thompson, John Deere Company, New York Post Interactive, Organic, Inc., Refinery, R/GA, Saatchi & Saatchi, SAP, Starwood Hotels, Sun Microsystems, Warner Bros. Online, Xerox and Zugara.
If you or someone some one in your organization would make a good judge, they can learn more and enter their name for consideration on the WebAward Judges Nomination Form
The Web Marketing Association is pleased to announce the call for entries for its 12th annual international WebAward competition. The WebAwards is the standards-defining competition that sets industry benchmarks based on the seven criteria of a successful Web site. It recognizes the individual and team achievements of Web professionals who create and maintain outstanding Web sites. The deadline for entry in the 2008 WebAwards is May 31, 2008. A complete list of past winners and this year’s entry form can be found at www.webaward.org.
“The WebAwards is different from other Web site award programs because we’re not just a beauty pageant focused on name recognition and design,” said William Rice, president of the Web Marketing Association. “The goal of the WebAwards is to not only recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective Web sites on the Internet today, but also provide valuable feedback to entrants on how their sites stack up against their peers and industry standards of excellence. For that reason, we see ourselves more like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval than the Academy Awards.”
Web sites are judged on seven criteria, including design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copy writing and ease of use and receive a numeric score. Each WebAward entry is judged against other entries in its industry category and then against an overall standard of excellence. Entrants also benefit from receiving valuable feedback from the WebAwards professional judging panel on their Web site development efforts.
Using the quantifiable data collected from nearly 18,000 Web site evaluations over the past decade, the WebAwards has defined and recognized industry-specific benchmarks for successful Web sites in each of these areas and release a the Internet Standards Assessment Report to communicate the findings of the study. A copy of the study is available at www.webaward.org.
This year’s top awards will include:
• A “Best of Industry” WebAward, a handsome plaque with the image of the winning site embossed, will be given in each of the 96 industry categories, including financial services, medical, small business, travel, advertising, transportation and government.
• The competition’s highest honor, the 2008 WebAward “Best of Show,” will be given to the one site that the judges believe represents the pinnacle of outstanding achievement in Web development. Last year’s Best of Show winner was Walt Disney Internet Group for its outstanding work on Disney XD web site, which also won Best Design Website. Best of show runner up submitted by Atlanta-based IQ Interactive is UPS Whiteboard.
• The Web Marketing Association will also recognize the interactive agency winning the most awards in the competition with the “Top Interactive Agency” WebAward. The 2007 Top Agency award was Biggs/Gilmore taking home 20 WebAwards. Biggs/Gilmore is headquartered in Kalamazoo, MI and took home Best Food Website, Best Pharmaceutical Website and 8 Outstanding WebAwards and 11 Standard of Excellence WebAwards.
Judging for the 2008 WebAwards will take place in June through August and winners will be announced in September. Judges will consist of a select group of Internet professionals who have direct experience designing and managing Web sites,–including members of the media, interactive creative directors, site designers, content providers and webmasters – with an in-depth understanding of the current state-of-the-art in Web site development and technology. Past judges have included top executives from leading organizations such as A&E Television Networks, Agency.com, Blattner Brunner, Bridge Worldwide, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Comedy Central, Disney, Euro RSCG, Ion Global, J. Walter Thompson, John Deere Company, New York Post Interactive, Organic, Inc., Refinery, R/GA, Saatchi & Saatchi, SAP, Starwood Hotels, Sun Microsystems, Warner Bros. Online, Xerox and Zugara.
About the WebAwards
The 12th annual international WebAwards competition sets the standard of excellence in 96 industry categories by evaluating Web sites and defining benchmarks based on the seven essential criteria of successful Web site development. The goal of the Web Marketing Association, sponsor of the WebAwards, is to provide a forum to recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective Web sites on the Internet today. Entrants benefit from a Web site assessment by a professional judging panel and the marketing opportunities presented to an award-winning Web site. For more information, visit www.webaward.org.
