Pittsburgh, PA -- Printing Industries of America Vice President of Digital Technologies, Julie Shaffer, today announces the first annual web2awards competition, the industry's first and only contest established for printing industry websites worldwide. The deadline for entries in this premier year is July 31, 2009. Awards will be presented at the 2009 Converge Conference, November 8-10, 2009, in Orlando, Florida.
 
"Printing websites have reached a level of sophistication and adoption that makes it imperative for the industry to recognize, honor, and elevate printers that are achieving excellence with their online presence," Shaffer says. "To that end, the Digital Printing Council is proud to debut a comprehensive yearly competition that will foster prosperity for the industry."
 
Mission
The mission of the web2awards judging body, consisting of educators, designers, web programmers, e-commerce experts, marketers, and industry consultants, is to honor excellence in the various categories of print-related websites.
 
Everyone gets feedback
Although there are limited numbers of winners, every entry will receive criteria scoring (overall design, structure and navigation, content, technology, ease of use, and innovation), score comparisons to other entrants, placement in a booklet recognizing all entrants, and in pertinent cases, specific judges' comments. Winners additionally receive a physical award statue, a digital version of the award that they can place on their company website, and each will be featured in a published case study.
 
A word from the President
"The industry holds Printing Industries' awards, such as the InterTech Technology Award, in very high regard," says Michael Makin, president and CEO of Printing Industries of America. "We will hold the web2awards to the same standards, giving vendors, printers, and their clients the opportunity to create, promote, and share the very best in class solutions."
 
Eligibility
The web2awards competition is open to all organizations and individuals involved in designing, managing, or implementing websites that are "print-centric," meaning that the website's focus must include sale/exchange of printed material and/or promote a printer's capabilities on the Internet or an Intranet.
 
Other eligibility requirements are found in the complete web2awards submission site (www.printing.org/web2awards).

Award judging process
Each judge visits the nominated site and evaluates the entire website experience. All judges will evaluate each entry on six scoring criteria, earning an averaged score between 0 and 60 points. The scores and any comments are recorded. Any averaged score above 48 will receive an Exceptional Website Award certificate. For each company sales range, the highest score in a given category wins Best of Category. All Best of Category winners will be evaluated to select Best of Show.
 
Companies may also enter an awards category for Most Unique Product. An award will be given to the entry that demonstrates the most original, innovative printed product offered through a web-to-print site. An example is www.mykleenextissue.com.
 
Categories:
    1.    Static company site. This is the site that you use to promote your company with no web-to-print component (except FTP or generic file delivery).
    2.    Web-to-print homegrown. This site is largely developed in-house and may contain components augmented from various applications.
    3.    Web-to-print licensed. This site is largely based on a licensed product from a web-to-print vendor.
    4.    Most unique product-specific site. An award will be given to the most unique and innovative printed product offered through a dedicated web-to-print site.
Awards for each category: 
    •    Best of Show: one award selected from the pool of Best of Category winners
    •    Best of Category: one award for each category within each company size; nine awards total
    •    Exceptional Website: one certificate for each website that achieves a score above 48
    •    Most Unique Product: one award selected from all entries
The entry fee is $99 for Printing Industries of America members and $199 for non-members. Entries not accompanied with payment cannot be processed. For more information contact: Julie Shaffer, Vice President of Digital Technologies, at +1 412-259-1730 or [email protected].