Tuesday, March 06, 2007

New Web Marketing Association Report Details Trends in Award Winning Websites Derived from a Decade of Hosting Internet Award Competition, WebAwards

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

Monday, March 05, 2007

ad:tech San Francisco

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.



Thursday, March 01, 2007

Net.Finance Conference

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.



Monday, February 26, 2007

Search Engine Strategies New York

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.



Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Using RSS to Expand Online Marketing Programs

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)





eComXpo

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

eComXpo
March 20-22
Online at www.ecomxpo.com/home.htm

eComXpo is the virtual tradeshow for search, affiliate and interactive marketers. Since the show is 100% online and virtual, you can attend from the comfort of your home or office computer. All the benefits of a top tradeshow, without the hassle or expense associated with traditional tradeshows. More than 7,000 advertisers, publishers, search marketers, merchants, affiliates, networks, agencies and vendors will attend, making this the world's largest tradeshow for ecommerce marketers.

William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association, will be moderating a panel at this conference. Stay tuned for more detail.


Tuesday, February 20, 2007

OMMA Hollywood Conference and Expo

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

OMMA Hollywood Conference and Expo
March 19-20, 2007
Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, Hollywood, CA

OMMA is the hottest conference and trade show for the business of Online Media, Marketing and Advertising. Programmed by the editors of OMMA magazine, this conference delivers outstanding main-stage sessions, keynotes, workshops, VIP lunches, special events, cocktail parties, panels, breakouts, research presentations, forecasts, and a busy trade show floor. The show is filled with marketers and agency executives who want to learn and know more about leading edge advertising and marketing solutions, making it the perfect opportunity to get your company message and sales executives in front of the online agency and marketing community in Hollywood for two full days.


Friday, February 16, 2007

The New Rules of PR

The Web Marketing Association's WebAward Competition is pleased to recommend the e-book authored by marketing strategist and online expert David Meerman Scott and presented by WebAward sponsor PRWeb, Keep your PR team one step ahead of the competition and extend the reach of your news, make sure your organization leverages `The New Rules of PR'. (PDF)

Thursday, February 15, 2007

MarketingSherpa's Email Marketing Summit '07 + Bootcamp, Awards & Expo

The Web Marketing Association will be appearing at several leading conferences this Spring. The WMA is a big supporter of MarketingSherpa's efforts across the board.

MarketingSherpa's Email Marketing Summit '07 + Bootcamp, Awards & Expo
March 4-6, 2007
Miami Hotel, Miami, FL

Join 650 Email Marketers in Miami for advanced bootcamp training, 4 interactive labs (including live ON-SITE Eyetracking Lab), inspirational Case Studies, peer panels and loads of networking. Reserve your ticket at MarketingSherpa's Website

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

New WebAward Sponsor Opportunity

The Web Marketing Association will be offering sponsorships of specific industries within the WebAward competition for the first time in 2007. Industry sponsors will receive visibility and links to their Website within the WebAward competition Website with regards to the industry they sponsor.

If your company or organization is interested in participating as an industry sponsor, please contact Web Marketing Association President William Rice at wrice@webaward.org to learn more.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Web Marketing Association will be exhibiting at these leading Internet conferences

Trade show and conferences are one of the best places to learn about what is happening in the industry and to meet with Internet professionals who are judges and/or participants in our award programs. This spring we will be traveling to all of the major Internet-oriented conferences increasing the awareness of the Web Marketing Association and the WebAward Competition. Many times we are able to get valuable discounts and offer free conference passes the readers of this newsletter.

Right now, you will find us at MediaPost's OMMA Hollywood March 19 & 20, Search Engine Strategies New York April 10-13, eComXpo, March 20 & 22, ad:tech San Francisco April 25 & 26, and then we go international at Internet World London May 1-3, and finally Search Engine Strategies Toronto June 12 & 13. You will find contact information for all of these conferences on their Website and in our Interactive Briefing newsletter.


Return on Marketing Investment Conference

The Web Marketing Association will be appearing at several leading conferences this Spring. The WMA is a association sponsor of this event.

The 10th Annual Return on Marketing Investment Conference
February 26-28, 2007
Trump International Sonesta Beach Resort, Miami, FL

Where is your $$$ most valuable? Register today to find out! Leading organizations, across industries, will show you how to correlate your marketing spend to business results. You will hear from: NBC Universal, Wachovia, Best Buy, Scottrade, Food Network, Forbes.com, Duke University, Motorola, Wells Fargo, Nissan North America, Hilton Hotels, Sony Ericsson and many others.

Mention the code XM1921WMA and receive a complimentary white paper. Learn more and sign up at www.iirusa.com/romi


Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Cramer-Krasselt Wins Best of Show for AirTran Airways 2005 Annual Report Interactive Investor Relations Awards Competition

The Web Marketing Association is pleased to announce the winners of the 2006 Interactive Investor Relations Awards Competition (IIR Awards) for investor relations Web site development. Entries competed with peers within more than 50 industry categories as well as against an overall standard of excellence. Sites were judged on design, navigation, ease of use and use of technology to enhance the investor's experience as well as specific content criteria relating to investor and financial communication.

The 2006 Best of Show IIR Award is presented to Cramer-Krasselt for AirTran Airways 2005 Annual Report (NYSE: AAI) for their outstanding investor Web site. In the opinion of the competition judges, the site went beyond all others entered in the IIR Awards to provide investors and the financial community an interesting and compelling review of why investors should continue to invest in AirTran.

A complete list of the winning sites can be found at the interactive Investor Relations Award Web site at www.iiraward.org.

Other companies recognized for their industry leading investor relations Web sites are:

