Award Programs – Which One’s Are Credible?
A very good award program will encompass extra then a “submit a web site” button, to be taken severely. We have now all seen these “free market me awards” which encompass nothing extra then proper clicking your mouse, saving their award graphic and linking again to the award program and “Tada” , you have gained your first award. Award Applications corresponding to these, carry completely no credibility to your web site or award program. A reputable award program will provide extra particulars to help candidates with internet designs and provide options. Its standards encompass a constructed record, which record extra then the do’s and don’ts, but additionally gives ideas and recommendations to their candidates. On most credible award applications you will note the next.
1. The Award Program will state its objective clearly. (Why they’re providing their awards)
2. The Award Program will let candidates know, who’s eligible to use for his or her awards. They can even record a algorithm for candidates. Who might apply, who might not apply, causes a web site could also be disqualified, and many others.
three. The Award Program won’t settle for tasteless websites or websites that comprise grownup content material.
four. The Award Program won’t settle for websites from kids underneath the age of 14. They abide by C.O.P.P.A rules. (Youngsters’s on-line privateness act)
5. The Award Program can have a “code of ethics” assertion, displaying their candidates that their requirements for reviewing websites are excessive.
6. The Award Program will show a privateness assertion, letting candidates know, that any data they ship to your software type (different then the URL and title of the candidates
web site) is confidential.
7. The Award Program will show a copyright assertion, defending their content material, award graphics and all of the arduous work they’ve put into establishing their award program.
eight. The Award Program will give credit score to anybody who helps with their web site. Any graphics, content material or donations made to their award web site, will give acceptable credit score to its creator.
9. The Award Program will provide customized award graphics for his or her winners. The graphics are normally optimized for quick loading and no bigger then 200×200 pixels and underneath 20kb. (.jpg or .gif format)
10. The Award Program will show a “Statistics” web page, in an effort to let candidates know what number of purposes have been obtained in the course of the yr and what their likelihood is of successful an award out of your program.
11. The Award Program will show a winners record with the date the award was giving to their winners, in addition to the nation they’re from.
12. The Award Program will show a distinguished winners record. Gold Award Winners or particular awards giving, normally shows a screenshot, nation the winner is from, description of the winners web site and the date they’ve obtained the award. (That is thought-about good advertising.)
13. The Award Applications winners record will at all times be updated.
14. The Award Program typically occasions might be listed with a prestigious score service or ethics group. Most excessive rated award applications will show a “Membership or Associates Web page”. We are going to speak a bit extra about this in our subsequent part, “Memberships, Scores and Organizations.”
15. The Award Program will be capable to win its highest award supplied: Instance: If an Award Program expects candidates to point out superior technical abilities with flash, scripting, coding, appropriate use of tags, and many others., then the AP ought to present the identical and be capable to win their highest award supplied.
16. The factors of a reputable Award Program will encompass extra then only a few statements and a brief bulleted record. Instance: (give detailed explanations and ideas) If Award Applications requires candidates to “Optimize Graphics”, they need to clarify the explanation why. They need to provide options corresponding to, slicing pictures or creating thumbnails to chop down on loading time. If the Award Program require horizontal scroll bars to not be current, they need to clarify how not all browser settings are the identical. In the event that they require ALT tags be used, they need to clarify the usage of ALT tags and the way they’re used to call graphics, whereas hovering over the graphic, and many others. They need to clarify extra then simply the do’s and the don’ts. By doing this, you they’re additionally educating candidates and newbie designers one thing they could not know.
17. The Award Program will show a “judging or scoring” web page, that may be simply understood and clarify to candidates how factors may be achieved in addition to deducted. This may give candidates an thought of what they should present on their websites, to realize the very best factors attainable.
18. The Award Program normally shows, “Award Title Descriptions”. AP’s ought to clarify what the “Award Titles” signify. Instance: What number of factors it should take to win your Gold, Silver or Bronze and a quick description of the general that means of every Award Title.
19. A very good Award Program will provide instruments, assets or hyperlinks to help candidates with internet designs.
20. The Award Program normally gives an “Award Course of” web page. Explaining to candidates the award course of, how lengthy it takes to listen to again, who’s notified and who is just not, in addition to what occurs if they don’t win an award. AP’s ought to present candidates the choice to e-mail your AP for ideas and recommendations if they don’t win an award from their Award Applications. Award Applications ought to present their candidates that they care and are prepared to additional help them in gaining the next Award Title, in the event that they request recommendations on bettering their websites.
21. The Award Program ought to record credentials they could have or an Evaluators/Judging Panel Web page. Candidates are fast to ask, “Who’s judging my web site and what qualifies them to guage my web site?”
22. The Award Program ought to show reputable contact data and never only a type for candidates to fill out.
23. The Award Program ought to present another software course of. Instance: For applicant’s browsers who don’t help varieties, they need to offer you the choice to e-mail your purposes and what data you want to candidates to surround with the appliance.