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Below you will find information regarding the Internet
Awards competition, WebAwards.
Which category should I enter?
We designed the industry categories
to be very broad in order to allow participants to choose an
entry category that best fits their organization. There can
be overlap in some of the categories and it is up to the
nominator to choose which category is most appropriate for that
particular entry.
Can I enter more than one category?
Yes, each year many sites enter
multiple categories to increase their chances of winning
Best of Industry honors. The WMA reserves the right to
remove entries that are clearly not appropriate for a
particular category. In the past several sites have won
multiple categories, for example 2003’s Best of Show
winner Disney’s Hot Shot Business, also won Best
Education Web site and Best Game Web site.
What is the difference between the
IAC Awards and the WebAwards?
The IAC Awards were developed to
evaluate and recognize innovation and excellence in online
advertising which includes a category for Websites. The WebAwards focus on the entire Web site,
with particular emphasis on the creativity and functionality
of the overall interactive experience. Websites entered
into the Website category of the IAC Awards will be judged
based on their advertising merit. A site can be entered in
both the IAC Awards and the WebAward Competition.
What is the difference between the
Mobile WebAwards and the WebAwards?
The MobileWebAwards are designed to specifically recognize mobile websites and apps. The WebAwards has a category for mobile sites, but uses a different set of criteria to review the sites. Sites entered into one of the competitions are still eligible to be entered into the other competition in the same year.
Do you have to be based in the
United States to participate in the WebAward Competition?
No, competition entries and
judges have come from more than 52 countries around the globe,
including the United States, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom,
France, Spain, South Africa, China, Hong Kong, Turkey,
Israel, Saudi Arabia, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Germany, Greenland, and many others. The Web is truly
global and so are the WebAwards.
If you work outside the United States,
you can help us by telling others in your interactive community about
the WebAwards so that it will continue to be an
international award.
Does the entry need to be in
English?
Not necessarily, but it helps. All
entries will be judged in English if it is an option.
If not, a secondary language can be selected on the entry
form. Each year we receive entries in multiple
languages and work hard to match non-English language
entries with judges who speak that language.
How much does it cost to enter?
The entry fee for the WebAward
Competition is $225 USD per category entered. The non-profit
category has a reduced entry fee of $150. The entry fee
serves two purposes. First and foremost, it supports
the operation and marketing of the annual WebAward Competition.
Second, it creates a barrier to entry for many sites that
simply do not belong in a award competition of this
caliber. Our expert judges volunteer their time and
cannot review sites just looking for a free icon. We
are truly dedicated to judging and help promote the best of
the web!
If you enter after the deadline date, your entry will also
be subject to a $50 late fee. So make sure your entry is submitted before May
31st.
Can I enter my non-profit into any
other category for the reduced entry fee?
We encourage you to enter which ever
categories you feel are appropriate. Unfortunately the
discounted entry fee only applies to the non-profit
category, not to all non-profits entered into the
competition.
How are the award levels determined?
Each site is judged on seven different
criteria, earning 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 Website award.
If the site score is below 60, but equal to or higher than
the average score for the industry, then it 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.
What do I get if I win a WebAward?
Beside the respect, recognition, and
admiration of your peers, receiving a WebAward creates a
marketing opportunity for the site that is recognized and
the firm that created it. To help promote your win, the WMA
provides:
1. An icon to display on your Web site or
publications to promote your award winning website.
2. A handsome statue or
certificate for display. Best of Industry winners receive an impressive 10 inch
WebAward statue representing sculptural art with our iconic W in a flame motif,
our trophy is a symbol of achievement for our industry. Outstanding Web site and Standard of Excellence award winners will
receive certificates of achievement.
3. Inclusion in the WebAward winners database which is
extremely helpful for SEO efforts.
4. A personalized award page to
highlight your website award and the individuals who made it happen with links
back to your sites again to help in your SEO efforts. .
5. Ability to post a press release on our highly ranked
site.
6. Valuable feedback from the WebAward judges, including
comments, site scores in all seven criteria and industry benchmarks to provide
perspective.
My company won a WebAward, can I
order a plaque or certificate?
Additional plaques and certificates can
be personalized and ordered at the end of the competition.
Participants can also order plaques and certificates from
past awards by using the
online order form. The first
line of each plaque or certificate can be personalized with
the name of the company or individual to be recognized.
Do you hold an event that we have to
attend to receive our award?
Since winners come from all parts of
the world, we do not host an “event”, or an award ceremony,
to announce the winners. We announce the winners to the
media and on our Web site. We have discussed putting on an
event (we do love a good party), but we are a volunteer
organization and it would be difficult for our already
overcommitted associates to devote the time and resources to
planning and hosting an event. Besides we never really
like attending long drawn out award ceremonies, even ones
with short acceptance speeches.
Can you explain how the sites are
judged?
Each site is assigned to three or more
expert judges for evaluation. The judges are informed of
the mission statement and prospective audience for the site
and provided a link with password, if needed, to enter and
review the site. Judges are not told who submitted the
entry or which category it is entered into. They then visit
the site starting with the URL provided on the entry form
and assume the role of a target user. After reviewing the
site, they enter their scoring and record their observations
and comments before moving on to the next site. At the
conclusion of the judging, the two highest scores are
averaged for the final score. Any lower scores are dropped,
although the comments are retained and provided to the
participants.
How do you pick the judges for your
competitions?
We are fortunate to have a loyal group
of judges who participate each year. In addition, we post a
call for judges on each competition Web site during the call
for entry period. Web professionals who are interested in
participating as a judge may nominate themselves for
consideration.
If you are interested in becoming a
WebAward judge, please visit the judge's page and
complete the application.
Will I receive judge’s comments for
every site I enter?
We highly encourage judges to provide
comments and feel it is one of the major things that set us
apart from other competitions. But, since, we cannot
require judges to comment on each site, not all sites
receive comments from the judges. If you did receive
specific comments, they would be published on your entry edit page.
We feel strongly that it is important
for a judge to offer comments, particularly when they do not
score a site well. It is our goal to help each entry
understand the judges thought process and to provide
comments to assist the entrant improve for the future. We
have made several changes to the judging instructions
and systems this year to focus the judges on this important
issue.
Every site entered will receive feedback in the form of
actual scores for their entry on each of the seven judging criteria and industry
benchmarks by which to evaluate them.
How do I become a sponsor of the Web
Marketing Association?
Each year, the Web Marketing Association
hand picks a group of influential companies to be invited to
become a sponsor of the WebAward Competition. Our sponsors
support our efforts in promoting the highest standard of
excellence in Web development and marketing. We are
grateful to our current sponsors Burst Media, PR Newswire, ExactTarget, Website Magazine, ad:tech, BGT Partners, Internet World UK, Search Engine Strategies, Webmaster Radio, Econtent Magazine, MycroBurst, and We Build Pages. Each of these
organizations has provided expertise and services to
promote and support the annual WebAward Competition.
Please give them your support.
If you are interested in being
considered as a sponsor, please email
sponsor@webmarketingassociation.org
Can I rent the list of WebAward
participants?
The Web Marketing Association does not
rent our lists or provide them to outside third parties.
Please see our privacy policy for detailed information on how we
protect your privacy.
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