Site (Exchange:Ticker) - Award

Abbott (NYSE: ABT), Best Pharmaceuticals IR Site:
ABN AMRO (NYSE: ABN), Best Financial Services IR Site:
Advanced Growing Systems, Inc. (AGWS),Best Agriculture IR Site:
AirTran Airways (NYSE: AAI), Best Airline IR Site:
Allis-Chalmers Energy, Inc. (AMEX: ALY), Best Industrial Services IR Site:
Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO), Best Consumer Goods IR Site:
Answers Corporation (NASDAQ: ANSW), Best Interactive Services/e-Commerce IR Site:
Blockbuster, Inc. (NYSE: BBI), Best Entertainment IR Site:
Central European Media Enterprises (NASDAQ: CETV), Best Broadcasting IR Site:
China Telecom Corporation Limited (NYSE: CHA), Best Conglomerates IR Site, Best Information Services IR Site:
ClearOne (OTCBB: CLRO), Best Office Equipment IR Site:
Danske Bank (OMX: DANSKE), Best Banking IR Site:
Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: Dell), Best Computer Hardware IR Site:
Duke Realty Corporation (NYSE: DRE), Best Real Estate IR Site:
FEMSA (NYSE: FMX), Best Beverage IR Site:
Genentech (NYSE: DNA), Best Biotechnology IR Site:
Healthstream (NASDAQ: HSTM), Best Education IR Site:
IMS Health (NYSE: RX), Best Health Care Service IR Site:
Interlink Global Corporation (OTCBB: ILKG), Best International Business IR Site:
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Best Health Care Products IR Site:
Kellogg Company (NYSE: K), Best Food Industry IR Site:
Kyphon Inc. (NASDAQ: KYPH), Best Medical IR Site:
Legacy Communications Corporation (OTCBB: LGCC), Best Radio IR Site:
Marine Products Corporation (NYSE: MPX), Best Leisure IR Site:
Neste Oil (Helsinki: NES1V), Best Oil and Gas IR Site:
NetSol Technologies (NASDAQ: NTWK), Best Professional Services IR Site:
Nortech Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: NSYS), Best Aerospace and Defense IR Site:
Pall Corporation (NYSE: PLL), Best Manufacturing IR Site:
Park Ohio Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: PKOH), Best Diversified Business IR Site:
PotashCorp (NYSE: POT), Best Metals and Mining IR Site:
Promana Solutions (PLSU), Best Employment IR Site:
Publicis Groupe (NYSE: ), Best Advertising/Marketing Services IR Site:
Silverleaf Resorts, Inc. (AMEX: SVL), Best Hotel and Lodging IR Site:
Southern Company (NYSE: SO), Best Energy IR Site:
Stoneridge, Inc. (NYSE: SRI), Best Automotive IR Site:
Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ: SYMC), Best Computer Software IR Site, Best Technology IR Site:
Tejas Incorporated (OTCBB: TEJS), Best Brokerage IR Site:
The Asia Pacific Fund (NYSE: APB), Best Mutual Funds IR Site:
The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), Best Chemicals IR Site:
The Home Depot (NYSE: HD), Best Retail IR Site:
The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG), Best Personal Care Products IR Site:
TrygVesta (OMX:TRYG), Best Insurance IR Site:
WCI Communities, Inc. (NYSE: WCI), Best Home Builders/Building Products IR Site:
Williams Partners, L.P. (NYSE: WPZ), Best Natural Resources IR Site:
Yahoo! (NYSE: YHOO), Best Media IR Site:
Yum! Brands Inc. (NYSE: YUM), Best Restaurant IR Site:

Additional sites were also recognized as Outstanding Websites. They are: Avaya Inc. (NYSE: AV), Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN), Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: ARW), eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY), CVS Corporation (NYSE: CVS),EDS (NYSE: EDS),Life Time Fitness, Inc.(NYSE: LTM), Haemonetics (NYSE: HAE), Catena Fastigheter AB (NYSE: NO), ERA Real Estate (NYSE: H), Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL), Metso Corporation (NYSE), Finnvera (NYSE), SAP AG (NYSE: SAP), Time Warner (NYSE: TWX), SI International (NASDAQ: SINT), Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF), PNM Resources (NYSE: PNM), Air Products (NYSE: APD), Fremont General Corporation (NYSE: FMT), DWS Scudder, Qualcomm Inc. (NYSE: QCOM), Smithfield Foods, Inc. (NYSE: SFD), ANSYS, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANSS), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), Edison International (NYSE: EIX), Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), Bank of Montreal (TOR:BMO), EnPro Industries (NYSE: NPO), Air France-KLM (NYSE: AKH), Colony Capital Inc., Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER), Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE), Siemens AG (NYE: SI), Northern Trust Corporation (NASDAQ: NTRS), Aspreva Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ASPV), Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (NYSE: PNW), Global Sources Ltd. (NASDAQ: GSOL), Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT), W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE: GWW), Warner Music Group (NYSE :WMG), Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ: HBAN), Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS), EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC), Deutsche Telekom, Inc. (NYSE: DT), Adstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADST), Callisto Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX: KAL), Titan Global Holdings (OTCBB: TTGL), Crown Crafts, Inc. (OTCBB: CRWS), Smart & Final, Inc. (NYSE: SMF), EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ: EDAP), Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. (NYSE: CLF), TODCO (NYSE: THE), Intervoice (NASDAQ: INTV), General Motors (NYSE: GM), and BASF AG (NYSE: BF)

Special recognition is also given to b2i Technologies, Inc. of Richardson Texas. For the second year in a row, B2i won more awards than any other participant, taking home 26 awards in the 2005 IIR Awards for their clients, including 17 Best of Industry Awards and 9 Outstanding IR Website Awards.

The interactive Investor Relations Awards are judged by individual and institutional investors, financial advisors, financial media, IR professionals and Web developers. Each site is judged on 35 different criteria, earning a score between 0 and 100 points. The highest score in a given category wins Best of Industry for that category. Remaining entries receiving a score of 80 points or greater receive the Outstanding Web site Award. All entries receive judges' comments and feedback to help participants understand how their entry is viewed and to facilitate improvement.

The Web Marketing Association (WMA) was founded in Boston in 1997 as an organization dedicated to upholding professional standards of excellence in Web development. Members are advertising, marketing, public relations and Web professionals who share an interest in improving the quality of Web communications. Since its inception, the WMA has set the standard of excellence for overall Web site development with the annual WebAward Competition, a premier annual event for Web developers and marketers.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Internet Advertising Competition Awards Deadline Extended

The Web Marketing Association announces the deadline for the 2007 Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) Awards as been extended until Febrary 15th, 9:00p.M. EST. The IAC Awards are the first and only industry-based advertising award competition dedicated exclusively to online advertising. The Competition Web site is located at www.iacaward.org.

The Internet Advertising Competition Awards are open to all organizations and individuals (advertising and interactive agencies, corporate marketing departments, etc.) involved in the process of developing Internet advertising. Entries will be judged on creativity, innovation, impact, design, copywriting, and use of the medium.

Awards will be presented within each of the industry categories and advertising formats such as online ad (including banner, pop-up or interstitial), rich media online ad, email message, online newsletter campaign, microsite/landing page and integrated ad campaign and ads the client did not choose. Best of show award for each medium will be selected from among the industry winners. Ads eligible for entry in the competition must have run during the period from January 1, 2006 through January 31, 2007.

Judges will consist of a select group of Internet advertising professionals with an in-depth understanding of the current state-of-the-art in Web advertising. Past competition judges have included top executives from leading corporations, institutions and media organizations such as Ogilvy Interactive, Saatchi & Saatchi, Blattner Brunner, Comedy Central, Sun Microsystems, National Cable & Telecom Association, Refinery, Euro RSCG, EPB Interactive, New York Post Interactive, The Cincinnati Enquirer, J. Walter Thompson, Xerox, Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Modem Media, and Answerthink.

The 2007 Internet Advertising Competition Awards are sponsored by BURST!Media, ad:tech, ExactTarget, Small Army, OMMA, PR Web, NewsUSA, , Misukanis & Odden, Top Rank Online Marketing, SimpleFeed, WebSite Services Magazine and www.YourPhotoOnChocolate.com.

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Today is the deadline for the IAC Awards

The deadline for the Web Marketing Association's fifth annual Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) Awards is today, January 31, 2007. The IAC Awards are the first and only industry-based advertising award competition dedicated exclusively to online advertising.

Please make every effort to get your entry submitted by today. You will still be able to edit your entry until February 15th.



Friday, January 19, 2007

Web Marketing Association is a W3C Supporter

The Web Marketing Association is pleased to be a finanical supporter of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an international consortium where Member organizations, a full-time staff, and the public work together to develop Web standards. W3C's mission is to lead the World Wide Web to its full potential by developing protocols and guidelines that ensure long-term growth for the Web.