WebmasterRadio.FM, the premier free, 24/7 Internet business radio network focused on the B2B marketplace and the official radio network of the 12th Annual WebAwards is pleased to announce The Web Marketing Awards Special airing April 4, 2008 on WebmasterRadio.FM
On the WebmasterRadio.FM Web Marketing Awards Special, host William Rice from the Web Marketing Association will speak with Josh Webb, Associate Creative Director and Rocky Hunter, Account Supervisor from IQ Interactive, the Atlanta-based interactive firm that won Best of Show Runner Up in the 2007 WebAwards for their outstanding work on the UPS Whiteboard Website. “The whiteboard ad campaign has been used by UPS to successfully each its target audience across many media platforms, says William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association. “Josh and Rocky will walk us through the concepts and technology that make the UPS Whiteboard Website so innovating and award winning”.
The show will also discuss how Web marketing professionals and Webmasters can win recognition for their own efforts by participating in the 2008 WebAward competition. Websites can be entered into 96 industries, including financial services, medical, small business, travel, advertising, transportation and government The Web Marketing Association’s independent expert judges will visit each site entered and evaluate it based on seven criteria of a successful Website. Sites earning the highest score in their industry will receive the Best of Industry WebAward. Sites not receiving the top award will be eligible to receive Outstanding Website and Standard of Excellence WebAwards.
The deadline for entering the 2008 WebAwards is May 31st and you can learn more and enter at www.webaward.org. WebmasterRadio.FM is the official radio network of The 12th annual WebAwards competition, the standards-defining competition that sets industry benchmarks based on the seven criteria of a successful Web site.
We just received our November 2007 issue of Website Magazine: The Magazine for Website Success. In the issue on page 9 is an article entitled “Bravo! Boost your recognition amongst your competitors by winning Web awards" by Mike Phillips.
The article features the Web Marketing Association’s WebAwards. It reports our scoring report is “a nice way to see how your site measures up, even if you don’t win.”
William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association is also quoted, saying “By far the most overwhelming reason to participate is for the marketing benefits – for both you as an individual, the site itself and the company. Winning the award creates a newsworthy event in and of itself”.
The judges of the 2007 WebAward Competition for Website Development once again did an outstanding job at reviewing more than 2,500 web sites on seven criteria and helping to set the highest standards of excellence on the Internet. These Internet Professionals are leaders within their industries and take the time out of their busy schedules to participate in this worthwhile event. The Web Marketing Association and all of the WebAward participants thank you for your efforts.
For those who qualified, a Certificate of Appreciation is being sent to the address we have on record. You should be receiving them within the next week.
Due to an problem at our ISP Web.com, the database that drives our WebAward and IAC Award websites is currently down. We are working with Web.com to get the site up and running as soon as possible.
Due to a database error, we have send individuals who have ordered additional certificates awards with incorrect information. We have corrected this and new certificates are in production. This problem has also effected the trophy and image plaque orders as we have been double checking all of the information manually and this has slowed down the production process considerably.
All orders should be completed by the end of the month.
The Web Marketing Association is pleased to announce the winners of its tenth annual WebAward Competition for Web site development. More than 2,400 sites from 40 countries were adjudicated in 96 industry categories during this year's competition. Entries were judged on design, copy writing, innovation, content, interactivity, navigation, and use of technology.
A complete list of the winning sites can be found at the WebAward Web site at www.webaward.org
Best of Show
The 2007 Best of Show WebAward is presented to Walt Disney Internet Group, for their exceptional work on Disney XD. The site was also awarded Best Design WebAward. Disney XD is an online entertainment experience that’s designed for how kids want to use the Internet. It’s broadband entertainment taken to the next level and was created with safety in mind. Disney.com guests can register and publish their own channels, personalized with favorite Disney videos, music, games, trivia, avatars, and more. Disney XD gives Disney.com guests an enhanced, interactive entertainment experience with engaging video, music and games and chatting with friends, all at the same time in a uniquely immersive environment. The Disney organization took home a total of 14 sites recognized with WebAwards in the 2007 competition.
