Awards Timeline
Entry Deadline: Dec. 5
Extended Deadline: Dec. 19
Awards Luncheon: Spring 2015
You can still get recognized for your social media efforts through December 19!
You have followers, fans and likes, and people sharing your content, re-pinnning your photos and chiming in daily. What you don't have – yet – is a Social Media Icon Award to add gravitas and extra credibility to your social media activities. Brought to you by PR News, the Social Media Icon Awards allow you to show off what you've done in the past 12 months and get recognized for all the hard work, interesting content and impressive results that you and your team have accomplished. And unlike much of social media, where your work disappears in the blink of an eye yet has curious lasting power on your brand, these PR News awards allow you to capture your most outstanding social media work and bask in the iconic glow of victory.
The Social Media Icon Awards are divided into platform categories: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+, Instagram and others. If you're communicating on these platforms and have great results to share, enter and get recognized. The awards also tip the hat to the social media superstars, so don't forget to enter your Social Media Team into this competition. Lastly, we are recognizing the products and services that fuel your great work, with a host of Technology categories.
In entering the awards, keep it simple. The best way to get recognized by the judges is to simplify your entry to the core of what makes it great. Show us examples, share the results and give us several reasons why you deserve to win. Consider it the virtual elevator pitch.
Good luck. We look forward to honoring the icons of social media in spring 2015 at an awards luncheon. The Icons will also receive special editorial coverage and a Social Media Icon badge to use online and in marketing efforts.
-PR News Team
Questions? Contact Rachel Scharmann at [email protected].
Categories
Facebook:
- Best Marketing Campaign – how you leveraged Facebook to build customer base and mindshare
- Best PR campaign – how you used Facebook to build brand/reputation
- Best Promoted Post – it worked, show us how
- Community/Engagement – how your fans feel about you
- Contests/Games – making it fun, building engagement
- Photography – consistent use of great visuals
- Profile Page – how you look to your community
- Social Good Campaign – leveraging Facebook to do good
- Use of Video – moving words and pictures to activate your community
Twitter:
- Best Marketing Campaign – well done marketing via Twitter
- Best PR Campaign – how you leveraged Twitter for great PR
- Best Tweet Content – your content is sticky with your tweeps
- Best Use of Hashtags - #workedwell
- Campaign to Increase Followers – savvy strategy boosted followers
- Crisis Management Campaign – how Twitter helped mitigate or un-do damage
- Customer Service – why customers love you on Twitter
- Most Engaged Followers – they retweet you like crazy
- Promoted Tweet Campaign – it worked, show us how
- Social Good Campaign – you gave back, via Twitter
Pinterest:
- Best Marketing Campaign – how you leveraged Pinterest to market your product/service
- Best PR Campaign – Pinterest as a great communications platform
- Best Brand Presence – you look great on Pinterest
- Community/Engagement – your fans love your Pinterest board
LinkedIn:
- Best Marketing Campaign – leveraging LinkedIn to move your brand
- Best PR Campaign – how you used LinkedIn for your PR
- Best Group – this birds-of-a-feather group flocks to you
- Most Engaged LinkedIn Group – groupies love your Group
Instagram:
- Best Marketing Campaign – leveraging Instagram to move your brand
- Best PR Campaign – how you used Instagram for your PR
- Best Contest – this one worked really well
- Best Photo – wow, great picture!
- Best Use of a Photo – beyond just looks, this photo moved people
Tumblr:
- Best Marketing Campaign – how you leveraged Tumblr to market your product/service
- Best PR Campaign – how you used Tumblr for your PR
- Presence – you look great on Tumblr
Snapchat:
- Best Marketing Campaign – how you leveraged Snapchat to market your product/service
- Best PR Campaign – how you leveraged Snapchat for your PR
YouTube:
- Best Marketing Campaign – how you leveraged YouTube to increase sales/traffic
- Best PR Campaign – communicating your message via YouTube
- Best Channel – excellent content, well curated
- Individual Video – great content with high shareability factor
Google +:
- Best Marketing Campaign – how you leveraged Google + to increase sales/traffic
- Best PR Campaign – communicating your message via Google +
- Circle Growth – boy, you've grown over the past year
- Most Engaged Followers – show how your followers engage with your brand
- Use of Hangouts – you hosted interesting events for your community
** And the Rest:
- Best App – a shining example of what an app should be
- Best Blog – quality content displayed by an individual or a corporate point of view
- Best Infographic – excellent display of content, information and aha moments
- Foursquare presence – you get geo
- Technology - best use of technology product or service, from social media measurement analytics tool to influencer identification tool to reputation management.