The mission of the Web Marketing Association has away been to help set the standard of excellence for web site development. This is just one way we help support our mission. Another way we support it with our WebAward and Internet Advertising Competition(IAC) Award programs.


http://www.w3.org/Consortium/sup



Saturday, January 13, 2007

2006 WebAward Surveys Sent

Each year, we conclude the annual WebAwards with a survey sent to all participants and judges. Those surveys went out last week and if you were involved in this year’s WebAwards and did not receive one, or the regular nominator is no longer with your organization, please contact the Web Marketing Association.

If you did receive it, please complete your short survey. We truly do use the data from these surveys to shape the future award competitions.


Friday, December 15, 2006

Problem with Ordered Certificates

We would like to apologize for the delays in getting awards to people who ordered them from our online Recognition Center. We recently changed printers and experienced problems in getting the correct certificates to those who ordered them – not once but twice.

This problem has been corrected and the certificates are once again being sent out to their rightful owners.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.


Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Award Winning Sites Embrace Total User Experience in 2006

The end of the year is often a good time to take a look back on the major trends of 2006 in website development and look ahead for 2007 and beyond.

The Web Marketing Association will be releasing its 2007 Internet Standards Assessment Report, an industry by industry assessment of current standards of excellence, in February, in the mean time, I thought it would be a value to our readers to give a heads up for what to expect.

At the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association summit, a few months ago, I discussed the concept of Total User Experience. This is how I best sum up what made some Websites stand out above the rest in the 10th annual WebAward Competition for Website development.

I define total user experience as a Web site that combines text, sound, animation and video within its pages to deliver an informative and entertaining experience. Today a website should not require users to download a plug in, or click a link to have a video player pop up. Rather today’s award winning sites are integrating video and audio and graphics directly into the page. Users do not want to be interrupted; they want a seamless integrated experience. A Web page is more than just text and graphics, it needs to come alive to compete with the other media outlets available to consumers today. A good example of this is the 2006 WebAward Best of Show winning Website "TBS: Department of Humor Analysis" at www.tbshumorstudy.com, which also won Best TV Website. This flash based Website creates a total user experience to highlight the funny TV shows on TBS.

In the ISAR study, we will be releasing specific data relating to a decade of Website evaluations. If you are interested in receiving a free copy when it is published and download a copy of the 2006 report, add your name to the ISAR Study page.

Happy holidays to all and a very merry new year!

Bill Rice
President
Web Marketing Association


Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Internet Advertising Competition Awards 2007 Call for Entries is Now Open

The Web Marketing Association announces the launched of its fifth annual Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) Awards. The IAC Awards are the first and only industry-based advertising award competition dedicated exclusively to online advertising. The Competition Web site is located at www.iacaward.org and the deadline for entry is January 31, 2007

The Internet Advertising Competition Awards are open to all organizations and individuals (advertising and interactive agencies, corporate marketing departments, etc.) involved in the process of developing Internet advertising. Entries may be submitted online at http://www.iacaward.org. The deadline for entry is January 31, 2007 and will be judged on creativity, innovation, impact, design, copywriting, and use of the medium.

Awards will be presented within each of the industry categories and advertising formats such as online ad (including banner, pop-up or interstitial), rich media online ad, email message, online newsletter campaign, microsite/landing page, interactive application, integrated ad campaign and ads the client did not choose. Best of show award for each medium will be selected from among the industry winners. Ads eligible for entry in the competition must have run during the period from January 1, 2006 through January 31, 2007.

Judging for the IAC Awards will take place in February, 2007, and winners will be notified by e-mail one week prior to the general announcement of winners in March, 2007. Judges will consist of a select group of Internet advertising professionals with an in-depth understanding of the current state-of-the-art in Web advertising. Past competition judges have included top executives from leading corporations, institutions and media organizations such as Ogilvy Interactive, Saatchi & Saatchi, Blattner Brunner, Comedy Central, Sun Microsystems, National Cable & Telecom Association, Refinery, Euro RSCG, EPB Interactive, New York Post Interactive, The Cincinnati Enquirer, J. Walter Thompson, Xerox, Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Modem Media, and Answerthink.

The 2007 Internet Advertising Competition Awards are sponsored by Burst Media, AdRants, ad:tech, ExactTarget, Small Army, OMMA, PR Web, NewsUSA, , Misukanis & Odden, Top Rank Online Marketing, SimpleFeed, WebSite Services Magazine and www.YourPhotoOnChocolate.com.


Monday, November 06, 2006

Come see the Web Marketing Association at ad:tech New York

ad:tech
Hilton New York
November 6-8, 2006

Join the Web Marketing Association at THE Event for Interactive Marketing. ad:tech New York blends relevant speakers, topic driven panels and interactive workshops, providing attendees with the tools and techniques needed to compete in today’s digital world. Stop by and visit us at our booth in the exhibit hall. Register now at http://www.ad-tech.com/ny.asp


Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Interactive Briefing Featured Articles

The October issue of Interactive Briefing, the newsletter of the Web Marketing Association, featured two articles of interest.

What do you stand on? – Mannington Floors used rich media banner ads and effective landing pages to engage online users and lower cost per click using this award winning online ad campaign.


Internet cited as best place to get info on political candidates
– Burstmedia’s new study looks at the effect the Internet is placing on the election process. (PDF)

To sign up for the Web Marketing Association mailing list, including the monthly Interactive Briefing Newsletter, go to http://www.webmarketingassociation.org/subscribe.asp

eComXpo Opens today

eComXpo, The Virtual Tradeshow for eCommerce Marketers, is the largest number of eCommerce marketers in one place at one time, ever! And you don’t have to fly to New York to experience it. Stop by and check out the vendors, including the Web Marketing Association.

Enrolling in the eComXpo University gives you full access from October 24 to February 23, 2007 to over 160 on-demand presentations from industry experts. Enjoy and learn from industry heavyweights like: Seth Godin, Shawn Collins, Declan Dunn, Paul Colligan and Chris Pirillo! Go to www.ecomxpo.com for complete information.


Friday, October 20, 2006

Search Marketing Study

We at the Web Marketing Assocaition are big fans of MarketingSherpa’s newsletters and reports. Their new MarketingSherpa Search Marketing Benchmark Guide is a great help to anyone who thinks SEO is an important aspect of Web marketing. We have been given access to an executive summary of the study that you can download free-of-charge. You can purchase the entire report from the MarketingSherpa’s Website. While you’re their, sign up for some of their excellent case study newsletters!

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Web Marketing Association drawing for ad:tech Conference pass

ad:tech is one of the top conferences in the online marketing space and its next event will be held November 6-8th in New York at the New York Hilton. 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. We’re committed to bringing you the now and the next of modern marketing.

The Web Marketing Association will be exhibiting at the show - stop by and say hello.

If you would like to enter our drawing for a full conference pass to ad:tech New York, simply email your contact information to adtech@webaward.org before Friday, October 20th. One winner will be selected from the entries received and notified by email. This is a $1,695 value that should not be missed.

Web Marketing Association Support eComXpo

eComXpo conference is an online conference to be held October 24-26 2006 at
www.ecomxpo.com. This virtual tradeshow for eCommerce Marketers is a great way to hear interesting speakers and meet new vendors without the expense and time away from the office.

