The Web Marketing Association and the WebAwards are conducting a brief survey to gage opinions on web development and Internet marketing. It should take no more than 5 minutes of your time and you will be entered to win a free full-conference pass to ad:tech (San Francisco or New York, your choice) a $1,200 value.
Click here to take the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=38953500077
The deadline to take this survey is March 30, 2007.
We at the Web Marketing Association are always looking for new industry categories to add to our WebAward competition for Web site development.
We have received a number of requests to add social networking as a new category. These days you can’t open a magazine or newsletter without hearing about MySpace, LinkedIn or a hundred other Websites where people come together to meet.
My question is this: Isn’t social networking simply the latest buzz word to describe online communities? Online communities have been a category in the WebAwards since 1998, the year after the WebAwards was started.
Can anyone explain to why one is different from another or is this just a new coat of paint on a old car?
The Web Marketing Association is appearing at OMMA West in Hollywood today to promote the upcoming WebAward Competition. So far the sessions have been outstanding. Arianna Huntington of The Huntington Post talking about the need to be fearless when it comes to developing Web content.
The trade show area is small and intimate. There are some great exhibitors like PRWeb, eMarketer, website Magazine. The people here seem very interested in the WebAwards and several judges and participants have stopped by to say hello.
Tribal Fusion presented a session on social media for B2B marketers thant provided an interesting overview but did not get into much “how to” detail. Still, it provided a very good overview of the subject.
if you’re in Southern California, I suggest you stop by the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel and check out this great conferance.
EcomXpo is a virtual trade show that allows to you to see great presentations and exhibitors without having to leave the comforts of your home or office.
The next eComXpo will be held March 20-22, 2007. Registration for this event is completely free of charge! You can register for the event by clicking the link below.
http://www.ecomxpo.com/FreeRegistration.htm
The Web Marketing Association will be exhibiting in the hall to promote the WebAward Competition 2007 Call for Entries. William Rice, Preident of the Web Marketing Association will also be leading a panel at the event.
Here is a funny short movie that gives you an idea what to expect.
AdWeek Magazine ran a story on its site today entitled Site Development Lags Expectations. In it, Brian Morrissey writes that Despite increased attention by many companies to their digital presence, a wide-ranging study has found that found Web site development is not keeping pace with consumer expectations.
The article is based on the findings of the Internet Standard Assessment Report generated from the 2006 WebAward Competition.
You can read the entire article at http://www.adweek.com/aw/iq_interactive/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003554524
The Web Marketing Association, today released its Internet Standards Assessment Report (ISAR), which provides industry-specific benchmarking data for web development. For the second year in a row, the ISAR Index, has shown a decline in the overall standard of excellence in Web development across 96 industries.
The ISAR index is an average of all scores in the Web Marketing Association’s WebAward competition sine 1997. Index fell from 52.2 in 2005 to 50.7 in 2006, a reduction of 3%.
“The ISAR Index is the benchmark that many organizations use to compare their Web development efforts to’, said William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association. “Web standards are not falling, we believe that consumer expectations, as reflected in the judges scores, indicate that Web sites have to work harder at creating a total user experience that both informs and entertains the visitors who reach their sites.”
The ISAR report includes the following just-released information:
• Detailed Industry findings as compared to historical trends
• Best and Worst Industries in Web Development
• Best and Worst Industries as they compare to the 7 criteria for a successful Website
• Award-wining sites for each industry
• Commentary for each industry as compared to the overall competition in 2006
Information within the report is derived form the Web Marketing Association’s annual WebAward competition (www.webaward.org) which judges websites in 96 industries based on the seven criteria that combined help create award-winning websites.
The WebAward’s seven criteria for a successful Website include:
• Design
• Innovation
• Content
• Technology
• Interactivity
• Copywriting
• Ease of Use
The ISAR report also includes an index with a running benchmark of web development to which each industry can draw comparisons. Drawing off information found in the ISAR report, web developers and others within organizations responsible for web design, can leverage statistical data to make more informed decisions in an effort to create more effect websites.
“The most successful award-winning websites develop the correct balance of design, innovation and technology to create a total user experience,” said Rice. “Once the total user experience is attained, the site becomes a sales tool itself because it has captured the visitor and the winners of the WebAward do this especially well.”
According to the ISAR report, the five best industries for Website development in 2006 were:
1. Airline Websites
2. Computer Retailer Websites
3. Game Site Websites
4. Toy & Hobby Websites
5. Food Websites
The worst overall industry websites included those such as Brokerages, Credit Unions and ISP websites.
To request your copy of the 2007 WebAward ISAR report, please visit: http://www.webaward.org/isar_report.asp
The Web Marketing Association will be appearing at several leading conferences this Spring to support the launch of the 2007 WebAward Competition Call for Entries. The WMA is a association sponsor of this event.
ad:tech San Francisco
April 25 & 26
Moscone Center, San Francisco
ad:tech San Francisco 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. We’re committed to bringing you the now and the next of modern marketing.
The Web Marketing Association will be appearing at several leading conferences this Spring to support the 2007 WebAward Competition. The WMA is a association sponsor of this event.
Net.Finance 2007
April 16th-19th
Camelback Inn, Scottsdale, AZ
Optimize Your Online Channels To Develop And Drive Customer-Centric Marketing Strategies:
•Align Your Marketing Strategies To Provide Products & Services Your Customers Truly Need And Want
•Improve the Customer Experience To Boost Customer Acquisition, Satisfaction, And Loyalty
•Address The Challenges of Multi-Channel Integration To Achieve Channel Consistency And Interoperability
•Secure Your Online Channels Through Authentication And Effective Risk Management
All Web Marketing Association blog readers are entitled to a 15% discount with code WMA, just call 1.888.482.6012 or visit the Net.Finance website.
The Web Marketing Association will be appearing at several leading conferences this Spring to support the 2007 WebAward Competition. The WMA is a association sponsor of this event.
Search Engine Strategies New York
April 10-13
Hilton New York, NYC
Search Engine Strategies New York is a 4 day, multi-track conference that specifically addresses search engine advertising (SEM/SEO). This event features presentations and panel discussions from industry experts including representatives from the search engines themselves; interactive and in-depth sessions & workshops; and an exclusive look at the latest search trends & developments. This is our 8th annual conference and remains the only event dedicated to search and its place within the corporate marketing mix.
Early Bird Special: Register by Friday, March 23rd, 2007 and save $100. Save an extra 10% off when you use priority code 10WMA.
The Web Marketing Association’s WebAward Competition is pleased to recommend this white paper that discusses RSS as a customer communications channel, how it complements your email programs, and best practices for its use. (Registration required, PDF)
