Debra Sharp, Webmistress
Mesweet's Awards

In the early days while applying for awards, I came to the realization that offering awards is a great way to get people to visit your site. I wanted them to come to mine, so I started an awards program.

What I got out of it was "hits to my site" and an "ego trip." With every award application, I felt excitement and power. I felt excited that people were applying for my award. I felt power because I was able to choose who did or did not get my award.

After about a year, I realized that I could learn from my award applicants. When visiting an applicant's site, I started to look for new ideas and ways to do things. If they had something I did not know how to do, or a new way to do something, then I would check their HTML source code and find out how they did it. In this way, I learned and improved my own skills.

Now my awards program is more like a hobby. While others may draw, write poetry or go fishing, I spend time in front of my computer reviewing sites for my award. It gives me something to do in my spare time, and I enjoy doing it. So offering Web awards not only gets hits for my site, it's a great learning experience for me!

Jerry Hartzler, Webmaster
Smokin' Award

This is a good question! It is the same question my girlfriend asked me when I showed her my new award site.

Girlfriend: "Wow! That looks neat. What is it?"
Me: "It's an award site. I honor websites that I think deserve it."

Girlfriend: "Cool. Do you make money doing this?"
Me: "Ahhh... No."

Girlfriend: "So, why do you do it?"
Me: "Ummm..."

Girlfriend: "You have wwwaaay too much time on your hands."
Me: "Well, yes. I mean, no. You see..."

Girlfriend: "What have you done for ME lately?"

It is even a question I have asked myself. Especially when I get a rude email from an applicant who didn't make the grade. Or I come home after work and find my mail folder full of submissions, all of which I reply with a "Dear John" letter since they didn't bother to read the @#$%! criteria.

All of these are good reasons for NOT having an award site. So why do I have one?

OK. So what do I get from it?

That's my answer to, "Why do people offer Web awards and what's in it for them?"

By the way, I showed this to my girlfriend and she still thinks that I have too much time on my hands.

Geetha Thirunakkarasu, Webmistress
Geetha's Web Design Awards (program closed)

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.

Marie Summers, Webmistress
Shadow Poetry Dragonfly Awards (award program closed)

There are many reasons why award programs are offered, creating benefits for many. Here are just a few:

Without web awards, the Internet might be filled with nothing but cookie-cutter sites where everything looks the same. Web awards encourage webmasters to let their creative juices flow, and they make the Internet a fun and interesting place to be!

Richard Berends, Webmaster
Maestro Awards of Excellence

Often started as a way for webmasters (or web designers) to say thank you for visiting my site, and usually accompanied by an image, these tokens of appreciation have grown into something we now recognize as Website Awards. They have become a service for webmasters who want to know how they can improve their websites and a way to attract more visitors.

Many websites are individual "businesses," and the traffic awards bring can make them more competitive in the tough global free market. But not all websites are a business, of course. A good example of a non-business site is what is known as a "homepage." These are usually websites with personal information ranging from pictures of the kids and pets to favorite hobbies.

There are thousands of awards for all kinds of activities on the web. No matter the type of site, there are millions of websites vying in an online competition to get their work seen. Website Awards can help.

People offer web awards for various reasons:

What is in web awards for the seeker?

I know there are many more reasons for giving and seeking awards, but they vary from person to person according to their personal tastes. Becoming part of the elite group of webmasters capable of earning good awards from many award programs requires hard work and dedication. It is only possible by a distinctly talented and skilled group of webmasters. Happy awarding!