Send your contact information to ecomxpo@webaward.org to be entered into a drawing for free access to the eComXpo University with access to 160 on-demand presentations from industry experts. Deadline is Friday, October 20th.


Tuesday, October 17, 2006

2006 Interactive Investor Relations Awards competition

Do you have an award winning IR Web site? Prove it! Enter the 2006 Interactive Investor Relations Awards competition.

Have your Web site evaluated by those who matter most: individual and institutional investors, financial advisors, financial media, IR professionals and Web developers. The Interactive Investor Relations Awards recognize excellence in online investor relations in 60 industry categories, providing valuable feedback and recognition for the IR professional.

Both large and small companies were among the 2005 IIR Award winners, including Colgate-Palmolive (Best of Show 2005), The Bank of Montreal , Coca-Cola, CVS, eBay, Mattel and GM.

Complete details, entry form and the list of past winners can be found on the competition Web site at www.iiraward.org. The deadline for entry is October 31, 2006.

The IIR Awards are produced by the Web Marketing Association. The WMA, founded in Boston in 1997, is dedicated to increasing the professional standards of excellence in Web development. Since its inception, the WMA has set the standard of excellence for overall Web site development with the annual WebAward Competition the premier annual event for Web developers and marketers now it its eighth year.

Monday, October 16, 2006

St Paul Pioneer Press Coverage of MIMA Keynote

Recently, William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association, was asked to provide the keynote address for the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association’s annual Summit in St. Paul. The presentation covered trends in award winning websites based on the results of the 2006 WebAwards. We will be expanding on these findings and updating our Internet Standards Assessment Report later this year. The daily newspaper, St Paul Pioneer Press, covered the event and you can read the article at http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/business/15680591.htm.

Monday, October 02, 2006

William Rice, President of Web Marketing Association, to Give Keynote Speech at 2006 Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association Summit

Rice to Address Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA) Summit Attendees outlining the future of award-winning websites and how MIMA members- and their companies - can push the envelope of top website


Web Marketing Association, host of the WebAward, the leading Internet award competition, has announced that its President, William Rice, will deliver the keynote speech at the 2006 Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association’s (MIMA) Summit Showcase.


Founded in 1998, MIMA is a networking and professional development forum for interactive marketing professionals. MIMA connects educational partners with members and guests to elevate the quality of interactive marketing in Minnesota. The MIMA Summit brings together the latest concepts, strategies, technologies, and thought leaders shaping the interactive marketing community.


“I’m honored to be part of the 2006 MIMA Summit,” said Rice. “WebAward has ten years of top website design data to share with MIMA members to help them elevate the design of their company websites.”


Details for the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association 2006 Summit


When: Wednesday, October 04, 2006 - 7:45 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: The Depot,  225 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55401

Cost: Members $195, Non-members $395, Students $65


Media attendance at the event is free.


“MIMA is an excellent forum for leaders in the interactive marketing community to share cutting-edge concepts and strategies that are at the forefront of the marketing industry,” said Rice.


About WebAwards


The WebAward Competition, produced by the Web Marketing Association, is now in its tenth year. WebAwards is the premier annual web site award competition that names the best Web sites in 96 industries while setting the standard of excellence for all website development.


The Web Marketing Association was founded in 1997 to help set a high standard for Internet marketing and web development on the World Wide Web. Staffed by volunteers, this organization is made up of Internet marketing, online advertising, PR, and web site design professionals who share an interest in improving the quality of online advertising, internet marketing, and website promotion.



Wednesday, September 27, 2006

WebAward Winners Announced

The Web Marketing Association announced today the winners of its tenth annual WebAward Competition for outstanding web site development. More than 2,300 web sites from 35 countries were adjudicated in 96 industry categories during this year's WebAward competition.

Entries were judged on top web site design, copy writing, innovation, content, interactivity, navigation, and use of technology.

“The World Wide Web continues to evolve in terms of Web site development and the expectations of visitors to sites,” said William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association. “The Web sites today are more integrated than event and have multimedia tools embedded into the site rather than as links. The WebAward Once again the WebAward winning Websites have set the standard for all Web development. This accomplishment serves as invaluable marketing opportunity for both the winning website and company and serves as a benchmark for all Websites within the industry.”

The 2005 Best of Show WebAward is presented to New York-based Big Spaceship (www.bigspaceship.com), for its outstanding work on the "TBS: Department of Humor Analysis" web site at www.tbshumorstudy.com. The web site was also won for Best TV WebAward. TBS's Dept. of Humor Analysis works hard to put the -very- in front of -funny. To help TBS steer clear of common pitfalls in this cut-throat, dog-eat-dog, rabbit-outwit-duck, duck-shoot-pig, anvil-smush-coyote, Chico-trip-Zeppo field of funny business, Big Spaceship joined forces Mother Interactive to turn their very silly questionnaire into an addictive, fully interactive web site.

R/GA (www.rga.com) was named Top Agency at the 2006 WebAward Competition, taking home 19 WebAwards. The Top Agency Award recognizes the consistently outstanding development pursued by interactive firms when creating top website designs. R/GA has also won more WebAwards than any other organization during the past decade, although this is their first Top Agency Award. R/GA, headquartered in New York, won 12 Outstanding and 7 Standard of Excellence WebAwards.

Agencies or companies winning six or more WebAwards in 2006 include the following:

Agency - # of Website awards in 2006

R/GA - 19
Zugara - 18
E-Site Marketing - 13
Arnold Worldwide -12
Bridge Worldwide - 12
Refinery, Inc. - 12
BrowserMedia - 11
CondeNet - 11
Aristotle - 10
Avenue A / Razorfish - 9
Bbdigital (Blattner Brunner) -9
Vision Internet Providers - 9
Critical Mass - 8
Open World Ltd. - 8
Organic - 8
2Advanced Studio - 7
American Academy of Dermatology - 7
Biggs-Gilmore - 6
Brulant - 6
Buena Vista Pictures Marketing - 6
Hanson Inc. - 6
Hubbard One - 6
imc2 - 6
JWT Specialized Communications - 6
MagiClick - 6<
Mullen - 6
Ogilvy One - 6
Racepoint Group - 6
TM Interactice - 6
VML Inc - 6
WhippleHill Communications - 6

The WebAwards’ 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, web 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 web sites within their industry to win the Best of Industry awards.

Entries also compete against a standard of excellence to win Outstanding Web site and Standard of Excellence WebAwards. Each web 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 receive the Outstanding Web site award. Entries that scored between 50 and 59.9 receive the Standard of Excellence.

A complete list of the winning sites can be found at the WebAward Web site at www.webaward.org

The 2006 WebAward Competition sponsors include:

BURST! Media (www.burstmedia.com)
Misukanis & Odden (www.misukanisodden.com)
SimpleFeed (www.simplefeed.com)
Register.com (www.register.com)
NewsUSA (www.newsusa.com)
AdTools Inc(www.adtoolsinc.com)
Small Army (www.smallarmy.net)
Perseus Development Corp (www.perseus.com)
Top Rank (www.toprankmarketing.com)
Creative Chocolate Printing Company (www.CreativeChocolatePrinting.com)
PRWeb (www.prweb.com)

Media Sponsors include:
Website Services Magazine (www.websiteservices.com)
AdRants (www.adrants.com)
MarketingVox (www.marketingvox.com)
MediaPost (www.mediapost.com)
eComXpo (www.ecomxpo.com)
Ad:Tech (www.ad-tech.com)
Macworld (www.macworldexpo.com).