Best of Show runner Up
Best of show runner up submitted by Atlanta-based IQ Interactive is UPS Whiteboard. Seamlessly integrating with the TV campaign, visitors to the site are treated with the ability to interact with Andy Azula, the actor from the 'Whiteboard' commercials. Andy extends the same creative look and feel from the TV spots and walks the user through the experience helping to drill down the user’s needs matching UPS solutions to their specific business challenges. The site includes 3D animated, line art (matching the designs on the Whiteboard) Web shows that highlight UPS products and a -Create Your Own Whiteboard- viral component. IQ Interactive developed the robust technology that allows the user to send someone a personalized message that Andy himself writes on a whiteboard when the recipient opens the email.
Top Agency
Biggs/Gilmore was named Top Agency at the 2007 WebAward Competition, with 20 websites taking home awards. The Top Agency Award given to recognize the consistently outstanding development going on at interactive firms. Biggs/Gilmore is headquartered in Kalamazoo, MI and took home Best Food Website, Best Pharmaceutical Website and 8 Outstanding WebAwards and 11 Standard of Excellence WebAwards.
Agencies or companies winning five or more sites willing WebAwards in 2007 include:
Agency - # of award-winning sites
Biggs/Gilmore - 20
Avenue A / Razorfish - 17
Risdall Advertising - 17
VML - 14
Disney - 14
Arc Worldwide - 13
Arnold Worldwide - 13
Bridge Worldwide - 13
Ogilvy - 12
Aristotle Interactive - 11
E-site Marketing - 9
JWT - 9
TravelCLICK - 9
180 Interactive - 8
Summit Projects - 8
TribalDDB - 8
Agenda H.K. Limited - 7
Airfoil Public Relations - 7
bbdigital - 7
BrowserMedia - 7
Extractable - 7
Organic - 7
POP - 7
Slingshot - 7
Studiocom - 7
Agency.com - 6
BGT Partners - 6
Hitchcock Fleming & Assoc - 6
Hospitality eBusiness - 6
Rare Method - 6
Teehan+Lax - 6
Tellus - 6
Weber Shandwick - 6
Agence Braque - 5
Amer. Academy of Dermatology - 5
dotglu - 5
Fry, Inc. - 5
Hearst Digital Media - 5
Competition format
The competition was judged by a team of independent Internet professionals representing a variety of relevant disciplines of Web site development. Judges included members of the media, advertising executives, site designers, creative directors, corporate marketing executives, content providers and webmasters.
The WebAward competition format allows Web sites to compete head to head with other sites within their industry to win the Best of Industry awards. Entries also compete against a standard of excellence to win Outstanding Website and Standard of Excellence WebAwards. Each site is judged on seven different criteria and earns a score between 0 and 70 points. The highest score in a given category wins Best of Industry for that category. If the remaining entries received a score of 60 or greater, they received the Outstanding Web site award. Entries that scored higher than their industry average and below 59.9 receive the Standard of Excellence.
The 2007 WebAwards are sponsored by the following leading organizations: Burst Media, PRWeb, Misukanis & Odden, Small Army, SimpleFeed, ExactTarget, ad:tech conferences, NewsUSA, eComXpo, MediaPost’s OMMA conference, TopRank Online Marketing, Creative Chocolate Printing Company, OTOlabs, Internet World UK, Search Engine Strategies, Webmaster Radio, Rovion’s InPerson, AllBusiness.com and eMarketer. The Web Marketing Association thanks all of its sponsors for helping to make this annual competition possible.
About the Web Marketing Association
The Web Marketing Association is working to create a high standard of excellence for Web site development and marketing on the Internet. Staffed by volunteers, it is made up of Internet marketing, advertising, PR and design professionals who share an interest in improving the quality of Website development and marketing on the Internet. Since 1997, the Web Marketing Association’s annual WebAward Competition has been helping interactive professionals promote themselves, their companies, and their best work to the outside world. Now in its 11th year, the WebAward Competition has become the premier award event for Web developers and marketers worldwide.
The results of the 2007 WebAwards are now available to the entry's nominators. Particpants can log in to their nominator accounts to see the results for their entries.
The winners of the 2007 WebAwards will be announced publicly on September 18th.
We are in the final stages of the judging process and winners of the 2007 Web Marketing Association WebAwards will be notified September 11th and public announcement of the winners will be announced on September 18th.
At the recent Search Engine Strategies conference in Toronto Canada, Sage Lewis from Web Marketing Watch interviewed William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association about the 2007 WebAwards.
