Since inception in 2015, the Search Engine Land Awards has acknowledged distinctive entrepreneurs on an annual foundation — showcasing their oustanding work, offering well-earned publicity in protection and interviews, and bestowing upon them the very best honor in search.

However the highway between deciding to start an software and profitable the award is usually a lengthy one. Though this 12 months’s submission course of has been considerably streamlined — it’s by no means been quicker or simpler to use to the Search Engine Land Awards — there’s nonetheless a narrative that must be informed. And whereas the best way through which you inform that story is fully as much as you, we thought we’d look again on some recommendation from previous judges about what actually wows them, what they might like to see extra of, and what areas are finest averted...

Preserve studying for 17 ideas for creating an award-worthy submission:

What impresses the judges most:

1. “What impresses me is when folks have clearly aligned the instruments and options they’re utilizing to the objectives they need to obtain. It sounds easy, however the entries which might be goal-oriented somewhat than centered on ways are all the time strongest.” – Ginny Marvin
2. “When entries have a brand new tackle a scenario or characteristic and speak about into how their technique is completely different from the norm, and reveal why is their technique or ways are award-worthy.” – Brad Geddes
3. “When submissions are succinct however concrete of their marketing campaign summaries, present examples (i.e., advert inventive the place related) and use straight-forward English somewhat than advertising communicate.” – Greg Sterling
4. “When candidates are capable of transcend percentages of will increase and present tangible outcomes of how the marketing campaign instantly impacted the underside line of the enterprise. Additionally, it helps to place outcomes into perspective — so as an alternative of merely saying: ‘Earlier than the marketing campaign, the consumer was solely bringing on this # of leads, clicks, and so on — however the marketing campaign raised that quantity to XXX’ provide an instance of how the marketing campaign impacted the enterprise total and never simply the analytics. – Amy Gesenhues
5. “When entrants share lots of technical information round their case research.” – Barry Schwartz
6. “When entries show their level with stats, graphs, and particularly screenshots of GA/PPC Engine/ different paid search tech suppliers. Too many simply say, ‘we elevated enterprise [some huge number]’ with no approach to again it up.” – Brad Geddes
7. “It actually impresses me when entrants present how they retooled, revitalized [a campaign] or did one thing extraordinary to attain extraordinary outcomes. Or, how they outfoxed a competitor in a intelligent method – something that exhibits how extraordinary outcomes got here from actually extraordinary work.” – Matt Van Wagner

What judges need to see extra of:

1. “I like to see orchestration — when groups use instruments, ways and options in fascinating methods to unravel issues and execute on a technique.” – Ginny Marvin
2. “Pictures from the marketing campaign and information illustrating concrete outcomes. Calling out what was modern or particularly vital or efficient concerning the marketing campaign.” – Greg Sterling
3. “Tales round how the marketing campaign was distinctive from different campaigns the company and/or consumer had applied up to now and the instruments used to implement the marketing campaign. Additionally, did you study something from the marketing campaign that you simply’ve been capable of introduce to different campaigns/shoppers. Had been there any surprising advantages that performed out through the course of the marketing campaign?” – Amy Gesenhues
4. “I’d like to see extra information from our entrants that pinpoint successes or failures of their case research.” – Barry Schwartz
5. “Entries that present the challenges they needed to overcome which might be exterior of the norm (the scrappy startup towards goliath, goliath exhibiting it will possibly innovate nonetheless towards the scrappy startups stealing market share, and so on), which is likely to be market situations, a enterprise change, and so on.” – Brad Geddes

What entrants must cease doing:

1. “It’s nice to check new betas, however gaining access to betas doesn’t make you an amazing marketer. Make sure your entry doesn’t lean on implementing the latest beta options as proof of working a profitable marketing campaign. That’s not sufficient.” – Ginny Marvin
2. “Padding their discussions, utilizing advertising jargon or bloated writing. I’d additionally wish to see much less self-congratulation.” – Greg Sterling
3. “Utilizing language like world-class, best-in-class, and so on. to outline your marketing campaign. Speak particular numbers and outcomes. Utilizing flowery language to build-up the marketing campaign takes away from precise/quantifiable outcomes. (In different phrases, let the numbers communicate for themselves.)” – Amy Gesenhues
4. “Not differentiating on technique or ways. Whereas it’s necessary that we see ‘finest or normal practices’ are in place in an account, we’re additionally in search of an in depth rationalization of technique that really differentiates the work from others… For instance, an account testing new advert extensions / codecs or a touchdown web page that breaks conference however delivers spectacular conversion information.” – Brad Geddes
5. “Claiming will increase of 200% if you actually imply 100%. A 100% enhance means you doubled your quantity. Going from $100 to $137 isn’t a 137% enhance. It’s a 37% enhance. I’d prefer it that if you say ROAS, you present the system you used to calculate it. A 1000% enhance is nearly all the time ignored as a metric. It’s the reverse of spectacular – it’s suspicious. It’s almost certainly you have been doing little or no earlier than and now you might be doing a little bit greater than nothing.” – Matt Van Wagner

The Early Hen deadline for the 2022 Search Engine Land Awards is Friday, July 15 at 11:59 pm PT. Evaluate the categories for 2022 and start your software here. 

About The Writer

Lauren Donovan has labored in on-line advertising since 2006, specializing in occasion advertising, content material administration, natural and paid social media, group and popularity administration, and real-time journalism. She presently serves as Director of Advertising at Third Door Media — producer of the Search Advertising Expo and MarTech convention collection and publishers of Search Engine Land and MarTech.