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 ninth year, the WebAward Competition has become the premier award event for Web developers and marketers worldwide.

2006 WebAward Winners Announced

-The Web Marketing Association announced today the winners of its tenth annual WebAward Competition for outstanding web site development. More than 2,300 web sites from 35 countries were adjudicated in 96 industry categories during this year's WebAward competition.



Entries were judged on top web site design, copy writing, innovation, content, interactivity, navigation, and use of technology.



“The World Wide Web continues to evolve in terms of Web site development and the expectations of visitors to sites,” said William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association. “The Web sites today are more integrated than event and have multimedia tools embedded into the site rather than as links. The WebAward Once again the WebAward winning Websites have set the standard for all Web development.  This accomplishment serves as invaluable marketing opportunity for both the winning website and company and serves as a benchmark for all Websites within the industry.”


The 2005 Best of Show WebAward is presented to New York-based Big Spaceship (www.bigspaceship.com), for its outstanding work on the "TBS: Department of Humor Analysis" web site at www.tbshumorstudy.com. The web site was also won for Best TV WebAward. TBS's Dept. of Humor Analysis works hard to put the -very- in front of -funny.  To help TBS steer clear of common pitfalls in this cut-throat, dog-eat-dog, rabbit-outwit-duck, duck-shoot-pig, anvil-smush-coyote, Chico-trip-Zeppo field of funny business, Big Spaceship joined forces Mother Interactive to turn their very silly questionnaire into an addictive, fully interactive web site.


R/GA (www.rga.com) was named Top Agency at the 2006 WebAward Competition, taking home 19 WebAwards. The Top Agency Award recognizes the consistently outstanding development pursued by interactive firms when creating top website designs. R/GA has also won more WebAwards than any other organization during the past decade, although this is their first Top Agency Award. R/GA, headquartered in New York, won 12 Outstanding and 7 Standard of Excellence WebAwards.



Agencies or companies winning six or more WebAwards in 2006 include the following:


Agency - # of Website awards in 2006


R/GA - 19

Zugara - 18

E-Site Marketing - 13

Arnold Worldwide -12

Bridge Worldwide - 12

Refinery, Inc. - 12

BrowserMedia - 11

CondeNet  - 11

Aristotle - 10

Avenue A / Razorfish - 9

Bbdigital (Blattner Brunner) -9

Vision Internet Providers - 9

Critical Mass - 8

Open World Ltd. - 8

Organic - 8

2Advanced Studio - 7

American Academy of Dermatology - 7

Biggs-Gilmore - 6

Brulant - 6

Buena Vista Pictures Marketing - 6

Hanson Inc. - 6

Hubbard One - 6

imc2 - 6

JWT Specialized Communications - 6

MagiClick - 6<

Mullen  - 6

Ogilvy One - 6

Racepoint Group - 6

TM Interactice - 6

VML Inc - 6

WhippleHill Communications - 6


The WebAwards’ 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, web 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 web sites within their industry to win the Best of Industry awards.


Entries also compete against a standard of excellence to win Outstanding Web site and Standard of Excellence WebAwards. Each web 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 receive the Outstanding Web site award. Entries that scored between 50 and 59.9 receive the Standard of Excellence.


A complete list of the winning sites can be found at the WebAward Web site at www.webaward.org


The 2006 WebAward Competition sponsors include:


BURST! Media (www.burstmedia.com)

Misukanis & Odden (www.misukanisodden.com)

SimpleFeed (www.simplefeed.com)

Register.com (www.register.com)

NewsUSA (www.newsusa.com)

AdTools Inc(www.adtoolsinc.com.)

Small Army (www.smallarmy.net),

Perseus Development Corp (www.perseus.com)

Top Rank (www.toprankmarketing.com)

Creative Chocolate Printing Company (www.CreativeChocolatePrinting.com)

PRWeb (www.prweb.com)


Media Sponsors include:

Website Services Magazine (www.websiteservices.com)

AdRants (
www.adrants)

MarketingVox (
www.marketingvox.com)

MediaPost (www.wediapost.com)

eComXpo (www.ecomxpo.com)

Ad:Tech (www.ad-tech.com)

Macworld (www.macworldexpo.com).


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 ninth year, the WebAward Competition has become the premier award event for Web developers and marketers worldwide.



Tuesday, September 26, 2006

TopRank Online Marketing is named as a sponsor of the annual WebAwards

The Web Marketing Association is please to name TopRank Online Marketing as a sponsor of the annual WebAward Competition.


TopRank Online Marketing is an industry leading search marketing agency offering integrated search engine optimization, online public relations and blog marketing services. TopRank has been listed as a top ten world-wide SEO firm by topseos.com and Promotion World and is included in Marketing Sherpa's Guide to Search Engine Optimization Firms. TopRank is a member of the Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization (SEMPO.org), the Search Engine Marketing Council of the Direct Marketing Association (the-DMA.org), and holds a Board of Directors position for the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA.org).


For more information visit: www.toprankresults.com



Misukanis & Odden named WebAward Sponsor

The Web Marketing Association is please to name Misukanis & Odden as a sponsor of the annual WebAward Competition.


Misukanis & Odden is a leading business to business public relations and marketing firm based in Minneapolis, MN. Misukanis & Odden specializes in building brand visibility and increasing sales for companies focused on technology, healthcare, financial and professional services.  With proven experience, from positioning to product launches and research to crisis management, Misukanis & Odden can help you build awareness of and generate prospective inquiries for your company.

For
more information visit: www.misukanisodden.com.



Creative Chocolate Printing added as WebAward Sponsor

The Web Marketing Association is please to name the Creative Chocolate Printing Company as a sponsor of the annual WebAward Competition.

The Creative Chocolate Printing Company (www.yourLogoOnChocolate.com) creates personalized chocolate gifts and chocolate party favors for any event, occasion or budget! Chocolography is a newly patented technology that makes it possible to reproduce any picture, image, or message right on the surface of delicious chocolate. We will help you create unique and highly personalized chocolate products, which will astound even the most sophisticated customer.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

WebAward Results Announced to Participants

If you entered the Web Marketing Association's 2006 WebAwards and have not received an email notice from us, please return to your nominator account for the results for your entries.

The Complete results, including Best of Show and Top Agency Awards, will be released publically on September 27, 2006 on our Website and through PR Web.

Monday, August 07, 2006

WebAward Judging Complete

I’m please to report that the judging for the 2006 WebAward
Competition
for Website Development is now complete. We will tabulate the
results and selecting the award winners over the next few weeks. Winners will
be announced in mid-September.





The Web Marketing Association would like to thank the many
industry professionals who acted as judges for this year’s award program. These Internet experts provided their time
and expertise to help improve the overall standard of excellence for web design
and development. We are deeply in their debt.



Friday, June 16, 2006

2006 Call for entries closed

The 2006 WebAward Call for Entries is now complete and
judging will begin on Monday.