Here is the video clip of the interview.
The Call for Entries for the Web Marketing Association's 2007 WebAward competition for Web site development is now officially closed and judging will being on Monday.
Good luck to all who entered and winners will be announced in Mid-September.
I guess the title says it all.
If you have entered the WebAwards this year, please check your nominator account before Friday to see if your entry fees have been paid and all of your edits are complete. After Friday, the sites are off to the judges and editing will be turned off.
If you did not enter yet, what are you waiting for? You only have a few more days submit your web site to be recognized and earn itself a great marketing opportunity (it won't hurt your reputation either!). To create a nominator account and enter for the first time, go to our new account form.
William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association was asked to contribute an article to iMedia Connection,
His article Web Awards: More Than Just Fame and Glory appeared the June 13th issue. It discussed how web site awards, like the WebAwards, are newsworthy events that can parlay into website recognition as well as outstanding marketing opportunities.
The Web Marketing Association has extended the deadline for entering its 11th annual WebAward Competition until June 15th to allow final entries to be submitted and existing entries to be edited if needed. This will be the only extension as judging begins June 18th.
The WebAwards are the premier internet award competition that judges website development against an ever increasing Internet standard of excellence and against peer sites within an industry. Each WebAward entry is judged against other entries in its industry category and then against an overall standard of excellence. Web sites are judged on design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, navigation and ease of use.
A Best of Industry WebAward, a handsome plaque with the image of the winning site embossed, will be given in each of the 96 industry categories, including financial services, health care, small business, travel, marketing, photography, education and government.
The competition’s highest honor, the 2007 WebAward Best of Show, will be given to the one site that the judges believe represents the pinnacle of outstanding achievement in Web development. Last year’s Best of Show winner was Big Spaceship for their outstanding work on TBS: Department of Humor Analysis.
The Web Marketing Association will also recognize the interactive agency winning the most awards in the competition with the Top Interactive Agency WebAward. The 2006 Top Agency award was presented R/GA, which also was recognized for winning more WebAwards in the past decade than any other organization.
To learn more about the 2007 WebAwards, visit www.webaward.org
Ten reasons why you should enter your website into the 2007 WebAwards
10) If you wait until after the May 31st deadline (next week), you'll have to pay a late fee.
9) Your mom would be proud of you.
8) You will receive important benchmark data for your entire industry and where your site ranks in each of the seven judging criteria.
7) Think of the PR opportunities - industry publications, blogs, websites, by-lined articles, podcasts, press releases, interviews - the sky is the limit.
6) A best of industry plaque containing your award winning site will look great in your office.
5) The WebAward logo on your site is like receiving the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval" for Web development.
4) Your clients and customers will be impressed at your industry recognition and so will your potential clients.
3) A link to webaward.org will help your site's search engine rankings because you will be linked to an 11-year old .org authoritative site with a high Google PageRank.
2) A Best of Industry award means you're the best and you can prove it!
1) If you don't win, we won't tell anyone - and you still get the feedback.
Recognition and feedback, that is what you will receive when you enter the 2007 WebAward Competition for Website development. Winning accolades in the 2007 WebAwards - the Internet's premier award recognition program, is a great way to stand out from others in your industry. You will also receive valuable feedback from our judges and benchmarks for your industry. But you won't get anything if you don't enter!
The 11th Annual WebAward competition deadline for entry is May 31st, only on week away, and you can submit your site for review at www.webaward.org. Avoid a late fee by completing your Web site entries before the deadline.
Even the most amazing sites are all but invisible without the proper recognition. Enter the 2007 WebAwards and receive the recognition you deserve!
We all tend to wait until the last minute to enter award programs - well the clock is ticking and only two weeks remain for you to ensure you receive accolades in the 2007 WebAwards - the Internet's premier award recognition program.
The 11th Annual WebAward competition deadline for entry is May 31st, only two weeks from Thursday, and you can submit your site for review at www.webaward.org. Avoid a late fee by completing your Web sites entries before the deadline.
