The UK Search Awards: celebrating the very best in SEO and PPC
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The UK Search Awards: celebrating the very best in SEO and PPC

20th July 2011

This year for the first time the UK Search Awards are organized. In several different categories the best in Search for the UK are chosen. The organizers, who are also organizing SASCON, are planning to make this big.

We talked to Peter Young, one of the organizers (and State of Search Blogger off course) and asked him about the awards.

What are the UK Search Awards?

“The UK Search Awards, a national awards competition celebrating the very best in SEO and PPC campaigns and talent delivered in association with Manual Link Building and SEMPO. Unlike many other awards, there will be 15 free to enter categories and we’ll be twisting the arms of some of the biggest names in UK search for our judging panel.”

Who are involved?

“The UK Search awards have been developed by Search Marketing events specialists Don’t Panic Projects with support from Richard Gregory (COO of Latitude Group), Peter Young (Head of SEO for Brilliant Media), Steve Lock (Analytics SEO) and Dixon Jones (Receptional).”

“We have also asked a number of well known and respected search marketeers including Jon Myers (Director, Account Management, Yahoo!), Bas Van Den Beld, Nick Garner (Head of Search, Unibet), Neil Hardy (Head of ecommerce, Midcounties Co-operative), Philip Miles (UK Director for Agencies, Google UK), James Murray (Head of Business Development, Hitwise UK) and Peter Jordan (Strategic Search Manager, Government Digital Service)”

Why a competition like the UK Search Awards?

“Following a number of discussions and analysis we identified that there wasn’t a respected national standalone search awards event. From the contacts and relationships we have built up from organising events such as Sascon, we decided to give the search marketing industry an events ceremony it can be proud of and showcase some of the great work many paid and organic search marketeers do on a day to day basis.”

Who can enter?

“Anyone, there are 18 awards categories”

The categories are:

1. Best SEO Campaign

Recognition of a campaign that has achieved outstanding results in search engines in natural, free or organic listings

2. Best PPC Campaign

Recognition of a campaign that has achieved outstanding results through PPC advertising

3. Best Integrated Campaign

Recognition of a campaign that has achieved outstanding results through an integrated campaign using natural search and PPC

4. Best Local Campaign

Recognition of a campaign based around a specific geographical location that has delivered outstanding results or visibility in search engines

5. Best Mobile Campaign

Recognition of a campaign that has successfully enhanced the visibility of a website or web page in mobile search engines

6. Innovation

Recognition of search innovation in the development or use of a campaign or platform

7. Best use of Search – Retail

Recognition of a campaign that has successfully enhanced the visibility of a website or web page in the retail sector

8. Best use of Search – Finance

Recognition of a campaign that has successfully enhanced the visibility of a website or web page in the finance sector

9. Best use of Search – Travel

Recognition of a campaign that has successfully enhanced the visibility of a website or web page in the travel sector

10. Best use of Search – Gaming

Recognition of a campaign that has successfully enhanced the visibility of a website or web page in the gaming sector

11 . Best use of Search – Leisure

Recognition of a campaign that has successfully enhanced the visibility of a website or web page in the leisure sector

12. Best Blog

Recognition of an outstanding industry blog

13. Best PPC Management Software

Recognition of the development of an outstanding management software package that successfully manages and enhances pay per click marketing campaigns

14. Best SEO Software

Recognition of the development of an outstanding software tool that successfully manages and enhances an organisation’s search engine optimization efforts

15. Best Agency

Recognition of an outstanding agency that demonstrates consistently great understanding and use of search and / or PPC

16. Best Client Side Practitioner / Team

Recognition of an outstanding in-house team or practitioner that demonstrates consistently great understanding and use of search

17. Search Personality of the Year

Recognition of a talented and inspiring practitioner who has revolutionized the UK search industry

18. Grand Prix

Recognition of the best of the best UK search campaign, platform or software to be selected from the previous categories

How can people enter?

Awards entries can be made via the Search Awards website (www.searchawards.co.uk) via the following link – http://www.searchawards.co.uk/content/information/entry-form/

How is the judging arranged?

The proces:

All entries received will be recorded and collated. The panel of judges will be sent entry forms only for pre-scoring. Please note if there is a high volume of entries received we reserve the right to split the entries and judging panels to reduce the time constraints on individual judges. The shortlists will be determined by judges pre-scores. These will be announced on 29 September. Judges will then meet to discuss the highest scoring entries, consider any supporting materials and agree the winner for each category. The winners will be announced on the evening of 3 November.

Judging Criteria (Awards 1 – 14)

The judges will be looking for clear objectives, creative and effective implementation and tangible and demonstrable results in the campaign award categories. They will also consider the structure, presentation and clarity of each entry. Entries should not exceed 1000 words in total and should relate to work undertaken between January 2010 – August 2011.

Each entry must include information under the following headings:

Total budget
Objectives
Strategy & target audience
Creativity & implementation
Results & evaluation

Any entries that do not include information under all of these headings will be marked down. If appropriate you may include one set of supporting materials.

Judging Criteria (Awards 15 – 17)

Judges will be looking for agencies, teams and individuals that can demonstrate an ongoing and sustained commitment to delivering best practice while showing a creative and innovative approach to search. Judges will also consider the structure, presentation and clarity of each entry. Entries should not exceed 1000 words in total and for the agency and team awards should focus on work completed between January 2010 – August 2011.

Each entry must include information under the following headings:

Details of the team agency / team / individual
Agency / team / individual objectives
Recent campaign example
Recent achievements
Challenges
Why you think your entry should win
Any entries that do not include information under all of these headings will be marked down. If appropriate you may include one set of supporting materials.

Please send supporting materials by email to rowan@dontpanicprojects.com or by post to Rowan Jamieson, Don’t Panic Projects, Office 8, Market Chambers, Market Place, Ramsbottom, BL0 9AJ. Supporting material will not be kept for collection, and will be securely destroyed following the awards ceremony. Please note that entries will be pre-scored on the basis of the entry form only, supporting materials will be considered in the judging session to determine the winners.

There are many ‘lists’ out there, what makes this different?

“Who wants to win a list :)”

It is UK only, why?

“For the moment this is UK only however we would love to take this further afield and will be something we will be looking to do over the coming year or so.”

What are your expectations?

“I would like to think we are going to get an overwhelming response from the UK search marketing industry both from client-side and agency side. The awards ceremony is taking place at the Emirates Stadium in London and I would like to think its going to be a hugely successful, sold out event that we will see take a regular place in the UK search marketing calendar.”

Anything you want to add?

If you haven’t entered – enter now !!!!!!

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Written By
Bas van den Beld is an award winning Digital Marketing consultant, trainer and speaker. He is the founder of State of Digital and helps companies develop solid marketing strategies.
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