The winners will be announced in September, 2006





Good luck to all of our participants and a special thanks to
all of the expert judges who are preparing to review the 2006 entries.



Thursday, June 01, 2006

10th annual WebAwards Deadline for Entry Extended

The Web
Marketing Association
has announced that the deadline for entering its 10th
annual WebAward Competition (www.webaward.org) has been extended until
June 15th to allow final entries to be submitted and existing entries to be
edited if needed. The WebAwards are the Internet’s premier award competition that judges website development against an
ever increasing Internet standard of excellence and against peer sites within
an industry.





A complete list of past winners and the entry form for
companies who wish to compete for 2006 honors can be found at www.webaward.org.





Web sites are judged on design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, navigation and
ease of use. Each WebAward entry is judged against other entries in its industry
category and then against an overall standard of excellence. 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.  New categories for this year include
Healthcare Providers, Medical Equipment, Fashion and Technology.



Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Ten reasons why your website should receive an award

1) A Best of Industry award means your the best and you can prove it!




2) Your mom would be proud of you.




3) You will receive important benchmark data for your entire
industry and where your site ranks in each of the seven judging
criteria.




4) Think of the PR opportunities - industry publications,
blogs, websites, by-lined articles, podcasts, press releases,
interviews - the sky is the limit.




5) A best of industry plaque containing your award winning site will look great in your office.




6) The WebAward logo on your site is like receiving the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval" for Web development.




7) Your clients and customers will be impressed at your industry recognition and so will your potential clients.




8) A link to webaward.org will help your site's search engine
rankings because you will be linked to a site with a high Google
PageRank.




9) If you wait until after may 31st, you'll have to pay a late fee.




10) 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 2006 WebAward Competition for
Website development. Winning accolades in the 2006 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 10th Annual WebAward competition deadline for entry is May 31st, only one 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.




WebAward - The award for your award-winning Web site.



Friday, May 19, 2006

MarketingSherpa’s new eCommerce Benchmark Guide 2006

Do you want to improve your e-commerce conversions?  Grab a copy of MarketingSherpa's new Ecommerce Benchmark Guide 2006 for:



-> Eyetracking study data on Amazon, Wal-Mart, Dell, Best Buy, Apple, Bombay, QVC & Circuit City. Shows you how online shopper's eyes "flick over" your store's pages (and how you can redesign for better conversions.)



-> Real-life ecommerce marketing and tactical data from 1,101 of your peers. Compare your stats to theirs; discover which traffic sources and site tools are working (and what's bombing.)



-> See inside the minds of 1,120 actual online shoppers. They reveal why they abandon carts, and what would make them buy more from you online.



Discover how to lower your shopping cart abandons, traffic costs, fraud, email unsubscribes, search marketing cost per click -- plus, how to raise your conversions, average order size, shopper trust, affiliate revenues, customer loyalty, and ROI.  Want more information? Visit:
http://www.sherpastore.com/e-commerce-benchmark.html



Monday, May 15, 2006

Featured Articles from Interactive Briefing

Here are the featured articles from our May issue of the Web Marketing Association's Interactive Briefing Newsletter.



Winning an Award is only Half the Battle – Here are some ideas on how to promote your award winning website after you have one an award.





Turnaround Game – Virtual Imagination Leads to Real Life Success for this award winning interactive application



The tale of two seasons – Marriott
exploits the weather to offer visitors hot deals.



Thursday, May 11, 2006

Looking for past WebAward Judges

Every year we get emails from past judges half way through the competition telling us their email address has changed or filters stopped the messages from getting through.



If you are a past WebAward judge and have not received our emails inviting you to participate in the 2006 WebAwards, please contact us ASAP as we are finalizing the judging panel.



Please contact us through www.webaward.org



Monday, May 08, 2006

Help to spread the word about the WebAward competition

We need your help to spread the word about the WebAward competition. As the premier recognition program for Web site development, we have grown each year because Internet professionals, like yourself, have gotten the word out to other Internet professionals by email, in blogs and even face to face.



The Web Marketing Association
is a volunteer organization and it’s through efforts like these that the
WebAwards can set the standard of excellence for Web sites in 96 industries.
However, this year, we have made it even more advantageous to tell your friends
and co-workers about the WebAwards.



WebAward Referral Program




To reward those who tell others about the WebAwards, this year we are offering a $20 referral bonus per referral for each person who gets someone new to enter the WebAwards. It’s our way of rewarding those who help us the most.



To qualify you simply need a WebAward nominator account from WebAward.org. Give the email address associated
with this account to everyone who you recommend the WebAwards to and when they
enter and include your email address, you’ll receive a check from the Web
Marketing Association as our way to say thank you.



WebAward.org has complete details,
so tell a friend and log in to your nominator account and watch your referral
bonuses add up.



Call for WebAward Judges



Another way you can help
support the WebAwards is to nominate yourself as a judge. We are looking for experienced Internet professionals – interactive creative directors, graphic designers, marketing managers,
webmasters, heads of agencies, among others – to help adjudicate the entries
for the 2006 WebAwards.



While most of the volunteer
judges return each year because of the valuable insights that can be obtained
by judging, the growth of entries requires us to add new judges each year. Judges are assigned a number of entries to review within a three week time frame beginning June 17th.



If you or someone you know
are interested in participating as a WebAward judge, please use the judges
nomination form on WebAward.org



Conference season



At WebMaster World in Boston we gave-a-way a video iPod to Daniel Bourgeois interactive marketing manager of Wynn Resorts. The following week, David
Mullings of Random Media won another video iPod ad ad:tech San Francisco. Congratulations
to all of our prize winners and to the conference sponsors for putting on
outstanding industry conferences.



On my way to ad:tech in San Francisco, I read MarketingSherpa’s brand-new E-commerce Benchmark Guide. I am a big fan of MarketingSherpa’s work and try to get everything they publish on Web development. We were able to get a 22-page executive summary of MarketingSherpa’s E-commerce Benchmark Guide for the readers of Interactive Briefing. You can read more about it in the “For Our readers” section of our newsletter.



The annual WebAward program
is shaping up to be both a great way to gain visibility for your self and your
Web site, but also valuable feedback to help guide future development and
benchmark your progress. We hope everyone takes advantage of this program.



And remember to tell your
friends about it too.



Friday, May 05, 2006

INBOX: The Email Event

INBOX: The Email Event
May 31-June 1, 2006
San Jose Marriott



INBOX is the first and only event focused on the Internet’s first and central application: email. In just two days, you’ll get a rock-solid email system and email marketing plan you can count on. Our conference program covers Email Marketing Strategy, Creative, Delivery, List Acquisition and Customer Retention. Check out the conference program here: http://www.inboxevent.com/2006/conference.asp



Web Marketing Association members can get a FREE Buyer Pass, or save $100 on a full-conference pass. Sign up online at http://www.inboxevent.com and use Customer Code WMA6.



Thursday, May 04, 2006

Internet Professionals Needed to Judge World’s Best Web Sites

The Web Marketing Association is pleased to announce the
call for judges for its 10th 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.  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 webmasterswith an in-depth
understanding of the current state-of-the-art in Web site development and
technology.




To nominate yourself or another Internet Professional,
please use our Judges Nomination Form.