Everyone knows the winning a WebAward is a great marketing opportunity. Did you know that all participants will receive a updated copy of the Internet Standards Assessment Report and your website's judges scores for each of the seven criteria of an effective Web site compared to your industry and the overall web development standard. No other award program give provides you this level of comprehensive feedback for your Web development efforts.
WebAward - The award that makes an award-winning Web site.
At the recent Search Engine Strategies conference in New York, I discussed one of the hidden benefits of participating in Web site award programs – search engine optimization or SEO.
Most people recognize award programs, such as the Web Marketing Association WebAwards, are a great way to receive third party credibility for your Web development efforts and demonstrate to clients and senior management your high level of expertise. Participants also receive valuable feedback in the form of judges comments and benchmark data comparing their site to their industry average.
However, some overlook the real benefits winning awards can have on search engine rankings. Much of successful SEO focuses on gaining links from authoritive sites in “good neighborhoods”. Search engines believe that if a site is linked to from trusted Web sites, then it is more likely to have valuable contact and deserves a higher ranking.
WebAward.org has a Google PageRank of 8 out of 10, recognizing that it is a very authorative site. And talk about a good neighborhood, the only way for a site to receive a link from WebAward.org is to have been recognized as an award winning Web site!
Another important SEO tactic that award winners can use is the press release. Winning a Web site award, such as a WebAward, is a newsworthy event. Many award winners will distribute press releases over Internet-savvy wire services, such as PR Web, in order to have the releases picked up in the search engines. These releases provide additional links to the site as well as are indexed by the search engines and show up in search results.
Releases are also popular fodder for social media sites such as Digg, Technorati and many industry bloggers and poscasters. But as Lee Odden from Top Rank Marketing reminds me, never just post the release - It’s the kiss of death in social media. Instead, write a blog post with the information and link to the release for more information.
If you would like to have your Web site considered for the best web site award in one of the 96 industries covered by the 2007 WebAwards, you have until May 31st to enter your site at www.webaward.org. Remember – you can’t win if you don’t enter and even the most amazing Web sites remain invisible without the proper recognition.
We are often asked how the winners are selected for the Web Marketing Association’s WebAward program. So here is an overview of how it works.
First all of the sites that have nominated (2007 Nomination deadline is May 31st at www.WebAward.org) are randomly assigned to multiple expert WebAward judges. The judges review the sites and score them on seven criteria critical for a successful Web site. Each criteria is scores on a maximum 10 points for a total possible score of 70 points.
The average of the highest two scores are used as the final score. This score is compaired to other sites entered within the industry and the highest score wins Best of Industry for that category. If the remaining entries received a score of 60 or greater, they received the Outstanding Website award. If the site score is below 60, but equal to or higher than the average score for the industry, then that entry will receive the Standard of Excellence WebAward.
Winning a WebAward is truly an honor, as a large number of sites do not win any award. More importantly, the WebAwards sets the standard for Web development and provides helpful feedback to all of the participants.
The Web Marketing Association will be on hand at ad:tech San Francisco, April 25&26 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco to promote the 2007 WebAward Call for Entries.
ad:tech is an interactive advertising and technology conference dedicated to connecting all sides of today’s brand marketing landscape. Worldwide shows blend keynote speakers, topic driven panels and interactive workshops to provide attendees with the tools and techniques they need to compete in a changing world.
The Web Marketing Assocaition is a big fan of both the ad:tech conference and the ad:tech Award program. They do a great job of identifying current trends and recognizing best of class advertising.
Bill Rice, President of the Web Marketing Assocaition, will be manning booth 5007 in the exhibit hall. Stop by and say hello between the great sessions.
The Web Marketing Association woud like to thank the many bloggers who have written about the launch of the 2007 WebAwards Call for Entries. If you are a blogger and would like to help support the WebAwards, please take a look at our Call for Entry blog post and write about this important award program on your blog.
Here are a few of the posts:
AdRants - CN Does OJ, Quiznos Spoofed, Burn Back Updates, Salma's Boobs Sell
The MadAve Journal - Hi ad:tech I'm Sam Negin
Freelance UK - Web gurus: your opinions please
SmallBizTechnology.com - William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association (Search Engine Strategies Coverage)
KKs Blog - March 31 Deadline for | | |
