Thursday, May 31, 2007

WebAward Deadline Extended until June 15th

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


Thursday, May 24, 2007

Ten reasons why you should enter your website into the 2007 WebAwards

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!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

WMA President William Rice to appear on Online Marketing with RSS Ray

William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association, will be the featured guest on wsRadio.com's Online Marketing with RSS Ray show. Bill will be discussing the formation of the Web Marketing Assocation and how the annual WebAward program has helped Internet professionals create marketing opportunities for themselves and their Web sites.

The show will run live, May 23th at 10:30 (Pacific Time). The show will then be available for download as a podcast.

Online Marketing with RSS Ray is your source for online marketing, RSS marketing, podcasting, blogging, social networking and videocasting advice. Hear interviews with industry leaders, cutting commentary, and expert opinion. Visit RSS Ray’s site for more information.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

WebAward Deadline Only two weeks away!

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.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

A look at May's Interactive Briefing Articles

Her are two articles from the May issue of the Web Marketing Association's Interactive Briefing Newsletter.

Using Customer-Focused Marketing to Create Unique Websites - Meeting the demands of today's high-segmented and fast-paced internet audience requires a new approach.

Working together for Business - A collaborative economic development Web site for the central New Mexico region is recognized as Best Regional Interactive Application in the 2007 Internet Advertising Awards Competition.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Internet Terms Crossword Puzzle

We had so much fun putting together our Interactive Agency crossword puzzle last month, we have created a second crossword to test your knowledge of the Internet. The Internet Terms Crossword Puzzle provides definitions of common Web terms you provide the words that match them up.

See if you know as much as you think you do!

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

What does 2007 hold for Web Development?

When I think back to the first WebAward competition back in 1997, The Internet was a different place. There were plenty of significant award programs for the advertising community - Clio, Cannes, Echo, etc. - but nothing for the emerging world of interactive. We set out to be the first industry based award program for Web site development and for more than a decade have recognized the best web sites on the Internet.

During that time, what constituted an award-winning Web site has changed as well. In 1997, most Web sites were no more than online bill boards with a few hyper links for navigation. The top sites were introducing forms-based calculators and personalization was limited to returning different hard-coded pages based on user selections.

Last year, the WebAward award-winning Web sites were truly a showcase for best practices of Internet development. Web sites today are database-driven dynamic business tools that are important business tools. Each industry has different expectations of from their web sites which is why the WebAwards has 96 industries that allow each Web site to be judged and benchmarked with its peers.

What does 2007 hold? Well, we'll find out as the WebAward call for entry ends this month and the judging begins in June. Already the judges have started discussing what the current state of the art Web sites are going and what they expect from a Web site. If you have not entered already, now is the time get establish your nominator account and enter your Web sites into this important recognition program. Last year's participants can use our one click entry form from their nominator account.

If you have not yet participated in a WebAward program, now is the perfect time. Not only can you receive recognition for your Web development efforts and a great marketing opportunity for your Websites, but you also will receive important feedback data that will benchmark your site to those with in the industries you participate in.

If you want to learn more about entering the 2007 WebAwards, visit our WebAward Website.

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Search Engine Strategies, Toronto

The Web Marketing Association will be appearing at several leading conferences this Spring to support the call for entries for the 2007 WebAward Competition. The WMA is a association sponsor of this event.

Search Engine Strategies, Toronto
June 12 & 13
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Totonto, Canada

Search Engine Strategies (SES) Toronto is a 2 day, multi-track conference that specifically addresses search engine advertising (SEM/SEO). This event features keynote presentation with entrepreneur and bestselling author Seth Godin; panel discussions from highly acclaimed industry experts including representatives from the search engines themselves; interactive and in-depth sessions and workshops; and an exclusive look at the latest search trends and developments for 2007. This is our 4th annual conference in Toronto and remains the only event specifically dedicated to search and its place within the corporate marketing mix. Register by Friday, May 25 and save $120 CDN. For more info visit: www.ses-toronto.com

Exclusive Offer for Web Marketing Association members: Use priority code 10WMA and receive 10% off the registration fee.




Thursday, May 03, 2007

Web Awards and SEO

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.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Web Marketing Association at Internet World UK

Today was the first day of Internet World UK and it is impressive. Hundrends of high quality companies exhibiting and thousands of Internet professionals learning about what's new and how to improve their web performance. Internet World is Europe's largest Internet tradeshow and it shows.

If you are in London, you should check out this free to attend conference if the Internet is important to your organization. Be sure to stop by the Web Marketing Association's stand #W536 in the middle of the show floor.