Best Social Media Team:
Share with us what makes your social media team great. List all team members who should be recognized and provide 5 examples of outstanding initiatives that moved the needle for your brand or organization via creative social strategy and tactics. Please include all team members' names and titles.
How To Enter
Compiling Your Entry
The following information must be listed (except for Social Media Team of the Year category):
- Category entered
- Title of entry (as it would appear on your award)
- Team members (on campaign)
- Photo of campaign
- Key contact for entry
- Organization submitting entry
Within your two-page synopsis (max 3500 words), please describe your campaign or PR initiative using the following subheadings:
- Objectives (500 words)
- Strategy (1000 words)
- Budget (All budget information is strictly confidential and will not be published w/o expressed permission.)
- Tactics (500 words)
- Execution (1000 words)
- Evaluation of Success/Results/ROI (500 words)
Best Social Media Team of the Year Entry:
- All team members listed (names and titles)
- Photo of team
- Five examples of outstanding initiatives (1000 words)
Supporting materials should show evidence of the success of your work. It can be any of the following: sales figures, brand media coverage, clippings, photos, urls/web sites, research documents, and testimonials.
Who Should Enter?
The Social Media Icon Awards are open to all individuals and teams worldwide at for-profit and non-profit organizations including: corporations, PR firms, public affairs and IR agencies, publicity firms, associations, government, and NGO teams, and sole practitioners. Vendors are also eligible to compete, either in the Technology category or on behalf of clients.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, the campaign or PR initiative must have taken place (either in part or in full) between January 1, 2014, and December 5, 2014. Some of the work must have occurred during this time, but it’s not necessary for it to be completed during the eligibility period.
Deadlines/Entry Fees
Entry Deadline: December 5, 2014
Extended Deadline: December 19, 2014
All entries must be final and paid for by Friday, December 12, 2014.
For entries finalized between December 6 and December 19, 2014, please add a $225 late fee per entry. Finalists will be notified in spring of 2015.
Entry Fees
The price of each primary entry is $350. If you submit the same entry in multiple categories, the additional fee is $225 per category. A late entry surcharge of $225 per entry will be added for entries submitted between December 6 and December 12, 2014. Payment in full must accompany the entry.
All entries are non-returnable and non-refundable.
FAQs
How are the entries judged?
Entries are judged by a blue-chip panel of corporate, agency, nonprofit and academic executives, as well as by the staff of PR News. We evaluate your entry based on creativity, innovation, sound planning implementation and results. Our most important criterion is proven success in aligning your strategic objectives with your end goals.
Who is eligible to win an award?
Any communications team or individual – corporate, agency, association, governmental agency or nonprofit – of any size is eligible to enter the Social Media Icon Awards Program.
Where and when will the reception be held?
The winners and honorable mentions will receive their Social Media Icon Awards in spring 2015 during an awards luncheon.
How do I increase my chances of winning an award?
Emphasize the goals of your campaign, as well as your campaign’s achievements in your synopsis. Provide as many concrete and specific examples of success as possible, and explain clearly and succinctly your research, planning, implementation and measurement of the campaign.
When will I be notified about the status of my entry?
You will be contacted by PR News staff regarding the status of your entry online if you are named a finalist in the awards program. Finalists are notified 30-60 days in advance of the Social Media Icon Awards ceremony.
Must we include our campaign budget?
It’s not a requirement, but it helps the judges to better compare your campaign against other entries. Include at least a reasonable budget range. The judges always take into account the campaign budget relative to the goals and outcome. All information is confidential and will not be published.
What is your tax ID number?
52-2270063
Contact & Sponsorship Information
For questions regarding PR News' Social Media Icon Awards, contact Marketing Coordinator Rachel Scharmann at [email protected]; 301-354-1713. For sponsorship information, contact SVP & Group Publisher Diane Schwartz at [email protected]; 212-621-4964.