Ask the Experts, Question 15:

What should you do, and not do, when you apply for awards?

by Rob Ford, Webmaster, Favourite Website Awards
15 December 2002

Print Version

Vitor Oliveira, Webmaster BigEye Award Program

Editor's Choice

The first thing you should do when you apply for an award is read the PURPOSE of the award program. Some programs specialize in a particular subject or type of site, such as music or commercial sites, and will only award them. If your site does not meet the purpose, then don't apply for the award.

Next, read the PRIVACY POLICY to find out if your e-mail address and personal data will be passed on to any third party. Most award programs will respect your privacy, but you should check this out. You do not want to be bombarded with advertisements and undesirable mail. You should also take a look at the program's CODE OF ETHICS.

After completing the above steps and making sure your site meets the purpose of the program, carefully read the CRITERIA for the award. This is the most important step in the application process. Never assume it's the same as the criteria at the other award programs you have visited. It isn't! The award giver has worked very hard to develop his own unique criteria, and it is the foundation of his award program.

Read every paragraph of the criteria, then read it again. Print it out and judge your own site based on the content of the criteria. Be brutally honest with yourself. Compliance with the criteria will determine whether you qualify for the award or not. If your site does not meet something in the criteria, change your site before you apply. This may take a little time, but it will help you earn the award. If you're not willing to make the effort, then maybe you don't deserve the award.

Do not skip the above steps and go straight to the Application Form. If you fail to meet any of the criteria, don't apply anyhow and hope the award giver will overlook it. He won't! There are some award programs out there that will give awards to anyone who applies, but the better programs have honor and integrity and will not do this. If you want an award that means something, then you've got to meet the criteria and earn it.

Most award programs state how long you must wait before applying again. Make a note of when you applied and the time you must wait. If you don't earn an award the first time and want to apply again, make some changes to improve your site and apply only after the requisite time has passed.

Whether you receive an award or not, always try to respond to the award giver. If you receive an award, send a letter of thanks. If the award you received is lower than the program's top award, politely ask for help. Most award givers will be happy to help you. A few simple changes may be all that is required to earn you the award, or a higher one, when you apply again.

Never send a nasty email. If you did not earn an award, or if you think you should have received a higher one, don't complain to the award giver. You asked for the evaluation and it was provided freely and without malice. Try to learn from it!

Susan Hawkins, Webmistress
Advanced Creations Business Award (site closed)

I think the most important thing you should do when you are applying for awards is to read the award program's criteria. If your site does not meet the criteria, then either correct what doesn't meet with the criteria before you apply, or do not apply! This will make it easier on yourself, and the award giver.

Another important thing you should do when applying for an award is be careful when filling out the application. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes, correct e-mail address and URL, and fill out the application completely!

The last important thing you should do is keep a record of the award programs you applied to and the dates you applied. Most programs have guidelines regarding re-submissions or applying for upgrades at a later date. You can easily use Don's Award Worksheet to keep track of your applications. A shameless plug for Don. :)

Janice Magro, Webmistress
NC's Outer Banks Awards (site closed)

Before you decide to apply for an award of a specific awards program, you should read the criteria very carefully. This will tell you if your site is eligible for the award.

For instance, some awards programs require that a family safe code appear in your HTML as well as an icon linked to the particular family safe program you have joined. Some awards programs are looking for content, and they may require a certain number of pages of rich content. If your site is not a content rich site, then that awards program is not for you.

Many awards programs will show you a score sheet. You can see exactly how the awards givers will distribute points to gain their awards. If you are missing elements of the criteria and really want to receive the award, then you should add the missing elements to your site.

Finally, make sure that the awards you have received are properly displayed with dates and comments from the award givers. You should show the awards givers that the awards you have received are treated like treasures.

When applying for awards, there are some things you should not do. Do not reapply to an awards program before the required waiting period has elapsed. Make corrections to your site, honor the waiting period, and then reapply. Read the disqualifiers of the awards program and do not apply if your site will be disqualified immediately.

Most importantly, keep a record of the awards programs you have applied to and the dates when you applied. Follow the guidelines for reapplication and reapply only after the necessary corrections have been made to your site. Good luck in your pursuit of high quality awards.

Malcolm Hemming, Webmaster
Red Dragon Wales Award

First and foremost, follow the guidelines that the webmaster or webmistress has set out. There is nothing more annoying than getting a whole lot of applications after the closing date of each month, for example.

Secondly, READ the criteria. Time and time again applicants do not read the criteria, which sometimes almost convinces me that we the award givers are doing something wrong by creating award programs.

Also, there is nothing more frustrating than receiving an incorrect award application. Award givers enjoy getting applications, but applicants have to realize that it takes time to read them. Incorrect applications reduce the time available to read and process the correct ones.

Finally, do not reapply for awards before the given date. It takes up time to check all the records, and this time can be better spent on processing correct applications.

Helen Bruce, Webmistress
Lone Star Design Award

When applying for awards, it is very important to read through the criteria. While most awards programs contain some of the same criteria items, and many look the same, it is more than likely that there are small changes tucked away in the text that could disqualify your site from review.

