Jim Docherty, Webmaster
Red Stag Awards

Here are at least three possible reasons why one program may experience more applications than others: popularity, process and promotion (forgive the intended alliteration).

1. Popularity

This is clearly the least subjective measure, but it gets to the heart of why folks apply to awards in the first place. An award program might be popular for any number of reasons. Perhaps it's a highly rated one that represents the pinnacle of achievement or prestige, or the award graphics are particularly interesting or "professional-looking." Maybe the award simply has a legacy in the marketplace that is widely known, has been seen on many outstanding sites, or has a longstanding "place" on the Internet.

In any case, people seek out this type of program for what it is and what it says about their site if awarded. The award may also be very exclusive, adding to its intrinsic value. Programs like Cool Site of the Day and USA TODAY Hot Site receive hundreds of applications each week for this reason.

2. Process

Process relates to the guts of a program ... those things that distinguish one program from another: mission, criteria, judging and rating. Perhaps more important is presentation. Does the program look professional or does it simply convey the impression that this is the extension of a personal site (a friendly feature, but less credible).

While it could be argued that those programs with stringent criteria and overall excellence in form and presentation might be intimidating to some, they will certainly benefit from a larger group seeking awards for professional and artistic reasons. And it is ultimately presentation that hooks the user beyond a mere cursory look ... and drives resulting applications. Some of the highest AS! Rated awards (but certainly not all), plus more commercial-based AP's like the Webby Awards, fall into this category.

3. Promotion

Without exception (and with a certain bias), this in my opinion is the foundation for building a larger base of applications. In short, if users don't know you exist, they won't apply. But your response rate will be in some direct proportion to the amount of promotion your program receives.

Ultimately it boils down to playing the averages. The more people who visit your site, the more opportunity to receive applications from those users. That promotion might come from "working" the search engines, promoting on public message boards and the like, or actually reaching out to a target audience with an appeal to visit your program.

While some might argue that more applications are not necessarily better, I believe there is a greater opportunity to award a broad range of excellent sites when the pool of applicants is large.

Karen Pimtzner, Webmistress
petalperfect Digital Photography Gallery (site closed)

Ask yourself ... why do some commercial products sell better than others? It all comes down to how good their advertising and promotion is. It's the same with award programs. The programs that get their name out to the public are more likely to have more applications flooding their inboxes. How is this accomplished?

One way is to submit your awards program to search engines and award listings. The more your name is seen on award lists, the more applicants are likely to recognize your program and come find you.

Promotion is fine, but you have to have a program that lives up to the hype. Is your program unique? Is your mission statement clear? Are your criteria points easy to understand? Is your award graphic an attractive one that folks would want to put on their web page? All the hype in the world is moot, if your award program cannot live up to it.

Having an "established" name also helps. Has your program been around for a few years or a few weeks? Scot tissues are great, but why do we call them Kleenex? Why is every copier we use referred to as a Xerox machine? These companies have reputations for quality that have met the test of time. We recognize their names instantly. They have reputations we can trust. Here's where ratings levels and designations come in to play.

If an award has achieved the highest rating levels from the premier awards listings or has become a World's Top Award, then it's made it. It has built a reputation as being the very best at what it does. When an applicant sees these designations, they know that the program is a quality one and has earned the respect of the awards community at large.

But, far more important even than that, award-givers must earn the respect of the applicants. Do they consistently review sites fairly, ethically and according to the posted criteria? Do they ask of others only what they, themselves, can deliver? Do they provide help and advice for improvement? Do they offer an incentive to applicants in an effort to foster future upgrade submissions?

In closing, I cannot overlook one other REALLY important factor that enters into the "popularity" equation, and that's luck.

If a program is lucky enough to hit on a formula that is fun or different from the others in some aspect, they may gain popularity. If someone truly "enjoys" their award-seeking experience, they will tell two friends. These two friends will tell two friends and so on and so on ...

For the less ambitious out there, an award called "Apex" will most likely get more applications than one called "Zenith." It's a proven fact that most novice award-seekers will begin their quest for awards with the A's in an alphabetic listing! This does not, however, guarantee you quality applicants. But if numbers are all that matter to you, this is definitely the way to go! ;-)

Wendy Sears, Webmistress
Assess Risk Web Award

There are many reasons why some award programs may get more applications than others, but I have attempted to explore just three:

1. Applicants need for validation.

Site owners may seek validation of their effort by seeking website awards. Often — and quite understandably — it is felt that the more prestigious the award, the greater the validation received. Award programs are often rated by external organisations. Most rating systems use objective criteria to determine the level of rating, and the higher the rating the more prestigious the award program is deemed to be to applicants.

Thus it is natural that those striving to be the best will seek validation from those they perceive to be the best. The benefit for the award programs that have not yet earned their wings, so to speak, is that as they also strive to improve their programs, and as they receive accolades and ratings, so should applications to their programs increase.

2. Some programs contain elements that can be intimidating.

Some programs will receive more applications because they appear more inviting. Words used within the opening pages, that entice and welcome, encourage applicants. Words such as "Do not apply if ..." may lose potential applicants, whereas words such as "We are looking for ..." will encourage potential applicants. The same information may be relayed but the emphasis is subtly altered.

Criteria which is comprehensible and contained within one page rather than fifteen may attract more applicants and entice them to submit their applications. Intimidating statistics that reveal a low applicant success rate will often result in the potential applicant turning away. Quite simply, the more welcoming the site, the more the applicant is likely to submit that application.

3. Specialist programs.

This is possibly the most obvious of the answers to the question. A program that has been established to reward specialist sites will naturally receive less applications than a site that is more generalist in nature and purpose. The inclusion of an additional award for more general sites would result in an increase in applications.