Ask the Experts
1. Why do people offer Web awards and what's in it for them?
There are various types of web awards, but only a few stand out as the best. Prestigious and high quality award programs offer web awards as a voluntary service to recognize Web achievements and contributions. Offering Web Awards is a SELFLESS service, and it has proved to be an efficient way of improving the quality of websites in terms of design, layout and content, on the part of the award giver as well as the award receiver.
Award givers spend countless hours and dedicate time and effort to maintaining and reviewing websites. Their ultimate goal is to reward only the best and to help make the Internet a better place. They are doing this for their own self satisfaction in helping others with positive attitude.
Award givers work hard with a commitment to improve the Web by showcasing top quality websites. They have great experience and they want to show their appreciation for web excellence. This encourages award givers and award receivers to offer positive contributions and receive a constant flow of positive feedback. Thus, it improves the quality of the web.
Award givers continue to run their award programs successfully to shine as one of the best of the web. They are the finest people who share their knowledge and experience with the world. I would say the process of award offering and applying for awards is, in a true sense, a journey in search of the weightless treasure called "knowledge," which can always be easily carried.
2. How long does an evaluation take and do you look at every page?
The evaluation period varies for each award program, and it takes about a maximum of 6 weeks, depending on the number of evaluators involved and the number of visits made by each evaluator.
It also depends on the quality of the evaluations. New or inexperienced evaluators might base their evaluations strictly on the look of a website or on their likes and dislikes. If they can't make their own decision, sometimes they'll look at the awards previously won by the website and make a decision based on that.
Good quality award programs are judged by highly experienced evaluators. The evaluations are done in a professional way, and the evaluators can identify even small problems. They use a score sheet to make sure all websites are evaluated using the stated procedure.
The evaluation starts with the list of disqualifiers. This is the fastest way to determine if the site has all the required elements. The evaluator then continues to apply standardized testing procedures, and sometimes multiple visits are required.
Professional evaluators will do a fair and THOROUGH evaluation to get accurate and consistent results. Evaluators help to improve the quality of the web by dedicating time and effort to reviewing websites and encouraging webmasters to strive for excellence.
3. How can I make people read the criteria for my awards?
Criteria is the body of the awards program. It is the element that most reflects the rating of the awards program.
Initially, criteria should be created by outlining the requirements based on the likes and dislikes of its creator. Then it should be expanded and broken into various categories with headers. This will make it visually appealing and encourage applicants to read the whole criteria without skipping through it.
I always feel it's better to start the criteria by listing the disqualifiers. Even though it tends to be discouraging, applicants can quickly find out if their sites are going to be disqualified.
Some award programs use passwords to encourage people to read the criteria, but I don't think this achieves anything. Many applicants just scan for passwords without reading anything.
The key to getting applicants to read your criteria is to make it clear, concise and easy to understand. Providing a score sheet or a self test will help applicants to understand the criteria faster. Get some friends to proofread your criteria to make sure it's friendly and easy to read.
4. What can I do to entice top webmasters to apply for my award?
Top webmasters want to win awards that are difficult to win, so don't just give your award away. Establish a high standard and make them earn it. Your evaluations should always be honest, and your list of winners should reflect your high standards.
Your own website should also meet the standards you establish for your award. If your criteria states that content is important, then your content should be interesting and well presented. If it focuses on design, then your site should be perfectly designed. Set a good example and your award program will become more credible.
Get your program rated by good rating organizations. Keep improving it until you achieve a high rating. Higher rated awards are usually more difficult to win, and they are highly valued by the top webmasters.
5. What is the first thing you look for when you visit an applicant's site?
Visually pleasing pages grab the evaluator's attention. He'll look around and get a good impression of your site. First impressions are hard to erase, so never minimize the importance of layout and design. Make sure your pages are attractive and well laid out. Try to use colors, styles and fonts that complement each other and have a consistent theme throughout the entire site.
Download time is very important. Your website will be viewed at different connection speeds. Many evaluators don't have a cable modem or ISDN connection to the Internet, and they won't wait for large pages to load. You must make sure your pages load quickly, and the index page loads even faster.
Many award programs have a list of disqualifiers they use before checking against any of the major criteria. If your site has any of the disqualifying elements, it will be immediately disqualified and will not be considered for an award.
First impressions are lasting ones. Try to create a good first impression so the evaluators will be happy to evaluate your site.
6. How long and detailed should the criteria for an award be?
Criteria should be simple and short for those who are in hurry. It should also be explained in detail for serious applicants who want to understand the purpose and requirements of an award before they submit their sites. Criteria should be written in such a way that it suits both types of award seekers.
Criteria pages shouldn't be very long. The criteria can be listed as points for easy reading, with links to further details. Applicants will get an idea of the requirements by reading your listed points, and those who need further explanations can follow the links.
Criteria can also be divided into various categories to make it visually pleasing and easier to understand. The objective is to encourage applicants to read the criteria by making it short, clear and concise.
7. What should you do, and not do, when you apply for awards?
Awards are the recognition a webmaster receives for creating an excellent website. Applying for them is a serious process, and it deserves the same kind of care and attention that goes into creating a site. How you apply can make the difference between winning and not winning an award.
When you apply for awards, you should:
- Read and understand the purpose and criteria for the award.
- Make any necessary changes to your site before you apply.
- Review the winners' list.
- If the award program offers one, perform the self test to make sure you have a chance of receiving an award.
- Fill out the application form and double check all your entries to make sure they are correct.
- Keep track of the date you applied and time you must wait before you can re-apply.
- If you win an award, post it on your site and send a "thank you" note to the award giver.
- If you don't win an award, make some improvements or upgrades to your site and re-apply when the waiting period is over.
When you apply for awards, you should not:
- Submit your site without knowing the requirements for an award.
- Submit multiple applications.
- Contact the award giver about the review during the period of evaluation.
- Re-apply before the specified waiting period is over.
- Re-apply if you have not made any improvements or upgrades to your site.
- Complain to the award giver if your site was not awarded or if it was awarded a lower award than you expected.
- Alter the award graphic you received in any way without permission.
- Reject the award (you will not be able to re-apply in the future).
Following the above advice will help you win awards. It will not guarantee your success, but it will definitely improve your chances. If you are going to apply for awards, then you should do it the right way. Anything less is just a waste of time.
8. What are valid reasons for removing sites from your winners' list?
Every award program establishes its own reasons and rules for removing sites from the winners' list. You can find out what they are by carefully reading the criteria and disqualification points. Generally, the following are consider to be valid reasons for removing winners:
- If changes are made to the site which violate the criteria.
- If the link to a winning site does not work (a dead link).
- If the award graphic is not posted or linked back.
- If the award graphic is altered without prior authorization.
- If the award graphic is removed for any reason.
- If there is no reply about the acceptance of the award.
It's not necessary that award programs apply all of the above reasons. It depends on the individual program. Some award givers don't ask winners to post the award or link back, but they do want them to reply about accepting the award. It's always better to understand and follow the program's simple rules and to be a proud winner of the earned award.