Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Best Advocacy Website Trends Detailed in New Report from the Web Marketing Association

Updated Web Marketing Association' Internet Standards Assessment Report Includes Historical Data Derived from a Decade of Hosting Internet Award Competition, WebAwards, and Provides Best Practices for Advocacy Web Design

West Simsbury, CT (PRWEB) March 31, 2009 -- WebAward.org - The Web Marketing Association, host of leading website awards competition WebAwards, released the Internet Standards Assessment Report (ISAR) to help the advocacy industry learn to create more effective and engaging websites.

"As the standard of excellence for websites continues to increase, consumers (and WebAward judges) are increasingly picky about what they consider to be an effective website," said William Rice, president of the Web Marketing Association, Inc. "Advocacy sites are the public service announcements on the Internet. Often developed on a shoestring budget or pro bono, the best sites don't just inform about an issue - they tell a story and allow people to take action."

The WebAwards competition judges advocacy websites on seven criteria that combined create award-winning websites:

  • Design
  • Innovation
  • Content
  • Technology
  • Interactivity
  • Copywriting
  • Ease of use
Advocacy sites are used to create awareness to social issues. Added to the WebAwards in 2002, advocacy sites have outperformed the overall ISAR index five out of the seven years in which they competed. They showed strong content and copywriting scores once again in 2008. Due to the conservatism and tight budgets of advocacy organization, advocacy sites tend to score lowest in innovation and technology.

The 2008 WebAward for Best Advocacy website went to Clarity Coverdale Fury for Are You Ok With That?

Other past winners include:

  • 2007 Ignite Health for Banner Moments
  • 2006 Ignite Health Live with it
  • 2005 Tribal DDB for Exhale
  • 2004 Change for Register and Vote 2004
  • 2003 International Fund for Animal Welfare for Protecting Animals and Their Environments Worldwide
  • 2002 The Cato Institute for The Cato Institute's website
Companies and organizations wishing to have their advocacy web site evaluated against the ISAR Index and be considered for a WebAward, which can help boost a Website's credibility and marketing efforts, can learn more at WebAward.org.

To request your copy of the 2009 WebAward ISAR report, please visit: WebAward.org

The Internet Standards Assessment report and the 2009 WebAwards are sponsored by the following leading organizations: Burst Media, B2B Magazine, BGT Partners, PRWeb, AllBusiness, ExactTarget, ad:tech conferences, NewsUSA, Microsoft PhizzPop, Internet World, AllBusiness, Search Engine Strategies, Webmaster Radio, Rovion, and Website Magazine.

2009 WebAward Call for Entries:
The Web Marketing Association is now accepting entries into its 13th annual international WebAward Competition. The WebAwards is the standards-defining competition that sets industry benchmarks that the Internet Standards Assessment report is based upon. The advocacy industry represents an important category in the WebAward competition, and the Web Marketing Association will again be honoring the Best Advocacy Web site of 2009. The deadline for entry is May 29, 2009 and the WebAward Web site is located at WebAward.org.

About the WebAwards:
Now in its 13th year, the annual international WebAwards competition sets the standard of excellence in 96 industry categories by evaluating Web sites and defining benchmarks based on the seven essential criteria of successful Web site development. The goal of the Web Marketing Association, sponsor of the WebAwards, is to provide a forum to recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective Web sites on the Internet today. Entrants benefit from a Web site assessment by a professional judging panel and the marketing opportunities presented to an award-winning Web site. For more information, visit WebAward.org.

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