If a self-test is offered, spend the extra minute or two to take the test. This will help you quickly identify what areas on your site may need improvement before submitting your site for review.

Reading the criteria will help you understand what your responsibilities will be, should you win an award. Do you have to link back to the giving site? Is it required that you post the award you may win?

Many programs have a password hidden in the criteria, which must be inserted on the application. If it isn't, your site, no matter how beautiful, will not be reviewed. If a description of your site is requested, it generally means that whatever you put in that box will be what shows up on the winner's list. Take a moment to read over what you've typed, and correct any spelling.

Take your time when applying for an award. After all, you spent lots of time working on your site making it look just the way you wanted. It would be a shame to not get that well-deserved award simply because you didn't read the fine print!

Hayrettin Gürkök, Webmaster
Experts' Choice International Design Awards (site closed)

This question has a single answer: You should do what the award program wants you to do, and you should not do what it doesn't want you to do. Following this simple rule will probably help you earn more awards. If you need more specific advice, let's take a look at a few other things that will help you.

Compliance with an award program's criteria is highly important. You should, you must, read the criteria "first." It's wrong to assume a program has similar criteria to all the others. Every program has its own "unique" rules and requirements. This is what makes each one meaningful.

If you find that your site doesn't suit the criteria, stop right there! Either change your site to suit the criteria or don't apply for the award. Never send a letter complaining about illogical criteria and asking the program owner to change it. It may seem to be illogical to you, but it means something to the owner and he has the right to use it. Nobody is forcing you to apply for the award. If you don't like the criteria, then don't apply.

Never apply anyway and hope for the best. The program owner will notice that your site does not suit the criteria, and it will damage your reputation. Even if he doesn't notice, applying for an award when you know your site does not qualify is unethical.

If your site suits all the criteria, then it's time to move on to the application form. Here, again, you must do exactly what the program wants you to do. If it asks for your full real name, don't just enter a nickname or your first name. Answer all the questions to the best of your ability, and always be honest. There is usually a reason why the program is asking for the information.

When you receive an award, always say "Thank you." Most award programs don't expect you to, but it will create a good impression. Some program owners evaluate for other award programs, so creating a good impression may improve your chances of earning other awards.

Never abuse the award program if you don't receive an award. This type of behaviour is not only impolite, it will create a bad impression. Not displaying an award you receive is also considered to be poor behaviour. Program owners spend a lot of time evaluating sites, and the least you can do in return is display the awards you receive. This, too, will create a good impression and may improve your chances of earning other awards.

Any applicant can achieve some success if he reads the criteria and follows the rules. I have noticed that applicants who run established award programs have a better chance of earning awards. Not because they all have great web sites, but because they know what they should do when they apply for awards.

Wendy Russell, Webmistress
Casey's Celtic Charm Award

In the spirit of the holiday season the current question, "What should you do, and not do, when you apply for awards?," pleasantly reminds me of Santa's naughty and nice list ... Ho Ho Ho! I think it is safe to say that we all want to be on the "nice list." After all, who wants or needs a lump of coal. Here are a few things that may help get you on Santa's "Nice List."

What You Should Do – "The Nice List"

What You Should Not Do – "The Naughty List"

I prefer to focus on the positive rather than the negative. That's why there is nothing listed in the "naughty list." If the advice given in the "nice list" is strictly followed, you should be successful when you apply for awards. We wish you every success in your endeavor.

Geetha Thirunakkarasu, Webmistress
Geetha Zone Awards (program closed)

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:

When you apply for awards, you should not:

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.

Jan Sopshier, Webmistress
Circus World Awards

There are many things you should and should not do when you apply for an award. To keep it simple, I have prepared a short list of the more important things. Make a copy of this list because it will help you win awards.

Loren Sebastian, Webmistress
Cerulean Award Program

When an applicant submits a site for an award, the DO and DO NOT process commences. It is very important for applicants to read and understand the criteria before they apply for an award. If you understand the criteria, then you will be more likely to do the things you should do and avoid the things you should not do.

Lets discuss the DO's first:

As for the DO NOT's:

Maggi Norris, Webmistress
Nem5 Awards Program

I believe it is good to keep a diary of what you do and when you do it when you apply for awards. Applying too often and sometimes not often enough can keep your site from getting the awards you want. A diary also helps you remember the upgrades and additions you made to your site since your last award application. Awardmasters appreciate this information and many will ask for a list of the changes you made to your site since your last application.

The most important thing to remember is that award programs are owned by award givers, who just happen to be human. This means they have expectations which begin the very moment an award application is received and which may affect your site's eligibility for awards. These expectations will be different at every program.

So, if you have an importance scale of 1-10, then reading the requirements of each award program should be number 10. It is the only way to learn what each award giver expects from you.

Don't skip. Don't skim. Dot every "i" and cross every "t" on your site AND on your application IF that is what the award giver asks for AND you really want the award. Make sure you are ready before you begin to actively apply for awards. Give yourself the best opportunity to earn the awards you want. You always have the choice of simply not applying if the requirements to earn the award are more than you are willing to fulfill. You only have one opportunity to hit the "Send" button ... this time.