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 would also like to thank the media who have helped promote our WebAward Call for Entry by publishing articles in print or on line. Here are some of the recent trade media coverage:

Yahoo News – Best Shopping Website Trends Detailed in New Report from the Web Marketing Association

UKBusiness – E-Commerce Business Website Trends, Released by Web Marketing Association

AdWeek – Site Development Lags Expectations

Create Magazine – WebAwards to Honor World’s Best Websites

1to1 Magazine – Is Web Innovation Dead?

Domains Magazine – Web Hosting Design, Featured in Web Marketing Association Trends Report

All CU News – Best Bank & Credit Union Websites Detailed in ISAR

Small Business Informer – Best Small Business Web Site of 2007 to be named by Web Marketing Association in Annual WebAward competition

ebusiness News – Online Retailers follow Airlines in Best Web Sites, New Study Says

Internet Marketing NewsWatch – WMA Releases ‘Internet Standards Assessment Report

Bulldog Reporter – Web Standards Report Shows Overall Decline in Standards of Development

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 Web Marketing Association Contest

Ms. Latina Renee Enterprise, LLC – Call for WebAward Entries

Daryl’s Journey of Discovery – WebAwards To Gain Recognition

Consultant Directory Blog – Web Marketing Association Report On Legal Web Sites

graphicdesignbasics.com – WebAward Competition

Ecommerce, Web Traffic & Internet Marketing News – Best Family Web site of 2007 to be Named by Web Marketing Association in Annual WebAward Competition

BLOPTIMIZATION Blog – Web Marketing Association Report On Legal Web Sites

Web Site Host Directory – Website Application Services Trends, Detailed in Web Marketing Report