“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. “For 10 years, industry professionals have provided the backbone of our award program and helped thousands of Web sites get the recognition they deserve. As a WebAward judge, you are helping to set the standard of excellence for all web site development. Judging challenges you by having you visit and review web sites that you normally would not visit. Being a judge helps develop a critical eye to the many facets of leading-edge web development.”



Judging for the 2006 WebAwards will take place in June
through August, with winners announced in September. Mark Kingdon, CEO of
Organic, Inc. has been selected to lead the judging panel
this year. Past judges have included top
executives from leading organizations such as Ogilvy Interactive, Saatchi &
Saatchi, Blattner Brunner, Comedy Central, Sun Microsystems, Refinery, Euro
RSCG, EPB Interactive, New York Post
Interactive, The Cincinnati Enquirer,
J. Walter Thompson, Xerox, Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Modem Media, and
Answerthink.



2006 Call For Entry Still Underway



The Web Marketing Association is now accepting entries for
the 10th annual WebAward competition. The WebAwards evaluate Web sites in 96
industries and defines benchmarks based on the seven essential criteria of
successful Website development. The
deadline for entry is May 31, 2006.



Your Web site will be judged on seven criteria: design,
innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copy writing and ease of use. Each WebAward
entry is judged against other entries in its industry category and then against
an overall standard of excellence. WebAward Judges consist of a select group of Internet
professionals with an in-depth understanding of the current
state-of-the-art in Website development and technology.



All entrants receive valuable feedback from the judging
panel as well as a report detailing their performance compared to their
industry average. If you win a
WebAward, you also have an outstanding marketing opportunity to publicize and
drive traffic to your site.



A complete list of past winners and this year’s entry form
can be found at www.webaward.org.



Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Internet Professionals Needed to Judge World’s Best Web Sites

The Web Marketing Association is pleased to announce the call for judges for its 10th 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. 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 webmasterswith an in-depth understanding of the current state-of-the-art in Web site development and technology.

To nominate yourself or another Internet Professional, please use our Judges Nomination Form.

“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. “For 10 years, industry professionals have provided the backbone of our award program and helped thousands of Web sites get the recognition they deserve. As a WebAward judge, you are helping to set the standard of excellence for all web site development. Judging challenges you by having you visit and review web sites that you normally would not visit. Being a judge helps develop a critical eye to the many facets of leading-edge web development.”

Judging for the 2006 WebAwards will take place in June through August, with winners announced in September. Mark Kingdon, CEO of Organic, Inc. has been selected to lead the judging panel this year. Past judges have included top executives from leading organizations such as Ogilvy Interactive, Saatchi & Saatchi, Blattner Brunner, Comedy Central, Sun Microsystems, Refinery, Euro RSCG, EPB Interactive, New York Post Interactive, The Cincinnati Enquirer, J. Walter Thompson, Xerox, Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Modem Media, and Answerthink.

2006 Call For Entry Still Underway

The Web Marketing Association is now accepting entries for the 10th annual WebAward competition. The WebAwards evaluate Web sites in 96 industries and defines benchmarks based on the seven essential criteria of successful Website development. The deadline for entry is May 31, 2006.

Your Web site will be judged on seven criteria: design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copy writing and ease of use. Each WebAward entry is judged against other entries in its industry category and then against an overall standard of excellence. WebAward Judges consist of a select group of Internet professionals with an in-depth understanding of the current state-of-the-art in Website development and technology.

All entrants receive valuable feedback from the judging panel as well as a report detailing their performance compared to their industry average. If you win a WebAward, you also have an outstanding marketing opportunity to publicize and drive traffic to your site.

A complete list of past winners and this year’s entry form can be found at www.webaward.org.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Internet World 2006

Internet World 2006 – Free entry, Over 200 exhibitors, Over 100 hours of seminars
9-11 May 2006, Earls Court, London, UK
Internet World is the UK’s largest B2B internet event.
Directors from MSN, e-Bay, Lastminute.com, Virgin and more delivering keynote presentations. Supported by Net Communities and endorsed by The Guardian, Revolution, Marketing, e-Consultancy, mad.co.uk and others.
For more information and to register for FREE visit www.internetworld.co.uk



One Month to Go Until WebAward Deadline

If you are planning to enter your Web sites into the 2006
WebAward Competition
, you better get moving – There is less than one month to
go until the deadline for entries.



Webawardcfe
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
2006 WebAwards is May 31, 2006. A complete list of
past winners and this year’s entry form can be found at www.webaward.org.



So if you have the best Web site in your industry and want
to prove it, be sure to get your entry submitted by the deadline. Entries
submitted after the deadline, but before the judging begins will be subject to
a $50 late fee.



Monday, May 01, 2006

WebMasterRadio.FM at Ad:tech

WebMaster Radio provided outstanding on site coverage of
Ad:tech San Francisco. They stopped by the Web Marketing Association
booth at ad:tech and interviewed Bill Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association
and here is a link to the an audio file of the interview.



ad:tech San Francisco a success!

The Web Marketing Association participated in the 2006
ad:tech conference in San Francisco.
Bill Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association was on hand to meet with
attendees as well as judges and past participants who were at the conference. Also in attendance were WebAwards sponsors PR Web, SimpleFeed
and Web Sites Services Magazine.




Adtech2_1

There was a lot of interest in the 2006 WebAwards and for
the Internet Standards Assessment Report and links to each where provided to
everyone who had their name tag scanned at the WMA Booth.



Congratulations to David Mullings of Random Media who was selected to win a video iPod for stopping by our booth.

Many thanks to Jeff Valentine, Kristin Widergren and the
rest of the ad:tech staff for putting together a great well-run conference and with
lots of interesting exhibitors to meet.



Wednesday, April 12, 2006

WebMaster World Boston Drawing

WebmasterWorld's PubCon is an educational conference and industry trade show programmed specifically for web
professionals and website site owners to be held April 18-20, 2006 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston.



The Web Marketing Association is giving away a full conference pass for this show. To enter, send your name and contact info to webmasterworld@webaward.org by Thursday, April 13th at 5:00 EDT. We'll contact the winner then.



The keynote for the conference is Mr. Malcolm Gladwell, the super star author of The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference and Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.
Malcolm will also do a special book signing after his talk!



For more information go to www.pubcon.com A limited number of
participants can receive 25% off the full conference rate by entering code
"wm-80625" when registering.



Monday, April 10, 2006

Web Site Award Competition Heats Up as Industry Award Season Begins

Awards season is underway and our society is hooked on awards that recognize who is best in their field. The entertainment industry has the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes and the Emmys. The auto world has MotorTrend Car of the Year, manufacturing has the Malcolm Baldridge Award and journalists have the Pulitzer Prize, just to name a few.

The online marketing community also has its way to recognize top performers. The Webby Awards like to call themselves the Oscars of the Internet while the Web Marketing Association’s WebAwards are likened to the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Major advertising festivals like the Clio Awards and Cannes Lion also now include interactive categories. What these awards all have in common is the desire to recognize great Web sites. It’s how the "Best Web site" winners are chosen that make the award programs different.

“The WebAwards have been so successful for the past 10 years because of our clearly defined judging process and our focus on setting industry specific standards for Web development,” said William Rice, President of the WMA. “To us, winning a Web site award is not only a great marketing opportunity, but a chance to receive quality feedback from industry professionals that help improve the overall Web experience.”

Before entering an award competition, the Web Marketing Association offers the following tips on what to look for in a quality Web site award program:

  • Feedback – Entries should receive valuable feedback from the judges through specific commentary, advice for improvement, and quantitative scoring that can be evaluated against an industry average.
  • Clear judging criteria and process – In order to make sure each entry has an equal chance to win an award, the judging process should be comprehensive, so that judges see all of Web sites entered and not just a few finalists.
  • Longevity – The awards program should have a substantial history of Web site evaluation and a roster of winners in each category that have experienced a clear value from the program.
  • Focus – The awards program should be solely focused on the evaluation of Web sites so interactive winners are not overshadowed by winners in print or broadcast as in some well respected advertising award programs.
  • Quality of judges – Award judges should be industry professionals with a solid understanding of Web site production and Internet marketing objectives, not a simply a celebrity that brings a name but little Web development experience.

“WebAward participants know that each entry will be submitted to the judges, not just a few handpicked, big-name finalists. They’re also aware of the criteria on which they will be judged, and will receive their overall scores – compared to both their industry and the overall standard of excellence,” notes Rice. “The WMA’s WebAward competition is the only major award program to provide an in-depth, quantitative analysis of results that help entrants develop standards of excellence for future innovation.”

Internet awards season is now officially underway, and the WMA is currently accepting entries for its 10th annual international WebAward competition. The deadline for entry is May 31st and entries can be submitted at www.webawards2006.org.

About the Internet Standards Assessment Report

Recently the Web Marketing Association released a study based on nearly ten thousand Web site evaluations in more than eighty industries since 1997. The Internet Standards Assessment Report (ISAR) is the results of nearly a decade of independent evaluations of Web site development based on seven criteria critical to a successful Web site: design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copywriting and ease of use.

To receive a copy of The Internet Standards Assessment Report or to learn more about the Web Marketing Association’s WebAward program please visit: www.webawards2006.org.

About the WebAwards

The 10th 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.

Web Site Award Competition Heats Up as Industry Award Season Begins

Awards season is underway and our society
is hooked on awards that recognize who is best in their field.  The
entertainment industry has the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes and the Emmys.
The auto world has MotorTrend Car of the
Year, manufacturing has the Malcolm Baldridge Award and journalists have the
Pulitzer Prize, just to name a few.



The online marketing
community also has its way to recognize top performers. The Webby Awards
like to call themselves the Oscars of the Internet while the Web Marketing
Association’s WebAwards
  are likened to the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.
Major advertising festivals like the Clio Awards and
Cannes Lion also now include interactive categories. What
these awards all have in common is the desire to recognize great Web sites.
It’s how the "Best Web site" winners are chosen that make the award programs different.



“The WebAwards have been so successful for the past 10 years
because of our clearly defined judging process and our focus on setting
industry specific standards for Web development,” said William Rice, President
of the WMA. “To us, winning a Web site award is not only a great marketing
opportunity, but a chance to receive quality feedback from industry
professionals that help improve the overall Web experience.” 



Before entering an award competition, the Web Marketing
Association offers the following tips on what to look for in a quality Web site
award program: 



  • Feedback – Entries should receive valuable feedback from the judges through specific commentary, advice for improvement, and quantitative scoring that can be evaluated against an industry average.


  • Clear judging criteria and process – In order to make sure each entry has an equal chance to win an award, the judging process should be comprehensive, so that judges see all of Web sites entered and not just a few finalists.




  • Longevity – The awards program should have a substantial history of Web site evaluation and a roster of winners in each category that have experienced a clear value from the program.




  • Focus – The awards program should be solely focused on the evaluation of Web sites so interactive winners are not overshadowed by winners in print or broadcast as in some well respected advertising award programs.



  • Quality of judges – Award judges should be industry professionals with a solid understanding of Web site production and Internet marketing objectives, not a simply a celebrity that brings a name but little Web development experience.



“WebAward participants know that each entry will be submitted to the judges, not just a few handpicked, big-name finalists. They’re also aware of the criteria on which
they will be judged, and will receive their overall scores – compared to both
their industry and the overall standard of excellence,” notes Rice. “The WMA’s WebAward competition is the only major award program to provide an in-depth,
quantitative analysis of results that help entrants develop standards of
excellence for future innovation
.”




Internet awards season is now officially underway, and the
WMA is currently accepting entries for its 10th annual international
WebAward competition. The deadline for entry is May 31st and entries
can be submitted at www.webawards2006.org.




About the Internet Standards Assessment Report



Recently the Web Marketing Association released a study
based on nearly ten thousand Web site evaluations in more than eighty
industries since 1997. The Internet Standards Assessment Report
(ISAR) is the results of nearly a decade of independent evaluations of Web site
development based on seven criteria critical to a successful Web site: design,
innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copywriting and ease of use.





To receive a copy of The Internet
Standards Assessment Report
or to learn more about the Web Marketing
Association’s WebAward program please visit: www.webawards2006.org.



About the
WebAwards



The 10th 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.



 



 

Friday, April 07, 2006

Media coverage of ISAR Study

The Web Marketing Association's Internet Standards Asessment Report continues to draw the intererst of the media.



Here are a few examples of recent media coverage of the report:



Yahoo News:Education Web Sites Benchmarked in New Internet Study



WebProNews -King Content Takes Queen Interactivity



Web Site Services Magazine - ISAR Report


Independent Agent Magazine
- Insurance Industry Lacks Dynamic Web
Presence



Insurance Journal -Insurance Web Sites Benchmarked in New Study



The Bivings Report - What Industries Have the Best/Worst Websites?



LexBlog - Law firm websites below average : Internet Standards Assessment Report



WebProNews -Gaming Sites, Great; PR Sites, No



About the Internet Standards Assessment Report



Recently the Web Marketing Association released a study
based on nearly ten thousand Web site evaluations in more than eighty
industries since 1997. The Internet Standards Assessment Report
(ISAR) is the results of nearly a decade of independent evaluations of Web site
development based on seven criteria critical to a successful Web site: design,
innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copywriting and ease of use from the annual WebAward Competition for Web site development.





To receive a copy of The Internet
Standards Assessment Report
or to learn more about the Web Marketing
Association’s WebAward program please visit: www.webaward.org.







Tuesday, April 04, 2006

See us at eComXpo, the virtual trade show

If you have not checked it out yet, you should stop by www.eComXpo.com and see what a virtual trade show is like.  The show has great education sessions and a number of trade show booths to visit (and win prizes from) and chat with representatives.



Here is what the Web Marketing Association trade show booth looks like.



Ecomxpo



at:tech discount offer

ad:tech San
Francisco


April 26 -28, 2006

Moscone Center North




The Web Marketing Association is pleased to announce our presence at ad:tech San Francisco, the #1 event for interactive marketing. As an exhibitor at ad:tech, we would like to extend our preferred pricing along to you a super-saver discount of 20% off the current conference price.




Register or obtain more information about ad:tech San Francisco  at www.ad-tech.com/sf.asp.




To lock in your 20% discount, register with Promotion Code: ATSFEG.